Title: A Bond of Brothers 
Chapter Thirteen (b) - Warmth and Comfort
Author: Oakenshield (Oakenshield@lonelymountain.zzn.com)
Rating: NC-17
Pairing(s): Elladan/Elrohir
Warnings/Spoilers: Incest, graphic sex
Archive: Anyone who wants it is welcome to have it, just let me know first.
Disclaimer: The characters and the places all belong to J.R.R. Tolkien, and I
am making no profit from this at all.
Summary: Elrohir soothes his brother's troubled mind. 

------

Chapter Thirteen(b) - Warmth and Comfort


"Elladan!" Elrohir called out to his twin with a frantic sigh, stopping to look
up and down the corridor to try to figure out which way his brother had gone. 

He had very little clue what had actually just happened. He had been about to
take a bath and had gone to Elladan's room to invite him to join him only to
find him pacing and ranting about Glorfindel making advances on their father,
and he had spent the last quarter of an hour chasing him around the building
trying to calm him. He could not understand why Elladan had such notions in his
mind. He had seen Glorfindel lying beside Elrond as clearly as Elladan had, but
he had not seen malice or treachery in the gesture.

He was worried that Elladan was going insane. It seemed that he grew angrier
each day, and Elrohir feared for him. Any attempts to calm him were only met
with more anger, but Elrohir no longer cared about his own feelings being hurt.
This could not go on. He would not have innocent bystanders hurt by Elladan's
wrath. 

Arwen's bedroom door opened with a creak. "If you are looking for Elladan, I
believe he went to his room," she said. "I heard the door slam some minutes
ago." She looked as puzzled as Elrohir felt. "What is wrong?"

"Father is back," he told her. "And Elladan has just had the most terrible
argument with Glorfindel..." 

"Father is back?" Arwen echoed. "I must see him."

"No, he is sleeping." Elrohir put a hand out to stop her. "Let him be for now.
He is not alone; Erestor and Glorfindel are with him. Go to him in the morning
when he has rested."

She stepped back, fumbling with the sleeve of her night robe, looking troubled.
"Would you like to come in?" she asked him softly.

"I would like to, but I must see if Elladan is all right," he declined, turning
quickly as he heard a noise like breaking glass from down the hall. "Yes, I
must! Excuse me, Arwen." 

"I will come with you..." She began to follow him.

"No!" He stopped her again and sighed. All the promises they had made to not
leave her alone in her grief seemed very false this night. "Elladan is in the
most awful state. I have never seen him like this. Let me talk to him alone. I
would not have you receive the brunt of his temper." 

Arwen nodded and turned back into her room, looking resigned. "I will be here
if you need me," she said. "Go to him, Elrohir; I am worried about him."

"As am I," he admitted. "Forgive me. I will speak with you later." Hearing
another crash, he darted to his brother's room and flung open the door, staring
in disbelief at Elladan who was standing over the small table that he had
apparently just upturned. Books, glasses and candlesticks lay scattered across
the floor beside it. "Elladan, what has come over you?!" he cried, closing the
door and reaching out to him.

Elladan slapped his hands away. "What do you want?" he asked angrily. "Surely
you should still be talking merrily to the traitors back there!"

"This is beyond childish!" Elrohir declared. "I will talk to Glorfindel if I
wish to, or Erestor, or anyone else! You will not decide it for me!"

"Have you so quickly forgotten what they did to us?!" Elladan lashed out at a
chair, kicking it across the room.

"That is enough!" Elrohir grabbed him by the arms and flung him to sit on the
couch, surprised at his own strength. "Elladan, this is madness! Stop it this
instant!"

Elladan glared at him for a moment, breathing hard, before he wrenched himself
out of the seat. "What excuses did he give you, then?!" he demanded.

"I still do not know what you are talking about!" Elrohir followed him as he
paced. "Glorfindel has done nothing to receive this treatment from you, and for
pity's sake, what has Erestor ever done to receive such vicious and low
abuse?!" It was Elladan's words to the counsellor that he could get his head
around least of all. At least he could see where the attack on Glorfindel -
however wrong - had come from, but there had been no need at all to be so vile
to Erestor.

