A/N: Reuploaded from AO3 account: Harta

Based on an ADORABLE drawing that my friend made. She just loves this bromance pairing so much. And so do I :') This story is dedicated to her. You can find her on tumblr: saldys!

For the setting of this story, it's up to the readers to decide when it happened :)
The moment in the LotR novel, when I read that Legolas actually "sleeps" with his eyes open, a plot bunny just went and hopped at me! So I decided to put those two ideas together and this is the result.

Curiosity Killed the Dwarf

There are many things that amused Gimli.

As a dwarf, jewels and beautiful rocks in the earth of course amused him. He was more than amused whenever his enemies tried to dodge his attacks but ended up with an ax in their chest or back. Horses amused him, although he had no idea how to ride one by himself.

And then there was Legolas the Elf.

That Elf was just…amusing. Gimli had no idea how to put it in words. Legolas's elegant movements even in battle, and his speech even when speaking the Common Tongue, his choice of words, nearly everything about him…they all amused Gimli.

And now as he, Aragorn, and none other than the Elf camped outside at night, awaiting the break of dawn, Gimli had all the time in the world to be amused.

He leaned his back against a tree trunk, gazing upon the darkened horizon and the fields beyond that stretched in front of him. It was his shift to be the watchman, and he knew that he could not sleep a blink until his turn was done. Dwarves were proud folk, and Gimli the Dwarf was one of the proudest—or at least that's what he thought.

He sighed, breathing in the cool, night air. Then his eyes flickered over to his companions.

They didn't light a fire, not wanting to attract any unwanted attention. Yet the night was not too cold, in fact, Gimli felt that it was just the right temperature. Again he breathed in a long breath and smiled.

Aragorn was curled up at the foot of another tree, his head resting on the trunk, pillowed by a couple of folded blankets. In his hand, perhaps due to habit or due to a feeling of protection that grew on him whenever he grasped onto it, Aragorn was sleeping with sword in hand. His face looked peaceful, as if all the pain of endless battle and struggles had disappeared from his features.

Sleep tight, thought Gimli. My little King.

Then there was the Elf.

The Elf.

Gimli rolled his eyes and finally gazed upon Legolas. It took a long time of getting used to, but finally Gimli could look at the sleeping Elf and not feel as disturbed.

Well…

Okay, so he was still a little disturbed.

Gimli had no idea what it was called, but he felt that it wasn't called "sleep". Whatever Legolas was doing at the moment couldn't be called "sleep."

The Elf was lying on his back, head cushioned by blankets as well, hands folded upon his chest.

And Legolas's eyes were wide open.

Wide open.

Gimli tried so hard to be accustomed to how Elves slept. But it wasn't that easy. He even swore that Legolas could sleep while walking. Gimli even woke up one night and peeped a look at Legolas who was on shift: the Elf was pacing back and force, humming gently. The Dwarf had kept his eyes on the mysterious creature for what must have been hours, but Legolas did not seem to need to lay his head down for one bit. Then Aragorn had taken the Elf's shift, and Gimli muttered silently to himself and fell asleep grumbling.

And now here he was, staring at the sleeping Elf. Gimli was tempted to poke him, probe him, wave a hand over those clear eyes, or something. Just anything. Anything to douse his curiosity.

Finally he couldn't take it anymore. Gimli reached out his hand and gently passed it over Legolas's eyes. No movement. Just the steady breathing of the Elf. Then Gimli chuckled gently to himself, and noticed how the moon's rays glinted off the fine golden strands of Legolas's hair.

It was something that always managed to confuse Gimli. How on earth did the Elf manage to keep his hair so straight and tidy when there were so many running…so many battles…so many horse rides…and so many turmoil that the he and the others had to go through? It seemed as if a single hair was never out of place.

Gimli grumbled to himself. He took off his gloves and placed them on the ground. Then he ran a hand through his own Dwarven hair and found his fingers stuck immediately. He let out a curse in Khuzdul and untangled himself. Well, Dwarves were never known for tidiness.

Then it was turn for Legolas's hair. Gimli did the same thing, running his hand through the golden strands and found that his fingers soared through them gracefully.

How how HOW?

It wasn't as if Gimli saw Legolas combing his hair! With all that's been going on, the three rarely had any time for privacy. And for this trip, Gimli had actually kept an eye on Legolas almost the whole time; he was just that curious.

He sighed again, and played a little with Legolas's braid. Gimli compared it to his own rough one. No, it wasn't as if he was envious. He was just curious. He attempted to imagine a Dwarf with hair as straight and graceful as the Elves, and he nearly sputtered with laughter.

Hmm…

The night was still young. He still had hours of his shift.

He waved a hand over Legolas's eyes again. No reaction.

Then he looked over his shoulder to check on Aragorn. The Man was fast asleep, facing the the opposite direction.

Hmmmm…

No one would know.

Chuckling quietly to himself, Gimli took a hold of Legolas's braids, and then he undid them. What if…what if he gave the Elf a little Dwarven makeover? The little friendly banter between them never seemed to disappear anywhere, and he couldn't help it. Oh, how he would relish the look on Legolas's face.

And as he did his work, Gimli would use the chance to try to figure out how the Elf's hair worked. It was like…per say…"killing two Orcs with one swing of the ax."

"Hehehe…prepare to see some Dwarven magic," Gimli laughed.

"Oh, how amusing. I would love to see it."

Gimli screamed bloody murder.

