Elladan had affected a mask of calm, but he was far from it inside as he let Haldir send him off with Legolas and Orophin to find Rúmil and Elrohir. Why did he listen to Haldir? Perhaps because he had come to respect the Marchwarden so much over the past day and night. And not only to respect him. To genuinely like him, to desire him… to feel emotions he had not felt in a long time.

In fact, he had to admit to himself, the last time he had felt this way was when he had the disastrous crush on Rúmil that ended in 'the incident.' It was ironic that he should feel this way now about Rúmil's older brother, but he did, and there it was, and he was wise enough not to ignore the feeling or push it aside. It had amazed him that Elrond had seemed to give his blessing to this, and his father would never have done that if he felt it was a mistake. Elrond might not have known about 'the incident' but he did know Haldir a lot better than Elladan did -- yet.

Elladan wanted to stay and practice sword play with Haldir, but once Thranduil took command of the situation Elladan knew that was out of the question. It made sense that he should go with the others… and it made sense that Haldir wished for him to patch things up with Rúmil. Elladan had shamefully told him about 'the incident' last night, amazed that his brothers had not let him know about it sooner. Haldir had merely replied that Rúmil was very young and often made mistakes for which he knew not how to make amends. Well then. For Haldir… he would try. He would at least learn to be in Rúmil's presence without running away.

He was silent as they headed back into the palace, even though Legolas tried to draw him in to his conversation with Orophin. Elladan answered in single words when it was inevitable and eventually they let him alone, preferring instead to speculate, in veiled euphemisms, on what Rúmil and Elrohir would be found doing. Eventually they made some sort of bet, but Elladan was paying little attention and did not hear what the wager involved.

It was a shame, he thought, his heart pounding harder as they reached the east wing. He had been in high spirits all day, and his flirtations with Haldir in the gardens had made him happier than he had felt in a long time. Watching Haldir fight with Glorfindel had been a treat as well. Both of them were skilled, though for some reason Glorfindel seemed off of his game. He would have liked to watch Haldir fight Thranduil, which was probably more of a challenge for him. Elladan had been unable to keep his eyes off of Haldir and he was more and more determined to lure the Marchwarden into his bed -- tonight. Haldir might wish to take it slow, but if he took it too slow, the two weeks might end before anything passed between them.

Orophin pulled open the door to the room he was sharing with Rúmil and the three of them stepped inside. Elladan was not the least bit surprised at the sight they saw, but he was, to his mortification, a little jealous. Rúmil, in his ecstasy, was beautiful. His head was thrown back, his lips parted, his eyes closed, and his long silvery blond hair splashed all over the pillow. Elrohir loved to do this little trick with the honey. Elladan might never have known about it if it had not been for a previously ruined tunic.

Elladan could not help but recall the night he had spent with Rúmil, the night of 'the incident.' It stung, even a century later, that Rúmil had mistaken him for Elrohir, and it helped nothing that as soon as Elladan stopped speaking to Rúmil, Elrohir had leapt into bed with him, and stayed there apparently every time they met. Orophin was not enough for him? Elladan glanced at Orophin, who was grinning at the sight on the bed. Legolas, however, was looking at Orophin. Elladan found that interesting indeed, but he was too busy pretending this did not bother him to think about it much.

"You had better not have gotten any honey on my tunic, Elrohir," he said.

Elrohir sat up slowly, grinning and licking his lips, and exposing much more of Rúmil than Elladan wished to see. Again. Rúmil's eyes shot open and he attempted to cover himself with the sheet, but Elrohir was sitting on it. Looking desperately around he grabbed one of the pillows he was lying on and thrust it over his arousal.

"Modest all of a sudden?" Orophin teased his brother.

Rúmil glared at him. "You could have knocked."

"Or joined in," Elrohir suggested. "Come now, Legolas, will you not lie between us?"

"I rather think I shall pass," Legolas said, but he sounded amused. "However, I thank you for the kind invitation. You should try my father. This is more his style than mine."

Elrohir raised an eyebrow thoughtfully, but Rúmil looked horrified at the thought. He must have heard the tales of what Thranduil was like in the bedroom. Even Elladan could not imagine they were all true, and he did not care to find out either. Slowly Rúmil met Elladan's gaze. He looked so upset and helpless in that moment that Elladan at once felt sorry for him, and felt very bad indeed about ignoring him for the past hundred years.

