Disclaimer: None of these characters belong to me. I'm not making any money off this story.

A/N: This story is set before my other story "Musings on Love and Marriage" and tells how Elrond and Haldir got together. It is slash and I don't expect any flames about it. If it offends you, you have been warned and need not read it!

Imladris 1699

Elrond was angry. He really tried to think the best of everyone until definately proven otherwise but that thoroughly annoying Haldir was not making it very easy for him. Elrond had been out looking at the progress of the building and in the middle of telling his aide to note what he thought needed improving Haldir had come up to him and firmly told him that he was entirely wrong. Normally Elrond had no problem with critique, as long as it was constructive and well founded, but for some reason everything Haldir said sounded as he was patronising him in the worst way and Elrond had ended up telling Haldir to go back to the warrior training since that seemed to be the only thing he was any good at. Which unfortunately wasn't true. The suggestions Haldir had made were good ones and had he put them to Elrond in a different way he would have made good use of them. The way it was now though Elrond would not on his life make use of any of them! He threw the papers he had been holding angrily down on his desk and strode over to the cabinet holding his wine and poured himself a glass to try to calm down.

The door opened behind him and he felt the presence of Glorfindel entering the room. Before Glorfindel had a chance to say anything Elrond growled:

"Do not say a word! I am perfectly aware that everyone at the building site heard us and frankly I don't care! That idiot deserved the dressing down I gave him. And I can not even begin to understand how you can stand working with him every day. I should have just said no when he asked to stay."

With that he gulped down his wine and moved to pour himself another glass. Glorfindel smiled slightly and flopped down in an armchair in front of the empty fireplace before replying:

"I wasn't going to say anything about you being in the wrong, I'm perfectly aware of how good Haldir is at putting his foot in it. Although I have to say I'm a bit surprised that you who are known for your patience can not handle a single elf."

After that his voice trailed of and he waited to see what sort of response this would render. Elrond, who was by now pouring his third glass of wine, swung around and retorted angily:

"That, if anything, should make it clear that there is nothing wrong with me but with the other party! I have, as you well know, never had so many problems with anyone before."

Glorfindel didn't dare smile openly at this as it seemed that Elrond was a bit too upset to appreciate the amusement of the situation. He did however mildly reply:

"I don't believe I have heard of anyone else here having the trouble with Haldir that you are having…"

At this comment Elrond angrily swept his arms out toward the door, in the process spilling half of his third wineglass on the carpet, and glared hard at Glorfindel.

"If that's what you think it might be best if you go spend your time with him instead of me since I am clearly so hard to get along with. Just as I apparently need to loosen up."

Glorfindel cringed a bit at the last comment since he had indeed said to Haldir just two days ago that he needn't pay to much attention to Elrond and that he was sometimes a bit uptight. He hadn't meant this as anything more than a comment on the fact that Elrond was very busy and needed some time off. Apparently Elrond had heard him and taken it the wrong way. He sat up a bit straighter and opened his mouth to say that he hadn't meant it like that but Elrond cut him off with a hard glare that made Glorfindel's words die on his lips. It was not often that Elrond was truly angry but this seemed to be one of those times and it was best just to be quiet on such occasions and let the anger run its course.

"I would appreciate to be left alone in my uptightness so would you please leave now."

The last word was said in a very harsh voice and put to rest any thought Glorfindel might have had of calming Elrond down. So instead of saying anything he stood and exited the room in silence. He would have to explain to him later what he had meant. Once out in the corridor Glorfindel stopped to think things over and heard the slam of the bedroom door. He rolled his eyes at how childish his lord could be when the mood took him. Although, he really shouldn't have said that to Haldir, at least not so Elrond heard it. As he turned to leave Erestor came round the corner. He regarded the closed door to Elrond's suite and then set his eyes on Glorfindel.

"Did I just hear a door slam? Where you thrown out?"

"You did hear that and yes I was. Our lord is not in the best of moods and after telling me to leave he decided to slam his bedroom door shut."

Erestor sighed.

"I take it this has something to do with the argument he had with Haldir earlier today?"

"Yes," answered Glorfindel, "that's what had him mad in the first place but then I unfortunately said something stupid and he told me to leave."

