Welcome back everyone. The NaNoWriMo Challenge has gotten me writing a lot more than I expected to. To the point that chapter 25 already has 1000 words. I do not own anything or any characters. Please enjoy and I would love to know what you think.
Elrond and Thranduil spent their entire afternoon talking and enjoying the company of each other. They talked about their future as well as what they wanted from one another. They talked about the things that were expected of them, including taking the thrones, marriage, and heirs. They both were a little scared of what was to come, but they knew that there was absolutely nothing they could do to change their future. They talked about the possibility of a future together and how they would work around Oropher. They were certain that they could deal with Gil-Galad, but Oropher was a force they did not want to mess with. They knew they would need others to be on their side of things, but they were both weary on who they could confine in. Andreth always reported back to Gil-Galad so he did not seem to be the most reasonable choice. Where on the other hand, Thranduil had no one that he felt he could trust besides Andreth.
With every passing hour, they watched the sun slide farther and farther across the sky before starting to look like it was time for sunset. They knew they had been talking for hours, but the sun was the one who was telling on them. With every passing moment, they knew they needed to finish things up, but they could not bring theirselves to go their separate ways. If they could have their way, they would lock themselves in this room for at least a week to share all their time with each other. They were a distraction to each other like none other and this became apparent when a knock on the door scared by of them.
"Yes?" Elrond asked hoping it was just Andreth.
"It is getting close to dinner time," Andreth told them. "Would you two like dinner in Elrond's room tonight or will you be joining me downstairs?"
Thranduil turned to look at Elrond and shrugged.
"Which would you prefer?"
"I do not mind either way, Elrond."
"We will eat in my room tonight," Elrond told Andreth. "That is if that will not be an issue with you."
"Not at all. I will get your dinners ordered and will be back up with them shortly," he said before walking off.
Thranduil leaned back with a slight sigh as Elrond moved a hand to gently caress his upper back. With a grin, Thranduil allowed this before pushing into that hand ever so slightly. Deciding to take the most of this situation, Elrond move to sit behind Thranduil and place a leg on either side of his lover. After making sure Thranduil was comfortable, Elrond ran both hands down his lover's back before massaging gently. Thranduil leaned into those hands as he enjoyed the sensation more than he thought he would have. With each rub, Thranduil sank more and more into Elrond.
"Do you like this?" Elrond whispered softly in Thranduil's ear.
"Yes," he practically moaned. "Please do not stop."
"I will not, unless you ask me to," Elrond replied as his hands kept moving over Thranduil's shoulders and upper back.
Thranduil simply nodded as Elrond's hands seemed to work magic on him. He relaxed way more than normal as he allowed those skilled hands to work those muscles in ways he never thought possible. The tension that had been building up, seemed to melt away at his touch. The other surprise to Thranduil was the bulge appearing in his pants. He knew that he would have to call it soon if he did not want to be caught, but he was enjoying this too much. He also had a feeling that Elrond was fighting the same urge at the moment, even if Thranduil could not feel or see it.
"Dinner," came Andreth's voice and a soft knock that pulled them out of the moment.
"Thank you," Elrond said softly as he got up, leaving Thranduil on the bed to open the door and grab the food.
Elrond thanked Andreth who just smiled and nodded before closing the door as Elrond took the food to the bed where Thranduil was still sitting.
"I hope you are hungry because Andreth brought enough food for at least four people," Elrond almost laughed as Thranduil looked at the tray in complete surprise.
"That he did. I wonder why?"
"That is Andreth for you. He wants to always make sure that everyone has enough to eat, no matter what. He did this with Elros and me when we first came to stay with Gil-Galad. That was something that took a while for me to get use to."
"I bet it was," Thranduil replied softly as Elrond placed the tray beside him before sitting down as well. "I do have a question for you. You do not have to answer it though."
"What is it?"
"Do you not eat meat for a reason?"
"It goes back to my time with Maglor before I came to live with Gil-Galad. Maglor and his brothers always hunted for everything that we ate. Very rarely did we ever eat foods from the earth and when we did, there was never much. Elros never seemed to mind this, but I on the other hand, did not care for meat. Elros made sure that whenever we did have foods from the earth, I would get his portion as well as mine. Now, that does not mean that I will not eat meats, but they are not my preference. If I was able to choose what I want to eat, it would almost always be foods from the earth. I did eat a little rabbit on one of the hunting trips that Andreth and I took recently," Elrond explained.
