When he was with Legolas all the tangled knots of worry and doubt that settled in the pit of his stomach seemed to slowly unravel. When he was with Legolas he felt different as if somehow Legolas's light transformed him. When he was with Legolas he was free. Legolas would not let his thoughts linger on all the problems that lay ahead of him.

He tried to speak of it, there was so much that worried him, but Legolas would hush him.

"Do not dwell on this, it will change nothing."

"But I do not know what my choice will be, As much as I think on it nothing is clear to me." he protested.

"You think too much Noldo, When the time comes you will know." It was all he ever said on the subject and he could not understand his complete confidence that Elrohir would somehow magically be able to make this decision that had plagued him for years.

He tried too to speak of the sea longing that lay as a cloud over Legolas's happiness. The endless restlessness that accosted him but with no more luck.

"Leave it Elrohir," Legolas smiled up at him. "We cannot change it. Enjoy me while you can..." He lay there like a god, truly magnificent and threw his arms wide. "Am I not worth it?"

"Enjoy us."

"But if you-"

"Stop! You will spoil all our today worrying about tomorrow. Live in the moment. Things are perfect right now, just you and I here together. Why think of anything else but this?"

And he was right. Things were perfect.

As he stayed in Imladris, as they spent time together slowly but surely Legolas unfurled as a leaf in springtime. The despair lifted, glimpses of his merriment emerged, when he smiled it was as it had been before in Minas Tirith, as if the sun itself had visited.

His irreverence returned, even when dealing with the most illustrious of Elves.

"Have you never heard of stealth?!" he exclaimed when examining Asfaloth, and his bells. The look of indignation on Glorfindel's face at the not so subtle criticism of his beloved horse made Elrohir laugh out loud.

"You need to guard your heart I think Elrondion." Glorfindel said sternly as Legolas went on his merry way and he gave him a look that stripped him to his core.

But then that look slowly softened,

"Still if it means he gets you to the other side of the sea I will overlook the fact he is a wild woodelf who knows nothing of decorum and etiquette and I imagine your Father will do also." And when Elrohir protested it was not like that at all Glorfindel only looked at him as if he did not believe a word he said.

But as light as Legolas became he knew all was not completely well with him. Some nights he would disappear and roam the valley alone as if to attempt to dissipate his restlessness but he refused any discussion of what plagued him and Elrohir would sit and wait and watch.

When he returned early one morning from one of these strolls and Elrohir gazed at him with pity in his eyes at this lack of peace Legolas reacted with a flash of anger.

"Do not look at me like that. I want no pity, No one needs to pity me!"

"I mean no insult," he tried to right his wrong, "I hate to see you thus."

"I am well." said Legolas, "and happy. We have defeated the dark. Aragorn has his heritage, I am here with you. What more could I ask?"

But he was not convinced of his happiness and said so.

"I cannot forget how you were when you arrived."

"It took me by surprise." Legolas said frankly, "I am prepared now. That will not happen again. Believe me Elrohir, when I say I have the measure of this. Do not add it to your neverending pile of worries!"

But he did because he could not help it.

They fell into the pattern they had in Minas Tirith, hidden touches and secret meetings but Minas Tirith had been full ignorant judgemental men, discretion was essential even though, as Legolas said, it was also exciting. Here he was home amongst those who understood and loved him and they grew careless. It was only a matter of time before they were discovered.

It was unfortunate it was Elladan who discovered them.

"Brother!" there was an multitude of hurt in that one word and Elrohir rushed to disentangle himself from Legolas's embrace.

"What is this?" Elladan's voice was clipped and angry.

"Perhaps I should go?" Legolas said coolly as he stood hands loosely at his sides now Elrohir had abandoned him, eyes shuttered so he could not see the thoughts beneath.

"Yes" he replied and did not fail to notice the the hurt look that flitted across his lover's face. Perhaps that had been the wrong thing to say but he needed to speak with Elladan alone.

Legolas was nothing if not deeply proud, and with only a curt nod in Elladan's direction he was off, head high, the Prince of the wood. He was ashamed of nothing.

The brothers stood in silence on his departure. It was clear Elladan was not happy.

"How long has this been going on? he asked eventually. "Is it a recent thing?"

"No." It was a difficult admission to make.

Elladan's eyes flew wide with surprise,

"Not recent?..." He could see him calculating, wondering when it may have begun.

"Not during the quest surely!"

"No!" He was horrified, "After...in Minas Tirith, after the war."

"Ah..." Elladan relaxed visibly, even smiled, "So it is just something light then...a fling, blowing off steam after the stresses of war. I do quite understand his appeal...he is beautiful...a pleasure to look at."

"No. It is not that." He had not known it until this very instance but now he did, now it was crystal clear exactly what it was.

"Then what is it?" Elladan looked at him through narrowed eyes. "Tell me what it is."

He wished he had kept his mouth shut, taken the option Elladan had given him, to tell him it was recent, superficial, a distraction. It was what he wanted to hear. But he couldn't do that, he couldn't deny it.

"It is love Brother," he whispered. "It is love."

Elladan's face drained of colour.

"You cannot mean that. Tell me you haven't kept this from me. Love? Why don't I know this? I should know this!"

"I did not know it myself until this very minute, I promise!" he cried, the hurt in his brothers eyes burned his very soul.

"How can you not have told me? Why is this a secret?"

He struggled to explain, stumbling over his words as he tried to remember the reason himself.

"We did not mean to hurt you...I just wanted...I wanted something for myself and then...it was thrilling, exciting to have it secret. Elladan don't look at me like that." He pleaded.

"Oh I am sure it was exciting. I am sure Legolas found it so. That is just like him."

His hackles rose at the thinly veiled insult, he would not listen to that. How had he not realised, he wondered as his anger churned within him, how blind had he been not to know before now that this was love? The way he felt, the joy that surged within him at so much as a glimpse of Legolas. He had been a fool.

"Do not dare to insult him Brother! It was I who chose not to tell you and he was hurt by that. I have not been able to see this for what it is...if you are angry say what you wish about me, I will not let you disparage him."

"You cannot do this Elrohir, you know what this means...he will sail! He has to sail! What of me?"

"I have not decided!" He rushed to clasp his brothers hands, he had to reassure him of this. "I have not decided what I will do. I will not exclude you, we will talk on it the two of us...it will be our decision, together, just as it always was going to be...this changes nothing."

"It changes everything. It is our decision no longer no matter how much you might wish it. He will go and you will follow...and I... I will follow you and leave our brother behind for how can I be sundered from you." He flinched at the sound of Elladan's voice, flat and monotone. It was even worse when he withdrew his hands, turned on his heels and left without looking back. He knew that for Elladan, as it was for himself, their choice was a punishment, a weight that bore down upon them, that tore at their hearts whichever they would decide. How much they delayed, how much they wished they never had to make it.

It changes everything...

He was right,

It did.