Author's Notes: To anyone wondering; don't worry, this story isn't a one-parter. I guess it will probably be five parts in total, give or take a chapter or so. I'm not really sure at this stage. Anyway, thank you sooooo much for all the reviews. I'm really, really flattered that I got so many. All you guys that reviewed, you rock! And all those that haven't reviewed yet, well; you too can rock, if you review this chapter! C'mon, now doesn't that sound tempting?!
Disclaimer: The words are mine but the characters are all Tolkein's, whom I'll always be grateful to. Well, him and Peter Jackson, who ensured I didn't have to read the book! Aw, I'm so lazy...
Chapter 2
"Gimli." Aragorn shook the sleeping dwarf, who rolled over, muttering incoherently in his sleep. Finally, he opened his eyes and stared at the human.
"My turn already?" Gimli yawned. He did a double take when he realised who had woken him. "I thought Legolas was before me?"
"He is in much need of sleep." Aragorn said. "I have already taken half the night. Would you be able to manage the second half?"
"Yes, I can manage." Gimli nodded. "If you think it's right."
"Let him sleep. I have been watching him; he only drifted off a short while ago. His mind is troubled, and ill at ease. Boromir's death has affected him more than he will say."
"Fine." Gimli sighed. "I warn you though, Legolas will not be happy in the morning when he realises he didn't take his turn."
"That does not matter. He will be better for it."
"If you say so." Gimli stood up painfully. "Get some rest yourself."
Aragorn gratefully took his resting position, and fell into a discontented sleep. Gimli took up the watch, but his mind was unfocused. Not for the first time that night, his gaze fell upon the sleeping elf, who was turning over uncomfortably in his sleep. 'What is it that ails you?' Gimli thought to himself. But of course, no reply came. Even if he had said it out loud, even if Legolas had been awake and had heard him, it was doubtful even then that there would have been a reply
***
//They remained in the darkness of the cave for the rest of the day, and the subsequent night. Boromir tried to make conversation, but it fell on unresponsive ears. Legolas reasoned that, even if he had to stay, he didn't have to be courteous.
"Do you really hate me all that much?" Boromir asked him. The moonlight cast a pale shadow on his face. Legolas was shocked to find himself admiring the man's rough, but undeniably handsome visage.
"I do not hate you." He replied. "I simply do not like you very much."
"All I did was save you."
"And for that I am grateful." Legolas replied courteously. "I just think very poorly of the way you conduct yourself outside of battle."
"Maybe I was a bit, uh..." Boromir trailed off. Legolas sat up higher.
"Go on."
"... Rude." Boromir sighed. "Forgive me if I was. It is my nature. I was not brought up the same way that you were. Manners came below bravery."
"That is obvious." Legolas smiled wryly.
"So am I forgiven?"
"You are." Legolas nodded. "Who knows what would have become of me if it wasn't for you? Sport for the orcs, no doubt."
"I imagine you're better at a different type of sport." Boromir whispered. Legolas looked at him, and he suddenly felt a shiver run throughout his body. The human was so close he could feel his hot breath on his face.
"No, we mustn't." Legolas tried to pull away, but Boromir placed his hand on the back of his head and pushed him closer.
"Be silent, elf." He whispered. He lent forward and kissed him with a passion that Legolas had never experienced, in all his many years of being. It was a passion that scared him; even more so when he realised he was kissing back just as aggressively.
"Stop this." Legolas pulled away. "I cannot..."
"You've just proved that you can." Boromir hissed. "I did not see you protesting."
"You took me by surprise. I..."
"Then I will take you by surprise again." He resumed the kiss, pressing his cold lips hard against Legolas'. His hands travelled through the silky hair as his tongue probed deeper. Legolas expected to feel disgust, but he couldn't deny his feelings to himself. This felt good; better than it had ever done.
"How many have you had, elf?" Boromir asked him. Legolas was taken aback. He had never met anyone, human or elf, this forthcoming.
"A few." He said. "Too few to mention."
"In all these years?"
"I am from a controlled race. We do not value sex highly."
"You mean repressed." Boromir snorted. Legolas stared at him, hurt.
"Is that what you believe?"
"What choice do I have? You have not given me any evidence to suggest otherwise."
"Because I will not take off my clothes and let you bed me straight away?"
"No." Boromir shook his head. "Because you are trying to convince yourself this is wrong, even though there is no reason to even think that."
"Forgive me." Legolas looked away from him. "Maybe I have been brought up to be too reticent. I have never given it much regard."
"Look at me." Boromir brought Legolas round to face him again. "I am too harsh with my words. But I will not apologise for them. I will not force you into anything against your will. If you feel this is wrong, you may say so, and we will forget this has ever happened."
"I do not want to forget." Legolas told him. He kissed him softly, wrapping his arms around him. Boromir pushed him down onto the hard, stone floor, and pushed his weight up against him. Legolas groaned pleasurably.
"You want this, elf?"
"Yes." Legolas whispered. "But please, call me by my name."
