"How are your hands?"

Aragorn looked up, startled. Legolas stood in the doorway, concern showing in his cobalt eyes. The human met the elf's gaze and gingerly moved his fingers. They still burned from holding the palantir, but they were finally starting to cool. "Better," he replied. "I imagine Pippin's hands are worse."

Legolas smiled faintly. "He had Merry fussing over him until he and Gandalf left." The archer stepped into the room, shutting the door behind him.

"Pippin's departure seems to have upset Merry greatly," commented Aragorn, laying back down on the bed and closing his eyes.

"You'd be upset as well," came Legolas' voice from somewhere to his left. "Imagine watching your lover ride off into certain death, not knowing if you'll ever see him again before you died," he explained.

Aragorn's eyes snapped open. "Merry and Pippin are lovers?" he asked incredulously. He started to sit up, but Legolas gently pushed him back and laid down beside the human.

"You didn't know?"

"I had just assumed that they were only close friends."

Legolas let out a musical laugh. "So, I suppose that we are 'only close friends,' then?" the elf purred, crawling on top of the other male.

Aragorn chuckled and pulled Legolas down for a slow kiss. "Tired of bunking with Gimli?" he breathed.

"His snores are louder than those of the Uruk-Hai," came the growled response.

"Certainly no way for the Prince of Mirkwood to rest," Aragorn murmured against Legolas' skin. His hands wandered over the elf's lithe body and slipped under the green tunic.

Legolas sucked in a gasp and closed his eyes. When he opened them again, they were a dark midnight blue. "Aye, but we all must make sacrifices in a time of war," he said with a sigh. "Thank Elbereth that I have you, though. This journey would be unbearable otherwise." At this comment, the elf's tone became serious.

Aragorn lifted his head so he was eye to eye with Legolas. The Prince's eyes were filled with longing, need, and another emotion which Aragorn couldn't quite place. He leaned in and captured the other male's lips with his own, groaning softly as Legolas deepened the kiss.

"We should continue this before the Lady Eowyn comes in wishing to speak with me," he said breathlessly, breaking the kiss only to divest himself and the elf of their tunics. With that accomplished, he flipped Legolas onto his back and pinned his wrists down, grinning at the struggling Prince. "What say you?"

~*~*~*~

Much later, Aragorn lay curled around Legolas with a feeling of utter contentment running through his body. He brushed the elf's blonde hair out of his eyes and pressed a kiss to his forehead.

"What are we?" Aragorn asked quietly, remembering Legolas' sarcastic remark about them being only close friends.

"Hm?" Legolas blinked sleepily at him.

"What you said earlier," explained Aragorn, "about us being close friends. What would you call us, then?"

Legolas thought for a moment, then grinned at the younger male. "Friends with benefits," said the elf before snuggling closer to Aragorn and falling asleep.

Aragorn smiled and kissed the archer's forehead once more. He raised a finally healed hand to the Evenstar pendant round his neck. He was now positive that his feelings were true. Firmly grasping the pendant, he gave it a sharp tug, feeling the chain break. Then, taking care not to wake Legolas, the Ranger dropped the pendant into his pack. Now he could finally sleep in peace.