­-Note- I'm very sorry for the delay- it's Sunday, and I update on Saturday. I was gone all day yesterday and was unable to update.

-Disclaimer- I don't own it.

A Real Breakfast

He woke at dawn, as usual. It had stopped raining; the street below was dark and spotted with puddles, but the sky was a weak gray-blue. He made himself a bowl of instant, tasteless oatmeal that stuck to his spoon as if it were cement, ate it reluctantly. He wondered dully if perhaps the joy and warmth of last night had been a trick of a weary mind; if so, why was there a bag of frozen spaghetti sauce in his freezer?

He concluded that Elladan and Elrohir had, in fact, come.

He scraped the remaining oatmeal into the garbage, took Alyaran's leash from a cupboard, put on his cloak.

"Alyaran," he called. "Walk!" He heard a dull thunk from the other room, then the sound of nails on hardwood. "Come!"

Together, they set off down the elevator, through the empty lobby, out of the revolving doors, into the street beyond. There were few cars on the road; the sun had only just risen. He exhaled softly, was surprised to see his breath mist before him. It was still September- barely- , and the days of late, sluggish summer had been and gone. The lines of young trees lining the streets were beginning to take on their fall reds and golden yellows, as he had seen countless times before.

Alyaran began to pick of the pace, trotting lightly. The red leash stretched before him, and he followed.

They wound their way through the streets, passed a small park- no dogs allowed- , wandered past an old, brick school, back to the apartments. With some reluctance, he and Alyaran made their way inside, back to their floor.

He shared the top storey with one other tenant, and as he neared his own door, he thought he smelled cooking. He shrugged, entered.

"At last! Would you like your eggs scrambled, or fried?" called Elladan from the kitchen.

"What?"

"Scrambled or fried?" he repeated.

"You're here?"

"Of course we're here!" cried Elrohir, who Glorfindel now saw to be stretched on his couch. "Fried, or scrambled? Or poached, maybe? Hardboiled?"

Glorfindel sighed, hung up his coat. "Whatever's easy...?"

"Fine. Fried, it is."

He took off Alyaran's leash. Freed, he bounded into the kitchen as Glorfindel sank into his chair.

"You know, I already had breakfast," he said petulantly.

"Yes, I saw that gray, lumpy stuff in the garbage. What was it- cream of wheat, or something?" asked Elladan.

"It was oatmeal."

"Ah. Not a real breakfast, then."

"You can stop taking care of me, now. I am several thousand years older than both of you," he said grumpily.

"Oh Glorfindel," sighed Elrohir dramatically. "Just let us indulge you, alright?"

Glorfindel grumbled, closed his eyes. "I thought I was supposed to indulge you."

"Yes, but now we're grown, and you need some care, too, every so often."

Glorfindel did not answer. There was a soft hiss of something cooking on the stove.

"We're leaving tomorrow or the day after. We haven't decided yet," said Elrohir. "It's time we stop playing around and start working."

"Tell me where you settle down, when you get there," Glorfindel said.

"We will."

A hot plate was pushed into his hands, he opened his eyes. Elladan had given him a large, fried egg and two slices of toast smothered in marmalade.

"Where did you get-"

"We went back to the grocery store. Did you know that it's open twenty-four hours a day?" asked Elrohir, inspecting the food on his own plate.

"Yes, but-"

"Eat."

Glorfindel complied, willingly.

"Where are you going today?" he asked.

Elladan and Elrohir exchanged glances. "We don't know yet. Art museum, perhaps?"

"Have you been there before?"

"No, but I've heard that it's quite good," said Elladan.

"For Men, anyway," Elrohir added.

"Men can be quite good at art, Elrohir. And don't forget that you are part Man, yourself," Glorfindel said. "Anyway, I hear that some paintings are Elven. I know of a few who took on different names and sold their art."

"Really?" asked Elrohir. "Who?"

"Lindir certainly did, before he left."

Elrohir grinned. "Did he? I'm not surprised..."

"What was his name?" asked Elladan curiously, seating himself on Elrohir's shins. Elrohir gave a sharp yip, moved over.

Glorfindel shrugged. "He never told me. I think he wanted me to guess, but I don't frequent art museums and didn't know."

"That's a shame. I should like to know," said Elladan. "Do you have a map, by any chance? I don't know where the museum is."

"No, I don't. Your hotel doesn't have any?" Glorfindel asked skeptically.

Elrohir laughed. "He hasn't looked yet!"

Elladan grinned sheepishly. "I forgot until just now, El."

"Well, then. Perhaps it's time to go and see," said Glorfindel.

They finished the meal in silence. Glorfindel stood, collected the empty plates, set them in the sink. He met Elladan and Elrohir at the door.

"Will you be back before you leave? I have work tomorrow."

"Perhaps," said Elrohir, shrugging. "But we'll send word, like we promised."

"Look after yourselves," said Glorfindel. "I'll be here if you need anything."

"We know," said Elladan, embracing him. "We know."

The door closed. He sighed, turned back to the empty apartment. He had dishes to wash, a dog to feed, a life to see to.

Thanks for reading! Review Responses:

Neoinean: Dun dun dun! You'll just have to wait and see! :D /beams/ Well written?! Thank you!!

Kazbels: Glorfindel was in urgent need of a cooking lesson. Now, maybe he can exist on something other than frozen dinners!

Erestor: Thank you for lending 'Xanthus'. We'll be all set if the Romans ever come back! :P That's why I'm also a French student. Sorry to get your hopes up with the whole 'fictitious' thing! I am fairly certain that that will not happen! :P

Noldo: Welcome back! Glad the computer is fixed. Thanks for the review on "Spring Shower" as well. I'll look into HASA- this story shouldn't conclude for another few chapters. I was going to make him visit Celeborn- now I'm not so sure. What do you think? And you've been to Pondicherry?! /melts/ Ah! I've always wanted to go to India and spend a few weeks hiking. I don't know if that would work, though. Maybe in college...hm...