Chapter 5

Legolas hurried toward the public bathing pools, too distraught at his argument with Elrohir to ponder the sudden ‘inner voice’. There was always the chance the younger twin had returned to his own rooms to bathe, but he had headed toward the waterfalls and the small collection of pools preferred by the Imladrian warriors.

Reaching the rough-hewn structure that protected the pools, Legolas feared he had mistaken Elrohir's aim, for there was no sound save the gentle fall of water in the rinsing room. As he looked around the dim disrobing chamber, however, he saw with relief that a familiar set of dusty garments was hanging on one of the wall hooks.

Stripping off his own soiled clothing, Legolas stepped into the second room of the baths, where water poured briskly from several high troughs, allowing the bather to rinse off the dust before entering the pools. As he stood under the streaming water, he tried to gather courage to face Elrohir. Remembering how he had lashed out at the elf-knight, Legolas cringed inwardly.

Never before had he used ‘peredhel’ as an insult, just as the Noldor-descended twins had never called him ‘wood-elf’ with anything but affection. To have stooped to such a remark...it wrung his heart, and Legolas feared the mistake unforgivable. Consciously steadying himself, he twisted the water from his hair and entered the main bathing chamber.

On first glance, the pools seemed empty, but then the prince’s acute hearing caught a soft sigh, coming from one of the smaller, warmer pools that was partially hidden by rock formations. Stepping quietly, he rounded the stone barrier and stopped.

Elrohir sat against the side of the chest-deep pool, arms extended along the rocky edge. His head was back, his eyes closed as though resting, but it was clear that he was not at peace. His face was tension-filled, and he flexed and opened his hands, as though seeking to loosen knotted muscles.

"’Roh?" Legolas spoke softly, hoping not to startle his distressed friend. When he received no answer, he spoke again, louder, "Elrohir?"

There was no surprise in the voice that finally replied. "Aye?"

"I...will...may I join you?" the prince stuttered out, and clouded silver-grey eyes turned to him.

"For what reason, híren?" Elrohir countered quietly.

Only the shreds of his pride kept Legolas from crying outright. "Please, Elrohir, do not name me so. Will you not allow me to speak?"

Nodding wordlessly, Elrohir closed his eyes once more.

Lowering himself into the warm, scented water, Legolas was careful not to make physical contact with the other elf. Elrohir seemed like nothing so much as an injured wild thing, and Legolas was leery of touching him, lest he flee. Settling carefully in the pool, he drew a deep breath and said, "Forgive me, gwadoren. I let my anger rule my tongue. I am sorry."

As the seconds spun out in silence, Legolas’ heart sunk even lower. When it became obvious that the elf-knight would not speak, he went on softly, "Six hundred years. We have fought and drank and played together for six centuries, Elrohir. Can..."

"Aye, six centuries," Elrohir broke in, looking at Legolas sadly. "Six hundred years, and you think me capable of forcing you? Of trying to? Do you know me so little, after that span of time? I hoped...dared think, that now...but it no longer matters." The elf-knight turned his head swiftly away and drew a ragged breath.

Shattered, Legolas could no longer restrain himself. Grasping Elrohir’s hand tightly, he said urgently, "But it does matter, it does," before stopping to steady his voice. "Everything about you matters, rohir nín," he continued, the oft-heard but never-used endearment slipping out easily. "Please, forgive me. I did not mean it. I know you would never, could never do anything so vile. Please, do not pull your heart away from me so."

Elrohir looked at him intently, the smallest spark of light returning to the drowned grey eyes. "What did you call me?" he asked hesitantly.

Legolas looked blank for a moment, then flushed as he realized what he had done. "Rohir nín. I am sorry. That is Elladan’s name for..."

"You may use it, if you wish. I rather like it and I think ‘Dan will not mind," Elrohir interrupted with a slight smile.

So relieved was the prince by even the hint of a smile from his friend that his own eyes filled with tears.

Elrohir reacted with alarm. "Do not berate yourself so, ‘Las. I can not bear it. It was my doing, and I am ashamed to have treated you as I did." Frowning with concern, he pulled Legolas into his arms, murmuring as though he were comforting an elfling.

"Valar, ‘Roh, I am so sorry," the Legolas breathed, his face buried in the younger twin's neck. "The things I said...how I hurt you. I felt as though my heart had been ripped out when you walked away."

"All is well," Elrohir soothed. "Mayhap I was a bit overbearing. I did not think of onlookers." He grinned sheepishly. "Sometimes I need a reining hand."

Legolas snorted. "Aye, sometimes you do," he joked, before continuing seriously. "I am fair frightened by this new wrinkle in our relationship, rohir nín. Sometimes, I just want my friends back."

Elrohir glowed with pleasure at the prince’s use of the endearment. "Your friends have not gone, anor nín. We will always be here. Can we not be both friends and lovers?"

"I am not sure," Legolas answered honestly. "I have had friends that I bedded, some of them frequently, but this is not the same."

"Nay, I do not feel that it is," Elrohir replied, pushing back Legolas' hair to nuzzle an ear, "and I think we will let it rest there, else we might find ourselves distressed again."

"I do not wish to be distressed again this day," Legolas said with a smile. "I wish to be loved - if you are still in the mood for wood-elf, that is?"

"I am nearly always in the mood for wood-elf."Elrohir replied, grinning widely. Turning Legolas to sit astride his lap, he leaned forward and brought their lips together, gently urging his lover's mouth open.

As the kiss deepened - tongues dancing urgently together, teeth nipping - Legolas let out a low growl and grabbed a handful of ebony-dark hair, pulling back Elrohir’s head, exposing his throat to easy attack. Suckling and nipping, he covered the elf-knight’s neck with red marks, finally latching on to create a magnificent red-purple bruise in the hollow of Elrohir's throat.

