Title: Rushing Rapids
Prompt: #73 - Summer / Mellon Fic 100
Author: TrinityTheSheDevil
Rating: PG
Genre: Humor, GEN (no slash in this fic even though it might seem like it, haha!)
Characters: Legolas, Estel
Disclaimer: Not mine, at all.
Status: Stand Alone
Summary: Estel is hot and Legolas has an idea ... said idea could probably kill the both of them though.
Warning(s): OOCness to the extreme. Silly humor. Slight crack.

A/N: Rhonda went to a water park. I hate her! But she did give me the idea for this little ... thing. The "floating thing" that Legolas and Estel are in is more shaped like a 2 person inner tube, to clear up any confusion about that. I know, they didn't have any inner tubes or water parks in Middle Earth, so they had to make do.

A/N 2: Thanks of course to the wench for the beta job. :)

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The heat was sweltering. So much, in fact, that seventeen year old Estel lay on a grassy bank with nothing but his shirt covering his more ... sensitive parts. The light cloth flapped somewhat in the breeze, threatening to fly away. Estel glared at it and placed a small rock on the fabric, making sure that it went nowhere. Not that there was anyone around to notice. He was completely alone beside the small creek; his family didn't feel the effects of the heat as much as he did and therefore, weren't required to take such drastic action to prevent turning into a puddle.

He sighed, content for the moment. The tree above him shaded him from the sun and he was close enough to the water that he could dip his feet into it whenever he wished it. For the better part of an afternoon he lounged there, caught in a state between sleeping and awake, and not really bothered to move. That was until a voice sounded above him that made him wince in frustration and finally crack one eyelid open.

"Yes, Legolas?" Estel asked in a suffering tone.

"Surely you aren't going to sit here all day, are you?" The blond elf sat near him, crossing his legs.

"I was thinking about it ... " Estel shifted so that he could submerge the lower part of his leg into the water, letting the soothing coolness rush over his skin.

Legolas tsked, tossing the younger man's leggings at him, which plopped onto Estel's head. The human scowled.

"Come, we are going to do something fun."

"This is fun. I am having fun. As a matter of fact, I can't think of anything I want to be doing more than what I am now." Estel said, tossing the clothing to the side.

"That is because you aren't thinking hard enough, mellon nin! I have something great planned ... something exciting!"

"Is this something going to get us killed or mangled? I'd really rather not spend any time in the healing ward, it gets so hot in there this time of year."

Legolas rolled his eyes in a very un-elven fashion. "We're not going to get hurt. Now come, don't just sit there! Daylight is wasting away while you laze around."

"Fine. But if I do get hurt, you get to explain to ada what happened."

"Yes, yes. Now hurry!" Legolas grinned.

With a long, drawn out sigh, Estel grumpily pulled on his clothes. He wasn't bothered that Legolas was within view - he had learned at an early age that elves were not put off by nudity. That did not mean that Estel would be prancing around Rivendell naked though. However, the time they had pulled a well thought out prank on Erestor was rather funny, made even more so by the fact that nobody noticed the unclothed elf bound and gagged in the courtyard til morning. Most of Rivendell now knew what Erestor looked like in the nude. Privately, some were impressed, and the group of human women who had arrived at precisely the wrong (or maybe, the right) time kept trying to steal the poor elf away for a few hours. It had been an interesting week.

When Estel was finally dressed, Legolas clasped the young man's arm to drag him away. To the human's surprise, they were heading away from Rivendell and up one of the rocky banks that led up river towards the rapids.

Estel's eyes narrowed. "Where are we going?"

"Shush, Estel. I'll show you when we get there."

"That does not leave me with a sense of security, you know." Estel got no reply. He honestly didn't expect one. When in this state of mind, Legolas could be a bit ... on the odd side. Not that Estel complained much. Sometimes Legolas' oddness paid off. Sometimes, however, things went tragically wrong. Like the time that Estel ended up with two broken legs and some burns on the more sensitive spots of his body.

