A/N: I genuinely wrote this in the past three hours so it's a bit rough, but motivation called.

Set during Lothlorien, after Gandalf's Lament if you follow the extended films.

Leaning against a tree, the wide trunk winding it's way up into the sky and towards the stars, Legolas sighed. It had taken quite a while for the others to settle, for them to sleep so he could sneak away. Not that he blamed them. Even if he had wanted to, he doubted whether he would have been able to find rest after the strain of the previous hours. Not even now they were safe. He was still on edge.

He still couldn't believe that Gandalf was gone. He couldn't. Gandalf had been one of the people he'd known almost his whole life, ever since he'd been small. He was constant. Somebody who was as immovable as stone, once he'd made his mind up nothing would stop him. The leader of the group, always with a kind word or a piece of wisdom hidden beneath a riddle. Legolas had grown to rely on him whenever he was uncertain, and he knew the others did too.

Now he was gone the Fellowship would struggle to keep together. He'd been the glue which had kept them from drifting apart, or even into conflict with each other. Legolas didn't know who would take the burden of leading them now, or if they'd even have a certain person to look to. There was high chance they'd just have to battle every decision out, which would waste valuable time. Time they couldn't afford to waste.

He closed his eyes, leaning his head back until he was full resting on the tree. Lights glimmered high above in the branches, giving the surroundings a dreamlike quality which reminded Legolas of his own home. Though it was far more pure and beautiful there, unlike the darker, harsher qualities of Mirkwood. But at least that would've reflected the general feelings of the Fellowship, not taunted them with a beauty which seemed surreal now that one of their company had been torn from them.

Every single bone in Legolas's body hurt. It wasn't often that he felt physical strain, unless he'd been doing something extremely draining. Through he supposed that fighting for his life would probably count as draining. Not to mention the fact that he'd taken several hits. They all had, so he'd not mentioned it to anyone. He hadn't seen the point of getting any medical attention, not when there were others who needed it much more. But he was beginning to wonder if that had been the best idea, now that the injuries were starting to feel more painful.

He stayed standing like that for a while, not ready to go back yet, listening to the faint sounds of music drifting through the forest. Hopefully nobody would notice that he'd been gone. Hopefully they'd all still be asleep. Hopefully -

"Did you not think to warn anyone that you were planning to vanish?"

Legolas winced, opening his eyes and watching the ranger make his way into the small clearing.

"I did not think it much significance."

"You never think anything involving your well-being is of much significance." Aragorn answered. "It is in fact, quite the contrary."

Legolas shrugged, the usual sharp answer he would have said dying on his lips. It didn't feel the time. Aragorn raised his eyebrows. "I understand wanting to seek solitude after what has happened. But you should be more careful."

"Aragorn we face no threat from anyone here."

"I was not suggesting that. Merely suggesting that you should be wary."

"I don't see the logic in that."

"I don't think anyone would take well to people randomly disappearing at the current time."

Legolas flinched guilty.

"I'm sorry. I did not realise it was worry that drove you."

"I know."

Legolas sighed. He'd just wanted some time to process it by himself. A moment of weakness perhaps, where he didn't have the eyes of everyone watching him. It had been hard enough to keep himself together when Gandalf's lament had rung through the trees, and when they'd asked him to translate it he couldn't find the strength. Only years of living with as a prince with his father had given him the willpower to suppress his emotions.

He had hoped for just a minute. Time to think. It had been years since he'd faced death, death of someone he cared deeply about. Death which had shook him to his core. It had been a long time since his mother. And now it seemed that all of the work he'd put in to becoming better was starting to unravel once more in the face of death.

Aragorn didn't understand. He could never understand. He had no problems showing his emotions, he was quite happy to display moments of weakness. Legolas had had that crushed out of him at an early age. For Aragorn life was brief, beautiful but short. Death was inevitable, a fact in life. For Legolas life was a constant state of fear. Would death come? And if so, when? And for whom?

"You don't have to hide your emotions."

Legolas glared at him. He had an uncanny way of reading thoughts.

"I am not hiding anything. I only wanted a moment's rest."

"And there you go again." Aragorn replied, waving a hand in frustration. "Legolas, I know this must be hard for you."

"No harder than for anyone else."

"That's not true."

Aragorn sighed, moving closer. Legolas watched him defiantly. But then he saw as the ranger's brows furrowed in concern, and realized his mistake. Before he could move back, Aragorn had come closer and gently put a hand under his chin. He tilted it to one side, so the light hit the right side of Legolas's face. Legolas closed his eyes, waiting.

"Your face is bruised." Aragorn said quietly, the tension evident in his voice.

"Uh...great observation?" Legolas tried. Aragorn turned away, and Legolas could see that he was barely managing to restrain his anger.

"Why did you not take up the offer of healing?" He asked after a minute. "It has done you no good to hide them. Hide them unsuccessfully, I might add."

"I don't know. It didn't seem -"

"Important?"

At Legolas's guilty look Aragorn shut his eyes. "Do I really have to watch you all the time to make sure you take basic care of yourself?"

"Apparently so. Though I wish you would not."

