A/N: Okay, so...ummm... I have no idea where this came from. I'm going to use the so-over used excuse: It's 3:35am. I have gotten no rest. There! That's my excuse for the complete and utter crap you are about to read. Okay, maybe it's not crap. I almost decided against posting it, but I think it's kind of sweet, in a really cliche kind of way. But you will come up with your own opinion when you read it, so... Read on!

Warnings: slash and swearing. Completely melodramatic, soap-opera, cliche, random, and very, very unrealistic.

Disclaimer: I don't own the Lord of the Rings or the characters or anything that you recognize.

It was dark. So dark. That was all Legolas could have told you about Moria if he tried. To bring up how claustrophobic he was, how much he hated it underground, would be irrelevant. Legolas sighed. It was only their first night in Moria and already he could feel the underground air getting to him. He felt stifled, and drew breath with difficulty.

He had been on watch for about an hour and still had three more to go when Aragorn came up behind him. "Why are you awake, Aragorn? You should be resting," Legolas said softly, part from fear of waking the others and part from fear of breaking the silence.

"I can tell you are troubled, Legolas. I know it is hard for you to be underground," Aragorn replied just as quietly. He sat down next to Legolas. Legolas could feel himself getting anxious just from being near Aragorn. Lately it had been like that. He had started to notice little things, like how Aragorn's eyes were really beautiful, or how his smile, though rare, could light up a room. That's what they needed right now, Legolas mused, is some light. If he could only get Aragorn to smile-

"Legolas?" Aragorn's question broke through his thoughts. Legolas tried to smile at him, but it was forced. "Is there anything I can do to help you?"

Yes, Legolas thought. There are lots of things you could do to help me. But you would not agree to any of them. "No, Aragorn, I am alright. Thank you for your concern."

Then suddenly a large force hit him without warning. He felt a gloved hand cover his mouth as he rolled him off to the side, away from the group. Then the thing hauled him to his feet and dragged him. Although

Legolas struggled with all his might, it still managed to drag him far away from the group. The gloved hand was still over his mouth, the stench unbearable. It smelled of a scavenger, of something who would eat anything - or anyone - to survive. The only creature like that to be found down here was a goblin. Finally the dragging stopped.

Legolas fought harder than ever to escape, but the goblin kicked him so hard in the stomach that he doubled over, unable to breathe. Taking advantage of this, the thing shoved a dirty cloth in his mouth to gag him, then tied his hands behind his back, and his feet together. It yanked his knife off of his belt, removed his quiver, and took his bow. It threw them to the side, about four feet away. It then tied Legolas to a large, stone column that stood nearby. The coarse, thick rope was wrapped around Legolas so tightly that he couldn't move any part of his body.

In the small bit of light that somehow made its way into the room, Legolas could see the goblin moving around, ensuring that his weapons were far enough away that Legolas would not be able to reach them.

Where was Aragorn? Legolas thought desperately. He had been talking to him just before the goblin had tackled him. Surely Aragorn wouldn't leave him? Or what if more goblins had come immediately after and killed all the others? The thought left Legolas weak, with tears coming to his eyes. What is Aragorn was killed before Legolas ever got to tell him-

"What are we thinking about here that has us all worked up?" the goblin leered. It's voice was scratchy and hoarse, but sounded intelligent, which scared Legolas more than he would like to admit.

Legolas spit at it. "My thoughts are none of your concern," he said cooly, in contrast to the radiating anger and hurt that was spiraling inside of him, like a storm threatening to break loose.

"Quite the contrary. I would be... interested... in what you are thinking," the goblin said, still getting closer and closer. Legolas didn't reply, panic filling him as the goblin reached for a knife in its belt. What if he never saw

Aragorn again?

The goblin abandoned the knife momentarily, reaching up instead with its hand. It touched Legolas' face, almost experimentally. Legolas tried to bite his hand but he moved it, instead moving his hand to Legolas' hair. Legolas tried not to shudder. What was going on?

"Is it true, what they say about elves? That-" the goblin suddenly gasped, freezing, as the tip of a blade appeared through its chest.