"Barbarian," Elrohir groaned, in delicious pain as Legolas nipped the tender spot over and over. Grasping Legolas' hips firmly, he pulled the prince up tight against his chest, their straining shafts sliding together divinely in the warm water.

"Oh, that is nice. Very nice indeed," Legolas purred. Leaning out slightly, he slid his hand down to grasp the mithril ring that pierced Elrohir’s right nipple.

"'Las!" Elrohir yelped, losing his grip on Legolas' hips in his surprise.

Free to move, Legolas slid down quickly and took the ring in his mouth, pulling with his teeth before releasing it to suckle the other nipple, garnering a helpless moan from his victim. Pulling away, he cooed, "Raise up a bit, ‘Roh."

"Why?" Elrohir gasped out, even as he obeyed, pulling himself up on his elbows at the pool edge.

"Because I do not wish to drown," Legolas said with an evil grin, rising to his knees. Supporting Elrohir's floating hips with his arms, he bent his head and languidly drew his tongue up the underside of his lover’s throbbing length, then took the tip in his mouth and sucked softly.

"Oh, Elbereth! That feels good," Elrohir panted, trying vainly to thrust upward into the slippery warmth. Raising his head, he stared open mouthed at the picture before him. Hair like sunlit gold fell across his abdomen and thighs, the drenched ends moving to and fro with the water. Even as he watched breathlessly, the cat-like tongue licked him from base to tip, lapping, teasing with gentle suction. Emerald eyes, warm and shining, met his for an instant, then fell away as the sweet torture continued.

Letting his head drop back, Elrohir drew a long shuddering breath that flew out in a keening wail as Legolas suddenly closed his lips over the elf-knight’s aching shaft and swallowed, caressing the length with his tongue and throat. "Oh, Valar...wait! Not like this," Elrohir gasped hoarsely.

Relenting, Legolas reluctantly let go of his captive’s hips, allowing Elrohir to settle back into the water. "And what do you have in mind, hmm?" Legolas murmured against Elrohir’s lips, nipping gently. "How, if not like this?"

In answer, Elrohir stood fluidly and reached out a hand to pull the prince to his feet, leading him out of the pool to the drying room. Spreading his bath blanket on the soft mossy ground, the Elrohir lowered himself gracefully, gently forcing Legolas down with him. "Like this," he whispered, licking and nibbling at an already-pink ear. "I would see you and taste you," he breathed, nuzzling the prince’s throat.

Legolas gasped as his lover bit down firmly, marking him, before licking a nibbling a path downward. Raven-dark hair, soft as silk, slid teasingly over his skin as the mouth trailed lower, finally taking in one golden ring, peaking the nipple and sending delicious chills running over his body. "Oh," he groaned, "oh, yes..." as the teasing lips went to the other side, suckling and caressing.

Elrohir made his way down Legolas' stomach, burying his tongue in the tempting navel before licking his way to his lover's weeping arousal. Legolas whimpered wordlessly when Elrohir closed his mouth around the swollen head, swirling his tongue lightly over the slit. Slowly he took the turgid length into his mouth and began to move, sliding his lips up and down the aching flesh, again and again.

Legolas panted helplessly, unable to thrust, his hips held securely in strong hands. "Please, rohir nín," he pleaded, grasping the ebony hair in both hands.

Pulling himself up, Elrohir looked into gold-flecked emerald eyes, then placed two fingers against the prince’s lips. "May I?" he asked softly, watching his lover’s expression closely.

Legolas silently took the fingers into his mouth, sucking and swirling his tongue around them sensuously. Closing his eyes with a groan, Elrohir removed his wet fingers, using them to lightly stroke the prince’s tight opening. Capturing Legolas’ mouth in a searching kiss, he slid first one, then both fingers in, scissoring gently.

Legolas whimpered incoherently, pulling his legs up, spreading them wide.

Almost undone himself by his lover’s state, Elrohir moved between the eagerly spread thighs, positioning himself carefully. He pushed inside With a fluid thrust and strong legs immediately went around his waist, pulling him deeper still.

Struggling desperately for control, the elf-knight remained still for a moment, his breath coming in gasps. "Sweet Eru...move!" Legolas growled, squeezing his legs tightly around Elrohir’s waist.

With a deep groan, Elrohir gave in, thrusting hard into the silken warmth. "Oh..yes..." he breathed, "You feel so good." Speeding up rapidly, pounding into the willing body beneath him, he supported himself on one arm, then reached down and took the prince's length in his hand and began stroking firmly, matching the rhythm of his own thrusts.

Legolas gasped wildly, shuddering. "I am going to come," he panted, tossing his golden head from side to side. "'Roh," he ground out, "'Roh...going to come..."

"Go on," Elrohir panted, "Spill for me."

With a feral howl, Legolas arched his back into a perfect bow, his release splattering them both. Elrohir shouted hoarsely and thrust deep, the strong spasms milking his own orgasm from him. Falling forward on the prince, he nuzzled Legolas' flushed face, nibbling at swollen lips as he reluctantly withdrew.

After their breathing had returned to normal, another bath was needed, so it was late afternoon before the two were read to leave the bathing house.

Prepared to wear his dusty clothes again, Legolas was surprised to find clean clothing hanging on his hook, and his soiled garb nowhere to be seen. Slipping into the light leggings and shirt, he pondered their appearance, looking at Elrohir questioningly, as the elf-knight also had clean garments.

Elrohir smiled, and answered the unspoken question. "’Dan brought them while we were in the pools, I wager. We will owe him heavily this night, ‘Las."

*~*~*~*~*

peredhel - half elf
híren - my lord
gwadoren - my sworn brother
rohir nín - my knight
anor nín - my sun