They finally arrived just in front of the falls where the water was churning and flowing at a faster pace than Estel was comfortable with. Legolas, however, stood just in the water holding on to what looked like a rickety boat. If it could even be called that. It wasn't a boat in the normal sense ... in fact, it looked as if Legolas had painstakingly sewed together several animal skins very tightly so that they would hold air. The floatation device sent a shiver of horror up Estel's spine.

"Legolas," He called out in a very controlled voice. "What are you planning on doing with that?"

"We're going to sit on it and float down the river." Legolas grinned merrily.

"You've finally lost it, haven't you?" Estel sighed. "I worried that this would happen, but nobody would listen to me. Honestly, Legolas, you should be watched at all times by respectable and responsible elves that are far older than you. Now, nobody took my advice, and you've gone off the deep end. I must inform ada of this new situation ... " Estel turned to leave and was grasped tightly by the elf.

"Come, Estel! It will be fun! You'll enjoy it, I promise." Legolas laughed. "Besides, brave Estel isn't frightened by a small river is he!"

Estel narrowed his eyes. "I am not frightened by the river, I am frightened by the prospect of drowning in the river; said river, by the way, isn't so small ... it is a large river and I would rather not get caught in the currents!"

Legolas huffed. "Fine. I'll just go myself and-"

"Oh hush, you prissy elf. I'll join you. However, you are now tasked with the sole duty of making sure I survive this little trip. Otherwise, ada will kill you."

"Yes, yes, come on." Legolas sat down on the floating ... thing and scooted upwards so that Estel could join him. It just did fit the two of them, allowing their legs to hang off of the front, while Legolas was practically sitting in Estel's lap. With a hearty push, Legolas sent the two of them down the rapid flowing river.

With a sudden jerk, the current caught them and pushed them forward with rapidly gaining speed. Estel quickly latched onto Legolas' middle while trying to refrain from screaming like a girl as they scrubbed up against a large rock. A sudden thought came to him and Estel leaned upwards to yell over the rushing of the water into his friend's pointed ear.

"How are we going to steer this thing!"

Light laughter came from the elf at the question; to say Estel was worried at this point would be an understatement.

"Steer? My friend, what is the fun in that?"

"There is no fun in death!" Estel rolled his eyes even though Legolas couldn't see the gesture and clung tighter. They were traveling down the water swiftly now, avoiding rocks for the most part but every few moments one would slip underneath them to smack Estel in the rear. Oh, he was going to have bruises in odd places when this was all said and done. If they survived, that is.

"See, Estel! We're almost at the end!" Legolas said.

"The end?" The human blinked. "The river doesn't end here! The only thing here is ... oh Valar ... "

"Yes, the falls! I think we can make it over them safely."

"You think! You think! We're going to die. We're going to die and we're not even going to die with honor. We're going to die because you were bored and wanted to sail down the river on this contraption and I just hope you're happy Legolas!"

"Stop being so dramatic, Estel. We're almost there now, hang on!" Legolas replied. Estel merely hid his face in his friend's back, not wanting to watch their approaching end. Just before they reached the falls however, their small raft hit a rather sharp rock and ripped with an ominous sound that made even Legolas cringe.

"Uh oh." Legolas said calmly. "It appears the raft is losing air."

"It appears ... why do I even bother!" Estel barely got the words out before they were both submerged in water. Just when Estel thought his day could get no worse, they both went over the falls in a spectacular view of flailing limbs and screams.

Two loud splashes could be heard, and finally ...

"Cough, cough, sputter." Estel tried to clear the water from his lungs as he paddled to the bank. Legolas was just behind him and they both made it to the edge at the same time, sitting heavily upon the grass. Estel glared.

"That was fun, mellon nin! Was it not! I was somewhat worried when our raft lost air and we went over the falls without it, but we did it! We are alive!" Legolas happily hugged his sulking friend.

"I hate you."

"What? Oh Estel, you had fun, admit it!"

"No, I really hate you. I'm going back in the house now, and I suggest you stay outside."

"What? You aren't really mad, are you? I kept you safe!"

"... I'm not even going to bother answering that. Goodbye Legolas."

"Estel! Estel? Oh, for the love of the Valar! Estel!"

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End