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atths--twice · 4 years

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Moving right along...

Chapter Five 5/8

Dinner and Decisions

Mulder takes Scully on a “date” and they enjoy their time together.

Mulder knocked on Scully’s door, feeling a little nervous. He had asked her to dinner and he was not sure if he made it sound like a “date” or just dinner. He would take either, but he did not want to push her or imply anything untoward. He had considered getting flowers, but then thought that would be too much.

So there he stood, heart pounding, waiting for her to answer. Hoping it might be a date, but not unless she wanted it also.

The door opened and he was hit with a wave of Scully scent. All of everything at once- her hair, her soap, her perfume. It was overpowering and nearly dropped him to his knees.

“Sorry. I’m running a little behind. I was doing laundry earlier and then I took a bath. I sat down for just a minute and woke up still in a towel. My hair was all over the place from sleeping on it when it was wet, so it’s been a bit of a process to get ready on time,” she said in a rush as she quickly opened the door and turned back inside, putting her earrings in as she turned back to look at him.

“Sorry, Scully. I heard the words-bath, towel, and wet. Did you say something else?” he asked as he hung up his jacket, closed the door, and turned to her with a smile, which quickly changed to an open mouthed quiet gasp.

She looked beautiful. She always did, but tonight she was even more so. She was wearing a dark green dress that was casual, but also dressy. It had short sleeves, a few small buttons that went across to her left side so it seemed to wrap around her, and the bottom was fuller than her usual business skirts.

None of this was anything though, compared to all the flesh looking at him, notably the chest flesh. It was more open than any shirt she had ever worn and he was treated to more cleavage than he had ever seen from her. Aside from the dire moments when he had seen her naked, he had never seen so much of her skin. He would need all his willpower to not stare directly at her chest.

This was going to be hard. In all aspects.

“Ha ha,” she said, as she finally got her earrings in, and adjusted her dress. Seeing him looking at her, she smoothed it again. “Is it too much? I bought this dress awhile back, and I’ve never worn it. You said dressed up, so I figured this would be a good chance to wear it. I can change if it’s-“

“No!” He cut across her and she looked at him in surprise. “No, Scully. You look great. It’s a beautiful dress. You make it look beautiful,” he said in a calmer, sincere tone.

She gave him a look before saying thank you. She turned and went into her room and he was left alone with his racing heart. Jesus, he needed to calm the hell down. This was just them having dinner, like they had done thousands of times. Perhaps a bit more dressed up, but still just dinner.

Her feet padded softly across the floor as she came back into the room with a necklace in one hand and her shoes in the other.

“This necklace has a catch on it that is hard to close, and open for that matter, so I don’t wear it often. Could you see if you could do it for me? I think it would look nice with this dress,” she asked, as she set her shoes down and walked over to him.

“Sure,” he said, taking the necklace from her as she turned around.

He fumbled a bit with the clasp, but finally got it open. He placed it over her head and then worked to put it back together. He had to try a couple of times to get it closed, and he could have blamed the clasp, but that was not the only hold up. He was distracted by her scent, her nearness, and the small scar on the back of her neck.

He was not often in this position, with free rein to stare directly at her neck, and be this close to her in this way. He felt such guilt about that scar and what lay beneath it, the cause and reason for it. He wanted to kiss that scar and make it all better, to take back all the bullshit she had gone through as a result of it. He hated himself for her suffering. She did not deserve any of it

Finally the necklace clasp was closed and he was forced to step back. “There you go,” he said quietly, still feeling that guilt.

She touched it, turning toward him, and smiling her thanks. It was a beautiful necklace. A silver chain with small diamonds leading to one slightly bigger one in the middle.

“My father gave this to me, when I graduated from medical school. I love it, but it’s too fancy for everyday. Seemed like a good choice for tonight, though,” she told him with a smile, running her fingers across the diamonds.

He watched her do it, looking at the necklace, but also noticing her chest again. He needed to stop or this would be a very long night. He looked away and imagined those revolting flukeman bites until he had calmed down.

