#my friend said that my gimli is so very gimli

[imaginethisscenario]

I can just hear the absolute screeching halt the rest of the company’s mind comes to when they see little Frodo :

“Bilbo, you never said hobbits could have babies…”

“What? Of course we can have babies!” Bilbo said with a huff. “What a ridiculous thing to say. Do you think we have eggs?”

“Well, now I’m not sure what to think,” Bofur muttered, some closest to him nodding in agreement as they watched the baby in Fíli’s hands.

“The little pebble has your eyes, Uncle Thorin!” Kíli gushed, looking as if he was fighting very hard not to rip the baby from his brother’s hands.

“This is crazy,” Fíli muttered, the sweetest softest smile on his face as he gently stroked the babies cheek. “Hello, little prince.”

“Well done, Thorin,” Dwalin congratulated, patting his now very confused friend.

“…thank you.”

“Of course he gets all the credit,” Bilbo snarked, eyeing Thorin playfully as he placed his hands on his hips. “Meanwhile, I’m the one who carried him.”

“That’s simply not fair, ghivashel. I told you if I could have, I would have,” Thorin said missing everyone’s horrified and confused looks as he sent a jealous look his nephews way. Frodo was smiling softly up at Fíli, his eyes drooping slightly as he was very content in the dwarfs arms. “I don’t know why he doesn’t like me.”

“Don’t worry too much, laddie,” Gloín reassured. “My Gimli preferred his ma for years - ma’s have a way with their wanes after all.” He paused, glancing between Bilbo and Frodo curiously. “Not sure how that statement fits in for this, but now, we’re thick as thieves, my Gimli and I. Your time will shine, just you wait.”

“How do you…” everyone turned to Ori’s beet red face, the dwarf looking horribly embarrassed that he had even started talking. “How does he… eat?” The company was immediately intrigued, a few instinctively glancing at Bilbo’s chest. The hobbit didn’t notice though, leaning against Thorin with a shrug.

“Just a bottle with whatever milk is available, though the little dear favors cow milk,” he explained, missing the way Thorin turned to Balin and quietly ordered him to send for more cows from the nearest farm. “And now that’s he’s a few months older, he likes to munch on soft foods.” Frodo gave a large yawn, earning soft smiles and little fawning noises from the company around him. And that was the sign that Bilbo needed as he stood. “Okay, he’s going to nap, and I know there are things you all were doing before this.” The company seemed to jump into action at that.

“I’ll begin making him some new clothes,” Dori cheered. “Durin blue with silver strands - he’s going to be adorable!”

“I’ll go restock the medical cabinets,” Oín grunted. “Children get sick so often.”

“I’m gonna start on some toys, for the lad!” Bofur called, Nori, Bifur, and Gloín throwing in their services.

“I can go make some foods most dwarf babies like,” Bombur offered.

“But he’s half hobbit!” Nori called after him, receiving a shrug from the chef.

“I’m sure his dwarven half will kick in.” That was when the two newly made parents shared a startling look with one another, turning back to the company that was all practically gone.

“His what half?” Thorin called, but no one responded. Why would they? Ori was walking out hand in hand with Dwalin when he sent Bilbo a smile.

“I’ll start up on some baby books,” he grinned, Dwalin sending Thorin a wave.

“I’ll make some soft weapons. He’s young, still, but we’ll start his training early.” And with that, the door fell shut, leaving only the Durin’s in the room. Frodo had now fallen asleep, too happy to do so in Fíli’s arms and the dwarf was all too happy to keep him there, going as far as kicking his brother away when Kíli tried to take him. The two settled into the large armchair, Kíli accepting defeat (for now) and taking up the other.

“It’s so cool you had a baby, Uncle Bilbo.”

“I what?!”

Bilbo's been living in Erebor for a few years as the king's consort when he gets word from the shire that a little baby hobbit has been entrusted into his care and can you come pick up your baby cousin please so Bilbo and Thorin make the journey to Bag-end to collect little Frodo, but for various reasons (probably safety/general dwarf secrecy idk) they don't tell anyone other than Balin the reason for their journey

All this to say can you imagine the chaos that ensues when Bilbo and Thorin mysteriously disappear for months and then return with a hobbit baby with blue eyes and dark wavy hair

[memray]

just some lads (i’m british)

[edges-of-night]

Hi! I hope you are doing well. If I could, I’d like to request how the fellowship reacts to you walking in on them either changing or in a compromising situation. Could go the other way around if you prefer; I’ve just don’t think I’ve seen anyone do this prompt with the reader walking in rather than them

No worries if you don’t want to do this prompt :)

Hi, I hope you’re well too! I didn’t go the entirely humorous route with this one, but I did choose to do it the way you described, with reader walking in on the Fellowship.

I hope you’ll enjoy your post! Take care ♡

･ﾟ✧ Aragorn.

Aragorn has no problem with others seeing him naked. That said, he knows it’s not like that for everybody, and he does anticipate your embarrassment and profuse apologies once you accidentally walk in on him changing clothes. He’d gently and unexcitedly assure you everything was fine – and was perhaps a bit confused by himself. Is he blushing? Why is he so preoccupied by this? Maybe this is different when it’s with you…

.

･ﾟ✧ Boromir.

Many soldiers are used to seeing other people naked and being seen naked themselves, and Boromir is no exception. Still, he wouldn’t be entirely comfortable with you walking in on him changing. A nervous laugh would escape him, though he’d instinctively try to play his ‘prince charming’ routine. Probably even successfully! That said, he knows this could very well be a delicate matter to you – and your comfort is always Boromir’s top priority, so he’d handle the incident according to your wishes.

.

･ﾟ✧ Frodo.

Frodo, as usual, is very unagitated about your accidental glance at him changing clothes. From behind the door, you hear him chuckle: “Don’t worry about it! I should’ve closed that door, it’s my fault entirely.” He would only make a few lewd jokes about the incident when drunk at the Green Dragon, but not anymore once you ask him to keep this between the two of you. It wouldn’t change your relationship in the slightest.

･ﾟ✧ Gandalf.

Walking in on Gandalf changing clothes would probably result in a blanket magically flying over your head or even your body losing control and turning around to walk the other way, like a puppet. You’d see nothing – in fact this would happen before you even knew what was going on.

.

･ﾟ✧ Gimli.

Being the proud Dwarf that he is, Gimli would probably act like the incident never happened and be surprisingly nonchalant about the matter. He has nothing to hide or be insecure of, especially not with you. And after all, it was an accident! However, he’d sometimes makes jokes along the lines of “you never walk in on me anymore, dearie” after some time had passed. He takes all of this is good humour.

.

･ﾟ✧ Legolas.

I feel like out of the Fellowship, Legolas would be the “flirtiest” if you walked in on him changing his clothes. He is also exceptionally good at reading your mood: Are you embarrassed? “Be at ease, dear friend. There is no harm done, and so we won’t speak of it again.” Are you curious? Eyebrows raised, he’d subtly make sure to give you the best angles. Or are you perhaps being flirty as well? “It’s a good thing you’ve come! Look here – could you help me with this girth? It’s been driving me mad…”

.

･ﾟ✧ Merry.

In the heat of the moment, Merry would probably scream something at you, like “Some privacy, please!” A minute later and he already wants to disappear into the Earth, blaming himself – how could he lash out at you like that? He’d worry and quickly walk up to you to apologise. He would accept your apology too, though he would still blush and quietly ask you to knock next time. Also: He knows how the Shirefolk can behave sometimes and wants to shield you from gossip.

.

･ﾟ✧ Pippin.

Pippin let out a cry when you accidentally walked in on him changing clothes, making you turn on your heels – before remembering you’ve seen him naked plenty of times. There’s no big scandal, even though he acts like there was. Going forward, as a joke, he would play with his scarf and smirk at you like the dirtiest thing happened between the two of you. You try to keep it down, but eventually, Pip would go around telling people you keep walking in on him on purpose.

.

･ﾟ✧ Sam.

Sam would be just as surprised and embarrassed as you are. He’d stumble over his words and his feet alike, trying to get distance between the two of you and cover his naked skin at the same time. Afterwards, you apologise to him profusely, but Sam knows very well you didn’t mean to intrude. “‘t was an accident. Nothin’ more and nothing less.” Still, he’d blush a little – and, just sometimes, wonder if you perhaps liked what you saw – after all, he’s too shy to ask ♡

[shangchiswife]

dating aragorn headcanons!

hi guys this is the first time in a while that i've written something so i hope that you enjoy. i just recently rewatched lord of the rings and i'm obsessed with aragorn again so here are some headcanons!

aragorn x gn!reader

Aragorn is the biggest gentleman ever. You basically won the lottery when you started dating him.

The lyrics “In a world of boys he’s a gentleman” are about him 100%. Taylor Swift you are not slick at all.

Do not be fooled by his rugged looks, this man is the biggest romantic. He will plan the most romantic dates for the two of you even when he’s busy trying to be King. Even when he’s busy with his kingly duties he will still find a way to shower you with affection. Whether it’s leaving little love notes on your nightstand or bringing you a flower bouquet, he always wants you to make sure that you know that he’s thinking about you.

Aragorn’s love language is through acts of service. He wants to do everything for you. You are his first priority. You’re not feeling well? He’ll drop everything in his schedule to make sure you’re alright. Your weapons aren’t clean? He’ll clean them no problem. You’re cold? Bro will gladly take off his shirt and give it to you so that you’re not cold anymore.

When you guys were trekking through Middle Earth this man made sure that you got as much rest as possible

“Aragorn it’s my turn to take watch” you had said, rubbing your eyes with exhaustion. He walked over to you and put a hand on your shoulder. “You’re still tired, rest, sweet one, I’ll take care of it.” “But-” “No buts,” he said as he pushed you down gently. “Alright well I’m taking your shift tomorrow night,” you grumbled as you put your head in his lap and immediately fell asleep.

Let's just say he didn’t let you take the shift the next day.

He is soooo overprotective of you. He’s always been very protective over those he cares about but he’s especially protective over you since you’re his number one priority. Aragorn's actions are driven by genuine concern and love. He simply cannot bear the thought of losing those he holds dear and will do whatever it takes to keep them safe.

He’s the person who taught you how to fight. You were so embarrassingly bad at first but Aragorn never once made fun of you. He was patient even as you started getting annoyed with training. He was determined to make you a great fighter and it worked.

