A/N: I know it's been quite some time since my last update but if anyone is still reading this I hope you will enjoy!
"I feel ridiculous." Thranduil muttered, his back turned to the camera as a few rapid-fire flashes went off. The clothing the historic department decided was most appropriate for this shoot was something straight out of Robin Hood: Men in Tights and the tension in the air was palpable. The interns were exhausted and pulling double duty working in the caves at night and with Neal during the day. She was exhausted trying to constantly remind the photographer to get Thranduil's face posed out of the shot, and he had grown tired of this well before they'd even begun.
"Well don't worry," Neal calmed, taking a sip of her coffee. "You look ridiculous too."
"Careful Neal Carter, or I might soon grow tired of your charm."
"Oh, well, hey, don't threaten mean with a good time. Hey, Charlie do you think we could go for something different with the clothing? Make him look a little less 'Romeo, where for art thou Romeo?''' She said to the man standing next to the photographer, a notepad in his hand and a face in a permanent scowl.
"What do you suggest?" He asked in a tone that suggested he did not at all care what she would suggest. Neal shrugged, tipping her head back to gulp down the last of her latte. Thranduil let out a heavy sigh.
"I'm not sure, just something…better."
"Wow. Incredible guidance, Neal. I'll be sure to thank you when I'm accepting my award." Charlie said flatly, motioning Thranduil to turn again. The man frowned, moving from the camera to the Elf and then back again. "This isn't working."
"Maybe something more …drapey?" Neal suggested as Thomas walked in, nearly chocking on his repressed laughter as he looked at the elf.
"Wow…that getup is really something." He commented, leaning against the wall next to Neal. Thranduil rolled his eyes.
"I'm so glad you are pleased." he replied to which Thomas smiled brightly.
"You know, I gotta say, I really am. Top ten best moments of my life."
"What a sad life you must live."
"Like that! See! A little more rockstar, a little less 'off with her head'" Neal shouted, happily tapping a picture of a celebrity whose "energy" she was trying to evoke. "Sexy, you know?"
"Oh, he's plenty sexy." One of the interns tittered, blushing when Thranduil smiled at her. He then turned the haughty gaze onto Thomas who grumbled to himself, causing the elf's mood to lighten.
"That's…not bad, actually." Charlie remarked, drawing out a quick sketch on his notepad as Neal nodded enthusiastically. The pair eagerly sketched out a few looks, Neal admittedly drawing from memory, and Charlie from pure talent. "This draping would look nice in that window there. Yes, I know, no face, I got it."
"Well, if you guys can whip something up really quick, we can do some real photos later."
"It's not a cake, Neal, we'd need more than a day." Charlie retorted.
"Ok, two days?"
"Try four, for all of these. Five if you want it to look nice."
"You're killing me, Charlie. Absolutely killing me."
"Oh, and it's not even my birthday." The man quipped, snapping his head up to the rest of the time. "Alright, let's call it a day."
"Wonderful. I should like to remove these clothes immediately." Thranduil announced, walking over to Neal and Thomas. The woman shrugged.
"No one's stopping you, Will." The Elf's jaw draw dropped, ever so slightly, before regaining his composure. Thomas groaned as the others filed out of the alcove. Thranduil made a great show of unbuttoning the top of his tunic.
"Well, I was having a good day."
"Oh, jeez, ok stop." Neal shouted, covering her eyes as Thranduil chuckled to himself.
"It is so easy to get you to yield, Neal Carter. I'm rather disappointed." Neal snorted.
"Well turns out I don't hold up well under torture."
"Hardly torture."
"Well, what do you call it then?"
"Hey," Thomas interjected. "As much as I am loving this little interaction right here, does anybody care that I might have the answer to all our problems?". That got their attention. The pair turned to face Thomas, joy and shock barely concealed on both their faces.
"Where? In the tunnels? Where is it?" Neal asked. Thomas deflated, only slightly.
"Well…well, not here, exactly. That physicist friend happens to be in town this week. He and another buddy of his are willing to look at the place. See what they can figure out. If there may have been an event that happened there."
"That is not an answer." Thranduil ground out.
"There was an event that happened there, we already know that. We need to get it to happen again."
"I understand that Neal, but I couldn't really give him the whole truth could I?" Thomas argued with a little more bite than he usually had.
"No, you couldn't." She relented, frowning at the man. What was his problem?
