Legolas was sitting a little ways from the fire, staring into it none the less. The elf must have heard him approaching, for he spoke without turning.
    “Are the fires in the mines so warm? Do they hold as much life as the ones here.”
     Gimli sat cross-legged next to him and replied softly.
     “They are far warmer than any campfire and hold almost more life than you can imagine. They stretch from floor to ceiling and some stay lit an entire lifetime.”
     “I should like to see that.”
     “Well you will when you come to the caverns with me, will you not?”
     “Sometimes I…”
     Ah yes, this is why Aragorn had talked to him. They could die at any time, perhaps they wouldn’t make it to Fangorn or the Caverns…but at least there would be something. Gimli studied Legolas in the soft firelight; it lit up his face once more, but in an entirely different way than the lights of Lothlórien had. Redder and warmer and somehow less breathtaking and more at the same time. Then the elf turned to face him.
     “You’ve been watching me.”
     Gimli nodded. “It’s hard not to.”
     “Thank you.” Long dark eyelashes fluttered shut against pale cheeks. Gimli almost growled. He didn’t know how to approach this! Sure, it helped that he knew that Legolas was interested in him, but after shoving him away how was he supposed to pull him back in. Nevertheless, the elf was sitting right next to him, so it didn’t take much to reach out and start to stroked his silky blond hair. To Gimli’s relief this small gesture seemed to be the thing, for Legolas’ tightly strung body relaxed and his head fell to rest of the dwarf’s shoulder.
      “What changed your mind?”
     “Someone pointed out the fault in my reasoning.”
     “Aragorn?”
     “Did you…?”
     “I saw him wanting to talk to you, yes.”
     “Ah.” So you watch me as much as I watch you, then, Elf?
    “Then am I allowed to be mushy and romantic?” the whispered question was breathed right into Gimli’s ear, causing him to shudder.
     “I can’t stop you from doing anything.” Gimli’s hand had yet to stop playing with the long, smooth hair.
     “Hmmm, true.” Legolas nuzzled into Gimli’s thick hair before breathing yet another question.
     “Are you going to sleep with me tonight?”
     An answer wasn’t really necessary as Gimli pulled Legolas away from the fire, chuckling as the elf grabbed his bedroll and pulled it along behind them.
     “Slower this time?” Legolas sighed; arching himself against Gimli as the Dwarf laid him out on the blankets. Gimli simply captured the Elf’s mouth in a long, slow kiss.
 
     Sitting close to the fire a man and a wizard watched the shifting shadows, bodies entwining, slim elvish limbs clasping tightly to sturdy dwarfish ones, clutching tightly, binding.
     A low, smoke husked chuckled. “Do you think Gimli quite knows what he’s in for.”
     Aragorn nodded. “He knows well enough, Gandalf. And he wants it.”
     The older man nodded. “All well and good then, and now you promised me your story.”
     Aragorn nodded,
     “I’ve been watching them for so long, Gandalf.  They both love hard, but one admits more freely than the other. They made love that last night in Lothlórien, you know. I thought that would end it, they would be…together. But it simply worsened the tension. That’s why it was best that Gimli saved Legolas from that final orc. I followed, helped where it was needed, there was no way he could have killed the orc quite on his own, but I don’t think he even noticed my knife,” he sighed. “It still got worse. I practically had to yell at Gimli. But now…” he looked back over towards the shadows. “Now it looks more romantic than lustful,” he smiled. “Theirs will be a famous love.”
     Gandalf chuckled. “No more than yours my dear Heir, no more than yours.”
 
     And in the darkness lovers sighed and kissed, content to hold each other till dawn, and last out the war, if only to live together and have a chance to disagree over the petty things rather than the life threatening ones.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    Ok, so the end got really mushy, but I wanted it to. And for those of you who wanted more smut, I’m sorry, you’ll have to wait for part two…or maybe a PWP. ‘Cause I’m wayyyy to tired.
back to LOTR