I woke up to soft footsteps around the room.

Frowning, I groaned and rolled over. I must've kicked off my boots at some point...and my swords...where was my knife?!

I bolted up, and my ribs immediately protested.

"Easy," came Legolas's soft voice. "It's just me."

I opened my eyes, blinking away the gritty residue of dried tears. I shot Legolas a wary glance, and my eyes widened. His tunic was draped over the screen in the corner, leaving only a thin, sleeveless undertunic to cover his torso. He had a towel draped over his shoulder, and he was rubbing his water-darkened hair dry.

My mouth went dry. "I...Legolas? What are you doing here?"

"I came to check on you," he answered. "And—" he nodded at the tub, "I took a bath."

I blinked. Twice. "Let me see if I understand. You took a bath. With me in here."

"Yes." He shrugged. "I was dirty, there's a bathtub, and you were asleep. You could use a bath too!"

"Not with you in here!" I cried, crossing my arms over my chest defensively. Glaring at him, I added, "And since when were we on speaking terms?"

"Since there was something to speak about." Legolas sighed. "There has been for some time, and for my behavior of late...I am sorry."

"Are you?" I snapped.

"Yes," he replied in a slow, quiet tone, "I am." He pulled the towel off his shoulder, uncovering a necklace resting on his chest. The Evenstar.

I winced and looked away, tears welling up in my eyes. Aragorn was gone. Every reminder was like a piece of my chest being torn out. It hurt.

Legolas sat down next to me, not touching, but fairly close. Playing with the towel in his lap, he said, "When Gandalf left Edoras, he charged us—Aragorn, Gimli, and myself—to guard you, and take care of you. Gimli behaved only as expected; he reveres you, but does not consider your potential value to the enemy...and thus cannot fully protect you. And I was childish, leaving Aragorn to fulfill the task alone. Now that he is—" his own voice trailed off, burdened with grief. He sighed. "I find myself in a bad position, having treated you the way I did. Yet I am forced to remain with you, for your own safety, even though you likely hate the very sight of me."

The very sight of his bare arms and shoulders was unbelievably tempting...but I resisted. "You don't have to babysit me," I said, refusing to even glance at Legolas. "We're in Helm's Deep; we're safe."

"Perhaps," Legolas said. "But that is not a risk I can afford to take."

I huffed. "So what are you going to do, follow me everywhere?"

"Yes."

My eyes widened in fury. "And I suppose you expect me to bathe with you in the room, too!"

"Yes."

I couldn't find a comeback or an insult grand enough for this complete stupidity.

Legolas sighed. "Eda, you know me; I wouldn't look."

"Of course not," I muttered sarcastically.

He caught my gaze, and his blue eyes showed concern, and sadness. "You don't trust me," he murmured.

I opened my mouth to respond, but nothing came out. It was true; I didn't.

He nodded understandingly, and walked over to the screen, draping his towel off the side and taking his tunic down. He pulled that on and buttoned it up, then he snagged his weapons. "I will be just outside, if you need anything."

"Like that's gonna happen," I muttered.

Legolas gave me one sad look before stepping out the door and closing it behind him.

I felt like an orc. Legolas had apologized to me, offered his protection, and he was nice about it. And I had shunned him, been distrustful, and made him leave. Sighing, I walked over to the bath area and began undressing.

wonderful to get clean, even if the water was cold. I even let my hair out of its updo and washed it, even though I would inevitably regret uncaging the beast. If the water had been a little warmer, I might've lounged in the tub for a little while, but as it was, my teeth were chattering and I was eager to dry off.

I jumped out of the tub and snatched up my clothes. Smearing grime and dirt on my wet hands.

"Eew," I groaned. I was not going to wear filthy clothes right after taking a bath. But I didn't exactly have an extra set. So I quickly threw the clothes in the water to soak, and shivering, I left the little bath cave and snagged the damp towel Legolas had left behind. Weird, yes. But given the choice between weird and freezing to death, I'll pick weird every time.

