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Christmas Surprise
Author: Amebrindra
Beta: Legorfilinde
Email: [email protected]
Rating: PG
Pairing: Glorfindel/Erestor
Warnings: Extreme Fluff
Request: Glorfindel/Erestor, romance, humor, set in Imladris, any rating
Written For: Erin Riwen
Glorfindel sat staring in silence at the fire in the fireplace. The room around him seemed to attack his senses with its riotous color and gaiety. It was much changed from the somber tones and atmosphere that had ruled when Erestor had left on his business trip. While he had been gone the first snow of the season had brought it to the golden elf's attention that it was exactly the same time of year as when he and Erestor had traveled together the previous year. An unexpected storm had waylaid them and they had been forced to seek refuge at a human inn. They had been cold and grouchy but had entered to find the place cheerfully festooned with greenery and tinsel.
At the sight of their questioning, somewhat bemused expressions, the explanation had been quickly forthcoming that it was Christmas time, a holiday celebrated by men, but little known among elven kind. The humans, often so intimidated by the presence of elves, had been eager to share everything they knew about this tradition with them and Erestor had been completely taken by the idea. He had adored the beauty of the decorations, the holiday food and the presents. The entire event had caught hold of his usually inactive imagination.
Glorfindel grunted to himself, well that was perhaps a bit unkind, better to say that Erestor was set in his ways and leave it at that. His exotic looking dark haired lover with his slightly tilted violet eyes was anything but exotic minded. He ate the same thing for breakfast every day (two pieces of toast light buttered, one egg soft poached one narrow slice of ham and tea, one dollop of honey). He started his day the same way (up at dawn) and wore the same black robes...well not the same but they all looked the same that was for sure.
They had been amazed to see in one corner a tree had been brought indoors and was festooned with many different items and with candles secured to its branches. In fact candles had been put in every nook and cranny of the old tavern and the place had seemed to be a fairy land in their light.
Glorfindel was unsure how Erestor had been so taken in by the bright lights and silly customs of the human's Christmas but the usually staid elf had gotten drunk on a drink the men called "eggnog" and had entertained the house singing haunting elven songs that had earned them a free bed and dinner. Erestor had fallen giggling into bed that night wondering how eggs could make one feel so...spirited. Glorfindel had been quite sure that it was the rum in the drink and not the eggs, but he had no wish to argue as a spirited Erestor is quite a delightful armful.
The next morning as they were eating breakfast and preparing to depart, Erestor had noticed and admired a crystal rose that lay upon the mantel; he had always loved the beautiful simplicity of glass figures. When the two had taken their leave the inn keeper's wife had pressed into Erestor's unwilling hands a gaily wrapped package and wished him a Merry Christmas. It seemed their presence and Erestor's antics had tripled the innkeeper's earnings the previous night. Erestor had opened the box as they traveled through the snow towards home only to discover lying in a bed of soft paper the very rose he had admired. It surely had to have been one of the poor woman's most prized possessions.
It is not unusual for others to perceive Erestor as cold and distant. He has a manner about him that makes it very difficult to get to know him and he is certainly not free with his affections. But he had won over those simple people heart and soul and Glorfindel had to admit that they had won Erestor as well. His lover had put the rose carefully away without comment. But when they had arrived home he had placed it in a spot of honor amongst his collection of crystal and glass objects. The poorly wrought quality of the piece was evident when it sat next to his much more glorious items but Erestor seemed not to notice and many had been the times that Glorfindel had come in to find the dark haired elf holding the flower and looking a bit wistful.
Glorfindel knew he was not supposed to have noticed but Erestor had taken one of his favorite items, a beautifully carved delicate butterfly on a flower and he had boxed it carefully and sent it by carrier to the Innkeeper's wife. The carrier on return reported to him that the good lady had burst into tears at the sight of it. Glorfindel was convinced that it was likely the most beautiful thing she had ever seen save perhaps Erestor himself.
And so it was that when Glorfindel had realized the time of year, he had taken upon himself to create Christmas at the last homely house as a surprise for his lover. Enlisting the aid of the twins had perhaps not been the wisest of choices but they had been eager to help even if they had also snickered behind his back and teased him unrelentingly.
They had howled at the idea of a tree in the house, but then had promptly gone out and found the biggest one they could possibly fit into the hall of fire, the twins never did a job half way. He had sent them out again to cut branches to festoon the mantle and to weave into wreathes, the Elleth of Imladris were more than happy to help the smiling tempting twins with these endeavors. While that was being taken care of Glorfindel was busy decorating the tree. He soon realized that he had nothing in the way of decorations and then the fire glinted on a crystal vase sitting on a table. His grin lit his face. Crystal; of course.
