It was morning. A beautiful morning, in fact. The sun was shining, the birds were singing, and everything was perfect. Little leaves were dancing in the wind, creating shadows everywhere you turned. Flowers were blooming, and filling the air with scents to which few noses would object. Perfection. Pure perfection. That is what this morning was.

Oh, and lazy. Not just lazy, but terrifyingly, horribly. lazy. The birds were dancing around the flowers tasting their sweet juices, flying happily through the air; animals were sleeping and not caring for anything, for this place was wonderful, this peace was. perfect.

And did I mention lazy? Very lazy! Not a sound made by an elf could be heard in Imladris. They were also feeling the idleness of the morning, not caring for the daily duties, not caring if the meals would be cooked, broken things mended, robes made, plants collected, letters answered, they just enjoyed. this. A lazy spring morning where everything woke up slowly. And lazily.

Even Erestor agreed on that. There he was, in a room, lying sleepily in the bed, covered in sheets, tucked in gently, with a smile on his face. He enjoyed everything more than he would admit if anyone asked him; almost anyone, that is. He slowly opened his eyes to realize that these walls weren't his, this bed wasn't his, the table, the decorations, the paintings of blond elves on the walls, the flowers everywhere, burnt candles... Wait, blond elves? Who had blond elves on the walls? Oooh!

And suddenly all was coming back to him. The plot those darn twins had made up, and everyone playing by their rules, and the flowers, bed, sheets. oh. He smiled seductively, and still sleepily. Erestor decided to close his eyes again and enjoy the morning.

~*~*~*~

Erestor was walking furiously around the corridors, his black robes screaming instead of their wearer, lightning in his eyes; not to mention the thunder that would come through his mouth the minute he caught those damned twins. Alright, not damned; they were the heirs to the rulership of Imladris and, in a way, his superiors, but he could always play temporary insanity after he'd strangled them. Elrond would understand, he was certain.

Setting his parchments on fire. how dare they! Very well, there was nothing important there; he guessed they knew that, otherwise they would probably have been killed by their own father, but nonetheless, they WOULD NOT get out of Imladris alive, not if Erestor could help it!

And the diversion! Of all the elves, Glorfindel! This empty headed, always smiling elf who emptied more bottles from Lord Elrond's private stock than Elrond's wedding to Celebrían had. Very well, not that empty headed, not that much of a drunkard, but still sometimes annoying. But, if you closed your eyes, didn't listen to the stupid things he said, and kept quiet (which was the hard part for Erestor) every time he said something of that sort, you would have realized what a charming and lovable creature he was. At least Master Erestor agreed to that. For there had been too many times when, instead of listening the inanities the golden elf said, he just imagined how sweet those lips actually were.

But this was not the time or the place for it! At least he could use him well. "You, go that way and I'll go this way!" he yelled at him, showing him the corridor to enter. "And bring me whichever of those brats you can find! I'm heading after the other one!"

At least Glorfindel didn't object; how strange. Maybe he liked pursuing the monsters too? Or did they do something to him? Well, nothing would surprise Erestor by now. He did have a furious look on his face, on that pretty face. He wondered what they could have done with him; maybe they'd stolen his week's supply of the wine that he usually managed to sneak to his room from Elrond's private stock? Probably.

The twin started running now, as he most likely realized there was no use in hiding from the advisor's wrath, for he had senses that could outmatch even the elves, so the twin thought. He was probably related to snakes or some other beasts. But there was no time for that, and the twin had to start running.

Of course, that didn't stop Erestor, for his looks usually deceived others; although he was tall and slim, not to mention pale, very pale, he was more than used to any form of gymnastics, thanks to those twins. And not to mention the duels with Glorfindel, which kept him in good shape, although Erestor couldn't imagine how or why the warrior wanted to practice with him, since there were much better matches to be found, well, everywhere. He did wonder for a moment, or maybe a few thousand of them, but in the end, it was an hour twice a week in which he could admire Glorfindel's beautiful half-naked body all in a sweat, and not to forget heat, and there was lots of touching and rolling on the floors. Now, when he thought of that, was that really an exercise for Glorfindel? For if it was, the elf must not be as good of a warrior as others considered him. Erestor would usually win, and he knew others were terrified if Glorfindel wanted to practice with them. It was strange indeed, but not objectable, for it was half naked and wet Glorfindel after all!

Soon, the little one managed to sneak into Glorfindel's room. His room? Now, he really thought that would stop Erestor? But, the moment he entered it, there was no sign of the giggly monster. Oh, that did sound strange, for the fact was that both twins were 2423 years old now. They had reached maturity exactly 2373 years ago, and were still messing with advisor's parchments and letters, although they felt his fury every time. True, Elrond would usually save them before Erestor exploded, but it was enough every time for them to avoid his working chambers for at least a year. And what were they thinking?

