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The smooth hands traced up and over his shoulder blades and back, the rain adding to the easy, fluid movements. The soft rain spattering over his neck and head felt as if it were cleansing his mind as well as his mud covered body. Together they breathed as one, their limbs moved against each other when one of them shifted, and their thoughts drifted together as their bodies previously had. Together, Elladan and Legolas lifted their heads and looked into each other's eyes, a silent agreement being reached by both. As Legolas started to pull away, Elladan suddenly had a grip on his wrist and the back of his neck, drawing him for a sweet kiss. Legolas tilted his head to the side to claim the mouth in a loving embrace. The Elven Prince's wet hair stuck to Elladan's cheeks and throat, causing an irritating tickle, forcing Elladan to pull back too soon for either of their liking.
"We have been gone far too long. Garal has no doubt spoken to my father of my behavior, and possibly yours as well." Elladan's cheeks proceeded to stain the slightest of pinks.
"My behavior?" Legolas voiced sharply.
"Our behavior then." Elladan smiled in a cocky manner, "A much enjoyed behavior I might add."
"And speaking of such, I never want to hear of you hitting or abusing any of the servants. No matter what your rage, no matter who it is directed to, the servants are not the cause for our anguish."
Elladan joined Legolas on the opposite side of the tree to retrieve his pants, which were flung much further away then he remembered tossing them, and sighed heavily.
"Your tone leaves no room for disagreement and I am perfectly happy with not being able to tell you that you are wrong. I have never had a reason to hit anything in my entire life that wasn't an Orc or an annoying sibling. I don't see why I should start now." Elladan snatched his shirt from the base of the tree and quickly retreated to the safety of the tree trunk that faced away form his father's home.
Legolas was already there, "I am glad to hear that from your delicious lips." He smirked happily.
Elladan smiled in retaliation and chose not to fire back a retort. For the next silent minute or so the two Elves fought a losing battle with their leather pants, wet and unruly as they were.
"A sorry state we are. Our sexual urges drive us to behave like a beast of burden and leaves our clothing in no shape to wear." Legolas turned his face skyward in mock annoyance.
Elladan laughed, saying, "Our tunics are long enough. Perhaps if we run as fast as we are able we will go unseen."
"My robe sits right inside the doorway, on a bench. There should be more then room enough for us both in there to hide our bodies from prying eyes."
"Maybe we should keep trying love, and use your plan as a last resort."
Legolas plopped onto his rear end in answer, bunching up the bottom of his pant legs. From there he tried to pull the brown leather over his wet feet and calves, to no avail. One look at Elladan showed him that he was having the same lack of results.
"Tis useless! Come, before the rain soaks us through and through!" Legolas threw his trousers up onto the lowest branch, the very one he had climbed, that was three feet above his head, "When the sun comes out they should dry well enough that way."
"And make them stiff, brittle, and to lose their durabilityall because a certain Elf is too lazy to carry them indoors.
Legolas feigned surprise, "I am shocked you would say such things to me! True they may be, but to my face! I am more then dumfounded at your lack of thoughtfulness!"
"Very good my Legolas." Elladan complimented his teasing, "You may one day be as good as I at this game."
"Are you going to run your mouth off the rest of the evening or are you going to go share my robe with me?" Legolas taunted, starting to walk away. The fabric of his shirt stuck to his body, outlining every curve.
Elladan smiled happily. That was not a bad view at all! But that view became obstructed as his target of interest began a speedy run to cover the long distance required of them. He too joined in the Prince's sprinting, not favoring the thought of his Lord and father seeing him prancing around half-nude with the very Elf he was not supposed to be with.
Soon his worries abated as he caught up to Legolas. They began a half hearted attempt at touch and flee, trying to tag the other man and not be tagged back in the process. Their laughter mingled freely with the rain, leaving them feeling as though this was the first time they had been free in a very long, long time. The grip they had on the ground faltered constantly with the aid of the sheets of water being dropped from the sky but this only added to their fun.