I went over to the chest sitting in the corner and opened it up. It held a number of personal items, presumably belonging to Èowyn, but most importantly, it held a small collection of clothes.

"Hope you don't mind," I muttered, pulling out a set, "because I'm going to do it anyway."

Getting dressed was difficult. For one thing, the clothes were ridiculously complicated. In place of proper chest bindings was a garment that went around my back and looped over my shoulders, tying in the front. It made sense...in a nonsensical way.

For another thing, the clothes barely fit. On Èowyn—narrow-waisted, narrow-shouldered, tiny-breasted Èowyn—they would've been baggy. On me...they were tight. And the skirt dragged by about two feet. But it would have to do.

Still feeling guilty for how I'd treated Legolas, I went to the door and pulled it open. Legolas, who was sitting on the floor outside, looked up. Avoiding his gaze, I said, "Hey...I'm done. You can come back in."

He didn't answer right away, but after a moment, he stood and came to the door. "Thank you," he murmured, his tone almost surprised. I nodded and backed away, letting him in. He entered and closed the door, then added meekly, "I didn't think you'd let me in again."

"Legolas," I said suddenly, meeting his gaze. "I...I forgive you. And I'm sorry too. For my part in it." He held my gaze, but didn't say anything. I rushed on, suddenly desperate for this stupid feud to be over. "I didn't treat you fairly, didn't even stop to consider there were other things going on with you." Tears welled up in my eyes, and I added, "And if we have to forget what happened between us in that village, I can do that, but Legolas I need your friendship, even if we ca—"

"Eda." Legolas moved to stand in front of me, placing his hands on my shoulders. "I should never have denied my feelings for you, before or after our kiss. I love you. And I forgive you." He placed a soft kiss on my lips. But when I tried to kiss him back, Legolas took my face between his warm hands and gently pushed me back. Fixing me with an affectionate warning look, he said, "Let's not ever do that to each other again, okay?"

Tears stung the back of my throat—tears of sadness at losing Aragorn, and tears of joy at regaining Legolas. Pulling free of his hands, I threw my arms around his neck and buried my face in his chest. "I love you, too," I mumbled.

His warm arms circled my back, and his hand rested on the back of my head, holding me close. We stood just like that for a moment, neither of us talking, until finally, "Eda?"

"Hmm?"

Legolas stroked my head. "Your hair—it's a mess," he said gently.

I sighed. "I know." If only I didn't.

"I would call it a rat's nest," he said quietly, "but being the considerate person I am...I wouldn't want to insult the rats."

I squawked indignantly, pushing away, but I was already laughing, and so was Legolas. "Don't insult the half-Dwarf," I said between giggles. "Not everyone's hair can be as fabulous as yours."

"True." He grinned and tried to flip a blond lock over his shoulder. A tangle caught on his buttons, and frowning, he tried to free it.

"Here, let me," I said...perhaps a little too eager to touch his hair.

Legolas let me carefully pry apart the silky strands. Finally, they were straight and smooth again, and I gently pulled the lock back to join the rest of his hair. Which was also tangled.

"Legolas!" I scolded, shaking a finger at him. "Your hair! Unacceptable!" He had the good sense to look ashamed, and I pressed my advantage. Taking him by the sleeve, I led him to the bed and pointed at it. "Sit." He obeyed, and I said, "We can't have you walking around with your hair like that, would we?" I said, play-lecturing.

Somehow, he managed to keep a straight face. "No ma'am."

I nodded once. "Good. I'm glad you understand." I scrambled onto the bed and knelt behind him. Then I began slowly running my fingers through his hair, untangling the snarls as I encountered them and overall enjoying the exercise way too much. He had taken his braids out to bathe, making my job far easier.

Legolas sat still under my attention, not moving until there wasn't a single tangle left in his hair. Then he reached over his shoulders and grabbed my wrists, guiding my hands to his shoulders. Pulling them down over his collarbone, he tilted his head back to lean on my chest.

