The Single Father's Club

Tobi is a good boy

I do not own LOTR or the works of JRR Tolkien.

Chapter Six


Elrond grabbed Glorfindel's elbow and quickly pulled him aside.

"What the hell is going on, Glorfindel?" he asked, crossing his arms.

The blonde pinched his brow.

"I didn't want you to know."

Elrond's own brows creased in worry. "Know what?"

The taller blonde bit his lip, "When I was in college, Thranduil and I-" he blushed a deep red.

"Sweet Eru, Glorfindel!" hissed Elrond through his teeth. "You had an affair with Thranduil?"

Glorfindel shook his head, placing his large hands on Elrond's slim shoulders. "No, no this was before he met his wife."

"I don't understand," Elrond led Glorfindel to the drinks bar, keeping his voice quiet, "He seems to hate you."

Glorfindel's azure eyes darkened, "When his wife died, there was an…investigation."

Was Glorfindel suggesting that Thranduil murdered his wife?

He recalled that Glorfindel had mentioned that Thranduil had dabbled in 'shady business' and 'drugs' to help his wife. Certainly, the police would suspect foul play in that case.

"As usual," Glorfindel gritted his teeth in anger, "there wasn't enough damn evidence."

"Yes," Elrond nodded, "But this seems personal, Fin. You were only doing your job."

Glorfindel shrugged, "Some people have that personality Elrond. If I did something other than that, you would have to ask him yourself."

He wiggled his eyebrows, grinning suddenly.

Elrond grinned back, "You like gossip way too much."

"Part of the job," said Glorfindel raising a glass of champagne to his lips and sipping at it.

Elrond grabbed two glasses, glaring cheekily at his best friend. "Fine, I'll ask him."

Glorfindel's blue eyes twinkled with mischief. "I'll be here if you need me."

So that's who the boys have learned that look from.

He turned, scanning the room for Thranduil. He was leaning back in his chair, observing the soiree.

Elrond approached him, swallowing nervously. His palms felt sweaty.

"Some champagne for the host?"

Thranduil's lips formed a ghost of a smile: "Should the host not offer the guest a drink?"

"He wasn't fulfilling his role, so I had to take over," replied Elrond.

Thranduil widely smiled, flashing a set of perfect teeth , "Please may I have a glass?"

Elrond gently passed him one of the glasses, their fingers brushing against each other briefly. It sent a dazzling jolt of electricity down Elrond's body. They clicked their glasses together.

"Glorfindel was speaking about you."

"Was he?"

"Why do you hate him so?"

Thranduil stopped mid-sip, his pale eyes watching Elrond's own with burning intensity. Elrond could feel his pulse quicken and he flushed bright red.

"He told you we…dated," murmured Thranduil.

Elrond nodded, his dark hair falling from his pony-tail, sipping at the champagne, feeling dizzy from Thranduil's presence.

"Towards the end, my father arranged for me to be married."

Arranged.

Elrond's face must of have been shocked because Thranduil immediately said: "It was common then."

He casually drained the glass of champagne.

"My tastes were never…that way inclined. I loved my wife and she loved me, but never in the same way that I could love a man."

Elrond felt himself still.

Thranduil had loved Glorfindel.

"So you hate Glorfindel because he could not be with you?"

Thranduil chuckled, "No, because he left me. He left me for you, my dear Elrond."

Elrond nearly choked on his champagne. "What?!"

"Don't deny that," Thranduil's gaze shifted to Glorfindel, "That you and him are…"

"Like brothers," interrupted Elrond.

"So you are not…?"

"No. We never have been."

So the rivalry was because of me. Thranduil thought that Glorfindel left him for me!

Thranduil leaned forward towards Elrond, his fingers reaching to tuck the loose strand of hair behind Elrond's ear. "Well," he murmured, "that clears a few things up." Then Elrond felt Thranduil's lips briefly touch his own in a chaste kiss.

He leaned backwards, leaving Elrond frozen.

"What the fuck was that for?!" He whispered as soon as his mind was able to function again.

"Research," answered Thranduil, smiling.

Anger flared within Elrond, "Screw you and your research, Thranduil! If you think that for one second kissing me is going to get back at Glorfindel, you're bloody wrong!"

Thranduil's hand clasped Elrond's wrist, forcing him to stay.

"I don't want to get back at Glorfindel. I thought he betrayed me by loving another, but he didn't. I know that now, Elrond. And I am sorry for my anger and resentment towards him. But now…I and you know that there is something between us, something that is drawing us closer together. Can't you feel it?"

"No," spat Elrond, wresting his wrist away from the man's grip. "No, I don't," he lied.