Wine... anyone?

Arakano nearly jumped out of his seat when he heard a knock on his bedroom door. He got up and hastily straightened his clothes, rushing to answer.

"Master Arakano, your guests have arrived." a polite young maid said, with a respectful bow.

"I shall greet them presently, thank you." he replied, going back to his desk and leaving the book he had been trying to read on the smooth, wooden surface. The girl had vanished to her next task, leaving his door open, and Arakano stepped outside, maintaining a steady pace, despite the urge to fly through the corridors and down the main stairs of his family's house.

For some ridiculous reason that he had failed to rid himself of, Arakano was terribly anxious to see and spend time with his cousins. Especially without Findekano's assuring presence near by. Granted, he would pass most of the day engrossed in the preparations for the upcoming party with the nicest and most friendly of Feanaro's sons, but still, some silly fear was making his heart pound, as he descended the flight of steps, his eyes darting toward the twins.

Ambarussa waited, chatting to each other in hushed tones, standing near a large sofa. A quick perusal of their appearance confirmed Arakano's worst fear: they were both dressed exactly the same way, wearing their red hair unbound. Both young elves were clad in soft green leggings and tunics of identical design, they wore dark-brown riding boots of identical style, and the collars of similar cream colored shirts peaked from beneath their tunics. At their throats hung two identical pendants shaped like the Star of their House, on fine mithril chains. They must have come straight from the stable-yard, but not one speck of dust could be seen on their garments.

Both brothers turned their heads at the same time and smiled, watching Arakano as he descended the last steps, heading their way.

"Arakano!" one of them greeted him.

"We are sorry for the delay." the other quipped.

"Hello, cousins. And welcome. You are not late." the dark-haired Elf said, approaching them.

They shared brief embraces and small pleasantries, Arakano inviting them to sit and accept some refreshments. He poured them each a glass of lemonade and brought a tray of various fruit and cookies, setting it on the small tea-table in front of the sofa. He reclined against a huge armchair-Finwe's favorite seat, whenever their grandfather paid his second son a visit and they sat in the main hall, exchanging news and opinions over a hot cup of tea.

"I hope your ride from home was not unpleasant." Arakano said, looking from one twin to the other and trying to conceal the frustration of not being able to tell them apart. He decided to simply wait, until one of them would name the other, too embarrassed to ask them flat out which one was Pityo and which one Telvo.

"The ride was quite nice." the one on the left answered, finishing is glass and setting it on the table. "But we had to stop when Ambarussa's horse got a pebble stuck in its hoof. The poor thing had already started limping when we noticed the problem..."

"We should have payed more attention, but Atar told us to get here as fast as we can." the other twin added and suddenly, Arakano decided that it was going to be a long and difficult day, if he could not tell them apart and if he had to put up with them finishing each other's sentenced and phrases, as well. But he simply smiled and asked after the horse's well-being.

"Yes, he is fine and we have left both animals in capable hands." the twin who appeared to be the owner of said horse told Arakano.

"Would you like some more lemonade? Something else, maybe..." he asked.

"No, thank you. Perhaps later. We should get straight to work, I think." the same cousin answered.

"I suppose we should." Arakano nodded. "I have the list grandfather has given me, yesterday. Here it is." he said, producing a thin scroll from a pocket of his dark blue tunic. He walked over to the twins and handed it to the one that was nearest. "I shall go fetch a quill, some ink and a few sheets of paper, so we can cross the assortments that you have selected at home and those that are to arrive from Formenos tomorrow." he added, already heading on for a side door that led to one of his father's many studies.

Arakano and the twins had been invested with the responsibility of procuring every assortment of wine available, from the list of over three dozen fancy vintage names that their grandfather had recommended. The preparations for Nolofinwe's begetting day were in full swing and that long list was only one of the many things which indicated that the feast was one of enormous proportions.

To everyone's surprise, Feanaro and his sons had immediately volunteered to help with the preparations, to run errands and provide whatever supplies they could gather from the towns and farms in the north. Feanaro himself had made the trip to Formenos, securing a cargo of various game, twenty barrels of his favorite, heady red wine and some more specialties of the area that were due to arrive in Tirion, accompanied by two chefs.

Maitimo and Findekano had takes upon themselves to appoint carpenters and decorators for the hall and the gardens that would host the feast. They also had to ready themselves for a three day trip to Alqualonde and back, to deliver the invitations to King Olwe and his Queen, plus run some other errands with the Telerin fishermen and cooks.

Everyone was busy with something, from the design of the tablecloth to the music (Macalaure had firmly refused to play more than a few songs) and the fireworks that would fill the sky with fantastic, brilliant shapes. The combined effort was greater than ever before, all other celebrations included. The cousins had mixed and formed teams which ran here and there, busying themselves and having fun while doing so, much to Nolofinwe's utter astonishment and the High King's sheer joy.

