For Lstephenson; thank you for all of your amazingly kind and encouraging words.

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The door to his study was pushed open without a knock, and Thranduil looked up expecting to find Galion in the doorway, but instead found a small elfling wrapped tightly in his favorite blanket.

Without a word he opened his arms invitingly, and Legolas dashed across the room and leapt into them without a second's hesitation, burrowing into them with a relieved sigh. Thranduil tightened his arms and rested his head on top of Legolas', "You're up very early, my little leaf."

Several hours before even the sun had risen to greet the day.

Legolas snuggled himself more comfortably in his father's arms, "I got lonely."

"Ahhh," He adjusted his hold so that he could hold onto his son just as securely with one arm, using his newly free'd hand to run it through Legolas' sleep mussed hair, "Well that's no good."

"No, it isn't." Legolas agreed, "I went to see Galion first but he snores too loud."

Thranduil laughed and kissed the top of Legolas' head, "Yes. He does."

"Its like he breaths tiny little thunders."

"Sometimes if you roll him over, he'll stop."

"He's so big! How am I supposed to roll him over all by myself?"

"I suppose that's a fair point."

Legolas yawned, "Can I stay here with you while you work? If I stay quiet and don't interrupt? Please?"

"Of course you can stay." With one final kiss to the top of his son's head, Thranduil turned back to his work, absently humming whatever tune or song came to mind while Legolas drifted between dreams.

Not long after, Thranduil looked up as one of his advisors entered the study, watching with a purposefully blank expression as his visitor took in the sight of the elfling sleeping peacefully in his arms.

Grandesh hesitated, and Thranduil raised an eyebrow while also narrowing his eyes with a silent warning.

It was no secret how little their beloved prince had been sleeping since the loss of his mother and their home.

Grandesh opened his mouth as if he thought he might speak, but then paused with a fearful flick of his eyes back to Legolas when he gave a slight stir. His mouth clamped shut again, and he frowned slightly, Thranduil continued to observe his crisis of indecision.

The counselor cast his eyes around the room looking for something and Thranduil began to softly rock Legolas back into a deeper sleep.

Turning his eyes back to his sleeping prince, Grandesh frowned a little but then waved a hand absently in the air in a silent dismissal of himself and then fled back out of the room without a word.

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When Legolas woke suddenly in his bed and Thranduil knew it was not because he had made any noise returning home, but because he had sensed his arrival even in sleep. Usually his presence was not enough to wake his son, usually the contrary, but Legolas would have been waiting anxiously for his return since the day he left.

Tenfold for everyday he was late.

He had blown out all the candles Legolas had left burning for him and so he was confident that Legolas could not see his face silhouetted against the moon the way it was, but just as his silence had made little difference neither would that. Legolas would be able to taste the quietness hanging around him like a blanket with every breath.

The quietness that haunted him like a ghost if he wanted it to or not. The quietness that probably kept all his other equally uncontrollable emotions from tearing him apart.

Foregoing his usual impossibly excited personality, Legolas lowered himself into his father's reflex born tranquility. He didn't break the silence, but he did move across his bed until there was plenty of room for Thranduil to lay with him.

Suppressing a few tears of gratitude and love that Legolas also pointedly ignored, Thranduil gratefully took up the space, the burning hole of loneliness slowly fading in his veins. His blood finally feeling like apart of him again, instead of ice.

Legolas pulled the covers up for him and moved closer now that his father was settled, took one of Thranduil's gently trembling hands and rested his head against his shoulder.

Slowly, barely heard at first, Legolas began to hum whatever song or tune seemed to come to mind and eventually it dragged Thranduil to a much needed sleep.