Glorfindel continued to explain the situation and when he was finished Erestor shook his head and replied:

"That wasn't the best thing to say that's true but it wouldn't have been an issue if he had been in a better mood to start with. Besides we both know that what you meant is true. He has worked to hard lately and he does need to relax a bit. It's probably best if we just leave him alone for the night and in the morning he will have calmed down and you can explain to him what you really meant."

"I suppose you're right. I think I'll head over to the kitchen to get something to eat and then go to bed, Elrond isn't the only one who has worked hard and I'm tired. By the way, he managed to down several glasses of wine in the short time I was in there and if he keeps that up he might not be as agreeable in the morning as you seem to think."

Erestor groaned and mumbled:

"Why did we have to get the only elf capable of having a hang-over as our lord?"

Glorfindel chuckled at this and headed of to the kitchen while Erestor turned around and headed to his room to get some well earned sleep.

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Elrond was fuming. How could Glorfindel, who he considered a very close friend indeed, take Haldir's side in this. After all he himself had never been unreasonable before had he? Whereas Haldir was somewhat known for not always getting along with others. So therefore it couldn't be his fault. Perfectly logical. With this thought Elrond took the bottle of wine with him and went in to his bedroom slamming the door behind him like a petulant child. He proceeded to his bathroom and readied a bath which he gratefully sank down into with his wineglass and bottle. He lay there for quite some time sipping his wine and thinking about how annoying Haldir was and how utterly foolish Glorfindel was to take his side.

Although, Haldir did have a very nice body, very well muscled and proportioned… Where did that come from! Elrond nearly slipped under the water when he realised what he was thinking. There was no way he would ever think about that again he decided as he drank down several large gulps of wine to calm himself. It did calm him a bit and he relaxed again. Several minutes later he found himself thinking of long silver hair that would surely feel marvellous against his naked body… This time he sat up so fast the water sloshed out of the bath. He would have to stop with these thoughts!! If he wanted to consider hair surely Glorfindel's was much nicer, but then again he was mad at him so he settled instead on Erestor's dark tresses while he stepped out of the bath and dried himself off. He noted that he wasn't entirely steady on his feet but didn't really care about that at the moment. He went back in to his bedroom and put on his loose sleeping trousers and tunic, and then went to sit in front of his mirror to untangle his hair. He didn't really know for how long he sat there but he did manage to finish another bottle of wine and was still equally upset about Glorfindel and "that elf" as he had taken to calling him since his name only seemed to make him think very improper thoughts.

Hmm, he hadn't bedded anyone in a very long time. Perhaps it was just sexual frustration that made him think of "that elf" in that way. He and Glorfindel had in the past had several dalliances but since he was angry at him he couldn't exactly go to him. In Elrond's rather befuddled mind Erestor was next on his list and he resolutely stood to make his way to his rooms. The only problem was that he wasn't standing so resolutely as he had thought but he still managed to make his way out of his room and in to the corridor beyond.

Erestor had just fallen asleep when the door to his bedroom was opened and he was startled awake. He squinted to the light and could just make out Elrond weaving slightly in the entrance. He sat up and said in a sleep roughened voice:

"Elrond what are you doing here?"

"I have decided that I need to bed someone and you are my choice."

Elrond said in a rather slurred voice. He could have added that Erestor wasn't really first on his list but rather third, no second as "that elf" certainly had no place on it!, but he wasn't quite drunk enough to think that Erestor would appreciate not being first. He let go of the doorframe and stepped in to the room only to have to put his hand on a high chair not to fall over. Erestor had at first been rather chocked at this announcement but now he couldn't help smiling, Elrond was well and truly drunk and most likely not really aware of what he was saying. He slid out of the bed and went up to Elrond taking his arm to make sure he didn't fall over.

"May I ask why you have suddenly decided that you want to bed me since you have never shown any interest before?"

This being said while manoeuvring Elrond over to the bed where he helped him sit down on the edge. Elrond smiled slightly at Erestor and flopped back on the bed from where he proceeded to tell Erestor that it had been so long since he had bedded anyone that he really thought it about time. Erestor didn't really know what to say to this so he asked again why him. At this Elrond looked a bit confused but after a while he replayed that he thought Erestor had lovely silver hair. At this Erestor was even more confused as he certainly didn't have silver hair, nor even fair hair for that matter, and he said rather catiously:

"Elrond are you aware that you are in my room, Erestor's room?"

