Haldir had never had a hangover this bad. The pale morning sun made his eyes water and his head throb in an alarming way, but the smile on his face did not fade as he stumbled into his kitchen. Last night had been amazing. He may have been drunk, but he remembered everything. Well, everything important. He got Elly to kiss him.

He was brought up short by a hoarse voice from the doorway to the living room.

"Looks like you had a good time." Erestor was huddled up into himself so he looked even smaller than usual. He looked, in a word, terrible. His eyes were sunken with dark circles a raccoon would envy and his skin was pale and waxy. How could the Valar have missed this?

"Good morning, Erestor," Haldir tried to keep is tone light. He had thought of a fabulous plan for getting Erestor a place to live last night, but now, in the light of day, it seemed less brilliant. Anything short of sending him back to the halls seemed like a bad idea. "Would you like some breakfast?" He checked the refrigerator and found that he had both eggs and milk, this was actually a surprise since Orophin frequently ate everything in there after a bender.

"No, I'm not hungry," Erestor mumbled as he pulled out one of the chairs at the table. He did not sit so much as he seemed to melt into it.

"I'll fix you some anyway," Haldir did not bother to look to see Erestor's response. "I doubt you ate anything last night either.

"Don't bother," Erestor sounded as lifeless as he looked. "I'm going to go look at houses today." He said it with as much enthusiasm as most people would grant a colonoscopy and prostate exam.

"About that," Haldir checked the pan on the stove before pouring the egg mixture into it. He did not have any mushrooms or peppers, but he did have cheese he could put in it to make it a half assed omelet at least. "I think I have the perfect solution to your housing problem."

If he had been looking, he would have seen the brief flash of hope cross Erestor's face, but he was too busy shredding cheese onto the rapidly cooking eggs.

"I realized that Elladan will be needing a roommate now that Elrohir has gotten married. I thought we could go talk to him this morning and see about getting you moved in over there. Not that you really seem to have anything to move." Erestor tried to hide his sigh of disappointment, but Haldir heard it and glanced over at the table quickly.

"I thought you and Elladan got along well," he frowned at the sad looking elf at his table.

"Of course," The dark haired elf gave a halfhearted smile. "Elladan would be a great roommate." That sounded fake even to Haldir, and he was only half-sober and definitely hung over. He was not sure he had the energy to find out what Erestor was hinting at.

"Out with it." He opted for blunt. The omelet was almost finished and he wanted to take a nap before they went to Elladan's. He also wanted to work on a letter to Elly. The very thought made his stomach give a little flip of excitement.

"Why can I not just stay here with you?" Erestor said after a long pause. His friend sounded dejected and pitiful.

"I told you yesterday, there is no way that would work, Orophin would make your life a living nightmare. You need to keep away from him." Erestor did not respond, he just sat with his head down twisting his fingers together.

"Just eat this and we will go take a nap." Haldir placed half the eggs onto a plate and set them in front of Erestor. "You look as tired as I feel." Erestor just shrugged. He didn't care about eating or sleeping, both Glorfindel and Haldir had both rejected him now. He did not know what he was going to do next.

After they slept a little Haldir planned on writing a letter to Etchelion, telling him that he wanted to go on a proper date. He hoped Elly would be receptive of the idea. He searched the drawers in the kitchen until he came up with a pen and a small pad of paper. He would drop the letter in Elly's box on the way to Elladan's house this afternoon. That is if he could get Erestor out of the house. He was starting to wonder if there was a way to get an elf back into Mandos' Halls without actually killing him first. Though if this went on much longer, he might actually consider it a mercy.

That thought made him wonder if he had maybe spent too much time with Maddy.

The day was not a total loss. He finally managed to get Erestor out of the house before the sun set and even managed to get him to Elladan's house in good order. He did not have a single meltdown and even smiled and talked pleasantly to Elladan while they were there.

On the walk home, Erestor had seemed a bit distant, but not as frantic as earlier. Haldir wanted to pat himself on the back for coming up with such a good solution to two problems, but he knew as soon as he did something would go horribly wrong.

As soon as he finished that thought Orophin came stumbling into the kitchen.

"A bit early to be home?" Haldir asked, keeping his tone neutral even if the question was not.

