Three days it had been since they left Rivendell, and still Aragorn had been next to silent, seeming to be removed from the rest of the Fellowship. Legolas looked behind him again, his brows furrowing in concern.
"Gandalf," said the elf, striding to the side of the wizard. "Perhaps we should take a rest. I worry the hobbits grew too comfortable in Rivendell."
Gandalf did not stop, but said, "What do you mean, my boy?" He turned his head to look at the elf scanning the horizon.
"I believe they grow weary, especially the young one, Pippin. They lag behind but say nothing... Except among themselves." Legolas half smirked as he said this, amused at their reluctance to seem weak to the rest of the Fellowship, as Elrond had named them.
"Indeed, they do seem weary," Gandalf said slowing down a bit, and looking around for a suitable camp site. "Yet Aragorn lags farther…" he seemed to go off on a thought, as he often did, but suddenly returned to the present with a smile. He turned to the rest of the group, "My friends, we will rest here this night."
The hobbits looked relieved, except for Frodo who was still in the tail end of recovering from the Nazgûl blade. They immediately began preparing supper and chatting among themselves quietly. Gandalf walked over to join them, as did Gimli and Boromir who stood a few feet away. Legolas need not notice Aragorn's absence in this scene. He had seen him slip off as soon as Gandalf had announced they were to stop for the night.
The elf followed Aragorn's path, and soon heard the sound of a bubbling stream. The setting sun made the shadows of the trees stretch across the mossy ground, a slight breeze made them dance. He reached the edge of the wood and slowly stepped from the shadows. He found Aragorn kneeling by the stream, his hand lightly caressing the water's surface.
"Aragorn," Legolas said softly, stepping behind him. Aragorn pivoted on his heel to look up the length of Legolas' body into his sapphire eyes. Legolas dropped gracefully to one knee beside his companion as Aragorn turned back to the stream.
"Something troubles you," he placed his hand on Aragorn's shoulder and felt him stiffen against his touch.
Pausing, the ranger shifted his eyes to look into the Elf's, his mouth set in a thoughtful frown, before looking away. Sorrow choked the words from his throat as he tried to say the words revolving over and over in his mind. "It's Boromir," he lied.
"What do you mean?"
Aragorn stood abruptly, positioning Legolas' face level with his hips. The Elf quickly looked away, fixing his eyes on the banks of the stream before standing up. Aragorn pretended not to notice.
"His… his interest in the Ring…" he trailed off before finishing his sentence and looked back into the woods.
"The Council of Elrond? Is that what you speak of?"
Aragorn said nothing, but squeezed his eyes shut, covering them with his weathered hand.
"Aragorn, does Boromir's actions worry you so that you cannot even speak of it?" Legolas moved to rest his hand on his friend's arm only have Aragorn pull away from him as if he was made of fire. Hurt and rejected, Legolas stepped back, letting his arms fall limply to his sides.
Aragorn moved in apology, the words stuck in the back of his throat, but Legolas was quickly at the edge of the wood. His eyes pierced through Aragorn as he simply said, "They will be wondering where we are."
Aragorn watched Legolas' shining hair sweep across his back as he almost ran from him. Guilt over took Aragorn. He did not notice the shooting pain as his knees struck the small pebbled shoreline, his face falling into his hands. He did not notice the stray tear trail down his cheek, nor the other. There he stayed, crouched by the murmuring stream, until the sun went down, his muscles stiffening against the cold.
The Fellowship was fast asleep by the time Aragorn returned, a slivered moon barely lighting the night sky. His footsteps fell lightly, as a Ranger's always does, as he made his way through the maze of snoring hobbits and a much louder snorting resonance coming from Gimli's direction. Aragorn scanned the rest of the sleeping figures, not an easy task even for a Ranger in the weak moonlight. The slender form he searched for was nowhere near the others; this worried him. His eyes swept side to side, the again rising guilt causing his breath to come short.
Relief washed over him as his eyes found what he searched for. Almost out of sight, Legolas walked into the darkness of the forest. Aragorn made his way silently to the other side of the camp, following a small trail that Legolas was obviously taking. A short ways down the trail, a very small clearing could be seen, and there was the figure his eyes sought.
He paused a few feet from his companion, entranced by what his eyes saw. Legolas stood beside a large oak tree, one fair hand resting gently upon its bark. Aragorn stood breathless by this ethereal creature, shimmering silver hair pale against the darkness of the green jerkin fitted over his shoulders. Aragorn felt as if he were witness to a vision of perfection standing in front of him. He let out one ragged breath, unnoticeably held in, loudly. Legolas turned towards him slowly, wordlessly. Their eyes met immediately and Aragorn saw the sorrow so clearly apparent in his. He would not let his evading emotions be the cause of that pained look upon that fair Elven face again.