As Arakano went searching for writing instruments, he pondered on how to get out of the predicament he was in, without insulting his cousins with his inability to discern their identities. He wondered whether they were playing a prank or whether they believed that it was no trouble at all for him to tell them apart.

'And I thought Turukano had it rough with distracted Macalaure and taciturn Carnistir...' the young Elf muttered, quickly checking himself as he returned to his companions.

The twins immediately got up and made room for Arakano to sit between them, handing him back the list that displayed Finwe's firm, steady hand-writing style. They started telling him which assortments of wine they had found, in what quantities and when they were due to be brought to the Royal Cellar. Arakano jotted down numbers and shortened versions of words on the parchment, feeling his head spin as he heard the same voice coming from both left and right. The frustration of not being able to call the twins by their respective names grew, as he had to be careful when addressing each of them. At some point, Arakano felt like he was starting to lose his temper, realizing that his cousins were deliberately calling each other Ambarussa. He was subject to one of their jokes, after all.

"Now all we need to do is give Maitimo a list of what he can bring from the coast and the visit grandfather's wine cellar, to find and mark the bottles and barrels that will be used at the party. Did you bring those labels that Kurvo made, with the sticky substance on one side, Ambarussa?" one of the twins asked and Arakano felt like he was about to gag if he had to hear that name one more time.

"They are in my bag. You asked me twice before, Ambarussa." the other twin answered.

Arakano winced and pressed one palm against his forehead, biting back some angry words.

"Are you not well, cousin?" the brothers asked simultaneously, causing Arakano to run his fingers through his dark hair, tugging at it and forgetting that he had pulled it back in a tight braid.

"I am fine, Ambarussa!" he nearly spat the name, trying not to glare at either of them, even more put off by their innocent faces. "We should go now and get the job over and done with..." he trailed off, looking at one of his cousins and cursing both them and himself for not knowing which one of them he was facing. The red-head opened his mouth to say something, but clamped it shut at Arakano's outburst:

"Don't say Ambarussa!"

The other twin's hearty laughter made Arakano crave to wind his fists in that coppery hair and pull with all his might. Or worse, to punch that pretty face. But he knew that everyone would point the finger at him, if a fight ensued and the fragile harmony between their families was threatened by something so stupid.

"I'm sorry... You cannot tell us apart, Arakano? Is that the problem?" the not-so-amused twin asked.

Arakano felt his cheeks turning scarlet and he shot his cousin a downcast gaze.

"No. I don't know which twin you are. I'm sorry, but you two are bloody identical and you're certainly not helping me either." he muttered.

Pityo shot his brother a knowing look and winked, above Arakano's head. He put an arm around his cousin's shoulder and said, in the most apologetic voice he could muster:

"Oh, forgive us. We didn't realize it at first and then, we got carried away, speaking about our task and all. We are so sorry for your predicament. We call each other Ambarussa at home, all the time."

'Yea, well, I have not spent lots of time with you ever since you were born and I sure can't tell you apart by the gleam in your eyes or whatever ridiculous clue your family members use to differentiate you two!' Arakano thought, but remained silent, looking at the speaking twin and waiting for him to finish.

"I am Telufinwe." Pityo lied without even blinking. He had done it so many times, to unsuspecting people, that it had become as easy as child's play. "He is Pityafinwe and we both apologize for not noticing your confusion sooner."

Telvo nodded, feeling uneasy and less willing to play the prank on their cousin, not knowing him well enough to anticipate his reaction, once Arakano would discern the truth. On the other hand, it was fun to see people fussing and fretting around them, so easy to fool.

Arakano was just beginning to overcome the blush that had spread all over his fair, youthful face, looking at each cousin and giving them a sweet smile.

"All right, that takes care of the problem. It's my fault too, I should be able to tell you apart. We are family, after all."

Telvo blushed too, quickly looking away and feeling sorry for making his cousin so uncomfortable, Arakano's honest smile rousing a pang of guilt in him. Then he heard his twin muttering something in his head and he frowned.

"Don't worry about it. Let us make a new list and then fulfill our duties as quick as we can. Maybe we will have the afternoon to ourselves and we can have some fun, not just work, work, work." the younger twin said, casting a sidelong glance at the arm that his brother had draped over Arakano's shoulder. Pityo reacted by gingerly removing his hold on their cousin and distracting Arakano by pointing to something on the list that the later had unrolled on his knees.

They chattered some more, while Arakano was scribbling down what his cousins told him. He felt better, once he could address his cousins properly, but something still nagged him, though he could not figure out what. The brothers were speaking about the roads that the Formenos transport was following. The younger twin said something that ended with "don't you think so, Telvo?" when all three Elves almost jumped out of their skins, startled by an ominous voice booming behind them:

"Oooo, no you don't! You no good, little rascals!" Maitimo said, his loud voice filling the hall.

Arakano and the twins turned their heads, looking like frightened rabbits, much to Maitimo's amusement. He cast Findekano a fleeting look and saw his cousin following him with a huge smile on his face.

