Title: Untitled LotR #1

Author: Abbi

Fandom: Lord Of The Rings

Paring: Legolas/Aragorn

Author's note: So, here's my little LotR/Fight Club style affair. The *very* vague plot running through starts here, so even though this is tripe, better read it ;) Most of the dialogue is from Fight Club, the rubbish bits are mine. Please, please get any ideas of character relevance out of your heads now. I'm sure that's not the point here...

Rating: I don't know how to rate this, bloody and a little slash, I suppose. Pointless really. But entertaining for a moment.

Feedback, welcomed if you can be bothered out there!

"I want you to hit me as hard as you can."

Aragorn's expression turned from distant to sharp focus. Legolas stood tall in front of him, his eyes unblinking and cold.

Aragorn raised his eyebrows, as if to indicate that he had not heard the elf's words.

"I want you. to hit me. as hard as you can." Legolas repeated, his voice low and clear.

Behind them, the dawn was breaking neatly, and the red light cast an eerie shadow on his face. The others lay, sleeping fast, to their side, and Legolas, with a piercing look to Aragorn, stepped noiselessly away from them into the forest undergrowth. Aragorn watched, wondering if he should follow. Then, Legolas, still visible, turned back, a wicked smile, more spiteful and unpleasant than any Aragorn had previously seen upon an elf, shot across his face, as he drew from his pocket something that Aragorn could not quite make out, until it glittered and caught the light. The Ring.

Legolas flicked it into the air, caught it, beckoned to Aragorn, and then slipped into the trees.

In seconds, Aragorn was after him, but his sword lay sheathed on the grass where he had left it. He had thought there no reason to take it to wish Legolas a good morning.

He did not have to chase far. Legolas led him on, stopping always a few yards ahead to check he was being followed, until Aragorn arrived breathless into a clearing. Legolas stood there, looking stronger and more powerful than Aragorn had ever seen him. He was playing with the Ring, letting it slip through his fingers, then deftly catching it.

Without looking at him, the elf spoke once more.

"Let's try again. Will you come here and hit me. As hard as you can. If you don't, I might just slip this pretty little ring onto my finger..."

Aragorn paused a moment longer. Legolas poised the ring over his index finger.

"It doesn't matter where. Surprise me."

Aragorn did. In two paces, he was level with Legolas, and, even with elven reflexes, Legolas could not have avoided the sharp contact Aragorn made as he cracked his forearm to the side of the elf's head, then caught him on the otherside with his fist as his target's balance faltered, and they fell to the ground. A trickle of blood seeped from the corner of Legolas' mouth, but it was he that had the upper hand - even as they fell, he took Aragorn's arm in one hand, and pinned it across his aggressor's body, his legs preventing Aragorn's from moving.

Trapped under Legolas' considerable weight, deceptively contained in his slight figure, Aragorn lay silent and confused.

Legolas smirked, a movement that caused the blood from his mouth to drop onto Aragorn's cheek. This made the elf smirk all the more.

Legolas' other hand was clenched and he brought it up to Aragorn's eyes to open it, displaying the ring, just inches away from his grasp. Aragorn tensed his muscles, to see if he could escape, but Legolas simply pressed onto him harder. Aragorn could feel every one of the elf's muscles pulsing with eneregy. Then, clenching his fist again, Legolas dealt Aragorn a swift blow to the jaw, before springing away.

As soon as he felt the release, Aragorn made for his feet. He was not as fast as the elf, nor used to this method of fighting, but, primarily, he was after the ring. And also... it pained him under the circumstances, but there was something not unpleasurable about being so close to Legolas.

Legolas was dancing neatly a few feet from him as a boxer does when sizing up his adversary.

Aragorn mocked his movements by walking slowly towards him, and stopping when they were at arm's length. The elf's threats appeared empty. His fist was clenched around the ring, but the expression still begged to be hit. Aragorn complied, clasping hold of the leather stitching on the front of the elven coat, and delivering a round punch to Legolas' cheekbone, before releasing his hold and causing the elf to double over with a blow to the stomach.

Legolas fought for breath, but only for a second, and instead of falling back, he fell forward, to grasp Aragorn's cloak, dragging them together. He jerked his head up sharply, in a move that caught Aragorn's jaw and forced his upper teeth through his lower lip. Aragorn threw Legolas to the ground; he kicked him in the shoulder where the steel caps of his boots deadened Legolas' arm, and then, laying on top of Legolas in a reversal of their earlier position. Speaking painfully through his bleeding mouth so that his blood streamed across them both, Aragorn said simply;

"Put the Ring in my pocket."

Legolas stared up at him, and a flash of mirth crossed his already bruised face.

"Again. Hit me again."

Aragorn stared at him in disbelief.

"Once more. I give you my word I'll do as you ask."

Legolas inhaled sharply as Aragorn raised his fist - and sighed as it made brutal contact with his collarbone. Breathing hard, he put his free arm around Aragorn's neck, and drew him on top of his aching body. He relaxed, and his free hand slipped the ring neatly into Aragorn's pocket.

Legolas laughed, almost to himself. Aragorn kept his face to the ground, wondering if he should move, and what he should tell the others.

A voice whispered quietly into his ear.

"I wouldn't have done it."

"I know. But why did you take it?"

"To show you."

"Show me what?"

"Without the pain, you have nothing. This is the greatest moment of your life. You are my pain. I'm right here."

Legolas shifted his weight so that Aragorn lay next to him, eyes locked with his.

Aragorn moved imperceptibly closer to him, and then stopped.

"What? Just ask."

"What are you talking about?"

Aragorn's usually stable voice faltered a little.

"We've been through all this and you still can't ask."

"You followed me because you wanted me."

"I followed you to take the Ring from you."

"No. I can see you feeling this. Just ask."

"Can I...can I kiss you?"

"Yes."

They kissed for some time, blood still flowing from their now agitated wounds. Finally, Legolas pulled away.

"Is that all you want?"

Aragorn stayed silent.

"Oh don't worry. You won't have to beg me for that. But you will have to wait. We have many miles to cover. The others will be waking. Maybe tonight you'll be the one leading me on."