Livin' On A Prayer
folder
-Multi-Age › General
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
7
Views:
2,400
Reviews:
3
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Category:
-Multi-Age › General
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
7
Views:
2,400
Reviews:
3
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Disclaimer:
I do not own the Lord of the Rings (and associated) book series, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.
Chapter 2
Title: Livin’ on a Prayer
Fandom: Lord of the Rings
Author: Lynsey
Websites: http://lynsey-schadegg.livejournal.com/ and http://lotr.adult-fanfiction.org/authors.php?no=1296789875 .
Mailing List: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Fiction_by_Lynsey/
Beta: None
Chapter: 2/?
Pairings: Erestor/Lindir
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Slash, AU
Disclaimer: I own nothing. Do not sue, all I got are college loans, and this isn’t helping to pay them off.
Summary: An aspiring musician and his husband are down on their luck and living the hard life. Can they hope to rise above as long as they have each other to hold on to?
A/N: This story is inspired by the song “Livin’ On A Prayer” by Bon Jovi. It IS NOT A SONGFIC.
It had been a tense evening at home when Lindir had come home after a fruitless day of job hunting. He had been angry, depressed and anything Erestor said was greeted with a snapped or terse reply.
Erestor sighed quietly as he entered the door at the tavern. There were already a few customers there, nursing their beers. He hadn’t slept well after he had returned from the market that day. There were too many things running through his mind. He had a hard time concentrating at work as well. More than once he was yelled at by his boss for slacking. Drinking customers were paying customers, and customers couldn’t drink if the servers weren’t serving.
The dark elf worked in an almost daze all night until he was startled by the entrance of the lord from the market that morning and a few of what were obviously nobles. This was an odd place for such prestigious persons to come to. Surprised, he approached the lord and bowed slightly. “What can I get you, my Lord?”
“I thought I told you not to call me that.”
Erestor blushed slightly and took in the interested regard of the group of Lords. “Um…alright my…um…what do I call you then?”
“Elladan is fine,” said the elf as he reclined in the wooden chair he selected.
Erestor nodded and watched as the rest of his party seated itself around a circular table. The wood had cracked with age, and it was covered in hundreds of rings from the moisture of hundreds of mugs of beer. The lords looked at it with a slight amount of distaste, but they were at least mollified with the fact that it was clean.
“Can I get you something to drink?” Erestor asked as he wiped his dirty hands on his long apron.
“Have a seat, Erestor,” gestured Elladan as he pulled out the remaining empty seat.
“My Lord-”
“Elladan.”
“…Elladan. Please, I have a lot of work to do-”
“We’ll make it worth your while, little one.”
Erestor was beginning to feel a bit fidgety under the intense stare of the high-borns at the table.
“Please sirs, I have a job I have to do-”
“-and that is to keep the customers happy,” interrupted Erestor’s boss who pushed the smaller elf down into the vacant seat next to Elladan. He smiled at the rich-looking elves, already rubbing his hands together in glee.
“But sir-”
“Just sit here with the gentleman, Erestor. They obviously want your company, and we like to keep our customers happy here at the Corner Tavern.” The bar owner smiled charmingly at the Lords and took their drink orders.
The dark elf sat nervously with the other elves for several hours that night. They bought Erestor an ale that he didn’t really touch, only taking sips when directed to by one of the lords. They were polite, which he hadn’t expected. One of the young lords produced a deck of cards from his pocket, and they spent the whole time playing a poker game that involved a lot of luck, a good poker face, and no real skill at all.
“Do you want to play, lovely?” drawled one of the lords, smiling a little drunkenly.
“I..” Erestor blushed at the name. “I don’t have any money, my Lords.”
Elladan laughed heartily and slapped bag of coins in front of Erestor after he untied it from his belt. “Here! Have a go.”
“I can’t possibly-”
“Aaah come on. Just a few hands.”
“Well…”
“I’ll even spot you the ante,” Elladan said, throwing a coin on the pile in the middle of the table.
The hands were dealt before Erestor could protest further. He picked up the cards gingerly, as if afraid that just holding them would cost him money.
Many hours and many hands later, he discarded two of the cards in his hand and was dealt another two.
He had crap.
“What’s the bet?”
“Fifty,” one youth threw a pile of coins onto the table.
“I’ll see your fifty, and raise you twenty.”
“Fold.”
“Fold.”
“Check.”
Erestor watched each face as they went around the table, finally getting back to him. “Check,” he said, pulling coins from the pouch and adding them to the pile.
Elladan raised his eyebrow in disbelief. “I’ll raise.” Another handful of coins were added.