During the fellowship, you fought fearlessly alongside Aragorn and took down hundreds of orcs together. At one point, Merry even playfully called you guys a power couple because of how hard you both fought together, which made you both grin at each other.

You and Aragorn are basically the hobbits’ parents. They all love you so much and look up to you both with the utmost respect. You both admire them a lot too. Their loyalty and determination never fail to inspire both of you to keep going, even when things get tough and the future feels uncertain.

You’re also best friends with Gimli and Legolas. They have so much respect for you. They are also always trying to one-up each other when it comes to you so they can be your favorite. Spoiler alert you could never choose between them!

Gimli often pretends to be grossed out by displays of affection between you and Aragorn, and likes to tease the two of you with mock disgust. “Oh, just get a room already!” he’d say which would make you and Aragorn laugh. However, deep down, he secretly harbors a soft spot for romance and enjoys witnessing the love and affection between you two. He may grumble and groan about it on the surface, but in reality, he finds it heartwarming to see the bond you share and the happiness you bring each other. 

Aragorn isn’t really big on PDA but once you’re alone together, he's affectionate and attentive, making sure you feel cherished and cared for in every moment you share.

In public, he keeps it subtle with affection, but every now and then, he'll gently caress your palms or hold your hand, just enough to let you know he's there. It's his quiet way of showing love without drawing too much attention.

This man loves to give you forehead kisses. Whether you're feeling on top of the world or weighed down by the challenges of the day, Aragorn's forehead kisses are his way of saying that he’s always going to be there for you.

You often find yourself snuggled against his chest, your hand resting over his heart while his arm encircles you protectively. His fingers trace gentle patterns on your skin, a soothing sensation that relaxes you. 

He also has the softest singing voice. It’s so pretty. He mostly sings old Elvish tunes but sometimes he’ll sing some songs in English.

You and Aragorn both share a love for animals, and you often find yourselves adopting stray creatures in need of a home. He's clearly a dog person through and through (I don't make the rules), but he has a soft spot for cats as well.

You love it when Aragorn tells you stories about his past. Whenever he starts recounting his adventures, you're all ears, completely mesmerized by his past. Secretly he loves your fascination with his stories and it fills him with a quiet sense of warmth.

You have a shared love for adventure and often find yourselves exploring new places together, whether it's hiking through scenic landscapes or just going around Gondor.

He is also the best listener. You tend to yap a lot but he does not seem to care at all. He will listen attentively, asking questions every so often, drinking in your every word. He always wants to make sure that you feel heard. 

Aragorn also dreams about starting a family with you. He's always imagined the joy of being a father and raising children together, but he'll only take that step if you're both on board and excited about it. Your comfort and readiness are his top priorities, and he wants nothing more than to embark on this adventure together, hand in hand.

[zeldalizzy]

I noticed you said that you're into both LU and LOTR... have you considered how those characters might interact? 👀 /curious /nf

- hero-of-the-wolf

Ooooo, ok ok actually yes i have!! Someone also requested a drawing of the Chain as the Fellowship so that may or may not be coming soon also! ;)

Anyway, in terms of how they would interact, hm. I think that each Link would kinda latch onto a member of the Fellowship that they most resemble, and kinda stick to them, but i think both groups would be chummy, and i mean, the pure defensive and offensive power of the Chain and the Fellowship combined would be immense.

In terms of similarities, here's kinda how i think of it:

Gandalf and Time: both are leaders, both are ridiculously powerful but don't use all their powers, both are kind, cryptic, and self-sacrificial, and have a soft spot for the little ones

Aragorn and Twilight: horse girls, but also natural born leaders, kinda mysterious, VERY protective, strong warriors, and extremely noble. Also they were both raised by a different people group (aragorn was half-human half-elf, raised by elves, twilight is hylian, raised by ordonians)

Boromir and Warriors: yeah so... this one is kinda just vibes. idek why, but would Warriors take three arrows or more to save one of his brothers? Absolutely. Also, Boromir is a Captain (Captain of the White Tower) and Wars is too, so they would relate on many levels there about taking armies to war and what not. Also... yeah... sorry Wars, of all the ppl to try to steal the ring it would be you. So sorry. And then he'd feel horrible about it and probably cry.

Legolas and Wild: long-eared archers with long, blonde hair. nothing more needs to be said here.

Gimli and Four: ok, hear me out on this one. Four is a blacksmith. He would have SO much respect for dwarves in their weapons and in their smithing skills in mining and making armor. He would probably just see shorter guy with a beard and latch on immediately because of his grandfather too. And both are a little embarrassed about being short and would NEVER want to be tossed unless absolutely necessary. Gimli would also be very impressed by Four's skills and have a lot to teach him too!

Sam and Sky: also vibes for this one. Sure Wild might be the Cook, but no one is as kind-hearted, loyal, over-protective, and compassionate as Sky and Samwise. Both have special ladies too, and Sky would 100% no hesitation carry one of his brothers up a massive exploding volcano if need be. Both soft, huggable, but not to be underestimated on the battle field.

Frodo and Hyrule: the burdens, my friends. the burdens. Frodo has to carry the cursed ring, Hyrule has to carry his cursed blood (as seen in Adventure of Link). Both are a bit shy, but very brave and loyal (we talkin' book Frodo here) and both have to go through a ton, kinda on their own. they are also both polite and selfless and have pure hearts that help them to resist the evil thrust upon them.

Legend and Merry: the trouble and disasters these two would get into, my goodness gracious. Legend may be a bit prickly around the edges, but he's also a prankster (Entrance), similarly to Merry. However, both of them have good hearts despite how they present themselves as tricksters. They are both loyal brothers who are extremely brave and adventurous.

Pippin and Wind: mostly just personality for this one. fun, childlike energy, brave, and sometimes make rash decisions. but also kind, lighthearted, and loyal. both are the youngest so they both have to deal with over-protectiveness from the other members of their group. they are both also dangerously curious, and likely to get up to mischief if one does not keep an eye on them...

Well, that was a total whirlwind, sorry for ranting!!! but I hope that answered your question!! Thanks so much for your ask, @hero-of-the-wolf!! i hope you are doing well! nice to meet a fellow LU and LOTR fan!! 🩵

[live-laugh-legolas]

hii!! so your previous crush-post (xD) was so. cute! may I ask for some more romantic fluff and the Fellowship (and Faramir and Arwen, if it's okay?) proposing to the reader?

I added pictures of what the rings might look like because I have a Pinterest addiction and figured I could put it to use

How the fellowship proposes (+ Faramir & Arwen)

Aragorn:

-To be completely honest, I don’t see him being particularly traditional about it

-And by that I mean he doesn’t make a big thing of it and doesn’t do the whole kneeling thing

-I imagine him proposing just happens in a loving conversation that is pretty casual

-But honestly every conversation with him feels kinda intimate so it’s still very romantic

Legolas:

-He is restless

-He plans it to be thought out and to give a little speech

-But it just kinda comes out

-Not in an awkward or rushed way; but he is just so in love he can’t wait any longer

Gimli:

-Actually shitting himself

-I really think he would have planned to propose on multiple different occasions but got too scared and chickened out

-It’s not because he isn’t sure about it, or thinks you won’t say yes; he just wants it to be perfect

-He covers for his anxiety with a forced confidence that is frankly adorable

-Blushes profusely

Boromir:

-Very traditional

-I’m talking secluded paradise with rose petals and candles everywhere

-He spares no expense; no he’s not extra…he just wants to show how much he loves you…that’s it

-Down on one knee giving a honorable and sweet speech about how you are the best thing in his life and how he will spend eternity loving you

-Definitely gets a little emotional but for the most part he keeps it together (the same cannot be said for your wedding)

-He had Faramir help him find a ring because I refuse to believe Boromir knows anything about fashion, let alone jewelry

Frodo:

-He’s a bit restless, but in a giddy sort of way

-He’s just so excited about the idea of marrying you that he isn’t even thinking too much about the proposal

-He knows you will say yes

-I could also see him putting the ring somewhere you will find it; maybe on your pillow, and hide in the next room all giddy like a little kid as he waits for you to find it

-This is what my dad apparently did and I think it’s cute

Sam:

-Ok I know I said Gimli is shitting himself; but this guy is actually having the squirts

-But he’s nervous because he gets very down on himself at times and he worries you might say no

-Logically he knows you will be so excited because you have talked about marriage before; but he can’t help but worry

-Doesn’t take you anywhere too fancy; he keeps it kinda casual but romantic

-Maybe in the garden

Merry:

-He has had this planned for months

-He has one of his friends distract you for the day while he sets up a romantic picnic dinner

-Like a surprise party that you are kinda expecting because the person getting you out of the house is kinda sus

-But it’s so sweet and Merry is dresses so nicely

-Seriously a dapper little hobbit

-He has practiced some speeches to Pippin, but he doesn’t end up doing any of them

-Instead he opts for just a natural conversation that is sweet and to the point

-Big expensive gem

Pippin:

-He has been pretending to propose for a while

-Well not really pretending, but you know it’s not his official proposal

-That being said every “proposal” he does comes with some sort of offering; he once did it with your dinner plate

-All his fake proposals were to have some fun with it, but mainly to get over his nerves; he’s practicing

-Will continue to fake propose even after you are married just for the fun of it

-Likes to see people’s reactions (plus maybe get a free cake slice at a restaurant or something idk)

-I wanted to add a joke picture of a tiny with three plastic carrots but alas you are only allowed 10 pictures apparently so just imagine I did a funny thing

*Bonus Faramir

-He is just the sweetest and I love this man

-He seems like the type to propose pretty early on in a relationship

-Not because he’s rushing, but he just knows you are the one

-Surprisingly calm about it; or at least he appears that way

*Double bonus Arwen:

-She is probably the most confident of them all

-She is just so sure spoken

-She makes sure you both are dressed in your best clothes and will take you to a beautiful secluded place in Rivendell

-Idk why but I felt strongly that the gem would be blue

-(sorry hers is short, I wasn’t particularly inspired idk why)

——————————————————————-

Just a little reminder that Gandalf isn’t included because I don’t generally write him for romantic prompts unless specifically asked

[where-the-warren-ends]

A Garden Of Laughter

Samwise Gamgee and Legolas

CW/TW: none

Summary: this fic is based off of a post by @penny-anna where Samwise finds out elves can die from sadness and tries to make sure Legolas is happy all the time

The Fellowship sat together around the campfire, weary but comforted by the crackling warmth. Aragorn was recounting old tales, his voice low and even. It was during one of these stories that Samwise Gamgee learned something that shook him to his very core.

