Orophin woke reluctantly, his pounding head and scratchy eyes a pointed reminder of the night’s overindulgence. A smile spread across his face, however, as he slowly became aware of the drift of ebony hair beneath his cheek and the warm body curled into his embrace.
He had long sought Elrohir’s favor, his fascination with the younger of the Peredhil twins beginning even before Haldir had declared himself hopelessly enamoured of the elder. But while Haldir had found time and excuse to pursue Elladan, Orophin had languished in Lórien, seldom traveling to Imladris and thus seeing the object of his obsession only when the twins visited the Golden Wood.
His patience had obviously been rewarded, though his wine-hazed memories offered little more than a fleeting rush of warm skin and frantic kisses, a glimpse of grey eyes widening in surprise, then darkening with pleasure.
Elrohir stirred against him, burrowing under the light blanket as though seeking to escape the early morning sunlight, and Orophin chuckled softly. “It is time to wake, melethron,” he murmured, pressing his lips to one slightly reddened ear. “You will feel better after a cup of tea and a bit of breakfast.”
The lithe form in his arms stretched lazily. “I could hardly feel worse.”
The words were teasing, the grey gaze that turned to him sparkling with good humor, but Orophin found himself speechless, his stomach twisting painfully as his own eyes fell on the single bead that still clung to the dark tangle of his lover’s hair.
A perfectly oval bead of rich, brilliant blue.
A/N: If you are not familiar with P3, this probably makes little sense. Elladan and Elrohir wear different color beads in their hair. And, unfortunately for Orophin, Elladan’s are blue!