She had put on her shoes and grabbed her jacket by the time he glanced back at her. She gave him an odd look as she put her jacket on and walked over to him.

“Ready?” she asked him with a smile. He nodded, grabbed his jacket, and they headed out the door.

They drove down toward the waterfront in Georgetown and Mulder parked the car. Walking down closer to the boardwalk plaza, Mulder started to lead her toward the restaurants with a hand on the small of her back, but she stopped walking and looked at him.

“Mulder,” she said, looking at the restaurants around them. “These places are so expensive. I... thank you for everything you’ve done the last few days, but we don’t need to go anywhere too expensive. I... honestly, Mulder...” She looked at him beseechingly.

“Scully, no, we aren’t eating in any of these places,” he said with a wave of his hand. “No. They are nice, but they are expensive and I have something better planned.” At her surprised look, he smiled at her. “I invited you out to dinner. You think I don’t have a plan?”

She smiled and laughed softly, as she reached out and linked her arm through his. He continued smiling as he looked down at her before stepping forward and continuing to the restaurant he had chosen.

Just past the big fancy restaurants by the waterfront, there was a smaller Greek restaurant. Close by the water, but not in the prime location. Mulder pushed the door open and ushered Scully inside. He walked up to the podium and told the hostess his name, as he hung his jacket on the coat rack.

“Fox freaking Mulder!” Came a cry from across the room.

A woman came rushing up and crushed Mulder in an embrace, adding a kiss on each cheek. She had dark hair, laughing eyes, and a beautiful smile.

“Hello, Nia. How are you?” he asked as she held his face in her hands, and he saw Scully smiling as she let him go.

“Oh my god! It’s been ages since I’ve seen you! I saw your name on the reservation list, and I about screamed Ma’s ear off. How are you? Last we heard you were working for the FBI? Are you still working there?” She stepped back and grabbed his hands.

Mulder smiled as he looked back at her. He squeezed her hands and then dropped them as he turned toward Scully, gesturing to her and she stepped toward Nia.

“Yes, I have been working at the bureau for awhile now. Nia, this is my partner at the FBI, Dana Scully. Scully, this is Nia Costas. We grew up together in Chilmark. This is her family’s restaurant,” Mulder said by way of introduction.

Scully and Nia shook hands and exchanged pleasantries. Nia then grabbed some menus and led them to the table, laughing and telling stories about Mulder when he was younger, that made him blush and Scully laugh.

The table where they sat down, had a wonderful view of the water. Scully looked at it approvingly as she sat and took the menu from Nia. Nia told them their server would be right out, winked at Mulder, and walked away.

Scully raised an eyebrow at him as she smiled, but he shook his head. There had never been anything more than friendship between them. Although, he'd had a boyish crush on her when he was younger.

“Nia was one of my friends when I was younger. She was a killer baseball player and could run faster than any kid I knew,” he said, smiling as he remembered those days.

“Mr. Fox Mulder! Look at you, so grown up!” A woman, who could only be Nia’s mother, called loudly as she came bustling up to the table and Mulder stood up to greet her.

She was a large woman with pillowy arms and big hair. She grabbed Mulder in a tight embrace and then kissed him as Nia had, leaving two large red lipstick kisses on each cheek, causing Scully to laugh. She held his face in her hands as she looked at him and inquired about his family, work, and his life. He answered as best he could as she fired her rapid questions at him.

She turned her attention to Scully and Mulder introduced them. Mrs. Costas pulled Scully into an embrace as she had stood to greet her as well. Mulder laughed at her help me face as she was all but smothered by the larger woman.

She told them to sit and she looked at Mulder and smiled. She grabbed his chin and told him how proud she was of him. Mulder’s smushed face made Scully giggle and he felt her happiness invade his heart.

Mrs. Costas finally let him go and told them anything they wanted was on the house. Mulder tried to argue with her, but she put her hand up, took their menus, and walked away.

“I guess we’re getting whatever she brings us,” Mulder said, as he rubbed his aching jaw and wiped his lipstick covered face.