"Okay. I can see that. And I am guessing that it does not bother you that I eat meats."
"Not at all. I understand that everyone is different in the matter. I would never tell you that you could not eat what you wanted, even if it is something that I personally do not like. Like today, Andreth brought some salmon and I will gladly eat a small amount of it. Salmon is one of the meats that I do enjoy."
"That is something good to know," Thranduil smiled as he took a bite of the salted pork on the plate. "When are you heading back?"
"I think we leave tomorrow at some point in the day, unless Andreth changed his mind."
"Please find out before I head home tonight. I would like to see you before you leave if that is possible."
"I do not see why it would not be possible," Elrond responded. "Now if your dad would allow it, I would love for you to stay the night. But you and I both know that would be pushing it with him."
"Yeah, it would be. Unless I explained that this is your last night here and I am still trying to secure trades with you," Thranduil winked. "Not that I have to try very hard."
Elrond laughed knowing they had already secured trades amongst their kingdoms before taking a bite of the salmon. Savoring every bite, they ate slower than they normally do, wanting to spend as much time together as possible. They laughed softly at comments they made and the reality of what was to come. For some reason, the laughs made them feel as if tomorrow would never come and they would not have to leave each others side. As the tray got less and less full, they made sure not to break eye contact out of fear that the other would disappear from the room.
"I am going to have to leave soon as much as neither one of us wants me to," Thranduil eventually said softly.
"I know… Even if I do not want you to," Elrond nodded with a sad expression.
"I promise that I will see you before you leave. You just have to let me know when."
"Why would I not tell you?"
"Maybe you do not want to be seen off?" Thranduil asked not knowing what else to say and receiving a laugh.
"Yeah… Nice joke," Elrond laughed before kissing his lover softly on the lips. "But you know as well as I do that I do want to see you before I leave."
"Of course," he smiled with a slight blush on his cheeks.
As they finished the food, Elrond stood and went to the bedroom door before opening it and moving to the door by his and knocking softly.
"Andreth, are we still leaving tomorrow? And if so, what time?"
"After breakfast we will be leaving," he replied before opening the door. "You remember how long the trip was coming over and we have plans to attend to when we get back."
"I understand. Thranduil was just asking," Elrond explained before turning to see Thranduil standing next to him. "He had hoped to be able to say bye one last time before I left."
"We would love to see you before we leave," Andreth said politely with a small bow. "I will see you both tomorrow. I am going to get some rest before we leave."
"Good night, sir," Thranduil said politely before the door shut and he turned to Elrond. "I will see you tomorrow as well. You take care and sleep well."
"Thank you very much," Elrond said watching Thranduil turn and walk down the hallway and out of sight.
A sigh left his lips as he made his way through his room and into the bathroom where he drew a hot bath. As soon as it was filled, he slipped his clothes off and slid into the hot water. He relaxed into the water thinking about how the day went and what all he had talked to Thranduil about. There was so much on his mind including the fact that Oropher was never going to stop till Thranduil was married to an ideal elleth that will bear him children. He was not going to be able to compete against Oropher. No matter what happens, he knew that Thranduil would never betray his Ada even if he wanted to. He had no future with Thranduil and it was killing him to think about it. Part of him wished that he was an elleth and could bare an heir for Thranduil because then he would not have to hide that he loved Thranduil. Elrond kept dwelling on these thoughts as he laid in the bath without second thought of the cooling water.
He must have been in the bath for over an hour by the time he decided that he needed to get out and get in bed for the night. He stood and allowed the water to drain as he took the towel and started to dry off. He walked to the counter where he had placed his clothes for the next day and started to put them on so he could start packing and getting things ready to go. He knew he was not going to sleep well and figured he would start packing. He was packing up his most used bag when a knock came on the door.
"Yes Andreth," he called out while he continued packing.
When no one answered, he sat there confused not knowing who was on the other side of the door. Standing, he looked back at the door when a knock came again.
"Hold on," he called out again before making sure he was presentable just in case it was Oropher.