"I will call you by your name when you earn that right." Boromir smiled down at him. He resumed his kissing, and their gasps of pleasure rang out through the still, cold night.//
***
"Why did you not wake me?" Legolas shouted angrily at Aragorn. Gimli shot him an 'I told you so' look as he sharpened his axe blade with a piece of flint.
"I felt you were in need of sleep." Aragorn sighed wearily. "It's unimportant, Legolas."
"It's important to me." Legolas told him. "When I say I will take the watch, I do not expect to be ignored." And with that, he stalked off into the forest. Gimli opened his mouth to speak, but was silenced with a look from Aragorn.
"Do not say anything, Gimli." He sighed. "I already know." He headed into the forest after the furious elf. Gimli let out a loud sigh before resuming the sharpening.
***
"Legolas!" Aragorn shouted after the diminishing figure. "Let me apologise." He was ignored. Breaking into a run, he soon caught up with Legolas, who had decided to start walking. "Please, Legolas. I am sorry. I do not look down on you, nor do I pity you. I am simply worried about you."
"You don't need to be." Legolas told him through gritted teeth. "I am fine."
"You are far from fine, Legolas." Aragorn shook his head. The elf started to protest, but Aragorn held up his hand. "None of us are fine, Legolas. Gimli is not, nor am I. It is okay to show your weakness. Nobody will look down on you because of it."
"I will look down on myself." Legolas told him. "I pride myself on being strong. It is the one quality I have."
"What does that mean?" Aragorn stared at him, aghast. "The one quality you have? Legolas, you exude qualities. You are compassionate, brave, honest... handsome." He smiled wryly. Legolas rolled his eyes. "More than handsome, in fact. You're absolutely perfect in that area."
"If you think this will make me feel better..."
"I don't." Aragorn confessed. "But maybe it will help."
"Nothing will help." Legolas sighed despondently. "I believe I am cursed, Aragorn. I want Boromir. I want him to hold me in his arms. They always seemed so strong, like they would never let go. I would do anything to feel that again."
"Would my arms suffice?" Aragorn asked him. "At least for the time being?" He drew Legolas into a tight embrace, and gently stroked his hair. They remained there for a long time; neither speaking, nor trying to break away. Finally, Legolas pulled away softly.
"Gimli will be wondering where we are."
"Of course." Aragorn nodded. They set back through the forest, re-treading their footsteps.
"Thank you, Aragorn." Legolas whispered. The human looked at him, smiling slightly.
"I'll always be here for you, Legolas. For as long as you are unhappy."
"And for that I will always be grateful." Legolas smiled back. "But I fear I have a long way to go yet before I am truly happy."
"Then I will wait." Aragorn told him. "I will wait forever and a day if I have to."
Disclaimer: The words are mine but the characters are all Tolkein's, whom I'll always be grateful to. Well, him and Peter Jackson, who ensured I didn't have to read the book! Aw, I'm so lazy...
Chapter 2
"Gimli." Aragorn shook the sleeping dwarf, who rolled over, muttering incoherently in his sleep. Finally, he opened his eyes and stared at the human.
"My turn already?" Gimli yawned. He did a double take when he realised who had woken him. "I thought Legolas was before me?"
"He is in much need of sleep." Aragorn said. "I have already taken half the night. Would you be able to manage the second half?"
"Yes, I can manage." Gimli nodded. "If you think it's right."
"Let him sleep. I have been watching him; he only drifted off a short while ago. His mind is troubled, and ill at ease. Boromir's death has affected him more than he will say."
"Fine." Gimli sighed. "I warn you though, Legolas will not be happy in the morning when he realises he didn't take his turn."
"That does not matter. He will be better for it."
"If you say so." Gimli stood up painfully. "Get some rest yourself."
Aragorn gratefully took his resting position, and fell into a discontented sleep. Gimli took up the watch, but his mind was unfocused. Not for the first time that night, his gaze fell upon the sleeping elf, who was turning over uncomfortably in his sleep. 'What is it that ails you?' Gimli thought to himself. But of course, no reply came. Even if he had said it out loud, even if Legolas had been awake and had heard him, it was doubtful even then that there would have been a reply
***
//They remained in the darkness of the cave for the rest of the day, and the subsequent night. Boromir tried to make conversation, but it fell on unresponsive ears. Legolas reasoned that, even if he had to stay, he didn't have to be courteous.
"Do you really hate me all that much?" Boromir asked him. The moonlight cast a pale shadow on his face. Legolas was shocked to find himself admiring the man's rough, but undeniably handsome visage.
"I do not hate you." He replied. "I simply do not like you very much."
"All I did was save you."
"And for that I am grateful." Legolas replied courteously. "I just think very poorly of the way you conduct yourself outside of battle."
"Maybe I was a bit, uh..." Boromir trailed off. Legolas sat up higher.
"Go on."
"... Rude." Boromir sighed. "Forgive me if I was. It is my nature. I was not brought up the same way that you were. Manners came below bravery."