"Elves," Aragorn said, his eyes glinting in the firelight, "are long-lived, but not invincible. They can die from great grief or despair if their hearts are burdened too heavily."

Sam froze mid-chew on his hardtack biscuit. His round eyes darted to Legolas, who sat serenely on a nearby rock, gazing into the fire as if Aragorn’s words were nothing new.

Sam’s mind raced. Die? From sadness? That can’t be right. Not Mr. Legolas, with his smiles and songs! He looks like nothing could weigh him down. But what if he’s hiding it?

The thought twisted Sam’s stomach. He couldn’t bear the idea of losing any of the Fellowship, least of all someone as noble and kind as Legolas. If elves can die from sadness, then I’ve got to make sure Mr. Legolas is as happy as a spring lamb every day, no matter what!

-----

The very next morning, Sam began his mission. First, he approached Legolas as the elf was braiding his golden hair, the sunlight catching on each strand like spun gold.

“Good morning, Mr. Legolas!” Sam chirped, clutching a bundle of wildflowers he'd picked during their brief stop. “Thought you might like these. Pretty things, aren’t they? Like a little bit o’ the Shire out here.”

Legolas turned, surprise softening into a smile as he accepted the flowers. “Thank you, Samwise. They are lovely.”

“Not as lovely as your songs,” Sam blurted, flushing red. “Maybe you’ll sing one for us later, cheer us up, eh?”

Legolas chuckled, tucking a flower behind his ear. “Perhaps I shall.”

---

Sam didn’t stop there. Over the next few days, he went to great lengths to keep Legolas’s spirits high. He told stories from the Shire—about Rosie Cotton, about Old Gaffer, about how the best potatoes were grown in the soil near Hobbiton.

He cooked extra food when he could, slipping Legolas the best portions, even when Aragorn raised an eyebrow at the uneven rations.

One evening, as they camped by a bubbling brook, Sam even managed to convince Gimli to join him in telling an elaborate, ridiculous story about a dwarf who accidentally ended up in Hobbiton and couldn’t figure out how to milk a cow. Legolas laughed so hard he had to steady himself against a tree.

---

But it wasn’t long before Legolas grew curious about Sam’s newfound attentiveness. One quiet evening, while the others slept, Legolas approached the hobbit, who was polishing Frodo’s cooking pans.

“Samwise, may I ask you something?”

Sam glanced up, startled. “O’ course, Mr. Legolas.”

Legolas sat gracefully beside him. “You have been most kind and attentive to me of late. I wonder… is there a reason for it?”

Sam fidgeted, his cheeks reddening. “Well, truth be told, I overheard Mr. Strider sayin’ somethin’ about elves… about how they can… well, die if they get too sad. And I thought to meself, ‘I can’t let that happen to Mr. Legolas, not while I’m around.’ So I’ve been tryin’ to keep your heart full of cheer, y’see.”

Legolas blinked, then burst into laughter—soft and melodic, like the tinkling of silver bells. Sam stared, wide-eyed.

“Samwise Gamgee,” Legolas said, his voice warm with affection, “you are a most extraordinary friend. Fear not; my heart is light and strong, thanks to the company I keep. But your efforts have touched me deeply, and I am grateful.”

Sam smiled, relief washing over him. “Well, I reckon it doesn’t hurt to keep tryin’, eh? Can’t be too careful.”

“Indeed,” Legolas agreed, a twinkle in his eye. “But know this: your kindness alone could banish even the deepest sorrow.”

From that day onward, Sam continued to look after Legolas in his own quiet way. And though the elf never needed rescuing from despair, he would always treasure the hobbit’s big heart and steadfast friendship.

For Samwise Gamgee, ensuring the happiness of others wasn’t just a task—it was his gift. And Legolas knew he was lucky to have such a friend.

[bountydroid]

The Lonely Elf

Haldir x female!elf!OC

Notes: In my LOTR era. This is a self-indulgent story about an OC I've had in my head for a long time. I recently rewatched ROP, The Hobbit, and LOTR (extended version of course) and my love for Haldir has returned. I don't expect anyone to read this.

TW: OC is depressed af. Sort of eating disorder if you squint? Mutual pining (Im a slut for it).

Word count: 5,748

"Will you come to, El?" Frodo's voice echoed in my ears. I felt my chest tighten as I remembered my quest with Bilbo, how it ended, how deeply it affected me. I looked down at the hobbit before kneeling in front of him.

"Of course," I say with a sad smile as I look up to the other companions who have volunteered for this perilous journey. "I wouldn't have it any other way, Frodo."

After retaking Erebor with the dwarves, I found it too difficult to return there. Bilbo knew it, he lost a lot as well. He would never admit how important Thorin was to him and he knew I understood completely. So when he offered me a place in Bag End I couldn't resist. "It is just temporary," I said to him as he smiled up at me. However, temporary for an elf is a lot different than for a hobbit. Sure I traveled here and there, but I always came back. Months turned into years, and years turned into decades and soon Bag End felt like home. Home. That was something I hadn't had in thousands of years.

I remember the village I was raised in and the generations of humans that raised me. I often wondered why, when they found a small elfling, they did not return me to my own kind. It felt selfish of them. I knew nothing of my people, their traditions, their language, I was alone in this world till I ran into a company of dwarves. Bofur warmed up to me almost immediately, he could tell I was different than other elves and before long he had convinced the rest of the company to trust me. Thorin was the last to trust me, but he had good reason. In the end, however, we became extremely close. Two lost souls in Middle Earth searching for a place we belong. During our journey to Erebor, I had started to hope that maybe when we took back the mountain I would have a home again. That dream was shattered when Thorin died. Even though the rest of the company urged me to stay, I couldn't stand the sight of that mountain. So I remained in Bag End, "an honorary Baggins" Bilbo called me. That is why when Frodo asked me to come along I couldn't say no to him. I wouldn't leave this burden to him alone.

"Please look after him," Bilbo said to me after gifting Frodo his old Mithril shirt. "He needs you."

"I will do my best, my dear friend," I said reassuringly as I placed my hand on his shoulder, giving it a light squeeze.

The next morning we were off on our journey. In the month between our leaving Rivendell and the death of Gandalf our fellowship had grown quite close. Boromir and the Hobbits were becoming fast friends as he taught Merry and Pippin how to fight. Even Legolas was starting to warm up to Gimli. It made me smile as I remember traveling with Gloin, his father, and getting thrown in the Mirkwood dungeons by that very elf. However, the mood shifted wildly when Mithrandir died. It broke all of our spirits. How could we possibly hope to succeed when the strongest of us had passed? By the time we had entered Lothlórien, we were all exhausted mentally and physically. I could hear Gimli talking somewhere behind me about how dangerous these woods were and the witch that resided in them. I felt nauseous. Whether it was from fear or lack of food, I did not know. I had been in this forest before but never encountered this so-called witch, and I’m not sure I wanted to. When the party came to an abrupt halt I was taken aback. It took a moment for my eyes to focus and see the bows trained on us.

"The dwarf breaths so loud we could have shot him in the dark." An elf said to Aragorn as he stepped out from behind the archers.

It was Haldir. I felt my heart swell in my chest at the sight of him. I listened as Aragorn greeted him in the elven language.

"Aragorn! These woods are perilous. We should go back." Gimli says from behind me, fear evident in his voice.

"You have entered the realm of The Lady of The Wood. You cannot go back." Haldir responds as he looks between each member of our party before his eyes land on Frodo. "Come. She is waiting."

I could feel Frodo's anxiety radiating from behind me. I turned around and gave him a sincere smile. "It's okay Frodo," I whisper as I feel Haldir's gaze on me. I turn to meet his eyes for a second before he turns and slips behind his archers.

We followed close behind, not that we had much choice with the elves surrounding our party, and we marched until we came across a small structure and a platform that we were urged to climb upon. By the time we made it there, the sun had set and the cold had set in. I couldn't help the small shiver that ran through my body. I stood quietly next to Gimli as Haldir greeted Legolas and Aragorn in elvish.

Gimli interrupts angrily. "So much for the courtesy of the elves. Speak words we can all understand.

I gave Gimli's foot a soft, disapproving kick at his rudeness. Haldir looked down at Gimli before saying in a disgusted tone, "We have not had dealings with the dwarves since the dark days."

"And you know what this dwarf has to say about that?" Gimli responded quickly before saying in dwarvish, "Ishkhaqwi ai durugnul!"

I close my eyes as I run my hand over my face in annoyance as Aragorn addresses Gimli angrily, "That was not so courteous!"

The marchwarden looks over our party again before meeting eyes with Frodo, "You bring great evil with you." He says with a grave tone. "You can go no further."

However, Aragorn refused to accept this as he pulled Haldir aside and began to argue. If Aragorn was unsuccessful what would we do? We needed food, rest, and safety. This was our only option. I looked over at Haldir and the annoyed expression on his face as he argued with Aragorn. Like he could tell I was watching, his eyes flickered over to me. His face softened when he noticed my forlorn expression but soon his attention returned to Aragorn. I turned away sighing before walking over to Gimli.

The memory of our first meeting slipped into my mind as I stood in silence.

-

I was outnumbered. Dozens of orcs had caught my scent and I was out of arrows. I could see the Lothlórien forest in front of me and it was my only chance of survival. I tried my best to keep from tripping over roots and rocks as I ran through the glistening forest. I didn't have time to revel in the beauty mixed into the trees. The magic of the forest was the least of my concerns with the orc pack gaining on me.

I made a split decision to call out, in hopes I wasn't alone. "HELP!" I yell out as I continue to run blindly. Barely a second later I feel an arrow whiz past my face and the yell of an injured orc behind me. When did they get so close? Before long a handful of elves came out of the woods, easily slaughtering my attackers and then they brought their attention to me. I was a stranger to them, a threat.

An elf strode up to me with a serious expression saying something in elvish. I made a sheepish face before I explained, "I don't speak elvish." Disbelief washed across his face as he looked me up and down.

"He doesn't speak the common tongue." Another elf says from behind me. "I am Haldir, who are you and why are you in our sacred lands?"

"I am Elowen. I am sorry to enter your territory without permission I had no other choice. I can leave now if you wish." I respond.

