#ace!barduil

Dealbreaker by ofplanet-earth

Bard brushed Thranduil’s hair back from his face and held him so gently. Thranduil was terrified and exhilarated all at once; his heart was beating erratically as Bard kissed him with all the patience and all the tenderness in the world. Thranduil felt safe and wanted— he felt loved for the first time in so long, his chest ached around the unfamiliar feeling.

“Wait,” he he gasped, pulling back and holding Bard at a distance. “I’m sorry— I can't."

here’s my secret santa gift for @flurgburgler! you mentioned you liked ace!barduil and I had this story I just had to tell! my storytelling is a bit rusty, but I hope you like it ♡

read it on AO3

Status: Complete (1/1)

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Archive Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply

Category: M/M

Fandoms: The Hobbit (Jackson Movies), The Hobbit - All Media Types

Relationship: Bard the Bowman/Thranduil

Characters: Thranduil, Bard the Bowman,Feren, Meludir, Tilda, Sigrid, Bain of Dale, Bard's parents, Original Characters, Nimrodel

Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - College/University, Asexual Character, Falling In Love, Friendship/Love, ace!barduil

Language: English

summary:  Bard brushed Thranduil’s hair back from his face and held him so gently. He was terrified and exhilarated all at once; his heart was beating erratically as Bard kissed him with all the patience and all the tenderness in the world. Thranduil felt safe and wanted— he felt loved for the first time in so long, his chest ached around the unfamiliar feeling.

yes please! 

I love the idea of ace!Thranduil! especially within the context of a modern AU! oops this turned into a mini story and now I have all the feels. sorry (no I’m not. I’m dragging you all down with me) . thank you so much for asking!!!

everyone thinking Thranduil is gay because he doesn’t sleep with women, but then getting super confused because men start throwing themselves at him too and he’s just like, no thanks?

Thranduil going on dates only to be disappointed when every potential partner makes jokes or storms off or complains that he’s “friendzoning” them. and he’s just left sitting there, wondering why the idea of being friends is so disappointing. 

Thranduil feeling like no one really wants to get to know him, that they only ever want to fuck him. 

Thranduil dreading the talk. that talk— the one where he inevitably ends up breaking someone’s heart when they want to get serious, and Thranduil being left heartbroken too because he thought things were pretty serious already— he really liked them and this just keeps happening. 

Thranduil putting his comfort aside and starting a sexual relationship, telling himself it’s not that bad, that this is the only way to make it work, desperate not to let this relationship fail. not again.

it does fail, eventually.

Thranduil starting to keep his distance from pretty much everybody because he’s so tired of being left alone, because he doesn’t know how to approach this topic without offending someone or making them feel unwanted, doesn’t know how to explain that he does want them, just not like that. 

Thranduil feeling sorry for himself at a pub late one friday night. Bard takes the seat next to him. they get to talking and soon the barman is telling them they have to leave, that the bar is closed. Thranduil thinks Bard is straight because he hasn’t hit on him yet, that he just wants to be friends and that is fine. it’s more than fine because Thranduil doesn’t have many friends— doesn’t have any friends, really— and so they exchange numbers and meet up again the next week. 

and things are just… easy. they click. they work. and before Thranduil knows it, they’re watching a movie on the couch, sharing a bowl of popcorn and out of nowhere Bard just turns to him and kisses him. 

and it’s nice. it’s perfect. his heart starts racing and his cheeks go hot and Bard’s hair is really soft and he lets himself enjoy it for just a minute before he pushes Bard away. this can’t happen, he says. it won’t work. he’s sorry. 

and Bard is upset. he’s confused because he thought Thranduil liked him, too. 

but Thranduil does. it scares him how much he likes Bard, but he can’t lie again, he can’t pretend like he’s done in the past because it’s not fair to either of them. and finally he cracks. he starts talking and everything just comes pouring out of his mouth and he’s crying by the time he’s done. 

and Bard is just sitting on the couch next to him, the bowl of popcorn still in his hands. he frowns and Thranduil steels himself against the inevitable backlash.

this is it. this is the part where Bard walks out, where he loses yet another friend. this is the part where he’s left alone again. 

instead, Bard apologizes. he didn’t want to make Thranduil uncomfortable; he only wanted to kiss him. and Thranduil is confused— so confused because nobody wants to just kiss him.

it’s okay, Bard says. they don’t have to take this any further, he just likes Thranduil’s company. and Thranduil can hardly believe his ears because this is all he’s ever wanted to hear his entire adult life.