This is actually very close to how I spent a family reunion about a mouth ago. Only; we were at the Zoo, the cat was really a rather freaky Mountain Lion (it sat in the corner closest to the walkway and grinned at people walking past, I swear!), the person chasing me was really my cousin and I didn't kiss him, and it was juice I splash on him.
Cackle!
Enjoy
Reona
Cat & Mouse
The pure black cat yawned and rolled onto her back, allowing the bright sun to heat her belly. The animal closed her amber eyes in bliss as she sunned herself on the ledge of the balcony. Full of mice from the storage sheds of Rivendell and cream from the nice kitchen helpers, the cat was quite happy. The cat began to purr in anticipation of a soothing petting from the single Elf inside the room; that is, when the Elf finished his work. The cat knew better then to try and interrupt that particular Elf when he was working. The long dark hair was an endless fascination for the cat with shinny beads and bright baubles woven into the strands. The light dancing from his circlet and ring would catch the attention of the cat for several minutes, watching the light swirl inside the ring's blue stone. The soft velvet of the Elf's silver robes would be a comfortable place to sit and snuggle against the cool silk of his dark blue tunic.
The slight rustling of the vine trailing over the balcony caused the cat to open her eyes, expecting a tasty bird to be there. Instead, the cat stared as a golden head of hair and two blue eyes peeked over the edge. The cat blinked as the Elf looked around the area and narrowed his eyes on the Elf sitting inside the room at the desk. Finally, the Elf turned his head and noticed the cat. Both blinked at each other before the Elf lifted himself higher and put one finger to his mouth in a hushing gesture. The cat merely yawned at him, thinking how silly the creatures she lived with could be some times.
Elrond Peredhil lay down his quill and reached for his glass of water, eyes still scanning the parchment sheet in front of him. The dark haired half-Elf took a sip and moved the glass to the side as something caught his attention on the paper, eyes narrowing. The glass of water he held absentmindedly next to his head was completely forgotten. His free hand lifted the parchment a little, his mind completely on the words there. He never heard Glorfindel climb over his Study balcony and begin to creep up behind him. The cat rolled over onto her side, tail lashing as she watched the two Elves.
Glorfindel smiled as he stopped just behind Elrond and leaned down near his shoulder, holding his breath. He waited a moment and then spoke softly. "Elrond." The dark haired half-Elf yelped and jerked his hand back in surprise, splashing the water into Glorfindel's face. Elrond looked over his shoulder and watched as a wet Glorfindel slowly straightened. Quickly, he put the glass down and bit his lip to keep from laughing. Glorfindel slowly wiped at his eyes; getting splashed had not been part of his plan. "I'm going to get you for that." he growled.
Elrond squeaked and jumped from his chair, racing out of the door before Glorfindel finished speaking. The blond haired Elf raced after him with a yell. The cat yawned and curled into a ball, snorting a little.
Elrond jumped down the stairs, sliding a little as he quickly turned the corner at the bottom. He looked over his shoulder to see Glorfindel gaining behind him, having better purchase on the floors in his boots than Elrond did in his soft soled shoes. "Elrond!" yelled Glorfindel, water still dripping from his chin. "You're going to pay!" The Elf lord laughed, flying down the hallways and past other stunned Elves. What were they to think at seeing their lord and his seneschal chasing each other around the house?
Elrond laughed breathlessly and dashed around another corner. Glorfindel followed him and put on an extra burst of speed. The blond Elf reached out and grabbed Elrond around the waist, allowing their momentum to be spent in a spin least it send them both to the floor. "Got you!" crowed Glorfindel. Elrond wiggled, flushed from the race and still laughing. "Now you will pay!"
Elrond pulled at Glorfindel's arms, trying to escape. "It's your own fault for sneaking up on me!" he retorted. He turned his head so he could see Glorfindel and laughed again.
"My own fault, you say?" demanded Glorfindel, spinning them around once.
Elrond laughed, glad for the strong hold Glorfindel had on him. "Yes!" he answered. The dark haired half-Elf twisted a little and pressed his lips to Glorfindel's mouth, silencing him. Elrond pulled away from a surprised Glorfindel, dark eyes shinning at the red stain across the other's cheeks. "All your fault." Elrond said.
