For Fanartsthings
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"Take your mask off when you speak to me," Legols snapped, beyond done with being unable to read anything in her face or her eyes. Avaleina was the only other elf than Ferdan that Legolas knew who could cover every inch of herself against anybody, when she really wanted to. Even the very closest to them.
Even her King, if she really wanted to.
Avaleina laughed once, mocking and disdainful and Legolas knew that her temper had nearly reached its peak. Her mask might be able to hide her thoughts and most of her reactions, but it could not erase the near encyclopedia like knowledge that Legolas possessed within his mind.
Her voice was as sharp as his had been, "You first."
"I don't have one!" He practically shouted, and forced his voice back down to a normal level again. He knew that his temper had gotten the better of him for the first half of this interaction, but he was determined to get a better hand on it for the remainder of it. "Meanwhile, there you stand practically blending into the wall behind you."
She peeled off the first layer of her mask, and he watched as her expression went from complete stone to nearly alarmingly scrutinous as she looked directly into his eyes. Looked him up and down, and then snorted a humourless laugh to herself.
Legolas wasn't sure that her not having a mask made him feel even remotely better in this moment, but he did his best to keep his posture and eye contact. It was so alien to not know anything that she was thinking or feeling that it was practically painful to experience.
A gaping void where usually there was nothing but burst after burst of familiar, intense emotion.
"You are," She said matter of factly, "But somehow you managed to only have it on the inside, so that the only view that is being obstructed is your own."
He could feel his annoyance climbing, knowing that she had already decided the only way for this to be resolved was her way. Now, if only Legolas could figure out what, exactly, needed to be resolved. "What does that even mean?"
"I am not sure how I could be any clearer,' Ava said, crossing her arms dramatically and throwing her hip out to the side.
"I'm not wearing a mask. I'm not hiding anything from myself."
Avaleina breathed half a laugh, threw her nose, and she peeled more of her mask off. Softening her face to a sympathetic, knowing expression. Legolas hated that the look on her face was sincere enough that he knew she was probably correct, he had put a mask in front of one of his many faces inside him.
She was usually right when it came to him. It was annoying.
Their argument had lasted perhapes two hours, but now there was no sign of aggression or anger anywhere in her posture or expression and Legolas felt his vanish similarly before he could dismiss it.
Slowly, nearly painfully slowly she began to cross the room to him. The dress from the night's dance swishing and swaying more with her heartbeat than her movements. Her expression was open now, understanding, but hurt.
Leoglas could feel his heart speed up in his chest as she drew closer to him with every step, and he struggled against the urge that appeared to take a step back. He could look six wargs down no problem, but his knees were weak at the warmth in her eyes and as he caught the scent of all the flowers in her hair his head spun.
She stopped directly in front of him, so that she was the only thing that he would pay attention to, not that even could have if he had wanted to. Blinking up at him with her large green eyes that always swam with the promise of home, she gently raised onto her tiptoes to be closer to his height.
With an almost shaky voice he forced himself to say, "I'm not wearing a mask."
Her right hand came to circle his write while the left came to his shoulder almost as if she needed to steady herself as much as he still felt he needed to. Against his will, his command, and even a prayer his eyes strayed to her lips as they drew closer to his and were unable to look away.
Her lips curved in the absolute best way possible, the best smile. The perfect smile. The one he only ever saw when they were alone, or small private moments in front of their friends.
It was almost enough to make him take flight right then and there.
She gently pulled him down until she could put her lips almost directly against his ear and Legolas hated that she could probably feel how rapid his pulse was. He tried one last desperate attempt to control his heartbeat but it continued to ignore him.
He could feel her warm breath against his ear and goosebumps rose over his skin when she whispered, "Liar."
Then her grip on him was gone, the door had been opened and she was gone. Her mask left completely broken across his room, waiting for his to join it.
Whenever it was that he figured out where it was.
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Thanks for reading! I hope you liked it! I can't wait to hear your thoughts.