Legolas had awoken…No, not just awoken, but the Elf had also taken a firm grasp on the Dwarf's wrists. The most scariest thing was the smile on Legolas's face. Friendly…yet terrifying.

"This Dwarven makeover…does it involve bones of animal in my hair? Because I am sure you know how I react to the butchering of innocent animals."

"You were awake the whole time!" Gimli spluttered.

"No," answered Legolas. "I'm afraid I was 'asleep' as well." Then he let out a clear, warm laugh.

"Did you hear and see everything?!" Gimli continued to splutter.

"Ah," said Legolas. "I may or I may not have. The world can never know how it goes with Elves, correct?"

Gimli felt like throwing the Elf over his shoulder. That would take the smug smile off Legolas's face. But the Dwarf knew that he couldn't, and he didn't want anyone to know why he knew.

Instead, he just bent his head and sputtered a string of Khuzdul, causing Legolas to raise an eyebrow.

"Come, friend Gimli," said the Elf then. "Since you are interested in the ways of Elves and their hair, then I shall teach you."

"Wa—Wait!"

Gimli kept shouting "wait" over and over again but it seemed to have no effect. He twisted his wrists out of Legolas's grasp, but the Elf would just grasp onto them again.

"I insist," Legolas said, the smile not wavering off his face. "I shall chase away that curiosity of yours. It seems to be torturing you so."

"It has already been chased away!" Gimli nearly shrieked. "And what currently tortures me at this moment is you! Release me!"

Legolas laughed. "Now, now. There's no need to be embarrassed. Come."

"Nooooo!"

How Aragorn kept sleeping and did not react to all the racket was beyond anyone's imagination. Maybe he was too used to the two's bickering and little fights that he had grown accustomed to it.

Finally, after a small wrestling match where Gimli's hair was tousled and messed, and Legolas's not a strand out of place, the Elf managed to get the Dwarf to sit down in front of him. Legolas smiled and gracefully collapsed gently onto his Elven knees.

Gimli was grumbling hard to himself, crossing his arms and fuming like a little child.

"There there, it's okay," Legolas said, laughing lightly. Then he took a couple of Gimli's red hair in his fingers and began to braid them.

Gimli let out a sound that must have been a "raaaaaarrrr!" and covered his Dwarven face with both of his hands. His face was the color of his hair.

Minutes passed, and Legolas was ready to show Gimli his work.

"Come, Gimli," Legolas said, standing up. "Let us go to the small lake over there, and you shall see your reflection."

Grumbling and curiosity taking hold of him once again, Gimli reluctantly stood up. He followed Legolas and together the two friends made their way to the glittering waters, two silhouettes trudging in the grass.

A couple steps away from the lake, Gimli changed his mind. He did not want to see what the Elf did to his hair, no matter how terrifying or great it was. What if it scarred his thoughts for the rest of his Dwarf life? What if he found himself praising the Elf? No, Gimli would not—could not—live with that.

The Elf was a few meters in front of him. A sneaky little idea popped up in the Dwarf's head.

Chaos would ensue.

"Friend Gimli, what do you think of this sight? Is it not—"

Legolas's words were cut short as a tiny bulk of something crashed into his back and legs. He felt himself being thrown forwards by the sheer weight and impact of the crash.

The most epic splash then occurred.

Then both he and Gimli were both in the water, drenched to the skin, arms out and treading.

"Hahahaha—!" Gimli laughed heartily and loudly before the water made its way in his mouth. Then he choked and heaved out the lake's liquid from his lungs, then continued laughing again. "Hahahahaha!"

He had no regrets with flinging himself at Legolas, causing the both of them to fall into the lake.

"Gimli," said Legolas, eyes wide.

At that moment, Gimli wondered if he had actually bettered the Elf. If he had actually taken the Elf off guard and doused him in the lake. If he had actually beat the Elf at something.

Then there was of course the possibility that Legolas had let himself be pushed into the lake. The Elf had breath-taking reflexes. It was obvious whenever he was in battle. Surely an attack from behind would have been more than enough for him to dodge?

But—But…there was the possibility that Gimli had won this time. Right? Right?

Then they were both wrestling again, out of the pond, onto the grasses. Gimli tried to tug at Legolas's hair, but it was difficult. The two friends simply refused to give up.

Their wrestling was not at all similar to two Hobbits' rough way of wrestling (Merry and Pippin's, per say). This type of wrestling…well, it was just simply Legolas and Gimli wresting.

It was that moment when Aragorn woke up.

The Man's eyes were on the pair immediately: Gimli's hands on Legolas's hair, tugging on them; and Legolas's hands on Gimli's cheeks, pulling them. The grass around the two creatures were trampled and flat and just down-to-earth messy, as if Orcs had ran through the fields, leaving a trail of destruction in their wake.

The Elf and Dwarf froze like statues, not moving their position.

Silence.

There was a long, long silence.

Just, plain silence. Even a hungry and hyper Gollum running through the fields screaming "Fish! Flying Fishessss!" would not have been able to break the stares that the Man, Elf, and Dwarf had locked on each other.

Finally Aragorn spoke.

"What on earth are you two doing?"

end

Aragorn, don't you mean..."what on Middle-Earth are you two doing?" Yay Tolkien puns. :D *tomato'd*

I honestly don't know if those two would wrestle. Legolas seems a bit too elegant for that. But then again, who knows?

Haha, I just love it when Legolas calls Gimli "friend Gimli" in the book.

Feedback/comments would be totally awesome ^_^ They totally put the biggest smile on my face, and I love to hear what people think.