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Legolas sat with his back against a tree, the moon streaming down and illuminating his face. Pale arms crossed as he looked outward and into the small clearing. Dots of light flicked in the swaying grass.
The other creatures that roamed around Legolas made small chirps and chitters of their passing.
Despite the night and the relative quiet of the evening, Legolas tried to busy himself, his attention focused on the world around him, ever vigilant for any signs of danger or unwelcome guests.
Yet the elf knew he would hear someone or something if that may be the case. So when Gimli loudly shuffled through the grass Legolas made no ill comment towards it.
“Ye may be an elf but sleep will have its wey with ya.”
Legolas remained still. Gimli slid down beside him and pulled out his pipe. With a grunt, he lit it, the smoke rising into the night air with a smell that brought Legolas back to their first beginnings in the fellowship.
Back when Legolas and Gimli would stand watch and talk throughout the night. Yet that was many years ago.
“Sleep will have to wait upon me until I am ready then,” Legolas replied. The redhead rolled his eyes as he took a light to the dwarven pipe.
“Elves,” Gimli muttered before taking a long puff.
Legolas chuckled deeply as he watched the grayed smoke swirl around and into the air.
Dimming as it floated farther away.
“You say that,” Legolas tilted towards the other. “Yet I would have assumed you’re used to me by now.”
Gimli barked out a laugh.
“You are different even to that of the elves!” he took another puff.
Legolas smiled and Gimli returned the gesture earnestly.
“ Aye-,” he turned his head to gaze into blue eyes. “-and I do not think I could ever be used to you,” Gimli spoke.
“Gimli.” Legolas now huffed a laugh.
“I meant it!” the shorter reputed. “You are an ever-changing treasure- and only mine to behold mind you!”
“Ever the silver tongue.”
Although they had been with each other for quite many years now Gimli never failed to make the elf flush.
In the moonlight, in the seclusion of the forest, their faces illuminated not to anyone else but each other.
For many years in Legolas’ youth when Mirkwood was still called the Greenwoods he often had trouble imagining how lovers could write oh-so-many songs and hymns of their partners.
He often recalled being indifferent towards the romantic portion of elven music simply because of how much the writers often famed their love! How repetitive and annoying it was.
But now Legolas was sure he could write more elven songs than ever written.
Ha! How his father would roll over dead to hear that his son had surpassed even that of old Elvish love by writing his own about a dwarf.
“What is it yer laughin' at?” Gimli thumped the elf on the shoulder. Legolas cleared his throat even with a smile still on his face.
“You.” Legolas chuckled and pressed a soft kiss against the dwarf's nose.
“Hm.” the dwarf grunted in response while his smile returned as the elf pulled away.
A beat passed before the dwarf spoke again.
“You look more and more like yer father every day.”
Legolas could feel his entire body almost recoil at the statement.
Gimli burst into a fit of laughter. The broader man’s shoulders heaving up in down hysterically.
“Do not say that.” Legolas grimaced as if it made him sick to think it.
The dwarf leaned his face into the elf’s shoulder muffling his laughter until he finally calmed down.
“You don’t-,” Legolas cut Gimli off with an evil glare. “Aye, you don’t I swear!” the dwarf chuckled out.
“Your silver tongue has tarnished I’m afraid.” Legolas deadpanned.
“I meant to say you look...” Gimli slowed trying to find the right word.
Legolas raised a dramatic eyebrow and Gimli fought the urge to bring up the elf’s father again.
“You look different.” the dwarf suddenly spat out.
For a split second, the sound of the forest surrounded them until it was Legolas’ turn to laugh.
“I do truly believe that tongue of yours has rusted over.”
“Nae, it is just you who has reduced me to such simple remarks.” Gimli fired back with a smirk with a pipe peeking out of it.
Legolas resisted to roll his eyes again.
“When I met you I remember how frail I thought you were.” Gimli puffed once more, looking out into the darkness.
“How much I hated the idea of sharing a quest with an elf of all beings.”
Legolas sat quietly as he watched the dwarf he loved so dearly speak into the night air. The elf leaned down to press a light kiss upon the redhead's brow, then rested his head on the smallers shoulder.
“I supposed I worried so much about how much I hated you that I forgot how young we truly were.” Gimli’s deep voice vibrated against the elf’s ear.
“Yes, I admit that even you have changed.” Legolas pulled himself upward to look for a white strand of hair on Gimli’s head.
He twirled the strand through his fingers before locking eyes with the dwarf and letting a content sigh take place.
Gimli brushed his calloused hand against the blonde's face. Caressing his cheekbones with a strong thumb. Legolas leaned into the touch with another small kiss.
“I had an awful habit of looking too long at yer pretty face when no one would be around,” he spoke softly.
“If I’m not mistaken, I believe that habit is still true.” Legolas scoffed.
“Aye,” Gimli said. “How could I not?”
The dwarf grinned into the kiss as Legolas closed his eyes.
Gimli broke it to speak.
“I can recall-!” Legolas kissed his dwarf's mouth once more before a large hand pushed him slightly away. “I can recall, our first kiss.”
Legolas frowned annoyedly.
“What?” Gimli smirked.
“I do not consider that to be our first kiss.” the blonde furrowed his eyebrows at the shorter man.
In retaliation, Legolas scooted away from him.
“Aye, it is not! Yet it is a good memory nonetheless.” Gimli just sat even closer to the blonde.
“I cannot recall having a bloodied nose a good memory.” Legolas frowned.
Gimli shook his head at the thought. When the fellowship was still taking place, Gimli and Legolas had finally been brave enough to confess to one another during a nightly watch.
With that, the pair discreetly planned out a time when they could be alone without four cuddling hobbits and a snoring Aragorn to witness their first kiss.
“Well, it was as special as you wished.” Gimli wheezed into his arm after inhaling too much smoke.
After a long and grueling time, Legolas and Gimli were finally able to find a moment of privacy.
They had sought refuge behind a large boulder, safely secluded from any lingering enemies or prying eyes.
With their guard finally dropped, Legolas had eagerly kissed his newfound love, sadly he had been a bit too hasty and had accidentally struck Gimli's nose, causing it to bleed at a terrifying rate.
Gimli still laughs about it when he thinks of how the elf almost fainted.
That night they didn’t kiss but instead, Legolas walked in shame to his tent while Gimli washed the blood off of his face.
“I do not wish to speak of this any longer Gimli.” Legolas said quickly before the dwarf could say anything else more embarrassing.
Gimli laughed and laughed into the quiet night air. The dwarf of the glittering caves may sport a few strands of grayed hair now and the elf may look more like his father every day, but one thing remained. Indeed their appearance had changed with time rolling throughout Middle Earth, but their hearts had not.
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A link to the fanart I made!
https://imgur.com/a/i8dYZjo