Looking through Sunshine 1/1 (complete)
Title: Looking through Sunshine
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: Tolkein's. Not mine.
Words: 2305
Summary: Arwen's a hopeless romantic but that's better, in her opinion, than Haldir, who's just completely hopeless.
Author's Notes: So, I know I haven't updated anything in a while. Emigrating to a new country is a busier task than you might think. :p I swear, I have 31 new chapter alerts to catch up on in my inbox. ACK! Anyway, I thought, as it is Valentine's Day today, I'd post something a little fluffy.
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Whim and the gently coaxing whispers of wind dictated his path, compelling him further in amongst the towering silver-grey pillars of Lorien. His pace quickened, his goal in sight, and he looked up, shadows falling away from his skin as he passed from forest trail to moonlit clearing. His questing, joyous smile reached out to the tallest tree at the terminus of the well-worn trail, its leafy boughs edged in starlight. On the ground, frost shimmered across stone, glittered knowingly and winked its approval.
He laughed; a warm and eager sound, though quiet, for his delight was meant only for his own ears. It was loud enough on this still night. A door opened, created a hollow of pale yellow candlelight, framing a dark figure with its glow.
"Legolas."
The greeting was short. Legolas answered it with another happy ring of laughter, skipping forwards to grace those unyielding lips with a fleeting kiss.
"Haldir," purred the woodland spirit that was Mirkwood's prince. "I'm late. Forgive me."
"You know I can't do that, Legolas," Haldir reproved, a stern frown pulling at the corners of his mouth and creasing his forehead.
"Then let me make it up to you," came the breathy response.
Haldir fairly glowered with disapproval. "Get inside. You're making a scene."
It was a meaningless remark, both of them knew. An elf like Legolas drew attention no matter where he went or what he did. He chose, therefore, to do as he wished, whatever and wherever that might be. Or whoever. He slipped past Haldir with a sly smile and an even slyer hand. Haldir froze for the briefest of moments. Then the door slammed closed.
The sturdy timber muffled the laughter that followed.
The following morning, Legolas lay naked on the bed, the heavy material that dared to call itself a blanket twisted about his calves and ankles where he had pushed free from its confining embrace. He rubbed at his eyes, stretching out his long legs and wriggling his toes. He recalled his ensnarement of the previous night, one formed of a hard chest pressing against his and of furious desire brought to heel by a harsh master. With Haldir, there was no wild damaging of furniture or strange acts of bodily contortionism, and no amount of begging, cajoling or increasingly petulant demands on Legolas' part would change him. Haldir's passion was a structured and disciplined thing.
Legolas, impulsive and uninhibited creature that he was, found the notion entirely amusing and, also, oddly comfortable. Haldir was constant, unfailing, and Legolas rather enjoyed knowing what was in store for him. In other areas, the unremitting Haldir was not so comfortable. Legolas grinned ruefully at the ache in his muscles and at the fragile tenderness of his mouth. Haldir's touch lingered.
The memory roused a familiar longing and he let his hand drift with his thoughts, moving lazily.
When he finally crawled from the bed, short of breath and decidedly flushed, the morning was fast disappearing. Haldir had long since departed. Legolas had not expected him to wait; his lover's duties defined him.
As for himself, he had promised the fair Arwen an afternoon of his company. He took time in straightening his decidedly indecent appearance, though he wondered at this effort, for there was not a soul in Lorien that did not already know of his nightly activities.
On the table there was a basin of water and a cake of soap. Legolas smiled fondly as he reached for them, grateful for Haldir's forethought. There was a clean tunic draped over the back of a chair, too. It was one of his, he realised when he came to put it on. Several of his possessions had migrated to Haldir's home over the course of the years. Legolas found it rather convenient.
Arwen was surprised to see him, once he made his presence known.
As usual, she was surrounded by a bevy of tittering, vapid songbirds pretending to be ladies, each of whom responded to his appearance with a great deal of blushing and giggling. Legolas had little time for them. Arwen was of a like mind, shooting up from her seat with startled relief written across her pale features, and no small amount of confusion.