He hums for a moment as he stares into my eyes. “What kind of elf doesn't speak elvish?” His voice was thick with disbelief. He thinks I am lying.

I sighed, my body deflating at the accusation. I was used to being treated like an outsider, but never a liar. "I was raised by humans, not elves," I say with an exasperated tone. “I know it is strange but it is the truth."

Haldir looked between my eyes for a moment, his expression was softer than it was before. “You cannot go the way you came. There are more orcs in the territory." He explained, "You will have to go to the East."

"Thank you. I will be on my way." I say before turning my back towards him, but before I can realize what is happening a hand grasps my pack and pulls me back.

"You will not go wandering these sacred forests alone." He says sternly as he holds onto my pack tightly. "I will escort you."

I gasped in surprise, “As you wish," I quickly mutter.

He tentatively lets go of me before walking in front of me, "Come."

I quickly do as I am told. The last thing I want to do is anger my guide. While we walk I study him from behind. He is calm, confident, and knows the forest well. He gracefully moves around any branches and roots jutting into the path ahead. He is beautiful like elves should be.

"Can I ask you a question?" He asks, breaking the silence.

"Of course," I respond, surprised that he is speaking to me.

"Why did you never learn elvish? Some humans know it." He asks as he looks over his shoulder.

I think over his question for a minute. I haven't ever really thought about why. "I guess -" I start. "I guess I didn't feel worthy."

This causes him to stop in his tracks before turning around to face me. "You should learn." He says. He said it like it was the most obvious thing in the world. The underlying message was not lost on me. You are wrong.

The rest of the hike was relatively quiet, but the birds singing kept you company as you walked close behind your guide. The sun did not shine through the treetops making it impossible to know just how long we had been hiking. It didn’t matter to me. I was grateful for the company, even if he was silent. His presence was enough. It was at this moment that I realized just how lonely I was.

"Here." He says quietly as we reach the end of the forest. He turns to face me once again as I stare up at him.

"Oh," I said quietly, sad that our journey had ended already. "Thank you, Haldir."

He puts his hand on his chest and gives a small bow, "Go now and be safe." He says with a small smile before turning to walk away.

Before long he disappeared into the woods, and I never thought I would see him again.

-

"Did you have to insult him?" I asked Gimli, but before he could respond we heard Haldir's voice.

"You will follow me," He said while staring at Frodo. I couldn't help the sigh of relief that left my body.

We were safe. He explained that he was leading us to Caras Galadhon and once it was in sight it was the most beautiful place I had ever seen.

I gasped at the sight of the wooded city. "It's beautiful," I murmured.

"Indeed," Haldir responded looking at me out of the corner of his eye.

I felt my ears redden at him finally speaking to me. "Pathetic." I thought to myself.

As we entered the city I couldn't help the starstruck look on my face. Everywhere I looked was full of beauty, sparking silver buildings nestled among large trees. I felt the tension in the air as I walked side-by-side with Haldir.

"Do you remember me?" The question that had been burning in the back of my throat broke free.

He let out a small chuckle as he looked at my embarrassed expression. "How could I forget?" He responded with a teasing tone.

I smiled shyly in response before looking down at my feet. He remembers me.

We made it to the top of the forest to see an elven couple waiting for us. They gracefully made their way down the steps hand-in-hand as they looked down upon the company. I nervously glanced over at Aragorn, who was giving our hosts his full attention as he bowed his head. They seemed to almost glow, which reminded me of something Haldir said on our way here, "Lady of Light indeed." I thought to myself.

"The enemy knows you have entered here." The male elf spoke. "What hope you had in secrecy is now gone." He paused to look over our company before continuing. "Nine that are here, but ten set out from Rivendell. Tell me, where is Gandalf? For I much desire to speak with him. I can no longer see him from afar."

I winced at the mention of Gandalf's name. In the beauty of Caras Galadhon, I had almost forgotten our loss. We stayed quiet, none of us wanting to speak the truth of Mithrandir's whereabouts.

"He has fallen into shadow." The Lady of Light spoke with a look of disbelief on her face.

"He was taken by both shadow and flame," Legolas responded. "A Balrog of Morgoth. For we went needlessly into the net of Moria."

"Needless were none of the deeds of Gandalf in life. We do not yet know his full purpose." The lady responded with a comforting tone as she looked at Gimli. "Do not let the great emptiness of Khazad Dum fill your heart Gimli, son of Gloin, for all lands have now grown full of peril. And in all lands love, is now mingled with grief."

I could hear Boromir whimpering in despair as she stared him down. I did not understand till I heard her voice in my head as well.

"Elowen, the lonely elf, for I have heard much about you. Gandalf was very fond of you. You are welcome here." I heard her whisper in my head.

"What now becomes of this fellowship? Without Gandalf, hope is lost." The lord said. We had all thought it, but he was the first to say it out loud.

"The quest stands upon an end of a knife, stray but a little and it will fail, to the ruin of all. Yet hope remains as long as company is true. Do not let your hearts be troubled. Go now and rest for you are weary with sorrow and much toil. Tonight, you will sleep in peace." The lady said, distracting us from her husband's question.

The promise of sleep in safety felt like something to cherish, something we were likely not to get again. I let my body relax at her words. I was grateful for her hospitality. The lady motioned to Haldir, who gave her a bow before beckoning us to follow him. We obeyed quickly, anxious to get some rest.

"You will have the opportunity to bathe as well as fresh clothing while you are here," Haldir explained as he led us to a clearing. "I will be watching over you tonight."

My traveling companions were quick to explore our new sleeping arrangements, taking in the beauty of the forest. I stayed behind, quietly standing next to Haldir as I watched the halflings excitedly look around.

"You said something about a bath?" I asked while looking over at the elf next to me. "I can't imagine we smell good," I said offering a smile.

"For your sake, I will not respond to that," He said smiling back. "Come." I let out a small giggle as I obeyed, following close behind him as we traversed on the winding paths. Eventually, we came upon a small grove, hidden by trees, and inside it lay a glistening pool of crystal clear water with a small waterfall emptying into it.

"Wow," I whispered as I took in the view.

"Fresh clothes will be brought to you," Haldir explained before bowing slightly and taking his leave.

Once he was gone I quickly started to shed off my clothing. The layers of leather armor became exhausting by the time I was fully rid of them. I folded my clothes nicely before placing them alongside the pool. I nervously dipped in a toe before realizing the water was warm. I let out a sigh of relief and I slipped my body into the welcoming water, closing my eyes as I rested against a rock. It wasn’t long till I fell asleep.

I was startled awake by the feeling of a hand on my shoulder. I looked up bewildered to see a she-elf in front of me. She gave me an apologetic look before explaining, “It is dangerous to sleep in the pool. Here I brought you fresh clothing.” She said as she motioned to a pile of white cloth.

“You have my thanks,” I responded sheepishly as she bowed and turned around to gather my old clothing. “The marchwarden has instructed us to clean these for you. Is there anything you will need for tonight?” She asked.

“No there is not,” I said. “I appreciate all you have done.”

She offered a smile before turning and disappearing, allowing me to dry off and change into the fresh clothing she had brought for me. Once dry and changed I returned to our camp for the night.

“You smell good,” Pippin said excitedly as I sat down next to my pack.

“You could too you know.” I jested, “You all smell horrible.”

“Hey now!” He responded feigning injury, “This is the smell of a REAL man!”

I let out a boisterous laugh as the hobbit flexed his muscles. We bantered for a little while longer till I could hardly keep my eyes open. I cuddled up against my pack as I fell asleep to the sound of singing elves. Legolas had said they were singing to honor the memory of Gandalf. It was beautiful.

"El, wake up," Merry said as he shook me awake. "It's breakfast time!"

I groaned as I turned away from him, "I'll eat later."

"Oh no you don't," Merry responded willfully as he shook me again.

"Fine!" I said crankily as I finally sat up and rubbed my eyes. "Someday I will be free of the stubbornness of hobbits."

As I opened my eyes I realized that the rest of the fellowship had bathed and changed as well. Everyone wore beautiful white clothing, untouched by the darkness of our journey. I followed behind the group, falling behind as my eyes drifted everywhere but the path in front of us. I didn't want food, I wanted to explore this beautiful place. I couldn't help but feel a pang of anger in my heart as I remembered all that was taken from me as a child, I could've lived my whole life in a place like Calas Galadhon. The thoughts did not leave me as we sat at the breakfast table, the noise of my companions talking and eating fading into the background as I stared at my plate. I had not eaten in some time, but I could not bring myself to take a single bite. I felt dirty, like if I touched it I would ruin it. Like I didn't deserve it. The thought brought me back to that hike with Haldir when I said I was not worthy of learning elvish. I remember the implications of his response. I was worthy of elvish, and I was worthy of this food. Everyone else had almost finished their plates by the time I took my first tentative bite.

When we had finished we were brought back to our camp by Haldir. Even on the way back from breakfast, Pippin was already asking about a second breakfast. I couldn't help but giggle at the confused expression on Haldir's face.

"There will be festivities later to honor Mithrandir, you are all welcome to come." He explains as we enter our camp.

"Thank you," Aragorn replies with his hand over his heart. "We would be most grateful to attend."

To this, Haldir nods and starts to turn away but before he can get far I grab ahold of his arm. He flinched at the sudden contact and turned to me with wide eyes. I quickly pull my hand back and bring it to my chest like I had touched a burning flame. "I am so sorry. I didn't mean to upset you."

'It is fine," Haldir responds with an unconvincing look on his face. "What do you need?"

“I-“I mutter out, “I was wondering if I could wander Caras Galadhon, or if someone could be my guide? I would very much like to see this magnificent place.”

He does not respond immediately, causing anxiety to settle into my heart. “Forget it,” I say quickly as I turn away.

“Wait,” Haldir called out. “I will guide you.”

“Oh.” I responded quietly before turning around, “I’m sure a marchwarden has much better things to do.”

To this, he gave me a small smile. “No, I don’t. Now please.” He said as he motioned me to follow him.

I did as I was bid, following close behind the elf as he led me through the city. He told me everything I wanted to know, anticipating my questions before I asked them. The history of Calas Galadhon was vast and complicated but quite interesting as well. He also told me much about Lady Galadriel, the Lady of Light. I spoke to him about how I heard her in my head and he confirmed, “Yes, that is part of her magic.”

“It’s quite unnerving,” I mumble. “But she is kind.”

