Disclaimer: Nope, still not mine

Disclaimer: Nope, still not mine. I mean, I have been doing LotR fics for well over a year now. Haven't you got this yet?

"Ataaar," Rilluin whined, "Do not make me got to Uncle Tor today. It is my birthday!"

Legolas smirked, "You never want to go to Uncle Erestor. You always want to be with Uncle Glorfindel." He sat up inf his bed, strategically pulling his blankets up with him. Aragorn was rubbing at his eyes, having been abruptly awoken by his seven year old son leaping on him only minutes before.

"But . . . but . . . but . . ."

"But we are not going to send you to Uncle Erestor anyway today. For one thing, you may not have noticed, but it is Saturday, and for another thing we are not heartless. We will not send you away on your birthday." He rolled his eyes.

"We might," muttered Aragorn, burying his head in his pillow.

Immediately, Rilluin pouted, a trick he had probably picked up from his human father, but Legolas held his hands up. "Ignore your Ada. He has not woken up yet. Maybe you should go and demand presents from your Uncles Dan and Ro. I am sure they have brought you something we will disapprove of." Rilluin bounced off the bed and out of the room.

Grinning, Legolas crawled over to Aragorn and tugged on his hair. "Come on love, you have to get up or your son will jump on you again."

"No," Aragorn moaned, curling up in a ball under the covers. "I do not want to get up. You wore me out last night."

"You enjoyed it though, really," laughed Legolas, pulling the covers off him.

"Mmm," Aragorn licked his lips and began to uncurl himself. "Though I am supposed to be taking the small person who jumped on me riding later today . . . I am not sure I can manage it." Stretching with a wince, he forced himself to leave his bed.

"He will not like that," muttered Legolas. Nervously, he twiddled with his hair. "What did you think of his birthday list? He gave it to us after we had brought his present, but . . . still."

Smirking, Aragorn pulled the piece of paper from the drawer and read out the crayoned words. "A new saddle for his pony, a huge number of toys, and . . . a new brother." He sighed at the last word, and sank back down onto the bed, rubbing his eyes. "Théo has Beti and another sibling on the way, most of his other friends have brothers and sisters. He is one of the only single children."

"I wish we could give him siblings." Legolas held out an arm, and Aragorn snuggled into the hold.

"Me too." Aragorn whispered the reply. "I always wanted a proper sibling, by blood."

They both fell into silence and moved into the bathroom to wash and to change, deep in their own thought until Legolas tentatively managed to ask, "What about adoption? Glorfindel and Erestor are looking into it for themselves now that they have a house here and . . . we could adopt. Or look into it at least."

Aragorn uncertainly replied, "We could not look into it subtly. If we look into it we would have to be committed to it. We step into an orphanage and the whole city will know we have adopted a child, even if we do not make a decision."

"I want to . . . will you . . . can we think about it?" asked Legolas.

Aragorn searched Legolas' eyes, curiously. "I do not think you need to think. I think you have already thought about it. A lot."

Nervous, Legolas smiled, "Yes. For a while now."

"You should have said. You should have raised this before melda," Aragorn gently said. "You know that you only have to mention this to me and I will seriously consider it. Anything that you want from me."

"No. I want you to consider it by yourself. This is not a decision we can take lightly. It is not just for me, it is for everyone," Legolas earnestly said. "You, me and Rilluin."

Chuckling, Aragorn said, "Rilluin has already made up his mind. He wants a brother."

"And I was thinking about a daughter," grinned Legolas.

000

Aragorn watched the twenty children Rilluin had invited to his party running around. They were mostly children of ambassadors, barons or nobles, because they were often invited to dinners and lunches. They were trotting around the hall, playing with all of Rilluin's new toys, including a kitten which Aragorn was eyeing suspiciously with one eye. Elladan and Elrohir had been in usual good form in their attempts to wind up the fathers with that particular present. A young boy approached him and tugged on Aragorn's tunic, and, in a lisping voice, whispered, "Can you help me?"

