Title: Missing Colours

Written by: Vana E

Pairing: Aragorn/Legolas, maybe some slight semi-unrequited Gimli/Legolas too.

Rating: R for violence. (and the fact I feel all slash should be R as those checking the lower sections are often below 14 and even sometimes 10 or something and some parents may be knarjy over it. A little moral thing)

Warnings: AU and not all to the movie, slashy, some bookverse: Angst, pain, battle, gore and an ending normal folk will hurt me for.

Summery: Gimli 2nd person pov. Gimli makes a sacrifice to absolve his own life regrets in the deciding battle of Middle Earth.

A/N: I wrote this for the January challenge for Library of Moria. Considering I cannot write anything but angst, this seemed appropriate for my twisted mind. I usually read and worship such fics as this, but for once I decided to write one and this is a first attempt at anything like this. It took me a whole month to write this, and even then it was already rushed by January 18th as I realized "Fug! Deadline!"...Then came January 29th and I was feeling doomed. May Minka and YT be satisfied that I am now fully corrupt.

Sincerely: Vana E the Sadist.

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Chapter 1: Questions and Banter

"That still counts as one!" Cried the dwarf, bristling in indignation at the uppercut class of the haughty elf before him that seemed unruffled by his exertions except for a stray strand of hair waving lazily in the breeze. After battling a giant beast, capable of crushing a score of men (and dwarves) in one step, leaping from level to level along the flanks of the same beast and defeating all that resided upon it as well as the monster itself, he could have at least have had the courtesy of being inflicted with more than just one strand of flawless hair escaping his intricate elven braid.

"Ah...but I still am ahead by at least fourteen, oh stunted one." He laughed and placed his hands on his hips, a declaration for a good comeback if the shorter one could think of one at that moment.

But he didn't get the chance, instead yelling in alarm and ducking as a hail of arrows skimmed over them both, face meeting dirt while cursing his ineptness for carrying a shield that would have saved him the trouble of grovelling in front of his companion. When the arrows ceased in their barrelling droves, the dwarf finally raised his head and looked around, muttering about 'the things I do to stay alive' before he spotted the elf, standing, infuriatingly calm and placid as usual with a rather annoying smirk on his face as he lowered his bow.

"Make that twenty four."

Blast the damned elves to the bottomless pits of the mires for their cool confidence and insufferable perfection! It simply was not fair and he made this known with an irritated grunt and vow that he would best the immortal one before this war was out, or he would...he would...cut off his beard. Yes...his beard...if that were not an incentive to do better then he didn't know what was.

"Tell me...have you ever missed?"

The elf looked down at him suspiciously, raising an eyebrow as if to sense a hidden reason for this unexpected question.

"Why do you ask?"

He shrugged. "No reason. I simply am curious as to whether you have ever missed and if there would ever be a chance to miss again." His scowl grew deeper as the elf started to laugh while they walked back to Aragorn, the battle seemingly over except for a few straggling groups of Orcs and men of Harad being round up and either killed, or taken prisoner. No Orc was spared even a choice.

"Is that what this is all about? You feel sore about losing the count yet again and wish to see my flaws in order to derive an internal feeling of satisfaction that you better me in something? My dear Gimli, I have my flaws as do you...but we have yet to see them in each other for I have seen none in your technique as of yet and I guess I would be much privileged to witness them, if they ever occurred." He smiled at his dumbstruck companion before spotting Aragorn and walking swiftly to meet him, leaving the dwarf behind to ponder his words.

The elf had complemented him. The prince of Mirkwood, son of King Thranduil and the very elven king that had imprisoned his own father years before and therefore caused an almost impenetrable rift between them, had just about said he was flawless in his own dwarvish way and his pride fluttered nicely within his chest. He could call Legolas a friend if he kept such compliments up...but...

He blinked. Damn that elf! He had avoided answering the question and he was no wiser now then he was before. Instead he buttered up the so-called answer with a rounded endearment of skill and sidestepped the real issue...had.he.ever.missed?

Gimli muttered some more as he caught up with the elf and human, the latter conversing with the so-called Captain of the Dead Army he had to suffer a journey over water with. Really...letting them go was a very bad idea and he voiced his opinion immediately, regretting it when the ghost seemed to broil with anger before the man finally said the magic words and the broiling turned into a sigh of relief as the entire army drifted away with the breeze...never to be seen again.