Aragorn lightly brushed the bruises with his thumb.

"They don't look too bad. Any other hidden injuries I should know about?"

Legolas looked down. Aragorn sighed. "Legolas."

"Some, but they are of little importance."

"That must be the tenth time you've said that."

"Maybe because you won't get the picture."

Legolas pulled away, pushing passed Aragorn. To his dismay, Aragorn just followed him.

"I won't leave until I'm sure you're okay."

"I'm fine. Happy?"

"Not exactly."

"Well what is it you want to hear?" Legolas asked sarcastically.

"Legolas. I need to know that you're okay."

Legolas whipped around to face him.

"If you feel you really must, then you are welcome to examine me for injuries. You will find naught more than a few sprains."

"I don't mean physically."

Legolas froze. This was exactly why he had left the group behind. He couldn't do this while anyone was there with him. Least of all Aragorn. "You know it is not good to hide your emotions. Much less when they are negative."

"I am not hiding anything. You are imagining things." Legolas interrupted defiantly.

"I doubt that." Aragorn continued.

"You would." Legolas shot back.

Aragorn was too persistent. Legolas had to get away. Anywhere. Anywhere he could be alone, as he had tried to be from the start. He could feel his chest constrict.

"Legolas please."

"No Aragorn."

He continued trying to walk away, Aragorn following, slower now they were traveling over roots instead of flat ground.

"Mellon, please. You need to talk to someone."

"About what? What exactly do you want me to say?"

"The truth would be nice."

"The truth? I am fine. I want some time alone. Purely to gather my thoughts. And then I shall return."

"You are the only person who hasn't opened up about what's happened yet."

"I don't know what you mean."

Aragorn huffed.

"Merry and Pippin had a talk with Boromir. Frodo and Sam have each other. Boromir in turn talked with Gimli and I too. Yet you have not been present."

He paused. "If we want this to work without... without Gandalf, then we have to start being a bit more open."

"That is easier said than done."

But Legolas slowed. He was breathing quickly now, giving up on getting away from Aragorn. He felt slightly sick, dizzy, so he leant on a nearby tree trunk. He couldn't escape the inevitable.

"Your emotions do not weaken you. They strengthen you." Aragorn began. "I know that Gandalf's death has been hard for all of us, but I think you are feeling it more keenly than you are willing to admit, even to yourself."

"That is untrue."

"In what way?"

"I have accepted death as a part of life. I have grown used to it. This is not the first death I've witnessed by a long shot."

"I feel it may be the first you feel connected to. At least since..."

Aragorn's sentence was left unfinished. Instead he took the moment to close the distance between them.

"You're shaking." He said, frowning in concern.

Legolas did his best to still the tremor which was visible even in the half-light, to minimal success.

"I am just cold." He answered, when it became clear that Aragorn would press the issue.

"Is it not a warm night?'

Legolas cringed internally. That had failed. The night was indeed warm, only a hint of a breeze though the trees. Aragorn leant next to him.

"The more you put this off the harder it shall get."

"Maybe if I put it off until I never have to do it, that would be better."

"You and I both know that I wouldn't let you do that." Aragorn said. Legolas raised his eyes to the sky again, taking a deep breath. "I know you probably didn't get much of a chance for this. From what I know of Thranduil's place, it is not the most welcoming of halls."

"You are not wrong there." Legolas laughed shakily. He grew silent and still, but Aragorn could sense that this time it was more contemplative than resistant, so he did not push. Eventually Legolas looked back to the ranger. "I- I do not like to give the impression to the others that all is lost. I felt that if all of us succumbed to grief, then the hope that others had for strength would be lost."

"At the expense of your own time to grieve?"

"If that was the cost." Legolas whispered. "I thought it best that I remain much unchanged in the others' eyes, so that they may draw courage."

"Yet you gave yourself no time to feel loss because of it."

"I gave myself time. Why do you think I ended up here?"

"You came here to grieve. But, ultimately, had I not been here, you would have come out the other side having shown no more emotion than before."

"At least I would have had some time alone to mull it over."

"Do you believe that Gandalf would have wanted you to suffer after his passing?"

Legolas went even stiller, be it possible. "He would not have wanted you to become overwhelmed by the loss. He would have wanted you to gain strength, strength from the others. The only way we can do this is if we work together."

"Work with the others? Aragorn, I was raised to be distrustful of anyone not of my kind. You cannot expect me, when I have only just overcome this boundary, to trust them with every small feeling I have."

"I would never push you to do that. But please. Can you not trust me?"

Legolas turned to look at him face on, finally. And Aragorn didn't fail to notice the faint shimmer in his eyes.

"I would trust you with my life."

"But would you trust me with your pain?"

Legolas bit his lip nervously before answering.

"Yes."

"Then let me help you."

Legolas held the eye contact, then turned away.

"I- I'm sorry." He whispered. Aragorn took a step forward and then wrapped his arms around the elf. Legolas rested his forehead onto Aragorn's shoulder, shoulders shaking as he finally began to cry.

A/N: I hope you enjoyed! Have a lovely day/night!