Suddenly feeling Legolas' eyes on him, Aragorn knelt down by the child and asked, "What is it? How can I help?"

"I broke a cup and the juice is all on the floor," he confessed.

Smiling kindly, Aragorn said, "You show me where and I will tidy it up."

"I am sorry."

"Quite alright, come on."

When the juice was mopped up and the shards of ceramic disposed of, Aragorn returned to his husband. "Yes," he said in Legolas' ear.

"Yes what?" Legolas asked, reaching out to prevent Aragorn from moving away as he had intended.

"Yes, I want another child. We have enough room, enough money and . . . enough love. Another child just seems natural for us. Not another baby, I am not sure I can handle all those late nights, liaisons with wet nurses and everything . . . but another child would be right," Aragorn confessed, and he took a deep breath.

It was a good thing that he did because a moment later, Legolas' hand curled around the back of his neck and brought him in close for a fierce kiss that went on for a pleasantly long time. When they drew away, Aragorn gasped, "We should have thought of his for a long time ago if it was going to get me kisses like this."

Laughing, Legolas drew him in again, but then hands were shaking them and they moved apart. "What is wrong ion nin?" asked Legolas.

"You are embarrassing me," hissed Rilluin empathically. "Stop kissing!"

Aragorn raised his eyebrows and, faking a chastised look, loved away from his husband. Outraged, Legolas gasped, "Are you going to listen to him like that Aragorn? You are his father."

"Well it ishis birthday," Aragorn shrugged.

Legolas could not stand for that, and brought his husband back to his lips.

000

Three weeks later, Legolas felt like his hand was going to break as they walked towards the orphanage. "Sweet one, would you mind just loosening your grip a little. Just a little love," he murmured. Aragorn let go, wiped his sweating palms on a handkerchief, and took Legolas' hand again. The elf sighed the grip was even tighter than before.

"I am nervous," Aragorn muttered.

"So I can tell." Legolas grinned.

"Are you not?" asked Aragorn, astonished.

Paling slightly, Legolas replied, "I am an elf. I am better than you at hiding my fears and emotions. You know that."

They became silent, too anxious to think, until Legolas said, "It is just round the corner."

"Can we walk round the city again, maybe?" asked Aragorn, nibbling at his lip. "I am scared. About being in a room with a group of children."

"You can face orcs, Nazgûl, Southrons and Arwen Undómiel, but not children?" asked Legolas. At Aragorn's glance, he added, "I know exactly how you feel." And then, they were hit with the sounds of children, playing, screaming, giggling. Legolas shivered and pressed a brief kiss to Aragorn's cheek. Suddenly, he wrinkled his nose. "You did not shave this morning."

Hysterically, Aragorn laughed. "You know I apologise, but I was a little bit busy panicking over children. And is that all you can say when we are about to find a son?"

"At the moment? Yes," said Legolas, and they stepped forwards again. The eight guards that surrounded them knocked and then flooded into the orphanage, though two stayed on the door. In a whisper, Legolas said, "I still think that the guards will scare the children."

"Not the boys. Soldiers are fun when you are a child." He attempted a smirk, but failed and had to swallow heavily. "Come on then, this is it." Taking deep breaths, they moved into the orphanage.

After the war, there had been far too many orphans, and Aragorn had ordered new orphanages to built, with vetted, caring owners who would truly love working with the children. The new orphanages were light, airy and colourful, a nice environment to grow up in after the traumas of their beginnings. This was exactly what Legolas and Aragorn found when they entered, and children suddenly swarmed around them. They called greetings, sparkling, pleading eyes gazing up at their potential fathers.

Aragorn looked terrified as he clutched Legolas' hand. 'Ai Elbereth! How can we just choose one? Can we not take them all?' Every child in the place seemed to have crowded around their knees. Except . . . there was a suspicious lump in the curtains, positioned right next to a guard. It was trembling.