Scully laughed again and looked out at the water, Mulder following her gaze as he watched a few of the boats gliding past. Scully took off her jacket and put it on her chair behind her, leaned forward, and looked out the window again. Mulder glanced back once, then twice, trying to keep his eyes off of all the Scully flesh now presented to him.

Just then, the server came up and brought them some food; a Greek salad which they both enjoyed. Then came some meatballs, lamb, and then steak. It was delicious and they ate their fill. Scully not quite as much as Mulder, but if the sounds she made were any indication, she enjoyed the dishes.

After they had finished their food, they asked for a coffee. When Mrs. Costa walked up to check on them, Mulder told Scully about the delicious baklava she used to make. She waved him down and told him to stop, but they could she she was pleased. She squeezed his face again, thanking him for the compliment. She disappeared into the kitchen and personally brought them a huge piece of her homemade baklava to share, along with their coffee. It was as delicious as he remembered and he fought Scully for the last bite.

There was a small band playing in the back of the restaurant and after they had finished their meal, Mulder asked Scully if she would like to head back and listen to them. She said she would rather walk around the plaza, and he nodded, agreeing it would be nice.

They said goodbye to the Costas, Mulder being hugged and kissed within an inch of his life. They hugged Scully goodbye as well and Mrs. Costas gave Mulder pointed looks over her shoulder. He smiled back, putting on his jacket as he said goodbye again, and Scully put her jacket on as well.

The night air was cooler than the restaurant had been and to Mulder it felt wonderful. It had felt overly warm to him in the restaurant. Scully seemed to feel the same as she took deep breaths and fanned her jacket a few times. She grinned at him, as he offered her his arm, and she took it as they headed for the boardwalk and started walking.

“So... how long did you have a crush on Nia?” Scully asked after they had walked in silence for awhile and he chuckled.

“Probably about... a year? When I was around eleven. I don’t think I really knew what it was until I was older, but it was definitely a crush. She was fun and happy and her home was the same way. My home was the opposite. I liked going over to her place after we had all been out running around during the day as there was always a lot of people, food, and that baklava... God. I used to dream of that stuff at night.”

She laughed quietly. “The food was definitely delicious. Although, it technically was free and by dinner invite standards, I think you still owe me a meal." She stopped walking and stepped away from him. She leaned against a railing, looking out at the water, crossing her arms.

“Is that right?” he asked, as he too leaned against the railing, looking at her and smiling.

“I mean, you invited me out, yet you didn’t pay for the meal. Ergo, you still seem to be on the negative side of things,” she said, as she glanced at him, shrugging her shoulders, trying to stifle a smile.

“Hmmm,” he said, reaching up and rolling his bottom lip between his finger and thumb. “If I buy you some ice cream later, will that be good enough to shut you up?”

“It might,” she said with a thoughtful look on her face as she lost the battle and smiled at him.

He nodded, dropping his hands to his sides, then locking his hands in front of him, as he looked out at the moon shining in the water. He looked back at her as she continued to look at him.

He shook his head and then looked away from her. “Scully, I’m so sorry this didn’t work,” he said quietly, as he kept his eyes on the water, unable to look her in the eyes. “I wanted it for you so badly. Something good to come from all this bullshit. A good thing born of the bad. I just-“

“Mulder, no. Let’s… I don’t want talk about it anymore. It won’t change anything and... it just... it creates a hurt where it’s not needed." She rested her head against his shoulder and looked at the water. “We tried. We did what we could.” She shifted and stood up straight, touching his arm and he turned toward her. She looked him in the eyes and reached for his hand.

“I... I don’t expect a miracle. I know that it’s improbable, but... I was able to see a way to get my faith back, at least a little. I have that to lean on and for that I am thankful. For my faith... and you." She squeezed his hand and he turned his hand, causing their fingers to intertwine. “You’ve helped in so many ways and I am truly thankful for that, Mulder. I’m the one who should be taking you to dinner,” she said with a teary eyed smile.

“Hmm. Meet halfway and call it even?” he asked with a squeeze to her hand, as he stroked her cheek with the other.

“Throw in that ice cream you promised and you got a deal,” she said, wiping her eyes.

