JRR Tolkien - Elladan Peredhil & Elrohir Peredhil - prompt 076
*Title: Quandary (Written for the fanfic100 challenge)
*Author: Minuial Nuwing
*Contact: minuial_nuwing@yahoo.com
*Website: First Light - http://geocities.com/minuial_nuwing/
*Update list: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/first_light_reflected/
*Fandom: JRR Tolkien
*Characters: Orophin, Elladan, Elrohir, Haldir
*Type: FPS
*Prompt: 076 - Who?
*Word Count: 500
*Rating: PG-13
*Summary: The morning gets trickier.
*Disclaimer: Only the quirks and perversions are mine. Everything else belongs to the creator-god of Middle-earth, J.R.R. Tolkien. I am awed by his gifts and humbled by his vision. I promise to clean them all up and return them with smiles on their faces when I am done playing!
*Author's Notes: A ‘sequelet’ (Is that a word? **grin**) to ‘Facing the Morning’.
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Quandary
Elladan’s smile faded as he watched the color drain from his companion’s face. “Orophin?” he said uncertainly. “Are you well?”
Orophin sat up abruptly, burying his face in his hands. “No, I am not.”
“Shall I get you some...”
Orophin did not even hear the offer of tea and toasted lembas, so lost was he in the horror of the morning. “Sweet Valar, what have I done?” he groaned, raising his head to meet Elladan’s concerned gaze.
One ebony eyebrow arched wryly. “I am so forgettable that you must ask?”
“How can you joke about this?” Orophin barked, his temper flaring. “How could you do this to Haldir?”
Elladan’s eyes narrowed. “I believe I had a bit of assistance from his brother. I was not looking for a tumble when you found me.”
Orophin winced.
“And what has Haldir to do with it?” Elladan demanded bitterly, stung by the apparent unjust criticism. “Haldir, who has bedded nearly as many others since we began as I have since my majority? Haldir, who could not be bothered to greet me on my arrival to Lórien, who refused Grandmother’s gift of three days’ rest during my visit?”
Elladan’s snort of disgust was masked by an exclamation of disbelief.
“How can you believe such foolishness?” Orophin asked, his own untenable position forgotten as he came to his brother’s defense. “He has not been chaste, this is true, but have you?”
Elladan’s cheeks colored slightly, but he made no answer.
“He has been with no other ellon since his last visit to the valley, and even the charms of the maids seldom tempt him. He loves you, Elladan, and fled to the fences out of fear. He has so long planned for and dreaded this opportunity that he simply ran rather than face the possibility of rejection.” Orophin paused. “And now...now I have...”
Elladan’s face was a study in hope and confusion. “Then, for the love of Elbereth, why did you...” The question trailed off as Elladan’s eyes widened in comprehension, a curious mix of hurt and amusement flickering in their depths. “You mistook me for my brother. You thought you were seducing Elrohir!”
Orophin nodded miserably. “I could not work up nerve enough to approach him, so I sought courage in a bottle of wine.”
“One bottle?”
“Several.” Orophin’s rueful smile was a ghost of his usual grin. “What are we to do, then?”
“Nothing,” Elladan said firmly. “We do nothing. You remember even less of the evening than I. It need never have happened at all. I will return to our talan and...”
The fall of familiar footsteps outside brought a flash of panic to Orophin’s face. “That is Haldir!” he hissed, as the soft thud of the ladder announced the imminent arrival of a visitor. “He has returned early! What now?”
“Kiss me,” Elladan whispered urgently, tugging at Orophin’s arm. “Quickly!”
“What?”
Elladan groaned in exasperation. “Oh, very well,” he snapped, rolling to pin Orophin to the bed. “Have it your way.”
*~*~*~*~*
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