Many,many thanks to Needtoknow400 for going through this for me and helping it! It needed it!
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Who knew that such small pieces of metal could hold so much significance? But when they were placed in his hand the full meaning of them became clear. They meant that he was desired, loved and that he belonged to someone. That he was his.
His heart was pounding as he looked at them in the palm of his hand, feeling the love that was carried with them. He didn't believe he had ever been given anything that meant more. He had no words as he looked into the other man's smiling and hopeful face, eyes expressing everything that his heart was feeling.
It's tangible proof that the older man claims him for his own, that he wants the younger man and that he loves him. His hand reaches up to caress the other man's face, to somehow convey all that he is feeling and unable to verbalize. The overwhelming love that he has for the older man and the treasure that he knows the man is.
He pulls the younger man closer to him, wrapping him in his arms as his lips meet the other man's. He know that the younger man wishes they could shout it from the mountain tops and share it with the world and not have to hide it. Someday he tells the younger man.
But for now the few that know about them share their joy and love and revel in their happiness. They smile from where they sit watching as he tenderly takes the pieces of metal from the younger man's hands and places them around his neck, his blue eyes shining into green both filled with love and devotion.
He looks down at his chest where they lay, and smiles as his hand reaches up to gently the caresses the raised name upon the metal dog tags of Leroy Jethro Gibbs.