Warnings: none
Word count: 1510
Other: Ava Max's Torn was used as inspiration as requested. I'm not good at these.
Requested by anon
You and Aragorn have been traveling together for a long time, but apparently, there are still things you don't know about him.
Your relationship with Aragorn had been difficult in the beginning. He was a private person, while you wore your heart on your sleeve and tended to overshare your feelings. You were a fellow ranger, and when he had decided to venture apart from the group, you had gone with him. You couldn't tell if he was happy or annoyed that you were there. He hadn't said anything that would make it seem otherwise, but on the other hand, it could be days before he would say a word about anything. It was very confusing.
As time passed, he started opening up more, but he was still an extremely private person. You knew nothing of his life before he joined the rangers of the north, and you knew nothing of his family. Even when the two of you were starting to realize you felt more than friendship towards each other, he was very closed off and kept the story of himself to ... himself. You still blabbered on about everything because you knew he would open up eventually.
You were now heading towards a small town, hand in hand, and your fingers lightly intertwined. Your parents would usually send you letters there, and you would visit the inn when you had the time to collect and answer them, letting them know that you were still alive. It had been hard for them when you had left, but life with seven younger siblings had driven you to the brink of a breakdown, and when the rangers had visited your town, you hadn't thought about your decision for long and so far, hadn't regretted it.
When you arrived, you had not one but two letters waiting for you, and to your great suprise, the innkeeper had one for Aragorn as well. Judging by his expression, he was just as surprised as you were, but he still took the letter and snuck away to read it in peace. You opened the letters and started reading the one that was dated an earlier date. apparently, your youngest sibling had just learned to walk, and your eldest sister was in a courtship with the blacksmith's son.
When you closed the second letter, slowly shaking your head at your mother's continuous questions of when you would go home, you noticed Aragorn approaching. He wore a puzzled expression, and you stuffed your letters away into your bag and walked up to him, allowing your fingers to push yours against his.
"Something bothering you?" You ask the worry overrode your intentions on not to pry. He just gave you a small smile and shook his head. You pulled him to follow you and sat down in a corner, away from the larger crowds and loud drunks, knowing how he preferred his peace and privacy.
"I can see something is bothering you." You tried to gently coax him to let out the thing that clearly was bothering you without possibly annoying him too much.
"I have been asked to travel to Bree." He muttered, and you tilted your head. Bree was in the opposite direction than you had planned on heading, but you saw from Aragorn's face that this was clearly important.
"Then we'll go to Bree." You stated simply, and his eyes snapped to you, a tint of warmth appearing.
"You'll come with me." Giving a little laugh, you kissed his cheek.
"Of course, I will. We have fared into the directions I have chosen for so long, it's your turn." With a quick kiss on his cheek, you went to find the innkeeper to ask for a room for the two of you.
The room was small, and slightly murky but the bed was soft and after sleeping outside in the wilderness for so long, it was all that you needed. You dumped your bags onto the table with a heavy sigh, the heavy bag letting out a thud as it hit the dark wooden surface. Aragorn lit a few of the candle stubs that littered the room. He helped you out of your boots as you slid your clothes off and changed into something clean. As you slipped under the covers, you let out a loud sigh as the soft fabric hit your chest, the pillow feels like heaven against your cheek compared to the bumpy surface of your bag.
You were almost half asleep when you felt Aragorn climb next to you, his shirtless chest standing out in the murky room. You turned to face him and intertwined your fingers with his like you did every evening. This time, he surprised you with a small kiss on your forehead, that made you beam. Aragorn was very selective of the times he would show affection to you, but that just made the times he did all the more special.
"Good night." Your whisper was barely audible, as you were already half asleep, but Aragorn smiled at your sleepy smile when he closed his eyes and tried to sleep, trying to ignore the welling thoughts inside his head.
You woke up in the middle of the night when the bed shifted. When you opened your eyes, you saw that Aragorn was not next to you anymore, but he was sitting next to the desk, writing something on a piece of paper, shoulders hunched so he could see in the light of a single candle. You stood up from the bed and walked next to him quietly, not wanting to disturb him.
"Aragorn?" You leaned over his shoulder, and he lifted his head higher so he could look at your face.
"Y/N? What are you doing up?" You didn't answer, your eyes were glued to the signature at the bottom of the letter.
"Aragorn son of Arathorn?!" Your brain screamed, and you felt like the biggest idiot of the bloody century. How had you not realized that your Aragorn and the Aragorn that was the rightful king of Gondor were the same people? You rubbed your forehead with your hand, trying to organize your thoughts when Aragorn grabbed your hands, rubbing small circles on the skin.
"This was not how I wanted you to find out." He muttered, regret evident in his voice.
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have read it over your shoulder, I just-" He cut you off with a gentle finger on your lips.
"Hush. I should have told you earlier but I just never found the right time. It has been bothering me for months, but especially after Gandalf sent me that letter I have been trying to find the courage to tell you." Noticing how he was fiddling with his fingers, as he did when he was nervous, you gave him a small smile. You pulled your hand slightly away from his so you could intertwine your fingers,
"It's alright, at least now I know. And it doesn't change anything, at least for me." You muttered the last part, still slightly in shock that you were in a relationship with a man that could be king if he wanted to.
Aragorn heard you muttering and tugged his hand free from yours before placing it on your jaw, tilting it upwards gently.
"It changes nothing for me either. I might be Aragorn son of Arathorn, but my love for you will never falter." He tilted his head when you let out a small gasp, and only realized that he had said that he loved you for the first time. His cheeks reddened, and you couldn't help but to giggle.
"I love you too, Aragorn son of Arathorn. We better get some sleep now, we need to leave early in the morning if we wish to meet the wizard. Aragorn returned to the bed and you pulled the covers over the both of you, sleep covering both of you in a dark veil in a matter of moments.
You ventured out into the wilderness in the morning, your bags filled with food and other necessities, and a smile on both of your lips. After last night, you felt closer than you had ever been before.
Probably not my best work, but I wanted to write and got inspired to do this after I have slept like six hours a night for three days in a row, so I'm not feeling my best right now. Stress is such fun...
Only two more requests in line! I think when they are finished I will open requests again, but I'm not sure yet, I'll have to see how my body allows me to sleep.
It seems I found another item to my "no-list". Songficks. I have never really enjoyed reading them, so it kinda makes sense that I don't like writing them, or don't know how to write them. This was an educational piece, but I will not be doing a songfick again for a long time.