Forgiveness Kiss: A Legolas and Aragorn Fanfic

The Long Road Home

 Eventually Legolas realized that Aragorn wasn't kissing him back. That his body was rigid, his arms hanging at his sides. Legolas broke away to see Aragorn unmoving, staring at him in shock.

 Oh god, Legolas thought. What have I done?

 "I-I'm sorry," he stammered. He felt hot tears pricking his eyes as he thought about what he had done. Suddenly the tent felt small and suffocating. He needed air. Legolas quickly pulled on his boots and ran out into the snow.

 "Legolas, wait!" Aragorn called after him. "Come back!"

 But Legolas was gone.

 He ran until he needed to stop and catch his breath. He leaned against a nearby tree and allowed himself to weep. He knew that he could never bear to face Aragorn again.

 A few hours later, Legolas followed his footprints back to the tent. He was shaking from the cold and covered in snow. When he peered inside, Aragorn was asleep. His snowy boots sat beside the entrance, proof that Aragorn had been looking for Legolas, at least for a little while.

 Legolas quietly packed his things and left. He walked back to Mirkwood, stopping only for short periods to rest. By the time he eventually made it home, Legolas had made a silent vow to never love again.

                                                                                      ***

 Over the next few years, several letters from Aragorn arrived at Mirkwood. Legolas burned them all without reading them. He didn't want to know about the disgust and hatred that Aragorn inevitably felt for him. After awhile the letters stopped coming. 

 Good, Legolas thought bitterly. Better that we both forget each other.

 But Legolas did not forget. He feigned vague indifference whenever Thranduil asked why he never heard from Aragorn anymore, pretending that they had simply fallen out of contact. He hid away his emotions from everyone in his life. But on cold, dark winter nights like that one so long ago, Legolas allowed himself to think of Aragorn once more, and relive that one true kiss that would never meet its match.