The Sky that Nobody Sees

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When Legolas pulled the class roster from debate class, after removing men, humans and dwarves from the lists, it didn't take him more than a minute to flip through student ID pictures to put a name to the redhead's face. It didn't hurt that the roster had her email, too.

Ms. Polzin,

Where did you learn to handle firearms? These days it isn't a common skill, particularly not with sniper rifles. Assuming you're the one who took the shot earlier this week, you also have a lot of talent.

Legolas Volkov

"You are a highly fortunate individual, Legolas Volkov," Hahn said as they sat by the rectangular pond and ate their lunch between classes.

Legolas knew he'd stated that precisely when Legolas took a bite of his sandwich so he'd either have to speak with his mouth full or wait to respond. Since he wouldn't speak with his mouth full on pain of Thranduil or Inladris finding out, Legolas made him wait, swallowed, and replied, "Why?"

"Because I could easily sell your strangeness for the past couple weeks to a rag mag around here and make at least a thousand dollars for it."

"I know where you live though."

"As if you'd do anything about that. That housekeeper of yours sure keeps you on a narrow line."

Legolas smiled.

Hahn heaved a peaceful sigh. "Gods, I love your housekeeper. I should drop by again for supper."

"I'll find out when she feels like cooking for four extra people and invite you." It probably wouldn't be until her face was healed, though. While his dwarven friend had always been unerringly gracious to Inladris—he was also not averse to scattering flattery freely—he was not shy with his questions to Legolas after the fact, and Legolas didn't want to explain it. They'd already decided to tell people she'd fallen on the stairs in the subway, but Legolas disliked lying to his friends far more than it bothered him to lie to the general populace.

"You're too kind, Legolas, thank you." Hahn worked his way through a bite of his own sandwich, feet swinging. "So what'd you run off for the other day? You were gone faster than a pair of briefs in the lair of a lovely lass."

"I was trying to catch up to a classmate for a group project."

"Ever heard of cell phones?"

"She's surprisingly resistant to modern technology."

"Oh is she, now? Look, if you need dating advice, all you need to do is ask." He flattened a hand to his chest. "I am fully willing to step up my friendship game, here, and you'd be wasting a valuable asset not to take advantage of me. In fact, there are many who—"

"Would absolutely love to take advantage of you, I'm sure, my friend." Legolas rolled his eyes.

"Would they, indeed." A glint came into Hahn's eyes and his gaze sidled none-too-sneakily across the wide pond, to where a trio of women were sitting at the concrete edge of the pond and chatting.

"We are in public, Hahn," Legolas lightly reminded him. "Do not make me utilize your first name to draw your attention back to your surroundings and out of your imagination."

"Oy! I thought we agreed that first names were to be utilized in emergencies only."

"I readily use my first name, so that doesn't work with me."