All too soon they were forced to stop their antics when they reached the doors of their home. Elladan took a bow and waved his arm to show Legolas that he was to go first. As the Princeling did this he felt a sharp pinch to his behind and jumped into the air out of surprise.
"You are full of yourself Lord Elladan." He commented, grabbing up his large robe and throwing it over his shoulders. He held one side open for Elladan.
"We should head for Elrohir's room. Perhaps father is done with him and he'll want to spend some time with his near nude lovers."
Legolas laughed heartily, "What if I told you that my body is quite satisfied with its ventures it has already had today?"
Elladan folded the fabric even closer around them, so he could feel the body next to his that much better, "Then I would call you a liar."
Legolas felt his breath catch in his throat. There was that feeling again. The one that he never grew tired of; love and desire. He planted a hurried kiss against the full lips of his partner and sighed through his nose, "You know me better then I do." He decided.
Elladan nodded and began shuffling to his brother's room with Legolas right on top of him, literally as well as figuratively. Many an amused and questionable glances were give to the hobbling pair as they tried to coordinate their movements to actually become a walkable creature of sorts. It wasn't known that the two were not supposed to be in each other's company so they enjoyed watching them flirt and enjoy themselves. They hadn't done things like this for the longest timebeing childish and carefree. It was fun. It was how they fell in love in the first place.
Somehow, amidst much tripping, stumbling, and shouting, they were able to reach Elrohir's door. Legolas banged raucously, shouting to be let in, all in good-natured fun. Inside they heard nothing but the soft sounds of somebody crying; crying or laughing, but neither of them were able to discern which. Elladan and Legolas exchanged confused looks, but they figured out all too soon what was bothering their brother and lover; Elrond had obviously finished discussing things with his youngest son and dismissed him from his chambers.
"Elrohir! Let us inwe need to talk to you." Legolas tried his soft voice first, knowing that the aforementioned was usually powerless to its persuasion.
It didn't work this time.
Elladan and Legolas exchanged confused glances. There hadn't been a time ever that either could recall Elrohir not responding to one of them. He was sensitive to other Elves and Humans in a way that made some jealous. Elladan tried his luck with his 'brother' tone.
"Elrohir! Enough of this madness, let us in! We know why you wish not to speak with uslet us talk with you!" His voice was loud enough to go through the heavy wood but not loud enough to echo so others could hear. Now they were getting less then flattering looks by passerby in their current state of dress, or lack of, and their frustrations were quickly mounting.
A tiny squeak issued less then a foot from their bodies, the hinges were in need of oil, and the door drifted slowly open. There was nobody standing there. Elladan gave his head a graceful jerk forward to show Legolas his intent so as to not leave him standing robeless when he moved.
The room they entered was darkened to the point of hardly being able to see an outline of furniture. Legolas bit back a yelp as he stubbed his toe against some unseen assailant. He quickly got his bearings when he moved deeper into the room as most of the furnishings were in the same places they always had been. A sound. There, by the bed.
"Oh, Elrohir" Elladan breathed, feeling despair eating at him already, "Lego-las, would start a fire please? Tis far too dark to see"
Legolas dropped his side of the robe, letting Elladan take the full weight of it, and moved off to find the tinder pack.
"Brother, come here." Elladan had barely sat down next to Elrohir when he had an armful of sibling, sobbing helplessly into his shoulder, "ElrohirI'm so sorry." He too joined in the crying.
Legolas felt himself begin to shake as the anguish flowed off of the two he loved more then life, their heart ache was his as well, their tears were tears that flowed down his cheeks; they were one. The fire seemed reluctant to take to life, eating up the shredded tree bark with a vengeance, but refusing the larger sticks of kindling. Legolas grew impatient with his job when he heard the reassuring murmuring of one of the brothers to the other. He wanted, needed, to be there, to be able to support them as well as himself. He growled silently at the fireplace and grabbed too large a handful of tinder, throwing it on the cold logs already set inside. He pulled out the piece of flint to strike a spark that would light the fire, and let all of his anger, his fears of losing Elladan and Elrohir, and his anger at Elrond flow through his arm and he struck the flint hard. A flare light lit his cream colored face and settled in the very middle of the shredded bark. It caught this time, swallowing the kindling whole and began to work on the logs. Legolas tossed the flint to the floor in disgust, with himself, and with the fire for taking so long.