'You know that we can not,' Legolas replied. 'But whoever we take home, we know that the others are being cared for. You can see that and only you can ensure that.'

'But we can not pay for the love of a family,' sighed Aragorn. 'But it feels like we should be able to.'

'I know, sweet one.' Legolas gently pushed his way through the sea of children, pulling the reluctant human with him. A thin, ever so slightly harassed-looking woman waded towards them and curtsied.

"Your Majesties, welcome. If you would come through to my office so that I can introduce you to the system and find out who you are looking for? It can be a little bit mad with all of these little ones here," she said, calling over the chatter of the children.

Aragorn was the one to respond. "Of course." He moved forwards, following the woman, but Legolas' hand slipped from his. "Melda nin? Are you coming?"

"No, I want to stay here, just for a minute," Legolas replied. There was a sudden squeal from the children.

'Are you alright?' Aragorn silently asked.

'Just . . . give me a few moments,' Legolas requested.

Aragorn and the woman left, and another woman emerged from a side room to chivvy the children into a different room, with calls of "Lunch!" She glanced at the Consort, and he nodded his permission. The gaggle of squabbling, shouting children were happy in this place, but the shaking curtain intrigued him. He took a seat facing away slightly from the curtain, watching it from the corner of his eye, just waiting.

Eventually, a tiny child crept out from the corner, and Legolas saw him take one glance at the burly guard near him and, with a terrified squeal, ran towards Legolas. Slowly, Legolas turned towards him, and theblond child was only a yard away when he saw Legolas' face, and stopped dead in his tracks.

"Hello," Legolas softly said, as if this were normal. "What were you dong behind there, little one?"

"H-hiding," he stammered. "Lots of loud men came in and . . . I did not like it."

"What is your name?" asked Legolas, in such a quiet voice that the child had to step closer to hear him. Legolas was able to study the heart shaped face, the fearful green eyes, the button nose. He could feel himself falling in love already.

Biting his lip, the child said, "Cariad."

Legolas began to delve in his pockets. "You know Cariad, I think I have some toffee in my pockets somewhere. You do not mind if I have some do you? I am getting hungry. Would you like some?" He offered a piece, and the child had to come closer to take the offered sweet — bribery was a fine art form.

"I have never had toffee. What does it taste like?" he asked as he took the piece. He was only inches from Legolas now, and relaxing ever so slightly.

"Maybe you should find out," asked Legolas, and smiled as a delighted grin spread across the child's face.

"It tastes good."

000

Aragorn and Miss Manillo, as she had introduced herself to him, stared around the corner of the wall watching Legolas and Cariad talk.

"He has never spoken to a man for that long before. Never. He is terrified of them," she whispered to him.

"Why is this?" asked Aragorn. From what little he could see of Legolas, he could already tell that he was besotted. He wore the same expression he wore when staring down at Rilluin adoringly.

"We think that his father abused him, his mother never said anything, just brought him in and said she could no longer cope. That was only two months ago. He fears them; has nightmares about them. Your husband, excuse me, but your husband does look somewhat feminine," she said. "Maybe that is why he is not afraid."

"Or it could just be Legolas' natural charms. They are rather captivating," said Aragorn.

"Indeed," replied Miss Manillo. Aragorn raised his eyebrows at her, and she flushed under his gaze. "I apologise. That was inappropriate."

"But so true," replied Aragorn with a smirk. Who would not fall in love with Legolas at first sight? Apart from the man married to him, obviously. He watched Legolas and Cariad for a moment more, and then made his decision. If the child was going to be afraid of him, there was no point even trying to introduce him to the rest of the family, who were all male. He stepped into the room.

Cariad saw him first, and uttered a soft scream, tripping backwards in his haste to escape Aragorn.