Gimli was glad to be rid of them.

On their walk towards the gates of the White City, the dwarf deigned to approach the tall golden elf once more but ceased coming any closer when he saw a strange sight.

The human was walking ahead of them both, striding forward as his ranger namesake suggested to meet Mithrandir as he emerged from the battered gates with arms outspread in greeting, white robes slightly stained at the hems but otherwise unscathed. Blast the perfection of wizards too.

What made the sight strange is that Legolas, who was directly in front of himself, did not even make any acknowledgement of his blindingly white presence. Instead he was staring up at the sky, finding his steps without even looking as they picked their way through corpses and ravaged battle equipment and seemingly straining to hear something.

Suddenly a screech and caw cut through the mists that had descended upon them all and he had to stop sharp in order to not tumble into the elf, who now stood stock still and silent.

Aragorn seemed to sense something amiss behind him and turned to see the trouble. Both dwarf and man frowned as words flowed from the elven lips and he continued to stare at the sky as though in a trance.

"Legolas Greenleaf long under tree, in joy thou hast lived. Beware of the sea!" his voice sounded strained and both companions had to lean close to hear it. "If thou hearest the cry of the gull on the shore," his voice faltered as the screech called out again and a single bird swooped down over their heads, mocking them with it's obvious siren call to elves before circling around Legolas' head and disappearing into the mist once more. "Thy heart...shall then rest in the forest...no more."

His voice had been so quiet at the last line that both had barely caught it. But when they did and they both mulled over it for mere seconds before coming to a startled realization at the same moment and met each other's eyes...they remembered.

'Vision of the Lady.' Mouthed Gimli to Aragorn, but it was the wizard next to him who nodded sadly. Then the elf seemed to snap out of it and he looked at them all curiously.

"Why are we standing here open-mouthed enough to catch a bee's nest apiece? Are we not going to discuss the events that have occurred today and filled us in on hidden news?" It was as though the bird had never arrived and Galadriel's prophecy had never been brought to light. A strange thing to be sure and Legolas was definitely unaware of their confused and concerned looks as he himself looked around at the battle-scarred Pelennor Fields with a fixed and determined gaze. "We are missing someone." He merely said and all heads turned to where he nodded, a grey blob of movement seeming to bounce and stagger towards them before it finally came within their vision and the sight all but drove the strange event from the dwarf's mind as he shouted with joy.

"The little rascals! They have grown beneath our very noses and proved their worth in battle and here we stand and gape? Come...let us meet then and help them within the walls. For though they are now warriors, they are still little."

"Little, Master Dwarf?" said one as he came close and shifted his weight against the other who was supporting him. "I would not call us little...vertically challenged maybe, but never little. We are now taller than Frodo." Merry smiled painfully up at them as Pippin finally drew them both to a halt, wheezing and gasping from exertion.

"Say what you will, Merry. But I still say you grew sideways and not up, if this monstrous weight says anything."

"Who ate all the cake within the Guard room back in Isengard? I would not call myself fat if I showed more round the middle. I sometimes swear all Took's legs are hollow."

"A known fact to be sure."

"Pippin!"

"Well it's the truth...is it not, Gandalf?"

The wizard sighed and shook his head. "I cannot deny that statement to be truthful...but come, this dallying has gone on for long enough. There is work to be done and much to speak of."

"Of Frodo, sir?"

"Yes, Pippin," Gandalf smiled sadly. "Of Frodo and Sam and the trials they are now facing. We have much to discuss and plan."

Frodo...it brought them all back to the true seriousness of the situation. They were still a Fellowship, the Ring still existed and was still playing them all like a game. Their own personal problems seemed minuscule in comparison to the fate of the very world they lived in and the dwarf stored the day's events to the corner of his mind, making sure his head was clear for thinking about whatever they may talk about soon. But one thing just wouldn't leave him alone, even as they were all walking.

"Legolas...did you ever miss?"

The elf seemed to regard him for a moment before breaking into a smile and leaning down.

"Who says I ever missed?" He laughed and made his way quickly to walk next to Aragorn, admirably making a good show of ignoring the splutters of indignation from Gimli as he invented enough curses about the sadistic humour of elves to last well into the next two ages at least.

.

Tbc...

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Review and ye shall receive. This is only a few chapters at the most, it was completed a long time ago but when LoM lost it, I was discouraged and never posted it…until now. Call it your lucky day?