Disclaimer: I think everyone knows by now that I do not own LotR… Knew before I did this too…

Warnings: Slash, AL. Don't like? Don't read. Simple really.

Sorry 'bout all grammar and/or spelling mistakes.

Gah, sorry peoples! I didn't mean for it to take this long for an update. Wasn't too long, was it? I couldn't help it! I got sick. ;-; Still am, but not that much anymore. n.n And got way too into a series. It's too freakin' good. And once I get into a book it could be days before you see me again… 'til I'm done with it. n.n But I took a break since it was makin' me mad with having the POV of the stupid bitch. Grrrawr! Excuse the language… as if you've never heard it before. -.- It's PG-13! I'm allowed to!

.:ahem:. I think I need some sleep!

Hope you all enjoy this. Don't forget to let me know what you think. n.n

Heart's Truth

Chapter Twelve: Distractions

Night had fallen and the human and elf had stopped, not only was Aragorn hungry (they had only eaten the morning meal), but Legolas was exhausted from all the emotional strain. It was also better for them to camp during the night because of the foul creatures that crawled out of their hiding places.

The two had finished eating and were currently resting in the warm glow of the orange, red and yellow flames from the fire. Legolas was leaning against Aragorn's shoulder, drawing comfort from the contact.

He had nearly fallen asleep when Aragorn spoke. "Legolas…"

There was no need for him to continue. Legolas knew the ranger wanted to hear what his father had said to make him behave as he had.

Legolas sighed deeply, knowing he had to tell his lover and right then. He could stall no more.

The blonde sat up fully, bringing his legs to his chest and draping his arms over his knees. Staring into the fire, he reluctantly told his lover everything that had been said, by both his father and himself.

Aragorn listened quietly, clenching his fists in barely controlled anger. As his elf continued he realized there just was no reasoning with the elf king, and that he didn't even deserve to be called father with how he had treated Legolas. Even if he did think he was doing what was best for his son, how could he treat him so?

"I know I shouldn't have run away, but… it's frustrating. You think he would understand, or at least try to," Legolas finished sadly. He hadn't thought his father would have gone so far. Of course, he had expected him to deny their relationship, but… it still hurt. "I just need some time away from him for now." And that hurt too, for he had just been reunited with Thranduil after months of separation.

"Iston," Aragorn said caringly, pushing aside his anger for later. He turned to face his elf and pulled him to his chest, resting his hand on the golden head.

The prince relaxed into the human's warm embrace, grateful for the support. Closing his eyes, he focused solely on the arms wrapped around him, the steady rhythm of a heartbeat, the soft breathing that was his lover. It only reinforced his decision about staying with Aragorn. He loved everything about the ranger and wouldn't let him go; not for anything.

He felt Aragorn lightly kiss the top of his head and he smiled; fully relaxing.

The human smiled sadly when he noticed his elf had fallen into elven sleep. Running his fingers through the golden silk, he wondered what they were going to do now. How long were they going to wander the forest? Or were they going to go back to Imladris? He doubted that, but he did know that Elrond wasn't against their relationship… he hoped. It hadn't seemed like he was… Either way, he didn't think Legolas would want to go back so soon. He knew the archer wished to patch things up with his father if he could before that. So, what were they going to do? Where were they going to go?

He hugged Legolas tighter. Whatever it was, he wasn't going to lose Legolas. That was, unfortunately, all he knew about their situation.

King Thranduil sighed wearily, exhausted both mentally and physically. Worry was the main emotion that tore through him, like a blunt knife digging itself deeper and deeper.

His tan stallion gave a quiet nicker in concern, turning his head toward the elf king.

Thranduil merely patted the side of his horse's neck in reassurance.

Looking around at the warriors under his command, he felt guilty for making them leave their families for so long, even if they did support the cause with no other explanation other their Mirkwood Prince was missing… which was also his fault.

Prince Legolas – and his lover, Aragorn, Thranduil reluctantly added – had been missing for two months since their argument. At first he had been furious to know that his son had run away from his problem. He had never known his proud son to do such a thing, especially since it was he who Legolas had ran from. Then worry planted its seeds within his heart when his son didn't return after almost two weeks. He had expected Legolas to be gone for maybe five days, at most; then as the days passed by, he feared something had happened to him.

Over the past few weeks he began to regret his rash behavior and decision about Legolas and Aragorn's relationship. He could have given the human a chance, he supposed. Still a slim chance of him being Legolas' lover, but… Well, his thoughts were rather too late.