"No, no, no," gasped Legolas. "It is alright, this is my husband. You are alright. I promise you." Aragorn smiled briefly at the child, and then gently tipped Legolas' head back to kiss him, long and lovingly. The child watched with wide emerald eyes as Legolas drew away and smiled tenderly at Aragorn. "You could not find me some tea, could you love? And then I will introduce you to my friend here?" he asked, but silently added, 'Give me a moment to calm him down. I think I can.'

Aragorn nodded. "Anything that you want."

As soon as he was gone, Cariad hurriedly whispered, "You are married to him? But you are two men."

"Two men who love each other very much and so married," replied Legolas. "And we had a baby together who is now eight years old."

"You love each other?" Cariad cautiously said.

"Very much and for a very long time," Legolas sincerely said.

"Do you ever hit each other?" asked Cariad, but immediately covered his mouth with his hands. "Forget I said that. Please do not hurt me! I am sorry! I will not talk about it."

Legolas had to fight to keep the horrified expression from his face; how any child could fear someone so much, think that all men would want to hurt him. . . . It was awful. Slowly, he got off the seat and knelt on the floor, his back against the chair. "I told you that we had a baby together. His name is Rilluin. He is eight years old now,three years older than you. We have smacked him once in his entire life, and that was when there was no other choice."

Creeping closer, Cariad asked, "Why was there no other choice?"

"He had been naughty all day, we sent him to bed but he kept getting up and running around again, and then, on purpose, he smashed something that was very precious to our friend. He would not listen to our voice, so he had to listen to my hand." Cariad began to shrink away, but Legolas said, "I hated that I had to do it, and I had warned him several times I would, and I cried afterwards more than him. I do not want anyone to hurt, particularly my children. But he learnt his lesson, and he listens now, most of the time. My husband and I do not think it is right, so we do not do it unless there really is no other choice. We love Rilluin and we love each other."

Aragorn re-entered the room, and this time, Cariad did not flinch, just sat stock still until Aragorn sat down next to Legolas, on the far side of the child and passed his husband the cup of tea. Legolas took a sip and smiled, "Perfect. Thank you." He planted a kiss on the human's cheek, and then turned to Cariad. "Do you believe that we would never hurt you?"

Hesitantly, Cariad said, "Yes, I think I do."

Giving a relieved smile, Legolas said, "I am glad. Now, will you excuse me a moment? I need to speak to the lady who runs this place."

"Miss Manillo," Aragorn supplied.

"Thank you. I will be right back."

He walked away and left Aragorn and Cariad alone. As he often did when nervous, Aragorn began to fiddle with the intricate pendant around his neck. Cariad leaned forwards, curiosity beating fear now he was a little bit more confident. "What is that?" he asked in a whisper.

"This?" Aragorn pulled the chain over his head, and passed it to the child for examination. He never usually took it off, had not for years. It was a part of him almost, and it made him feel naked without it. "My husband gave this to me many years ago, when I first began to love him. He received it from his mother before she s— died." He would save the concept of elves sailing for another time.

"It is pretty," Cariad murmured, holding it up so the mithril and jewels caught the sunlight.

"One day I will pass it on to someone else I love," Aragorn told him. Suddenly, over by the window, a guard coughed, and Cariad gave a small yelp, flinging himself towards Aragorn. The child seemingly had forgotten that they were surrounded by men. "You do not like my guards?" asked Aragorn gently. When Cariad shook his blonde topped head, Aragorn said, "You have to think of them as toy soldiers, and you have to know that they would never hurt you."

"How can you know that?" asked Cariad, trembling. "They are so big and . . . scary looking."

"They are big and scary looking to keep people who might want to hurt me or my husband away," Aragorn explained. He could see the guards trying not to smile at the description. "They are our guardians, our protectors. They are good men, and they would keep away anyone who scared you, ion nin." He bit down hard on his tongue when he realised what he had said, and Cariad picked up on it.

"What do those words mean?"

Aragorn sighed and rubbed at his forehead with one hand, but there was no way around it. "They . . . they mean 'my son.' Because, if you wanted to, you could be our son."