"It really is a shame that we should have such a collection of lovely elves and not all of them willing to play," Elrohir said, looking particularly at Legolas. "Elladan, perhaps you could take the fair prince on a tour of the library or something while I entertain the rest of our guests."

"I have already visited the library today, but thank you for being so thoughtful, Elrohir," Legolas replied smoothly. "I had wanted to say hello to Rúmil and your brother was kind enough to bring me here."

"Um…hello, Legolas," Rúmil said weakly from the bed.

"You should get up and greet him properly," Elrohir said to Rúmil, smirking at him.

"You know I never stand on ceremony," said Legolas pleasantly. "As I see you are occupied, perhaps I will speak with you both later at dinner. Orophin, perhaps you will show me back to the library?"

"Or perhaps you will stay here with us, Oro?" Elrohir said.

Orophin looked trapped. It was clear to Elladan that he wanted to go with Legolas, but he was afraid to say no to Elrohir.

"Go on," Elladan said, opening the door back up and pushing Orophin out. "You know the way to the library as well as I do."

"I shall see you at seven, then," said Elrohir irritably.

"Eight," Legolas amended. Elrohir glared at him. "Thank you," Legolas said to Elladan. "Will you be joining us?"

"I should…speak to Rúmil."

"Do you think this is the best time?" asked Orophin.

Elladan laughed. No time would ever be the best time. He just wanted to get it over with. The hard part would be getting rid of Elrohir. He closed the door behind the two blond elves and turned towards the two sitting on the bed.

"That's an interesting shade of scarlet you are turning, Rúmil," he remarked, feeling more confident suddenly.

"Why did you not go with them, Elladan?" Elrohir asked, still clearly quite annoyed. When he was annoyed, he could be very nasty, but Elladan knew how to handle his brother. "Did you wish to join in, instead? I saw the hungry way you were looking at my little Rúmil. Perhaps you wish to feast on him as well? Although I would hate for him to have trouble telling us apart. Of course, it is quite easy when we are both undressed, as I am the one with the bigger--"

"Mouth," supplied Elladan. Rúmil simply looked humiliated, and Elladan felt bad for him. He sat down on the other side of the bed. "I do not suppose you would leave us for a private conversation, Elrohir?"

"And go to the--"

"Library?" suggested Elladan cheerfully.

"Elladan!"

"Maybe you would like to go watch Glorfindel practice his swordsmanship."

"On Thranduil and Haldir? How utterly boring. Both of them could make mincemeat of him."

"Actually, when we left he was about to take on Arwen."

"Arwen? Arwen has finally got the nerve to defy Father and take up Hadhafang?" asked Elrohir, leaping excitedly from the bed. "Now this I must see. Thank you, Elladan."

"I hope to you see later," Rúmil said faintly as Elrohir headed for the door.

To his credit, Elrohir spun back around and leapt onto the bed once more. He gave Rúmil a resounding smack on the lips and ruffled his hair. "You may count upon it, Rúmil," he said. "I shall only hope you do not throw me over for my brother."

Elrohir bounded out of the room, leaving the pair of them alone. Elladan drew in a deep breath, soothed by the fact that Rúmil was clearly just as uncomfortable as he was. Once Elrohir got up, Rúmil pulled the sheet back up to cover himself. He looked at Elladan with his eyes big and round.

"Elladan," he said sincerely, "I am truly sorry."

"As am I," Elladan said softly.

"Is that not enough? Can we simply forgive each other and not have to…discuss…"

Elladan nodded with some relief. "We should try to be friends again."

"I would like that… but… why now?"

"Haldir asked this of me."

Rúmil stared at him for a long moment. "You care for him."

"I…I think I do."

"Good. He needs someone like you, Elladan. And perhaps you need someone like him. Now, if you will give me a moment to dress, we might spend the afternoon catching up on what we have missed these past years. And I admit," Rúmil added, smiling, "That I should very much like to see Haldir fighting against Thranduil. I have never before seen Haldir defeated."

"I think you will not now," Elladan said thoughtfully.

"Shall we make a wager?" Rúmil asked, grinning wickedly.

Elladan shrugged. "Why not? Everyone else seems to be doing so."

Rúmil's eyes glittered and as he got up to dress himself, Elladan wished he had made this reconciliation years earlier. He was not stirred by Rúmil the way he had been long ago, but he relished the thought of renewing their friendship more than he would have thought possible even yesterday. His heart was considerably lightened. Rúmil whistled as he dressed, seeming in a good mood now himself.

Elladan only hoped that Rúmil was not making the mistake of falling in love with Elrohir.