Chapter 16

Legolas pushed his bedchamber door open gingerly, carefully balancing the unopened bottle of miruvor and the tray of strawberries, honey, and cream that he carried, the fruit offering compliments of Glorfindel and his wicked sense of humor. To his surprise, Elladan sat alone on the bed in naught but sleep pants, his damp hair hanging unbraided to pool on the pillows where he was propped. �Where is �Roh?" Legolas asked, placing the laden tray on the bed table.

�He is bathing,� Elladan replied distractedly, his attention focused on the bowl of berries. �Are those for sharing, perchance?�

Legolas, breaking the seal on the cordial bottle. �They are,� he affirmed, pouring three glasses of miruvor. �Glorfindel felt they might improve your mood.� Handing Elladan a drink, he kicked off his boots and dropped to the bed, then chuckled suddenly, pressing a gentle kiss to the deep purple bruise just below his lover�s ear. �But I see Elrohir has already attended to that problem.�

�He tried, aye,� Elladan answered with a dramatic sigh, his silver-grey eyes sparkling with mirth. �But this is quite a foul mood. I am not sure �Roh can manage it alone.�

Delighted to find his lover in a cheerful frame of mind, Legolas teased, �It is a good thing Glorfindel sent the berries, then, is it not?�

�It is,� Elladan agreed, a smile twitching at the corners of his mouth. �I shall drown myself in strawberries and miruvor.� Reaching for a piece of fruit, he dipped it first in honey, then in the thick cream, before popping the berry whole into his mouth. He repeated the ritual several times, then met the prince�s intense gaze, one ebony eyebrow arching questioningly. �Will you not have some, �Las?�

�It is nearly as satisfying to watch you as to eat them,� Legolas replied with a grin, �but I believe I will have one.� After a moment of appreciative silence, he reached for a second berry. �They are quite as good as when fresh,� he said, swirling the fruit through honey and cream, �and I believe I will have more than one.�

Depositing the dripping berry in his mouth, Legolas found his arm caught in a gentle grip, his hand pulled inexorably toward his companion. Holding the prince's surprised gaze, Elladan extended his tongue and carefully licked away the traces of honey and cream that clung to Legolas' fingers. �I fear that the berries alone will not lighten my mood, anor n�n,� Elladan purred, sucking two fingers into his mouth suddenly.

Legolas inhaled sharply, the swirling wetness around his fingers sending an insistent message straight to his groin. �Did you have some particular cure in mind," he asked teasingly, a seductive edge entering his voice, �or shall we improvise?�

�I believe we shall improvise,� Elladan answered, sitting down his empty glass with a wicked smile. Without further explanation he unbelted the prince�s tunic, and began loosing the clasps. Leaning in to nip and nuzzle a sensitive ear, Elladan tugged the garment free, then caught his lover�s mouth in a gentle kiss. �Will you trust me?" he asked, pulling back to meet Legolas' darkening gaze.

Legolas looked intently at Elladan. �I do trust you, �Dan. I believe we have already had this conversation today.�

Shaking his head slightly, Elladan raised a hand to stroke his lover's cheek. �You mistake my meaning, �Las,� he said quietly, threading a golden strand through his fingers. �I am not doubting your basic faith in me. Will you trust me now? Absolutely?�

A slight thrill of apprehension ran along the prince�s spine as he pondered the unusual question, but his answer came quickly enough. �I will.�

Elladan gave Legolas a blazing smile, gently forcing him back until he lay flat on the bed, his pale skin glowing against the coppery bed-coverings. �Thank you,� Elladan whispered, his breath ghosting over his lover�s lips a mere instant before he seized them in a pillaging kiss.

Legolas� mind reeled under the sudden assault. There was no hesitation, no battle for dominance here...the mouth that plundered his own took without asking, bruising his lips, leaving him gasping for air in the brief moment before it descended again. Raising his arms - whether in defense or invitation, he was unsure - Legolas found them quickly pinned to the bed on either side of his head, fingers strong as mithril bands curled around his wrists. Torn between struggling against the restraining hands and arching into the enticing warmth of the body that covered his own, Legolas paid little attention to the whisper-soft touch at his wrists, until a memory came on him unbidden.

A fireplace, furs, Elladan�s wicked grin, and teasing words he had pondered little at the time. �Keep your hands down, 'Las, or I will tie them.'

Unable to lower his arms, Legolas stilled and his eyes flew open, an oath slipping out as he met the midnight dark eyes and smirking grin that hovered just above his face. Glancing up, he fought back a wave of unease. His hands were securely lashed to the headboard...with his own soft leather sash. �What are you doing, �Dan?" he asked, struggling to keep his voice steady.