The generous folds of her dress swayed about her ankles as she hastened to greet him, clutching his arms and gracing him with a friendly kiss on the cheek.
"Legolas!" she exclaimed with pleasure. "What are you doing here? I hadn't expected to see you for at least a week!"
"And forego the opportunity to be seen with you? Please, Arwen, you know how good you are for my ego."
Arwen snorted, but the effect was entirely ruined by the pleased flush on her cheeks. "That I don't doubt," she teased. "It's a wonder to everyone that I so much as look in your direction, common scoundrel that you are."
There was a scandalised gasp from the songbirds. Legolas ignored it, taking hold of Arwen's hand and pulling her rudely towards the sunlight. She laughed gaily and did not look back.
"I thought you would be with Haldir today," she explained.
"He's on duty." Legolas did not explain further; there was no need.
An exasperated puff of air escaped Arwen's lips. "Duty? When you've not seen each other for so long? He cares more for his soldier's than he does you, Legolas! I don't know why you put up with him."
Legolas shrugged, a seemingly nonchalant, uncaring motion, but his eyes danced. "He has his moments."
"Clearly this was not one of them."
"There is always tonight," he said, in an attempt to placate her annoyance, but Arwen was having none of it. She scowled and chewed at her lip as if fighting the words she wanted to say.
It took a lot to sober the normally cheerful Legolas but, as he escorted one of his dearest friends towards the stables, he found he was disappointed with her. He was well aware of the gossip, of course. Few understood how Haldir had captured the attention of Mirkwood's flighty prince and many thought it a transitory, fleeting affair, despite the long years that had passed. It was a reasonable curiosity, for there had been no defining moment that had changed their relationship, no great romance and certainly no grand declarations!
Legolas was used to the looks that followed them in public, having borne such treatment throughout his life, but he often felt guilty for bringing it upon his intensely private lover. It bothered him, Legolas knew, but he never brought it up. Haldir was not one to make a fuss. It was for his sake that the woodland prince uncharacteristically held his peace, refusing to rise to the teasing and the gossip, though it was an effort to curb his tongue at times.
"Can you honestly see Haldir enjoying what we're going to do this afternoon?"
"No, I suppose not…" Arwen hummed, "Riverside picnics and woodland walks were never his style."
"Exactly. Haldir and I share many interests but this? This will never be one of them."
"Oh, I know! It's just… he's so reserved all the time. No one would know you were together to look at the way he acts around you. He never lets you know how he's feeling but you tell him all the time and… I worry about you."
"Arwen, you are such a darling!" Legolas exclaimed, taking her hand and giving it an affectionate squeeze. "You needn't worry. Haldir simply has a different way of expressing himself. He's… practical."
"If you say so."
"It's true!" Legolas grinned and lifted his hand to point in the direction of their destination. "Look there. What do you see?"
Arwen followed the direction of his eyes, tilted her head in puzzlement and answered with a question, "The stables?"
"Exactly. And there are our horses waiting for us."
"I don't quite follow?"
"I told Haldir about our plans to go riding today," Legolas said, as if that explained everything.
"Oh! So you asked him to prepare our horses?"
"Ai, no, I would never! I'm perfectly capable of doing it myself!" From the look on Arwen's face, she still didn't understand. Legolas grinned. "It doesn't matter. We'd better hurry, though, if we want to spend any time at Cerin Amroth today."
"Which we do!" Arwen agreed. "It's one of my favourite places."
They made haste to the beauty spot, letting the horses stretch their legs. They clearly enjoyed the gallop. By the time they arrived both were sweating and snorting, ears pricked and tossing their heads in protest when brought to a stop. Legolas slid from his mount and gave it a hard slap on the shoulder.
"Go and play, then, you great beast!" It wouldn't wander far, Legolas knew, for he had trained this one himself and it responded to his call readily. Arwen's horse he was not so sure of but he trusted on one to stay close to the other.