"So this friend of yours, he will be able to return me home?"
"That's the plan. The sooner the better." Thomas stated, jumping up from his seat on the table.
"I agree." Thranduil said, eyeing the man for a moment longer before giving him a knowing smile. "I think I shall go to your study and change now. I am eager to leave." He said at last.
"Well, make sure you don't redecorate." Neal smirked.
"I can make no such assurances." He called as he left. Neal was still smiling when she caught Thomas frowning at her.
"What?" She snapped, busying herself with cleaning up their work area.
"You two are awfully chummy." Thomas remarked.
"If you think that's chummy then that explains a lot about your dating life."
"You know what I mean, Neal. You just seem…attached." Neal snorted, shaking her head as she tossed a pile of papers into the cardboard box.
"We're not attached. He's living in my house. We have an understanding."
"But he shouldn't be living in your house. I think you're forgetting that he was going to let you die in the dungeon. Neal, seriously, look at me. You're forgetting how dangerous this guy is."
Neal turned on the man, crossing her arms in irritation as she tried to keep a leash on the anger flaring up in her. She knew Thomas meant well, she really did, but she was tired of having this same argument with him. No one knew better than her what her fate could have been, and she wasn't silly enough to think that Thranduil let her out purely from the goodness of his heart. She knew Tauriel had played a major part in that. But she had also seen a different side to the Elven king last week. He wasn't the selfish, cruel bastard she thought he was. Maybe it had softened her up a bit, but she certainly wasn't attached.
"I haven't forgotten anything, Thomas. It's insulting that you would suggest it. Like I'm some ditsy woman, losing all her common sense cus some hot elf let me outta the dungeon and needs my help now. I'm not an idiot."
"See?! That right there! You didn't have to call him hot, Neal!"
"I have always had a thing for Lee Pace and you know that!"
"But he's not Lee Pace, he's not even from here and he's going home."
"I know that! God, what is this about Thomas?"
"Nothing," Thomas said, and then sighed, realizing he sounded like a teenager. "I just…I don't like him making you laugh. He doesn't deserve it."
Neal's shoulders slumped and her anger dimmer as she walked over to the man, cupping his face in her hand.
"Everyone deserves to be forgiven though. Right? Besides laughing is better than crying, right?" Thomas shook his head, his hands around her waist.
"You know what I mean."
"Yeah. I do." They were quiet, Thomas resting his forehead on hers as they breathed each other in. This was easy, this coming together between the two of them. Just as easy as the arguing.
"He's leaving Neal. He's leaving but I'm right here, I have always been here." No, you haven't. She thought, the words floating unbidden to the surface of her mind. As if he could read her thoughts Thomas pulled her chin up to look into her eyes. "I know there was a time…I could have been better, should have been better."
"Thomas-"
"No, it's true. I let you down…when you wanted to quit school I was so angry with you. I didn't want to see you give up your potential. I mean, for Christ's sake, you were catering to these rich assholes, and I get you were making money but you weren't happy Neal."
"Thomas-"
"You know and then we tried, it just wasn't the right time for us, but I never left after that. I was in your life, whenever you needed me, I was there, trying to prove to you that I wouldn't leave you like that again. And then you disappeared, and I thought you were dead, Neal, you have no idea – and I'd never get to tell you how I felt. And then you were alive, and I wanted to give you time and it was never the right moment." Thomas paused, running a hand through his hair nervously. It was there, hanging in the air between them, everything he wanted to say. The future that they could have, right there between them. Why couldn't he just grab it? "We never got that dinner you know. Neal…I really want to have that dinner."
Neal couldn't speak, a rare phenomenon for her. She knew Thomas well enough to know what he really meant by all this, what he was really trying to say, but she just wanted him to say it not just imply it. Maybe he would. Maybe they would have that dinner he would say everything she wanted him to, and they'd finally get on the same page. But…
Thomas's phone rang, like an alarm waking them up from a dream, and they sprang apart. He fumbled around in his pockets for a moment, searching for the phone and mumbling an apology.
"Yeah?" He answered, visibly annoyed. "Oh, hey, yeah sorry. Caught me at a bad time. No, now's fine, I'll meet you out front. Ok, sounds good." Thomas hung up the phone looking quite satisfied as Neal grabbed her purse.
"Who was that?"