We continued along the path, passing many elves along the way as they went about their daily life. I wondered what it would be like to live here. What would I spend my days doing?

After some time we made it back to camp. I did little to hide my disappointment as the fellowship came into view.

“If you are unhappy you don’t need to continue the journey,” Haldir said as he scanned my face.

“It’s not that. I just-“ I paused. “I enjoyed exploring here.” I respond honestly, “I wonder what my life would be like if I grew up in a place like this.”

He nodded silently, not taking his eyes off of mine. “I understand as much as I can.”

“Thank you for a wonderful day, Haldir,” I say as I give him a small smile. I reach my hand out but stop myself before I touch him, remembering his reaction last time. My ears reddened as I realized what I was doing. I quickly dropped my hand back to my side and scurried toward my companions.

As I met back with the fellowship Aragorn gave me a knowing look. “Boromir will be disappointed.” He whispers to me.

“What?” I ask as I stand above his sitting form.

“He fancies you, but your heart belongs to another.” He said smirking up at me.

I scoff, trying to play off his words, but my face betrays me as it heats up from embarrassment.

The rest of the day was relatively quiet as we readied for the night festivities. We were told there would be wine and dancing. I smiled as I thought about how much Gandalf would have enjoyed participating in such a party.

“All they need is some Old Toby,” Frodo said. “That was his favorite.”

At his words, I felt a tug at my heart. Another loss. Is this what I was doomed to experience? Thorin, Gandalf, who was next? This quest was bound to take more lives. Likely my own as well. I tried not to allow my feelings to ruin the night for me. The festivities were beautiful. Lights were strung through the sparking trees and candles were lit around the space. The elves looked beautiful in their beaded gowns and dress shirts.

“You are not dancing?” Boromir asks as he walks up next to me. He wanted me to dance with him. For a second I thought about it, but then I remembered Aragorn’s teasing words.

“Not in the dancing mood,” I respond, giving him a sheepish smile as I grasp harder at my wine chalice.

“Of course. I am sorry for your loss,” Boromir says putting a hand on my shoulder. “I understand you were close.”

I hummed in agreement as I kept my eyes trained forward, afraid that if I acknowledged his words I would cry. As my eyes scanned the room I came across one particular elf. Haldir. He was standing guard to the occasion, restlessly pacing along the outside of the crowd.

“Excuse me,” I say quickly to Boromir before wading through the partygoers to get more wine. My hands shake as I try to fill my chalice without spilling. While Boromir’s words were not ill-willed, they still affected me deeply.

My eyes wander back to Haldir’s anxious form. Surely no danger was posed here but there he was. He was a serious elf, anyone could tell that. I smiled to myself as I watched him reprimand another guard for drinking. I gathered enough courage to head his way. I wished to speak to him. I always wished to speak to him. His eyes met mine as he watched me climb the steps to reach him.

“It’s a party you know,” I say teasingly once I was planted in front of him.

He smiles slightly as he looks down at me. “Then why are you here?” He asks.

“I’m not really in a celebratory mood,” I admit.

The smile fades from his face as he takes in my words.

“Could I head back to camp? Or do I need an escort for that?” I ask. I had hoped he would offer to escort me, but my wishes would go unfulfilled.

“You may find your way back on your own,” Haldir responds. While his answer was disappointing, the tone of his voice was not. It was as soft as freshly fallen snow like he thought if he spoke too strongly I would break.

“Thank you,” I say graciously as I give him a small bow before taking my leave.

I take my time as I make my way back to camp with my wine glass in hand. There was no rush to return. Truthfully I just wanted to be away from the happy faces. Would they even know I left?

“Elowen.” Boromir’s voice woke me from my trance.

“Why are you here?” I ask him with a disoriented look on my face.

“I am worried about you.” He responds as he takes a step towards me, putting his hand on my shoulder. “I care about you.” He says quietly as he moves his hand from his shoulder to my cheek.

In that moment I realized there is only one soul I wish to touch me in such a way. I pulled away abruptly at his touch. “My heart belongs to another,” I say in a panicked tone as I look around to see if anyone was around. “I am sorry.” I blurt out before dropping my chalice and running quickly down the path. I was no longer heading towards camp, afraid I would encounter Boromir there. I did care about him just not in the way he wanted. However, I was not only running from him but from the realization of my feelings for Haldir.

In my dazed state I quickly got turned around. The panic inside me grew as I realized I didn’t recognize my surroundings. “Did Haldir bring me here?” I questioned myself as I tried to remember earlier that day with no luck. Eventually, I gave up and sat on the ground next to the path. Letting the tears of my pent-up emotions rain down my face. Gandalf, Boromir, Haldir, it was all too much. I knew eventually someone would find me and help me get back to camp, but for now, I was grateful to be alone so I could cry without prying eyes.  

Hours passed before I saw another soul along the pass. A startled she-elf stared down at me, clearly unsure what to do.

“I apologize,” I said with a scratchy voice. “I am horribly lost.”

The elf just stared back at me a bewildered expression causing me to sigh. She did not know the common tongue. I slowly got up from the ground and walked passed her. I thought I was heading in the direction I came from, but truthfully I had no idea where I was.

“Elowen.” I heard a melodic voice in my head. “You needn’t strife.”

Galadriel.

“I am lost,” I say quietly, unsure if she could hear me.

“But that is not why you cry.” She responded knowingly. “You will not be alone forever.”

I started rubbing my eyes, cursing my emotional state as I heard footsteps approaching. I looked up from my hands, expecting Galadriel, but instead came face-to-face with Haldir’s concerned expression.

“Oh,” I sniffle.

He said nothing, instead opting to reach out and gently grab my hand. My eyes widened, shocked by his touch as he started to guide me. He remained silent as we wove along the trail, never letting go of my hand.

“How did you know where I was?” I asked quietly as we entered the camp.

He turned to look at me, quiet for a moment before responding “Lady Galadriel.”

“Oh,” I said quietly. My exhaustion was written across my face.

“Rest now,” Haldir utters as he places a small kiss on my forehead. Before I could even process what he had done he was gone. I stood in place as the feeling of his lips lingered on my skin.

After some time had passed, we finally had to leave Lothlórien. We were all dreading it. We had spent weeks in the comfortable presence of elves, and in those weeks I never saw Haldir again. Galadriel, as kind as she was, would not let us leave without making sure we had everything we needed to succeed. Food, water, and supplies filled our small packs as we changed back into our old clothing. Once we were ready we made our way to the riverbank to say our final farewells and be off on our treacherous journey.

We stood in a line as Lord Celeborn spoke. "Never before have we clad strangers in the garb of our own people." I tried to listen to him speak pretending to not be distracted by Haldir's fingers securing a cloak around my shoulders. "May these cloaks help shield you from unfriendly eyes." He continued as I kept my eyes down, avoiding Haldir’s. “Of course he had to be here.” I thought to myself as embarrassment took me.

While we packed up our boats Aragorn was pulled aside by Lord Celeborn. While we waited for his return I chose to focus on making sure the halflings had everything they needed.

"He's looking at you," Sam said to me as I straightened his pack.

"I know," I sighed before looking back to meet Haldir's eyes. I was surprised to see an almost pleading look on his face.

"Well, aren't you gonna say goodbye?" Sam asked.

I hummed quietly as I mulled over my options, as much as I was heartbroken by the lack of his presence, the look on Haldir’s face made it impossible to stay away. I stood up as Sam grinned at me. "Meddling hobbits,” I said, feigning annoyance before walking over to Haldir.

"Thank you for your kindness, Haldir," I said quietly as I stood in front of him.

"I-" He started before stopping himself. "Be safe." He finally said.

I looked up to meet his eyes, they mirrored the sadness in my own. "Do not fret,” I say as I lay my hand softly on his shoulder, trying to comfort him. He had avoided me for weeks, but all my annoyance had been washed away by the forlorn expression he sported. I had come to expect the downfall of our quest now that we were without Gandalf, but I tried to comfort him nonetheless.

Before he could respond I heard Boromir call out, "El! The Lady Galadriel wishes to see us once more before we head on."  

I step back as reality comes back into focus, giving Haldir a sad smile and a small bow before I head towards Boromir and the rest of my companions.

We waited turns to see the Lady of Light, each fellowship member coming back with gifts to help on the rest of the journey. "And to you, Elowen, I give you the gift of remembrance," Galadriel explains as she hands me a small coin. "This is a gift given to our marchwardens when they have completed their training. Let it help you remember what you are fighting for, and what awaits for you when your quest is done."

Haldir. Does she know something I do not? "Thank you, Lady Galadriel," I mumble as I bow my head.

Once the entire fellowship had received their gifts we piled into our small boats in silence, our heads swirling with the words Galadriel had spoken to each of us. Lord Celeborn and Lady Galadriel waited at the shore as we left the magical forest behind us, but the rest of the elves had disappeared. There was a sad tug at my heart as I peered into the forest looking for any sign of Haldir.

I wished to see him one last time.

[fili-urzudel]

Hii! Congrats on 50 followers!!! 💜 for the prompts list thing, could you do like. Any of them with Pippin? also the forehead touch prompt is so cute please I can’t 😭

I don't often have ideas for Pippin, so this was a treat to write! Just for everyone to know, I'm not answering requests in order. This just happened to be the quickest one to write. Since I had my pick of prompts, I decided to do one I didn't think would get much attention. I hope you like it!

10. Piggyback Rides

Warnings: Very brief insecurity

Word Count: 0.7k

Burden - Peregrin Took

Boromir had been your friend ever since he had helped you become a member of the King's—or the Steward's, you supposed—Guard. His perseverance paid off, as you were now one of the most capable guards and most loyal to him. You were honored to be asked to accompany him to the meeting in Rivendell.

That was where you first met the Hobbits. Your first impression was that, well, they were awfully small. You could tell that Boromir shared your concern for their safety. It was difficult to not view them as children, and you wondered how on earth you were going to keep the poor little lads safe when so many things threatened you all. So you resolved to do anything you could to keep them up on their strength and their fighting prowess.

You had an especially soft spot for Peregrin, or Pippin, as he called himself. He was the youngest of the group, and you couldn't help but be especially fond of him and his antics. Gandalf always rolled his eyes when you shot him looks for his poor treatment of the kid, but he always eased up afterward. You supposed that was part of the reason he kept quiet on this particular occasion.

The others, however, did not.