"Good morning, Maitimo... brother..." Arakano said, his wide blue eyes darting from Maitimo's tall frame to his brother's amused expression.

"Good morning, little brother." Findeknao said, closing the distance between them and placing a kiss on Arakano's forehead. "They've tricked you." he whispered in the younger Elf's ear, before moving away and barely holding back a snicker caused by the indignant look on Arakano's face.

"Er... Maitimo..." one of the twins began, but their older brother would have none of it.

"Don't you 'Maitimo' me, you nasty, ungrateful and impolite Elf! How dare you do this to your cousin, hmm?" he said, folding his arms and glaring at Telvo. There was only one thing scarier than an angry Maitimo and the younger twin shuddered when he heard his brother say: "What will Amil say when she hears that you have upset your cousin like this? And think about how disappointed Atar will be. He trusts you to handle yourselves and get the job done."

'Make that two things scarier than an angry Maitimo.' Telvo thought and winced. He was about to point the finger at his twin and say that it was his idea when he heard Pityo giving him a mental warning.

"What?... You mean that you've given me the wrong names even after I admitted that I could not tell you apart and apologized for it? Oh, I suppose you put on identical outfits before coming here and you were planning on making a fool of me all day long!" Arakano snapped, feeling the urge to kick and punch again. He made to get up an leave, but two firm hands pressed him back on the sofa. He looked up and glared at Findekano, but his brother shook his head and began massaging Arakano's shoulders. The younger Elf huffed, but leaned into the touch of those skillful hands, ignoring the twins, when one of them muttered something that sounded like an apology.

"That's right. Start by saying you are sorry and you damn well better be." Maitimo said. His brothers cast him wary glances. "I have a mind to send you two back home right now. I'm sure Arakano can take care of everything without tripping on you and having to worry about your tricks."

"Oh, come on, Nelyo! It was just a joke!" Pityo cried, annoyed by being scolded.

"Do you see anyone laughing?" Maitimo retorted. "How many times have I told you that it does not amuse people? It annoys them, foolish, little brother!"

Arakano snickered, but a firm squeeze of his shoulder silenced him quickly.

"Stop calling me names. I said I was sorry, all right?" Pityo snapped back.

"That makes no difference to me. It looks like you are not serious enough to be trusted with any task. If Arakano says so, you will pick up your shameless behinds and get out of here." Maitimo said in a severe tone, expecting Arakano to answer.

Tempted to say "Get out of my face, you brats!", Arakano opened his mouth to speak but could only wince. His shoulder was beginning to ache from all that pointed squeezing. Findekano had surely found a painful way to warn him.

"N-no..." Arakano said. "It's all right, Maitimo. Ambarussa can stay and help me out. I don't really mind. Thank you for letting me know the true identities of your brothers."

"Are you sure? Because I'd be pretty mad at them if I were you." Maitimo insisted.

"Yes, I am. I'm sure." Arakano quickly answered, before his muscles could be squashed between Findekano's merciless fingers again.

"All right. You heard your cousin." Maitimo said, addressing his brothers. "He is obviously far wiser than you and more forgiving than I am. You had better behave yourselves from now on."

He leaned on the sofa and put his hands on Telvo's shoulders. "This one is Telufinwe." Maitimo said, giving his brother a slight shake. "He has more freckles on his cheeks than the other one."

"Gee... who would have thought of counting the freckles on your brother's faces?" Arakano retorted, giving Maitimo an ironic look. "And if you squeeze my shoulder one more time I'm going to break your fingers!" he shouted at Findekano. His brother immediately took his hands off Arakano's shoulders, looking at Maitimo and rolling his eyes.

"I guess you have a point there, cousin." Maitimo answered, in a placating voice. "If it helps with anything, Pityo has a scar on his left hand from a stupid hunting incident. But, just to make sure..." he trailed off as he ran his fingers through Telvo's hair.

The younger red-head's eyes fluttered shut and he issued a soft moan, enjoying the feeling of Maitimo's fingers playing through his hair.

"Don't you purr just yet, kitten." Maitimo said, tenderness replacing the previous anger in his voice. "I'm going to put a braid in your hair and if I see you removing it any time soon, I am going to cut each and every one of these long tresses that you fancy yourself so pretty with." he continued, while his fingers made quick work of pulling Telvo's hair away from his face and into a thin braid. When he was done, he rummaged through his own coppery mane and pulled out a small clip, using it to bind the braid. "There, all done." he crooned, resisting the urge to kiss the top of his little brother's head.

"Don't you just hate older brothers?" Telvo asked Arakano, but he covered one of Maitimo's hands with his own, on his shoulder, silently thanking him and hoping that Maitimo was not truly angry with him and his twin brother.

"Er... maybe..." Arakano shrugged, eying Findekano and smiling, when the later smoothed his hair gently. "They are good to have around, sometimes." he added.

