Hey guys! Long time no see :) I've been writing some things, mainly original stuff rn, but also some LotR one-shots that imma post here gradually. I hope you enjoy this one. It's not quite part of the 'Meeting you' series as it's more focused on Aragorn, but it's still about his and Legolas' friendship! It popped into my head at like midnight one day and I just wrote down like 3k words.

So yeah..enjoy!

Letters and Words

~.~

„You know letters are supposed to be responded to, not collected?"

Estel flinched, not having expected this voice, or any voice at all, in his room at this instant. He was hunched over his pack on the bed, staring at it and not quite grasping what he was about to do.

At the voice however, he whirled around.

"Legolas." He breathed. A few blinks were needed until Estel realized he was indeed not imagining his friend standing in his doorway.

"What are you doing here?" he asked. His heart was still beating from the shock but also from the task that he had set out to do. Now it calmed down slightly, trying to figure out why the wood-elf was here. In Imladris.

On the day he was supposed to leave.

"Well, like I said, letters are supposed to be answered. I've written what, twelve? And you've never written me back. I had to write to Lord Elrond to find out if you were even alive and imagine, he actually did answer!" there was a sly smile, a quick witted remark to how Elrond was always so busy or absent minded that normally he was the one who needed multiple letters for an answer if it wasn't actually urgent. But the rest of Legolas' tone and expression were serious. He did not come just to jest.

Estel felt himself immediately retreat back. His initial joy upon seeing his friend here was washed away in seconds as he remembered why he had packed to leave in the first place. Why Legolas' letters were stacked on his desk, all of them unopened.

"You should have stayed away. I'm leaving today anyway." He grumbled quietly, well knowing that Legolas would hear it, and grabbed his pack and sword from the bed to walk out the door.

His quest to do so however was hindered by Legolas still standing there, not making room, arms first crossed and then his hand lifting to gently lean against the doorway, blocking his path. His tone was gentle but his demeanour firm. He would not budge.

Estel felt his teeth clench and his fist close tightly around the hilt of his sword.

"So I've heard." Legolas said. There seemed to be a question in there somewhere that Estel pointedly ignored.

"Move." He groaned.

"No."

A short silence followed in which Estel had to force himself to take a calming breath.

"I swear to you, Legolas, I will pass through that door if I have to force you to let me. So. Move!" he shoved against the prince, but as he should have expected, it didn't even budge him from the one legged stance he had assumed, just made him raise an eyebrow.

"And I swear to you, Aragorn, that you will not until we have talked."

First, his eyes widened, shock passing his face, then the hurt he had buried so deep showed for a millisecond, before he felt himself explode.

"So you DID know!" he yelled, sword and pack both tossed to the side without care. He heard something in there clatter, maybe break, but he didn't pay attention to it. This had been eating at him for weeks now and seeing Legolas, hearing him speak that name that was apparently his, brought it all to the surface.

At least Legolas possessed the grace to look guilty.

"I did."

"Then why didn't you tell me?!" he screamed, hands flying, directly facing Legolas and demanding eye contact, demanding an answer. Legolas stayed calm, he had obviously prepared for this reaction mentally. Wetting his lips, he took down his blocking arm and resumed eye contact.

"Your father forbid it-"

"He's not my father!" came the knee jerk reaction. He had spent the last weeks resenting Elrond for lying to him, deceiving him. "My father died in some orc raid when I was barely a babe. Passing his right to the throne along, apparently." He almost spit the words and now, Legolas did react. He took a step forwards and glared.

"Estel. You take that back." He hissed. Of course this was the truth, but Elrond's heart would break to hear so and it made Legolas' have a sick feeling as well. It made Estel pause for a second, quickly realizing what he had said and also remembering how good a friend Legolas had always been to Elrond. The elf seemed to see the regret shining in his friend's eyes, because his face soon relaxed again.

"I actually agreed with your father on this. You were far too young to know." Legolas continued. He casually strode over to the pack and picked it up while Aragorn stood frozen, watching him, his mind reeling. The elf patiently set the pack down on the bed again, waiting for an answer or any other reaction.

