Legolas tossed and turned on the forest floor, desperately grasping at a sleep he knew would not come. It was not the unforgiving forest floor or Gimli's snores that kept the elf from sleeping, but instead it was the sense of danger he felt clinging to the back of his mind. It was like the oppressive heat of summer that smothers everything, coating your body like a blanket even when you have cast out all your bedding in an attempt to keep cool. Legolas shifted once more, this time not being able to contain a small whimper. He knew he would need his rest for their quest to rescue Merry and Pippin, but as much as we wanted to escape his mind and dream, the forbidding sense of danger would not let him rest.

As Legolas turned over and whimpered again, he felt a sudden hand on his shoulder. The elf tensed for a moment before he heard a quiet, rough voice speak.

"Legolas," only one word was spoken, but the soft tone was enough to show the concern laced in the comment.

Legolas finally gave up any hope for sleep completely and sat up, turning to face Aragorn, "I cannot sleep."

Aragorn gazed steadily at Legolas for a moment before he sat back casually, slowly removing his hand from Legolas' shoulder, "What's wrong?"

Legolas' eyes flitted about as they quickly adjusted to the dark, and although he could see no one else but himself and his two companions, he was not comforted, "Danger, Aragorn. I feel it. We are all in danger, and I cannot just sleep and wait for something to claim us in the night!"

Aragorn's sat quietly for a long moment, as if contemplating his next words deeply, "Is it near?"

Legolas' brows knit together and he delicately raised a hand to his forehead, his composition breaking slightly as his voice rose, "No! It's not near, it's not far, and it's not anywhere! It's just here! My senses won't let me forget its presence, yet I can't decipher anything." Legolas' voice quieted again, and his eyes met Aragorn's with a panicked sadness, "What if my intuition is fading? Is there something wrong with me?"

Aragorn absently rubbed at his scruffy chin before he found the right words. He sighed and turned to gaze up at the stars instead of looking at Legolas.

"No my friend, nothing is wrong…" Aragorn turned his eyes from the sky to the stars in Legolas' eyes. The elf's face was still wrought with anxiety, and it pained Aragorn to see his friend so distraught. The world was in enough turmoil these days, and he hated to see any more hurt than could be avoided. Aragorn had also always instinctively had a soft spot for the elf, and had a need to protect him, even if he knew Legolas was a perfectly able warrior.

Legolas looked away from Aragorn, obviously not believing his attempt at words of comfort. Aragorn placed a hand softly on Legolas' shoulder, demanding his attention. When Legolas' turned back to Aragorn, he was biting his lip in an unusual show of worry. Aragorn slowly moved his hand soothingly across the elf's delicate shoulder as he spoke again, "We are at war, Legolas. No matter where we are, we will be in peril. That is the danger of war; it is always present. You can sense it all around you, in the earth. It is everywhere, even if it is not near." Aragorn tilted his head, moving his hand to Legolas' soft cheek, tilting the elf's face so he was looking at him. Aragorn could not resist rubbing a calloused thumb across Legolas' angled cheekbone. However Legolas did not seem to mind, he just let his eyes flicker down to the ground as he spoke softly, "Then if that is true, I fear I may never sleep again. My mind will not rest if I sense danger."

Aragorn whispered, "Then allow me to hold you while you sleep, we can trick your mind into feeling protected."

If Aragorn could not feel the heat on Legolas' cheeks with his hand, he would have missed the elf's blush in the dark.

Legolas was silent and for a moment panic raced through Aragorn's heart; he must have gone too far. How could he even propose such a thing? But instead of shoving Aragorn away Legolas tilted his face into Aragorn's palm and lightly kissed it. The soft lips touched Aragorn's palm so quickly he thought he could have almost imagined the delicate touch. Aragorn sat still in shock as Legolas' lay back down, his back facing towards the dark haired man.

"Then protect me." The words were so quiet Aragorn could barely make them out. They sounded like just a rustle of wind in the leaves all around them, but he knew it was Legolas' who had spoken them.

Aragorn lay down cautiously, still waiting for the protest he thought must be coming from the elf. But when Legolas' said nothing he wrapped an arm around the elf's small waist and rested his forehead to his shoulder, burying his face in the pale blond locks. He waited until the elf's breathing slowed into the deep breath of sleep before he let the sound lull him into his own dreamland.

...xxx...xxx...

Legolas' eyes unwillingly opened to the rays of the morning sun. He would have willingly let them fall closed again if he had not heard a shuffling behind him. He turned over to see Aragorn sitting up, preparing to start the day. Legolas reached out a hand and grabbed Aragorn's forearm before he realized what he was doing. Aragorn looked down, surprised to see the elf awake. Apparently he hadn't been as stealthy as he thought he was and had awoken the beautiful sleeping form. He frowned.

Legolas' spoke with a voice of quiet sadness, "Why won't you stay?"

Aragorn spoke with a low morning voice, "Surely the sense of danger does not haunt you in the day?"

Legolas looked down, not wanting to meet Aragorn's eyes, "No, it does not…but it seems weariness has caught up with me. I am tired."

Aragorn could not help but smile at the elf's lie, "You are an elf. Exhaustion would catch up with me long before it caught up with you."

Legolas knew it had been a weak lie. He let his hand slide down Aragorn's muscled arm before it rested lightly on his hand. He did not want to let go. He pulled Aragorn's hand to his tousled braids, not wanting the man's touch to go away.

"Would you still be so generous if I simply wanted you to stay?"

Aragorn's voice was stern when he next spoke, but the smile on his face betrayed what he really felt as he leaned in towards Legolas, "We have no time to waste…"

Legolas could not help the smile that lit up his features as well. His eyes flickered mischievously towards Gimli's snoring form, "Gimli is such a troll to wake up in the morning. Why not spare ourselves from the terrifying task for just a little longer?"

Aragorn's smile widened as he leaned in closer to Legolas' lips, "I'm sure this isn't a sight he would kindly wake up to anyway."

Legolas quirked an eyebrow, "What sight?"

Aragorn replied by meeting the sweet taste of Legolas' lips with his own.

Legolas and Aragorn did not feel guilty about waking Gimli up by pouring water on him that morning. In fact, they felt rather generous about not letting him wake up to the two of them kissing passionately. Gimli of course did not feel the same way, but then again, he did not know what the bucket of water had saved his poor eyes from seeing. And quite frankly, Legolas and Aragorn liked it that way.