"It it true, what they say about goblins? That they are loathsome bastards who like to steal elves away for disgusting purposes?" Aragorn said, appearing behind the goblin. A look like Legolas had never seen before was on his face. He looked absolutely terrifying. He looked like Merry did when Pippin ate the last strawberry cream puff pastry. And that was not something to be taken lightly. Legolas was so glad they were on the same side.

Aragorn pulled his sword out of the goblin and hurriedly sheathed it, asking, "Are you all right?" He wiped his hands free of blood, then removed the gag. He reached out and touched Legolas' face, examining for injuries.

"I'm fine," Legolas gasped, still slightly in shock... and suffocating from the tightness of the ropes. "Can you get the ropes off though, it's a little tight." He had barely finished speaking when Aragorn pulled out his knife and rapidly cut the ropes, looking furious at himself for not doing it sooner. As soon as the ropes were cut, Legolas found himself unable to support himself and he began to fall over, unbalanced and exhausted. Aragorn caught him, then gently lowered him to the ground. Aragorn took off his cloak and laid it on the floor, then lifted him onto it. He retrieved Legolas' weapons, and laid them next to the cloak. He sat down next to Legolas, still looking for injuries.

"Are you sure you're alright? It didn't do anything?" Legolas could have laughed at the expression on Aragorn's face. He was completely focused on Legolas, concern and care in his eyes.

"It didn't do anything. I'm alright," Now that you're here, Legolas thought.

All of a sudden Aragorn stood up and cursed, then walked over and kicked the already-dead goblin. "What?" Legolas asked, trying to sit up.

"You-could-have-died!" Aragorn snarled, punctuating each word with another kick to the goblin. "What would I have done then?"

Aragorn sat down again, and grabbed onto Legolas' hand. "There's something I need to tell you," he began. "I'm starting to think that we won't make it through this and so I just wanted to tell you, in case anything happens-" Legolas frantically pressed one of his hands over Aragorn's mouth.

"Don't say that!" he begged.

"But just in case-" Aragorn tried.

"No. I won't let you say that. We will live through this."

"I still have to tell you something though."

"Fine," Legolas relented, removing his hand. "But I have something to tell you too. And it's not going to be easy for me to say, but..."

"Mine won't be easy either," Aragorn admitted.

"At the same time?" Legolas asked.

"The same time," Aragorn agreed.

"Count of three. One, two, three-"

"I love you." The words came out as a jumbled mess, but after a split-second of shock, they realized they had just said the exact same words at the same time.

"Did you just...?" Legolas asked, confused.

"Did I hear you...?" Aragorn said breathlessly.

They sat that way, staring at each other for another five seconds, before Legolas' hands were in Aragorn's hair, Aragorn's hands were on Legolas' waist, and they were kissing. Somehow, they ended up laying down on top of the cloak, side by side and still kissing.

They stayed that way for a long time, until they finally stopped to take a breath. At some point, their arms had become wrapped around each other, and they stayed that way. As they drew apart, neither of them were sure what to say, so they just laid awkwardly in silence, finally breaking down laughing after a few minutes.

"Every second after that goblin pulled me away, all I could think of was that if one of us died, right then, I would never get the chance to tell you..." Legolas said, his eyes getting watery at the thought.

"Really? I think you just enjoy trying to say the exact same thing at the exact same time as me," Aragorn smirked, "because I was just thinking that."

They laughed again, and Aragorn leaned in and kissed Legolas again, softly and sweetly. "We don't need to worry about that anymore."

They rested until Legolas felt like he could walk back to the camp. They stood up, Aragorn fastening his cloak back on, Legolas putting his weapons back on. Legolas grabbed Aragorn's hand for support as they began to walk back to the camp.

When they returned, Boromir, who had been keeping watch in their absence, began to stand and interrogate them, but after seeing their hands, fingers intertwined, he decided against it, sitting back down and casting a knowing look in their direction.

A/N: So there it is. Like a freaking cliche soap opera. But I thought it was sweet. Let me know what you thought, even if you hated it!