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Bathed In Memory
Author: Mistress Samwise
Beta: none
Email: [email protected]
Rating: NC-17
Pairing: Haldir/Glorfindel
Warnings: none
Request: I'm open, but really adore "first time" stories!
Written For: Kenaz
Haldir paced restlessly back and forth across the spacious guest chambers of the House of Elrond. This was going to be a long night. For years he had been fruitlessly chasing after Imladris�s elusive Master of the Guard. Glorfindel, the Balrog-slayer, the renowned warrior of the House of the Golden Flower. Haldir snorted, renowned pain in the pointed ear was more like it. Glorfindel was interested, that much Haldir knew. He had seen the longing looks, the furtive glances, but beyond that he just knew, instinctively, that Glorfindel was meant for him. That golden-haired pain in the pointed ear was the one being who could make his life complete, and he was sure that Glorfindel felt the same stirring within as he did.
So why was Glorfindel running, always running? Haldir frowned. There were many things about Glorfindel�s life that he did not know. Was there someone else, perhaps? No, that wasn�t it. But�perhaps�had there once been someone else? It was possible. Glorfindel was old, and he was the only Elf to have returned to Middle-earth from the Halls of Mandos. He had seen and experienced things, both majestic and horrific, that most others could only imagine. And in those thousands of years of life�and death�there could very well have been another love. Sighing Haldir tucked a rebellious plait behind his ear. But all of that was in the past, and he would not allow a memory to come between them and happiness. He had waited, for years he had been patient and waited for Glorfindel to come to him. It was custom, after all, for the older, more experienced partner to court the younger. But Glorfindel would not come. So tonight, he would go to Glorfindel.
It was going to be a long night.
*****
Glorfindel stood, bathed in moonlight, drawing in a slow, deep breath of the cool night air. It was a beautiful evening. It had become his custom of late to take a walk beneath the stars, so every evening after sunset�clear or overcast, new moon or full, raining or even snowing�he would head into the forest, following a track his bare feet knew well. Always, they carried him the same way. Down the horses� trail to the stream, across to the other bank and alongside it for a time, and up the deer track until he came to the copse of silver birch trees. And there he would stop every night and sit, cradled in the gnarled roots of an ancient tree, until finally he could bring himself to return home.
Every night he did this, and every night he asked himself the same question. Why did he not follow the calling of his heart? And every night he came to the same answer. Too long had he lingered over the remnants of his first life. He did not know how to finally, truly begin a new one. He was no longer the same person as Glorfindel, Lord of the House of the Golden Flower. He had changed, and his soul no longer keened for Ecthelion as it once had. It remembered him, yes, and it still loved him, but it also recognized Haldir for what he was. Glorfindel recognized Haldir for what he was. He was beauty. He was wonder. He was the song which throbbed in the golden lord�s veins. And yet�Glorindel could not bring himself to approach him. He had tried. The Valar knew he�d tried, over and over again. But he never could get the words out. His breath would catch in his throat, and the memories would wash over him anew. Ecthelion, laughing and splashing water at him as they bathed in the river. Ecthelion, grinning as they rode bareback across a golden field. Ecthelion, eyes blazing as the fiery whip lashed at him, dragging him down, down, down to his death. Ecthelion�
Glorfindel paused, his hands trembling in remembered agony, in renewed fear and betrayal. Ecthelion was at peace now. He was resting; he did not need Glorfindel, was no longer bound to Glorfindel. But that did not unravel the knot of anguish that twisted in Glorfindel�s belly. He did not know how to let go.
�Glorfindel?�
A whisper, barely a tendril of sound. But Glorfindel knew that silvery voice. He looked up. Haldir was sitting, nestled in the gnarled roots of the ancient silver birch tree.
