Disclaimer: I do not own LotR

Notes: Thanks so much for the reviews! I broke 100 for the first time and I am eternally grateful. By the way, this chapter was written to Florence + the Machine. Originally I was going to put this into the last chapter (hence the quick update), but I wanted to give you guys a cliffy.

Chapter 13

Day Three Hundred and Thirty, Later

Lunch was awkward. Well, for me it was. I just did my best to act normal.

Seeing him was... well, like seeing someone for the first time after realizing you're in love with them. I tried to be my normal self, but I think he noticed something off.

"Hi," I said, smiling.

"Hello."

We just sat awkwardly for a few moments.

"So how was Arnor?" I asked quickly, to end the what-do-we-do-now silence.

"It was nice, relaxing."

we sort of nodded. Then Nimhel came to my rescue and began a conversation about boots. I didn't talk much, and Gorvon kept glancing at me oddly. I just tried to avoid eye contact.

Day Three Hundred and Thirty One

Gorvon found me in the garden today.

"Candes, is everything alright?" he asked.

"Yes! Of course! Why wouldn't it be?" I was aware I sounded spastic. But I was also suddenly aware of the fact that he was, well, the guy I was in love with. And seeing him didn't make me realize how dumb I had been or that I wasn't in love with him after all; no, it just made me realize I loved him more than I thought.

"Nothing. I simply thought that... never mind. It is unimportant." oh, to know what he was about to say. It's been bothering me. What did he think? Is it about me being weird? I mean, he must notice I'm being weird. Oh, god, does he know?

He can't know. That's why I can't tell him. Because if he knew he would feel pressured to be my friend but he would be awkward and pity me and hate being around me... I don't want that! Even if he doesn't love me I don't want to ruin our friendship, because I want him in my life in some way, at the very least.

I managed to have an only slightly weird conversation with him. I just need to act normal.

Normal.

Day Three Hundred and Thirty One, Later

Acted decidedly not normal.

I was on my way to the kitchens when I ran into Gorvon. He was all "I was just thinking of going to have tea with Bilba, would you like to come?"

I said, "No, thank you, I was going to the kitchen to make these wonderful pizza roles I have perfected."

"Pizza rolls? What are those?"

And here's where I got weird.

"You've ever had them? Of course you haven't, but you need to. They are amazing. Come with me!" and then I GRABBED HIS HAND AND DRAGGED HIM TO THE KITCHEN. Not even his arm, I was holding his hand. And the worst thing is I noticed what I was doing halfway down the hall and realized that I couldn't let go because, hello, more awkward, so I just blushed like a nutcase.

When we go to the kitchens I showed him how to make the pizza rolls. He made jokes about them not being as secret as my onion soup. I told him that my onion soup was going to be my secret until the day I died.

Anyways, things got less normal.

Once the pizza rolls were ready, I picked one up and held it up to him. Like I was feeding a dog or something. I don't even know why I did it. Is my brain hard-wired to act all stupidly flirty when I'm in love or am I just spectacularly dumb?

Anyways, Gorvon seemed amused instead or creeped out (thank god), and just let me pop it in his mouth.

"These are excellent!" he said happily.

"Well, I owe you for the jerky. Thank you, by the way."

He shrugged. "I knew you would enjoy it."

We smiled at each other, but then I felt weird again.

"We should take some of these to Bilba," I said, gesturing to the pizza rolls.

"Oh, of course."

well, maybe things are back on track, at least a little.

Day Three Hundred and Thirty Two

Things far, far from the track.

I was acting weird around Gorvon again. Nothing major, but just general avoidance and strange conversations and being awkward and fidgety. And he got frustrated and said "Candes, I know something is wrong. After everything, do you find it entirely fair to not tell me? Do you trust me that little?" And then he walked off.

God, I don't know what to do. I'm just sitting here moping. One second; Glorfindel just walked up.

..

well, that was an odd conversation.

It went like this.

Him: What's wrong?

Me: I love Gorvon.

Him: Why is that a problem?

Me: because I don't think he loves me back, so I decided not to say anything, but I've been acting weird and bipolar and he knows something is going on and now he's mad at me because he thinks I don't trust him.

Him: oh. Why don't you tell him?

Me: because then he'll be mad at me for being in love with him.

Him: so you would rather he be mad at you for something that's not true than for something that is?

Me: but... if I tell him then it will ruin our friendship.

Him: Not telling him might to, Candes.

Then he left me to think. About how elves are smart. And how Glorfindel was right. So.

Now I have to tell him.

Okay, I can do that.

I just need to tell him.

Is there a sudden lack of oxygen in the room?

No, I'm fine. I can tell him, it'll be easy.

Oh, who am I kidding. Wish me luck, I'm going to need it.

Day Three Hundred and Thirty Two, Later

Since I'm sure you're dying to know what happened, let me tell you.

I found Gorvon rather easily, he was in a different part of the gardens- do you know how extensive the gardens here are? Elves and their plants. Yeesh.

But anyways.

I sat beside him on the stone bench. He didn't look at me or say anything. So, I just started talking.

"Gorvon, I do trust you, more than anyone here. And you're right, I should tell you what is going on."

"Then why don't you?" he asked, looking at me. I was the one to turn away then.

"Because I'm afraid that if I tell you, you'll just feel awkward. And you won't want to be my friend anymore."

"I highly doubt that, Candes. Even when I am mad at you, we are still friends." god, hearing that was hard. Because he clearly had no idea how much he was friend-zoning me. But I had to tell him, so I sucked it up and just did.

"Gorvon, Iloveyou."

"I didn't catch that, you spoke to fast."

"I said that I love you."

"To quite. What was that?"

I sighed in frustration.

"I said that I love you!"

"Once more."

"Oh, for goodness sake, you must have heard me that time!" I finally got the courage to look up at him. He was smiling down at me.

"I did hear you, but that doesn't mean I do not enjoy hearing it more."

"You- you-" I know, I am so clever and witty. I always know just what to say.

"Well," he said, still looking smug, "You are right that I don't want to be friends anymore." and then he pulled my head to his and kissed me.

And it was kind of the best thing ever.

It wasn't a gentle kiss, like I would expect from a guy like him. No, this was a full on, makes you feel like you're freezing and burning and melting, tingles-down-your-spine kiss.

After that lovely part, I just sort of gaped at him.

"Candes," he said, "I have loved you for some time now. But I said nothing because you are going through so much, with your foresight, and being in a new world... I did not want to burden you."

"I would hardly call that kiss burdening me." I admitted.

He laughed.

"It is not just a kiss, though. Courtship here is rather strict... the sort of conduct I just displayed would only be acceptable once a couple is betrothed. And I understand if you do not feel ready to enter into a formal engagement, I know things work differently where you are from-"

"Get me a ring."

"What?"

"We're supposed to trade silver rings, aren't we? I don;t have a ring now, but I'm sure I can figure something out. If it's too much trouble to get a ring maybe we can-"

He kissed me again.

And then he said the best thing he could have; "Woman, I would get you a jewelers store if that's what it took."

000

So, yeah. That happened. Like I said, I needed something to hold over the time until the war really kicks off. The council is on day 420, so the nest few chapters will have some can-von fluff and character building.

Since this is a pretty big chapter for me, please review. It means the world.