Title: The Delivery
Author: Tuxedo Elf
Rating: PG13
Prompt: 03 - I suppose you feel that everything has gone off splendidly and according to plan?
Pairing: Glorfindel/Ecthelion
Summary: It was a dark and stormy night……


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The rain pelted down, rattling the windows with its intensity and
there was an occasional rumble of thunder from a far-off storm. The
sky was dark, not only from the rain, but also from the lateness of
the hour. All in all it was not a day to be outside.

As luck would have it, Glorfindel was not outside. Instead he was
seated in a comfortable chair, near a roaring fire with a glass of
wine on the nearby table. As far as he was concerned, it was a perfect
evening. Well, save for one thing. His lover had yet to make an
appearance. Where *was* Ecthelion? Neither were on duty today and they
had planned to spend the evening -- indeed the night -- together.

He sipped his wine as he waited, hoping Ecthelion would not be much
longer. It would be a terrible waste of a day off if they did not
spend it with each other.

Time passed, with no sign of his lover. Glorfindel began to slip into
reverie as the warm room, the glow of the fire and the wine began to
affect him.

A loud crash against the window jolted him from his contented doze,
making him jump to his feet and rush over to the window. The crash had
been too loud for thunder and he was also sure he'd heard a muffled yell.

Pushing open the window, he looked outside. What he saw made his jaw
drop inelegantly.

Ecthelion dangled precariously from the stone ledge, soaked to the
skin and clinging on for dear life. To make the situation even
stranger, there was a rose clutched between his teeth.

"Help," he mumbled through the flower, as Glorfindel simply stared at
him in shock.

Recovering with an effort, Glorfindel reached out and grasped
Ecthelion's hand, pulling him in through the window. The excess of
water caused them both to slip and before Glorfindel knew what was
happening, he was on his back with Ecthelion on top of him. Granted,
it was not a new position for him, but previously it had usually
involved much less clothing and certainly less water.

"Good evening," he said, his voice dry, "lovely weather."

Ecthelion smiled sheepishly and sat up, pulling the rose from his
mouth and offering it to his confused lover. "Perfect."

Taking the rose, Glorfindel tried to get his thoughts in order.
"Ecthelion…… what in Eru's name is going on?"

"Special delivery?" Ecthelion replied hopefully. Glorfindel looked
sceptical and Ecthelion blushed. "You seemed so impressed when
Egalmoth serenaded his intended that I feared perhaps I was not
romantic enough. So I thought I should make more of an effort."

Glorfindel absorbed this information for a long moment. "And," he said
slowly, "I suppose you feel that everything has gone off splendidly
and according to plan?"

Running a hand through his rain-soaked hair, Ecthelion looked down at
the Elf lying on the floor beneath him. Glorfindel was now slightly
soggy and disheveled and was holding the rose delicately.
"Definitely," Ecthelion chuckled.

At this assertation Glorfindel raised an eyebrow and his lover's blush
deepened. "Very well, perhaps the execution was not perfect. I did not
count on the poor weather, or your window being closed. However, I am
here, with you and we have the whole evening to warm up and enjoy each
other's company."

Glorfindel had to concede that Ecthelion did have a point and the
admission caused his lover to grin widely. "Do you like the rose?" he
asked suddenly. "It is thornless."

"Ecthelion, dear one, there is no such thing as a thornless rose."
Glorfindel replied with a pained sigh. "They are just myth." However,
the flower in question did seem remarkably devoid of thorns.

"I disagree," his lover replied seriously. "All you need is a normal
rose and a sharp knife."

Closing his eyes, Glorfindel resisted the temptation to bang his head
against the floor. "You are hopeless…… utterly hopeless."

Chuckling, Ecthelion leaned down to gently kiss Glorfindel. "That is
why you love me."

"Well, it is one of the reasons!" Glorfindel couldn't keep from
smiling as he opened his eyes again and looked up at the soggy form of
his lover. "If I am honest there are a few more reasons besides."

"Oh really……" a seductive smile graced Ecthelion's lips. "Maybe you
should remind me of those reasons? I seem to have quite forgotten them……"

Reaching up, Glorfindel pulled his lover down towards him and captured
his lips in a heated kiss. "I'd be delighted," he murmured, feeling
his blood beginning to race in his veins. "Though perhaps…… when we are
not lying in pool of rainwater?"

Ecthelion laughed, moving off his lover and standing, before helping
Glorfindel to his feet. "In a hot bath, then?" he suggested, already
edging towards the bathroom and pulling Glorfindel along with him.

"Now that's the best thing I've heard all evening," Glorfindel agreed.

With an almost wicked smirk, Ecthelion whispered softly into
Glorfindel's ear, causing his lover to groan. "That would be even
better," he replied, sounding a little breathless.

Ecthelion did not reply, but instead leaned in for another kiss.

Losing themselves in the arms of each other, neither Elf noticed when
the next roll of thunder sounded loudly overhead.

They had their own storm to tend to.

THE END