Elladan�s grin widened as he lowered his head to nuzzle and nip at his captive�s throat. �I am improvising, of course,� he purred. �I would have thought that obvious.�

�Release me, Elladan,� Legolas ordered in his official presumptuous voice. �Immediately.�

Chuckling at the haughtily issued command, Elladan retorted, �I think not, Legolas.� As the body beneath him began to twist purposefully, he added, �And if you kick me, anor n�n, I will strap your legs.�

A flash of mutinous disbelief showed in the emerald eyes locked with his, and he raised an eyebrow in warning. �Less pleasant for you, I fear, and more difficult for me...but I will certainly do it, rather than be maimed by an ill-placed knee.�

Eyes wide, Legolas stared at his lover in anxiety-tinged amazement, suddenly aware afresh of the near ten centuries which separated them. This was a side of Elladan he had not seen, save in brief, teasing glimpses. Struggling to turn the world upright once more, he managed, �What of �Roh?" and a reply quickly slid through both their minds, as the chamber door closed softly.

�Roh is going to the balcony to gaze at the stars...and think loudly. Relax, �Las. It is but a game.
And you, t�ren...watch yourself. You are distressing our wood- elf.

Elladan moved aside slightly, keeping one leg across his captive. Gently removing the tiny woven braids from Legolas' hair, he looked intently into his lover�s face. �Are you truly distressed, �Las?" he asked soberly, all teasing gone from the darkened grey eyes.

In the face of such serious regard, Legolas found himself stumbling over his words. �I...nay, not distressed...only...anxious, I suppose.�

�I would not have you distressed, or frightened, anor n�n,� the Elladan said earnestly, stroking the loosened hair soothingly. �There is no pleasure for me in your fear, or your pain. Only in your surrender.�

�I have often surrendered to you with my hands unbound,� Legolas said, a slight note of reproach in his voice.

�Aye, but by your choice, �Las,� Elladan pointed out gently. �The bonds leave you with no option. �Tis my game, hence all choices belong to me. You belong to me.�

�It is difficult...� Legolas began, only to be interrupted by a soft kiss.

�Of course it is difficult,� Elladan agreed, nuzzling an ear wetly. �There would be little point in playing were it easy for you. The struggle is part of the attraction.� Drawing back to search his lover's eyes, he added, �But you must trust me. If you do not, the restraint will be nigh unbearable, and there will be little pleasure for either of us.�

Tugging experimentally at the belt which bound his hands, Legolas found it more than adequately secure, and tied in such a way that it tightened around his wrists with every pull. Forcing back a lingering touch of unease, he smiled slightly, his eyes focused intently on his lover. �I trust you, el n�n,� he murmured. �Absolutely.�

Meeting the emerald gaze, Elladan remained silent for a moment, then smiled, unlacing the prince�s leggings and slipping them off. �I am glad,� he said simply, stretching out over the bared form. �Very glad.�

Legolas opened his mouth obediently to an insistent tongue, his head trapped firmly between his own raised arms and his lover�s hands. He rapidly discovered that while resistance garnered him little but a sharp nip in warning, his cautiously encouraging swipes at the invader were welcome, easing the force of the assault momentarily.

Elladan pulled away to press a string of kisses along the prince�s jaw. �Very good,� he breathed, lapping at an ear. �You learn quickly.�

Lowering his head to nip teasingly at his lover's throat, Elladan startled Legolas by biting down hard at the base of his neck, drawing a small spot of blood. Legolas hissed, the need for surrender forgotten as he glared at his tormentor, struggling to pull away. �That hurt.�

�Do not speak, anor n�n,� Elladan ordered, licking the offended skin soothingly. Legolas continued to glare silently, parting his lips only reluctantly for the exploring tongue that swiped over them enticingly.

To the prince�s surprise, the kiss was soft and lingering, and he shivered suddenly as he realized that the element which subtly altered Elladan�s familiar taste was the coppery tang of his own blood. Cautiously extending his tongue, Legolas shuddered again as it was taken into his lover�s mouth, and he bit back a groan as his own mouth was flooded with the strangely erotic flavor.

The small tremors were not lost on Elladan, and he pulled away slightly, his own impossibly dark gaze locking with the dilated emerald eyes of his lover. �Do you see, now?" he probed gently, lowering his head to nip and tug on the prince�s lower lip. "It was for a reason, �Las. I would never hurt you for the sake of pain.� Standing to slip out of his sleep pants, Elladan looked down at his bound partner, running a possessive hand over Legolas' smooth skin. �Love you,� he said softly, lowering himself beside the prince.

Legolas watched breathlessly as the dark head dipped to his chest, then hissed with pleasure as one nipple was covered by a warm mouth, teeth and tongue worrying the golden piercing ring, sending sharp bolts of sensation through his body. Unable to press upward with his arms secured as they were, he was forced to remain still as the tantalizing warmth moved from one nipple to the other, suckling and teasing until he panted helplessly.

Leaving the golden rings behind, Elladan deposited a trail of fiercely pink ovals over Legolas' chest and down his stomach, pausing to thrust his tongue wetly into the prince�s navel, smiling with satisfaction at the gasping breath that rewarded his efforts. Continuing his downward trek, he studiously avoided the weeping shaft that lay tight against his lover�s stomach, moving instead between trembling thighs, to press wet kisses over the tender skin where leg and groin meet, then lap teasingly at the smooth sac beneath his lover�s hardened flesh. A series of muffled groans heralded these explorations, and Elladan caught Legolas' hips in a firm grip before moving lower still.

