Disclaimer: Um, Legolas' mother but no one but that. Yeah, you guys all
know what's coming next: I wish I owned Legolas!
The next morning, Legolas felt like kicking himself as soon as he saw Aragorn's face. It was exactly what he didn't want to happen. Aragorn looked at him, full of pity and guarded carefulness.
"Good morning, Legolas," said Aragorn, kindly but a tiny bit condescending. Legolas frowned. This was one of the reasons why he wanted to keep things to himself. No doubt that by the end of the day the rest of the Fellowship would be looking at him the same way. Like he was a diseased deer that they much keep away from but still he held their sympathy. Legolas gritted his teeth and kept his lips pursed together. He walked in silence, bringing up the rear of the Fellowship while he made sure that Aragorn stayed at the lead with Gandalf. Several times, he saw Aragorn trying to make eye contact, trying to give him a 'reassuring look' but every time Legolas resolutely kept his eyes on the ground.
"I didn't know we had a new puppy on board," said Gandalf.
"What?" asked Aragorn, startled.
"Legolas is not helpless," said Gandalf, sternly. "You know he can take care of himself. You're irritating him by treating him like he was only a young puppy." Aragorn flushed.
"I was only trying to make him feel better."
"Then treat him like you would anyone else." Aragorn ducked his head so that no one could see his red cheeks and kept walking.
Night was dawning upon them before anyone noticed. The great lady of the night enfolded them all in her dark cloak and sleep seemed to come to many of those in the Fellowship quite easily. Except for two.
"Legolas," said Aragorn softly. "I'm sorry, I should have known you could take care of yourself."
"Thank you." Legolas sat still and Aragorn carefully sat down next to him. He wanted to make Legolas feel better but his mind drew a blank. Slowly he tucked a lock of pale golden hair behind Legolas' pointed ear. He tried to hug the elf and for a second, Legolas rested his head on Aragorn's shoulder, breathing deeply, but abruptly he pushed Aragorn away.
"Don't get near me," said Legolas, looking confused and sad.
"I'm only trying to help you," said Aragorn. "Why won't you let someone get close to you? They're only trying to be your friend." Suddenly Legolas looked furious.
"Because everyone I've let get close to me either fucked me up for life or left!" Aragorn leaned back, stunned and let the elf stride away from him. Aragorn carefully cradled his head in his hands. Surprisingly, not a person woke from Legolas' outburst. They were all sleeping soundly. Aragorn heavily dragged him over towards where he was sleeping and joined them.
Inside Legolas, the demons were back, screaming at him, taunting him, torturing him. He started to climb a tree, higher and higher, without ever looking back down. When he nearly reached the top, he walked carefully onto the end of a branch and stood there. Maybe if Aragorn had walked after him, Legolas wouldn't have jumped. Maybe if he hadn't listened to the voices inside his head he wouldn't have jumped. But neither happened and Legolas flung his arms wide open like a rock star and jumped. He wasn't scared, he wasn't angry. He was calm as he plummeted towards the ground. The forest floor started to rush up to meet him but in the last minute, something stopped Legolas' descent and he was left there, safe on the soft grass. Legolas saw something beside him, looking at him with tearful eyes. Almost disappearing now, Legolas tried to reach out and touch the figure. There was nothing but air. Before the spirit completely disappeared, Legolas realized who it was.
"Mother."
The next morning, Legolas felt like kicking himself as soon as he saw Aragorn's face. It was exactly what he didn't want to happen. Aragorn looked at him, full of pity and guarded carefulness.
"Good morning, Legolas," said Aragorn, kindly but a tiny bit condescending. Legolas frowned. This was one of the reasons why he wanted to keep things to himself. No doubt that by the end of the day the rest of the Fellowship would be looking at him the same way. Like he was a diseased deer that they much keep away from but still he held their sympathy. Legolas gritted his teeth and kept his lips pursed together. He walked in silence, bringing up the rear of the Fellowship while he made sure that Aragorn stayed at the lead with Gandalf. Several times, he saw Aragorn trying to make eye contact, trying to give him a 'reassuring look' but every time Legolas resolutely kept his eyes on the ground.
"I didn't know we had a new puppy on board," said Gandalf.
"What?" asked Aragorn, startled.
"Legolas is not helpless," said Gandalf, sternly. "You know he can take care of himself. You're irritating him by treating him like he was only a young puppy." Aragorn flushed.
"I was only trying to make him feel better."
"Then treat him like you would anyone else." Aragorn ducked his head so that no one could see his red cheeks and kept walking.
Night was dawning upon them before anyone noticed. The great lady of the night enfolded them all in her dark cloak and sleep seemed to come to many of those in the Fellowship quite easily. Except for two.
"Legolas," said Aragorn softly. "I'm sorry, I should have known you could take care of yourself."
"Thank you." Legolas sat still and Aragorn carefully sat down next to him. He wanted to make Legolas feel better but his mind drew a blank. Slowly he tucked a lock of pale golden hair behind Legolas' pointed ear. He tried to hug the elf and for a second, Legolas rested his head on Aragorn's shoulder, breathing deeply, but abruptly he pushed Aragorn away.
"Don't get near me," said Legolas, looking confused and sad.
"I'm only trying to help you," said Aragorn. "Why won't you let someone get close to you? They're only trying to be your friend." Suddenly Legolas looked furious.
"Because everyone I've let get close to me either fucked me up for life or left!" Aragorn leaned back, stunned and let the elf stride away from him. Aragorn carefully cradled his head in his hands. Surprisingly, not a person woke from Legolas' outburst. They were all sleeping soundly. Aragorn heavily dragged him over towards where he was sleeping and joined them.
Inside Legolas, the demons were back, screaming at him, taunting him, torturing him. He started to climb a tree, higher and higher, without ever looking back down. When he nearly reached the top, he walked carefully onto the end of a branch and stood there. Maybe if Aragorn had walked after him, Legolas wouldn't have jumped. Maybe if he hadn't listened to the voices inside his head he wouldn't have jumped. But neither happened and Legolas flung his arms wide open like a rock star and jumped. He wasn't scared, he wasn't angry. He was calm as he plummeted towards the ground. The forest floor started to rush up to meet him but in the last minute, something stopped Legolas' descent and he was left there, safe on the soft grass. Legolas saw something beside him, looking at him with tearful eyes. Almost disappearing now, Legolas tried to reach out and touch the figure. There was nothing but air. Before the spirit completely disappeared, Legolas realized who it was.
"Mother."