Glorfindel�s breath came in shallow, ragged gasps. Haldir�s molten silver hair was flowing freely over his shoulders, unfettered by even a single braid. His arms were bare, the wiry muscles clearly defined in the moonlight. He was wearing a light, almost transparent tunic of white linen and loosely fitted leather leggings of the same material. He was beautiful. �Haldir?� he murmured. �What are you doing here?�
Haldir hesitated. He was on the verge of making up some excuse, some pretense for being here, in what everyone knew was the one place Glorfindel had to himself, but it wouldn�t be fair. He rose slowly, gracefully to his feet. �Looking for you.�
Glorfindel nodded tentatively, almost painfully. �Well, you�ve found me.�
Smiling softly, Haldir took one step forward, his bare feet brushing against the soft grass of the clearing. �So I have.�
Sighing, Glorfindel walked straight past Haldir, sparing not even a glance for that lithe, silver-gilt spirit that had been haunting his dreams for months, even years. He was a creature of the night, where Ecthelion had belonged to the day, silver and cream rather than ebony and bronze. They were so different, his former lover and his future, but they both called to him the same way. Both their words held the same promise. And Haldir was his future, of that he had no doubt. But to embrace it�could he really do that? Closing his eyes, Glorfindel settled himself falteringly in his accustomed place, nervously keeping his gaze upon his feet. �Why are you here, Haldir?�
Haldir turned, his eyes focusing restlessly on Glorfindel�s bowed head. �I thought perhaps you could tell me that, my lord Glorfindel.�
�I�I do not think I can.�
Nervousness? Fear? In the Balrog Slayer�s golden voice? Haldir�s eyes widened. Softly, he knelt before the golden lord, reaching out to caress his cheek, to lift his chin. Trapped in depths of those stormy blue eyes, he whispered, �You do not find me desirable, my lord?�
Glorfindel swallowed hard and shook his head. �Too much so, I fear.�
Haldir smiled. �But you do not love me?�
�You know I do.�
�Then, my lord, will you allow me to pay court to you?�
Glorfindel blinked, and looked down once more. �It should be me asking this of you, Haldir of Lorien.�
�Then ask, my lord, for my answer shall be yes.�
Taking a deep breath, Glorfindel looked up, determinedly meeting Haldir�s unsure gaze. This was it. Mandos had released him from his powerful grip centuries, but this was the first true moment of his second chance at life. �Haldir, Marchwarden of Lothlorien, will you allow me to�� he faltered. �To�Haldir, I�m not sure I can do this.�
Haldir smiled and reached for Glorfindel�s hand, twining their fingers securely together. �Why don�t we just skip the courting, Glorfindel? We are neither of us striplings only just come of age.�
�You would bond yourself to me?�
�In more ways than you could ever know, I already have.�
Glorfindel bit his lip nervously and pulled Haldir down beside him. �I�it�s been so long. You will have to teach me.�
�Is that a yes?�
�Yes, I will bond myself to you, Haldir, for eternity. If only you will lead me through it.�
Haldir smiled, a warm grin that spread across his face, mottled by the night�s shadows. �We will learn together.� In one swift movement, he stood and offered Glorfindel his hand, �But not among the tree roots.�
�No,� Glorfindel grinned. �I suppose not.� He rose to his feet and hesitantly pulled Haldir close, wrapping his arms about the smaller Elf�s waist. �Haldir?�
�Mm?� Haldir replied, resting his head on Glorindel�s firm shoulder, drinking in the scent of him. Rain, he smelled of rain. And freshly cut hay.
�I do love you.�
Haldir did not reply immediately. He looked up and leaned in to press their lips together, a soft kiss, lingering kiss that lit a fire in his loins and left him hungry for more. �I love you too.�
Glorfindel smiled. This all just seemed so right, so fitting. Taking Haldir by the hand, he led him to the middle of the clearing. The grass was low here, just a soft carpeting of short fuzz that beckoned, inviting them to share its pliable depths. He leaned in for another kiss, his mouth open slightly, his tongue gliding out to run the length of Haldir�s tempting lips. They opened beneath his touch, and he slid inside, moaning deep within his throat at the incredible, thrilling heat of Haldir�s mouth. Their tongues met, dancing together, a slow, smooth waltz that reverberated deep within both their bodies, and when finally they pulled apart, their breaths were coming in ragged gasps. Glorfindel reached for the hem of his partner�s linen tunic, but before he could slip his hands beneath it, Haldir�s fingers were atop his, holding them in place.