"Too young to know my true name?! But old enough to be betrayed and lied to by one who I called friend-" Estel's tone had gone up. That Legolas was so calm himself only seemed to add oil to the fire.

"Estel. Stop."

"Stop calling me that!" he exploded. "Just now you were using my name, why do you keep calling me 'hope' like it means something to you?!"

"Because it does-" Legolas started to answer, but the rant was far from finished, Estel was talking himself into a rage, letting go all the thoughts of betrayal and distrust he had formed since that talk with Elrond.

"Then why did you befriend me at all, huh? Or was it just a ruse to form new bonds for your kingdom with the future king of fucking Gondor-"

He was interrupted by suddenly having an elf wrapped around himself, hugging him tightly so that it almost hurt. His first instinct was to flee, he was still fuming, but then he noticed how shaky Legolas' breathing was and how desperate the movements, his hands grabbing onto Estel like a lifeline.

"Never think that. Saes." It was a whisper just above the breath, just loud enough for the human to make out. He felt his anger deflate and hesitantly, he hugged back.

"I'm saddened you would think me that shallow, mellon-nin." Legolas said, a smug smile on his face and slowly letting go of his friend. Estel now saw the hurt in his eyes and realized that he had caused it to appear there. Not just with his words, but with what they implied. His mind tried to form words to make it better, to explain how he felt without his words being knives, but he came up empty, closing his mouth right back up. Legolas just smiled warmly, clasping his shoulder in support.

"It is alright, I understand why you are frustrated. And truly, I am sorry I could not tell you sooner. But it was not my place. You are Elrond's family and it was his choice to make as your guardian." He explained and he truly did seem sorry. Estel groaned, ending their hug by turning away in frustration and grabbing his own hair, which was growing longer by the day. He had neglected to cut it out of preparation for the wild…or to spite his father…maybe.

"How old was I?" he whispered after a short pause on both sides.

"When?" Legolas asked, apparently already elsewhere with his mind. Estel rolled his eyes. Elves. Seriously.

"When Ada told you. About my destiny." He said, raising an eyebrow in question. Legolas seemed to think on this for a second. Time, especially with human aging, wasn't something he normally observed very closely.

"Around 8…I think."

Estel felt himself starting to fume again. That was over 12 years ago! Almost a lifetime for him. He thought Legolas was his friend! Wait…

"That's about when we met…wasn't it?" he said, a mixture of anger and hurt written all over his face, his thoughts racing. Legolas, apparently realizing where this was heading, closed his eyes and shook his head, stepping closer to him again, hands facing downward as if trying to calm him.

"It was the second time, actually." He said and this may have jolted Estel out of his thought spiral, if only for a little bit. Just enough for him to actually listen to his friend.

"I had taken a great liking to you and my father was…worried." He paused and looked directly at Estel now, tilting his head with the pause as if he didn't know if it was the right word. Now the human was definitely interested. Worried? Thranduil? About what?

"He had already not liked it when I made friends with the twins, saying 'they could chose mortality and leave you. They are half-elven after all.'" Another sigh. Realization began to dawn on Estel's mind and face. He squeezed the bridge of his nose with his fingers, closing his eyes.

"So when you made friends with a mortal…"

"He banned me from visiting Imladris until you were, well…gone." Legolas finished. The brief hurt that travelled over his face when Estel looked up, shocked, told him how bitter of a memory this was. Again, Estel's thoughts raced. That meant…that meant that after the first time they would have never met again! He thought about growing up here without Legolas' constant visits, his guidance, wisdom, merry laughter and the overall joy of his friendship. The pain these thoughts shot through his heart already answered for him if the friendship ever came close to a ruse. How could it have been? Why was he being so stupid?

"But you came back." Estel said. He distantly remembered it. The second time they had met had not been as happy.

