Disclaimer: I don't own anything from the Lord of the Rings.

Note: Thanks for the review. Let's begin. I am feeling silly today so don't mind the writing. I guess it is just a bit of fluff before battles since nobody send me any ideas. glare

The commotion in the camp was enough to make anyone nervous, but especially one who was accustomed to the silence of the wild, or the quiet steps of his companions. Aragorn was sure that they could be heard from miles and leagues away.

Sauron would surely have gathered his army by now. Who wouldn't with this racket?

Aragorn avoided the fires with merry young soldiers and grim veterans, all eager to speak to him about the battle. He didn't want to. He didn't want to share with anybody. His feet took him from the royal pavilion to the clustered tents of the remaining fellowship.

Pippin glanced up from the fire where the sad hobbit sat with Gimli. The dwarf called out a low greeting as he took another bite of the meat in his hand. Just watching the dwarf made Aragorn queasy to his stomach.

He slowly breathed in and tried to block out the sounds from the encampment. His head was pounding, adding to a stressed feeling in his body. Unable to cope a moment longer with anybody who was battling for his attention, he walked forward, asking, "Is Legolas in his tent?"

"No, he went scouting. Should be back soon," Gimli said, his voice muffled.

Pippin glanced at Aragorn, the quite hobbit saying, "You look pale, Strider. Everything alright…?"

Aragorn waved the concern away. He forced a smile on his face. The small hobbit had proven his strength, but he had been quiet without his usual companion. Merry had not been fit to travel, and Pippin needed him to be strong now, Aragorn knew that.

He merely gave a nod and willed away the headache that had grown steadily worse over the day. He knew these types of headaches, had suffered from them before. They would start as minor but in the course of the day they would grow to a pounding monster who bashed his brains around for the fun of it.

He needed sleep and it would be alright come morning, but the moment he lay down in his own tent, somebody would disturb him, demand his attention and Aragorn needed undisturbed sleep.

He walked to Legolas' small tent, his head aching with each step his boots made upon the uneven ground. He allowed his eyes to adjust to the small dark tent as he stepped inside and managed to walk a few steps until he collapsed on the heap of blankets that had to pass as a bed.

His teeth were chattering as he pulled off his boots, throwing them towards the canvas that passed as wall as he rolled up into the blanket, closing his eyes and willing the headache to disappear.

The presence in the back of his mind tingled and Aragorn tried to ignore it. It wasn't helping his aching head. He blocked away the bond, hoping to get in some quietness as he drifted off into an unsteady sleep.

XX

The tent flap opened and soft footsteps, nearly silent, were waking Aragorn. The man glanced up as a slender hand gently touched his heated forehead. "Estel, you are burning."

"Yes, quite," The man answered, stretching.

"Not in that way, my love. Of all the times to pick to grow ill, you have to do it in the middle of an encampment. I will go and find Gandalf."

Aragorn made an undistinguishable noise in the back of his throat as he became aware of the slender long fingers that stroked his hair before Legolas left the tent. He drifted for a while, hearing soft voices in the tent or outside of it, but he could not care less, not wishing to open his eyes or to speak to anybody.

Hands touched his forehead so many times that Aragorn began to growl, irritated. He heard a low chuckle and then he focused upon the words. "He will be fine in about a day. If he is feeling irritated enough to growl at me then he will feel better shortly. Just keep him warm. I suspect that the scouts we sent out will not return before tomorrow eve so Aragorn will be able to get plenty of rest."

Aragorn merely counted by rolling onto his other side, blocking the occupants in the room out. He kept his eyes tightly closed, his hands tugging the blankets up over his head so that he was cocooned.

Finally only blessed silence remained and… and a hand that peeled the blankets away and stroked his hair, settling him down as Aragorn pushed back against the warm pressure on the blankets behind him.

"So the pressure I have been feeling in my head all day came from you," the elf stated, shifting so his thigh was pressed against Aragorn's curled back. The hand that came to stroke his hair was bliss, and Aragorn unblocked the bond, allowing Legolas' mind to soothe his own.

I can barely remember the last time you were ill. Why did you not come to seek aid?

I need to be strong, Legolas. The soldiers cannot see their King ill.

You are mortal and human. If you are ill, you are ill, my love. Nobody can fault you for that.

You would be amazed how many people will try…

"Stubborn human."

Do not be coy with me, elf. I will banish you into a rainy night.

You would not dare. You require of me to take care of you.

"It depends on how quiet you are."

You fool!

Aragorn gave a moan as the shout in his mind made the pain in his head spike. He curled up further, his head cradled in his hands.

"I am so sorry."

"Do not do that, you daft elf and you are not sorry at all." Aragorn shivered, eyes tightly shut. Legolas' hands on his head were stroking his hair and his elf was murmuring softly. Legolas' comforting warmth moved away for a moment and the man bemoaned the loss keenly.

The next moment his elf moved back and curled himself up around Aragorn, the man's head being lifted as Aragorn felt Legolas' other hand coming to rest upon his stomach, lazily drawing circles.

"You do realize we are going to blow the secret to pieces if anybody walks in on us," He stuttered at Legolas.