"Well, as much as I'd like to stick around, Maitimo and I have to go. We promised Findarato that we would check with him and see if he is ready for the trip, before running some errands. Perhaps we will see you at the mid-day meal, before the three of us ride for Alqualonde." Findekano said.

"Kano is right. I would stay with you and make sure that my brothers are not up to any more of their antics, but it's getting late. If they bother you again, just tell me about it." Maitimo told Arakano.

Despite still being angry with the twins for their stunt, Arakano felt more annoyed by the fatherly attitude of his older brother and his cousin. He wanted the two out of there just as bad as the twins did, before Findekano and Maitimo could embarrass them even further.

"It will be all right." he said. "Thank you, again, for helping out." Arakano added, remembering how gracious Maitimo had been when saying that he believed his young cousin wise and polite.

"Don't mention it. And have a nice day. My brothers, I'm sorry for being mean to you, but had it coming. I don't want to leave before we make peace. Promise me that you will be good and behave."

"We promise." they murmured, each receiving a kiss on the forehead. "And could you stop treating us like children?" one of them muttered, but, by then, Maitimo had already walked away and he pretended not to hear the question.

"Good bye to you, too!" he said, without turning back, as he adjusted his cloak.

"I know you can handle these two. Take care, kid." Findekano said, patting Arakano's shoulder and following Maitimo. "Fare well, young ones." he snickered, knowing that indignant looks followed him all the way to the main entrance of the hall.

After Findekano and Maitimo had left, Arakano looked at one twin, then at the other, telling himself: 'This has been a wonderful start to the day... I wonder what will happen next.'

***

They spent over three hours in the vast wine cellar, ignoring the chill air at first and then warming up as they sampled each vintage on their new list of eighteen fancy wine names. Arakano had decided to put the twin guessing incident behind him, finding that his cousin's company was quite pleasant, after all. As they walked among the rows of barrels and shelves filled with dusty bottles of wine probably older than themselves, they laughed, passing a goblet from one to the other. The brothers told Arakano many amusing stories about their outdoors adventures, the pranks they pulled or fallen victims to in such a large family and surrounded by no less than five older brothers. To the stately young prince, accustomed to living within the walls of the city and being waited on hand and foot, sometimes, the mental picture of a cramped kitchen, full of bustling Feanorians, preparing and packing food for a road-trip was rather strange. Yet he found himself longing for the warmth and the joy he imagined his cousins sharing, in such a private and homely atmosphere. He could see why Findekano felt at ease in their uncle's home and why he always came back with such fond memories. 'Well, that and some other reasons.', Arakano snickered to himself.

After all that time spent laughing, labeling and sampling, the three became quite woozy, walking briskly from the King's cellar to the wing of the palace that housed Nolofinwe and his family. The twins' bags were put to good use as the three carried a few bottles of the vintage they found most suitable to their taste, for further... examination. Arakano made a hasty excuse to one of the kitchen staff, sending word to his parents that he and his cousins would not be joining them for the mid-day meal. Their flushed cheeks, gleaming eyes and merry faces must have told the dignified Elf a lot, but he bowed and carried the message, volunteering to ensure that something was brought for the young princes in Arakano's chamber. The idea was welcomed with eager nods and the cousins realized that the effects of the liquor had been all the more potent on empty stomachs.

So they did not meet Maitimo and Findekano for lunch, but cleaned the plateau of delicacies that the same quiet Elf had delivered, to the last crumb, sipping on the vine they had smuggled and ignoring the water pitcher that had been brought with their meal.

After lunch, the three Elves moved to Arakano's bedroom, sprawling on the soft carpet in front of his large bed. Bottles and goblets at hand, they made themselves comfortable, and the twins produced a deck of cards, Pityo starting to shuffle them. Being too inebriated to do anything out-of-doors, they decided to play cards, share some more amusing tales and, maybe, get some sleep before they could join their relatives for dinner. Arakano missed the twins' silent exchange, as one of the brothers eyed the bed and the other winked, grinning.

As a small amount of money passed from one player to the other and the bottles were soon emptied, Arakano thought that the day had not turned so bad, after all. His head swam in a pleasant haze but his companions appeared no less affected and they would all burst into gales of laughter when one of them lost count of the game and stared dumbstruck at the cards in his hands. Yes, all had turned out quite amusing for Arakano, despite his previous anxiousness. Until strange things started happening, that is.

And they did...

When Arakano saw Telvo abandoning the game and laying down, at his brother's side, resting his head on Pityo's thigh, he did not find it peculiar, in any way. After all, the twins were very close, both in mind and body, rarely separated and even them, for short amounts of time.

Pityo unbraided the small plait that Maitimo had put in his brother's hair earlier, combing the red tresses with his fingers. But Arakano did not mind. He knew that the catty one who enjoyed having someone playing with his silky hair was the younger of the twins.

The first time Arakano noticed Telvo's hand caressing his brother's arm, he waved it off and paid no mind. But when that hand traveled lower and sneaked beneath Pityo's unlaced tunic, Arakano gaped and blinked, several times.

