Fragile Love.
The waxing moon was high in the skies darkness, a mosaic of stars playing around it. The tall trees of the quiet forest rose around the small clearing where the Fellowship camped for the night. A small fire was burning in the center of the clearing, the Fellowship sleeping soundly around it in their sleeping bags, all but one.
Frodo was awake, sitting on one of the logs that would be used for firewood later. He'd insisted upon keeping watch, even though the rest of his friends had convincingly argued that he needed his rest. He was indeed tired, worn both physically and mentally. But still, in the end his friends had lost, and he took his place starring into the fire.
It wasn't very surprising that Frodo had chosen watch duty over sleep. For the past week or so he'd been very distant, more so than ever, as well as very snappy towards his friends. Most of them had dismissed it as a way of releasing stress, that he couldn't always stay so calm and levelheaded with such a burden on his shoulders. Even Sam thought Frodo was just frustrated. But one remained unconvinced. And so now the tall elf pushed his blanket aside and moved slowly towards the fire, coming up behind the small hobbit he could sense was so troubled.
"Frodo," Legolas said quietly, as a warning that he was there so that the hobbit would not get frightened. It failed.
Frodo jumped slightly, and turned quickly to him. He looked up towards the elf, studying his face for a moment and then returning his gaze to the fire. "Hello, Legolas," he said with an almost icy tone. Yet, at the same time, he sounded as though he were in pain, that it hurt to speak.
Legolas moved closer, standing next to the fire and close to Frodo. "Would you like some company?"
The hobbit did not answer, and instead began pulling up strands of grass and throwing them into the fire.
Legolas sighed and sat down on a log close to Frodo's, taking a stick and poking it with the fire. He wanted to say something, wanted to find out what's really behind the hobbit's sour mood. But how to say it is lost to him.
"Is there something you wanted, Legolas?" Frodo said after a few moments of silence. He sounded almost irritated.
Legolas felt his insides heat up some. "Yes, actually," he said, trying to remain calm. "I wanted to ask you what troubles you so, why you have been so cold towards the rest of us. Everyone else thinks it is because of the ring-"
"So?" Frodo interrupts. "Maybe they're right."
"Or maybe not," Legolas counters. "Frodo, please, I only wish to help. Tell me what troubles you, maybe I can-"
"Can what?" Frodo says angrily. "How can you help me? Who's to say I'm even in need of your help? You don't know that I'm not just grieving for the loss of Gandalf or weighed by the burden on the ring."
Legolas' face was sad as he nodded lightly. "Yes, I do. I know because you have just said things that confirm it, your troubles within. And I know it because I can sense it, from your actions. I can see it in your eyes."
"You don't know anything!" Frodo said angrily, throwing a handful of grass into the fire.
"Why?" Legolas said sadly, angrily, raising his voice. "Why do you speak to me so? I offer my comfort to you, my friendship in your obvious time of need; all I have done is cared for you, Frodo, more so than I have cared for myself. Yet you treat me as though I am the source of your unhappiness."
At the last statement, Frodo looks down, almost guiltily.
Legolas' eyes widen, and he drops his stick into the fire. "Is that it?" he says quietly. "I am what is causing your sorrow?" But Frodo says nothing still, causing the elf to speak faster, almost desperate. "Frodo, please, tell me what I have done to anger you so! What is it that does not please you, that makes you treat me as though you would like nothing more than to see me slain?"
"No!" Frodo exclaims, though it is still quiet, like a whisper. "No…no I would never..." He looks hurt, like someone has just hit him across the face.
Legolas, surprisingly, looks as though he is about to cry. "Then what? What have I done? What do you want of me?"
Frodo looks distressed, as though he wants to comfort Legolas, who is trying so hard to comfort him. A few times he opens his mouth to speak, but then closes it when no sound seems to want to come out. After a moment, he just casts his gaze downward. "Nothing you can give."
But Legolas shakes his head, motioning that the statement is not good enough. "How can you be sure? Let me try."
"Legolas-"
"No, Frodo, please!" Legolas screams, a tear falling from his eye and streaming down his face. "You don't understand! You may not think I cannot help you; you may not want me to help you, but I just…I need to. Please…what is-"
"What's wrong?" Frodo screams sadly, tears falling from his own eyes as well. "I've fallen in love with you is what's wrong! I've fallen in love with you and I know I can never have the feeling returned! That is what's wrong!"
Legolas' mouth falls open. His eyes grow wide, and he stares at the small hobbit in disbelief. By now, the rest of the Fellowship is awake, and they're looking back and forth between the two, unsure of whether or not they're dreaming. But the scene cannot continue, for Frodo wipes his shirtsleeve across his face, turns away from Legolas, and runs into the woods.
"Frodo, wait!" Sam cries. "It's dangerous out there!" He pulls his covers back to go after him.
"No," Legolas says, "I'll get him." He takes off running in the direction Frodo disappeared, praying he can find him.
Legolas doesn't have to run long, for he soon finds Frodo in another small clearing, leaning against a tree trunk and starring up at the moon, face wet with tears.
"Just go away, Legolas," Frodo says sadly, sensing the elf's presence. "Please…" But Legolas moves forward, and takes a seat close to Frodo leaning against the tree stump. "Legolas, I asked you to please-" Frodo cannot complete his sentence, for Legolas leans in quickly and silences him with a light kiss.
The kiss is gentle, sweet. It lasts for what seems to be hours, when only half a minute at most could have passed before Legolas pulls away and rests his forehead against Frodo's. "You did not even give me time to speak. Love is a powerful thing…I didn't want to speak of my feelings for you because I feared you would not return them. I did not wish to spoil how I thought of you by having you reject me…Love seemed to precious to risk it. If only I had…maybe I could have spared you the pain of having to wait this long."
Frodo starred at the elf, shocked and more than a little confused. Then he smiled for the first time since…well, neither of them could remember. He shook his head. "No, I don't think so…Nothing in life seems to be free, Legolas. Not even love. Sometimes you have to take some of the bad to get the good. This is just one of those times, I think. I had to go through the time of pain in order to find that maybe there is hope."
Legolas smiled, lacing his fingers with Frodo's. "I think you are right. I vowed so much more to you, Frodo, than I ever thought I had when I vowed you had my bow, my allegiance on this quest. Ever since then, since the accident in the mines…and with the crumbling stairs…the fear that you might have fallen, that you could still fall…that is the pain I have had to endure." Then he kissed Frodo's hand. "But, I think it may very well have been worth it."
Frodo nods, leaning over and resting his head on Legolas' shoulder. "Yes, so do I."
They sit a while in silence, watching the moon pass over them high in the sky. They smile together as the black of night fades away into the brightness of morning. Legolas squeezes Frodo's hand every now and then, as if to check if he's still there, if it's not just a dream.
"Oh…and by the way Frodo," Legolas said suddenly, looking down at the hobbit's sleepy face. "I never actually said it, did I?"
"Said what, Legolas?" Frodo asks, kissing his forehead.
Legolas smiles. "I love you."
Frodo grins, and this time captures the elf's lips in a fierce kiss. When they finally break apart, Frodo sighs contently. "I love you too."
Ok so this really is not one of my best fics, at least I don't think so. But R&R anyway? Because you love me? Or better yet, because you just love Frodo and Legolas!