The Hobbit & Lord of the Rings -oneshots II

Little shoes - Thranduil&Legolas

Warnings: This is just pure family fluff featuring little Legolas learning to shoot a bow.
Word count: 866 (a bit shorter this time)
Other: My roommate gave me the idea to finish this, so a big thank you to her!
Requested: nopety nope

Your son is about to leave Mirkwood for his first royal duties, and it is an emotional time for you, as he has never been away from the kingdom for so long.

You were sitting in front of an old chest, holding a pair of tiny brown boots in your hands, tears racing down your cheeks.
"Look how tiny they are." You sobbed, squeezing the boots to your chest as your life depended on them, tears streaming down your face. Legolas gave his father a look, begging him to do something, but the king was just as helpless as he was.
"Hûn Velui (sweetheart), Legolas will be back, he is not leaving us." Thranduil kneeled next to you, and placed his hand on your shoulder, hoping it would calm you down. You nodded tearfully, still squeezing the boots to your chest.
"I-I know, b-but it is only a matter of time when he will leave us for g-good." You leaned closer to him to sob into his shoulder.

Legolas opened his mouth to console you, but his attention was diverted when he saw something inside the chest.
"I remember this!" He exclaimed as he picked up a small bow. It was barely longer than his forearm, and he twirled it around in his hand, a small smile on his lips.
"It seems a lot smaller than I remember it to be." Thranduil let out a laugh at that.
"It might be because you were a lot smaller when you remember seeing it last. When we gifted it to you, you could barely carry it without falling over." A smile broke onto your face as the memory of Legolas struggling with his bow rose to your mind.
"You were so determined to make it to the archery range without any help." You wiped the tears off your face as you kneeled back next to the chest.

Flashback

"Lasdithen (little leaf), won't you let me help?" You asked him gently, extending a hand towards him.
"No!" Legolas' tone was loaded with all the determination in his tiny body, and you gave up, following close behind in case you would need to catch him if he tripped himself with his bow. The bow was clutched tight in his hand as the two of you continued your way down towards the archery range. The quiver full of arrows that were strapped to his back rattled with every step he took, and you couldn't help but smile. You had tried telling him that it would be easier to learn if he could just pick the arrows up from the ground, but Legolas had insisted that you help it strap it on. He wanted to be just like the big elves. Just like his ada.

Smiles spread onto the faces of the other archery range users as Legolas stumbled into view with his bow and quiver, you in tow. You greeted them with a smile as they bowed shortly, following your son as he made his way to his father.
"Look, ada, I look just like you." He tried spreading his arms to show his father but only ended up tripping himself with his bow, just as you suspected he would. He landed on his stomach onto the grassy ground with an 'oomph'. Thranduil couched to hide a laugh as he leaned down to help Legolas up, dusting off the few sprigs of grass stuck to his clothing.
"That you do, my little prince. Do you know how to hold the bow properly?" You sat down on the bench in the shade as you watched with a smileThranduil gently and patiently guide Legolas on how to shoot the bow. Legolas listened to his father, barely blinking, seemingly absorbing everything he said like a sponge.

- -

You were brought out of your memories by a gentle pair of arms pulling you into an embrace. You turned around in the familiar pair of arms to meet the icy blue eyes of your husband before you tucked your head under his chin and allowed him just to hold you. His lips landed on your forehead, and you closed your eyes. They followed a path down your face, next landing between your brows, then both of your cheeks, and lastly, your nose. His fingers tucked under your chin to lift it up and you didn't have to open your eyes as his lips gently landed on yours in a gentle kiss.

You could almost hear Legolas rolling his eyes behind the two of you.
"I will go and finish packing my bags." His footsteps disappeared soon and your husband huffed amusedly.
"He doesn't understand."
"He will, one day. I hope." You stated simply and pressed your lips back onto his, allowing yourself to be immersed into the kiss and let the sadness be buried under the love that filled you with warmth from your toes to the top of your head.