Authors Note: I apologise for the cliched claustrophobic Legolas, what can I say...total plot device. I usually try to avoid cliches but this one got me where I wanted them to go!

Elrohir had decided he had to stay well clear of Legolas for the rest of the day. Just until they both calmed down and he managed to get his head together. Aragorn had insisted the whole thing was a storm in a teacup and he just needed to give Legolas more time to explain but he wasn't in the mood, not right now, to give him time to do anything.

However staying away from him was proving extremely difficult to do. For some reason Legolas was seemed to be following him. Everywhere he went to get some time for himself Legolas popped up a few minutes later. He had spent the entire day running around in circles. In the end he went to the one place he was sure Legolas wouldn't go. Elladan's room. He didn't really want to go there either. He had seen Elladan earlier and saying nothing about Glorfindel and Legolas had been almost impossible. He spent some time agonising over what was worse, talking to Elladan or Legolas and in the end it was Elladan who seemed the easier.

It was much to his surprise then that it was Glorfindel who he found there and of Elladan there was no sign.

"What are you doing here?"

If there was one person he wanted to see less than Legolas it was Glorfindel.

"Wishing I had not done many things." Glorfindel snapped at him.

How dare he? Elrohir thought, how dare he speak to him like that when he was the one who had been wronged!

"Oh?" he let his words drip with sarcasm, "Why did you do it then Glorfindel?"

Glorfindel then had the nerve to play dumb and it made Elrohir's blood boil.

"Just what is it you take offence at Elrohir?"

"You know what. Legolas is not yours to have!"

A part of him could not believe Glorfindel would ever do that to him anyway but he simpy couldnt dismiss what he had overheard. He had tried desperately to come up with some other reason for it and failed miserably.

Glorfindel was obviously very angry and attacked right back.

"And I have not had him Elrohir. Nor do I want to. Do you really think so little of him? I can tell you now as far as I know it has been years since he has desired anyone but you!"

He was astonished. Was Glorfindel right? Did Legolas really desire no other? He knew his dalliances while they were apart had diminished but ...no-one?

"How quick you are to throw such accusations about." Glorfindel was not finished expressing his opinion. "Should you not be defending him instead of starting rumours that damage his reputation?"

"He would not explain himself." Elrohir spluttered because he HAD asked, he had tried to give Legolas opportunity to explain.

"Because it was not your right to hear the explanation!"

"You tell me then," He cried in desperation, "You tell me what was going on this morning."

But Glorfindel obviously had no intention of telling him anything.

"No you tell me, Elrohir. You can tell me why exactly you are so quick to suggest Legolas is anything but honorable. It is a disservice that you do him. What kind of lover ARE you?"

And Elrohir watched in despair as Glorfindel swung on his heels and marched to the door. Slamming it behind him angrily.

What if he was wrong?

He thought on all he had said to Legolas that morning. What if it had all been innocent and he had overreacted as Aragorn was convinced he had? How he must have hurt him!

Glorfindel was right...what kind of lover was he?

Suddenly he didn't want to see Elladan after all. He must see Legolas now, right away and try to take back his hurtful words. Last he had seen him he had been in the main hall so he began to head back in that direction. He didn't get far however before he heard Gimli cry out behind him.

"Elrohir, stop!"

He turned to see what he wanted for if Gimli was there he could guarantee Legolas wouldn't be far behind. But not this time.

"Elrohir," Gimli was quite out of breath. " You have no idea how hard it has been to track you down and give the elf the slip at the same time!"

Elrohir gazed behind him, " Legolas is not with you then?" He was disappointed at that.

"Of course not!" Gimli sounded quite offended. "You said he must never know so of course he is not here. Do you think me completely stupid?"

Elrohir stared at him blankly. Whatever was he talking about?

"I have bought the gold." Gimli said triumphantly holding out a bulging bag of coins and suddenly Elrohir remembered...that damn bracelet.

"I don't have it on me." He said and turned to glance desperately around for Legolas but there was absolutely no sign of him. "I really have no time..." Surely he could fob Gimli off.