Elladan turned quickly to face him. "How can you defend them after what they
have done to us?!"

"They have not done anything..." Elrohir halted, deciding that chasing Elladan
around the room was a futile exercise. "All right, Glorfindel told of us, but
what choice did he have? He did not make this come about. You forgave
Grandmother and Grandfather. Glorfindel is much the same as them. All he is
guilty of is not taking our side. He is sorry for all that has come about." 

"He is trying to get into Father's bed!" Elladan raged.

Elrohir sighed and leaned his back against the wall, his level of mental energy
beginning to drop to the same level as his depleted physical energy. "Oh,
nonsense!"

"Of course he is!"

"He is not!" He was beginning to feel like he was quarrelling with a ten-year-
old. Elladan had no justified argument and he knew it. "He loves Father, yes,
but he loves him too much to do anything so stupid!"

"Ha!" Elladan laughed coldly, striding past Elrohir as he made his second lap
of the room. 

"You are being a fool!" Elrohir tried to catch up with him again. "Stop trying
to find things to be angry about! Being angry will not stop you hurting, so
what is the point in it?"

Elladan stopped and looked at him with misty eyes, his facade breaking for a
second, his shoulders hanging heavily. "But I am hurting!"

"And you are not the only person in the house who is!" Elrohir saw fit to
remind him, wanting of all things to just hold his twin until he felt safe
again, but he was getting too annoyed, and Elladan was too proud. "I am
hurting, so is Arwen, and Father is devastated..."

Elladan's face darkened again. "I could not care less about him!" 

"I know that is not true," Elrohir said calmly. He had heard the words so many
times, and they lacked a little more conviction every time. Elladan could say
what he liked, and perhaps he said it to convince himself, but inside he was a
frightened child, longing only for Ada to hold him and tell him all would be
well. "If you did not care, then you would not be upset." 

"I will not forgive him, nor will I speak to him!" Elladan turned on his heel
and marched away from him.

Elrohir shivered. He had heard Elladan weep at night, when Elladan had thought
him to be asleep. Why would he not show that he was hurting? He was so much
like Elrond, and both were being fools. No amount of anger could hide pain from
one who loved them so much. 

"Perhaps if he is as much of a coward and a liar as you say he is then you
should make a move towards him to show that you are better than he is," he
pursued carefully. 

"Listen to you! You are so righteous!" Elladan shouted at him, but his voice
trembled. "Stop trying to be Mother! Why is everyone trying to be Mother?!"

"Perhaps because you are turning into Father!" Elrohir yelled at him before he
could stop himself. 

Elladan paused to look up into Elrohir's reflection behind him in the mirror
hanging over the fireplace and Elrohir looked back into the eyes of his twin's
reflection. Elladan's face was a mask of fury, his eyes full of defiance and
denial. He wasn't even looking at his brother and lover anymore; he was looking
at his father. He held Elladan's gaze, willing him to see it too. 

/'Look at yourself, my brother. This is not you.'/  He sent the thought with
the scantest hope that it would get through.

Elladan visibly shivered then quickly turned from the mirror to sit upon the
edge of the bed, his head lowered and his eyes closed. He looked exhausted,
like all the life had been sucked out of him. Just like Elrond.

Elrohir watched him carefully, allowing him a moment to his thoughts as he set
the table right, and returned the scattered belongings to it. He carefully
picked up the broken glass then crossed the floor to sit on the bed behind
Elladan. He reached out to stroke a hand through his hair, waiting for him to
accept the touch before he wrapped his arms around him and held him. 

"I am sorry, my love," Elladan whispered. "I should not be such a beast to
you."