My breath hitched as he ran my palms over his firm pectoral muscles. Then his hands dropped away, leaving mine planted on his muscular chest. "Having trouble breathing?" he asked smugly, his voice vibrating into my palms.

"Cocky son of an elleth," I muttered, blushing and trying not to grin.

"Hmm." Legolas rolled his head to the side, looking up at me with those stunning blue eyes. With a pleased smirk, he said, "At least I'm improving. Last time I checked, I was an orchole."

I gave up my attempt trying not to grin. Bringing one hand up to stroke his cheek, I said, "This is true." Then I kissed him. Hard.

Legolas groaned and twisted his body, wrapping his arms around my waist. Shivering, I pulled myself closer to his heat, snuggling into his side. Legolas leaned down to trap my lips in his own, and before I knew it, I was lying on my back with him partially on top of me.

I gasped, and my eyes flew open. Legolas pulled back just enough to meet my gaze, his eyes concerned. Suddenly aware of how his chest rested on mine, and how close we were, I blushed brightly. Chuckling breathlessly, Legolas murmured, "This is new, hmm?"

Reminding myself to breathe—because I probably sounded like a beached fish—I nodded jerkily. It wasn't that I didn't like it. It was that, I was liking it a little too much. "It's just," I mumbled, "I'm a little nervous."

Legolas smiled. "So am I." He placed a gentle kiss on my chin, then added, "But we shouldn't be." The Evenstar necklace slipped out of his tunic, the cold metal landing on my throat. Legolas immediately pushed himself upright and tucked it back in.

Suddenly feeling cold, I sat up as well. When Legolas didn't look at me, I touched his hand. "Legolas?"

He turned and gave me a sad smile. "Yes."

I motioned for him to sit next to me, and when he obeyed, I hesitantly placed my hands on his chest, one on either side. When Legolas responded and placed his hands on my waist, I shyly unhooked the top button on his tunic. Biting my lip, I met his amused gaze. "Do you mind?" I squeaked.

He smiled in response, and I kept going until I reached the bottom. Then I gingerly pushed the open tunic over his shoulders, letting it fall behind him. Meeting his gaze again, I placed one shaky hand on his chest, then the other.

The thin undertunic did nothing to mute his thrumming heartbeat, or the warmth radiating from his ivory skin. My hand wandered to one of his shoulders, and I let my fingertips skim over his corded muscles.

Legolas gave a soft, shaky exhale, resting his head on my shoulder. Taking this as encouragement, I continued to touch his arm, revelling at his smooth skin, his lithe muscles, and the silky golden hair decorating the top of his forearm.

And then his hand. A broad palm with long, tapered fingers with calluses on the tips. I played with his hand for long, silent minutes, utterly intrigued by its simple complexity.

At length, Legolas straightened. "Come here. It's my turn."

I flushed, unsure what he meant. Touching me? Undressing me? Both? But it was neither. He sat me down in front of him and began working his fingers through my hair. I closed my eyes, soaking up his thoughtful touch. His fingertips massaged my scalp, firm and soothing, and I nearly fell asleep under his care.

Finally, when all the tangles were gone, Legolas drew my hair back into a simple braid. Then he leaned down and kissed my neck, his breath washing over me. I groaned in pleasure and leaned back against him, the way he had for me.

"You are tired," he informed me quietly, his fingertips rubbing little circles on my forearms.

"No I'm not," I grumbled. The last thing I felt like doing was sleeping.

"Well, I'm tired," Legolas said with a chuckle. "And if I am, you certainly are, too."

My eyes drooped closed, despite how I fought it. "Mmph," I protested, but it did little good. Legolas urged me to stretch out on the bed, and when my head hit the pillow, I had already lost the battle.

"Sleep, my love," Legolas whispered. "I'll be here when you awake."