Light and Shadows (Thranduil's story post BOTFA)

An unexpected meeting

Disclaimer: I don't own the video and song. 

'Let the fire burn the ice...'

As strange as the thought of it seemed, Thranduil had never held Tauriel before in a tight embrace. Not once in hundreds of years. Of course, their episode during the spring feast didn't count as an embrace, more like a reckless impulse similar to when she had pointed an arrow at him and he cut her bow. It was a strange experience to be physically close to each other, undriven by anger or lust. She was there, in his arms, for the very first time in centuries since he had found her in the woods. He thought he felt her tears as her head tilted higher, burying her face onto his neck. Thranduil could feel her breath against his skin and her wet eyelashes brushing his neck. Her hands gripped onto him even tighter. 

'Tauriel', he whispered.

He brushed her hair and it felt so foreign but so right at the same time. Her body felt fragile in his arms, Thranduil thought. He caressed her gently. A flash of dark hair came to his mind, reminding him of the last person he had ever held in his arms with such affection. He rested his head on her hair, breathing in Tauriel's scent and feeling just as broken as her. 

A wave of emotions passed through his body again, emotions he had long hoped to escape. Tauriel's head was still buried against his neck, feeling her breath and her soft lips touching his skin. He felt the sadness, affection, remorse, guilt and all other feelings he had been experiencing dissolve into a pure craving of her. His heart started to beat faster, unable to tame it. He gently took her head away from his neck, holding it firmly now with both his hands, searching for her familiar green eyes.

She did not oppose him and let his hands hold her face, her eyes wet with tears. They reminded him of the same eyes he had seen back on Ravenhill, standing near the body of that dwarf. Was she crying for that dwarf? Was she crying because she was feeling lonely? Or was she crying because of him? He could not tell at that moment. 

'I am sorry I wasn't there for you more in the past when you needed someone to lean on.', he found himself saying in a soft, velvety voice. 'I am sorry you have felt so alone. Perhaps you were right - perhaps there isn't any love left in me.'

As Tauriel looked back into his blue eyes, he felt as if she was seeing through him, all the way to his soul.

'That's not true', she whispered.

She looked at his lips and he could see the longing in her eyes, the craving that he himself was feeling. Then she leaned her head forward, almost shily, and planted a kiss on his lips. It was an innocent kiss, like the one she had given Kili on top of Ravenhill. He felt her soft lips touching his for only a moment, then she pulled back, keeping her face close to him still, her gaze lingering to where her lips had touched his. 

He watched her closely and eventually his eyes met hers once again. She was breathing heavier, her mouth was slightly parted and he saw something wild and raw behind her dark green eyes. Then Thranduil pulled her head gently and kissed her. He was doing it slowly, deliberately, sensually, testing her every reaction and taking in every gasp. She allowed herself to be kissed without opposing any resistance, without wanting to take control, which was unlike Tauriel. As he teasingly bit her lower lip, she touched his hand with hers in an affectionate way, interlacing their fingers. Her lips were now responding to his in the same deliberate, slow manner that was sending flashes of pleasure through Thranduil's body. A wild, animalistic desire was growing within him but he was trying to tame it. She moaned softly and her body pulled closer to his like a magnet, gripping now onto his silk robe. They continued kissing for what could have been minutes, hours or centuries, melting into each other as if they had become one, feeling lost into an endless sweetness that they did not want to end.