"You should not be such a beast to anyone." Elrohir softly kissed his cheek.
"Not to me, not to Glorfindel or Erestor, and not even to Father." He put a
hand to Elladan's lips to silence him from arguing further. He hoped that he
could make him change his mind and sway his mood, but he knew he was hoping in
vain. "Everyone has been hurt enough," he tried to persuade Elladan. "Everyone
has more than paid for what they did to us, I think, and we for what we did to
them. Let it go."

"I cannot," Elladan sighed, pulling the hand away. "It makes my blood boil just
to think about it. Glorfindel was in bed with him..."

"We have had Arwen in bed with us these past weeks," Elrohir reminded him.
"Does that mean we were trying to seduce her?"

"That is different!" Elladan argued. "I saw them kiss..."

Elrohir swallowed and considered his words. Elladan had told him this, and he
did not know what to make of it in his own mind. Perhaps the kiss had been
purely innocent and Elladan had read the sight wrong. He did not like the
thought of it, though he could not believe Glorfindel would do something so
dishonourable. 

"Glorfindel is a comfort to Father," he said. "I hope he continues to be. He is
honourable, he always has been, and I trust him completely. Yes, he is in love
with Father, anyone can see that, but he and Mother were always the best of
friends. He did not betray her while she was here and I do not believe he would
even consider betraying her in her absence. He has wept for her leaving, I have
seen it." He rubbed Elladan's shoulders in an attempt to knead the tension from
him. "Everyone is trying to be strong for each other, Elladan. Why do you
choose to stand alone?" He kissed his neck. "Is it a matter of pride? Do not be
so proud with me."

Elladan leaned back into his arms, arching his neck as Elrohir's kisses spread
along it.  "Elrohir, this is hardly the time..."

Perhaps it wasn't, but they both needed a distraction from the chaos. Elladan
needed a distraction from himself. "You need this," he said, shifting to the
side of his brother. "Let me make you feel good again." He caught his chin in
his hand to turn his head to place a kiss upon his lips. 

Elladan smiled weakly and reached to take Elrohir's hand. "You have come so
far, my star rider," he whispered, stroking his fingers. "I never thought you
would be caring for me."

Elrohir lifted his twin's hand to kiss it. They had both come a long way since
the days when Elladan had guarded him even from shadows, and now it was his
time to repay his brother for all his years of care. "There is still a bath
waiting in my chambers," he said. "Join me in it? Wash away the troubles of the
day and relax for a while." 

He rose to his feet and pulled Elladan after him, leading him by the hand out
of the room and to his own chambers where soft candlelight was glowing and a
fire was burning low in the hearth. The room, though the very same size as
Elladan's, seemed more open and relaxed in comparison. The walls breathed
deeply and took in the autumn air and the open curtains let in the starlight
and moonlight. Too many bad moods had oppressed Elladan's chambers of late,
making them seem heavy and gloomy. He could feel Elladan begin to relax as soon
as the door was closed behind them.

"Come." Elrohir led him on into the bathroom, where a tub of steaming water was
waiting for them. The water was still hot, he discovered on putting his hand
into it. He lit some more candles and selected some lavender oil to pour into
the oil burner.  

Elladan stood against the doorframe and watched his every move, a small, loving
smile upon his lips. "Oh, Elrohir...."

Elrohir took his hand and tugged him into the room to undress him. "What is
it?" he asked as he divested Elladan of his robe and tunic, pausing now and
then to kiss a piece of naked skin as it was bared. 

"Nothing," Elladan sighed, running a hand into his hair. "This is lovely."

Elrohir turned to kiss his hand then crouched to remove Elladan's shoes before
pulling his leggings down and off. "Get into the bath," he said. "I will get us
a drink." 

He stripped himself and took the clothes into the bedroom, laying them over a
chair, then he poured two glasses of wine and returned to the bathroom with
him, kicking the door shut behind him to contain the steam. There was little he
could do to stop Elladan breaking himself into pieces, but he could make this
night nice for him. Perhaps it would make a difference. Perhaps it would remind
Elladan why this strife had come about, and why they had made all the choices
they had, and why it was worth it. Perhaps it would remind him of nights they
had spent sleeping in grass and bracken, washing in streams, lying together
behind hedges, wishing they had been back in Imladris sharing a hot bath and a
comfortable bed. 

