Posted: September 2003
Title: The Ones Left Behind
Authors: Iamme and Alex
Type: FPS
Pairing: Celeborn/Orophin
Rating: NC-17
Disclaimer: I do not own nor do I profit from the use of these characters.
Warnings: None
Beta: Larian Elensar
Author’s Note: Iamme wrote part of it…and I asked if I could write a bit too. She said yes.
Summary: Orophin is angry over the loss of Haldir and Rumil at Helms Deep. (yeah, we supposed that Rumil died too.)

~~~

THE ONES LEFT BEHIND

Celeborn walked through the woods of Lothlórien, searching for one elf in particular. Orophin had seemed tense during their evening meal and when Celeborn had tried to speak with him he could see his jaw tighten, and with an all too calm voice, excused himself, heading out into the darkening forest.

It was now several hours later, a storm was brewing and the elf was out there. Not wanting to lose anyone, Celeborn set out to search for him. Celeborn had just come into view of the river when he saw the form of the quiet elf highlighted by a vicious flash of lightning. He was lying stretched out on the bank of the stream that ran through the woods, wearing nothing but his leggings. A half empty of bottle of wine sat beside him. He stared out over the water.

Celeborn opted to ignore the state of undress that his Captain was in as he was under so much stress. This day was Orophin’s begetting day. It was the first one without his brothers here to celebrate with him.

“Somehow I doubt that wine will help.” Celeborn stated softly as he walked over and looked down at his guardian.

Orophin stood and bowed to his Lord before stating flatly. “My apologies, Lord Celeborn. I did not realize you were here. I will go.” Orophin turned to gather his things as thunder rolled across the sky.

Celeborn stopped him with a hand on his shoulder.

“I came to see if there was some way I could help you with your grief, Orophin. I know you miss them.”

Orophin spun around, facing Celeborn, anger flashing in his eyes as he grabbed Celeborn by the front of his robe.

“Help me? No, there is nothing you can do for me! Not unless you can bring them back, all of them. Haldir, Rumil, and Fearnor. You sent them all to die! You knew they would be killed and yet you sent them anyway. And for what? Men! Men who will not even be here in the blink of an eye. The same men who have done terrible things to this world. For them, you have robbed me of my brothers, my lover, and my friends. Everyone I cared about is gone. When I was younger, all I wanted was to serve you! Now all I want is to have them back, all of them. ”

Celeborn steeled himself during Orophin’s verbal assault, taking it in silence, knowing the elf needed to vent his frustration. The next words, however, made him flinch; because he knew they were true and wished he could deny it, yet he knew that he could not.

“But you cannot even hold on to the people you care about. First, your daughter had to sail. Then your granddaughter fell in love with Estel. Finally Galadriel took Thranduil to her bed because you could not even comfort her. I hate you Celeborn and I am sorry that my brothers died for nothing.”

Celeborn was trying hard to keep his temper in check, trying to remember why Orophin was doing this, but even he had a limit to his patience. He watched the young soldier before him, being reminded of his own anger from so long ago when his lover had been killed while on patrol by a blow that had been meant for him.

“You are not mad at me, Orophin. You are mad at yourself because you are still alive. I remember you saying that this was something we had to do. You and your brothers and everyone else that went to Helm’s Deep volunteered to go. I did not make you do it and we are not the ones who killed them, Orophin. It was Sauron and Saruman and the Uruk-hai that dealt the blow.”

Orophin released Celeborn’s robes and stood staring at his lord for a moment.

“I am still angry with you and with myself?there is no one to hold me at night or comfort me during these dark times or even to embarrass me at the worst possible moments. Do you know what it is like?” The anger was still but it was blended with a heartbreaking sadness in the young elf’s eyes.

Celeborn closed his eyes taking a deep breath before looking in to those sad eyes.

“Yes, Orophin, I do because I too lost my lover to the sword long ago. I know the guilt of surviving. I know the lonely nights and I know the ache that never goes away. But I know that there are things we can do to ease our pain.”

Orophin frowned, his eyes boring daggers into Celeborn’s.

“There is only one thing that will ease my pain.” The fist came flying at Celeborn so fast that he did not have time to block it. It caught him square in the jaw knocking his head back; then suddenly Orophin was on top of him. Soon they were rolling in the mud. Orophin furiously trying to make Celeborn pay and Celeborn trying to keep them both from being hurt too badly.

Celeborn tried to catch the younger elf’s hands to stop his fists and it was a few minutes before he noticed the tears. Orophin was sobbing as he continued to beat the elflord with blows that were half-hearted at best. He finally did catch the hands as Orophin collapsed into his arms.

“It hurts so bad, milord. Does it ever stop hurting?”

Celeborn wanted to lie and tell him that time healed the pain and that it would stop. He wanted to make the world sweet and safe again for Orophin. But he loved the young Galadhrim too much to lie.

“No, Orophin, it doesn’t stop. It dulls a little but the pain is always there.”

The rain still poured as Orophin laid his head against Celeborn’s chest. Celeborn wished with all his heart that he could take the pain away. He wasn’t ever quite sure how Orophin’s mouth came to find his but he did. Orophin kissed him hungrily, forcefully pushing his tongue between his lord’s lips and tasting him.

Celeborn pulled back and looked up at the muddy, wet Galadhrim.

“Don’t do this here, Orophin. You will regret it later.”

Orophin looked down at him, and Celeborn saw how very beautiful he was, illuminated by the occasional flash of lightning. “You don’t want me?”

“I didn’t say that,” Celeborn answered in a near whisper. He pulled the young elf back down to him and kissed him. He gasped as Orophin ground himself against him, feeling his hard length rubbing his own, warm even through the confines of their wet, cold clothes.

The Lord of Lothlórien was surprised to realize his own hands were tugging at Orophin’s leggings. He was still surprised when he pushed the naked elf away so he could remove his own muddy, wet clothing. He pulled Orophin back down on top of him, spreading his legs for Orophin to fit between them. The young Galadhrim silently lifted Celeborn’s legs up to his shoulders and slid his slick wet arousal into the warm, tight confines of Celeborn’s body. The elflord tensed; the pain was small compared to Orophin’s pain.

Orophin slammed hard into him and when he looked into the younger elf’s face, he saw lust, but he saw more. He saw the loneliness and the need that had driven the young guardian out to the river in the first place. He wanted to make it go away, wanted to make all his hurt go away but he knew that he could only offer a few seconds of solace.

Then he stopped thinking as Orophin reached down between them and began to stroke him. He found himself rushing toward completion as quickly as his Galadhrim lover was.

“Fearnor!” Orophin cried out his lover’s name as he came. Celeborn didn’t care. His own orgasm followed just seconds after. Leaving him breathless and still beneath the young elf.

**

The rain had stopped. Orophin sat on a log near the riverbank, drinking the last bit of wine in the bottle. Celeborn said nothing as he watched. When Orophin finally stood, Lord Celeborn wrapped his cloak around him and walked him back to his talan.

Neither said a word.

 

THE END