I know this is long overdue! But it's been such a hectic time and I kind of lost sight of the story for a while, but hopefully it's not disappointing. Please review! :)

After his conversation with Haldir, Legolas returned to the dining hall to find it empty. Realizing it was almost noon, he could not help but feel inexplicably guilty for not coming to find Aragorn sooner. This was the first time in weeks that the Elf had spent even an hour with another being that was not Aragorn, in a strange way he found that instead of relief he didn't feel right without the ranger's comforting presence surrounding him.

As he walked up the stairs leading to their room, he couldn't stop himself from recalling that fateful moonlit night. Since it had happened, Legolas had succeeded in pushing it out of his mind, especially with the distraction of Haldir's arrival, but he knew he could not ignore it forever. Had he really done that, he asked himself, had he really felt Aragorn's lips upon his own? His heartbeat quickened as he remembered the softness of the Man's lips in contrast to the graze of his scruffy beard. As the memory unfurled in his mind, Legolas felt an entangled mix of anger and humiliation course through his veins – directed toward himself. He couldn't fathom why he had pushed the Ranger away. Of course, in honesty, he knew the pragmatic reasons existed, but every inch of his body defied these thoughts. He craved this man, he was positive of it. The realization of this daunted him; uncertainty of what lay ahead scared the Elf even further.

Reaching the room he found the door ajar, the Prince's breath hitched in his throat as he saw Aragorn's packed rucksack sitting on his bed. Legolas tentatively stepped across the room, searching for the Man. Moving aside the curtains and being faced with the balcony again, Legolas marveled at how beautiful it was even during the day. And there stood Aragorn, his back to the Elf, staring out into the wide open. Legolas was unsettled, trying desperately to assemble his thoughts – he did not quite know what to do or say now that he had found him. Never before had Legolas felt so flustered, he didn't even know how to convey to the Man that he stood right behind him. However almost if sensing his presence, Aragorn turned around slowly and looked Legolas right in the eyes. Unnerved, the young prince was rendered speechless as he registered the strained look on the Ranger's face.

'Where's your friend?' Aragorn's voice was cold.

'Haldir, you mean?'

'Yes, him'

'He's at the stables, attending to his horse,' Legolas' voice quavered, he could not understand why Aragorn was being so standoffish with him, he couldn't help but wonder if it all came down to that one kiss. Was Aragorn so disgusted with him that he couldn't even show him a grain of respect?

'So I take it you shall be journeying with him to Lothlorien then?' His gaze bore into Legolas, his expression seemed almost resigned.

'No, of course not,' cried Legolas, Aragorn's face softened slightly, 'I still haven't decided.' Almost immediately as he said this Legolas realized he'd made a mistake, Aragorn's new expression melted away only to be replaced by a much harder one.

'Well, Legolas, I sincerely hope you reach the correct decision in due time. However, I must return to the Rangers of the North, I feel as if I cannot delay any further.'

The Elf felt his heart drop, having to say goodbye had never occurred to him. Leaving aside the most recent self-revelation, Legolas knew the past month spent with Aragorn had changed something within him, never before had he felt so safe and at ease with someone. His family, his guards, his people – everyone from his life in Mirkwood held high esteem for him as their Prince and protected him for that purely that reason. But Aragorn was the sole person who had looked past it all and this completely disarmed Legolas for the first time in his long life. But instead of saying this all out loud, he stayed quiet.

Aragorn misread his silence for acceptance. 'With that said, I will take my leave. I am honored to have fought by your side and to have been given the chance to be your comrade, young Prince. Perhaps, fate will have it that, one day, we meet again.'

Legolas felt a sudden ache in his heart at the thought of never laying eyes upon the Ranger again, leaving with thoughts unvoiced, 'Aragorn, we must speak about last – '

'Legolas, please,' The Man held up his hand and cut him off, 'Please, forget it ever happened, it was simply a drunken mistake. I know now where your heart truly lies.' He gave him a sad smile and walked over and reaching out he clasped Legolas' shoulder, 'Take care of yourself.'

The Elf would have clung to the Man had his head still not been reeling from the fact that one of the most significant moments in his life had just been classed as "drunken mistake". He nodded his head as if in a daze and watched as Aragorn released him and walked away, picking up his rucksack, stopping for a long moment to gaze back at the Elf, as if drinking in the sight of his face, and then walked out of the room forever.