"That, was hopefully the answer to all our problems. Carlos, the science guy I was telling you about, he's got some time today and wanted to try out some new equipment with a buddy of his and he's coming by today. But, you know, he pretty much works on his own and I've got some time if you were up for eating." He said, hands shoved in his pockets.
"Well…I don't know, Thomas, I-"
"You'll be happy to know I've left your office in the same abysmal condition it was before I entered." Thranduil interrupted, as he leaned against the wall.
"Oh, yeah, so happy." Neal replied stepping away from Thomas as quickly as possible. "I should, um, get him home, you know? My home, I mean, get him to my home. Past his curfew." Thranduil raised an inquiring brow but made no rebuttal as he watched the pair.
"Yeah sure, um, just text me, let me know if you're up to it."
"Yes, of course. I will absolutely do that. And, uh, you know, just let me know if you're friend finds anything significant out, you know?" Neal rushed out of the chamber, boots thudding along the stone floor as Thranduil followed her. "How much of that did you hear?" She asked when they finally made it to her car. Thranduil made a derisive noise and opened the passenger door, settling in with far more grace than he should be able to."
"What you do or do not do outside of my presence does not concern me, Neal Carter." Her lips thinned, as she opened the door, annoyed that the comment bothered her. She started the car, whipping it around and driving down the bumpy road toward home, trying to think of anything but her conversation with Thomas. After several more moments of silence Thranduil spoke up. "I did hear somethings. You spoke quite loudly."
"I knew it." She scoffed.
"I did not think you wanted my opinion on the matter. I've never seen you quite so flustered."
"Oh, shut up." She groaned, pulling down the sun visor. "And since when have you withheld your opinion on anything ever?"
"I have been quite reserved, believe me." He said, staring out the window. After a moment he thought better of it, turning to face Neal instead, if only to distract him from the car racing down the road. It made him sick. "What is it you plan to do?"
"Right now, I plan to get coffee." She said, ignoring his pointed look. Finally, she slumped, heaving a sigh. "I don't know, ok? It's complicated."
"Most things with you are." He said with a smirk, growing wider as he watched the woman role her eyes. "Uncomplicate it then."
"It's not…it's not that easy, Thranduil. Thomas and I, we just …it was never the right time." Now it was his turn to scoff.
"There is never a right time. Such sentiments are made by weaker minded people."
"Thank you. I think."
"It is clear the man harbors feeling for you. You, in turn, must feel something. You allow him into your home, you claimed to be married to the man." Neal frowned, hitting the break a little too hard as they reached a stop light.
"Well, yeah, I trust him, he has a key. And I claimed to be married as a matter of safety." Thranduil raised a questioning brow. "You know, just in case you were trying to have your way with me or something nefarious." She answered with a wriggling brow. Thranduil let out a laugh.
"Did you not try to seduce me? You were hardly in any danger I can assure you."
"I was trying to get a key, or weapon off you. It happens in the movies all the time. And you played a long pretty convincingly I might add."
"Hardly." He sniffed, leaning back in his seat.
"Keep telling yourself that buddy." Thranduil laughed softly and the two lapsed into a comfortable silence.
Neal finally pulled into her driveway, putting the car in park but not moving. She felt the elf's eyes on her, a silent questioning, but still, she didn't move.
"You should accept his invitation to dinner." He said. Neal didn't know why, but she felt the air leave her lungs. Her grip tightened on the steering wheel.
"Why?"
"Because he cares a great deal for you. He would keep you safe." Thranduil opened the door and walked out of the car, leaving Neal in her silence.
This is a terrible idea. You're going to ruin everything. You two are friends now, good friends…and this is going to ruin it.
Neal through another rejected dress on the ground, mentally kicking herself for accepting this dinner with Thomas. This date. They both knew what this was. She held both a red and black dress up to herself, looking at each in consideration. Finally, she opted for the black, thinking the red was too obvious. She wondered briefly if Thranduil would be ok by himself and if he'd burn her home down in her absence but decided he'd be fine. There'd been little no such occurrences like that after the pop tart incident and he seemed fine.
It really did not matter to him that she was going on this date with Thomas, and why should it? Neal was completely unbothered by is nonchalant attitude. It's not like she mattered to him anyway, she was just a girl he had locked in his dungeon. Probably was a regular gig for him anyway.
She heaved a sigh, throwing down a makeup brush onto the counter and looking directly into the mirror.