It was the best time of year to visit. Pale green and white niphredil carpeted the rich green grass in cloud-like swathes, dotted here and there with golden stars of elanor. The great mallorn were in full leaf, jonquil and icterine yellows through which the sun shone and bathed everything in a brilliant haze.
Arwen flung out her arms as if to catch the sun as it bore down upon her, warming her pale skin and turning it a faint bronze.
"I will always find this place beautiful," she said with a sigh.
Legolas nodded absently. "As will I. The first time I met Haldir was in the place. He found me lying in a drift of blooms, niphredil woven into my hair and grass stains on my clothing."
"Really?" Arwen's eyes lit up. "How romantic!"
"He held a sword at my throat and demanded my name."
After a moment's shocked pause, Arwen sighed heavily and rolled her eyes in exaggerated fashion. "You couldn't let me have one little daydream, could you?"
"I think you need to have your own romance if you want one so badly!" Legolas chuckled. "You'll not get one from Haldir!"
"Maybe I will," she laughed, twirling on the spot and dancing to the trees' song, of rustling leaves in the wind, creaking branches and the near-silent footfalls of the many creatures that lived among them. She hummed along for a moment, her skirts lifting as she span, circling her ankles and then her calves. Then she stopped and looked at Legolas with a most peculiar expression, eyes wide and faraway. "Maybe I will," she repeated softly.
Legolas gave her a sideways look. "Are you planning something?"
"Oh, Legolas, you always suspect the worst of me!"
"I have met you," he responded dryly.
Arwen giggled. "No, I'm not planning something, except… I think I'd like to come back here more often."
On that, the pair agreed, for they whiled away the afternoon far too quickly. They ate a light lunch, sharing stories and teasing each other affectionately. They took time to enjoy the view, though that was abruptly cut short when Arwen pushed Legolas and sent him rolling down the hill, upon whence there then ensued a great chase involving a great deal of shrieking.
Legolas had always loved Arwen for her easygoing nature. She was exactly the kind of sister he wished he had and he was often a little jealous of her brothers.
Come evening the elves that rode home did look so much like a prince accompanying a lady as they did two naughty elflings smirking at successfully accomplishing some mischief.
They stopped at Legolas' flet first. It was the nearest and here, in the safety of Caras Galadhon, Arwen needed no escort for the remainder of her journey home. She grinned as they drew close, spotting the flowers growing amongst the roots of the tree. They matched the ones she had placed in his hair.
Legolas blushed. "They remind me of the time Haldir and I met."
Arwen squeaked happily and gave him a tight hug. "Good," she said. "At least one of you is romantic. I despaired, you know."
"You are hopeless."
She shrugged; a most unladylike gesture. It suited her. "Some things can't be helped. I had fun today, Legolas. Come and see me again, the next time Haldir's on duty."
Legolas grinned broadly. "I will," he promised, bidding her good night.
He paused at the foot of the tree for a moment, reaching out to touch one of the pale blossoms. The soft petals slipped through his fingers and through his memory. Haldir had planted these only a few years ago and Legolas still warmed at the sight of them.
Inside he found Haldir waiting for him, seated at the window and engrossed in a book. The warden glanced up and smiled a greeting upon seeing the prince. Indeed, Legolas appearance was worth a smile, flowers inexpertly and haphazardly woven into his hair, and covered head to foot in grass stains. Legolas grinned back but did not yet speak. Haldir hated to be interrupted in the middle of reading. Instead, the prince flopped onto a cosy chair in the corner of the room and removed his boots.
Haldir would finish his book soon enough and then… then Legolas would find a way to thank him for preparing the horses today, even if he hadn't asked. Arwen hadn't understood, but she was still young and thought love was some grand adventure. Legolas knew better.
Legolas knew love was comfortable and familiar, like finding an old tunic thrown over the back of a chair, and not wondering who had put it there. It was water and soap and a well-groomed horse.
It was a closed book and a promising smile, and it did not need to ask.
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