Tolkien One-Shots Book 2!

If You Must (Platonic!Aragorn x platonic!fem reader)

You couldn't look at him. You knew Aragorn didn't stay put for long, but this was too much. You knew he wasn't going to come back soon, if he came back at all. And you hated it. Aragorn was your best friend, your confidante. You told each other everything, but he waited until the very last minute before he left to say anything to you.

You threw your arms around him and squeezed tightly. "I suppose you must go. You take care of yourself, my friend. You better come back," you warned. Aragorn hugged you close as he chuckled lowly. "I shall do my best." As you watched him mount his horse, you hoped his words wouldn't end up being a lie.

Months passed as you waited for word about your dearest friend. Week after week, nothing came. No news about anything except the movement from Mordor. The longer you went without seeing or hearing from Aragorn, the more anxious you became. You felt like a wife waiting for her husband to return from a long journey. It was ridiculous for you to be so worried about the man! And the more you worried, the more determined you became to save Aragorn if necessary.

*time skip*

Your muscles ached from the battle, but you pressed on in search of your friend. You knew he was there. He had been in Gondor. You'd seen him and heard him. You'd heard the speech he had given to the people fighting against the armies of Mordor. You had seen him, but soon lost sight of him in the fray. Now you were fighting for your life and the lives of all of Middle Earth.

You tried your best to stay focused on your enemy, though you were slowly beginning to lose heart the longer it took to spot Aragorn again. Where was he? He had already survived so much. Surely he wasn't dead now. When you heard the sound of an arrow whistling right by your ear, you knew it was time to focus on your own life.

The battle raged on for what felt like forever. Your body felt ready to give up, sore right down to your bones. Blood, grime, dirt, and who knew what else covered your armor, helm, and face. You were exhausted and nearly devoid of hope yet Sauron's forces kept coming, uncaring of your plight. So you continued on and on as you ignored your breaking body's cries to stop. And then, just before your legs gave out, the world went still.

You sank to your knees on the ground, breathing heavily. It was over. The world was going to be safe. At least for the time being. As you heart calmed down, you let your gaze wander across the battlefield. You caught a brief glimpse of your friend. You tried to call out to him. But your voice would not carry over the din of cheers. You supposed you would have to wait to see Aragorn for a bit longer.

In fact, it wasn't until a while later, after Frodo had healed completely that you actually saw Aragorn again. It seemed as though a lifetime had passed when Aragorn was finally crowned King. You watched from the crowd as the crown was placed upon his head. Even from so far away, you could see his confidence, but also his fear. His eyes scanned the crowd before stopping on you.

You fought back a smile as your dearest friend pushed through the crowd to make his way to you. You sank into a curtsy only to earn a scoff from the now king. "I have missed you, Mellon." You replied that you missed him as well before he pulled you into a hug.

"Will you remain in Gondor?" he asked you when he pulled away. You arched a brow in question. "I shall need an advisor and I trust no one more than you." You glanced over his shoulder and smiled upon seeing who was behind him. "I see. Not even your future queen?" Aragorn turned in confusion. You could practically feel him light up when he saw her. "I will be your advisor, if I must. Now, go to her." You beamed as Aragorn ran to Arwen and pulled her into a kiss. You had never been more happy for him than that moment. He had come into his own as a friend, a lover, and a king. You were simply happy to be a part of it.