Cinnamon and Vanilla

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Chapter 8

“Erestor! Erestor! Where are you?” came a cry from the sitting room.

Haldir lifted his head from Erestor’s chest and blinked sleepily. It had been after midnight when he and Rumil…then there had been the pool—oh the pool…and back to Erestor’s…it was now just true dawn. True, elves did not require much sleep, but he’d had a busy night! He slumped back down, comfortable and warm. Who…

“Elrond,” came the deep voice under his ear. Gentle hands rolled him to his side so that Erestor could rise. “I will see what he wants and be right back,” the Noldo promised with a kiss.

“Mm, do,” Haldir said. He watched as Erestor’s beautiful back was covered in a robe and his lover left the room. Stretching he quickly found all his sore spots. “Ah!”

From the front room, through the door left ajar, he could hear the two lords speaking.

“Are you all right?” Elrond was asking.

“I am fine,” his lover’s calm voice responded. “I had not thought to see you early. Is Lady Celebrian well?”

“Turn around,” Elrond commanded. Haldir did not know him well, but he seemed…out of sorts.

Apparently Erestor thought so as well. “There. Now, care to tell me why you are here and not in the arms of your betrothed?”

There was the soft thud of someone sitting heavily on the couch. “I am asking myself that same question. But when your future father-in-law comes to you at dawn and tells you that one of his senior wardens is missing and he was last seen with your chief councilor…where they really as drunk as Rumil claimed?”

Haldir beat his head against the pillow. His silly baby brother had gone to Lord Celeborn? How much trouble was he in? He gritted his teeth as he sat up. Quite sore. He pulled his own robe over to him and put it on.

“…said, I cannot verify how drunk they were. Haldir seemed to sober quickly enough, though Rumil ran off ill,” Erestor was saying.

“He was still a bit green this morning. Orophin was practically carrying him. I …”

Haldir buried his head in his hands. Could this get any worse? He managed to stand, his hips and thighs and…other parts protesting.

“…he should be fine. But Celeborn asked that I check with you to see where you might have stashed Haldir’s body so they could see to a proper burial.”

“Lord Celeborn is well known for his wit,” Erestor said stiffly.

“It is not by looks alone that he won Galadriel,” Elrond agreed. “I can see that you did not succumb to Haldir’s wiles; last time you lay beneath another you nearly bled to death before I got to you.”

Haldir paused at the door. Bled to death? Who would do such a thing to his Erestor? With a growl he opened the door and, pain aside, strode into the sitting room.

Elrond, sitting on the couch, came to his feet as Haldir entered. “What…?”

Erestor turned and smiled at Haldir. “Yes?”

Seeing no immediate danger, Haldir’s furor fled, leaving him to wince. “Ow….”

“Hangover?” Elrond asked, rather unsympathetically, Haldir thought.

“No, my head is fine. My body however…”

“Did you beat him?” Erestor’s lord demanded of him, springing forward to offer a hand to Haldir.

“No!” Erestor retorted. “I…made love with him,” he finished softly.

About to ease Haldir down onto the couch, Elrond stopped and stared at his councilor. “As in…? Oh, you will not want to sit,” he said, standing Haldir back up straight. “Why don’t we get you back in bed and I’ll check you over?”

Haldir went to protest; the lord of Imladris serving as healer to him? But Erestor scooped him up in his arms and Haldir’s objections faded as he snuggled into the unexpected embrace.

Far too quickly however, he found himself back on the bed.

“On his stomach, if you please, Erestor. No need to embarrass the warden more than necessary,” Elrond directed.

Haldir appreciated his professional attitude, but was already deeply embarrassed, especially as they removed his robe, leaving him exposed, belly down, on the bed.

Erestor sat next to him and stroked his hair as Elrond began his examination.

“Hm, so Celeborn was telling me what normally exemplary guardsmen you and your brothers are. Rumil just recently joined the Galadhrim, did he not?” Elrond asked.

Haldir realized Elrond was making conversation to distract him from what his fingers, so unlike Erestor’s, were doing. He was both grateful and impressed that Elrond actually knew who he and his brothers were. “Yes. Though I may have to kill him tomo-morrow,” he said, faltering as Elrond’s fingers probed within him. That hurt!

“Umhm. You might want to wait a couple of days,” Elrond advised. He draped Haldir’s robe back over him and started rummaging in the bag he’d brought. “Right now I believe he would still welcome death.” He straightened up. “Aha! Here it is.”

The robe was whisked away again and Haldir felt Elrond’s fingers again. This time coated not with oil, but something very…soothing. “Ah…” He let out a breath he hadn’t known he was holding.

Erestor’s fingers on his hair stopped. Haldir twisted his head around to see a stricken look on his lover’s face. “I-I did not…?”

“Oh, he will be fine.” Elrond flipped the robe back again and wiped his hands off on a handy moist towel he pulled from another pocket in his bag. “His spirit is strong; between that and the healing cream I just used on him he should be recovered enough for any…strenuous activity by this evening. Although,” he patted Haldir’s leg as he rose from beside the bed, “I do not recommend it if you work tomorrow.”

“I have the next several days off,” Haldir said. He rolled over carefully in order to keep himself covered and took one of Erestor’s limp hands in his.

“Really?” Elrond said. He looked from one to the other then smiled. He raised one eyebrow at Erestor. “Shall I just leave this jar here then?”

Erestor, still looking stricken, started to shake his head, but Haldir held out his free hand for the container. “Yes please!”

“But I hurt you,” Erestor said softly.

Haldir rolled up to his knees to face his lover, not caring anymore about the robe…it was amazing how much easier that was from just a few minutes before! He leaned forward and kissed Erestor gently. “Yes, but that was not unexpected. You are no small elf, my lord Erestor.”

“You…would be willing to do this again?” Erestor still sounded hesitant.

“Most definitely.” He kissed Erestor again, then moaned appreciatively as the Noldo’s arms wrapped around him and he was kissed back, most thoroughly.

After a few minutes…or hours, Haldir was not sure which, Erestor lifted his head to address his lord. “Elrond….where did…?”

Haldir rested his head back on Erestor’s shoulder, enjoying the warm length of his lover against him. “Did he leave?”

“Apparently.”

“Good. Can we go back to sleep?” He brushed his lips along Erestor’s jaw and snuggled into the tightened embrace. It felt so nice to be held. “I am still tired…plus it will help pass the time until…later.”

He got another thorough kissing for that then was swept underneath the blankets. Erestor stripped off his robe and joined him, arranging them much as they were when they had awoken earlier. “Until…later, then,” Erestor said, planting a kiss on the top of Haldir’s head.

As Haldir slipped into reverie, he could not remember ever being as happy as he was right then.


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