“As long at it’s not that tofutti rice shit, I’m in,” he said, shaking his head, taking his hand from her face.

She laughed with a nod and he nodded back as he grinned at her. He turned and started walking again, keeping a hold of her hand as they walked around the plaza for awhile, before heading to the ice cream shop.

When they walked in, they found it was quite packed for a Monday evening. They waited in line and ordered, each getting a cup. Scully seemed to regret her choice, and Mulder assured her they could share.

Wanting to avoid the crowded shop, they went back outside and found a bench along the plaza and sat down. They ate in silence, Scully stealing so many little bites of his ice cream, he finally switched with her and she smiled her thanks at him.

When they were finished, they drove back to her place. She invited him up and he accepted. Walking in, he took off his jacket and reached to help her take off her own. She asked him to open a bottle of wine while she used the bathroom. Walking back to him, she asked him to first help take off her necklace.

He reached for the clasp again as she turned her back to him, and he fumbled with it the same as before. This time, when he accidentally grazed her neck, he saw her shiver. He did it again, purposely, and she exhaled a very light moan. The necklace finally popped open and he caught it. Sliding it around her neck to hand to her, he felt her lean back into him, and he had to work hard at not moaning.

She stepped forward and clasped her necklace, her eyes burning into his as she turned around. She was breathing hard, he could see her chest rising and falling. He felt the fire that had started when she opened the door, and had continued to burn all evening, now threatening to reduce him to ashes.

He saw her eyes flick to his mouth and his heart pounded. Danger lights were flashing in his mind and he knew he needed to step back. This was not the time, not now. Not after the last couple of days.

"Red or white?” he asked in a rough voice, stepping back as he cleared his throat and waited for her answer.

“What?” she asked, confused as she tore her eyes from his mouth.

“The wine, Scully. Do you want red or white?” He knew it was a poor excuse, a way to push back, but he was terrified. Terrified she would regret pushing past anything other than the friendship they shared. If she did... Jesus, it would break him.

“Oh,” she said, with surprise, as if she had forgotten she had asked him to open a bottle. She sighed and looked down, her shoulders seemed to slump a little. “Whichever one, Mulder. I don’t really have a preference.” She turned to leave and he shook his head. God, he was such a fucking coward.

“Would you rather I made some tea?” he asked her.

She turned and looked him right in the eye, shaking her head as she stared at him. “No, Mulder. I think we could both really use a drink,” she said as she held his gaze and then walked into the bathroom.

Shit. His heart had stopped, and then exploded at a pace he had never experienced. He almost tripped as he tried to hurry and get to the kitchen to open the wine before she came back into the room.

He picked a red, quickly pulled the cork, and poured them each a generous glass. He brought them to the coffee table, waiting on the couch for her, as his heart threatened to jump out of his chest.

She came back into the room a few minutes later. She had taken off her shoes and she tucked her feet under her as she sat on the couch. He leaned forward, picked up their glasses, and handed hers to her. She nodded her thanks as she took a big drink. He followed suit and then they sat without speaking for awhile.

He felt his ears ringing, sure she could hear the blood pumping through his veins. He saw her take another drink out of the corner of his eye and he also took another drink, shifting a little closer to her.

He put his arm on the back of the couch, and lightly touched her neck, moving his fingers in small circles. She closed her eyes at his touch and he felt her relax into it. The wine settling in her belly, combined with his touch, seemed to bring her a peaceful feeling.

She leaned into him more and sighed. Her eyes opened slowly and she stared at him differently than she ever had before, and he felt his body respond everywhere. It was too much. He needed to leave before things went too far and they could not go back.

He moved his hand, set down his glass, and got up to leave. She stood too, quickly setting her glass down, and followed him. She caught him at the door and she placed her hand on his arm causing him to turn and look at her.

“Mulder…” she whispered, her hand sliding down off of his arm.

He stared at her, his hands itching to touch her. To hold her face. To kiss her. He swallowed as best he could when his mouth was so dry.

