"Legolas."

"Yes."

He rolled the name around in his head. He had heard of his grandson certainly, there was scarcely an elf anywhere that had not heard of him.

He had just not realized he would be meeting him so soon.

"My grandson."

Glorfindel and Elrond exchanged another look, and Glorfindel also laced his fingers together in a mirror image of Elrond, "Yes."

Of course he knew those eyes, and that expression that could turn the unprepared to stone. He had spent every single day of his life since Thranduil learned to speak arguing with it.

Even the morning of the day he died they had fought. The moment he ordered the charge, Thranduil had tried to hold them back and convince him otherwise but he did not listen.

It had been the death of him, and two-thirds of his people.

But not his son. Not Thranduil.

Yes, if there was anyone left in Arda that could have raised that formidable elf it would be Thranduil. He would have accepted nothing less from the universe.

Elrond cleared his throat, "King Oropher?"

'King' as if that title meant anything here. Kings seemed to die and sprout like weeds throughout history. There were but two royalty that survived everything.

His son and his grandson.

Legolas.

"Orpher?" Glorfindel asked, louder and less formal. He had never been one for formalities.

They exchanged another look and Oropher became aware that his friends must have left at some point. Probably to seek medical attention.

He had not noticed a single mark on Legolas.

His grandson.

"He brought the dwarf?"

"Gimli, yes. He was apart of the Fellowship of the Ring. It was either bring him or let Legolas fade in Arda." Elrond said as Glorfindel glowered at the few elves who had lingered to stare.

Apparently deciding that Elrond had not been quite direct enough, Glorfindel added, "Legolas would have rathered die than be parted from Gimli before he had to."

He had heard there was a dwarf on the fellowship. That was the problem with 'hearing' things. You were at the mercy of the details thought important and perspective of the speaker. And the speaker obviously didn't feel in necessary to mention this friendship. "Well, it certainly takes a fair bit of a confident attitude to bring him here."

"If there is anything Legolas has an excessive amounts of, it's attitude." Glorfindel agreed. "If he can deal with Thranduil he can deal with anyone. Including you."

Elrond seemed to be showing a certain degree of delight at the entire situation now, "Oh, certainly."

"And if he doesn't get you, the dwarf will." Glorfindel forced a laugh down with a cough, after the look on Oropher's face.

"And if the dwarf doesn't I suppose you two will?" He crossed his arms.

"Oh, no," Elrond assured him.

"Celebrian will." With that, Glorfindel was unable to contain his laughter and he allowed it for a few seconds before composing himself again.

He had met Glorfindel several times before either of their deaths, but never knew him particularly well. And honestly, he didn't know if this was normal behavior of it he was as drunk as Orophers own friends had been.

There were so many questions he had, it was hard to choose where to start. "Where is he living?"

Elrond cleared his throat again and Glorfindel gave him a sidelong glance, the two of them appeared to have grown exceptionally close since the last time Oropher had seen them. "With me, and my wife Celebrian."

"I see."

Did Legolas even look for him? Or ask? Did he even care?

It was possible that he had no desire to meet his grandfather, a crushing thought but one with a good chance of being a reality. He had loved Thranduil, dearly, but the two of them have never been very good at getting along for extended amounts of time. They were too opinionated, often with opposing opinions. And too easy to anger.

Maybe Thranduil had only told Legolas the bare minimum of information, maybe he had said only negatives. Worse yet, perhaps he said nothing at all.

And now after this dwarf incident… it seemed possible that he had lost his grandson before even actually meeting him.

Legolas.

"How long?"

"Approaching fifteen years."

"And Thranduil?"

"Still in Arda with his people."

"I see."

Maybe Legolas thought that his grandfather knew he had arrived and did not care? Perhaps he was feeling the same way or similar to the way Oropher currently was, forgotten.

"And what is a Silvan Prince doing living in a Noldor Lord's household?"

Elrond blinked at him for several moments, like he did when he was holding back something he thought he ought not to say. Before the war when Gil-Galad was still alive, every time Elrond made that face and he witnessed it, he would corner him later at the very moment of opportunity to learn what thoughts he'd stifled.

They had thought themselves subtle probably, perhaps they had been to some people but Oropher had always thought himself especially adept at observing those around him.

Elrond's diplomatically folded hands clenched, but his voice did not, "He is being loved and cared for by those who have his best interest in heart."

"And that's you?"

"I do not remember naming myself, but yes I am one of many"

Glorfindel tossed long strands of gold hairs over his shoulder casually, "I will name myself as one of the many, then. If you want specifics that badly."

"And what is in his best interest?" Oropher knew that he probably sounded hostile. He had been told many times, by many people, that often he presented that way. Whether he intended to or not.

Another voice added itself unexpectedly to the mix, confident and warm. "Peace."

Oropher turned sharply to see another unexpected but much more welcomed face. "Celeborn!" His old friend smiled widely and approached the hug him tightly in welcome; it had been literal ages since he had last seen a childhood friend.

"It is good to see you back once more among us, Oropher. I was not aware you had left the halls!"

"It appears no one was aware. We ought to have a list posted somewhere."

"It would clear up a significant amount of confusion." He looked over to Elrond and Glorfindel, "I must admit when I heard your two had been in a fight I had not expected it to be with Oropher."

That small glow of delight reappeared around them both once more, "Not us." Elrond clarified, "Legolas."

"Oh!" Celeborn's eyes went wide and he himself seemed to struggle against a laugh, "Oh my. Well, that is certainly, something."

"How articulate of you." Oropher commented, "and not with I, with Beurn and Loerum."

"They lost," Glorfindel added. "Wouldn't even let Elrond reset his nose for him."

Celeborn's winced in sympathetic pain, "What did you do to him?"

"You assume it was me?" Oropher crossed his arms again.

Celeborn laughed, "Yes, I do. Legolas is about as hostile as a newly hatched bird, he is, however, incredibly protective."

"They threatened Gimli, if Elrohir's report was correct," Glorfindel answered when Oropher took more than a second to get to it himself.

"Yes, that would do it. Come, my old friend, let us go for a walk and talk. I'm sure you have many questions."

...00.

I have midterms to study for but no self control so i wrote this instead.

Because I am having WAY too much fun with this.

Can't wait to hear your thoughts!