"Fuck off," Orophin growled as he threw open Haldir's bedroom door. "Where the fuck is he?" He snarled slamming it shut again.

"If you mean Erestor, then he has already moved into a more permanent housing arrangement." He knew Orophin was already drunk and would have trouble figuring out what he just said, but he really did not care. He was going to be leaving soon to see Elly and he did not intent to let anyone, even Orophin ruin his mood. "Looks like it may have just been none too early."

"Damn it, Haldir!" Orophin stumbled into the kitchen table and knock over a chair, giving his brother plenty of time to move out of his way. "You can't just keep him to yourself, I know who he is. You really think you can just keep him locked up in your room and not share?"

"You have no idea what you are talking about, brother." Haldir snagged a jacket off the tree next to the door. "I am going out, I don't give a rat's ass what you do, but I suggest you stay away from Erestor."

"Don't you threaten me you pipsqueak, I'll break you in half I'll-" Orophin tripped over the chair he had knocked over only moments before and landed in an ungainly heap of limbs and metal. He continued to throw curses and increasingly creative ways he would hurt his brother as Haldir pulled the door shut, cutting off the sound. The night was not too cool and the stars twinkled brightly. He felt as happy as a hobbit as he made his way to Elly's house. Not even Orophin was going to ruin this.

Echtelion had been hiding in his bedroom for the most of the day, he was just not ready for Glorfindel's commentary. But when he had not heard Glorfindel move about for an hour, he figured that either he was dead to the world, sleeping it off. Or he never made it home. Slowly Echtelion crawled out from his bedroom and cautiously looked inside Glorfindel's bedroom. He wasn't there, so he must have gotten lucky last night – well that or he was passed out by the bar. Echtelion shrugged, he didn't really care as long as it meant he didn't have to deal with him.

He dressed and tried to ignore the fact that the entire damn city would now that he had kissed Haldir by now. And Maedhros was sure to be told eventually, even if he wasn't allowed to talk to anyone, someone, somehow would let it slip. He was sure of it.

Haldir raised his hand to knock on Echtelion's door, but paused, there stuck to the door was his letter. It had not been opened. Had Elly rejected the letter? Did he regret the kiss? Was something even more unthinkable wrong? Haldir could not decide what to do, and found himself standing there frozen in place, letter in hand when the front door opened and a disheveled looking Elly stepped out, nearly colliding with him.

"Haldir?" Elly could not think of anything to say, he had not showered, or even combed his hair yet today and now he was standing face to face with Haldir. He felt his cheeks burn. "Why are you here?"

That answered the question of whether Elly had read the letter or not. Lamely he handed the unopened envelop to the still hung over elf in front of him. "I had kind of hoped you had seen this before I came over."

Echtelion hesitantly took the letter and chewed his lip nervously. "Should I read it now? Or is that awkward? Or more awkward? Or-"

"Don't worry about it," Haldir said, shoving his hands in his pockets. "You can read it later. How about you go get changed and we will just grab something to eat. I imagine you have to work tomorrow."

The thought of work made Elly's stomach twist. For the first time in as long as he could remember, he didn't want to go to work tomorrow.

Echtelion had read the letter the same evening, sitting in the kitchen sipping coffee smiling to himself, enjoying the silence as he read the short letter over and over. Said silence was broken the moment the front door slammed shut, "Ellly!" Glorfindel called.

"Kitchen!" Echtelion called back, neatly folding the letter back up, smiling sweetly at the haggard looking Glorfindel in the doorframe.

"Fuck me sideways, I could kill for coffee." Glorfindel mumbled and went for the pot. "So... you caused quite the stirr." He said with his back to his friend.

"Oh?"

"OH?" Glorfindel started laughing, "Really Elly?"

"Alright, so I might have known that it was a really bad idea." Echtelion shrugged, "What's an elf to do?"

"I wonder if you are as nonchelant about it when you are face to face with Maedhros." Glorfindel sat down opposite Echtelion, "I know you Elly, you're gonna backtrack faster than Hansel and Gretel."

Echtelion sighed, "I don't know.. maybe."

Glorfindel raised a brow, "Maedhros is fucking scary, there is a reason they locked him up forever."