But Gimli would not be fobbed.

"That is quite alright, I will come with you to your room. It will take no time at all." And he started off towards Elrohir's room not even waiting for his agreement. Elrohir sighed, well he was obviously going to have to deal with this first and then find Legolas. He was beginning to wish he had never ever begun dealing in these bracelets now. They were far too much trouble.

...

Aragorn had said he must speak with Elrohir and sort things out and Legolas took that very seriously however Elrohir was proving to be extremely difficult to find. Everytime he spotted him in the distance he had vanished by the time he got closer to him. It was driving him insane. It did occur to him that Elrohir may be avoiding him and perhaps he should just leave well enough alone, after all Elrohir would seek him out in the end even if it was just to shout at him again.

But no, he decided, he had promised Aragorn and anyway he had done nothing wrong so what right did Elrohir have to avoid him in the first place? Still hours later he was beginning to get a bit fatigued by all this searching and now he had lost Gimli as well.

Having executed an extensive search of the upper levels of the castle with absolutely no luck Legolas moved his attentions to lower down and headed towards the basements. Why on earth Elrohir would have taken himself down there he didn't know but if he wasn't upstairs well, he had to be downstairs didn't he. It made perfect sense to him at the time anyway, now however, he was beginning to doubt his seemingly faultless reasoning.

There was the odd man scurrying about down here, all of them in a rush and all of them looking at him very, very oddly but he smiled widely at them in what he hoped was a reassuring manner and sauntered on. There was however absolutely no Elrohir. He began to extend his search and started entering rooms at random but they were all very dark and cold and he thought there was far far too much stone in this city. He knew Gimli didn't agree but he was absolutely sick of the sight of it. It was when he was in the back of one of these many rooms, lit by dappled shadows dancing from the torches on the walls that things began to go very, very wrong.

A wine cellar it seemed to be he thought judging by the extensive range of alcoholic beverages stored around the walls. Just looking at the wine made him feel queasy after his experience that very morning of the worlds worst hangover. Just wait until he worked out a revenge for Gimli, he was thinking on it but the perfect plan had yet to reveal itself. Still, he thought, a wine cellar might be a reasonable place for Elrohir to be hiding out so he spent far more time than he wanted exploring it with no more luck than any other room he had entered on this pointless search.

He had had enough. He would just go back to his room and sleep on this whole mess.

It was then he heard the door slam with a resounding thud. What was that?! He had deliberately left it open. If there was one thing he hated it was being in a room like this one without an escape route. It was with some trepidation he went to see what was going on.

His eyes widened with surprise as he emerged from the depths of the room to see Elladan standing there looking rather upset. Could there BE anyone worse to meet down here?

" What are you doing here?" He snapped.

Elladan it seemed was not pleased to see him either.

" I could ask you the same question." He said as he glared back.

" I am looking for Elrohir."

" Looking for Elrohir?" Elladan was scornful. "In a wine cellar? How very odd."

" Not all that odd," Legolas retaliated, "since I seem to have found you here."

"I am here to get away, I want to be on my own." Elladan was obviously in a very bad mood.

"Oh?" Legolas was all sarcasm now, "something wrong with your own room then?"

" Just go Legolas. You are not wanted here."

" In case you hadn't noticed I was here first," he said lightly, "still I have no wish to be in this dank pit any longer, not with the wrong brother, so I will go as you ask...this time." He wanted to make it clear he was leaving because he wished it. He wasn't having Elladan thinking he could order him around and he sauntered casually over to the door...but it wouldn't open.

He tugged harder but still no luck and he felt a twist of anxiety begin in the depths of his stomach.

"Stop mucking around and just open the door Legolas." Elladan grumbled in his ear.

"It won't open!" He was truly panicked now.

"Don't be ridiculous." Elladan tried himself to open it but with no more luck and eventually he gave up with a sigh.

"It's no good. It is stuck."

"It can't be!" Legolas cried, " Why did you shut it in the first place? Could you not tell I left it open for a reason?"

