A/N: No!!! I have not abandoned the story!  I've been having difficulty focusing lately, and falling in love with my story (which is what you need to do to make it good).  But now I am back on track and hopefully I won't have anymore horribly long droughts like that again.  Once again, very very very sorry!!! Please, review?  Thanks for reading, I love you!!

Elrohir could hear Legolas apologize to his brother.  Elladan had longed for his own forgiveness but he was not able to even think in terms of forgiveness.  His teeth grinded in frustration and his arm shot out to strike the wall.

However, his palm did not find its target but rather was captured in a much larger, stronger hand.  The dark twin turned quickly to find his fist's captor.

            "Son, please, these walls have not been your enemies," Elrond faced him, still holding his son's fist with gentle pressure.

            Elrohir's eyes flashed in surprise and then in horror, "Please, fa-" the words became lost in his throat. 

            "Elrohir, please, I am your father.  You should be able to speak to me with the greatest ease," Elrond felt his son's fist grow weak and almost melt in his hand.

            Elrohir lowered his eyes and shook his head, signaling a "no."  He looked in the direction he had been walking in, he could almost see Haldir's door.  It was so close.

            "You have become a stranger to me and all of us in your own home save your brother and Haldir.  And now, as I watch you fight with your brother with rage in your eyes, I fear you shall become a stranger to him as well.  What is left then, Elrohir?  Haldir?   Fine, but what if you become a stranger to him as well?  One by one, you have eliminated almost all of us from your affection.  I worry every night about this perhaps inevitable dilemma.  What will become of you then?"

            While his father spoke, Elrohir was only thinking of how to evade his grasp.  As his father tried to delve deep into his inner turmoil and emotions, he was able to free his hand.  Without a second glance he continued on his way.

            He found his keys quickly and opened the door without asking for entry.  Haldir was dressed in his usual training outfit and was now braiding his hair. 

            "Do I find you well?" Elrohir asked coyly.

            "You find me, do you not?  There for, I must be well," Haldir tied off the braid and sat on a large elegant chair by the fire.  "And what of you?"  The older blonde looked the tired elf over and knit his brow in concern.  "You look ill."

            Elrohir laughed cynically and proceeded to kneel next to Haldir's chair.  The elder took the moment to admire his lover's fine features.  His icy grey eyes were shaded by his long curled eyelashes.  His skin was an icy white as well and even though the elf was fairly young, small wrinkles began to develop in his otherwise flawless features-undoubtedly an unfortunate result of many nights spent in full consciousness, hours of unnecessary tears, and years of letting a frown be the principle countenance of his face.  Despite his tired face, his body was in peak physical condition and his muscles were not built in excess either.  It were these subtle but apparent differences that revealed that he was, indeed, Elrohir Peredhil, son of Elrond, and not his twin brother.  He stood a sturdy six foot four inches- which was slightly above the average height of most males in that realm. 

"According to your pessimistic diagnoses, I always appear ill," Elrohir ran his hands up Haldir's thighs and squinted his eyes coyly.  "But no matter how ill I am, I can always count on you for certain things."

            Haldir laid his hands atop the dark twin's, "By the way, I drew up some new battle strategies I wanted you to take a second glance at.  I plan to give them to Prince Legolas; hopefully they will prove to be helpful in Mirkwood's dire situation."

            Elrohir hissed in careful annoyance, "Haldir, do not be such a killjoy."  The mentioned took the dark elf's hands and held them to his face to kiss his fingertips.  As they passed over his nose, his eyes perked in disappointment.

            "Have you been in a scuff with your brother?" Haldir took notice of the scent again before Elrohir pulled the guilty hands away.  "His sweat lies on your fingertips."

            "It's none of your concern, Haldir," Elrohir wrapped his hands behind his back and again leant in to kiss his mate.  The other's strong hands rested behind the youth's back and softly pushed towards himself to hasten the contact of their lips.  But once the contact occurred, Elrohir tasted something familiar on his lover's lips that should have been entirely foreign.  He immediately pulled back from the offending taste and spat on the floor. 