Legolas was unable to force back a keening wail as he was first licked, then breached by the persistent tongue. Giving up all pretense at silence, he struggled against the leather bond, trying to escape both the sash and his lover�s hold on his hips. �Please...�Dan...� he whimpered breathlessly. �Please...�

Retrieving the oil vial from the bed table, Elladan drizzled a thin stream over his own aching erection. Coating his fingers with a generous amount of oil, he dropped his head without warning and engulfed the prince�s arousal. Legolas howled at the sudden sensation as he was suckled expertly, while slick fingers stretched and oiled him. Writhing urgently, he closed his eyes and moaned in anticipation as his legs were lifted to his lover�s shoulders, his sighs ending in a growl as he was filled with a slow steady push. His eyes flickering open, Legolas found himself forehead to forehead with Elladan, as they both gasped for breath. �Loose my hands, el n�n,� he whispered, his breath ghosting over his lover�s lips. �I would touch you.�

Elladan reached up and released the leather sash, and was immediately beset by strong hands - sliding lightly over his back, tangling in his tousled hair, and tracing his face before finally settling on his arms, fingers digging pleasantly into his tensed muscles. Pulling back, Elladan thrust forward forcefully, stars flickering before his eyes as he slipped into the slick warmth then retreated again, his rapidly increasing rhythm erratic as his stomach tightened with impending release.

Legolas groaned, arching off the bed as he was stroked from within by his lover�s hard shaft, and from without by the oiled hand that curled tightly around his throbbing length. �Elbereth, �Dan...� he panted brokenly, �I...am...oh, gods...now...� his final words ending in a shriek as he spilled violently, a spray of liquid heat splashing both sweat-slick bodies.

Elladan threw his head back, a hoarse shout escaping as he rode out out his release. Collapsing onto Legolas' chest, he gently lowered his lover�s shaking legs, then lay still for a long moment before carefully withdrawing and settling to the side with a sigh, pulling Legolas into a snug embrace.

Playing absently with the golden strands that trailed across his chest, Elladan mused, �Another bath would not be out of order, I imagine.� After a long pause, he added, �But I have not the energy to get up and prepare it.�

Legolas snickered, snuggling closer. �Nor have I, I am afraid. In the morning, perhaps?�

As he finished speaking, the bathing chamber door swung open, admitting a grinning Elrohir. �The bath is running,� he announced teasingly. �I assume you can walk to the tub? Or shall I carry you?�

�It would be more fun if you carried me,� Legolas chuckled, stretching luxuriously as he rose to stand beside the bed. Reaching out to pull Elrohir into a gentle kiss, he added, �But I will walk, just for tonight.�

�And I will manage the bed,� Elrohir said with a smirk, as his lovers headed for the bath. �I will not have my honey butter in the midst of such a shambles.�

*****************

Legolas woke in the grey light of pre-dawn, becoming gradually aware of the sweet smell of strawberries...and the insistent throb of his morning erection. As the twins stirred, both moved closer to the warm body between them, drawing shudders from the prince as skin slid temptingly over skin and teasing mouths nipped and licked at his already ravaged throat. He groaned in appreciation and then chuckled when the press of his lovers' bodies proved them to be in much the same state as himself. Raising his head to give each twin a lingering kiss, Legolas whispered, "There is still the matter of your honey butter, rohir n�n. If you are yet hungry?�

"Aye, there is indeed," Elladan murmured, his hand finding the prince�s already weeping arousal, �and it would seem we are all starving.�

"It is a fine time for a quick snack, I believe," Elrohir agreed, pulling Legolas snugly back into the curve of his body. Hissing as Legolas moved against him urgently, he positioned himself and thrust forward, sinking into the silken heat with a groan.

Releasing a wordless moan as he was filled, Legolas raised his arm, allowing Elladan to move back against him, the firm buttocks rubbing teasingly over his arousal. "Oh, yes," he breathed, biting his lip as Elladan pushed back, impaling himself in one steady movement. Hands stroking idly, they lay still, savoring the sensation of closeness, until Legolas could bear it no more and arched suddenly, rocking his hips with heartfelt moan. He thrust deep into the velvety heat before him, then pulled back, taking Elrohir in fully. Cursing softly, he clamped his fingers on Elladan�s hip for support, settling into a steady rhythm.

Elrohir groaned loud and long, reaching across the thrusting hips to close his hand around his twin�s engorged shaft. Elladan let out a sobbing gasp as Elrohir stroked him in time with the now frantic movements of the prince, and his body tightened warningly. "Oh, Valar," he breathed, pressing back toward the pounding thrusts, "now..."

Feeling the first spasms caress him, Legolas pushed forward frantically, shouting out his pleasure as he spilled deep inside his lover. Elrohir howled, burying his face in the prince�s neck, as his climax was pulled from him by the pulsing warmth.

Curled together snugly, the trio drifted toward sleep, Elrohir�s final conscious thought slithering through their drowsy minds.

There is always breakfast, too.

*~*~*~*~*

anor n�n - my sun
t�ren - my brother
el n�n - my star
rohir n�n - my knight