He felt the elf's hum at his back as Legolas' spoke, "We are sharing body warmth and I do not care very much if they know or do not know. Eventually they will learn of our bonding."

"But not prematurely…"

"And when do you think it will be time to share the news then?" Anger was creeping into the fair voice.

"It is not ours to share, Legolas. I do not want the world to know. This is between us…"

"Us and Arwen you mean!" Legolas' voice was cold and Aragorn flinched away from his elf, pulling himself away as he sat up, ignoring his headache and the dizziness.

"Arwen has nothing to do with this, I told you so before. This is between you and I."

"Yet you have a duty to her. If we survive this battle then she will come to the coronation, expecting to be wed to you. What will you tell her then, or will you marry her, keeping me in the shadows?" Legolas sat up as well, blue eyes dark with anger.

"What has gotten into you? I have chosen you, you know this."

"Mmm, easy is it, to say these words?"

"Legolas, stop this!"

"Why should I? It is the truth, is it not? One moment you claim to love me and then you go to Arwen. How fickle are the emotions of men!" His elf spat and Aragorn felt his heart grow cold as did the bond.

"You turned me away. I came to you with my love and you turned me away for reasons only you saw. Do not fault me for trying to find some semblance of love or happiness someplace else." Aragorn got to his feet unsteadily and he walked away from the bed, away to the opening of the tent.

"Estel?" He heard the whisper behind him, but he ignored it, instead choosing to nurse and lick his wounds in privacy.

He did not remember how he made it back to his tent, hissing at his guards not to let anybody in. He curled on his bed, realizing bleatingly he had forgotten his boots, but he would be damned if he was going to go back now. Legolas had made a mistake. He had chosen his elf un-conditionally, had done so when he was barely old enough to understand such a love.

He curled up in his own bed, blocking any emotions from reaching across the bond. The fight with Legolas had left him numb and nursing more than an aching head. His heart was bruised a bit too; didn't his elf see that he was willing to sacrifice everything for him?

He rolled around the bed, trying to find warmth and a relief from his headache. He was going to be damned if he was going to apologize. Legolas had been at fault, not him.

Aragorn sighed. It could be hours or days before Legolas would allow himself to speak to his beloved again. Legolas was very stubborn, a trait that served him well though not always, such as now.

Aragorn closed his eyes and willed himself to his sleep; finally he drifted off though not fast enough for his sake.

Xx

"My Lord!" Aragorn woke from a sound slumber, hands gripping and searching for his dagger. He managed to sit up, gasping with his headache, the dizziness and the nausea that assaulted him.

A guard stood in his tent and Aragorn hissed, his words a bit slurred, "What did I tell you about disturbing me?"

The guard blushed, a young man and said, bowing. "It is Lord Legolas. He is requesting that you allow him entrance. Something about a fight…"

His stomach chose that moment to cramp painfully and Aragorn gave a nod, an arm wrapped around his abdomen as he struggled to the washing bowl, emptying it and retching into it, his dinner resurfacing.

He flinched away from the hands that held him and Legolas sighed, "Oh, my love…"

Aragorn recoiled, sitting down with his head between his legs when he was done. He wiped his mouth with an empty cloth that went into the washbowl too that Legolas picked up. The elf grimaced but defiance shone in his eyes as he sought to touch Aragorn again and the man once more recoiled.

Aragorn slowly washed out his mouth with the cool water in his flash before spitting it out, hearing Legolas return.

"What do you want?"

"To beg you to give me another chance, I have been most unforgiving in my words and tone…"

"Very well," The man wearily said as Legolas approached him with a smile. "Start begging."

"Excuse me?"

"You wanted to beg, well go on. Or make yourself useful in any other way but if you do beg, be quiet about it. I am going to go back to bed…" The moment Aragorn rose, his stomach gave another cramp and he hastened towards the bowl Legolas thrust at him.

The elf held him, murmuring soothing words to him in the tongue of their people and Aragorn breathed in through his nose, feeling Legolas loosen the buttons on his shirt. His elf called a guard and gave them the bowl, pushing Aragorn towards the bed.

The King was shaking, shivering with cold and pain. Beads of sweat were making their way down his forehead and cheeks. Legolas sat down as Aragorn swung long legs over the edge of his seat, doubled over as he tried to keep the next wave of nausea at bay.

"I should not have said that."

"But you did."

"I am sorry, which you would have known had you not blocked me."

"I had not reason if you had not said those things."

"We are a pair of fools."

"You are a fool."

Yes, but a fool whom you love.

The emotions that the one statement roused was more than Aragorn could bear as he said, "Yes, foolhardily so."

"Mmm." His elf answered with a non-committal murmur before he pushed Aragorn back, pulling him closer with a careful arm that Aragorn did not push away. The man gave a tired sigh and curled against his elf, his arm still around his stomach.

"Rest."

Aragorn found no mind in him not to obey the command and at once he gave in, Legolas' mind overwhelmed him and he knew that despite the fight, they were closer than ever and ready to face what came ahead.

Just a bit of fluff. Review of course and do send some ideas for the next battle.