            Haldir, not realizing the reason of his mate's actions, attempted to pull the youngest twin back into the kiss, "Do not stop!"

            Elrohir pushed away again, his hands digging into Haldir's chest, "Please, let go!"  Tears began to drip from his dark long lashes as he tried to throw punches at his captor.  He shook his head in disbelief at his discovery and tried to repel again, but Haldir's touch became stronger and tighter.  Elrohir screamed in alarm and found his screams quickly quelled by Haldir's hand.  Haldir held his hips snugly between his legs, not allowing for any movement. 

            After several moments, the young twin fell still and Haldir pulled him close once again, "Please, I'm only trying to calm you down!"

            Elrohir was gasping for air and languidly looked into his eyes, "You, too."

            "What are you talking about?"

            Elrohir licked Haldir's lips again to confirm what he already knew, "The prince has you under his spell as well?"

            "What makes you say that?"

            "I can taste him on your lips!  Do not lie to me, Haldir!  I am not a stupid imp!" with that Elrohir was finally successful in repelling him and ran to the door.  Haldir did not follow and for this, Elrohir was thankful.  He left after saying: "First, my only beloved brother and now my only beloved lover.  He will have much regret for his offenses."

()()()()()()()()

            Elladan began to cough violently and suddenly he felt his stomach turn. 

Legolas reached out to support him, "What happened?"

"No," Elladan succeeded in suppressing the next cough.  "Nothing, please, don't worry about me."  He tried to smile to convince Legolas that he was telling the truth.  The worried elf smiled back and led the dark elf to a comfortable chaise lounge.  With much care he allowed Elladan to lounge easily.  Legolas too lied on the lounge so he could look in his friend's eyes. 

"Why can't I worry about you?"

"You have enough to worry about," Elladan sighed.

            "I can tell by the lines in your face that you are worried for your brother."

            "I'm sorry for his actions."

            "I'm sorry you had to fight him at all.  I feel horrible that I made you two fight," Legolas cupped Elladan's cheek in his hand.  "I must admit, you fought well."

            Elladan laughed and shook his head, "Surely, you are in jest, my friend.  Elrohir has grown far stronger than I.  He was about to best me right before he stopped.  I could feel the blow approaching but he did not…"

            "Why not?"

            "Because, he was so angry, did you see the passion in his eyes?  He was about to deliver me a blow that may have well ended my life," Elladan let his eyes lose focus in the distance.  "I guess he was reminded why he was fighting."

            "Does he always get so horribly angry?"

            Elladan's eyes opened in realization, "No, I do not think that I have even seen him so angry."

            "For a diplomat, that was very uncharacteristic of him," Legolas said innocently, not realizing the surprise in Elladan's eyes.

            Elladan had to make effort to keep his retort to himself, But, he's not a diplomat anymore!  He hasn't been for some time and he may never be again!  Don't you know that?  He was reminded with surprise again, No, Legolas, you don't:  I only told you about what he's supposed to be, I never mentioned the change.

            Legolas looked over Elladan's features with question, "You don't think so?"

            "Yes!" Elladan said with an inappropriate nay.  "I mean, yes, I agree that it is uncharacteristic of a diplomat."

            "I can't imagine how he became the successful man you have told me he is.  I would expect more of such an elf with great learning at his disposal," Legolas quaffed.  "I can't imagine it."

            Elladan swallowed hard, "Yes, well… he can be quite the anomaly at times." 

            "Strange," Legolas said softly as he began to fool with Elladan's hair.        

            The dark elf was scared of the prince's seemingly off-hand remark, "What's strange?"

            "How two people who shared the same space in their mother's womb and who have shared their entire lives together can be so strikingly different," Legolas closed his eyes and leant in to kiss Elladan's lips.

            But Elladan gently avoided the contact and rose from the chaise lounge, "Oh, Legolas…"

            The slightly offended prince retorted, "Yes?"

            "You have said it yourself…" the dark elf gripped the threshold of the door and clenched his fists in frustration.  "We share our entire lives."

            "That doesn't mean that you two share everything?"

            "Or does it?" Elladan asked himself that question.  With much haste, he left the room.

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