Sometimes Glorfindel would save them, but, a smile came to Erestor's face, it looked like they had found a day to mess with both of them, and with Elrond nowhere near, he would put them over the knee if necessary.

Lost in thought, he finally realized that the twin was nowhere to be found; he had scoured practically everywhere in the enormous room, and he couldn't have vanished, could he? In the meantime, Erestor did find a nice "little" vineyard, so to speak, in Glorfindel's closet; quite a nice little vineyard, indeed, 26 bottles of the best wine - enough for few days, he thought. Just as he was rushing to see if maybe there was someone under the bed, he heard a screaming Glorfindel enter the room, He stopped for a moment observing Erestor kneeling on the floor and looking under the bed, and adding, "What's with all these flowers? They were not here in the morning!" and there was a big growl as the old doors were shut tight and a lock turned from the outside.

Erestor was alarmed by the sound of the door, but it obviously didn't upset the strong warrior, for he gave him a cheerful smile and a naughty look. "Well, well, if you wanted to see me in my bed THAT badly, you could have just asked, and not tried to hide under it!"

That was more than enough to break Erestor's coolness, for he was staring at the elf with eyes that would freeze the Vala of death himself.

"What are those two up to this time?!" Erestor screamed as his hands, flying through the air, made the scene more humorous than threatening. Erestor sometimes forgot that the robes that were meant to hide his body usually made others laugh as he hurried around. Usually furious, his eyes black with anger or strain, his pale cheeks red with fury, and the far too large robe flying around him like he was some elleth. It obviously wasn't on his mind at that very moment. He ran to the doors, stopping with a bump as he realized they were locked. Once again, he WAS furious.

It took him a while to stop screaming and shaking the door knob and, in the meantime, Glorfindel had decided to enjoy the now available wine so dearly lying on the floor after Erestor's swift search for the twin.

"Master Erestor, they cannot be penetrated by a single person, trust me, I made sure of that."

"And what do you plan on doing instead?"

"Well, as you asked. enjoy Lord Elrond's private stock," he answered with a devious smile.

Soon, Glorfindel was trying to open the excellent wine, while the other was at the door talking about having to continue his work or something similarly boring and uninteresting.

"Erestor, relax; you have to realize that not many will hear you through THAT door, so you can save your breath and voice and join me here. Someone will open the door sometime today."

Finally, Erestor gave up and decided to use what he had. At least he couldn't have imagined a better company to spend time locked in a room with.

At first, Erestor was observing the warrior's room. He always thought it would be a small room filled with different kinds of weaponry or something similarly boring and uninteresting, or at least messy, but small, definitely. Instead, this was a spacious room with lots of light, always neatly set, with wonderfully carved furniture and enormous bed (and Erestor had always thought warriors liked to sleep on the floor, or in small and hard beds, for they were used to those environments) and the paintings. Wonderful portraits and landscapes that were a match for the most beautiful ones hidden in Lord Elrond's private chambers; and where did all the flowers come from? Now it hit him, the sentence Glorfindel had said upon entering the room; so, it was just another scheme that the twins had plotted.

"Those. oohhh, I will kill them, and not even Elrond will stop me this time!" Erestor growled.

"Wha. who? What? Where? Why?" It seemed that Glorfindel was preoccupied with wine already.

"Oh, Lord Glorfindel, is this all you think of?" said Erestor with disgust.

"What? I haven't even opened the bottle yet! I was waiting for you to join me!"

All Erestor could think of now was that his secret had been discovered, that was certain, and discovered by whom??? By the twins! And what do the children do, for they were nothing more, they lock him up with the object of his strongest desire in HIS room with HIS enormous bed, with HIS 26 bottles of wine, flowers and CANDLES? Someone ought to be taught the difference between romance and sliminess. A neatly decorated table with food and a candle or two and a few flowers would be considered romantic, but a room full of everything - and not to mention 26 bottles of wine and the drunkard himself - locked door, and, as he knew the twins, and he knew them well, enough spare time for two of them to grow beards, if elves grew beards, that was.

"Those two must be crazy." The words slipped from Glorfindel's mouth.

"Oh, really? Locking us up like this. And, really, Glorfindel, I had thought you a warrior and not a maiden - why all these flowers and candles?" Erestor snapped; he really was angry.

Glorfindel had to smile, or to be precise, laugh, for he really laughed, more of a forced laughter than a real one, but it made Erestor smile too, and made him look at the situation somewhat differently for, once again, this wasn't as bad as it could have been. Some free time with Glorfindel, far away from others' spying eyes and talks, a nice opportunity indeed. But if only Glorfindel didn't eye the bottles so much.

"Glorfindel, do you have to observe that bottle so much? Is THAT all you think about?"