Elladan was seated in the water when he returned. "Thank you, Elrohir," he
whispered.

"You have no cause to thank me." Elrohir placed the glasses of wine on the
ledge below the stained glass window as he clambered into the bath and lowered
himself into the water behind Elladan. "Ooh, this is hot!" he gasped. "Is it
too much for you?" Elladan often complained at him for having bathwater too
hot, he was surprised he had not done so yet.

"It is fine," Elladan told him. "I think a hot bath is just what I need."

"Very well," Elrohir agreed, relaxing as his body got accustomed to the
temperature. He stroked Elladan's hair from the back of his neck to kiss each
vertebra in turn. He felt the chain of their mother's necklace against his lips
and reached around to lift the jewel to look at it, holding back the tears that
threatened to spring. He could not cry tonight, he had to be strong for
Elladan. 

Elladan took the pendant from his hand and reached to take it off but Elrohir
stopped him. 

"It is a dishonour to her..." Elladan began to protest.

"She gave you this and told you to come back to me and feel no guilt," Elrohir
said, removing Elladan's fingers from the clasp and laying the jewel against
his chest once more. "It is more of a dishonour to hide her memory, I think."  

Elladan gave in with a sigh. "This is a heavy weight around my neck."

"Forget it all, my love, just for this moment," he whispered, slipping a hand
around Elladan's waist to pull him back against his body. "Nothing can change
the wicked state of our world, but for this night, let us pretend that nothing
is amiss. Let us pretend that we are alone somewhere, and that the rest of the
world cannot touch us."

Elladan settled against him, leaning his head back against his shoulder. "I
would like that very much."

"Then that is how we are." Elrohir kissed his hair, softly petting his cheek as
he painted a mental picture for him, as he had tried to comfort himself with
such thoughts many times in the past. It was pointless, but what was the harm
in dreaming once in a while? "We are entirely alone. The rest of the house is
detached from us, as is the rest of the world. It is just the two of us here.
No one can harm us, no one can upset us. There is no need for anger or sorrow."

"I cannot imagine such a thing..." 

"Well, you must." Elrohir stroked down his neck and across his chest. "Close
your eyes, feel my arms around you and my hands upon you." He brushed his lips
against the tip of Elladan's ear. "Feel my kisses on your skin. Feel my
heartbeat against your back. It is just the two of us, no one else exists. I
love you, and you love me, and that will keep us whole and together through any
amount of grief." He ran his fingertips across Elladan's nipple and it
tightened beneath his touch. "But for tonight there is no grief."

"Just us," Elladan whispered, sighing and arching back into the touch. "Ai,
Elrohir..."

"Relax," Elrohir told him. "Be silent." He ran a hand over Elladan's face,
gently pressing against his eyelids to close them. "Hush now. Not a word."

He held Elladan in his arms and he too closed his eyes. The wind was moaning
around the house in a mournful lullaby and the trees were sighing as they shed
their load. The autumn leaves were falling, but in not so many months new
leaves would be growing. A lot could be learned from the trees, Elrohir
thought. True, in the winter months they looked ugly and bare to the eyes of
some, but new life could only come in the wake of the shedding of the old.
Leaves must fall. Tears must fall. Trees grow anew and stronger. As do souls. 

He felt Elladan relax against him with a sigh. The smell of the lavender oil
was heavy in the steamy air and Elrohir was beginning to feel a little drowsy
himself. He shifted to reach for his wine and took a long drink of it. This was
what they needed. They had not had a moment to relax together since they had
been in Caras Galadhon. Every moment since had been spent apart, or in grief
and anger. The grief and anger were not gone, but they could push it aside and
hide it in a corner for just one night. 

"Have a drink, love," he said, passing Elladan's wine to him.