�Let me.� Haldir whispered, his hands gliding up Glorfindel�s arms, tingling at the feel of warm skin and taut muscle beneath his touch. They traveled across Glorfindel�s torso, gently exploring before settling at the lacings of his light tunic. Deftly, those hands stripped him of his garments, leaving him clad in naught but a pair of leggings, his golden chest bared for Haldir�s wondering perusal. Oh, he was glorious, far more beautiful than even Haldir had imagined. Smooth skin tightly sheathing supple flesh, gold glinting almost silver in the light of the moon. Haldir�s hands wandered almost as if of their own accord, touching, caressing, teasing with increasingly fevered intent, roaming across arms, chest, stomach, and then lower, forcing the fabric further and further down until it finally fell to the ground, where Glorfindel kicked it from his feet.
Glorfindel groaned softly in protest when those strong hands disappeared, but he quelled his objections when he set eyes on the fair flesh being freed from its linen prison. The leggings immediately followed suit, and Glorfindel ceased to breathe. Mad he�d been to wait so long, fearful to embrace the furious beauty poised before him. Slender and strong, wiry muscles cutting smooth planes across his chest and rippling in his thighs, layer upon layer of glistening silver falling about his face. He was darkness and light; he was the night sky held captive within living tissue. Glorfindel did not protest when Haldir tugged him down to the mossy forest floor. Nor did he object when those powerful archer�s fingers began once again exploring his body. They traveled across every inch of his skin, leaving fire in their wake, and those lips, they offered all the pleasure of the heavens with their touch. They were awakening sensations and emotions within him that he had not felt since before his death hundreds of years ago, but he did not have time to feel frightened or even guilty. The pleasure was far too much to allow for fear.
He gasped as that questing tongue traced a circle around one tightening nipple before Haldir�s lips and teeth enveloped him, nipping and suckling the dark pebble for what seemed an eternity before releasing it to travel onward. The tip of one pointed ear, the join of neck and shoulder, the hollow of his chest, the muscle of his inner thigh�they were all victims of Haldir�s relentless, torturous explorations. Glorfindel could feel Haldir�s hardness pressed against him at times, a teasing counterpart to his own evident arousal. And that too was soon the object of Haldir�s attention. A low groan escaped Glorfindel�s lips as that questing tongue just barely touched the tip of his hard, eager length. It explored his shaft lightly, with teasing licks and butterfly kisses before enclosing him in welcome, blissful suction. He was soaring toward release, rising and rising, only inches from complete satiation when that questing mouth disappeared, those hands nudging his legs apart while leaving him aching and almost desperate.
But then Haldir was settling atop him, his comforting weight pressing against Glorfindel�s heaving chest and his length pressing against Glorfindel�s tight entrance. There was no more time for desperation because Haldir was pressing slowly, relentlessly into him, filling both his body and his soul. There was no pain. His body was ready, he was ready. At last. He moaned as Haldir filled him completely, inexorably driving him toward heights of pleasure he hadn�t felt in more than a lifetime. Each commanding push drove him closer to the edge, and they were coming faster and harder, urging him toward completion.
They finished together, Haldir calling out for Glorfindel as he spilled himself deep within his golden lord�s body and Glorfindel sighing and groaning as he arched up off the spongy ground, clutching at the grass as release took him fiercely. He pulled Haldir down atop him, holding his silver spirit close as both their breathing finally started to slow down. He loved feeling Haldir�s solid weight above him, grounding him.
Haldir smiled softly and brushed his lover�s hair back from his face. �Still think you need a teacher?�
Glorfindel grinned and rolled over, pinning Haldir beneath him. �No, but I think we have a lot to teach one another.� And he once again pressed their lips together, sealing their bond with a deep, lingering kiss that would last for eternity.
The End
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