Chapter Text
Legolas woke up in a haze. His eyes took awhile to adjust to where he was.
Light streamed through white silken curtains, there were trays of herbs and bottles of different liquids on fine wooden tables. This wasn’t his bedroom, it was the healing wing.
Legolas tried to sit up, but a terrible soreness and pain spread through his shoulder. He hissed in pain as he sat up.
“Legolas?”
Legolas turned his head to see his father. Thranduil’s face looked as if he had been previously crying, which was something Legolas never saw.
Legolas replied, “Ada?” His voice was laced with concern.
Thranduil came to Legolas, his walking was quick and he had pressed a hand to his mouth, his eyes filled with tears.
Legolas found himself in a tight hug, but loose enough for his shoulder not to hurt.
“I thought I lost you…” sobbed his father.
Legolas found that he did not like seeing his father cry. In fact, it made him want to cry himself.
Legolas didn’t know what to say, what could he say? It was his own fault that he almost perished in those woods.
Thranduil sat back up straight again, wiping tears from his eyes.
Legolas looked at his father. Thranduil had cut on his cheek and his hand was bandaged.
“What happened to you?” Asked Legolas.
Thranduil looked like he wanted to cover his cuts. “In fighting the spiders, I’ve gathered a few wounds,” he looked at Legolas and cupped his cheek, “yet I would gladly suffer so much more if it meant you live.”
Finally, Legolas could think of something to say. He whispered it shakily, “I’m sorry…”
Thranduil’s eyebrows knitted together and he lifted his hand from Legolas’s cheek to push a few stray blonde hairs back, “no, honey—“
Legolas interrupted by shaking his head, tears pooling in his eyes. “No, I almost died, Ada. I put you in danger and probably have made half of Mikrwood worried sick over me. I need to apologize.”
Legolas reached to wipe his eyes before any tears could spill over, his voice was shaky and uneasy. “I have been a terrible terrible person. I’ve only been thinking of myself, I have been so terrible to you.”
Legolas looked at Thranduil with teary guilty eyes, “I’m so sorry, Daddy…”
Thranduil reached out and embraced Legolas again.
“I can’t…I…I’m so sorry…” quivered Legolas as he cried.
Thranduil could feel his tunic beginning to be damp from his child’s tears, yet he didn’t care in the slightest.
“Legolas…there was something I tried to tell you before.” Thranduil said as his fingers weaved through Legolas’s hair.
Legolas looked up from Thranduil’s chest. Thranduil continued, never ceasing the loving strokes to Legolas’s head.
“It was back to when you were a baby,” said Thranduil, “It was…it was after your mother passed…”
Thranduil felt the body on his chest stiffen.
“With her last breaths she had made me promise to take care of you, to love you, and to protect you.” Thranduil said, the memories of his beloved had came crashing back down onto his heart again, making it ache terribly.
Legolas sat up from the embrace, his gaze was still downward.
Thranduil continued, “But, Legolas, you are my heart, my everything. I would be dead if it weren’t for you.”
Legolas looked up, his face worried and confused.
Thranduil reclined his hands from Legolas and folded them in his lap, “I was in a deep sadness after she died, for weeks I was. I had forgotten my promise because of it.”
Thranduil stopped, thought over his next words and continued, “I even considered…taking my life. I couldn’t bare the pain anymore.”
Legolas was shocked, yet had the sense not to show it.
There was another silence, then Thranduil looked up at Legolas and spoke again. “But, when my father placed you in my arms for the first time in weeks, I felt life again, I felt something else besides pain, I felt love, I felt a parent’s protective instinct.”
Thranduil reached over and held Legolas’s hand. “But…overtime, I…I became frightened. I feared that if I lost you, I would be in that void again, that retched void of pain and sadness.”
Thranduil lifted his son’s hand and kissed it, his lips lingering for a second before he lowered Legolas’s hand.
“I have been selfish too, my darling. I have held you back from so many things because I was only thinking of myself.”
Even though Thranduil bowed his head, Legolas could still see the glinting of tears in his eyes. “I am the one who has been terrible, and I’ve been terrible to you your whole life.”
Legolas leaned forward and wrapped his arms around his father in an instant. His arms were tight and he was rigid with emotion.
“Don’t you ever,” Legolas says, “say that again. You are the greatest father anyone could ever ask for. You have been the person I know I can come to, the person I know that will love me no matter what. I know I don’t show it most of the time, how much I love you, but I really do, Ada. I need you to guide me in life, I need you.”
Legolas this time was the one to lift Thranduil’s hand. He laced his fingers with his father’s, and Thranduil squeezed Legolas’s hand in response.
Legolas took a shaky breath in and out and he leaned his forehead close to his father’s. Thranduil closed his eyes.
“I love you, Legolas, more than you could ever know.” spoke Thranduil.
The words were simple, yet held so much in it.
I am sorry.
I need you.
I forgive you.
“I love you too…”
Legolas’s words were also simple, and also held the same meanings as Thranduil’s.
The moment was deep.
But the perfect thing to crash the moment, was a fat blob with four legs.
“Tibbles.” Legolas said, he sniffed but he beamed as the cat rubbed against his owners Chest, Tibbles’s body was vibrating and exploding with rumbling purrs. “Maybe sometime later we can talk, yes?” Said Legolas.
Legolas picked up his cat and held him close. Thranduil smiled slightly at the scene. “Tibbles is a very good listener.” He said, “I should know, I had spilled my feelings out to him.”
Legolas laughed, “what?” He said, “to Tibbles? Ada, I must say I never thought you’d sink this low as to confide in Tibbles. Galion is much preferred.”
Thranduil looked around before whispering, “Tibbles is better than Galion.”
“Daddy! If Galion hears this then he might hit you over the head with the tray.” Legolas sounded shock but he was still smiling.
“I fear Galion not.” Thranduil replied, tossing his blonde hair over his shoulder.
After a few moments, Legolas spoke again. His voice was different, nervous and sheepish. “Am I going to be…punished?”
Thranduil crossed his legs gracefully, his carefree attitude seemed to vanish and his King of the Woodland realm attitude took hold.
“Oh yes, most definitely.”
“How?”
“You are to clean all of the boots of every guard that were on those search parties looking for you. Mud-free, scuff-free, and polished.”
Legolas sighed.