"Trust me, it is not, but at the moment there really isn't anything better to think about, Erestor dear."

For a brief moment, Erestor had gathered hope to try and tell Glorfindel how he really felt, for he knew that the twins would maybe, and just maybe, unlock the door in the morning. Now he realized that the other was thinking of nothing BETTER than getting drunk. Oh, well.

Erestor grabbed the bottle and took a deep gulp, and another, and another, for he would either get really, really drunk, or snap and start crying over his dreadful fate. For the Valar would give him something, and then take that very thing away again the VERY moment he realized it and started to smile. The drinking was followed by Glorfindel's shocking gaze, smile and opening of another bottle, which was left in his hands this time.

~*~*~*~

"Ahnd it was. I tehll you, the funniest dhay ofh my lihfe," spoke Erestor through waves of laughter, shocked at himself and how the nasal "h" appeared after 3 bottles of wine. Well, it didn't bother him at all, being in the state he was.

They were so drunk by now and, with the night outside, candles had been lit, although neither remembered who had done it and when, but there it was. The atmosphere was rather romantic, they had to admit. Well, after all that wine, everything was romantic to him, even Glorfindel staring at him numbly and smiling for no reason. Such sweet lips they were, indeed, he thought, and how much he would like to kiss them.

Glorfindel was laughing so much he fell off the chair and landed on his behind with a bump, just where Erestor was sitting, and they were near; oh, so near, that, although drunk, Erestor was all too aware of what he might do if the other remained there.

Well, as the other refused to move, Erestor lay on the floor, just to be as far away from Glorfindel as possible, since those 3 bottles Elrond had kept - with a good reason, as it hit him by now - had taken his ability to move.

But the strong body upon him and the lips on his shook him from his drunken slumber in an instant. Even he was surprised at how the butterflies stopped flying in his head after a shock of that sort. But it felt good, for it was Glorfindel, for it was the only elf he could imagine doing this with, for it was him, no matter that he was drunk. And he was really drunk. That thought awoke Erestor completely and he moved away from Glorfindel, a frightened look in his eyes.

"Erestor, I'm sorry, I really am; please, it must be the wine."

But Glorfindel knew differently, for his mind was clear, and the longing for the other elf, no matter the wine he had drunk, was there; it was always there, and the fact that they were both so drunk that they could always blame the wine was enough for him to try anything, just to try.

Erestor was silent for a moment, Erestor was silent for one more, and one more, and one more, and he kept silent for so long that the silence became painful, and both of their minds were completely clear by now.

"Why do you all mock me? What did they do to talk you into this?" Erestor's voice was pleading and he felt like vomiting. He really disliked the situation, for it had taken him that long to realize that he was a mere game to all of them. Of course, feelings as strong as those he had for Glorfindel were too obvious to stay concealed; they all knew, and they all played him, tricked him in such a mean way!

"Erestor? What are you saying?" Glorfindel was completely confused and it was in his voice, loud and clear.

By now, Erestor was trying to get off the floor, but no matter that his mind was clear, his body was highly under the influence of those 3 bottles and all he did was slide his hands and fall back down.

"You know well what I am saying!" Erestor yelled, and the betrayal was even clearer in his voice. "Why do you all play with my heart? Do you not know I tried to change it, and I cannot?! To you it is a game; to me it is real!"

Glorfindel was starting to become more and more furious, for he was obviously considered to be a simple and uncaring lump of flesh, a warrior with no brain, with no emotions; nothing more. He grabbed Erestor's arm and stopped all his attempts at escape, for if two arms weren't enough, one was merely nothing. And, since he really didn't know what to say, and the lips were not allowed to him anymore, he started kissing the hand.

If Elrond had seen the look on Erestor's face, he would probably have fired the advisor, for confusion of that sort was not appropriate for an elf of his position. And it felt good, really good; it made him lose his senses more than after those 3 bottles of wine, and he collapsed on the floor once more, this time hoping to feel that body back on him.

"Erestor," the other elf started. "I was not talked into doing anything. I was as confused with the situations as you were, I am." and he was silenced with kisses.

"Well, remind me to kill the twins in the morning, will you?" Erestor added with a mocking voice, while the strong elf was trying to drag them both to the spacious and extremely comfortable bed nearby.

~*~*~*~

"Erestor," a familiar voice coming from the body near his whispered.

"Oh, not so loud! My head will explode!" Erestor whispered, for even that was too much noise.

"Well, enough talking then," said the elf, with his eyes closed. "Come under the blanket; it's nicer here."

Erestor purred while trying to find his way to his lover through the messy sheets.

"Do you think the twins have forgotten about us?" Glorfindel added with a smile.

"I sure hope so," Erestor added flirtatiously, just as he put the blanket over his head.