Thranduil sighed again. It was obvious his warriors needed rest. They had been riding without a break all day, and the sun was starting to drop, painting its domain in different shades of pinks, purples, and blues.

He commanded the warriors to a stop. Some of them gave a quiet sigh of relief when they noticed and halted their horses.

He hated to stop again. He wished to continue the search, however, he would not push his loyal warriors anymore that day. Besides, it had been two months already, he could wait longer, right? Right?

In the morning, just at dawn, when the sun had barely risen itself the elf king resumed the search. The warriors, and horses, had received a sufficient amount of rest.

The knife had only dug itself deeper while he had stayed up the whole night, tossing and turning in his guilt and worry. His warriors had noticed too; at first they had tried to help, tried to comfort him, but that was quickly abandoned as they noticed their king wave off their concern. They knew. They knew nothing would unbury the knife – unless his son was standing in front of him, alive and well.

"Legolas, stop messing around. Come down and eat!" Aragorn shouted, looking up at the tree that held his lover (or the one he thought held his lover), who was in too much of a playful mood for him so early in the morning. He stared up at the tree with a scowl on his face, searching for the wood-elf. Even knowing Legolas for as long as he had, it was still difficult for him to spot the elf in the green and brown of the trees when he didn't want to be found. It didn't help that the elf was wearing greens and browns himself.

"Aw, just come on up, love," the wood-elf said teasingly, knowing the human didn't know which tree he was in, though he obviously thought he did.

He grinned as he continued to watch the ranger's searching gaze scan the tree for his presence. He knew that, even if Aragorn wore an irritated expression, he truly was amused. The gleam in his sparkling grey eyes betrayed the angry shouts and the scowl.

"Put your skills to use, Ranger," Legolas taunted, after hearing some rather unpleasant words from the human's mouth once he realized he had the wrong tree.

Hearing the grumbles from his lover below, accompanied by more foul words, he laughed.

Aragorn felt some anger dissipate at the melodic sound of his elf's laughter… and because he now knew his location.

The human grinned as he slowly, quietly made his way to the tree holding the prince. He then climbed the tree, befitting of a ranger… unfortunately, the one he was trying to sneak up on was an elf, and a wood-elf at that.

"You disappoint me. I thought Elladan and Elrohir taught you better," the blonde said in mock discontent.

Aragorn said nothing in return, determined to catch his lover.

Legolas laughed again, and then smirked as an idea came to mind.

Cautiously making his descent, he snuck up on the human, and suddenly kissed him on the cheek.

Fortunately, for the both of them, Aragorn had been so intent upon finding the archer that he hadn't made it high into the tree, for the startled human had lost his handling of the branches.

They fell onto the ground hard, leaves doing very little as scattered as they were.

"Legolas! Are you mad!" the ranger shouted once he had regained his breath. He couldn't believe the elf had done that. If he had been higher in the tree who knew what would have happened.

The archer merely wiped away tears from laughing so hard at his lover's expression when he had surprised him.

Finally, after calming enough to speak, and seeing the human's currently none too amused expression, he said, "Relax, love, I wouldn't have done that if we were any higher."

Aragorn huffed in annoyance and stood up. Crossing his arms, he quickly strode away from his lover.

"Estel, come on," the prince pleaded, not wanting the human to be mad at him.

Seeing that Aragorn had no intention of turning around or slowing his pace, the elf sprang up and ran for him. "Estel, it was merely a jest."

"One that could have gotten you seriously hurt."

Legolas stopped in his tracks surprised, and now feeling guilty. The ranger had been more concerned about Legolas' welfare than his own.

"Estel."

Upon hearing the utter sadness in his lover's voice, he couldn't help but stop and turn around. The sadness was mirrored in the crystal-blue orbs.

"Legolas…" he started, unsure of what had brought this forth.

"I'm sorry, Estel," the archer stated, looking into the human's troubled grey eyes. "I did not mean to worry you… again."

Aragorn quickly joined his lover and wrapped his arms around the lithe body, which, he had noticed, had become thinner.

"Legolas, I shall always worry about you. I worry because I love, and I hate seeing you hurt," the human said caringly. "Besides, how could I not worry with how reckless you are?" he added earning a laugh in response.

Suddenly, he felt Legolas' body slump against his. If the archer had been standing on his own he was sure that he would have fallen.

The ranger tightened his hold. "You have drained yourself. You need to eat and rest, love."