"You are being stupid. You're Patty Hurst. This is an infatuation that you are building up in your head. Let it go." She told herself. Thomas, you want Thomas. You have always wanted Thomas. Now is the time. Don't blow it.
Satisfied with her pep talk and moderately satisfied with her appearance, she grabbed her purse and headed downstairs to wait for Thomas and grab her heels.
"Wine?" Thranduil asked from the kitchen, hearing her descent. Neal stepped into her shoes and walked into the kitchen.
"Yes, please!" She said enthusiastically to which Thranduil smiled, pouring another glass for her. "What are you going to do tonight? You're a free man, er-elf."
"I think I shall model my evenings after you, watching TV. Haley, one of the interns, was telling me about a show called The Bachelor. It sounds ridiculous but I said I would give it a chance. Evidently there will be a quiz." Thranduil turned now, facing Neal and froze, the wine glass only making it to her halfway. His expression was unreadable, but he did not move, did not blink, she wasn't even sure if he was breathing. She gave a nervous laugh, reaching up to take the glass from his outstretched hand.
"Jeez, that bad huh?" She commented, taking a quick sip so she didn't have to see him agree. Thranduil blinked, shaking his head and letting out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding.
"No…you look…" He couldn't seem to come up with a word that would aptly fit her. Her dark hair was bulled into a bun, showcasing her long neck. Khol lined her eyes making them more alluring than they usually were, and her lips were stained red, something he hadn't seen before but realized now he greatly approved of. Not to mention the black dress.
"Stunning? Breath takingly beautiful? Divine?" Neal supplied, framing her face with her hand.
"Something like that." He muttered, still unable to take his eyes off her. "Though, if I may offer a bit of advice?"
"Knock yourself out."
Slowly he reached his hand up, pulling the pin from her bun letting her hair tumble loosely down her back.
"This suits you, or rather your intended purpose." He said softly, hands still running through her hair. Neal could feel her heartbeat wildly inside her chest, not hating the feeling of his hands and knowing she should.
"And what purpose is that?" She asked, voice barely above a whisper. She swallowed hard as her eyes met his.
"To be alluring." He answered cradling the back of her head if only to keep her eyes on him. Neal rested her hand on the counter, steadying herself.
"And have I accomplished this?"
"Yes." He answered simply, allowing himself this small indulgence…he did appreciate beautiful things, and Neal certainly was that. A beautiful, infuriating, complex thing. And human. She was human. His eyes roamed her face once more, making a mental memory or her like this, and slowly he released her, his hands lightly unwinding themselves from her hair. Outside he could hear Thomas's car pull into the drive. "Thomas will be pleased."
Neal did her best to hide her disappointment, and the subsequent guilt that followed. She shouldn't be disappointed…she should be excited for her date. With Thomas. A good man. A man who she had loved once, been engaged to. A man who was knocking at her door now while she untangled herself from an Elf King.
Nothing happened. You didn't do anything wrong. She told herself, flipping her hair to the other shoulder and thanking Thranduil for his assistance with her hair.
"I should get that." She muttered, pointing to the door as Thranduil tipped back the glass of wine and reached to pour himself another.
"Have a good time." He offered, not turning to look at her again leaving Neal to feel as if she were being dismissed. In her own house no less!
With a strangled breath she turned, walking to the door to meet Thomas, muttering to herself about what an idiot she was.
You're Patty Hurst. You're the poster child for Stockholm Syndrome. You should be studied.
She chastised, slipping out the front door and locking it tight.
It wasn't until Thranduil had heard the two drive off when he finally let out the breath he'd been holding and rapidly poured himself another glass of wine. This time he actually tasted the wine, letting the flavors bloom, rolling it around in his mouth as he mulled over his most recent transgression.
He so rarely let his control slip, a leash over his baser inclinations, but this…this was new. He poured another glass, frustrated that this wine was not having the same effect as his wine from home…he needed to dull whatever this feeling was, and he needed to do it now.
He would do it, he decided, finishing off the bottle as he filled the cup again.
He was in trouble.
A/N: A little fluff but kind of fun! Annnnnd a big thank you to kasanasatari93, Bluebearsweetie, kobuntan, Guest, Camelotgirl17, .taylor, HuntressQueen22, lumich, mystarlight, lenel92, Raider-K, and d'elfe for reviewing the last chapter