She held his stare as he fought an inner battle. His need to touch her won out and he placed his hand on her cheek, his thumb grazing across it. She closed her eyes at his touch and exhaled. He stared at her, amazed anew at how truly beautiful she was. His heart pounded hard and his breathing increased.

She opened her eyes and they were like a magnet, pulling him in. He leaned forward, but then pulled back. Goddamn. They had been there before, in this uncertain place. In front of the invisible line they never seemed to be able to cross. Unwilling to give in to what they wanted and scared of revealing how they truly felt. He felt the sinking feeling of disappointment that they would never get there because they could never take that risk. Risking the partnership they had scared the shit out of him. He took a step back and dropped his hand from her cheek.

As he did, she stepped forward, staring at him for seconds that felt like a lifetime. Then, she grabbed the front of his shirt in both hands, pulled him to her, and kissed him.

Kissed him hard. Crushing her lips to his, keeping a firm grip on his shirt, giving him no chance to flee.

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Oh... here we go! These two.. They always have to fight that inner battle of what they should do when it comes to their feelings. Scully just stepped up and showed her hand. Time to get this party started...

Also, I had watched My Big Fat Greek Wedding while I was writing this and I picture that entire family in the restaurant of this story. I love that movie, it is so sweet and crazy and loud. It’s beautiful.

#The X Files #XF Fanfic #Per Manum #Date Night #Meeting up with old friends #Spending Time Together #Caring #Love #Kissing

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blankdblank · 5 years

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Surf Ewe

Wk 4 Prompt - Gone was the timid child they once knew, and in their shoes stood a determined woman.

Tale Teller Prompt Wk 4- Gone was the timid child they once knew, and in their shoes stood a determined woman..

Warning – awkward teens, hint of past drowning accident, determined pettiness to win – use of “Fight Song”

Modern Thranduil x my OC – Awkward teen au

@sdavid09 -

…

Crash. Crash. Crash. Each wave of the ocean warmly slid across the white shimmering sand in the early morning light casting up rainbows of light across this spectacular view. For all to admire and cherish, well, all but you.

Summer after summer you would be sent out here to Doriath; a sheltered oasis of pristine beaches and lush orchards around a desert patch known for the best volcanic glass known to Elves. At least until your parents split. The divorce was nasty and with your father still in the forces you were sent off to live with your uncle. Fiery poofy haired peacock of a man best known for being the one handed surfer ruling the surf world. Until your father could get leave again you would sit and wait up at this beach staring at the ocean you were too terrified to enter after a near fatal drowning accident as a child when some teens thought it would be humorous to teach you how to surf in a raging swirl. For all the Summer and Spring were centered around the water and when the great Mithril Man competitions weren’t being held there were sandcastle competitions for those unskilled on the water before the boating and water ski races would begin.

Now in your late teens you sat once again in the beach one leg bent under you and the other awkwardly outstretched as you finalized your latest masterpiece for this sandcastle tournament, of which you dominated each year. A much lesser achievement than those of your male relatives, the main victors of each Mithril Man race they entered. Again your uncle Maedhros would be competing in his age group and would no doubt win, even with one hand, spurring on his usual round of jokes of how unprepared the others were at his winning with the clear disadvantage. And as always you would be waiting at the finish line trying to keep your smile up through the comments and mocking bleats of those teens in what would be your age group. Again repeating that you were letting your family down by not even having the guts to try and lose up against the younger brothers of the teens who brought on this living terror in you.

Warmly in the sun, with ribbon in hand you strolled back to the lifeguard tower on the third beach along the seemingly unending coast, miles from the competition where your uncle sat bragging about how he would win again this year to his fellow lifeguards in the tower. At the first sight of you the reflection off the lenses on his binoculars were caught by you before the usual sign was brought out to hang as they spotted the dangling ribbon tails swaying in the breeze against your sand coated shins.

Much taller this year you had drawn more than a few previous shunners to gawk at your passing until the clear dividing visually between you as a sheepish child on the cusp of full womanhood was common knowledge. On the breeze your dark curls swayed across your face and back off again in the rippling of your shredded tank top over your green one piece and short jean shorts as Maedhros glanced at Ecthelion beside him at his saying, “She doesn’t seem as excited this year.”