"It's unwise to expend your energy in such a way, mellon nin," Legolas pointed out as you once again readjusted Pippin as he rode on your back.

"Aye, he's right," Gimli agreed. "He's got his own legs, y'know."

"He's tired," you argued. "We've been sword training. Not to mention, his legs are much shorter than ours, you can't expect him to keep up without a little extra help."

"The others seem to be getting on just fine," Aragorn pointed out, but his smile betrayed his thoughts on the matter.

"Well, I'll carry the others as well, if they want," you said stubbornly.

"I'll carry two and you carry two," Boromir said, chuckling but clearly serious.

"That's alright," Frodo interjected.

"I wouldn't be opposed," Merry commented, and Sam bumped him with his elbow. "It's not necessary, though."

You thought it was strange how quiet Pip was on the matter. He was quite the chatterbox, most of the time. Perhaps he was just embarrassed.

"He's fallen asleep," Boromir leaned over to whisper to you, a smile clear in his voice.

"Aw," you cooed, now extra careful to avoid jostling him more than necessary.

"You cannae do that forever, lass," Gimli warned you.

"Ah, but each time I do, I get a little stronger, so perhaps one day I can," you suggested brightly.

"It's a good thing I've practiced for this," you said with glee, teeth chattering as the fellowship traversed the treacherous mountain pass. You and Boromir had stayed true to your word, and Aragorn had joined your little pact. You carried Pippin still, Aragorn carrying Sam and Frodo, one on each arm, and Boromir holding onto Merry.

"You can put me down as soon as you're able," Pippin said suddenly. "You must be getting tired, and I—I can make it on my own."

"Nonsense, little one," you said, the cold making it hard to hold a smile, however much you wanted to. "I could carry you to the ends of the earth under one arm."

"I just don't want to burden you."

You tilted your head down, finding a temporary respite from the wind by setting your forehead against his. "You could never burden me, Pippin.

"I'm just trying to help you do the great things I know you can do." You weren't quite sure what those things were yet, but if there was one thing you learned growing up, it was that a little encouragement never hurt anyone. "But if you want to walk by yourself, I'll set you down as soon as the snow is shallow enough. Unless you have the elven secret to floating atop it?"

Pippin laughed, his wind-bitten cheeks a frosty red. "Not yet, but I'll try to figure it out."

[borom1r]

WEIRD fuckin ask but we talked about it once and it would not exit the brain. Flavours of neurodivergence within the fellowship: discuss?

OGH. no, good ask. good ask I love it. AUTISM FLAVORED bc that is my own experience :3

Aragorn— autism of the “I Am 100% A Changeling, I Have No Idea How To Relate To Humanity” variety. like yea being partly raised by elves didn’t help but he absolutely wandered around mimicking people to learn how to Behave Like A Person. autism trait absorption for the win!! comes to Minas Tirith and gets a painful crash course in masking, but never quite figured out how to Not stare at someone like a feral cat when he wants something from them (despite the Stare, HATES eye contact)

Boromir— OPPOSITE AUTISM. very direct. EXTREMELY rigid routines. military history special interest (literally just undiagnosed dad autism). probably has food sensitivities but he’s spent so long as a soldier he can just eat anything now. he hates it and he won’t eat a big portion of non-safe foods, but at least he can swallow them. he IS absolutely 100% undiagnosed and doesn’t think there’s anything wrong but if he doesn’t get to perfectly make his bed every morning he will be in a Noticeably Bad Mood for the rest of the day < does not understand that this isn’t normal

Gandalf— oh there’s definitely something going on there, but good luck with figuring THAT out

Legolas— AuDHD king. the autism/ADHD comorbidity is real and he barely bothers to mask. least of all in front of men?? he’s an elf prince and you expect him to act “normal” by human standards? I love how jacked up the Hobbit film timeline is bc Thranduil implying to Legolas “yeah go hang out in Rivendell with a ten year old” is SO funny. canon to me tho. there was a very significant chunk of time where Aragorn was just Mini Legolas. hell world for civilized Rivendell elves. unlike Aragorn, however, prefers very direct eye contact. WILL fully hit you with the 👁️👁️ almost unblinking for a whole conversation

Gimli— I’m gonna be real here. I think neurotypical but in the sense of like. literally nobody cares. dwarves are craftsmen, artisans, smiths, you think they’re going to risk squandering talent simply because somebody needs some accommodations? are you nuts???? like yea maybe somebody’s a Little Weird Sometimes but they can work the forge just fine or tool leather for straps/handle wraps, or draft designs, or stamp metal for decorations, like?? doesn’t particularly grasp the need for labels when you can just work with ppl to figure out what’s best for them + then everyone’s happy. fully has to stew on the fact that Men Don’t Do That, men are actually very rigid about what is socially acceptable and won’t provide accommodations Unless there is a label. wild.

Frodo— autism/depression hell combination. no meltdowns, only shutdowns. auditory processing disorder!! definitely also has poor temperature regulation (CONSTANTLY cold). hey did u know that’s a symptom of ASD? crazy. WILD. anyways. Sam knows he can barely handle the feeling of mittens/gloves so half the time when they’re hanging out is Sam just holding Frodo’s hands so they actually fucking warm up for a bit. not too rigid about Big routines, most of his are Little (always putting a specific amount of sugar in his tea, for example)

Sam— neurotypical but in the sense of my dad where he was just SO used to me being Autistically Strange that he was just like. “well, that’s Strider!” < blissfully unaware. fully just SO used to whatever’s going on w/ Frodo+Merry that it’s Normal to him. like wdym they’re different?? those are just his friends?? hello??

Merry— ADHDDDDDDDDD. and look ik Tolkien said pipeweed is just tobacco but that’s a lie and we all know it, right? right. self-medicating with pipeweed.

Pippin— neurotypical but Pippin-flavored

[spinningalbinoturtle]

Fellowship Marriage and Wedding Headcanons

Aragorn + Arwen

As we see in the movies and books their wedding is a very big to-do in Gondor. Arwen has a great eye and has picked out excellent design choices. If Aragorn had his way they would have been married in a small ceremony in Rivendell outside years ago but also Elrond saw to it that didn’t happen

They very much co-lead and have a fairly equal relationship. I say fairly because ultimately Arwen always has the last say

Aragorn genuinely and intensely worships his wife and will not hesitate to bring her or her opinions up at any given time.

They fuck A LOT. Aragorn absolutely knows how to please a woman and enjoys doing so

Sam and Frodo

Yes they’re married, no he didn’t go to the undying lands, no Sam doesn’t marry Rosie what are you talking about?

I think it would be wildly funny is they got married at Bilbo’s birthday party- but realistically I think they got married in Rivendell on their way back from the quest.

When Sam becomes Mayor he appoints Frodo as his deputy so they can work together

They have a very affectionate and loving relationship to the point where other hobbits (Merry and Pippin) get annoyed by their gratuitous displays of PDA

They have sex like once a week but cuddle everyday

They’re very protective of one another

Eowyn and Faramir

I’ve said it before I’ll say it again, Faramir is a trans woman-they are lesbians

Have a very equal relationship although Eowyn appears more dominant (and kinda is)

They share political power very equally though

They both are scared to be parents but also really want kids: spoiler alert they had nothing to worry about they are excellent parents

Eowyn is very open about sex and will discuss it or go at it in semi public spaces, Faramir is more shy so Eowyn respects this but encourages her to be more confident

Pippin and Diamond

They met at the strip club where Diamond is a dancer

They instantly fell in love

They are super devoted to one another

They are ALWAYS going at it and have evidence of their sex life displayed around their living room-this makes guests very uncomfortable

Pippin takes pole dancing classes to impress Diamond. He also takes her to the male strip club so “she can enjoy it”

His parents are a little disappointed but they keep it to themselves because they’re just happy Pippin finally settled down

Merry and Estella

I hate to say this but their marriage is low-key arranged. Merry’s dad wanted him to get married and Estella’s family wanted connections

At first they kinda like eachother and get along but Estella rapidly becomes annoyed with Merry’s constant being high and having Pippin over

She eventually divorces him. He goes to crash on Pippin’s couch for an extended stay

Eventually he goes back to Buckland. Estella gets rich off the divorce

Merry is happy with his bachelor lifestyle and has plenty of various boyfriends and girlfriends over the years. He teases his friends for being “tied down”

Legolas and Gimli

Their wedding is held in Dale in an attempt at neutrality but a fight breaks out between the dwarves and elves at the reception and they sneak away

They love to travel together

They have tried everything. And I mean everything. They never run out of ideas to spice up their sex life

They do sleep in separate rooms though because Legolas kicks and Gimli snores

They do not want kids but like being the weird uncles of everyone else’s kids. They don’t want the responsibility

Credit for the Diamond is a hobbit stripper headcanon goes to @diplomatson thank you my friend for that excellent idea

[nihilizzzm]

The fellowship at the house party

tw: drinking alcohol, smoking weed and nicotine

yeah so i might be hangover again but at least it gives me dope post ideas

(disclaimer that makes it even funnier: every description is based on someone i know and i was drinking with, so yeah, call it my slavic heritage ig)

Frodo: His house, not his idea. It was available. He has a big house far away from the city centre, so loud music won’t kill anyone. He specifically said he’a never doing a big party. It happened anyway. At first he is stressed about everything, trying to save as much furniture as he can. Than he decides that fuck it and drinks some beer. At some point he doesn’t care anymore, goes to sleep. No hangover, in the morning he’s drinking coffee and watching everyone cleaning up the mess.

Merry: Very much not his house, very much his idea. Surprisingly he’s not that drunk, but his goal for the night is to get Pippin drunk as fuuuck. He looks after him tho, as much as it’s possible. He invited most of the people. The best dj, not the only one unfortunately, but definitely the most skilled one. Did spend some time in the smoking circle in the garden. Also no hangover (surprisingly v2), helps cleaning. He has his honour.

Pippin: Came to drink and so he did. No shit talking, first thing he said when he entered was ‘where’s vodka?!’. From the very beginning he knew he is gonna be the drunkest. He was not tho, this spot is reserved for someone else, but he was trying his best. Merry helped him a lot. Also he smoked a lot. Anyway right after midnight he passed out, slept under the table. Hangover in the morning, still he was satisfied with himself.