Elladan sat up and turned around to face him, a look of concern on his face as
he took the glass. "Have I become so horrid, Elrohir?" he asked nervously after
taking a drink. "Do you still know me?"

"Sometimes I feel like I do not," Elrohir replied honestly, reaching to touch
Elladan's cheek, mapping the contours of his face with his fingers. "Sometimes
I feel so very alone, when you shun my affections or vent your anger on me. You
feel so cold to me at times, so very hard. But you are still my brother, and
you are still my love. I want only to break through the ice before it closes
over your head." Tears came to his eyes. "I fear that if I do not then one day
I will lose you."

"Never!" Elladan put his glass down and took Elrohir's hand, lifting it to his
lips to kiss it. "You said I was like Lord Elrond," he whispered, casting his
eyes down. "Am I?"

Elrohir sighed and took another sip of wine then placed his glass on the side
of the tub to close both of Elladan's hands within his own. He did not want to
answer the question in any way that would upset Elladan further, but neither
did he want to answer untruthfully. "You are his son as he is your father," he
replied. "There are likenesses. You have his temper and his stubbornness and
his pride, I must say, but you are younger than he is." He put his hand under
Elladan's chin to force eye contact upon him. "You have time not to make the
same mistakes as he has." 

"I know not what I would do without your guidance, my darling," Elladan
admitted, tears shining in his eyes. "I feel like nothing can lead me through
the storm and then I look behind me and you are there."

"I am behind you, before you and all around you." Elrohir kissed him firmly on
the lips. "And I always will be." 

He reached into a small basket on the table beside the bath and picked out a
scented cleansing oil, which he poured into his hands and began to massage into
Elladan's shoulders and arms. He felt so tense, like every nerve was ready to
snap. 

"Ai..." Elladan whimpered as Elrohir's hand kneaded the back of his neck.

"Relax..." Elrohir whispered and hummed a soft tune to him. It was a song that
came from the depths of his memories. He remembered his young self, cradled in
Celebrķan's arms, being rocked gently to sleep and being set drowsily into a
cradle as she smiled down at him. He could not remember the words, if there had
been any words, but he could remember her voice. He hoped that Elladan shared
the memory and that it soothed him.

Elladan soon became pliant in his hands, relaxing with soft sighs and murmurs,
and Elrohir carefully untied the braid in his hair then urged him to lie back
in the water. He found a different soap and gently washed Elladan's hair,
massaging his scalp as he did, hoping the release the tension that was surely
causing a headache, before rinsing carefully with a pitcher of clear water that
was beside the bath.

"Has your desire for me waned at all?" Elladan asked, watching Elrohir's hands
as they squeezed the water from his hair. 

Elrohir kissed him. "Not one bit."

Elladan turned his head into the kiss. "I was afraid that years and strife
might have changed things between us."

True, they had not found the time or disposition to be physically affectionate
with each other of late. They had both been too weary with sadness. Their
nights had been spent in each other's arms, but only to sleep. Elrohir had
wanted more, but Elladan had been too ill tempered. He had worried that Elladan
no longer wanted him intimately, and he was relieved to hear his brother ask
him the question.

"Nothing could ever change how much I want you," he replied, kissing Elladan's
lips gently once more then trailing his kisses over his jaw to his ear. "I love
you as much as I always have, and I need you more than ever," he whispered,
feeling desperate inside for Elladan's affection. "Never doubt that."

Elladan whimpered and leaned his head towards the kisses. "This almost feels
wrong now..."

"But it is not." Elrohir gently took the lobe of Elladan's ear between his
teeth and ran his tongue over it. He would remind him of all that was good
about their union. He had no doubt that Elladan still loved him, but he knew
his brother was still consumed by guilt for what had happened to their mother.
He no longer felt any guilt for their incest. Celebrķan had forgiven them, and
had understood them. To Elrohir, that was greater than the approval of Eru
himself. 