At this Elrond lifted his head and mumbled:

"Of course, I am not stupid."

Erestor thought to himself that, no he wasn't stupid just very drunk, but said aloud:

"Then I take it you are aware that I have dark hair not silver hair as you said?"

"Of course you don't have silver hair! And I'd like to add that I have absolutely no interest in any fair haired elves at all. I like your dark hair."

Something wasn't right here Erestor thought. Fair hair, had Elrond really wanted to bed Glorfindel but been to mad at him to go to his room? He was perfectly aware of the fact that they had done that in the past. But then again his hair was gold not silver. Hmm… And then it struck him. Could it be that Elrond had a secret desire for Haldir and that was why he got so upset with him when he didn't seem to respect him in the slightest? Oh, this was just too good to be true and he couldn't wait to share this theory with Glorfindel in the morning. He was brought back from his thoughts by his almighty lord moaning:

"I don't feel well Erestor, can you please make the room stay still."

Oh no, Erestor did not want Elrond to be sick in his bed. Well he didn't want him to be sick at all if possible. So he then devoted himself to taking care of Elrond and half an hour later he was sound asleep in Erestor's bed without having been sick. Erestor briefly considered seeking out Glorfindel to tell him of his theory but it was the middle of the night and Glorfindel did not enjoy being woken unless necessary so in the end he lay down in his bed next to Elrond and just went to sleep himself.

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Erestor awoke early as usual the next morning and hurried to get dressed and ready so he could go and talk to Glorfindel. He briefly considered waking Elrond but decided to let him sleep, he was sure to feel rather bad this morning and the longer he slept the shorter the time Erestor would have to put up with him. So he resolutely left his room, went to the kitchen to pick up breakfast trays and then went over and knocked on Glorfindel's door. There was a muffled reply from within and Erestor entered. Glorfindel was braiding his hair and took in the appearance of Erestor carrying a breakfast tray with some confusion. True he wasn't at his best in the mornings but surely he wasn't confused enough to imagine this? So he said a bit hesitantly:

"Not that I don't appreciate this but why are you in my room this early with breakfast?"

"I have something really interesting to discuss with you but didn't really think it suitable for everyone to hear."

Glorfindel looked quite intrigued at this and after swallowing some of his tea he

mumbled for Erestor to please continue.

"Well it appears that your warnings about the wine and Elrond last night where quite well founded. He appeared in my bedroom just as I had fallen asleep, very drunk and saying that he would like to bed me."

At this Glorfindel nearly choked on his tea and got out:

"He what?!"

"Oh, wait it gets better. After helping him to sit down on my bed I asked him why he wanted to do that since he hadn't shown any interest in me before. To this he eventually replied that I had such lovely silver hair."

At this Glorfindel shot a dubious look at Erestor's dark mane and Erestor rolled his eyes continuing his story.

"As I obviously don't have silver hair I asked him first if he was aware of whose room he was in, to which he replied that he wasn't stupid and that he was in my room. My next thought was that he really wanted you since I know you have bedded eachother before but didn't want to go to you since he was mad at you earlier."

At this point Glorfindel said:

"We decided the last time we bedded each other that we weren't going to do that again so I very much doubt that was the case and besides my hair is gold not silver."

"Yes I thought about the hair colour as well and then it hit me that maybe he gets so upset with Haldir because he secretly wants Haldir to respect and like him!"

Glorfindel looked rather doubtful at this but was not outright denying it which encouraged Erestor. Then Glorfindel said:

"But have you any proof of this?"

Erestor shook his head and replied:

"Not really no, but I didn't have time to think about it much after that. Our revered leader told me at that point that he was feeling nauseous so I decided to spend my time making sure he wasn't sick in my bed rather than worrying about his love life."

Glorfindel made a face at this and said:

"I hope you succeeded?"

"Yes he fell asleep after that, without the sick part thankfully."

"Hmm, perhaps we should observe them a bit more closely to see what we can find. I see Haldir all day and you Elrond so it shouldn't be that difficult."

"Yes lets do that and then we can talk about it again tonight. Although I don't think I will be doing much observing today as Elrond will most likely spend most of the day in bed or sitting quietly in his office."

After that the two friends left Glorfindel's rooms to go about their day. Erestor to wake Elrond and Glorfindel to morning training with the guards.