"When I was injured and badly poisoned, yes. Ada thought it best Elrond see to my wounds here, helping me heal. That's when Lord Elrond told me you were a Dunedain. That your life span would pass that of most if not all men and about your lineage." He sat down on the bed, right next to Estel's pack. "Things changed after that. Ada did not exactly approve, but he saw that he could not keep me from you. The attacks on our home were getting more frequent and he liked sending me here to take the pressure off of me. I was always greatly recharged when I returned and he could not deny that." There was a small smile on his face now and with a deflating of his lungs, Estel dropped next to him. Again, there was a pause in their conversation where Legolas eyed him from the side and Estel himself stared off into space.

"How is it doing- Mirkwood?" he asked quietly. Many things were left unsaid that he couldn't form into words and some he didn't want to. Like on how many levels he was an idiot for thinking Legolas would befriend him because he was also a prince. At his question however, Legolas' smile seemed to slip off his face. He remained collected, but Estel could sense him closing up, creating boarders around the topic he didn't wish to delve into.

"As well as it can be." He said, lips pressed into a thin line.

"So, horribly." Estel said, forehead creased. "How many did you lose since we last talked?" his tone was grave now and suddenly, Legolas got up, clapping his hands.

"You know what? Let's take a walk, shall we? It's such a beautiful day out and I want to enjoy the sun for a bit." His clear deflection did not work, Estel got up after him and grabbed him by the arm gently. He expected the elf to stop, and he did, but what he did not expect was a slight flinch at the touch. Estel's eyes narrowed.

"Legolas, why are you here?" he watched the elf closely for a reaction and as anticipated, he swallowed and avoided his gaze, tearing his arm from Estel's grasp.

"To see if you are well. Elrond told me in his letter that you didn't take to the news kindly, so I got here as fast as I could before you left. You do remember how you said we could travel the wilds together once you were old enough, right?" the smile was forced and Estel did not fall for it. He stepped closer, keeping the eye contact Legolas was so forcefully avoiding by intently watching a bird outside the window.

"Legolas, are you injured? Did Ada take a look at you?"

"I'm fine." The elf protested. Estel almost growled, the noise from his throat dangerously low.

"I've seen your definition of fine. Show me!" he demanded. Again, he dove for the elf's arm but this time, Legolas was quicker. He drew back and was out the door before Estel could even blink.

"Come back here! Hey! I had to talk about my topic, now you talk about yours and show me where you're hurt, elf!" he hissed, racing after his friend, who was grinning far too much for somebody clearly being chased through the last homely house.

"Only if you catch me, human." He said in a sing song voice, rounding a corner. Sometimes, growing up around elves sucked. Like when you wanted to chase one and they showed off their superior speed and agility. Even when injured, apparently. With an annoyed huff, he rounded the corner after him, only to full on run into someone.

"Oh, I'm so sorry-" his mouth shut when he saw who it was.

"Ada." He breathed and with wide eyes, he searched for Legolas. And there he was, smiling at him innocently from behind Elrond's back, as if he hadn't known that the Lord was heading this way and led Estel right to him. That bastard, if he got his hands on him-

"Estel. I see Legolas found you, that's good. Did you two talk?" Elrond was masking his hurt and sourness from their last…conversation far better than his son, maybe from thousands of years of experience.

"We did." Estel pressed through his teeth. "And I think he's hiding an injury to get me to talk to you." He said bluntly and Elrond immediately turned around to the wood-elf, whose smile was abruptly slipping. Apparently he had not counted on being outed the instant he brought the two healers together, thinking their differences would give him room to flee.

"Is he now?" Elrond said, tone sweet as honey and Legolas swallowed thickly.

Minutes later, he found himself stripped of his top garments in the healing halls, staring at the wall purposefully while Estel looked sick to the stomach upon seeing his torso.

Black, yellow, green, Legolas' stomach, back and chest were covered in colourful, obviously painful bruises. There were several on his forearm, too, and an obviously healing spider bite on his neck.

Professional healer as always, Elrond was already getting the salves. He was used to seeing things like this far more than Estel was and decided to let them talk about it while he got everything ready.

"Who did this to you?" Estel whispered, mutely handing Legolas the healing tea Elrond gave him.