The rounds were made, finally narrowing the field down to Elladan and Erestor. Elladan frowned, completely unable to read the stony faced waiter. He added another handful of coins to the pile and leaned back, confident that the little dark-haired beauty couldn’t possibly have a hand better than his.
Erestor added more the pile, not a single blink, twitch, or breath out of place. Elladan grimaced and regarded Erestor, hoping that he could glare the little elf into submission.
Blank, unwavering gaze.
The lord threw his cards down in a fit of temper. “Fine. I fold. You win, you little minx.”
Erestor smiled brightly, raking the huge pile of coins into the little bag. He carefully counted them as he did so, while Elladan looked at the hand that Erestor had left on the table.
The lord laughed loudly, flipping the cards face side up so the whole group could see. The entire group guffawed, slapping their thighs or thudding their steins on the table. A two of spades, four of hearts, nine of clubs, five of hearts, and the ten of diamonds. Nothing.
Elladan had four of a kind.
“You’re good at this game, little one.”
Erestor nodded absently and finished counting the coins. He fished out several, carefully counting them and gave them to Elladan. “There is your investment back, with interest.”
The lord snorted and pushed the coins back to Erestor. “Keep them. You deserve them for winning on that hand.”
The darkling kept his eyes down as he put the coins back into his bag, nervously clutching the material. He wanted to take the money and bolt. It was enough to feed he and Lindir as well as pay their rent for at least three months.
“I’m out, my friends,” said one of the youths, downing the rest of his stein and stretching. The rest of the crew murmured and stood as well to say their goodbyes to each other. Erestor sat quietly, hoping he would be forgotten if he was as small and silent as possible.
His hopes were immediately dashed as Elladan slouched down in his chair a little bit and regarded Erestor closely. Having not been excused, the darkling sat and stared at the table top.
“I’ll triple what you have in that bag if you give me a kiss.”
Erestor gasped and his eyes widened. “I…I don’t…”
“It’s just a kiss. I’ll even keep my tongue in my mouth.”
“But, I’m with someone.”
Elladan straightened up from his slouch and leaned forward. “They don’t have to know.”
They don’t have to know…
It’s just a kiss.
“Well…I…”
Elladan lunged forward and placed a quick peck on Erestor’s mouth. The darkling’s eyes almost popped out of his head and his mouth dropped open in shock. Elladan laughed quietly and dropped a large bag of coins on the table.
“I don’t take back my bets. That should be triple your winnings.” He winked and pushed in his chair. Erestor sat in his chair with a dumbstruck look until Elladan walked out of the tavern. The darkling clutched the bags of coins to his chest possessively.
He didn’t have to know.
TBC…
Fandom: Lord of the Rings
Author: Lynsey
Websites: http://lynsey-schadegg.livejournal.com/ and http://lotr.adult-fanfiction.org/authors.php?no=1296789875 .
Mailing List: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Fiction_by_Lynsey/
Beta: None
Chapter: 2/?
Pairings: Erestor/Lindir
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Slash, AU
Disclaimer: I own nothing. Do not sue, all I got are college loans, and this isn’t helping to pay them off.
Summary: An aspiring musician and his husband are down on their luck and living the hard life. Can they hope to rise above as long as they have each other to hold on to?
A/N: This story is inspired by the song “Livin’ On A Prayer” by Bon Jovi. It IS NOT A SONGFIC.
It had been a tense evening at home when Lindir had come home after a fruitless day of job hunting. He had been angry, depressed and anything Erestor said was greeted with a snapped or terse reply.
Erestor sighed quietly as he entered the door at the tavern. There were already a few customers there, nursing their beers. He hadn’t slept well after he had returned from the market that day. There were too many things running through his mind. He had a hard time concentrating at work as well. More than once he was yelled at by his boss for slacking. Drinking customers were paying customers, and customers couldn’t drink if the servers weren’t serving.
The dark elf worked in an almost daze all night until he was startled by the entrance of the lord from the market that morning and a few of what were obviously nobles. This was an odd place for such prestigious persons to come to. Surprised, he approached the lord and bowed slightly. “What can I get you, my Lord?”
“I thought I told you not to call me that.”
Erestor blushed slightly and took in the interested regard of the group of Lords. “Um…alright my…um…what do I call you then?”
“Elladan is fine,” said the elf as he reclined in the wooden chair he selected.
Erestor nodded and watched as the rest of his party seated itself around a circular table. The wood had cracked with age, and it was covered in hundreds of rings from the moisture of hundreds of mugs of beer. The lords looked at it with a slight amount of distaste, but they were at least mollified with the fact that it was clean.
“Can I get you something to drink?” Erestor asked as he wiped his dirty hands on his long apron.
“Have a seat, Erestor,” gestured Elladan as he pulled out the remaining empty seat.
“My Lord-”
“Elladan.”
