So you mean like, physical attributes? bc believe me, I am in fact hugely attracted to personal attributes like loyalty and kindness and understanding and humour, and I think both Gimli and Legolas would be too. 

Physically it would have taken a lot longer for them to see the beauty in each other. (In Sansukh, young!Gimli thought that elves were very unfortunate-looking, all stretched-out and colourless. We can imagine what Elves generally think of Dwarves – and it isn’t flattering).

I think they would have learned to admire each other through skill. Have you ever seen a virtuoso play their instrument, or a truly skilled person draw? A world-class dancer? Being in the same room as that sort of skill is mesmerising. It can make you feel breathless, to be close to it.

Both Legolas and Gimli are masters of their art. 

And through that, Gimli would have been able to see the hidden strength in long limbs. Legolas would have seen the sheer power in Gimli’s arms. From there, Gimli could have seen the fleetness, the superb elegance in Elvish movement. Legolas would have noticed the resilience and brawn of dwarves, and how they have a brutal grace all of their own. Gimli would have first scowled at, then scoffed at, then teased about, and finally appreciated the incredible agility and speed of Legolas. And in turn, Legolas would have at first sneered at, then wondered at, then teased about, and eventually admired the endurance and might of Gimli.

And that would have led to a startling moment when Gimli looked at Legolas and saw only the beauty that Elves are famed for – when his long elongated limbs and bare pointed face appeared fair to him because it was Legolas, and not because it was what Gimli had always found pleasing. That Elvish movements reminded him of dancing on air-currents. That impassive-seeming elven faces were in fact full of emotion, but you had to know the trick of reading them. That the fluting melodies of Elvish song were not bland and insipid, but soaring and sad and merry and longing and as varied as the thousand different types of birdsong. That he missed the sound of that voice when it was not around.

And one day would see Legolas turning to Gimli to speak, and finding that there was nothing about him he would change: that the short powerful limbs, huge and strangely-nimble hands, thick muscular body and wild abundant hair were not repellent as he had always been told they were, that they looked natural and had a symmetry and functionality and nobility and design that was right to them. That the Dwarves were in fact exactly as they should be, and not misshaped at all. That a deep hearty voice that could sing like the very soul of the mountains could shake him to his bones, and that a bearded and ready grin was the first thing he looked for when he entered a room. 

There we go 🙂