Title: Wooden Warriors and Kisses
Author: Nightley
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: Erestor/Glorfindel, others
Summary: A lonely elf gets an unexpected present.
Notes: Early Christmas fic. No other reason then I wanted too. Sing
with me - `All I want for Christmas is an elf or ten, an elf or ten,
an elf or ten, all I want for Christmas is an elf or ten, then I
could wish you `MERRY CHRISTMAS'' (Please substitute the last two
words if you follow a different religion as I don't want to leave
anyone out)

~*~

Erestor sat at his desk and sighed sadly. The only difference
between being with the others at this time and being here is that at
least here he didn't have to pretend to be happy. Didn't have to
force a smile onto his face.

Ever since that first `secret Santa' when he had stepped aside,
because of an odd amount of elves, he had been excluded from the
fun. He knew they didn't mean to hurt him, and he had never shown
how much it did hurt. So this night Elrond, Glorfindel, the twins,
Lindir and Melpomaen sat in the room just next door and exclaimed
with mirth as each small present was opened. Even when Arwen was
home it made little difference: she always brought in her closest
friend.

As more laughter filtered through the wall Erestor put his head down
on the desk and fought back his tears. If only someone would realise
how miserable he felt at this time.

"Erestor?" Elrond asked as he stood at the door. He was glad that he
was blocking everyone else's view; he didn't think Erestor would
like everyone to see him as he currently was. He was also slightly
glad as it did confirm what they had all feared and now he knew they
were doing the right thing.

"Elrond, what.." Erestor's head jerked up and he watched with no
small amount of dread as the six elves entered the room. He really
didn't need this at the moment.

"Happy secret Santa" Melpomaen said as he came smiling into the
room, for he was carrying all the small presents in his arms; and
was in danger of dropping them, so with Elrohir's help he set them
out on the desk in front of Erestor as the others found comfortable
surfaces to sit, or lean, upon.

"But." Erestor stuttered over his words before giving up to stare
wide-eyed at his desk.

"But nothing" Elrond said firmly, sharing a look with the others. He
leant forward and picked up the closest gift; handing it to a
bewildered Erestor. "Were the secret Santa this year, you're the.
ah."

"Recipient of gifts galore" Elladan finished for his father.

The gift Elrond had passed him was small and light and with some
trepidation Erestor opened the bright paper and burst out laughing.
The others smiled at his reaction and watched as he set the small
wooden warrior on the desk before him. Wonderfully carved and
brightly painted the difference between this and most other wooden
warriors is that this one welded a quill rather then a sword; as
well as the fact the there was a scroll on his back in place of the
quiver.

"Oh, he's wonderful" Erestor said admiring the little warrior
scribe, truly smiling for the first time that day. A smile that
didn't go away as he open the others on the desk.

Not one elf in that room didn't feel the sheer joy coming from
Erestor; although it would be sometime before their guilty feelings
went away. That something so small could mean so much showed them
that they had done the right thing this year; and should have done
it years ago.

Before long Erestor had five little gifts in a row on his desk; and
a much lighter heart. That they had finally seen his pain meant a
lot to him. And the gifts were just so cute and funny; no wonder
they had been laughing as they wrapped them up.

"Wait, there's only five gifts" Elrohir said frowning in
confusion. "Did we lose one on the way here?"

"What? All ten steps" Elladan replied sarcastically, before rubbing
his side where his twin had poked him.

Glorfindel coughed lightly, resisting the urge to hide when all eyes
turned to him. "Actually I haven't given mine yet"

"But the whole point is he's not meant to know who they're from"
Lindir pointed out with an amused smile, he was fairly sure he knew
what Glorfindel was up to. He caught Melpomaen's eye and the other
elf winked at him; having caught on as well.

"I know but Erestor could you come here so I can give it to you
personally" Glorfindel looked at the bemused raven-haired elf with a
pleading look on his face. He swallowed carefully as Erestor decided
to humour him and leaving his chair made his way to the blondes'
side.

"Better?" Erestor asked, standing in front of Glorfindel. A smirk
touched the sides of his mouth as he looked into clear blue eyes.

"Much" Glorfindel replied before leaning down slightly and pressing
his lips against Erestor's.

Never before in his dreams had Glorfindel ever thought Erestor's
lips would be so soft; and he had had plenty of dreams over the
years. And although those lips parted slightly he didn't deepen the
kiss, but kept it light but heartfelt. He wanted Erestor to know
that this wasn't out of pity and wasn't just to satisfy lust.

Meanwhile Erestor felt his heart stop the moment Glorfindel kissed
him; only to start up a few moments later at a much quicker pace.
He'd been trying for years to pluck up the courage to approach his
friend and now Glorfindel was kissing him he had to be sure. Parting
his lips slightly he was grateful that the blonde didn't deepen the
kiss; proving that his intentions were what Erestor hoped they would
be.

As the pair pulled apart to gaze at each other, Elrond ushered the
other four out of the room. Somehow; when they had decided to do
this and Glorfindel had said he'd originally pulled Elrond's name
out of the hat, Elrond didn't think that he would have received a
kiss as his secret Santa gift.

As Elrond eyes turned to follow a particular elf leaving the room,
Erestor and Glorfindel couldn't take there eyes of each other.
Neither one of them wanted to destroy the moments between them.
Because at this moment they finally knew how the other felt, and it
was bliss.

Only later that evening after they had spent the evening cuddled and
talking together on the couch by the fire; occasionally pausing to
share more deep loving kisses, did Glorfindel hand over his real
secret Santa gift.

Next Christmas.

The year had changed for all of them. Erestor now shared quarters
with Glorfindel, the twins had admitted to their father of their
relationship, with much prodding Elrond had finally asked to court
Lindir; which the Minstrel had shyly agreed to but most of all
Melpomaen had wed his Mirkwood lover; and as Saelbeth was now living
in Rivendell there were now an even number of elves.

Erestor had pulled Elrond's name out of the hat and he knew just
what to buy his old friend and lord. He was heading down to the
market and was already making his way through the snow. Everyone he
past smiled and greeted him; glad that he and Glorfindel had such a
deep love.

After all who else but a dedicated lover would wear a red knitted
cap with ear flaps and a bobble on top with no feelings of
embarrassment?

~*The End*~