A/N: This is a few days later than normal, but I did try to be on time! I was planning on uploading what I had last Wednesday before leaving for my parents' house for the weekend (I can only save onto my computer since my floppy drive is broken and my dark-ages computer doesn't know how to save onto a CD) but wasn't allowing any uploads at the time. Better late than never...

As if being pregnant wasn't wonderful enough, it came with an unexpected bonus: Legolas found that he could excuse himself from the last of the evening's obligations without inciting too many negative comments. In fact the decision had been met with a lot of approving nods and smiles while Aragorn gently kissed his cheek and urged him to rest. He still felt a little twinge of guilt at abandoning his husband to the remnants of the crowd of dignitaries and nobles. Oh, well; he would undoubtedly be annoyed by the Man's insistence that he needs to rest all too soon so he might as well enjoy it now. Legolas shrugged away that guilt as he shed his formal clothing.

It felt so good to be able to slip into his robe! The snugness of his tunic had begun chafing his skin about halfway through the reception. 'Does pregnancy make your skin extra-sensitive?' he wondered. Legolas supposed he could ask the twins before they left, or Eowyn, or even Rose Gamgee. At the moment, however, all he wanted to do was take care of that annoying itch. He left the green robe untied as he grabbed a vial of soothing oil and laid back on the bed to apply it.

When a weary Aragorn entered the chambers a few minutes later he was greeted with the sight of the elf caressing his chest with oil-covered fingers. His robe was completely open and hanging off his shoulders, the green silk fabric spread out around him. "What are you doing?" he questioned in a husky voice, hoping that he wasn't salivating in an obvious manner.

The sound of Aragorn's voice combined with the stimulation of his own fingers was enough to drive Legolas mad with lust. In fact he marveled that he was able to make it through the evening without doing anything inappropriate. This seemed to be yet another side effect of pregnancy. "My skin itched," he explained with false innocence as he slowed the movements to a feather-light tease. Aragorn's eyes locked on the fingertip that circled one of his nipples. "It seems that my skin is extra-sensitive. The slightest touch causes strong reactions."

"Is that so?" murmured Aragorn as he crossed over to the bed and sat facing his husband. "And what touch inspired you to spread oil all over your chest?"

"Not inspired as much as drove," Legolas purred, arching into his own touch. He hoped Aragorn would make his move soon or else he'd have to take matters into his own hands. "It was the rough fabric of that tunic. It irritated my skin to the point where I just had to rip it off."

Aragorn picked up the vial that Legolas had laid beside him and pulled out the cork. "Then it's a good thing that you left early," he replied smoothly, coating his fingers with oil. "However, I seem to recall that the tunic in question is made from the finest elven silks in all the lands. Perhaps something else was making you want to shed your clothing in such a hasty way?"

"I can't imagine what else could make me want to do something so undignified," Legolas protested coyly as he stared at the Man's fingers and silently begged him to touch him. "I think that pregnancy is causing my senses to be especially heightened. Now only a special touch can make me feel good."

"Really?" Aragorn practically moaned. "Like this?"

Legolas gasped and grabbed his husband's wrist as if afraid that he'd suddenly stop. "Oh Aragorn," he cried. He was stunned by his own neediness but it felt like Aragorn was touching every one of his nerve endings with that one touch. If just simple caresses drove him wild, what would the actual intercourse be like? Legolas sent a silent thank you to Eru for making pregnancy feel so good.

Aragorn leaned forward and kissed the sensitive tip of the elf's ear while still seductively stroking his chest. "Does this soothe your itch?" he breathed in his ear, deliberately using more air than necessary just so he could feel the little shudders in his husband's body that such an action caused. He could definitely get used to Legolas being so responsive in bed.

"Aaaahhhoooo," moaned Legolas appreciatively. "You have cured one itch but I'm afraid you've just caused another."

"Well then," grinned Aragorn. "I guess I must attend to that one too."

He made a move to climb on top of Legolas but froze right before he descended. "What's wrong?" the prince demanded, his voice tight as he stared up in confusion at his oddly hovering husband.

"It might not be a good idea to lie right down on you," answered Aragorn anxiously, his eyes darting to the slight swell of the elf's stomach. "The pressure of my weight might not be good for the baby."

"But you've already laid down on top of me while I'm pregnant!" argued Legolas. "And the twins didn't say anything about it. You're the healer, Aragorn; is the baby really going to be in danger?"

To this Aragorn had no ready answer. During the years when he was learning the art of healing Elrond had taught him many things, including that one could still lie on top of a pregnant person without harming the child. He wanted desperately to be rational about this, but one look at that bulge made drove all reason out of his mind. "Maybe not technically," he admitted. "But still, should we take the chance?"

Legolas sighed. "All right," he grumbled, relaxing his body as if in resignation. Then, before Aragorn could move away, he sprang up and flipped the Man on his back. "I don't mind doing all the work," he declared.

Before Aragorn knew what was happening Legolas was straddling him and undoing the clasp of his shirt. "But the baby…"

"Should be fine," Legolas finished the sentence for him. "I asked the twins at the reception while you were so occupied with Prince Imrahil and the other delegates from Dol Amroth. It's safe for females to have sex throughout pregnancy as long as no complications arise from it. They don't see why that rule should not also apply to males and quite frankly I agree wholeheartedly. Especially right now."

