The Forgotten One

Rebuilding

most of aragorn days were spent rebuilding the realm of gondor. it wasn't easy work, and on top of that he had the cloud of worry constantly about him over legolas.

he hadn't seen the elf in days, even when he had moments of free time, his elven friend was nowhere to be seen.

aragorn felt positively horrible for legolas, but at the same time he wished the elf could maybe understand and be happy for him. things had finally seemed to work out, after all they'd been through.

but legolas was most definitely not happy for aragorn, even though he knew he should be. and he couldn't help but loathe arwen for how truly blessed she was to have such a faultless man.

his heart was filled with hate and sorrow as he moped around the town, deliberately avoiding aragorn.

he deserves the silent treatment. legolas had convinced himself.

and the thing that made it worse was that legolas was well aware of how blatantly selfish he was being.

the day legolas was meant to leave gondor for god knows how long was speedily approaching. and as much as he wanted to simply forgive aragorn and let the poor man live his life, he just couldn't forget what could've been between them.

but he had to forgive, forget and move on, as hard as it would be, he had to do it, for aragorn's sake. and legolas loved him enough to want that for him.

so on the seventh day since the coronation, legolas awoke from a trance of dreams. dreams of prancing on starlight, and he washed himself, then re-did his silky, blonde braids. which unfortunately made him think about aragorn's rough hands brushing though them.

when that was done, he thought thoroughly through what he would say to aragorn. because the only thing that would be more painful than what he was about to do, was to do nothing at all.

then with a deep breath, that shook slightly, he pushed himself off of the bed in the center of his room and strided over to the door before he could convince himself not to.

aragorn suddenly heard a doubtful knock on his door, which almost made him jump.

"come in," and much to aragorn's surprise he saw legolas standing there.

"legolas, um— what do you need?" aragorn awkwardly stood up.

"i need to talk to you, estel" the elf said solemnly.

this couldn't be good, but aragorn beckoned for him to follow to his bedroom anyway. when they both were inside, he shut the door behind them and turned to his elven friend.

"yes?" he said hesitantly.

"aragorn, i will always have feelings for you. you hear me? always. but i know that i'm just a nuisance, you have everything figured out. and if i were you i wouldn't want me pestering me either. and i respect your boundaries." he got it all out, just as he'd rehearsed. legolas sat down on aragorn's bed with a sigh.

.....

"um— thank you," aragorn finally said after a too long moment of silence. "thank you legolas, and not just for this, but for everything," aragorn sat down beside him and picked up his smooth elven hand.

"you've always been at my side, and i am forever grateful for it. you followed me wherever i went, even when the outcome could've been death. yet throughout that whole time you kept a fair smile upon your face. and um... i— will always feel something for you as well. but it just can't be." aragorn managed to get out. but by the end he broke down into sobs.

aragorn bent over, nose against his knees, his sudden tears quickly wetting his pants.

legolas softly lifted up the king and pulled him into a much needed hug. the whole time the tears continued to fall. but legolas never shedded a tear, for all of his were spent.

their embrace lasted a long time, and once they pulled away, aragorn had stopped crying. but continued to sniffle as quietly as he could.

"estel. dearest estel, that meant so so much to me. thank you." legolas said, his cool fingers grazing aragorn's still damp cheek. 

"i leave tomorrow, and i don't suppose we'll see each other for awhile after that." he whispered.

"i understand."

and that night they planned to spend it together.