“…Elladan. Please, I have a lot of work to do-”
“We’ll make it worth your while, little one.”
Erestor was beginning to feel a bit fidgety under the intense stare of the high-borns at the table.
“Please sirs, I have a job I have to do-”
“-and that is to keep the customers happy,” interrupted Erestor’s boss who pushed the smaller elf down into the vacant seat next to Elladan. He smiled at the rich-looking elves, already rubbing his hands together in glee.
“But sir-”
“Just sit here with the gentleman, Erestor. They obviously want your company, and we like to keep our customers happy here at the Corner Tavern.” The bar owner smiled charmingly at the Lords and took their drink orders.
The dark elf sat nervously with the other elves for several hours that night. They bought Erestor an ale that he didn’t really touch, only taking sips when directed to by one of the lords. They were polite, which he hadn’t expected. One of the young lords produced a deck of cards from his pocket, and they spent the whole time playing a poker game that involved a lot of luck, a good poker face, and no real skill at all.
“Do you want to play, lovely?” drawled one of the lords, smiling a little drunkenly.
“I..” Erestor blushed at the name. “I don’t have any money, my Lords.”
Elladan laughed heartily and slapped bag of coins in front of Erestor after he untied it from his belt. “Here! Have a go.”
“I can’t possibly-”
“Aaah come on. Just a few hands.”
“Well…”
“I’ll even spot you the ante,” Elladan said, throwing a coin on the pile in the middle of the table.
The hands were dealt before Erestor could protest further. He picked up the cards gingerly, as if afraid that just holding them would cost him money.
Many hours and many hands later, he discarded two of the cards in his hand and was dealt another two.
He had crap.
“What’s the bet?”
“Fifty,” one youth threw a pile of coins onto the table.
“I’ll see your fifty, and raise you twenty.”
“Fold.”
“Fold.”
“Check.”
Erestor watched each face as they went around the table, finally getting back to him. “Check,” he said, pulling coins from the pouch and adding them to the pile.
Elladan raised his eyebrow in disbelief. “I’ll raise.” Another handful of coins were added.
The rounds were made, finally narrowing the field down to Elladan and Erestor. Elladan frowned, completely unable to read the stony faced waiter. He added another handful of coins to the pile and leaned back, confident that the little dark-haired beauty couldn’t possibly have a hand better than his.
Erestor added more the pile, not a single blink, twitch, or breath out of place. Elladan grimaced and regarded Erestor, hoping that he could glare the little elf into submission.
Blank, unwavering gaze.
The lord threw his cards down in a fit of temper. “Fine. I fold. You win, you little minx.”
Erestor smiled brightly, raking the huge pile of coins into the little bag. He carefully counted them as he did so, while Elladan looked at the hand that Erestor had left on the table.
The lord laughed loudly, flipping the cards face side up so the whole group could see. The entire group guffawed, slapping their thighs or thudding their steins on the table. A two of spades, four of hearts, nine of clubs, five of hearts, and the ten of diamonds. Nothing.
Elladan had four of a kind.
“You’re good at this game, little one.”
Erestor nodded absently and finished counting the coins. He fished out several, carefully counting them and gave them to Elladan. “There is your investment back, with interest.”
The lord snorted and pushed the coins back to Erestor. “Keep them. You deserve them for winning on that hand.”
The darkling kept his eyes down as he put the coins back into his bag, nervously clutching the material. He wanted to take the money and bolt. It was enough to feed he and Lindir as well as pay their rent for at least three months.
“I’m out, my friends,” said one of the youths, downing the rest of his stein and stretching. The rest of the crew murmured and stood as well to say their goodbyes to each other. Erestor sat quietly, hoping he would be forgotten if he was as small and silent as possible.
His hopes were immediately dashed as Elladan slouched down in his chair a little bit and regarded Erestor closely. Having not been excused, the darkling sat and stared at the table top.
“I’ll triple what you have in that bag if you give me a kiss.”
Erestor gasped and his eyes widened. “I…I don’t…”
“It’s just a kiss. I’ll even keep my tongue in my mouth.”
“But, I’m with someone.”
Elladan straightened up from his slouch and leaned forward. “They don’t have to know.”
They don’t have to know…
It’s just a kiss.
“Well…I…”
Elladan lunged forward and placed a quick peck on Erestor’s mouth. The darkling’s eyes almost popped out of his head and his mouth dropped open in shock. Elladan laughed quietly and dropped a large bag of coins on the table.
“I don’t take back my bets. That should be triple your winnings.” He winked and pushed in his chair. Erestor sat in his chair with a dumbstruck look until Elladan walked out of the tavern. The darkling clutched the bags of coins to his chest possessively.
He didn’t have to know.
TBC…