A/N: More fluffy stuff. A bit of UST and angst, but nothing serious yet.
Let me know what you think!! Please, please, please!! More reviews =
faster writing.
************************* Love, or Something Like It *************************
The beech trees swayed in the wind, casting eerie shadows on the forest floor. Furry animals scurried about, trying not to attract the attention of the more deadly denizens of Mirkwood. The ring of bells echoed off the ancient gnarled trees, and the forest seem to brighten, if only for a moment.
Elladan and Elrohir allowed their horses to follow the paths as they wished; the steeds knew the way home better than the Elves themselves, and would carry their masters safely through the forest. Elladan sang as they rode, his clear voice banishing the remaining shadows from the corners of the road. Elrohir listened to the song. It was one of love and life and laughter, matching the twinkle in his brother's eyes. The song ended and Elladan returned to silence, his sight turned inward as he mused to himself.
"What are you thinking?" Elrohir asked. It was a favorite question of his, though the twins often shared their thoughts even when they did not voice them.
"I am thinking of our stay in Mirkwood. Their hospitality was exceptional, even for two troublemaking half-Elves as us. I would like to return there soon," Elladan said.
Elrohir eyed his twin more closely. "We have not yet left the borders yet you already wish to return?" he asked.
Elladan looked down, apparently fascinated with his horse's neck. "Perhaps not return to Mirkwood alone," he said.
"Return to someone in Mirkwood, then?" Elrohir laughed as his brother blushed lightly.
"Yes," he said simply, returning his attention to the scenery.
"And what pretty little maiden has caught your eye, brother?"
Elladan sucked in a breath. "Not a pretty little maiden at all," he said quietly.
"Who?" Elrohir asked, his voice turned to demanding. "The blue-eyed captain? What was his name..Beregil?"
Elladan shook his head. "Nay. Legolas, if you must know."
Elrohir was strangely silent. "I would have guessed soon enough," he said. "I should have noticed. I did notice. I did not know what I was looking at."
"Yet you know now?"
"Yes. Love."
Elladan was silent for a long moment, considering the words. "Yes," he said at last. "I do believe I love him. Do you find fault at that?"
Elrohir shook his head. "No. I am jealous, brother. Though now I know why you were so keen on the idea of riding out with him every morning. I am glad I kept my distance."
Elladan smiled. "I thought you knew," he said.
"I did," Elrohir admitted.
They rode some more in silence, Elladan's heart lighter now that his brother heard the secret from his own lips, and not from the half-truths of gossip and guesses. It was Elrohir's eyes that were darker now, troubled with some unknown thoughts.
"What is wrong," Elladan asked. "Did you not speak the truth when you said all was well with my decision?"
"I did not lie," Elrohir answered. "I was merely wondering.how do you know it is love and not some infatuation that will fade in time?"
Elladan bit his lip. "I do not know. But if there is one thing Elves have it is time. I have indeed spoken to Legolas about this. We will love whilst we believe it to be love, and if we find it is not, then we will not regret our choice."
"Wise words, brother," Elrohir said. Still, he seemed uneasy and his horse slowed as she sensed the change in her rider. "Elladan did you..have you."
"What, Elrohir? Sleep with Legolas?"
Elrohir blushed that time. "Yes, though those were not the words I was going to use."
Elladan sighed and looked around. They were in a clearing and he could see the sun setting between the trees. "Let us make camp here tonight. I will tell you when we have a warm fire."
Elrohir agreed and they dismounted, allowing their horses to wander free in search of green grass. He gathered wood and started the fire as Elladan busied himself with the bedrolls and food. It was dark by the time they were settled by the fireside and Elrohir stared at his brother expectantly.
"Will you tell me or no?" he finally asked.
Elladan smiled. "Legolas and I were on an errand to Dale, and he stopped to show me a tree that he had planted some years before. It was quite beautiful, a white oak standing amongst the beeches and birch trees. Magnificent sight."
"Elladan.." Elrohir said threateningly.
"Right, right. He kissed me there in the clear view of the sunlight, but there was not a soul around to witness us. He said the tree was witness enough, though I was not privy to their conversation, it seems."
"How did it feel.your first time? Did it hurt?" Elrohir asked eagerly.
Elladan frowned at the words. "Yes, it hurt, but only a little and only at first." His lips curved into a wicked smile. "You soon forget about it," he said.
Elrohir blushed and turned his eyes towards the fire. "Are we strange, Elladan, that we have not married as our friends have?"
Elladan shook his head. "Father did not marry in his youth," he reasoned. "Not all paths are tread by all Elves."
Elrohir sighed then, and his brother heard that it was a sound of longing. "Do you wish for love?" Elladan asked him. "Or do you already love one you cannot have?"
Elrohir rested his head in his hands. "I do not wish to say," he said at last.
"Keep your secrets, then," Elladan said. "We have few enough between us, and I have lost another this night. I think I shall sleep before my mouth betrays me any further." Elladan turned to his bedroll, a little hurt that his brother would not confide in him.
"Elladan?" Elrohir said quietly. "Thank you for sharing your secrets with me. I promise I will tell you when I think I am ready to tell."
Elladan made a noise of noncommittal, but opened his arms, inviting his twin to lie next to him. "Go to sleep," he said as Elrohir settled against him. "Know that your pain is shared, as it seems be both want what we can't have."