"I said 'almost'." The smile Elladan gave was a little forced but it was a
smile nonetheless. "I want this." He wrapped his arms around Elrohir to pull
him over his body, causing the water to slosh onto the floor as Elrohir settled
against his chest, slippery with the bath oil.

"My only love," he whispered, kissing Elladan deeply, stroking his tongue with
his own, accepting Elladan's tongue into his mouth as it chased its way there. 

Elladan's hands were in his hair, his fingers brushing the points of his ears
and Elrohir felt tingles rush through him in response to the touch. He felt
Elladan reach down and cup his buttocks to push him down. He felt the hardness
of Elladan's erection against his hip and he gasped and whimpered as he shifted
to meet it with his own awakening arousal. 

"No..." He caught Elladan's hand as it reached between their bodies. "Let me,"
he said, looking into his twin's eyes as he replaced the hand with his own,
wrapping it around Elladan's shaft and slowly drawing it up and down. 

Elladan moaned softly and leaned back against the end of the tub, causing more
water to spill out onto the floor. His eyes fluttered shut and he bit into his
lip.

Elrohir smiled down at him and leaned in to kiss him again. "Thank you."

"For what?" Elladan half-opened his eyes, shuddering as Elrohir ran the tip of
his thumb across the head of his erection beneath the water. 

"Letting me do this." Elrohir kissed him on the nose as he withdrew his hand.
This was not the most comfortable way to be reviving their passion. "Let us
continue this in bed, love," he suggested. "Let me empty the bath then I will
join you."

Elladan smiled at him, the first honest and open smile Elrohir had seen since
they had come home, then he rose and stepped out of the bath, drying quickly
with a towel before leaving the room. 

Elrohir watched his naked figure retreat and shook his head to calm his
thoughts as he quickly washed himself. It crossed his mind that there was
perhaps little point in washing, and that they would both need another wash
later, but he wanted their lovemaking to be untainted. He pulled the plug on
the bath and imagined that all their sorrow was swilling away down the drain,
into the river and out to Sea. 

Retrieving the glasses of wine, he put out the lights and followed after
Elladan into the bedroom.

He found him lying on the bed, his skin still damp and glowing in the light of
the candles and his hair tangled across the pillow. His head was resting on his
arm and his eyes were closed. 

"Elladan?" he whispered softly to him as he sat down next to him, running a
fingertip down his spine, causing him to shiver. "Do you sleep already, my
brother?"

"Mh, not yet," Elladan murmured, lifting his head to look at him, his face open
and trusting. The shadow had lifted, for the moment at least. 

"Are you awaiting something?" Elrohir clambered on the bed next to him, pushing
him back as he made to rise. He lay down beside him and kissed him, gently
biting his lower lip before extending his tongue into his mouth. Elladan
answered the kiss hungrily, fisting a hand into Elrohir's hair, pulling him
closer. Elrohir met the kiss with equal demand, running his hand down Elladan's
chest, over his hard nipples, feeling goosebumps crawl over his skin. "Are you
cold?" he asked with a little concern.

Elladan shook his head with a chuckle. "No, but you are tickling me!"

"Sorry." Elrohir grinned down at him before kissing him again, feeling warm
with relief to find the person he loved so much back in his arms. He shifted to
kneel between Elladan's legs and slowly began to kiss down his neck, across his
chest, pausing to suckle on a nipple as he stroked the other with his fingers.

Elladan moaned and arched back. "Elrohir, stop teasing me!" he panted, lifting
his hips.

"Shh." Elrohir gave the nipple a warning tweak and moved his kisses further
down over the hard muscles of Elladan's torso, skirting past that which craved
the most attention to gently bite a sharp hipbone. 

Elladan hissed at the slight pain and spread his legs. "Elrohir..."

"Shh," Elrohir told him again, tracing a hand down Elladan's inner thigh before
following the same path with his tongue. He was determined to take it slowly,
however much the patience of Elladan's desire - or his own - protested. 

Elladan writhed beneath him, squeaking as Elrohir stroked down his sides.
"Elrohir!" he laughed. "Stop tickling!"

