A/N: Yes hello I'm alive. I promise I'll update the main story at some point but I'm stuck on the plot.
Anyways here is a lotr oneshot. It's set in the Mines of Moria, and it can be read as a bromance or slash if you wish, I don't mind. Whatever floats your boat!
Aragorn noticed how Legolas jumped when he leant against the wall next to him. He was surprised that the elf hadn't realised he'd approached, it seemed unusual for him to be unaware of what was going on around him. But Legolas quickly hid his surprise, morphing his face into an expression of indifference, one which would've fooled anyone else. But the ranger knew him too well, and watched for a moment as his eyes flickered over the cavern apprehensively.
"You are nervous." He stated. Legolas raised his eyebrows.
"What gives you that impression?"
Aragorn chuckled slightly, then reached to his belt and took out his pipe. Lighting it, he paused to mull over his reply. Legolas surveyed him with a faint distaste, but didn't object to the smoke. Yet another reason Aragorn could tell that he wasn't feeling himself.
"You have not settled. We've been here for hours, yet you refuse to rest."
"I do not need rest. I am keeping watch." Legolas said stubbornly. Aragorn sighed.
"Yes you do. And it is long past your watch. Why did you not wake Boromir, as we had agreed?"
"Boromir seemed tired earlier. I did not wish to deprive him of what little sleep we can permit ourselves."
"Yet you would let yourself go without?"
Legolas glared at him. Aragorn raised his hands in a placating gesture. "I meant no offense. I am merely suggesting that you should sleep."
"Thank you for your concern, but I decline. Go back to sleep Aragorn."
Aragorn gazed at him thoughtfully. He hated the idea that had he not woken up, Legolas would've been left unnoticed, thinking that it was acceptable for him to go for nights without rest. Yes elves could go for days with no sleep, but even they had limits. And the ranger hadn't failed to notice that Legolas had been very much pushing his ever since they'd left Rivendell.
He was about to persist in his arguments, but before he could a far off noise resonated through one of the corridors, echoing around the small cave. Legolas jumped again, hands already reaching for his daggers. He turned to face the entrance.
Aragorn had too, at first, been concerned at the small signs of movement, the noises, they'd heard in the Mines. But the concern had quickly worn off, especially when Gandalf showed little care for them. And because the rest of the Fellowship had also become unbothered, Aragorn had presumed that Legolas would also relax. Apparantly not.
He slowly walked to stand next to Legolas, lowering his pipe. Then he reached out, gently pushing Legolas's hands back down. Legolas did not resist, but glared at him again.
"You feel nervous in the caves?" Aragorn asked quietly, moving to face him, blocking the corridor from view.
"I do not like not being able to see the sky." Legolas admitted. "This space is too enclosed."
"You might have mentioned it."
"It had little bearing on our conversations. Besides, all of you know it. The dwarf is practically enjoying himself." Legolas replied, shooting an angry glance at Gimli.
"I had hoped that being down here for so long would convince you that it was not as bad as you feared. I am sorry for doing so."
"Don't blame yourself. There is no reason for you to do so. It is just me being cautious."
"Is that the reason you refuse to sleep? You feel unsafe under the rock?"
Legolas didn't answer, and the silence spoke more volumes than his words ever would have done.
"I would have thought that it was not dissimilar to your father's halls."
"I never liked my father's home." Legolas admitted. "I tried to spend as little time there as possible. I had no choice but to stay there in Mirkwood when I was younger, and it did little to help ward away the fear."
Legolas paused, his gaze becoming more distant. Aragorn had known of his dislike for Mirkwood, but thought it had stemmed more from the memories associated with it rather than a dislike for the place itself.
"I do not know how my kin stand to be there. It is dark and gloomy, little signs of friendly life. I left the second I had the chance."
"I'm sorry. I should not have assumed that you would feel positively about this because of your home."
"And here it is worse." Legolas continued "I don't know these corridors. I don't know what lurks here. I feel like there is something moving against us in the deep."
"You should have woken me."
"I do not want to disturb you anymore than I wanted to disturb Boromir. It would be best if you went back to sleep. I can keep watch for the rest of the night, or day, whatever time it is in this place."
"I cannot sleep knowing you have spent the last nights terrified."
"I am not terrified." Legolas said indignantly. "I am on-edge, maybe. At most."
Aragorn let go of Legolas's hands, putting them instead on his shoulders.
"Gandalf will keep watch. I can wake Boromir. But I will not sleep until you do."
"You would deprive yourself of the rest your body needs?"
"That's a very hypocritical statement Legolas."
Legolas grimaced.
"I doubt I could sleep even if I tried."
"But you haven't tried." Aragorn said. "I promise that nothing will happen if you, or me, or any of us, if you rest for a few hours."
Legolas looked around the cave again, unconvinced. "Please?" Aragorn implored. The elf looked at him again. And then sighed, putting his daggers away.
"If you insist."
"I do." Aragorn breathed.
Legolas moved to sit against the wall, sliding down until he touched the floor. Aragorn turned to wake Boromir, but with a start realised that the other man was already awake. He was gazing at them absentmindedly, and when he saw Aragorn look to him he nodded, already clambering up to take his shift watching. Maybe Aragorn had been wrong to presume that he was the only one worried about Legolas.
Aragorn crept over to his cloak and picked it up, then returned to Legolas and sat down next to him. He wrapped it around them both, it was very easy to become uncomfortably cold when in the caverns. He wasn't surprised to feel that Legolas was freezing already, having been standing for more than a few hours with no cloak himself.
"You should try to take better care of yourself Mellon Nîn." Aragorn chided.
"That's not going to happen." Legolas smiled sleepily.
He rested his head onto Aragorn's shoulder, still tense. Aragorn sighed, sensing that Legolas's eyes were still flitting about them.
"Nothing will happen to us. I promise you."
Legolas lifted his head up to face Aragorn.
"I will hold you to that."
Aragorn laughed.
"I know. Now go to sleep."
Legolas rested against him, closing his eyes finally. Aragorn waited until his breathing had slowed, until he was certain that Legolas was asleep, and then did the same, both of them resting against each other as they slept.
A/N: Anyways yes at some point I'll add another chapter into this which is more angsty. And I'll try to update the Star Wars fic too I promise.
Have a lovely day/night!