Since the night they fled the Mirkwood palace Legolas had been eating less and less. He had also become restless. The younger elf was taxing his body, and pushing it farther than what it should go after the month filled with nothing but injuries piled upon more injuries, with some poison thrown in, even if that had been a couple of months ago.

The human had tried his best to coax the elf into eating and sleeping, but nothing worked. He then tried to convince him to return to the elf king so they could talk, although he himself didn't want to see his elf's so-called father. He knew the only way Legolas wouldn't continue to despair would be to resolve this issue with Thranduil.

Unfortunately, the stubborn archer still refused to confront him once more, and was still angry with him, which Aragorn couldn't blame him for. Instead Legolas hid within the comfort of the forest's old trees and his lover's embrace, both of which gladly giving themselves to the shaken wood-elf.

"I'm fine," Legolas mumbled, his head resting on the human's shoulder.

Aragorn snorted. "If you are fine, then I'm an orc."

Legolas suddenly pushed away, though his hands still rested on Aragorn's chest. "I have been sleeping with an orc," he said with a look of horror, clasping his hands over his mouth.

"Hardly."

"You mean you are not?" the elf inquired, thinking. "At the moment, my orc, you certainly smell like one."

"Hey, I resent that remark!" the human said, knowing he really did not smell as much as his lover said, if at all. Legolas was merely trying to divert his attention away from making him eat and sleep; away from himself. He'd allow it for now. A bath really couldn't hurt either of them, but once they were finished he was going to get his lover to eat, even if he had to force him to. This, he did mean. He hated watching his elf do this to himself: neglecting his own needs. One day it would be the end of him. Actually… no, it wouldn't. Aragorn wouldn't allow it.

"As you well should," Legolas agreed with a nod. Going behind his lover (having regained his footing) he started to push and he shooed him off. "Come now, off to find a place to bathe."

"Only if this orc gets to have his way with a certain elf," Aragorn said mischievously.

Quickly turning, he placed his hand behind the blonde's head and pulled him forward, kissing him deeply.

Legolas chuckled after the kiss. "We shall see." Then, after a thoughtful moment he said, "I really do not like orcs…" with a hand on his chin, one finger tapping his cheek.

"Aye, but you love this one." Aragorn pulled his elf into another kiss, this one more heated than before as his hand wandered low and gripped his lover's growing bulge, causing a gasp to escape the elf's lips between the kiss.

"Forget the bath," Legolas said breathlessly.

"I thought I smelt like an orc," Aragorn stated amused at the change in his lover's attitude.

"Shut up."

They closed any gaps between them with a very passionate kiss as they fell to the ground, this time, on purpose… more or less.

.:grins:. That was fun. Hope you guys thought so too. n.n Let me know.

Review Responses

empath89 – Lol, that's what I thought, but wasn't exactly sure. …I was about to say… Yeah, I'm just going to continue to reply too and hope that they don't do anything stupid. Thank you, btw. n.n

Enelya Aldarion – Lol… glad ya thought so. n.n Sorry your comp broke and you went through all that crazyness. n.n And I'm glad that you like how I have Thranduil. Thank you. n.n Well, nothin' bad happened on the path. So far they have been extremely lucky with that, especially considering it's me who's writing this… hmm… Oh, the rumors are only that author's aren't supposed to reply to reviewers and can get their stories deleted if they do so. Stupid really. Why wouldn't they want the authors to communicate with their reviewers…? .:shrugs:. And thanks for reviewing! n.n

InsanePirate – Lol. Yeah. Maybe. XD Lol… yeah, no kidding. Crazy kings nowadays. Nowadays? What kings…? What am I talking about…? Oh. .:ahem:. Lol… willy-nilly. .:shakes head:. Guess we'll just have to find out, won't we? n.n

IwishChan – Yeah, it really was. But we wouldn't have this fic if he didn't, now would we? Lol. They've been very fortunate in avoiding injuries so far. Odd really. .:ponders:.

marich the magician – Really? Aw, I'm sorry. Me no mean to do that! Glad you enjoyed though… I hope… n.n

eliza61 – Lol. You have faith in humanity? You're crazy. I wouldn't, and don't. n.n;; I hope they get to, too. I guess we shall just have to wait and see…

Inuyashaloverfan – Yup, yup.

Thanks again everyone! n.n You know the drill. Make me happy and leave me reviews. n.n;; They're very much appreciated. It's the only good thing right now… besides my book. .:hugs book:. .:is so freakin'glad she took it from her friend… with permission, of course:. n.n Anywayz… let me know what you think with a review, 'kay? n.n

Ja ne