It was with much care that he tied a thread about each one of Erestor's crystal treasures and hung them from the branches of the tree. But still the tree looked dark, even the fire glinting off the glass was not lighting it much. Glorfindel thought of the candles, he glanced at he twins. He was sure to never hear the end of this. He headed for the store room. When he returned and started affixing candles to the branches of the tree all work in the room stopped as elves turned to stare at him mouths agape. Glorfindel could feel heat rising up the back of his neck and infusing his face with color. He studiously ignored them all as he continued with what he was doing. Slowly talk resumed, but now it was hushed and he knew they were talking about him. It mattered little for he kept always before him the vision of the joy on Erestor's face as he had celebrated Christmas for the first time the previous year.
The candles were on the tree at last, but he did not light them, he would save that for when he knew Erestor was soon to return. There were candles on the mantles and on tables and in the windows. There were festive red bows decorating the room and golden cloth twisted into streamers criss-crossed the ceiling.
Glorfindel had unearthed a recipe for the "eggnog" and had taken to the cook who after much sass had agreed to attempt it. He had also agreed to make something called a cheese log that was supposed to be eaten with crackers, a light, airy candy called divinity and a heavier richer concoction called "fudge". As these unusually dishes were finished and the elves of the household allowed to try them, the enthusiasm for Glorfindel's odd notion of Christmas was distinctly increased. The fudge it turned out was a huge success and the cook was kept busy in the kitchen trying to keep up with the demand.
Surveying with satisfaction all that had been completed thus far, Glorfindel smiled gleefully and went to see if the twins had returned from the latest mission he had sent them on. They were just coming into the yard snowy and laughing. Their eyes sparkled and their swollen lips showed every evidence of having just been kissed. Glorfindel glanced about for the Elleth in question but she seemed to have escaped already. He forgot the condition of the twins when he saw they did in fact carry several bunches of the plant he had requested, mistletoe. He instructed them to separate it into bundles and to tie it with ribbon before hanging it over every doorway in the house. Done at last he called the household together for a meeting.
Everyone gathered curiously as it was not often that one got to witness the unhinging of a great elf like Glorfindel. He stood in front of them as red as the berries in the holly that someone had chosen to accentuate the decorations with. As clearly as he could he explained what he had been doing and why. There was a general murmur of approval as the family learned the tradition of the mistletoe and was promised they would get to indulge in more of the new and delicious treats. As he looked around the room Glorfindel had to admit that it looked quite beautiful. Only one thing was left to do.
And so he announced to those assembled that there would be a gift giving. He instructed that they should all choose gifts for each other to be given out two days later. That was when they would light the tree and celebrate Erestor's return. He made sure they all knew the presents were to be extravagantly wrapped and placed under the tree in advance to await the assigned time. He answered no questions instead fleeing the humor he saw gleaming not only in the twin's eyes but in his Lord's as well.
Time passed quickly as elves plotted together and separately. No one could walk into a room without someone shouting for them to "go away" or "you can't come in here". Eyes gleamed and excitement mounted.
Glorfindel watched in wonder as anticipation began to glow in every eye. He taught them songs he remembered from the year before. The elves sang "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" and "Jingle Bells" as they went about their work and as they plotted to give the best presents. He saw elves and elleth under the mistletoe, around each corner, and elves kissing elves...once he thought he saw the twins in an illicit embrace under a stalk of the white berried plant but as he arrived at the spot he saw he had been wrong for they were working diligently on projects across the room from each other.
At last the day had come. Erestor would return that night. Glorfindel's heartbeat increased with each hour that passed and his anxiety grew. Would Erestor be pleased or would he be annoyed that Glorfindel had presumed so much? The golden elf took to brooding in front of the fire as the family came in and out leaving beneath the huge fir tree bright and gaily wrapped gifts of every size and shape.
The twins stood in the doorway and gazed fondly at his morose face. They chuckled together and then behind his back proceeded to light all the candles. They turned down the lamps and even they were forced to gasp at the beauty that Glorfindel had created in the usually slightly somber room. He looked up at the sound and he leapt to his feet his own eyes widened in surprise at the sight, but before he could take it all in a slender dark haired, dark robed figure pushed between the twins and now stood staring in silence at the sight before him. The family packed in behind him; everyone shouting "Merry Christmas" as they had been instructed by Glorfindel. But it seemed Erestor did not hear them for his dark fathomless eyes were fixed upon Glorfindel. The blond elf licked his lips nervously and stepped forward to meet his lover of many years. He had tried to surprise Erestor before - it did not always go well.
The elves began to sing; the sound of "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" wafted up in a harmony such as that simple song had surely never seen before. Erestor's eyes took in each and every item before returning to fix upon the face of his most beloved. A smile quirked the corner of his mouth and a finely arched brow rose over a twinkling violet eye. Erestor's eyes then moved to gaze over the top of Glorfindel's head, the blond elf lifted his eyes to see what Erestor was so amused by and discovered the twins had maneuvered behind him and were holding twin pieces of mistletoe over his head. He turned to make a comment but his arms were suddenly filled with a very spirited Erestor and he noted with a great sense of satisfaction that this surprise seemed to have worked out very well indeed. That was his last coherent thought for quite sometime.
The End
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