'Nah... I'm drunk!' he muttered to himself, watching Pityo as his cousin put down his cards, showing Arakano the winning hand. He ran his fingers through his brother's coppery tresses and smiled lovingly, rewarded with a genuine purr. But Arakano did not notice, as he was busy counting his gold pieces and shuffling the cards.

Two or three rounds later, as the two played and Telvo recounted one of Huan's many mischiefs, Arakano found himself gaping once more, not so convinced that his eyes were playing tricks on him any longer. Pityo had taken a sip form his goblet and a few drops of red liquid dribbled from the corner of his mouth. His brother propped himself on one elbow and wiped the wine with the forefinger of his other hand. The twins exchanged a smoldering look as Pityo licked his brother's finger, slowly taking the digit into his mouth and sucking. Hard.

'Varda's stars! What the?!...' Arakano stared. There was no mistaking that gesture for anything else. Still, he clung to the idea that his drunken state caused him to interpret what he saw in lustful ways. So he pretended not to notice, fastening his eyes to the cards in his hand. But the image of that slender finger disappearing between full, rosy lips danced before his eyes and a strange tingle spread across his skin. He could no longer concentrate on the game, and lost the following rounds, but it mattered little, as most of Arakano's attention was taken by the effort it took not to stare openly at the two Elves before him.

Eventually, Telvo's hands became bolder and found their way beneath his brother's shirt, undoing some of the laces and tickling Pityo with feathery caresses.

"Why are you distracting me so, brother? Can't you seen I am winning here?" Pityo pretended to be annoyed.

"You'd be winning a lot more of you put your cards aside and came here." Telvo answered, crooking his fore-finger in a "get over here" sign and flashing his brother a teasing smile. Pityo looked down at him, bemused, pretending to think about it. He rolled his eyes, carefully set his cards on the floor and snaked a hand beneath Telvo's head, lifting him, as he bent above his brother.

"Excuse me a moment, Arakano." he said, before his mouth descended to meet Telvo's inviting lips and the two shared a heated kiss. The younger twin tangled his fingers in his brother's hair and arched his back, meeting Pityo's wandering hand, as the later searched beneath Telvo's clothing and caressed the taut muscles of his abdomen.

Arakano shook his heat in a futile attempt to dispel the vision before him. He blinked rapidly, but they were still there, kissing each other passionately. He dropped his cards and they fell to the floor like autumn leaves, while Arakano resolved to stare and wait for them to finish, to say something. He was also aware of how hot and uncomfortable his clothes had become, his body responding to the scene unfolding before him, as his mesmerized eyes drew in the exquisite beauty of his cousins.

"Nope, I'm not seeing things..." he spoke out loud, without realizing it.

"Mmmmmm...." came the muffled reply and Arakano gulped to see Pityo's hand covering his brother's hardening member, giving it a few strokes through the fabric of Telvo's leggings.

"No, you are not seeing things." The older twin said, after tearing his mouth away from the sweet torment. "And I hope you like what you see..." he continued is a sultry tone, peering into his cousin's azure eyes and grinning.

"I... er..." Arakano stammered. "Ah, what can I say... I'm quite... surprised." he managed, feeling heat rising to his cheeks.

"Is it a good surprise or a bad surprise?" Telvo inquired sweetly, still resting his head on his brother's thigh. His hands, however, did not sit idly, making quick work of all the laces his fingers encountered, pulling the tunic and shirt apart and exposing his brothers sculpted chest.

Arakano's eyes roamed over the expanse of flawless skin and muscle, blushing scarlet when he met Pityo's eyes and his cousin's lascivious grin.

"You like what you see, I take it." the later said.

"Of course he does. Isn't that right, cousin?" Telvo asked, amused by Arakano's predicament and the becoming blush that made his dark haired cousin so cute it was getting really hard not to pounce on him.

"Well... yes." Arakano sighed, trying to relax and calm the fluttering of his heart. 'I must look like a fool, staring at them as if I've never seen two people kissing before.' he scolded himself. "You just surprised me, that's all."

"You still didn't tell us if it's a good surprise or an unpleasant one." Telvo insisted.

Taking a generous sip from his goblet, Arakano smiled.

"Actually, it should not be such a surprise. After all, my brother told me some things..." he trailed off.

A spark of interest lit both pairs of grey eyes and the twins knelt in front of Arakano, waiting for an explanation.

"What did Findekano say?" Pityo asked.

'At least I think it was him.' Arakano told himself. 'Remember: Pityo on the right and Telvo on the left.'

"Oh, my brother talks about you a lot." he said, grinning as he saw the surprise on the twins' faces.

"He does?" both asked at the same time.

"Yes. About you two, about all your family and the things that happen in your home when he is over there. But mostly, he talks about Maitimo."

The twins exchanged a fond and knowing look.

