A/N: well, finally, here's chapter 5..review, people. Make's my day..hehe.No slash here, people.Anyway..enjoy the fluff. Hehe =D

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Chapter 5

" Legolas."

He heard a kind voice calling to him. He was lost in darkness, dully aware of the raging pain in his back. He knew he was exhausted. He really didn't want to wake up, yet the voice sounded so comforting, he was curious as to whom it belonged to.

" Mellonin. "

The sweet sounding language of his people brought him to the surface, to dimmed light. Slowly, the Elf's blue eyes opened, glassy with pain and disorientation. They met the gray eyes of the ranger and his heart was glad. Aragorn managed a small smile.

" Legolas ", he whispered softly as he ran the tip of a damp cloth over the archer's lips. Legolas' eyes shone as he lost himself in best friend's face, something that was easy to do since he was so weary. Aragorn smoothly ran the cloth over the Elf's lips, along his jaw, over his fevered brow. He had previously cleansed and wrapped the prince's wounds, before taking care of himself. The Elf had suffered far worse a beating than the ranger. It grieved Strider to see his immortal brother in such a way. Yet all that mattered now was that he comfort his beloved Greenleaf. So he did.

Ugluk eyed the pair distastefully, yet watched observantly for a while. The creature was jealous of what existed between those two. Pain and distress was wrought upon the Elf's face, a sheen of sweat causing it to gleam. His breathing was labored and shallow. The Uruk watched Aragorn cool the Elf's face with a cloth, stroke the Elf's golden hair, run a hand down the Elf's arm, whisper soothingly to him. The man smiled at the blonde, who offered a weak smile in return. The Elf shed mithril tears, and the ranger stroked his head and ran the cloth over the prince's pale cheeks, wiping those tears away. The man tipped the Elf's head back and leaned over to lay his lips upon the alabaster brow with great tenderness. He murmured into the Elf's delicately pointed ear, as the archer pressed his eyes shut and tears spilled down his face. Aragorn hushed him and took the Elf gently in his arms, holding him close, cradling Legolas like his own precious child. The two lay still in their embrace, Aragorn sheltering the Elf protectively, just as he had done earlier during the beating. With his thumb, he stroked over a small patch of the prince's arm, whilst sensitively holding the archer's head to his chest. Legolas relaxed in the arms of his mortal brother, eased by the warmth he gathered as he was enveloped in Aragorn's embrace. The two listened to each other's lenient breathing, felt their hearts beating steadily side by side. They lay so close together, the soft flesh of their bellies, covered lightly with their clothing, touched.

Ugluk's eyes blazed with jealousy and yet at the same time, some sort of awe. He was an Uruk Hai and had never seen the likes of such a bond. Every touch belonging to those two radiated love. One could almost see the glow in their fingertips. They would have lit up the room if they had been in one. There was no need to tell each other, because they only needed to touch, to whisper, to look at one another.Did they have any idea how much they loved each other? Ugluk didn't have a true friend, much less one like that, and definitely not a soul-bonded brother. He was greatly annoyed. Ugluk growled and turned away, stomping off to find somewhere to retire. For now, the Elf and the ranger were left in peace to sleep contentedly in each other's arms.

Boromir, Gimli and the Hobbits all of this unnoticed. The way Ugluk scrutinized their two companions made them uneasy. They had watched their two comrades suffer cruelly and did not wish to see it again. Boromir, Gimli, and Aragorn all knew Legolas would go through hell and die before being broken. In fact, as much as he had despaired over Aragorn being hurt, it had only caused his fury and hatred to deepen. The rest of the Fellowship was only glad that the Elf had the ranger to look after him.

Boromir and Gimli continued to watch the two after the Hobbits fell asleep. Boromir's eyes blazed with stewing anger. He wanted to kill every Uruk Hai within reach for beating Aragorn, for making Legolas bleed like that. He had a newfound loyalty and love towards Aragorn, his brother of Gondor. To witness his king being beaten in such a way sparked raging fire in him. Although he was not extremely close to Legolas, he was still the Elf's friend. And to see something so pure and fair and proud being tormented by those beasts made him vindictively bloodthirsty. Gimli was good friends with Aragorn and would have grieved at his death. The Dwarf loathed to see a man, who was so noble as to take a beating for a comrade, hurt in such a way. But what made him almost mad was having to watch his new best friend, that crazy, fair-faced, too proud for his own damn good Elf, get a beating so brutal it would have been fatal without interference. Gimli wished he could hew every limb from every Uruk with his ax for that.

" How's your wound, Lad? " he questioned Boromir, as the two still stared fixedly at the sleeping ranger and the prince.

" Fine ", Boromir replied. " Aragorn is quite a healer ", he added.

" Indeed ", the Dwarf uttered gruffly.

A while of silence followed, whilst the Steward's Son and the Dwarf thought and watched.

" They really love each other, don't they, Gimli? " Boromir queried.

" Aragorn and Legolas? " the Dwarf said. Boromir nodded.

" Yes, Lad ", Gimli sighed, " With the fiercest of brotherly love. "

" I'll be damned if wither of them suffer at the hands of these beasts again ", said Boromir decidedly. Gimli nodded.