Suddenly, the door next to them flew open, a strong gust of wind blowing through the opening. They looked up, startled, and found the twins and Aragorn sitting in the room, staring at them in the hallway. "Ada? Glorfindel? What are you doing?" asked Elladan, blinking.
Glorfindel raised one hand to point at his wet face and tunic, hoping his blush was not too bright. "Your father splashed me with water!" he exclaimed.
"He surprised me!" cried Elrond, wiggling renewed.
"I will have my revenge!"
Elrond brought his heel down hard on Glorfindel's foot. Glorfindel yelped in pain and released the Elf lord to hop around clutching the injury. "You have to catch me first!" yelled Elrond. In a flurry of silver cloth and dark hair, he rushed down the hall and disappeared around the corner.
Glorfindel gapped for a moment before gathering himself and pointing dramatically down the hallway. "The hunt is afoot! Charge!" he cried, racing off.
The twins and Aragorn stared at each other before sharing a grin. "Well, come on! We have to help!" exclaimed Elrohir, jumping from his chair. All three raced out of the room with a laugh.
"Yes, but help who?" demanded Elladan. He reached down and picked up the shorter legged Aragorn, the two Elves speeding to catch up with Elrond and Glorfindel.
"Does it matter?" retorted Elrohir. Elladan answered with a laugh as they spied their father and Glorfindel ahead of them. Elrond turned a corner, his laugher drifting back to them. Glorfindel followed and soon the twins and Aragorn were turning the same corner. They skidded to a stop when they found only Glorfindel standing in the hallway, looking confused. "Where did Ada go?" asked Elrohir.
Glorfindel looked at them with smile. "I keep forgetting how fast your father can be when he wishes."
Elladan put Aragorn on the floor and walked forward. "Do we have any idea which way he went?" he asked.
"The floor is wood, brother, you can't leave tracks on wood." answered Elrohir.
A laugh caused them to turn and see Elrond ran across the hall behind them, picking up Aragorn and racing off. "Too slow!" he called back.
The trio laughed and started after them. Elrond glanced over his shoulder, smiling at a laughing Aragorn as he did. His sons and Glorfindel had wasted time by standing in the hallway. The Elf lord turned a corner, sliding again on the floor, and quickly raced through an arch into the gardens.
Glorfindel, Elladan, and Elrohir quickly followed him, bursting out into the open and looking around for Elrond. He was nowhere to be found. The lawn was a lush green and a fountain splashed in the center of the garden. The breeze carried the scent of the many flowers in the garden and strong trees lined the right side of the space. "Not again." moaned Elrohir.
Elladan looked up from the grass. "Too many people have past this way for me to be able to pick out Ada's trail." he said.
Glorfindel was grinning wildly, enjoying himself to no end. "We'll have to do this the old fashion way then. Spread out and look for them." he ordered. The trio fanned out into the garden, searching every corner. Glorfindel walked over to the trees, thinking that Elrond and Aragorn could be hiding behind the trunks. A rain of water upon his head proved him wrong. "Agh!" Hair and shoulders now completely soaked, Glorfindel looked up into the tree to find Elrond and Aragorn sitting on a branch above him, the child held securely in the half-Elf's lap. Both were holding empty cups up-ended over his head.
Elrond and Aragorn laughed, the tree shaking with mirth as well. "Got you!" cried the child.
The twins rushed over and looked up into the tree, laugher bursting from them. "Come down from there before I'm forced to make you come down!" exclaimed Glorfindel, pointing at the ground. Elrond handed down a giggling Aragorn to Elladan and then lowered himself to the ground.
Elrond pushed Glorfindel's wet bangs out of his blue eyes and grinned at him. "Poor Glorfindel." he teased. "Does the Elf not like to be wet?" The blond Elf snapped his hand at Elrond, splattering the other's face with water droplets. The Elf lord blinked in surprise while the twins and Aragorn laughed.
Glorfindel grinned in satisfaction, pulling his hair over his shoulder and ringing it out. "I'm going to go change now." he announced. He began to walk away, muttering to himself. "This will teach me to start a game with Elrond." The blond Elf disappeared through an archway.
The twins grinned at each other as Elrond wiped his face. "So, Ada? How about another game?" asked Elrohir innocently. Elrond looked up suspiciously to see his sons with hands full of water. He yelped and raced away, his children all racing after him. The black cat watched them race by from the balcony ledge, the wind ruffling her fur.