"Yea, we know what that is like. Maitimo drones about Findekano all the time. When we get bored, we just shoo him away and he usually goes to drive Atar out of his mind with "Findekano this, Findekano that..." Telvo said. "What does your brother say about us? Good things, I hope."

"Mostly...And no, I'm not telling you anything else. That would be betraying my brother's trust. Besides, he's never complained about you two." Arakano still had the presence of mind to take evasive action against some uncomfortable confession.

"That would be mostly because we've not bothered him too much. Maitimo would hang us upside-down from out toes and leave us like that if we pulled even the smallest prank on Findekano. It used to be way more fun when we were younger and our brother was not so head over heels in love with yours." Pityo answered.

"Bah! I think Findekano has smitten by your brother since before I was even conceived." Arakano laughed. "Amil tells me that, when I was a small babe, just learning how to speak, the first words that I learned were 'Ata', 'Amme', 'Kano' and some silly mumble that was supposed to mean 'Maitimo'."

"Oh, you think that's funny? You should have seen all of our brothers rolling their eyes and desperately trying not to laugh when Atar attempted explaining to us that Findekano is not our brother. Not that it makes any difference. We love him as if he were our brother." Telvo added and looked at his twin from the corner of his eye, as they both saw the fleeting look of longing that passed over their cousin's face.

Arakano remained quiet for a moment and then picked up the courage to ask:

"You two are... um, lovers?"

The twins gave him two identical, brilliant smiles.

"Yes, we are." one of them answered.

"Oh..." was all that Arakano could say, looking at one fair face, then the other.

"Does that bother you?" the other twin asked.

"Er... no. Why should it? I mean... it's your business." Arakano replied, a little too fast, obviously flustered.

"We're glad to hear this. Most people would not understand, but I love my brother in every possible way. We share everything." Pityo said, with an honest smile.

"I understand." Arakano replied softly. "I would not judge you even if I did not understand." he added, quite proud of himself for his words and the warm reaction they caused.

The twins' smiles grew and they settled closer to each other.

"That's good to hear. It does not bother you if we exchange kissed and caresses, then." one of them said.

Arakano shook is head and bit his lip before he could tell them that it did not bother him at all. On quite the contrary, he had found the sight... fascinating.

"Do you have a lover, cousin?" Telvo inquired, amused by the way he had startled their companion.

"Maybe..." Arakano answered, after pondering for a few moments. "Why?" he added and felt like slapping himself for the slip.

"Curiosity... I guess." Telvo replied, quite sure that his cousin was simply not willing to admit that he did not have any lover. Indeed, the Feanorion's assumption was confirmed on the spot when Arakano said, in a quiet, almost shy voice:

"I have not had any male lover. And you? Save for each other, I mean." he tried to draw the focus away from himself.

"Eh... we bedded one of father's apprentices for a while. Atar had a fit, of course. But he got over it, eventually." Pityo snickered. "Did you ever want one, or are you partial to maidens?"

Taken aback again, Arakano tried to collect his wits and think of a good answer. Eventually, he shrugged and said the first thing that popped into his head.

"I don't know. I mean, I've kissed a few maidens, played around a little..."

'Sweet Eru, he's a...' Telvo began, in his brother's mind, but Pityo hushed him immediately, focusing on their cousin instead.

"It's not like I can fool around with anyone here without the whole city talking about it the next day." Arakano said as sort of a justification.

"You have a point there, cousin. Maybe you should come and spend some time with us." Pityo told him with a wink.

"You'll have me corrupted in no time." Arakano replied with what he thought was a funny line.

'Aha... So that's what the Nolofinwions think we're doing...' Telvo spoke silently, to his brother only.

'Care to prove him right?' Pityo answered. He knew that Arakano's words came from his father and he felt like making a scene about it, but then... he had a better way to extract revenge for the insult to himself and his family.

'By all means. He is a fine catch. It should be fun. Besides, his dear father will go insane when he finds out. First Findekano, then Irisse and now this pretty one...' Telvo agreed and the two shared a brief kiss before turning to Arakano.

"Ha! Are you interested in being... corrupted?" they asked their cousin, roguish smiles playing on their lips.

"Maybe... You know, the way my brother talks about it, I am sorely tempted."

"Hmm? Findekano shares... details with you?" his cousins grinned from ear to ear.

"Well, yea. I asked him to tell me about it. Besides, I read some of his crappy poetry and I was curious about the mechanics of it and all." Arakano answered, a little bothered by the fact that the twins nearly exploded into gales of laughter.

"Aha! So he has piqued your curiosity?" Pityo pursued the matter, thinking that it his cousin might not be so hard to seduce, despite his usual aloofness.

"Yes. But it's not just that. I've seen Findekano and Maitimo together, holding hands, kissing and touching each other, when they thought that nobody was watching. There were times when they did not quite make it to my brother's chambers with all their clothes on. It's not like I was spying on them, but it's hard no to notice when we all live in the same house."

"Say no more. We've caught them in way more compromising situations than a little stripped." Telvo laughed. "But tell me, did you like what you saw? Do you find out brother attractive?" he lowered his eyes and asked Arakano.