When he settled on Elrohir's other side, he felt the cold clamminess of his wet shirt touch his skin. Without a thought of consideration he peeled the tunic off and let it land on the floor with a slurping pop of a sound. A similar sound let him know Elladan had done the same.
A moment of silence ensued. Elrohir took a deep shuddering breath and brought his hands to his cheeks to swipe away the wet trails the tears had left behind.
"Forgive me, I haven't cried like that in ages" His voice was soft and weak.
"If father told me what it is he told you, then there is no reason in Middle-Earth that you should be sorry."
Legolas suddenly felt separated from the two. He only had the basic rough edges of what had been talked about, rather then the whole deal.
"Why would he do this to us? Why does he wish to see us torn apart? Only a month ago he was telling me how happy he was to see our spirits uplifted! He said he was happy for us" Elrohir sound like a child that wanted a toy but knew that he wouldn't be getting.
"Nobody can understand him fully, not even mother. Perhaps that's the true reason she left"
Legolas snorted, "Nonsense. You know just as well as I do that her vision of Middle-Earth was spoiled because of her encounter with the Orcs. Stop with the bitter ideas Elladan. We should discuss what we already know."
Elladan looked the part of a man who was faced with losing all he held dear. He knew he would never be forced to part with these two but it was a cold feeling knowing that someone else wanted it that way.
"I will be blunt and to the point. Father told me that I had to choose between you and Elrohir. That he wouldn't allow three Elves to rule Rivendell. It hasn't been done before and he does not want to see things change. He also so that we should leave if we choose to stay, all three of us, together." He clenched his hands into fists and pounded on his knee.
Legolas sighed, "What did I tell you about hitting things?"
Elladan felt a small stirring of laughter in his throat, "I am sorry, I did not know that that applied to myself."
Legolas nodded sharply, "It does. But if I have any say in this matter, any at all, I will NOT let Lord Elrond take away what we have. I have never loved as I love now. All of my thoughts are filled with you and how well you treat me. How you return my love as thought I actually deserved it-."
"Because you do." Elrohir put in.
Legolas smiled softly, "As you say. But I can only hope that you return those feelings even a fraction of what I feel. That alone would show me that you loved me dearly."
"And we do. If you don't recall it was Elladan and I that had to court you, son of Thranduil. How frustrating you were! All of the maidens and warriors vying for you affection, even just your attention! You were much sought after. Imagine our shock when you finally gave into us and joined in our love. It was the happiest day I had ever lived to see, and still is." Elrohir spoke softly, fervently the entire time.
Elladan saw the reaction from Legolas immediately and was nearly pushed off the edge of the bed with his vicious attack on Elrohir's lips.
"I really need to learn how to do that."
Legolas sat up, leaving a stunned Elrohir still lying on his back between the two.
"You kiss wonderfully Elladanyou need to learn nothing." Legolas stated.
"No! How to speak in such a wayit gets him mauled every time he does it!"
Elrohir giggled from his spot, "Use your mind brother, or what you have of one, and speak what your heart tells you to speak. Let it come out as though you are thinking it to yourself."
Elladan leaned down and pressed his lips against Elrohir's, pursing his mouth to take in the sweet taste and pulled back, "Thank you for the advice Elrohir."
Elrohir blinked happily, "Anytime! Legolas, have you any need for advice?"
Elladan and Legolas laughed, giving fond looks to the youngest twin. The Prince took a deep breath and made to lie down. Elrohir hissed when his cold, damp hair met his chest and neck.
"What have you been doing to make your hair so wet my Prince?" He gasped.
Legolas exchanged an amused look with Elladan, "Do you want us to show you?"
Elrohir felt as if he was a prey animal, about to be attacked by the predator, "More than anything"
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