"Because I wanted to be alone! I didn't want anybody following me."

"But I was already here!"

"And I didn't know that!"

They were shouting at each other now and Legolas could feel himself losing control. Of all people to be stuck in a room with Elladan surely must be the absolute worst.

"I have to get out of here," he starting pacing, "I can't stay here."

Elladan shrugged his shoulders, "well I hardly want to be here with you either but we don't have much choice. Just sit down and wait, someone will be along eventually."

"It could be days!" Legolas cried "We will starve."

"We will not starve," Elladan rolled his eyes, "We are elves. Anyway all the wine is here so it will not be long before someone comes." He sat himself down patiently leaning against the wall.

Legolas hesitated, Elladan was so calm. He was not about to let him see how upset he was. He swallowed his fear and forced himself to sit down against the wall opposite. His pretence at control did not last long however. The air felt heavy and the walls pressed in upon him. He began to fidget, anything to keep his mind off things. Where was the sea longing when he needed it? Time always seemed to magically disappear when he lost himself in that and it would be quite handy now.

Eventually even fidgeting was no good and he could feel Elladan's eyes boring into him with disapproval. He leapt to his feet and began to search the room.

"There must be another way out of here." He knew he sounded desperate but he just didn't care at this point.

"Of course there is not! It is a wine cellar. There are no secret exits." Elladan sounded very fed up.

"Why not? Ours has one." Legolas did not understand why being a wine cellar would mean there was only one way out. He could feel his breathing getting out of control and his heart was pounding in his chest.

"How can you be so calm? I cannot breathe! We will suffocate in here!"

"We will not suffocate Legolas, there is plenty of air in here to last us quite awhile." Elladan's tone had changed somewhat, you might even say he sounded concerned. And so he should be Legolas thought. Obviously their dire situation had only just now struck home to him.

"It has only been ten minutes Legolas," he continued.

"Look," he reached over and grabbed a bottle of wine from the rack next to him, " have a drink it will help you relax,"

Legolas eyed the bottle with suspicion. Just this very morning he had sworn off wine for several months...well weeks...well at least a few days. He did not want to feel as ill as he had done this morning ever again.

"Come on," Elladan smiled encouragingly as he took another bottle from the rack. "I will join you. If we have to be stuck here we may as well enjoy ourselves!"

Reluctantly he accepted the bottle and sat himself down again. A little sip wouldn't hurt would it? He took a mouthful and the alcohol warmed him as it went down. Perhaps he did feel a bit better? He took another mouthful and then another, before he knew it half the bottle was gone but he definitely did feel better. Much better. The air had lifted and he could actually breathe a bit. This had been a good idea, in fact when he next looked the bottle was empty and he was reaching for another.

"Slow down Legolas!"

Elladan sounded alarmed although Legolas noticed his bottle was more than half empty also. He gazed at Elladan across the room and let his thoughts wander. He looked so like Elrohir, the same but not the same. It was very strange. How he wished Elrohir was here, he would be able to calm him better than any wine. Elrohir was always able to take the edge off Legolas's ever changing emotions and mellow him out.

But Elrohir was not here. Elrohir thought him untrustworthy and fickle, someone who would callously hurt him for no good reason. He did not know how to fix that, he felt so powerless against Elrohir's doubt. How could he ever prove himself? What could he ever say that was enough? Surely Elrohir knew...surely he must know that there was only him.

He felt tears prickle at the backs of his eyes. He would not cry. Damn that wine making him over emotional.

Elladan turned his head and his hair swung across his face. Midnight black and so beautiful. It looked just as Elrohir's did and he wondered, did it feel the same? Without thinking he reached out his hand and allowed the hair to flow through his fingers, soft as silk it was. A river of night dark beauty, and it was the same, just the same as Elrohir's!

If he closed his eyes it could almost be him.

He could almost imagine him here, and he would have forgiven him, they would understand each other again.

The constant drain of Elrohir's doubt would be but a memory.

And softly he smiled.