"Yrch. I … freed Ornith from their grasp." He closed his eyes. "She did not make it."

"Oh, Valar. I'm so sorry." Estel said, stepping closer to help his father apply the salve to the bruised skin. Legolas flinched to the touch for a second but soon gathered himself. Ornith had always been a good friend to Legolas, close in her training with him as a soldier and one of the best silvan sword wielders Estel had gotten to know. He remembered her besting him many times and Legolas laughing merrily from the side lines. It was sad to hear of her passing and especially devastating to know how she must have suffered if Legolas was like this about it.

"Wait, when was this?" he asked. This looked recent, but some of the cuts seemed as if they were varying degrees of age, ranging from a few days to maybe weeks, fading into scars and completely disappearing. Lightly put Legolas looked like he was stitched together and went back for more several times over.

"Two days ago I think? I rode out to see you right after."

"And the healers let you?!" Estel was shocked, haltering in his movements for a second.

"Your father let you?" asked Elrond in addition to that, judgemental eyebrow raised already while he took the other side of Legolas torso to apply the salve and wrap it after. Legolas just rolled his eyes and shook his head.

"The healers have seen me in worse shape and my father has not seen my injuries –or me- in quite a while. When I said I was coming here he seemed glad though." He admitted, dropping his gaze. The healers both nodded, finishing their work. A sombre mood lay over them, thoughts about the spreading darkness and the state of Mirkwood swirling in their minds.

"If you'd told me how bad it was…"

"I did, actually. In those letters you elected to ignore." He grinned, making clear this was a jest, but his tone did not keep the sting out of Estel's heart. Did he ignore a cry for help from his friend just because he had been a little mad at him? Legolas saw the look on his face and quickly paddled back, lifting his hand to calm his mind.

"You could not have helped. Right now nobody but a wood elf could navigate the forest safely. The trees are withdrawing into themselves and the yrch and spiders are taking advantage of our poor sight due to this." It was like a report that he gave, maybe already practiced. Estel nodded, but his bad conscience was not cleared. However words to make it better were not coming to him, so he helped his father finish up and Elrond left them to put away the rest of the healing supplies. Even though they did not specifically talk, the air between the two seemed less cold and filled with tension. Estel smiled at his friend, trying to lift the mood while Legolas put his tunic back on.

"I'm glad you're here now. Please, stay until you're healed. We can leave together when you are. You can help me reach the Dunedain camp." He said and Legolas nodded without waiting to think about it.

"Of course."

"I am glad, Estel. Imladris will rejoice in having you a few more weeks." Elrond smiled while he strolled back to them, sitting down beside the bed Legolas was on. "Have I told you that my daughter, Arwen, is soon returning from her stay in Lorien? You would be able to meet her."

"That is great news indeed. I haven't seen Arwen in a century at least, I think." Legolas smiled genuinely. Indeed, Arwen had been with her grandparents after her mother's departure, so he hadn't been able to meet in quite some time. Estel just nodded, he hadn't met Arwen yet but he had heard a great deal about her from the twins, Elrond and even Legolas. Meeting her should be something to look forward to.

Elrond soon left for his study, leaving the two of them alone again. They made idle conversation in the afternoon light that filtered through the giant windows, Legolas soon insisting they take a stroll. He enjoyed the unsullied trees in Imladris a lot, touching every one of them and smiling when they shook out of joy upon seeing him again.

"Just so we are clear, I liked you for who you were and who you are now, not for who you might become." Legolas said, unprompted, when letting go of yet another tree. Estel nodded, smiling. It was good to hear the words actually formed that he did not have the courage to ask for.

"I know. Thank you."

"Of course, gwador-nin."

Sindarin Translations

Imladris – Rivendell

Estel – Hope; (Elrond's given name to Aragorn to mask his true identity as a child)

Saes – Please

Mellon-nin – My friend

Yrch – Orc (plural)

Valar – the 'gods' of Arda

Gwador-nin – My (sworn) brother

Yeah, that's it! Hope you liked it, please review if you do, I'd love you lots ;*