Elrohir lifted his head to laugh up at him, unable to resist the childish urge
to tickle him further, seeking out the particularly sensitive spot on his side.
He had not heard Elladan laugh in so long. It felt like he had not heard
laughter at all in years. He had almost forgotten what it sounded like.

Elladan yelled out, squirming and nearly kicking Elrohir in the face as he
jerked upwards. "Oh no you don't!" he giggled, reaching to catch his hand.

Before Elladan could twist his hand or pull him upright, Elrohir lowered his
head and gave his erection a long lick from root to tip before taking it in his
mouth. He smiled around the warm flesh as Elladan relaxed back into the pillows
with a deep groan.

Elrohir sucked him slowly, applying firm strokes with his tongue. He stroked
his thighs, feeling the muscles quiver beneath his hands, feeling the heat rise
under his skin. It moved him to know that a different sort of tension was
gripping Elladan now, a good sort of tension, and he was the cause of it. He
would find every piece of tension within his beloved brother and draw it to the
surface before he would release it. 

He felt Elladan's hand within his hair again, and ignored the demanding fingers
that were trying to urge him further down. He slackened the pressure of his
lips and used only his tongue to stroke gently up and down the heated length
that he, in all honesty, was desperate to plunge into his mouth and swallow.

Elladan writhed beneath him, panting heavily. "Ai, Elrohir, you are killing
me!" 

Elrohir ignored the plea and slowly sucked down again. He could taste the
essence of Elladan's rapidly increasing lust at the back of his throat and he
made sure not to undo him with his administrations. The sounds Elladan was
making were driving him wild; perhaps they had waited enough. 

He withdrew and sat up, stroking the back of his hand down Elladan's cheek as
he regarded him. "You are so beautiful," he whispered. He didn't think he had
ever seen Elladan so undone, so flushed and desperate, so helpless and
wordless, and it almost moved him to tears. 

"Elrohir, please," Elladan begged, looking up at him with hazy eyes.
"Please..."

Elrohir kissed his own fingers then placed them to Elladan's lips. "Pass me the
oil?" He pointed to the bedside table with his free hand, quivering as
Elladan's tongue curled around his fingers. "If you will let me?"

Elladan nodded heavily and lifted himself upon his elbow, fumbling in the
drawer before he found the small bottle and tossed it to Elrohir.

That was the only answer Elrohir needed. He took the bottle and unscrewed the
cap, pouring some oil into his palm to warm it as he took Elladan's length back
into his mouth and urged his thighs up and apart. He gently rubbed one finger
around the reluctant orifice in flickering motions until Elladan relaxed enough
to allow him entry. He worked the finger in slowly, carefully, waiting for each
muscle to relax before he probed further.

He could hear Elladan panting raggedly, and it pained him to know that he was
causing him discomfort. He seldom took Elladan, usually preferring to be the
one being taken, and they had not made love this way in several years. 

Elladan gasped and moaned loudly, his hands clenching in the sheets as
Elrohir's finger finally found its target.

"Let me in, my beautiful one," he whispered, lifting his head to watch Elladan
as he brushed his tongue over the weeping head of his erection. He carefully
drew his finger in and out, eliciting shuddering moans from his twin, relaxing
him until he could add another finger.

"Slowly..." Elladan whimpered. 

"Yes." Elrohir rose up to kiss him. "Trust me."

"I do, completely." Elladan pulled his head down to kiss him, lifting his legs
either side of Elrohir to allow him more access. "Is there nothing I can do for
you, my love?"

Elrohir shook his head, twisting his fingers to reach that spot again, smiling
as Elladan jerked beneath him. "Just let me do this for you," he replied. "That
is all I ask for this night. Your face caught in rapture is enough to arouse me
without your touch." He felt a pulse of desire to his groin as he felt Elladan
clench around his fingers. 

Elladan put a hand to his mouth and bit down on his knuckles to keep himself
from crying out too loudly as Elrohir stimulated him further.