"Er... who does not find your brother attractive?" their cousin answered, wondering where the conversation was going.

"Hmmm..." Pityo mused. Watching Maitimo is one way to get a crush on a hot red-head. Here is another..." he finished, getting up and hauling his smirking brother with him. In less than a minute, they stripped each other of all their clothing, tossing them in a pile, on the floor. When they were done, they both turned to Arakano and posed for him, in all their naked and aroused glory.

Their cousin sat on the floor, dumbstruck, gaping at them, open-mouthed, with blue eyes the size of saucers. He did not breathe or blink for quite a while, looking both of them up and down. The twins' enticing smiles never wavered and both felt incredibly aroused by Arakano's awe-struck perusal. The dark haired Elf watched his cousins as his mind scrambled with bits and pieces of incoherent thoughts. The only thing evident was that he had never seen anything so beautiful before. And his body responded a lot faster than his wine-soaked brain, heat pooling in his loins.

Arakano's eyes eventually stopped on his cousins' hard arousals and he blinked several times, swallowing painfully. Gods, they were both magnificent and absolutely identical. His own hardening member throbbed, making him gasp, still at a loss about what he should say or do. He tore his gaze from his cousins' bodies and looked at their beautiful faces, marking the playful expressions they displayed. There were flames, smoldering in their grey eyes and they stood there, making an offering that not even a Vala could refuse.

As Arakano stared, stared and stared some more, the brothers were beginning to wonder whether that was all he would be able to do. Meeting his huge, blue eyes, Telvo asked him:

"Well?... What are you still sitting there for?"

"I'm counting your freckles." Arakano blurted and all three started laughing their hearts out. The twins leaned on each other, wiping their eyes and trying to stop giggling.

"Ai, cousin, that was priceless!" Pityo managed, as he gasped for breath.

"Well, you've removed the braid from your brother's hair. How else am I supposed to tell you apart?" Arakano asked, but didn't really wait for an answer. He got up, on shaky legs, his head seriously spinning, and he swayed over to the twins, grabbing Pityo without warning. He tangled a hand in his cousin's hair, tilting his head to the side and licking his throat, before picking a very visible spot to leave a mark. He bit and sucked the soft skin, making Pityo mewl, from pleasure and pain.

"There, problem solved." Arakano grinned wolfishly, soothing the bruise and then looking at the beautiful Elf in his arms with a proud smirk. Pityo's eyes were glazed and there was an incredulous look on his face. The other twin laughed and whistled appreciatively. Before any of his cousins could say anything, Arakano crushed his lips over Pityo's and kissed him thoroughly. Thus occupied, he backed his cousin to the bed, distracting him with both mouth and hands and enjoying the way Pityo's naked skin felt beneath his questing palms.

'Mmmm.. looks like wine makes this Nolofinwion grow bold.' Telvo purred in his brother's mind, watching his two companions as they reached Arakano's bed.

'And hard...' Pityo answered, rubbing himself against Arakano and grinning inwardly when he heard his cousin moan in response.

'Oh, I don't think it's the wine that's making him hard.' Telvo said and stifled a chuckle, when he saw Arakano pushing his brother on the bed and climbing on top of him.

"I thought... you said you have not... done it before..." Pityo panted, writhing beneath the body that lay flush on top of him, as Arakano kissed his throat, licking his way up to the red-head's earlobe.

"I'm learning very fast." his cousin replied, teasing the delicate shell of Pityo's ear and nibbling the sensitive tip. His cousin let out a keening cry and bucked beneath him, in response to the delicious ministrations. "You are so tempting..." Arakano crooned, laving his cousins pulse point, as his hands traveled over Pityo's tense muscles, stopping on his hips.

'A little help here...' the elder twin urged his brother. 'at this pace he will undo me before he takes these horrible clothes off.'

Telvo laughed and approached the writhing pair, running his hand over Arakano's back.

"My dear cousin, would you not rid yourself of these unnecessary clothes?" he said.

Reluctantly, Arakano pulled himself up and away from Pityo, immediately missing the warmth of his body. He bounced off the bed and fumbled a little while removing his clothing. When he was done, he stood and posed for his cousins, thoroughly enjoying the admiring, lustful look in their eyes.

"Come here, beautiful one." Telvo asked. He had positioned himself at his brother's side, watching Arakano and slowly stroking Pityo's pulsing member. They made room for their cousin to settle himself between him and immediately launched an assault upon his senses, touching and tasting his lithe body, as Arakano writhed and cried in delight.

His mounting arousal gave Arakano enough boldness to run his hands over the smooth skin that covered his cousin's taut muscles, to tease their pebbled nipples and revel in the sweet sound of their moans. Encouraged, he let his hands roam lower and gently grasp the hard arousals of his companions, marveling at the softness of their skin and the steady pulsing that traveled up his arms, bolting straight to his groin and making his own arousal twitch.

