Chapter Text
✧ When Aragorn first sees you, there is a second when he pauses. It’s almost imperceptible as he looks you up and down, mainly seeing Arwen in you. A little bit of himself.
✧ As he greets you it’s like he would any other, respectfully and asking your name.
✧ But as the two of you travel together he tries to keep you close to him.
✧ He claims that it’s because you’re young and he wants to make sure you’re safe - which is true - but there’s an extra instinct for protection in this case. Because he can’t see you get hurt.
✧ Definitely helps you with blade skills (think the training session between Boromir and the hobbits except it’s you and Aragorn).
✧ Always gives you first or last watch because you need your sleep. Strongly denies Pippin’s accusations of favouritism.
✧ Tries to pass on some of his skills to you, so in the downtime you have you might be identifying plants together or lighting a fire.
✧ Wishes he had more wisdom that his father could have passed down to him. In fact, generally feels unprepared for how he should treat you. Aragorn knows you’re not his child, but there’s still something that makes him want to look out for you and he would appreciate the extra guidance.
✧ Tells you quite a lot about Arwen - he looks forward to you finally meeting her.
✧ You’re always the first person he looks to find after battles, checking you over for injuries and patching them up the second he sees them.
✧ Is privately very proud of you - he wasn’t told his heritage until he was twenty-one, and yet you are here with him now.
✧ Oftens sings when everyone is trying to get to sleep, he doesn’t do it specifically to sooth you but it is very calming, especially after a long day.
✧ After the battle where you’re both injured, he stays with you until you fall asleep.
✧ You’re just slipping unconscious when he pulls the blanket slightly higher, whispering to you, “Good night, senya.”
✧ At the time you don’t think too much of it, at least until you ask him what it means the next day.
✧ He freezes for a second, before he admits it translates to ‘my child’. There’s a second more of pause as he waits for you to say something, before you smile. And he realises that you don’t mind.
✧ When he finally introduces you to Arwen he spends slightly too long making sure you look good (smoothing your outfit, tucking in a stray bit of hair).
✧ Arwen can see the resemblance when she first sees you, although she thinks you look more like Aragorn.
✧ There’s a knowing smile on her face as she greets you before looking to her betrothed.
✧ Seeing the two of them together for the first time, you finally see the resemblance as well.
✧ Making eye-contact with Aragorn he realises you know, and gives you a sheepish smile.
✧ Afterwards he apologises for being overbearing, and perhaps over-stepping boundaries, but you reassure the man that it’s ok - and he doesn’t have anything to apologise for.
✧ Arwen enjoys spending time with you as well, asking if you’ll meet her and enjoys getting to know you. She’s a lot more open about your looks, but it’s never suffocating. She says it rather affectionately, as though it is something she wants you to be proud of.
✧ No-one particularly acknowledges it when the three of you are together, but to the unknowing eye you truly do look like a family.