"Legolas-" once again his voice caught in his throat, but this time he forced the words past his lips. "Legolas, please forgive me. I-"
When no more words came, he took one step closer towards the Elf, his hands held out in apology and surrender. His eyes dropped to the forest floor, ashamed of his inability to express himself. The sound of a slight movement in front of him reached his ears, and he closed his eyes unable to watch Legolas walk away from him yet again. Fists clenched against his side as he let out a muted moan just as a soft hand tenderly grazed his jaw line. His own weathered hand instinctively came up and captured Legolas' within it. Aragorn opened his eyes to see clear blue ones staring back.
"I know what weighs upon your mind, Aragorn."
"How can I forget that Arwen waits in Rivendell for me? How do I forget her love?" heburst outsuddenly, his other hand clasped around the Evenstar on his neck, voice full of emotion.
"Never have I asked for you to forget her," Legolas responded, his brow furrowing.
"Then what do you ask of me?" Aragorn's voice was a hoarse whisper.
"Nothing that would tear your heart so," Legolas gazed into the Ranger's eyes and removed his hand from within Aragorn's, taking a step back.
Legolas' heart lurched as his hand left the warmth of Aragorn's. It took everything the Elf had to take that step backward. That step that was to separate him from the man he loved. The pain was unbearable within his chest to the point he almost couldn't breathe. He turned to walk back towards the camp to escape when suddenly Aragorn's hands grabbed his arms, pulling him hard against his muscled chest.
Just as quickly a strong, sure mouth clasped over his own. Legolas resisted for one fleeting moment before giving into the raging feelings surrounding him. He felt Aragorn's strong hands splayed across his back, pressing him closer to the Ranger's body. Waves of heat emanated from them both. Aragorn pulled away and looked into his eyes earnestly.
"I cannot let you go, Legolas. Not tonight."
With that simple statement, they collapsed to the moss covered ground, hands working hurriedly to remove outer layers of clothing. Legolas felt Aragorn's hand slide down his thigh and brush against his elfhood, sending chills up his spine and letting escape a groan of pleasure. Legolas' fingers worked Aragorn's pants loose and they were quickly thrown aside. The Elf felt Aragorn's solid weight positioned above him, his lips leaving trails of fire down his chest and stomach. He felt his back arch against Aragorn's body as his strong hand stroked his inner thighs before taking his erect member in a firm but gentle grip.
Legolas felt Aragorn's excitement press against his own leg, the heat increasing from their unclothed bodies. Once again, their mouths met in unashamed passion, Aragorn's tongue darting in and out of Legolas' mouth, teasing his tongue into Aragorn's mouth. Legolas felt the powerful muscles in Aragorn's back ripple as he held his body above him, only letting their hips touch. Aragorn's hand quickened speed, making Legolas' hips thrust upwards in response. Aragorn breathed in the elf's moans, coming more frequently now.
Legolas' breath began to come shorter and quicker, almost to the point of release, and just as his back began to arch even further into Aragorn, he stopped and let Legolas' breath plateau before continuing. From his slender throat a needful moan escaped. He could tell Aragorn's need was rising as well as his hardness was becoming more evident against his thigh.
"I need you," Legolas whispered into his ear as he took Aragorn's shaft in his velvety hand and reveled as a grunt came from the Ranger's throat. Aragorn's hips pressed into his strongly, and in a single movement, he took both of Legolas' hands and placed them above his head, rendering them immobile with his own.
Legolas cried out in ecstasy as he felt Aragorn's need fill him and was almost thrown over the edge after the first thrust. Aragorn's skin shone with sweat and he had to puase toadmire as the slight amount of moonlight made the elf's skin glow iridescently. Legolas almost whimpered from the passion flowing through his body, as well as Aragorn's. He was close to release once more, but from the thrusting of Aragorn's hips, he knew he would not stop this time.
An animalistic groan came from Aragorn as his release came, furious spasms overtaking his body, throwing Legolas far over the edge and thrust his hips erratically upwards, his hands, clenching and unclenching, still above his head. No longer being able to hold himself above Legolas,Aragorn slumped against the elf's body, trying to get his breathing under control once more. Releasing his hands, Aragorn melded his mouth against Legolas', drinking him in passionately.
Aragorn lay beside the sleeping Legolas, watching his beautiful face. A breeze blew a wisp of blonde hair onto his forehead. Aragorn affectionately reached a hand out and brushed it away, smiling as the elf turned in his sleep, nudging closer to him. He put an arm around him, trying to making the night last as long as possible, and as he watched the sun rise to see them resting peacefully together, he let fall a single tear, for he knew this moment would never see daylight again.