The twins ceased teasing their cousin and sat back, focusing on the hold that he had on both of them. Telvo bucked his hips and mewled, when Arakano's hand began stroking him slowly. The fingers of his other hand worked in tandem, causing Pityo to toss his head back and moan. He smiled and stroked faster, ears filled with the intoxicating sounds of his cousins' pleasure. They both cried out when he let his thumbs massage the glistening tips of their arousals.

'I can't... hold it... much longer...' Pityo panted, reaching for his brother's garbled thoughts.

'Neither can I.' came the answer, followed by a loud moan, as Telvo shuddered when the stroking became harder and faster.

"Arakano... please... No more..." Pityo pleaded.

"But why? I love this." Arakano replied, smiling broadly and noticing just how much he enjoyed pleasuring his cousins as he looked at his own, weeping arousal.

"So do we..." Telvo answered, pistoning his hips upward. "I don't want you to stop... but what about your pleasure, cousin?"

Reluctant to let go, but full of anticipation, Arakano released them and collapsed between the pillows. He watched his cousins fighting to regain some control over their unruly bodies and then moaned loudly, when they returned to him. One of them captured his lips in a breathtaking kiss while the other was drawing a line of wet, hot caresses across his abdomen.Then, they both took his hardened nipples between their lips and tortured the rosy buds until tears began flowing from Arakano's shut eyes as he grew desperate for release. They had to press his hips back on the covers as he thrust forward, seeking any kind of friction he could find.

Arakano pleaded with them to end the blissful torment, when he felt their lips moving over his hip bones and closer to his throbbing arousal. They answered by licking their way up the pulsing shaft and, when he felt a hot mouth enveloping him, Arakano groaned, losing the last trace of control he had over his quivering body. A few moments later, as he was kept from thrusting into that delicious mouth and as cunning fingers massaged his tight sac, the young Elf released a loud cry and arched his body, convulsing and spilling his seed. He did not know which twin still laved him and it didn't matter, because his world had narrowed to the blinding pleasure that bathed his senses and numbed his mind. He crashed back on the pillows, panting heavily. He could feel his cousins' cheeks pressed against his abdomen and he tangled his weak, shaky fingers in their soft hair, caressing them fondly and murmuring something beyond comprehension.

A few moments passed by, while Aakano was trying to catch his breath and the twins faced each other, huge, delighted grins spread on their flushed faces. When they felt Arakano's hands slipping from their tangled coppery hair, the brothers exchanged incredulous glances. They got up slowly and looked at Arakano. Their beautiful cousin had fallen asleep, drawing in deep but steady breaths. He moaned softly when they moved away, and tilted his head to the side, on the soft pillows. A delicious smile still lingered on his lips as he rested, blissfully spent.

Pityo and Telvo laughed silently, conversing in each other's mind.

'Look at him...' Pityo said, with a sweet smile

'I can't believe he's fallen asleep' Telvo replied.

'Ah, too much strain on his beautiful body...'

'Too much wine, you mean.'

'That too. We have to do this again, some time.'

'Some time soon. You wouldn't believe how hot it was to watch him all over you, Pityo.'

'Oh... I do believe you. And I have to get him writhing beneath me. Today was just... sampling.'

They laughed again, shaking their heads and returning their eyes to Arakano's glorious, sleeping form.

'He is delicious, my brother' Telvo said, licking his lips.

'And so incredibly cute...' Pityo added wistfully, earning himself a snicker from his twin.

'In the mean time, you and I are still stiff as a board.' the younger twin noticed, lowering his eyes to their arousals.

'Need a hand?' Pityo replied with a wink.

'Not here. Let's not disturb Arakano's sleep.'

They got off the bed and searched for their cousin's bathing chambers. Once they were in and the door was closed behind them, they flung their arms around each other and laughed for a few good minutes. As the amusement began to wear off, they started pleasuring each other, foreheads pressed and lips touching in fluttery kisses.

"Do you think Arakano is going to tell Maitimo just how well we've behaved?'' Telvo purred, licking his brother's parted lips.

Pityo laughed and sucked that wicked tongue between his lips, making his brother groan loudly.

'Not if we tell his first. And I've even got the scars to prove it." he replied, tilting his head to show Telvo the mark Arakano's mouth had left on his skin.

"That wicked Elf... marking my brother." Telvo muttered. "Ai, faster, beloved!" he pleaded, feeling his release drawing near.

A few moments later, they shuddered in each other's arms, muffling their cries with a searing kiss. Panting and supporting themselves, they cleaned up quickly and returned to Arakano's bedroom. They pondered on whether they should lock the door or not, but then they exchanged a wicked grin and decided to live dangerously and risk being discovered.

As gently as they could, the twins pulled the covers from beneath Arakano, snuggling close to him and taking their murmuring, sleeping cousin in their arms. Wrapped in the soft covers and each other's warmth, they dozed off, satisfied smiles gracing their youthful faces.