Cinnamon and Vanilla

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Chapter 9:

Haldir awoke still cradled by Erestor’s side; head nestled into the crook of the dark haired ellon’s neck. He smiled and stretched one leg down toward the end of the bed, toes leading. “Oh!”

Erestor’s voice, deep against his ear, asked, “Should I bother to ask if you feel any better?”

“Oh, much,” Haldir assured him quickly, lifting his head to look at him.

“So that wasn’t pain I just heard?” Erestor raised one eyebrow at him.

Haldir ducked his head back down. “Only a little.” He looked up again. “What time is it?”

“Not quite noon.”

“Have you been awake long?” Haldir asked, frowning at him.

“Not long. I was watching you sleep,” Erestor said with a little smile.

Haldir felt his cheeks pink. “Lord Elrond said I would be recovered by this evening,” he pointed out. He let his fingers drift lazily over Erestor’s chest. “Whatever shall we do to pass the time?”

Erestor was silent a moment. “We…could discuss orc tactics.”

Haldir froze. What? He rose up onto one elbow to look his lover in the eyes…his twinkling eyes. “Yes,” Haldir said, using his most serious tone, “yes, we could.”

His lover smiled up at him. “But you don’t want to,” he stated.

In the same tone Haldir responded, “No. No I don’t.”

“What do you suggest then?” Erestor asked, pulling Haldir back down to nestle against him.

Haldir let his fingers resume their earlier wandering. “How about…” He glanced up at Erestor’s face through his long silver lashes. “How about you tell me how you will take me this evening?”

Erestor’s eyes darkened to almost black. Haldir could feel the Noldo’s heart rate jump and felt his own race to catch up. After a long moment Erestor rolled them both onto their side, facing each other. “First,” he said, his voice gone deeper, “I would kiss you.”

Haldir moaned as Erestor did just that. It started slow and sweet, but neither left it that way and their tongues danced a duet. “Mm,” he said when they finally broke apart, “I like it when you kiss me.”

Erestor smiled and let his hand drift down Haldir’s side. “Next, I would touch you.”

The Silvan gasped at the feel of those long graceful fingers like silk across his bare skin. “Oh, I like it when you touch me.”

Erestor’s hand on his hip pulled Haldir closer so that their groins touched. Both were fully hard and groaned as they rubbed against one another. Erestor captured Haldir’s lips again in a searing kiss.

Haldir felt the tingle of impending orgasm start to build. He did not think he could convince Erestor to take him this early, so he pressed harder against his lover, hoping to bring him to completion as well.

From Erestor’s expressi--

“Lord Erestor! Senior Warden Haldir!” came a shout from the front room, interrupting his thought process. “Are you present? I come at Lord Celeborn’s command!”

Haldir growled a curse as Erestor stopped. He did not bother to suspect a conspiracy; Elrond had undoubtedly told his lord and lady what had happened.

Erestor got up and dressed in one of his heavy robes. “One moment, please,” he called out to the ellith in the other room.

Haldir was impressed; with the robe on he could not tell that Erestor had an erection. He probably had them deliberately made that way, Haldir mused.

The Noldo twitched the covers back over Haldir and gave him a peck on the forehead. “Stay here.” With a graceful twist he secured his hair back at the nape of his neck as he walked out of the bedroom. “Yes? How may I help you?” Erestor asked the messenger.

Haldir flopped onto his back with a groan. Just yesterday he had been a top…and rather proud of his reputation, actually…today he was an insatiable bottom. What must Erestor think of him? And how could his life turn completely topsy turvy in the space of…of less than a day!


Haldir could not remember feeling this way about any of his previous lovers. Yes, they had each been special in their own way…but none were Erestor. Until last night he had not once considered being bottom to another’s top…but it seemed so natural with Erestor.

It was not the Noldo’s age, Haldir mused; he knew Erestor was somewhat older than he. But he had been with ellyn older than he before. He really did respect Erestor’s mind, however, and his poetry…that hot, yet romantic poetry…was it any wonder Haldir had fallen for him…years ago?

He buried his head under the pillow to muffle his groan. Did Erestor think of him as just a fan? Like one of those elves who hung around the practice fields trying to have sex with a warrior?

The door reopened; he peeked out from under the pillow to see Erestor stop next to the bed with a frown. “Haldir?”

He shifted in the cocoon of blankets, pushing the pillow away. “Yes? What does Lord Celeborn want of us?”

Erestor smiled down at him. “For a moment I though you had gotten up again.”

Haldir shook his head. “Though…I need to.”

