The White Shores

Reunion

Legolas swung his bag over his shoulder, Gimli watching him sadly. He pointedly ignored the dwarf, who had tried to talk him out of leaving several times. 'Your father will miss you, elf,' had been the most convincing argument so far, but Legolas stood firm. His replies had always been sprinkled with 'I am always welcome,' 'I'm only gone till Aragorn leaves,' and, 'He'll understand,' but he never quite believed himself.

"Legolas, your father just got you back, he will be devastated when he finds out you've gone," Gimli protested. Legolas was deathly tired, so he only responded with a perfunctory,

"I did not know you knew such long words as 'devastated.'"

Gimli grunted, but didn't continue. Legolas walked slowly through the halls, more than a little reluctant to leave the halls that had nurtured him in his youth.

"Legolas, please," Gimli tried once more.

"We will meet with your cousins under the mountain," Legolas dismissed him, "They know me, and we may pass under the radar for a while."

"Pass under who's radar?" Gimli's face turned redder than usual, "Aragorn's? Legolas, we're not fugitives! You cannot avoid Aragorn forever. If you flee now, you will never have a chance to settle back into an easy friendship."

"I have never had that chance," Legolas whirled around, and though he was looking at Gimli, suddenly all he could see was his own blinding rage. "You have no idea what it is like to love, to long, for something so close to you yet so out of reach. For someone who loves you like a brother, but nothing more. For someone who is so breathtakingly happy and comfortable while every day your heart breaks a little! And then he lost his love and still I could not tell him, could not confront him with this horrible truth. He finds out because of some chance eavesdropping in an elvish courtyard!"

Gimli looked sheepish, "Well, when you put it like that...."

However, Legolas was not finished, "You have no idea what it is like to be in love with your childhood friend since almost the moment you met them, and to never enjoy that love reciprocated."

"He might not," a voice behind Legolas said, "But I do."

For the second time in that many days, Legolas looked up, startled, to find Aragorn staring at him. This time, however, the king did not flee and did not look repulsed in the slightest. Legolas froze, his heart pounding wildly with his outburst and the realization of what his love had just said.

"Aragorn, do not tease me," his voice was low and it scratched his throat on the way out.

"I do not tease you," Aragorn's tone was just as rough, right before he swept the elf up into his arms and kissed him. His mouth was rough and yielding at the same time, his stubble gently rubbing against Legolas' face. He tasted like wind and air and life. His lips caressed Legolas' own as his tongue brushed against the elf's opening lips. Legolas could feel his hot tongue delve into his mouth and sweep through eagerly, tasting every inch of his being.

They broke away, gasping. Legolas was gaping in Aragorn's arms, and could only turn away from him when he heard a derisive cough behind the king.

Thranduil stood there, a small smile on his face.

"I can see you were planning to leave, mui-red," the Elvenking said, and there was no trace of disappointment in his voice, "But now I see you have no reason to. Pray, stay awhile, at least until their meeting is over. We will have a feast for all our guests in five hours. Until then, do as you like."

He glided out, pausing at the door of another room and adding, "And I suppose Aragorn will not want to stay in the room he and Arwen were in, but I do not think that I shall have to find him another."

Legolas turned a deep shade of red while Aragorn laughed at his friend's expense.

No, not friend.

Lover.