Title: said far more than words can say
Disclaimer: not my characters
Warnings: AU
Pairings: pre-Gibbs/Tony
Rating: PG
Wordcount: 625
Point of view: third
Prompt: NCIS, Tony/Gibbs, down to the earth
Jethro's mother had been an ocelot 'shifter while his father was pure human. Shannon was a red fox and Kelly died before her other half manifested, if it would've. Jethro's father told him more than once that he was surprised Jethro wasn't a wolf.
But Jethro had no other half. He had the temperament of a wolf, and the need for a pack and something to defend, but it never manifested and he felt that loss keenly after Shannon and Kelly died.
Franks' other half was a crotchety old vulture and Ducky's, oddly enough, was a sleek and satisfied snow leopard, but no one else in Jethro's pack was a 'shifter until Abby and her fennec fox took NCIS by storm.
o0o
The first time Jethro saw Detective Tony DiNozzo, it was on a snowy December day and a petty officer had been murdered while visiting his family. The case was simple and straight-forward, but Viv spent the whole time griping about how the FBI did things and DiNozzo's sense of humor really kept Jethro from ripping her throat out. Metaphorically, of course. Since he wasn't actually a 'shifter.
Once the case was wrapped up, Jethro told DiNozzo he should check out NCIS. A month later, DiNozzo showed up.
On the paperwork, DiNozzo checked avian as his other half, but didn't specify which kind since it wasn't required. Jethro didn't care that he didn't know; he figured if it became important, DiNozzo would tell him.
o0o
Five years came and went. Kate joined the pack and died, her caracal with her. McGee and Ziva, each without another half, joined and managed to survive.
When Jethro woke up from his coma, nothing made sense. Merely existing hurt. So after the higher-ups made a horrible decision, he quit and stormed out with barely a word to his pack.
As an alpha, that was a failure that should've had him thrown from the territory with bleeding wounds. Instead, they all respected his decision and stayed away as he shoved a few necessities in a duffle and headed for his car.
Tony was leaning on his car, shades hooked to his shirt and shield in his hand. "Before you go," he said quietly without looking at Jethro, "I should tell you something." He paused, but Jethro stayed silent. "Being allowed into your pack was the best thing that ever happened to me." A slightly longer pause.
Jethro had gaps in his memory, but he knew enough to let his beta have a say.
Tony nodded. "I understand your frustration, why you think you're not important. But you're important to NCIS, and to a lot of people." He pushed off the car and let the shield fall onto the hood. "While you're gone," he said quietly, "hang onto to that for me, would ya?"
He didn't look at Jethro as he turned and 'shifted into a medium-sized dark bird and took to the sky.
o0o
On his way to the airport, Jethro stopped at a library. He found Tony's other half in a bird guidebook and went to the Reflecting Pool, where he sat beside the water.
Before the coma, in all the years he'd known DiNozzo, Tony had never revealed his other half. And now, as Jethro was on his way out of town, Tony gave him his goddamned badge and let him see.
"Get down here, DiNozzo!" he hollered at the sky, at the paradise crow that'd been following him since he left his house.
And Tony landed in front of him, preened for a moment, and changed back. "Yeah, Boss?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.
Jethro glared at him and tossed the badge back. DiNozzo just grinned at him like he'd won something and settled beside him, trailing his fingers in the water.