Eyes wide as an owl's, Cariad gasped, "But the first man, he said you already have a son. Why would you. . . ."

"Because we are missing someone. It is clear to me that there is a Cariad sized hole in our family. Legolas and I would be honoured to be your fathers, if you want us to be," Aragorn softly said. He knew that he did not have to confer with Legolas about it; the elf's mind was as made up as his.

"Legolas . . . he is your husband?" Cariad tentatively asked.

"Yes I am," said Legolas, coming into the room. Calmly, he sat back between Aragorn and Cariad, and said, "But if you wish to, Cariad, you may call me Atar, if you want to be our son."

Fiddling with the necklace still, Cariad glanced at Aragorn and asked, "And what would I call you?"

Aragorn chance a glance at Legolas and found him smiling; Aragorn agreed there might be reason to. "Rilluin calls me Ada. 'Ada' and 'Atar' are both elvish for 'father,' as 'ion nin' is elvish for 'my son'."

"Then . . . I would like that. I want to go home with you." Cariad smiled, and with that smile, a whole new child emerged. His cares left his face, and his eyes shone. Suddenly, his arms were around Legolas in a brief hug, and another, somewhat shorter hug was bestowed on Aragorn. "Can we leave now? I never thought someone would want me. I do not have many things, but I do not need much. I will be quiet, and good, and. . . ."

"Whoa, calm down little one," exclaimed Legolas. "You do not need to make us love you, it is not something that can be bought. We will love you for yourself. And as for your things, whatever you had here can stay and another child can use them. You will have everything you need, and many things you dared to want, from us."

"Tomorrow," Aragorn added.

"What?" exclaimed Legolas. "Why not today?"

Aragorn rolled his eyes. "You helped to write this process. We do not have to be checked, as King and Consort that would be . . . them not trusting us, but there is paperwork for us to do and. . . ."

"Alright," sighed Legolas. "And tomorrow you can meet Rilluin. Unless . . . maybe we can introduce the rest of the family today. There are a number of males."

Cariad gave an involuntary shiver, and Aragorn nodded. "I think that would be wise. What do you think, little one?"

000

A short while later, Aragorn, a hand on Rilluin's shoulder, and Legolas with Cariad in his arms, face buried in his hair, were outside the lounge. Aragorn had gathered the twins, Erestor, Glorfindel, Faramir along with Gimli and Thranduil who had come to Minas Tirith for Rilluin's birthday. They were the people who Cariad would come in contact with the most, and needed to trust.

Whilst Aragorn had been explaining to family, Legolas had been introducing Cariad to Rilluin and Pedika – the kitten who followed Rilluin everywhere. As soon as Pedika had leapt onto Cariad's lap and started to purr, Rilluin decided to like his new brother.

"Are you ready little one?" murmured Legolas to the child he held. Aragorn nervously glanced at him, playing with the necklace that had been returned to him. Cariad nodded, and Legolas added, "This is all about you. If you want to leave, you may. If you want to stay near us, you can for as long as you want. We will not be upset or angry. This is your decision." Another nod. "Very well, let us join the party."

Aragorn pushed open the door, and they all entered the room. The moment the door clicked shut on them, Cariad's breathing began to increase exponentially, and, as Legolas took a seat, he whispered to the child, "They will never hurt you. No one in this room would ever even think of it."

Next to them, Aragorn struck up a conversation with Gimli about mining for slate for the roads, and everyone took that as a signal to act normal. On their sofa, Erestor and Glorfindel were cuddled together and began to murmur to each other, Rilluin skipped over to where Elladan and Elrohir were curled on the floor, and Faramir and Thranduil began to discuss Osgiliath.

Legolas just sat in silence, petting Cariad's hair, and waiting for him to speak. Eventually, the child did. "Who are they all? How do you know them?" Though the words were whispered, every elf heard them, and began to talk in much softer voices.

