Here is another part to my first Slash fic, believe me, this has been the biggest challenge of my writing career as my slash muse has been in hiding for so long. *glares at #2 and he simply glares back, this new confidence is scary*.
I'm sorry if you are disappointed by the fact that I haven't 'sped up the processes' so to speak, but how can you hurry this? I just like to torture people with suspense. Hee hee. Please Review, I'm aiming for tons as they help me finish stories quicker. Get the hint? *wink wink*.
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CHAP 2
5 years later.
How long had he been running, he couldn't tell and by the looks of things he had no idea when he would stop. Why wouldn't they just leave him alone? Why wouldn't anyone, full stop just leave him with his own life, with his own ways? He caused no harm, he did nothing to them and yet this was turning into a barbaric practice alike the witch-hunts he had barely managed to survive through.
Suddenly he tripped over a small piece of paving and only just managed to keep his balance, still running as swift as ever. The sirens were dying away in the distance and a little bit of hope rose in his heart as they died away altogether, he was finally able rest and he found a tree, leaning against it and drawing on it's energy and warmth to comfort him. Coming to Seattle had been bad from the start, the sea was never going to lead him back to the Undying Lands, they were separated from him now and the only thing that still kept him linked, if only slightly was the ring on his index finger, it's ruby inset glowing slightly with the fire that had been there for the last 5 years.
He knew that by trying to rekindle the magic he had caused some serious upsets, now he was the most sought after arsonist around, though it wasn't his fault, any of it. The ring simply took over and the raw power of nature was unleashed, but he had managed to get it under control the last few years, just keeping his emotions in check was enough and it kept everything calm. One thing he was very glad of, they still didn't know his face but his height and blond hair were a dead giveaway, and it irritated him that he could never ever change it, no matter what he did.
"Are you going to stand out here in the cold all night, or will you come inside and get some soup? You really look like you need it." The small voice startled him and he jumped around, coming face to face with a young man, possibly in his early 20's. Or more like face to top-of-head, the guy only came up to his chin.
He nodded at the request and followed the man to the soup kitchen he had involuntarily stopped outside; to them he MUST look desperate. He only had a backpack now; all other possessions had been lost gradually ever since they had started looking for him. He had been running from them always, and yet they continued to come, somehow finding him yet again and forcing him to leave anything he had established behind. He couldn't use his bankcard without being noticed now and he had made a great risk by drawing nearly all his money out and then "losing" the card. Hopefully they would track IT instead of him.
"Tomato or chicken?" The nice looking middle-aged lady asked him over the counter and he shrugged his shoulders, pointing at the chicken and giving her a kind smile, strangers would often do so much for another, and yet others will do all what they can to get out of it.
He took his soup and sat in a corner, away from the few others that were seated in there to keep out of the cold. But that didn't dissuade a total stranger from standing up, picking his own soup from the table and coming over to him, seating himself so he faced him across the table. Larry eyed him warily, the guy had a scarf and trench coat that could hide any number of things, his wide brimmed hat was pulled low on his forehead and he still wore sunglasses even this late at night.
"Are you going to stare at me all night or are you going to eat your soup?" The soft voice startled Larry out of his musings and he tucked in, still keeping an eye on this strange person.
"You do not trust me?" the voice came a bit muffled from behind the scarf and he noticed the other had not even touched his own soup.
"It's not that, you just come over here, uninvited, sit down and start scolding me for no reason, and you are a total stranger. That's about it."
"Am I?" The man leant forward, propping his elbows on the table and proceeded to take off the think woollen gloves he was wearing, revealing long slender fingers and porcelain skin.
"Are you what?" Larry raised an eyebrow, his food forgotten.
"Am I a total stranger?" The fingers now started to unwind the scarf and he had to un-twirl it several times to get it free. This revealed a strong jaw and even finer skin than the hands, he WAS looking slightly familier, but from where?
"I…I don't know, you just…
"Do not stutter Haldir, it does nothing for your personality."
At this he stood up abruptly, knocking back the chair as he eyed the stranger in horror. Others looked up from their soups, hoping for some kind of distraction to brighten their day, like a fight. The young man who's mother owned the place gripped his mop warily, getting himself ready in case any violence should ensue.
"How do you know that name?" He hissed, making sure only the one in the hat could hear him. He didn't know how to react; the name hadn't been used in…well, centuries.
"Nae saian luumé Haldir, hacluumé."
~It has been too long Haldir, far too long.~
With that, off came the glasses and hat and the long golden hair spilled down the stranger's back, some loose strands coming forward to frame a totally recognisable face with the most angelic expression possible.
"L…L…Leg…"
"Yes Haldir, it is I. I have found you at last." He stood up and came round the table to face the frozen elf and placed a hand gently on his shoulder. Haldir gripped it tight and felt it, still staring at the other's face while he made sure the hand was real.
"L…Legolas?"
"Yes?"
"Oh My God!" He gave a cry and grabbed the elf's shoulders as the other did the same, then they both embraced hard, as though if they let go the whole "illusion" would disappear. The just hugged like that until a faint noise seemed to creep into their senses and they became aware of clapping and wolf whistles.
"Yeah way to go!"
"Woo Hoo!"
"Two brothers probably haven't seen each other in years..."
They separated, having enough grace to blush under the attention as the young man with the mop came forward, showing a grin that looked like it could crack his face any second.
"I knew it, he asked me to bring you in and I just KNEW it!" He balanced the mop against his foot and gave them both a good firm slap on the back, his grin becoming impossibly wider.
"So! How long has it been since you've seen each other?" A rather scraggly looking man looked up at them from his bowl, soup dripping down his beard as he stared expectantly.
"Well…it's been…" Haldir began.
"It's been a few…" Legolas scratched his head.
"Yes, it's been a few…"
"Years."
"Yeah."
"Yes, a few years."
"Yeah, years."
They had kept their faces as straight as possible throughout this and finally they couldn't take it any longer and burst out laughing, grabbing each other in a tight hug again before Legolas reached under the table and picked up Haldir's bag.
"Well, we had better be going; I have a place to stay just a short distance from here."
"You do?" Haldir whispered as they waved goodbye and walked outside. "How could you afford it?"
Legolas turned to him with a smile on his face. "Do you really think Elrond would let me go without any type of payment for this world?" He reached into the pocket of his coat and pulled out a small pouch, pulling a string he opened it and Haldir could see the glitter of diamonds and hear the clink they made as they moved.
"And there is more where that came from." He smiled and stuffed the pouch back in his pocket, keeping his step in time with Haldir's.
A shadow stepped in front of them and they both stopped, eyeing the figure suspiciously while keeping their faces blank. Then Haldir heard a recognizable click behind them of a switch-knife being opened and he tensed, giving Legolas a look they had used many times in the past, 'get ready'.
The muggers had no idea what had happened and the elves gave them no time to think, knocking the two out and leaping on three more before a full minute was up and they stood and admired their handiwork.
The 5 men lay in an unconscious pile and Legolas gave one a kick before they went on their way again, acting as though it had merely been a stroll in the park. Muggers were nothing to them and Haldir tried to tell him everything, about everything that had happened the last thousand years.
It took him a very long time.
TBC
REVIEW, it helps so much and I am glad for those who do. THANKYOU!!!!!!!!!!