Sam: He helped Frodo decorate. Came earlier and made sandwiches. Some laughed at this idea but at the end of the night there was not a single one left. Pure soul, he doesn’t rly drink. He had like one and a half beer and that’s it. He was sitting with Frodo for the whole night and put him to sleep. In the morning he helped cleaning but most importantly he was the one telling everyone what they have to do.

Gimli: Challenged Legolas to a drinking competition. We all know how it went down. But before he was the best dancer. Ok, maybe not the best but the most committed one. Also came earlier and helped Sam with making drinks, the fancy kind (with what was available and affordable ofc). He was bitching in the morning but helped with the dishes.

Legolas: Oh boy… First of all danced with Gimli, then they fought, then he won the drinking game with him. They kissed in the process, they are in a weird situationship. After the party they started dating. After Gimli passed out he got even more drunk and got into full diva mood. Suddenly he became best friends with Boromir with who he usually is not that close. He is one of the two people who went to buy more booze in the middle of the night to the nearest petrol station. He was also the one who took the most of the photos, mostly blurry tho. Miraculously not hangover. How? Magic ig. Or maybe bc he’s the one who ate all of the sandwiches. Doesn’t clean in the morning, he sits in the kitchen with a tea and posts photos at his insta and laughs at Gimli and Boromir.

Boromir: Had a shitty week at work and with his father so he knew he’s gonna be drunk. But man- Drunk a lot, smoked a lot (he doesn’t even smoke usually??). Literally the amount of booze in his system would kill Pippin. Talking about Pippin they did drink a lot together before Pippin was out. He’s the other half of people who went to the petrol station. Why? He wanted more alcohol and Legolas said he will pay if Boromir would carry everything. They rly started getting along after certain amount if booze. He fell asleep on the couch. Aragorn gave him a bucket, he didn’t need it but in the morning he started thinking it would be better if he did. He didn’t help cleaning, he wasn’t trusting his legs well enough. He was just sitting on the couch in dark glasses and hoped for his life to get together. But Aragorn was sitting with him so it was nice.

Aragorn: Didn’t drink a lot. Smoked weed tho. He was almost all the time in the smoking garden circle with Gandalf. Than went inside to check on people and when he found out Boromir and Legolas are out of the house he lost any hope for a good ending of this night. He got so stoned that when everything was quieting down he was sitting with drunk af Boromir on the couch and started braiding his hair talking about some metaphysical shit. He also became very open about his feelings, Boromir doesn’t remember. They will work it out eventually. Until morning he was sober and made everyone electrolytes and tea. And gave Boromir the glasses. Helped with cleaning.

Gandalf: He brought weed. Didn’t even get inside, literally just sitting and smoking. In the middle of the night disappeared. In the morning texted if everyone is okay and didn’t stop asking until everyone answered. Said he’s never doing it again and that every single one of the members of the fellowship is a stupid bitch. Checked twice on Pippin. Shouted at Boromir with all capital letters for like 20 minutes. Boromir just muted the chat. He did appear on the next party anyway.

Bonus:

Faramir: Boromir specifically told him not to go, bc he feared the young one will get drunk. He didn’t. Drunk a bit, danced a lot with Eomer and Eowyn. Had fun. Boromir doesn’t know he was there and nobody will ever tell him.

[mushroomates]

Lord of the Rings hosting? Speaking foreign languages?? Love your posts!! the silly rambles of other tumblrians is my life blood currently

yeah!!!! ty for the kind words! ooooooooh hosting… stay tuned my friend that’s it’s own post :)

legolas: french. proper, france french. also european spanish, latin, and norwegian- which he will sometimes speak with gimli, but the dialects are so drastically different any communication is strained. he was taught formally, “properly” bc his dad lowkey a language purist and that’s kinda problematic but this isn’t abt him

gimli: most germanic languages, including danish, swedish, and norwegian. he speaks the common dialect, the conversational type- not the fancy literature university taught excuse of a language that legolas does. he likes to make a point that if they were on the street, legolas could read the street signs and not understand anything said to him.

aragorn: french (his upbringing), passible italian, street spanish (european and mexican), decent greek, decent norwegian and german, and some mandarin. is very quick picking up languages and speaking/understanding the local dialect

boromir: conversational italian. i’m sorry guys but gondor was based in italy and the roman empire,, and not even that but it just. feels right. im gonna say he speaks passible italian, but more… anglicized italian as he wasn’t really taught it but picked it up around family. (a lot of yelling by his dad)

frodo: knows latin. also french, spanish, and passable italian. has a generic accent that’s not to noticeable when he speaks. is a very good tour guide across europe and a great tutor if someone wants to learn.

merry: maintains a duolingo streak of easily four digits. it’s sweedish. no, he cannot understand gimli. no, gimli does not understand kerry’s sweedish either. he can, however, understand ikea directions. (it drives boromir nuts that the two people who on who can read the manual are possibly the worst at relaying them. merry because he doesn’t understand what’s going on, and gimli, because he believes he doesn’t need any manual)

pippin: tried learned klingon, but lost interest quickly. knows about eight different ways to say “your mom” and all the fun cuss words that come with foreign languages.

sam: is trying very hard to learn french. frodo is teaching him patiently and he’s picking it up rather fast. really, really hates verb congregation and gendered language.

gandalf: mandarin, greek, turkish, quebecois french, finnish, moldovan, castilian spanish, latin, pig latin, and probably more. he’s also fullent in hobbit.

[tathrin]

An Elvish Lure

Somebody said “using yourself as bait” and my brain spat this disconnected snippet out, so: enjoy a scene in which the Three Hunters try an alternate plan by which to catch-up with the orcs and free Merry and Pippin.

"No," Gimli said.

"Gimli—"

"No," he said again, shaking his head hard enough to make the braids of his beard slap against his shoulders. "No, absolutely not."

"Gimli," Aragorn tried again, "this plan is our best chance to—"

"I said no!" Gimli roared. "I will not have it! Aragorn, I will not!"

It was not Aragorn who answered him. "Gimli, be calm." 

Gimli squeezed his eyes shut at that voice, as though he could shut-out the words as easily as he did the sight of the narrow, beardless lips from which they had issues; that golden head; those mithril-bright eyes. Fingers as long and spindly as bare twigs closed on his shoulder, their grip tight enough that he could feel it even through his shirt of mail.

"This is our best chance to save Merry and Pippin," Legolas said. "Perhaps our only chance. Gimli, I am not afraid—"

"Can I not be afraid for you, then?" Gimli asked wildly, grabbing those long fingers and holding them tight. He looked up at Legolas, then very quickly closed his eyes again. He pressed the archer's captured hand to his cheek and held it there, as though he might hold the elf back from this reckless plan as easily. "Orcs hate elves so much, Legolas…"

"That is why it has a chance of working," Legolas said. He sounded so unbearably calm, his woodland accent giving his speech the lilting cant of birdsong. He had sounded so strange to Gimli's ears, once. When had that fair voice stopped sounding strange?

"And if it does?" Gimli retorted. His grip on Legolas's hand tightened. "When it does? What then, Legolas?"

Legolas's narrow shoulders lifted in a shrug. "Then we will fight them."

"Then you will fight them, all alone, until we can come to your aid," Gimli corrected him. "Legolas…" His voice failed him and he had to clear his throat twice before he could force the words out. "Legolas, what if we come too late?"

"It is a risk I am prepared to face," Legolas said simply. "And at any rate, Gimli, I do not believe you will. I have more faith in you and Aragorn both than to let myself fear that I will have to face all the orcs alone. And besides!" he continued with a sudden, fey laugh. "Should it not be the orcs who should fear to face my blade and bow? I slew many of their fellows at Amon Hen, and I will slay many more in these sweet green fields if they will but do me the favor of coming within range of my arrows!"

Gimli looked up at the laughing elf in sad, silent horror.

"We will not have to hide ourselves so far away from Legolas that he will be alone for long," Aragorn said, stepping forward to lay his hand on Gimli's other shoulder, the one that did not burn yet with the memory of Legolas's touch upon his mail. "Orcs are keen of smell, but their eyes are not so sharp in daylight, and their ears will have a hard time hearing anything over the thunder of their own feet upon these plains. Besides, Gimli, we have the cloaks given us by the Lady of Lórien; was it not said that they would help to hide us from unfriendly eyes?"

"It was," Gimli agreed heavily. "But these orcs are fast. And what if they have archers among them?"

"What of it?" Legolas shrugged again, scoffing. "I do not fear crude orcish arrows."

"A crude arrow can kill as readily as a finely-wrought one," Gimli reminded him.

Legolas tossed his head, his golden braids rippling in the dawn. "Only if they strike their target."

Gimli gaped at him in exasperation. "Legolas—"

"No, Gimli, I do not ask you to like this plan, but please. Are we not friends now?" Legolas dropped abruptly to his knees in the soft grass, a position which put his eyes nearly on the same level as the dwarf's. It was Legolas who looked up at him now, his pale eyes glittering as sharply as a sword. "Then please, my friend, cast aside your doubts. Trust me to do this."

"I do trust you, Legolas," Gimli responded automatically. "I do not doubt you. But—"

"Then it is settled." Legolas made to stand, to turn away, but Gimli caught him by the arm and held him still.

"But," Gimli said, his voice a stony growl, "I do not like the idea of you making yourself bait for orcs."

Legolas swiveled on his heels, elvish grace keeping him upright despite the sharp tug of a strong dwarven arm yanking him off balance, and stared up at Gimli. The smile he gave the dwarf was small and fleeting, and there was a heavy sadness in the curve of it that reminded Gimli, suddenly and painfully, of the grey woods of Lothlórien.

"I do not say that I like it either, Gimli," Legolas said softly. "But we cannot outrun the orcs. If they cannot be made to pause their march, they will vanish into Isengard with Merry and Pippin and all chance of saving our friends will be lost." He pressed his free hand to Gimli's cheek and gently stroked the downy hairs there. "I would risk a thousand such dangers for the chance to stop that foul fate from befalling those dear young Hobbits—and I know you would, too, Gimli."

Gimli swallowed, but the aching lump in his throat did not dissipate. "Legolas…"

"The fact that the orcs left the field of battle while the three of us yet lived worries my heart greatly," Aragorn said. His voice, too, was quiet, but a dark tension thrummed through his words like the warning rumble of stone on the brink of a cave-in. "That they put their need to carry away their captives over their desire for slaughter and torment…that worries me, Gimli. Worries me greatly."