Elrohir kissed him on the brow and slowly added a third finger, stretching and
provoking him. "Are you ready for me?" he asked breathlessly.

Elladan nodded, tears in his eyes as he opened them to look at him. "I am
yours," he whispered in a voice cracked with emotion. 

"Of course you are." He kissed him as he withdrew his fingers, spreading the
remaining oil onto his length before shifting to draw Elladan's legs over his
arms. "I love you," he whispered as he slowly pushed inside.

Elladan gasped and bit his teeth together, turning his head into the pillow in
an attempt to hide from Elrohir the tears that ran down his cheeks. 

Elrohir licked one away, stilling for a moment once he was inside to allow
Elladan a moment to get comfortable with the feeling before he began to move in
slow, firm thrusts. This would be no frantic copulation, no desperate lust.
This was love, this was gentle, this was for Elladan alone.

Elladan gave a cry of pleasure, turning his sight to Elrohir before his eyes
rolled back. "This is bliss..." 

Elrohir rocked into him slowly, watching his face for every enraptured
expression, feeling his body tremble and tense beneath him, feeling his passion
rise and escape in soft cries that rose in their desperation with every
movement. 

He began to move faster, bracing himself against Elladan's strong legs as he
aimed higher. He felt Elladan shudder around him as he hit the sweet spot
inside him time and time again. He heard Elladan's whimpers turn to quiet sobs,
and he halted for a moment to make sure that he was not causing his brother
pain.

"Do not stop!" Elladan cried, his tears spilling freely.

He moved again, allowing his thrusts to get gradually harder and faster until
he could not longer take the strain himself. He let his lust take control,
pounding into Elladan's body in earnest, biting down on his lip to keep himself
from crying out.

"Ai, Elrohir..." Elladan gasped, reaching out to grasp Elrohir's shoulders as
his body arched back and he shook violently.

Elrohir cried out, feeling the essence of his twin's desire wet his abdomen,
feeling him tighten and pulse around him, and he shuddered, arching back as the
hot, clenching channel pulled his orgasm from him.

He fell atop Elladan as both their bodies trembled in the aftershocks of their
release. Elladan sobbed against his shoulder, wrapping his arms around him and
clinging tightly. Elrohir held him close and kissed his tears, speaking no
words and hoping that Elladan could feel every piece of love that was in his
heart. 

"Tell me you love me," Elladan whimpered, panting as his tears finally died
away.

"I love you," he whispered into his ear, withdrawing from within him and
reaching down to pull the cover over their bodies as they cooled. "Let no one
again try to make us believe this is wrong. It is not wrong. It has never been
wrong."

"Never." Elladan sobbed into his shoulder. "Elrohir, my love, I am so afraid. I
am so sorry for all the pain I have put you through."

"We have put each other through an equal amount of pain." Elrohir squeezed him
tightly in his arms and kissed his head. "We have come full-circle, my love.
The balance is level again. There will be no more pain from now on, I promise."

Elladan sniffled and shifted to lie more comfortably against Elrohir's
shoulder. "I am sorry," he said again.

"No more apologies either." Elrohir said. "Sleep now." He combed his fingers
through the tangles in Elladan's damp hair. "I promise everything will be all
right."

He could not see how everything could be all right, but false words of comfort
were better for a moment than no comfort for all eternity. Everything was such
a mess, and he did not know where to turn for help. He had looked to Eärendil
as he had left his father's chambers earlier and had prayed for assistance, but
he did not know if his prayer would be heard, let alone answered. 

All he wanted was for everyone to forgive and forget and to start rebuilding
the relationships that had once meant so much to his family. He could not
understand why, after all that had happened, Elladan and his father did not
want that too. Surely they still loved each other? Surely they missed the
friendship they had once had? How he wished that his father and brother were
not so alike. It was not Elladan's doing, really. He had tried to approach
Elrond himself, only to be spurned. It was down to Elrond now to make the first
move, and Elrohir feared that he would never make it.