"He's not scary, he's sad." Echtelion said, and then nodded, "But you're right he's pretty intimidating though."

"He's a monster." Glorfindel said in a near whisper, "And you're fucking his boyfriend."

Echtelion laughed nervously, "Technically not."

"Seriously?" Glorfindel laughed, "Damn son."

Echtelion shrugged again, and just handed the letter to Glorfindel, "He's just not that kind of elf, okay?"

Glorfindel read the letter and even he smiled at the words, "Cute." He looked up at Echtelion, "So are you gonna do it?"

"I don't know..." Echtelion sighed, his shoulders slumped. "Might as well if people already think we are having an affair."

"Fuck what people think." Glorfindel said in dead seriousness. "Do you want to date Haldir or not?"

"Yeah." Echtelion smiled a little crooket smile, "Yeah I do. What elf in their right mind wouldn't?"

"Lesbians?" Glorfindel said with a little laugh. "Seriously though, I understand you it's just that I'm worried that you are getting yourself in trouble."

"I could handle a Balrog, I can handle one crazy elf." Echtelion said, laughing at himself cause at the end of the day, he hadn't really handled a Balrog, he had gotten himself dead in the process.

Maedhros had never known Caranthir to be a liar, and when he had said he didn't want any contact with the outside world, he had clung to the letters from his brother. He wished he had the willpower not to, but it still warmed to know someone was thinking of him. He never answered Caranthir, but he simply had nothing to say. All he had was his own thoughts to keep him busy, and he could feel himself become more and more unhinged, maybe Namo wasn't all that far off when he said that a therapist might be a good thing. Not that Maedhros would ever admit it.

He had read the letter over and over, it was what he had wanted wasn't it? He had wanted Haldir to move on, but it didn't hurt less to know that it actually happened. Echetlion seemed like a gentle soul, and a caring elf, so that was good wasn't it? Still it made him feel hollow inside, like he had been kicked back to square one, like everything on middleearth had been a crazy dream made up by his overactive imagination.

But sitting here in the library looking at Echtelion walking back and forth putting books back in place, humming to himself, made him want to kick his teeth in. Maeglin was saying something but Maedhros didn't hear him, he was just studying Echtelion wondering what it was Haldir saw. He certainly was fit, pretty too if he had to be honest. Maybe it was all the poetry shit? He knew that those damn Gondolin elves all had a knack for that flowery crap, and Echtelion was said to be the best voice and fluteist. His poetry was miserable as far as he had been told, had never cared to read it.

Suddenly Maedhros stood up, he felt Maeglin's hand brush his arm but he strode directly towards Echtelion. "Libraian." He said sternly.

Echtelion turned around fast as a viper, staring directly up into a pair of narrow green eyes and a frown. "Maedhros." He peeped.

"You fucking Haldir?" Madhros loomed in over Echtelion.

"No!" Echtelion exclaimed waving his hands frantic infront of him "Or.. maybe.. I.."

"Which is it?" Maedhros asked, not caring for the alarm that sounded, knowing he wouldn't have much time before guards would pull him away.

"I haven't, but I'd want to.. I mean who wouldn't? It's just that... well there's you and -"

Maedhros smiled, but his eyes was hard and sad. "You better treat him real good, or I will gut you like a pig."

"Yes sir!" Echtelion hiccupped, staring at Maedhros with large frightened eyes.

Maedhros was about to answer when he was tackled by a guard, Maedhros grabbed Echetlions ankle, "Tell Fingon I need to talk to him." He managed to say before the guard's tazergun knocked him out cold.

Echtelion stood and stared at the guards carrying a unconcious Maedhros back to his cell, okay so maybe he was a little scary.

"Are you okay?" A guard asked.

"I'm fine." Echtelion smiled at the guard, "He didn't hurt me, so go a little easy on him okay?"

The guard nodded "I'll see what I can do about that." and left.

Maeglin just sat at the table and stared at Echtelion, they looked at each other for a moment, before they too went about their business as if nothing happened. Echtelion was not about to tell Haldir about this, he just knew he would be upset if he knew that Maedhros had threathened him, even if Echtelion sorta understood. But he would go find Fingon, that was the least he could do.