Erestor helped him to the facilities and he was grateful for the aid. The healing cream had taken away most of the pain and had eased the swelling of his posterior, his hips and thighs were still sore and he walked like an old human.

Rather than letting him hobble back to the bed, however, Erestor scooped him up and carried him. Setting him back down, the dark-haired ellon kissed his forehead. “I do enjoy doing that,” the Noldo said.

“Kissing my forehead or carrying me?” Haldir asked.

“Both, actually,” Erestor said with a smile. “I just…like the way you feel in my arms.”

Haldir smiled back, any embarrassment forgotten. “I like the way I feel in your arms too.”

Erestor leaned down to kiss Haldir, but stopped an inch away with a sigh. “Right. We have been invited to lunch.”

“Lunch?” Haldir repeated.

“At the royal talan. ‘To celebrate the betrothal of Elrond and Celebrian,’” Erestor quoted.

“Was that not what the banquet last night was for?” Haldir could not help but sound dismayed.

“That was for everyone, this is apparently for family and close friends…which includes the two of us.” Erestor held up the bundle he had brought into the bedroom earlier. “Lord Celeborn was even kind enough to send you a fresh uniform.”

Haldir sighed. “I can barely walk…and he expects…” He sighed again. “Hand me my uniform; this will take a while.”

“I will help,” Erestor offered.

Haldir paused in unwrapping the bundle. “To put on my clothes?”

Erestor held up the tunic. “To a scholar, research is important. It will make undressing you later so much more enjoyable.”


Though stiff and sore, it did not take long for Haldir, with Erestor’s…help, to get dressed. He sat on the edge of the bed after and watched Erestor get ready. “Uhm, you might not want to wear your hair tied back like that,” Haldir said.

“Indeed?” Erestor asked. He turned to the mirror. “Oh.”

Haldir winced as Erestor fingered the myriad love bites he had left on the Noldo’s neck. “I got a bit carried away. I…”

Erestor met his eyes in the mirror. “Do not apologize. I enjoyed each and every one.”

Haldir saw his face go pink in the mirror and felt himself harden again. “So did I.”

Erestor swiftly braided back the sides of his hair, concealing the marks and leaving him, while still coolly elegant, somewhat more…vibrant. They were, Haldir noted, comparing them to his own, warrior braids…and of an oddly familiar design.

“Doriath,” Erestor answered the question in Haldir’s eyes. “I was a warrior of Doriath once.”

“Ah,” Haldir said. He almost feared to ask, but had to know. “You served under Lord Celeborn?”

“Not…exactly.” Erestor’s fingers fidgeted with his sleeves.

“Then…?” Haldir prompted. He tried to catch the other’s eyes, but Erestor was not looking at the Silvan.

“I…was one of his teachers,” Erestor finally admitted.

“Oh.” Haldir blinked, then blinked again. His lover was a contemporary of his lord…no, older, even. “You were born in Valinor then?”

“I…came over with Thingol and Melian, after Feanor and the others,” Erestor said.

“How…” he stopped. Did Erestor’s age…or the fact he referred to kings and lords without their titles make a difference in his feelings for him? …No. …Though he was glad to hear his Noldo was not present during the early kin-slayings.

Erestor was watching him with a hesitant expression, as if unsure of Haldir’s reaction. Haldir reached out and took one of the dark-haired ellon’s hands in his own. “All right, the fact that you knew my lord when he was but a stripling is a little unsettling.” He smiled up at Erestor. “But he is not the one I am interested in.

Erestor smiled back, looking visibly relieved. “Good. Galadriel is a bit possessive of him.”

“He is the other half of her soul, I cannot blame her!” Haldir said.

“Soul mates are special,” Erestor agreed softly.

Haldir’s stomach growled then, startling them both.

“And so is lunch,” Erestor added.

Haldir blushed to the tips of his hair. “Healing takes energy,” he said in his defense.

“It does,” Erestor said soothingly. “I should have realized you would require nourishment. It is a good thing we are on our way to lunch!”

With Erestor’s help, Haldir made his way to the front room, but he did not want to think about the trek to the royal talan. It was normally a quick walk, but the way he was moving… To his surprise Erestor wrapped him in the Noldo’s cloak.

“Mine is the…how did that get here? But this is your cloak, Erestor.”

The Noldo nodded and slung Haldir’s cloak around his own shoulders and put the hood up. “I will not have your reputation suffer because of me, Haldir.”

With that he tugged the hood down to cover Haldir’s silver hair then swept the Silvan into his arms once again and carried him from the talan.

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