"Those two there are called Erestor, he is the one with dark hair, and the other is Glorfindel, with golden hair. They are elves, and helped to look after Aragorn when he was young. His father died, and they helped to raise him," Legolas quietly said. "They are in love as well, and married."

"They are like you and . . . Ada?" asked Cariad.

"Yes, somewhat like us."

"Then . . . I will like them?"

"You should. Erestor is Rilluin's teacher, and Glorfindel is training him in weapons and things like that. To help him when he becomes King," he whispered.

Cariad whirled around. "What do you mean King?"

Chortling, Legolas said, "We did not explain this to you, did we? Your new Ada is King Aragorn. I am his Consort, and that is Prince Rilluin."

Most children would have been shocked by this, but Cariad just nodded, and asked, "Who is everyone else?"

Legolas smiled at his complacency, and pointed to the twins, "That is Elladan and Elrohir, they are your new Ada's brothers. Do not worry if you can not tell the difference. Most people can not. Their father adopted him."

"So Ada was adopted too?"

"Correct." Legolas went on in the same fashion to explain Gimli, as their friend, Faramir, as "Oh . . . another friend. He helps run the Kingdom," and Thranduil as Cariad's new grandfather.

"I am . . . I am scared. I do not . . . if I can do this," Cariad said, quivering slightly. Legolas gently wrapped his arms around him.

"I know you can, ion nin."

Cariad shrugged, and stayed put. Legolas swallowed down a nervous sigh, and met Aragorn's eye. The human was no longer paying much attention to Gimli, just talking in a mutter, and chewing at his lip. Eventually though, Legolas' heart leapt because Cariad climbed off him and crept towards Erestor and Glorfindel. Aragorn stood to move towards his husband, but paused for a moment.

Legolas frowned at him, but Aragorn shook his head. "Stood up too fast. Is he alright?" Aragorn then murmured.

"Shh, I am watching him," Legolas said in an undertone. "It took an hour to get him off my lap. I think he is only doing it to make us happy. He would gladly stay over here all day."

Erestor was smiling sweetly at Cariad, and he got up onto the sofa. There was a tight grip on Glorfindel's arm, keeping him quiet, to not scare the child away. Erestor was probably the most empathetic person in the room, and Legolas was glad he had chosen him.

They watched and, over an hour, Cariad managed to force himself to talk to everyone but Gimli. Then, he curled into Legolas' arms, quaking, exhausted by his effort. He spent his most time with Erestor and Thranduil, but gave Gimli a wide berth.

"Did you not want to speak to Gimli?" asked Legolas.

"I am sorry," the child said, sobbing somewhat.

"No ion nin. You are alright. You have done well, very well. I know you did not want to. We are both very proud of you," murmured Legolas.

"Does this mean I can come home with you now?" asked Cariad, eagerly. "Please. I will try to be braver."

"You did so very well," said Legolas. "And tomorrow night you will be sleeping here." He smiled at Aragorn, both knowing that the child was perfect, even if he did have a fear. It would take work, but it would be alright. They had not wanted to leave him alone in the room with the other men, but knew that before long, they would be alright alone. It would just take patience and time, and they had plenty of that.

000

As soon as Cariad was back at the orphanage, and Aragorn and Legolas had tried not to be too upset when they had to leave him, they forced themselves to work fast. They set up a room opposite theirs for Cariad, whirling around the shops for furniture, toys and clothes. They had not expected to bring a child home that very day, but as King and Consort, people did not mind re-opening their shops for them. Particularly as they spent good money.

Soon the room was full, brightly coloured fabrics and paints, but with dark wood furniture. Legolas and Aragorn hugged together as they watched the room assemble.

"Do you think he will be happy here?" asked Legolas.

Aragorn answered, "I think he will. I think we can make him happy."

A/N: Cariad has been dancing about in my head for a ridiculously long time, and now he can dance in your head. :D And yes, I did steal the name from the Welsh for 'sweetheart'. Too much torchwood fanfic :P Review!