Aragorn did not have the keen eyes of the elves, but his sharp grey gaze rose over the plains nonetheless and he stared off into the distance as though staring at the shadows of that terrible band of orcs nonetheless. "I do not know if even this will cause them to turn aside from their path…but if anything will entice them to delay their task, it will be the chance to make sport of a lone and injured elf."

"And so I shall play the bait," Legolas said, before he sprang to his feet, the movement too fast this time for Gimli to stop. He looked down and offered Gimli a fleeting, knifblade smile and declared, "And we Three Hunters will see if we can draw the hunt to us!"

Gimli should have cheered; the words were spoken in the sort of tone that rallied hearts and lifted spirits blazing into battle. But all Gimli could see in his mind was the terrible sight of Legolas left standing all alone, waiting for the orcs to come and find him while his friends hid and watched from safety.

"Legolas…"

"Peace." Elvish fingers pressed against Gimli's lips, stopping his words but not his fears. "Give me this chance, Gimli, and I will turn your doubts aside."

"I do not doubt you—" Gimli started to say again, his voice thick and strangled with the heavy feelings of his heart, but Legolas was already springing away, up the short and stony hillock. Gimli watched him go, his steps as light and swift as the flutter of butterfly wings.

"I do not doubt you, Legolas," he said, the words spoken now in a whisper so low that even elvish ears might struggle to hear them now. "But I fear for you."

Aragorn's hand closed on his shoulder again, warm and steady and lacking the silver-fire touch of Legolas's smooth brown skin. "Come," he said softly. "Let us get under cover, Gimli."

Gimli allowed himself to be drawn away, but his feet scuffed heavily on the uneven grass as he turned to stare behind him at the silhouette of Legolas standing tall and thin against the dawn, pale cloak and golden hair streaming out behind him. He made a fine target for arches up there, Gimli thought sourly; a fine target indeed.

Legolas drew his white knife, and Gimli turned away. He knew that the scent of elvish blood would be needed to draw the orcs' attention; knew further that only with the wind blowing strong and swift towards their quarry did this mad plan have any chance of success, and so he cursed the breeze. Had it only died or shifted, Aragorn and Legolas would have been forced to give up this chance; would have had no choice but to simply run instead, run until they dropped perhaps and even yet fail—but run together, rather than risking Legolas's life alone.

Gimli could not bear to watch Legolas take his blade to his own arm, spill his own blood, to lend verisimilitude to his role as bait; yet he fancied he could hear the sharp glide of knife over skin nonetheless, and he squeezed his eyes shut tight and let Aragorn lead him, stumbling, to the hollow in which they would hide together while Legolas stood out there, tempting danger, alone.

They huddled in their grey cloaks, hands on weapons and breath in their throats, and waited.

And then—and then Legolas screamed.

Gimli started upright, his own breath drawing in for an answering cry of rage and vengeance, but Aragorn grabbed his arms and held him fast. "No, Gimli!" he hissed, hauling the dwarf down bodily back into the small depression in the earth. "No, he is not hurt. This is the lure, Gimli! This is the plan. Be still!"

Gimli let himself be drawn back despite the thundering of his heart against his ribs. He pressed one bare palm against the earth, trying to draw strength from the touch of stone against his skin; trying to find the endurance for which the dwarves were so renowned. But he could not stop trembling; could not stop hearing the echoes of that terrible shrill scream inside his ears.

"I have never heard such a cry, Aragorn," he whispered.

Aragorn's grip on his arm tightened. "I have," he said. His voice was low, almost haunted in the shadows of their hiding-hole. "I am sure Legolas has as well, for his people have long fought the Shadow in Mirkwood—and," Aragorn added, swallowing hard as though against some terrible memory, "he could not have sounded so convincing, if he did not know the sound of an elf in torment."

Gimli's gut twisted and he bit his lip hard enough that he tasted a coppery spill of blood across his tongue. "I would that he did not know it," Gimli said hoarsely. He glared up at Aragorn and added in a sharp voice, "I would even more that he should never experience it himself."

"We are not far," Aragorn insisted. "If the orcs take the bait, we will know it; we are near enough to help. He will not stand alone."

"Not for long," Gimli muttered, "but perhaps for long enough." He held his axe very tightly and wished for a whole host of doughty dwarven warriors at his side—or better, at Legolas's side.

Another cry rose, more warbling than the first piercing shriek; more plaintive, like the screamer was weakening.

Gimli's grip on the haft of his axe tightened until his hand ached. "Aragorn…"

"He is not hurt, Gimli."

"Not yet."

Aragorn had no answer for that.

They sat in silence, straining their ears for the pounding thunder of orcish feet upon the earth; waiting to discover if the enemy would take the bait.

Waiting to learn if the three of them would live through it, if they did.

{read more gimleaf stories here}

[fangirleaconmigo]

So I’ve been a bit absent. Putting a ‘read more’ because shit in my life has gotten very real very quickly.

One of my younger sisters went to urgent care with stomach discomfort last Tuesday. It turned out that she had a huge mass in her pelvis, (18x25 cm) and our lives were plunged into a black hole of fear.

In the past week/weekend, she’s gotten blood tests and referrals for more scans. Every test result is more ominous and terrifying than the last. It is definitely ovarian cancer and she will need a major surgery and we don’t know what else.

In one day, I moved her completely into my house. She gave notice on hers. We are trying to find foster care for her cats while she is in treatment because she can’t care for them during, and neither can I.

We still haven’t had a proper prognosis and treatment plan. That will be today, I hope. I am about to drive her to her first actual appointment with a real oncologist.

It’s early and I’m lying awake in my bed. I haven’t slept much in the past weeks. I go to sleep googling ovarian cancer, and I wake up and google ovarian cancer, and I feel like an entire house is crushing me. I can barely breathe. I have to go fetal position for a few minutes sometimes during the day to get through it.

We need some hope today. We need some good news. We need, at the very minimum, a plan for her care. Something to focus on.

Please keep us in your thoughts and send us some love and good will. She is either in shock or being very brave but she could get hopeful, or devastating news today (or more terrifying limbo) and I don’t know where that will leave us.

I won’t try to tell you how much my sister means to me. But I will say that we grew up together in an isolated family with shitty, monstrous, abusive parents and it fused us together in profound ways. I raised her to the extent that a child can raise another child. (It’s like that John Mulaney joke where he said his babysitter was so young, it was like a horse caring for a dog lol)

We are both super sci-fi fantasy nerds. I watch tv with her probably three to four nights a week, and we can talk for LITERAL HOURS about the intricacies of the writing and the characters on the various franchises. We usually agree, but we probably woke the neighbors with our argument about who the best Doctor Who companion was.

We work at the same hospital and share an office one day a week, and the people in the hall probably hear our elaborate Star Wars or MCU theories.

I know better than to get her started about certain things, but no matter what I do, every Thanksgiving she gives an entire speech about how the LOTR movie adaptations failed Gimli, son of Gloin.

We’ve been to Supernatural cons (we’ve both written SPN fic), and SDCC together many times. Actually, we went to ECCC together this year, so @spacecores and @roguepyrola met her and can attest to the fact that she is a mouthy, down to earth, absolutely brilliant, funny, foul mouthed, nerdy ass bitch.

I NEED HER, ok, I FUCKIN NEED HER.

So if you meditate, pray, send intentions, I don’t care what it is, I need it today. Her appointment is in about three hours and we need some hope.

Thanks for reading, friends. ♥️ I know this isn’t fandom related but we’re all real life human beings here with real lives, and that’s what is happening in mine.

[flowertab]

So my 12-yr-old sister was struggling with the story she was writing, and I suggested she freshen her skills by just writing something fun. What resulted was her first LotR fanfic, this priceless gem which I now share with you all:

One night at the Prancing Pony…

“Pippin.” 

“Yes Merry?” 

“I dare you to tap everyone’s nose from the Fellowship, just for the fun of it!” Merry said as they both drank their pints.

“Fine, but you might have to help me.” Pippin replied.

“Ok, I already know who you should get first.”

“Who?”

“Sam, he’s working in Frodo’s garden; you can catch him by surprise!”

“Perfect.”

So the two left and went to the garden were Sam was working innocently.

*Boop*

“Aaah! What was that!” Sam exclaimed, as he stumbled backwards into a bush, for it was too dark to see who had done it.

  Pippin laughed as he ran away to Merry as fast as he could.

“Oh, that Took, he scared me!” Sam whispered to himself when he caught a glimpse of Pippin running off in the moonlight.

The next day Pippin found his next target reading against a tall tree. Frodo.

But, just as Pippin reached toward him to tap his nose; he looked up.

“Pippin, what are you doing?” Frodo asked.

“Nothing.” Pippin replied as he quickly tapped his nose anyway, and ran off.

Frodo just laughed for a bit, and got back to his book still chuckling.

Some other friends of theirs from the Fellowship happened to be visiting the Shire at that time. It was perfect.

“You should get Gimli next Pippin, he’s the next easiest.”

“Good idea Merry!”

When Gimli opened the door to come inside for a Fellowship meet up at Frodo’s house, Pippin took his chance.

*Boop*

Gimli just stared for a moment then just laughed a little, and pretended it never happened.

Pippin decided to get Legolas next while he was sitting down.

*Boop*

Legolas tried to keep an Elvish-like face, but he couldn’t help but smile a bit at Merry and Pippin’s antics.

Next was Aragorn, Pippin didn’t expect much from him, like Legolas, but the challenge was for everyone in the Fellowship, so he must.

*Boop*

Aragorn gave him a side glance while smiling a bit, then went on with his meal.

Now Pippin was going to do Boromir, he knew he would get a bit more out of him.

*Boop*

Boromir laughed and then booped Pippin’s nose. They had a temporary nose booping battle of getting each other’s noses back and forth, until Gandalf gave them a slight disapproving glance.

That’s when Pippin realized the meal was ending, and he still had to get Gandalf, but while he was standing.

Pippin tried to run to Gandalf before he stood up, but he purposefully stood up very quickly to get away; causing him to hit his head on the low ceiling. But, there were a few crates nearby the place where Gandalf was standing. So, Pippin scurried up the crates and reached for his nose.

*Boop* *Crash*

Pippin fell off the crate after getting Gandalf’s nose, so he awkwardly landed in a chair. Than he said,

“Wait Merry, I haven’t gotten your nose yet!” Pippin reached up from the chair, and got Merry’s nose.

*Boop*

The two laughed hysterically, and that was that.

The End!