"That is obvious." Legolas smiled wryly.
"So am I forgiven?"
"You are." Legolas nodded. "Who knows what would have become of me if it wasn't for you? Sport for the orcs, no doubt."
"I imagine you're better at a different type of sport." Boromir whispered. Legolas looked at him, and he suddenly felt a shiver run throughout his body. The human was so close he could feel his hot breath on his face.
"No, we mustn't." Legolas tried to pull away, but Boromir placed his hand on the back of his head and pushed him closer.
"Be silent, elf." He whispered. He lent forward and kissed him with a passion that Legolas had never experienced, in all his many years of being. It was a passion that scared him; even more so when he realised he was kissing back just as aggressively.
"Stop this." Legolas pulled away. "I cannot..."
"You've just proved that you can." Boromir hissed. "I did not see you protesting."
"You took me by surprise. I..."
"Then I will take you by surprise again." He resumed the kiss, pressing his cold lips hard against Legolas'. His hands travelled through the silky hair as his tongue probed deeper. Legolas expected to feel disgust, but he couldn't deny his feelings to himself. This felt good; better than it had ever done.
"How many have you had, elf?" Boromir asked him. Legolas was taken aback. He had never met anyone, human or elf, this forthcoming.
"A few." He said. "Too few to mention."
"In all these years?"
"I am from a controlled race. We do not value sex highly."
"You mean repressed." Boromir snorted. Legolas stared at him, hurt.
"Is that what you believe?"
"What choice do I have? You have not given me any evidence to suggest otherwise."
"Because I will not take off my clothes and let you bed me straight away?"
"No." Boromir shook his head. "Because you are trying to convince yourself this is wrong, even though there is no reason to even think that."
"Forgive me." Legolas looked away from him. "Maybe I have been brought up to be too reticent. I have never given it much regard."
"Look at me." Boromir brought Legolas round to face him again. "I am too harsh with my words. But I will not apologise for them. I will not force you into anything against your will. If you feel this is wrong, you may say so, and we will forget this has ever happened."
"I do not want to forget." Legolas told him. He kissed him softly, wrapping his arms around him. Boromir pushed him down onto the hard, stone floor, and pushed his weight up against him. Legolas groaned pleasurably.
"You want this, elf?"
"Yes." Legolas whispered. "But please, call me by my name."
"I will call you by your name when you earn that right." Boromir smiled down at him. He resumed his kissing, and their gasps of pleasure rang out through the still, cold night.//
***
"Why did you not wake me?" Legolas shouted angrily at Aragorn. Gimli shot him an 'I told you so' look as he sharpened his axe blade with a piece of flint.
"I felt you were in need of sleep." Aragorn sighed wearily. "It's unimportant, Legolas."
"It's important to me." Legolas told him. "When I say I will take the watch, I do not expect to be ignored." And with that, he stalked off into the forest. Gimli opened his mouth to speak, but was silenced with a look from Aragorn.
"Do not say anything, Gimli." He sighed. "I already know." He headed into the forest after the furious elf. Gimli let out a loud sigh before resuming the sharpening.
***
"Legolas!" Aragorn shouted after the diminishing figure. "Let me apologise." He was ignored. Breaking into a run, he soon caught up with Legolas, who had decided to start walking. "Please, Legolas. I am sorry. I do not look down on you, nor do I pity you. I am simply worried about you."
"You don't need to be." Legolas told him through gritted teeth. "I am fine."
"You are far from fine, Legolas." Aragorn shook his head. The elf started to protest, but Aragorn held up his hand. "None of us are fine, Legolas. Gimli is not, nor am I. It is okay to show your weakness. Nobody will look down on you because of it."
"I will look down on myself." Legolas told him. "I pride myself on being strong. It is the one quality I have."
"What does that mean?" Aragorn stared at him, aghast. "The one quality you have? Legolas, you exude qualities. You are compassionate, brave, honest... handsome." He smiled wryly. Legolas rolled his eyes. "More than handsome, in fact. You're absolutely perfect in that area."
"If you think this will make me feel better..."
"I don't." Aragorn confessed. "But maybe it will help."
"Nothing will help." Legolas sighed despondently. "I believe I am cursed, Aragorn. I want Boromir. I want him to hold me in his arms. They always seemed so strong, like they would never let go. I would do anything to feel that again."
"Would my arms suffice?" Aragorn asked him. "At least for the time being?" He drew Legolas into a tight embrace, and gently stroked his hair. They remained there for a long time; neither speaking, nor trying to break away. Finally, Legolas pulled away softly.
"Gimli will be wondering where we are."
"Of course." Aragorn nodded. They set back through the forest, re-treading their footsteps.
"Thank you, Aragorn." Legolas whispered. The human looked at him, smiling slightly.
"I'll always be here for you, Legolas. For as long as you are unhappy."
"And for that I will always be grateful." Legolas smiled back. "But I fear I have a long way to go yet before I am truly happy."
"Then I will wait." Aragorn told him. "I will wait forever and a day if I have to."