Elrohir let his brother's singing soothe him to sleep as Elladan sang of longing under waterfalls and white oak trees.
************************* Love, or Something Like It *************************
The beech trees swayed in the wind, casting eerie shadows on the forest floor. Furry animals scurried about, trying not to attract the attention of the more deadly denizens of Mirkwood. The ring of bells echoed off the ancient gnarled trees, and the forest seem to brighten, if only for a moment.
Elladan and Elrohir allowed their horses to follow the paths as they wished; the steeds knew the way home better than the Elves themselves, and would carry their masters safely through the forest. Elladan sang as they rode, his clear voice banishing the remaining shadows from the corners of the road. Elrohir listened to the song. It was one of love and life and laughter, matching the twinkle in his brother's eyes. The song ended and Elladan returned to silence, his sight turned inward as he mused to himself.
"What are you thinking?" Elrohir asked. It was a favorite question of his, though the twins often shared their thoughts even when they did not voice them.
"I am thinking of our stay in Mirkwood. Their hospitality was exceptional, even for two troublemaking half-Elves as us. I would like to return there soon," Elladan said.
Elrohir eyed his twin more closely. "We have not yet left the borders yet you already wish to return?" he asked.
Elladan looked down, apparently fascinated with his horse's neck. "Perhaps not return to Mirkwood alone," he said.
"Return to someone in Mirkwood, then?" Elrohir laughed as his brother blushed lightly.
"Yes," he said simply, returning his attention to the scenery.
"And what pretty little maiden has caught your eye, brother?"
Elladan sucked in a breath. "Not a pretty little maiden at all," he said quietly.
"Who?" Elrohir asked, his voice turned to demanding. "The blue-eyed captain? What was his name..Beregil?"
Elladan shook his head. "Nay. Legolas, if you must know."
Elrohir was strangely silent. "I would have guessed soon enough," he said. "I should have noticed. I did notice. I did not know what I was looking at."
"Yet you know now?"
"Yes. Love."
Elladan was silent for a long moment, considering the words. "Yes," he said at last. "I do believe I love him. Do you find fault at that?"
Elrohir shook his head. "No. I am jealous, brother. Though now I know why you were so keen on the idea of riding out with him every morning. I am glad I kept my distance."
Elladan smiled. "I thought you knew," he said.
"I did," Elrohir admitted.
They rode some more in silence, Elladan's heart lighter now that his brother heard the secret from his own lips, and not from the half-truths of gossip and guesses. It was Elrohir's eyes that were darker now, troubled with some unknown thoughts.
"What is wrong," Elladan asked. "Did you not speak the truth when you said all was well with my decision?"
"I did not lie," Elrohir answered. "I was merely wondering.how do you know it is love and not some infatuation that will fade in time?"
Elladan bit his lip. "I do not know. But if there is one thing Elves have it is time. I have indeed spoken to Legolas about this. We will love whilst we believe it to be love, and if we find it is not, then we will not regret our choice."
"Wise words, brother," Elrohir said. Still, he seemed uneasy and his horse slowed as she sensed the change in her rider. "Elladan did you..have you."
"What, Elrohir? Sleep with Legolas?"
Elrohir blushed that time. "Yes, though those were not the words I was going to use."
Elladan sighed and looked around. They were in a clearing and he could see the sun setting between the trees. "Let us make camp here tonight. I will tell you when we have a warm fire."
Elrohir agreed and they dismounted, allowing their horses to wander free in search of green grass. He gathered wood and started the fire as Elladan busied himself with the bedrolls and food. It was dark by the time they were settled by the fireside and Elrohir stared at his brother expectantly.
"Will you tell me or no?" he finally asked.
Elladan smiled. "Legolas and I were on an errand to Dale, and he stopped to show me a tree that he had planted some years before. It was quite beautiful, a white oak standing amongst the beeches and birch trees. Magnificent sight."
"Elladan.." Elrohir said threateningly.
"Right, right. He kissed me there in the clear view of the sunlight, but there was not a soul around to witness us. He said the tree was witness enough, though I was not privy to their conversation, it seems."
"How did it feel.your first time? Did it hurt?" Elrohir asked eagerly.
Elladan frowned at the words. "Yes, it hurt, but only a little and only at first." His lips curved into a wicked smile. "You soon forget about it," he said.
Elrohir blushed and turned his eyes towards the fire. "Are we strange, Elladan, that we have not married as our friends have?"
Elladan shook his head. "Father did not marry in his youth," he reasoned. "Not all paths are tread by all Elves."
Elrohir sighed then, and his brother heard that it was a sound of longing. "Do you wish for love?" Elladan asked him. "Or do you already love one you cannot have?"
Elrohir rested his head in his hands. "I do not wish to say," he said at last.
"Keep your secrets, then," Elladan said. "We have few enough between us, and I have lost another this night. I think I shall sleep before my mouth betrays me any further." Elladan turned to his bedroll, a little hurt that his brother would not confide in him.
"Elladan?" Elrohir said quietly. "Thank you for sharing your secrets with me. I promise I will tell you when I think I am ready to tell."
Elladan made a noise of noncommittal, but opened his arms, inviting his twin to lie next to him. "Go to sleep," he said as Elrohir settled against him. "Know that your pain is shared, as it seems be both want what we can't have."
Elrohir let his brother's singing soothe him to sleep as Elladan sang of longing under waterfalls and white oak trees.