That was more than good enough for Aragorn in his current state. "And why didn't you tell me this sooner?" he teased. "Or else asked them such an imperative question this morning?"

Legolas bent down and kissed him soundly before dragging his mouth down to so he could taste his skin. "As for question number one," he spoke with his lips pressed against the underside of Aragorn's jaw. "I couldn't very well interrupt the prince to announce that our sex life can continue to be active to the point of excess."

"True."

"And as for question number two," he continued, pausing to kiss him again while rubbing their groins together. "There are some questions that I will never be able to ask in front of my father and that's definitely one of them." His eyes widened and he pulled away from the embrace, even though he stayed on top of him. "Ai Elbereth, I forgot!" Where is Ada now? Tell me he's not in the room next door."

Aragorn pulled him back down. "I would never have the servants make up the room next door for your father," he assured him. "And even if that weren't the case it doesn't matter tonight. Your father is at Gimli's."

"Are you jesting?"

"No," he laughed, running his thumb across Legolas' lips. "Gimli offered to let him stay there tonight, seeing that he couldn't very well move his things into the citadel while the reception was going on. I have no doubt in my mind that he'll be ready to move in tomorrow morning, but for tonight…"

He let his words trail off as he pushed the green robe off of Legolas' body and threw it aside. Busy hands worked quickly to pull of his shirt and then went for his trousers. "Do you know what I think?" asked Legolas, sounding deceptively casual even as he slid his hand inside the pants and explored Aragorn's arousal with his touch. "I think that pregnancy is making me all the eager."

"I've observed that," Aragorn gasped out.

"And it's not just that the slightest touch makes my skin tingle most enjoyably, although that's certainlynot somethingto dismiss. Just think about it, Aragorn," he added, applying more pressure and making his husband's head roll back as he moaned. "Every time you touch me I feel likeyou're feeling nowand all I know is that I want more of it."

"By the Valar!"

"I've been noticing that my sense of smell is enhanced as well," the elf continued. "Do you know how hard it is to control myself when your scent is driving me to distraction? How is it that one Man can smell so desirable?"

Aragorn's only response was to use what little control he had left over his movements to awkwardly slide down his pants and kick them off his ankles. "And the dreams!" moaned Legolas, pliant as the king repositioned him and started to prepare him with his oil-slicked fingers. "I've been having the most enticing fantasies. They come – oh! – day and – ai! – night, sleeping or, or – yes, Valar, oh yes! – awake, and th-they all – uh! – feature you."

"What are we doing in these dreams?" wondered Aragorn. His chest puffed a little as he felt oddly proud that his touch was undoing Legolas in such an extreme way.

"Any, anything and everything," Legolas' voice was a near-cry as Aragorn continued to tease him. "In the – mmmmm! – gardens, in the throne room, on – yes! – the throne, the weapon's – don't stop! – repository, the library, your – your office, and various – please, again! – closets and, and pantries all around the citadel."

"That sound like a lot of ground to cover in a few months," chuckled Aragorn as he withdrew his fingers.

Legolas gave him a sultry, lustful look as he stood on his knees while straddling him. Aragorn decided that he should give himself a medal for not peaking then and there. "Who said anything about only doingthose things while I'm pregnant?" asked the elf; and he lowered himself onto the Man, letting out a half-cry-half-moan as he took him in.

The foreplay – especially the exciting images that Legolas put in both of their heads – and the fact that they hadn't had time in the morning for the customary make-up sex after an argument made the first round fast and intense. Caught up in their desire it was unnecessary to use words to request more – once the first climax passed they immediately started on the second, third, fourth, and so on. Fortunately for Aragorn, even without the affects of pregnancy Legolas' stamina was incredible and his appetite vast. Fortunately for Legolas, Aragorn was a strong Man of Numenorian and elven descent and was more than up for the task of satisfying his many needs.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

"The twins are leaving tomorrow," reported Aragorn much later as he traced circles on his husband's back.

Legolas gazed lazily at him. "So soon?"

"They want to make this trip go by as quickly as possible so that they'll be back in time for the birth," Aragorn explained. "But they want to give you one last examination before they depart. We're to meet them in the Houses of Healing tomorrow morning."

"Mm-umh."

"That might make us a little late for the advisors' meeting," he continued with a petty smirk. "They can just deal with waiting for us."

"Mmm."

"I'm glad you're going to be there tomorrow," Aragorn told him as he settled back against the pillows. "That will show them and everyone else that we'll be equal partner in raising our son. This child is going to have a wonderful, fulfilling childhood and not just be raised to take on the role of heir to the throne. I wouldn't want it any other way, Legolas. Legolas?"

There was no answer. Aragorn rolled over to see his husband's eyes glazed over in sleep. "Yet another side effect of pregnancy," he whispered fondly. He planted a kiss on his cheek and making himself comfortable so that he could have some dreams of his own.

To be continued…

A/N: There's something screwy about the editing page on and it's raising my ire. I run spell check and scour the page before I post to minimize the number of mistakes and still somehow words that I know weren't smushed together end up together in the final product. It's rather annoying.

The semester is coming to an end but some papers have to be written and finals completed before I'm free for the break. I'm so looking forward to it – there are some plot bunnies hopping around in my head for some one-shots, including a complementary piece for the first part of What is Meant to Be. In the meantime, however, my current ongoing stories are just about the only fun part of my life. I think we all really, really need a vacation. :)