Gil Galad, “I hope Frohm and the boys haven’t been pestering her again.”

Oropher outside the building on his walk from his car in the lot nearby chuckled in his entrance turning their heads saying, “T minus two minutes.”

Maedhros smirked seeing a flash of blonde hair whipping by the wall of windows attached to the tall teen speeding across the beach to your side in nothing but a pair of jean shorts coated in rainbow colored stains. “What’d she choose this time?”

Oropher chuckled taking off his jacket to hang up revealing his lifeguard shirt in his path to his chair, on the back of which he left his jacket, “Hippocampus. Should have seen it. Just about looked like it would crash into the judges when they walked past. Made two scream this year.” Earning chuckles all around at your inherited talent of being able to craft seemingly living sculptures. He passed the group a stack of polaroids, “Pictures.” Spreading their grins as they caught your beaming smile up at Thranduil as he stopped panting in front of you with a pausing smile of his own.

Gil Galad, “The guys give her a hard time?”

Oropher shifted his head from side to side in fixing his braided ponytail, “No more than usual I suppose. They’re bound to stop eventually once they realize how hard the Mithril Man is.”

Maedhros sighed and stole a glance up at you both to smirk again, “So, how long do you think it’ll be till Thran asks her out.”

Oropher laughed out loud tilting his head back, “Oh you have-, I didn’t tell you the best part!” Turning his chair to face them. “We didn’t give her a lift this time cuz on her way back from the podium for the yearly magazine and paper pictures, Jaqi popped up out of nowhere saying she got another invite to the Silver Swan banquet.”

Maedhros grinned knowing it was an honor to be invited at all, one that you had earned each year with your win usually having you at Maedhros’ side the whole night while he chatted with his chosen buddy or female he found attractive in attendance that night. Almost always leaving you the awkward third wheel or silent people watcher off in the rows of tables watching the dancing couples out on the floor.

All, “And?”

Oropher grinned saying, “She asked him if he’d like to go with her.”

All, “He said yes I hope!”

Oropher laughed again saying, “Nope, let out this shriek.”

Laughs filled the room as Gil Galad asked, “What?!”

Oropher still laughing replied, “He dropped his slushie in his lap and it got all over, raced off to the toilets and she sort of slipped off before I could say anything when I finally stopped laughing.”

Maedhros chuckled looking at you again through the binoculars seeing Thranduil picking you up to hang you over his shoulder freeing a startled shrieking giggle from you as he made for the rack of surfboards for the lifeguards to coax you out again for your daily surf you only took with him or Maedhros.

Eyes fixed on the sand you crossed the last stretch of beach again your mind circled back to what you had hoped to have been the final nudge to cross the boundary of friends with the teen who shrieked and ran away from you at his dropped drink without a word. Sure he no doubt would give you the answer but without the prompt answer you just had to turn and run yourself too afraid to see Oropher’s smirk or hear any jokes on how your question had remained unanswered by the teens around you, had they heard it.

A distant familiar stereo blasted and the sound of a familiar shout came at the usual leap from the moving convertible your best friend had always made to race towards you. The sound of crunching sand warning the sight of the white haired formerly gangly string bean of a teen now properly filled out near to his father’s chiseled frame in his prepping for a try at the races this year himself. Those bright blue eyes of his landing on you mid pant when he stopped in front of you, his chest rising and falling rapidly in an unsteady exhale forced out with a quick grin breaking at his inhale to say, “I have a suit.”

An awkward giggle left you in your widening smile spreading his again in an awkward chuckle, “Good.”

“What, um, color, are you wearing?”

“It, well it’s silver.” His brow inched up as you exhaled and rambled out, “Ada picked it, it has these birds across the front of it. So awkward.”

“It’ll be amazing.” Looking you over quickly his eyes met your lilac pair again in his crouch down, “To celebrate-,” A shrieking giggle left you as he hoisted you onto his shoulder in a turn to trot over to the surfboard rack, “Come on, out to the water.”

Firmly his arm circled your thighs a bit tighter on his hop to swing you over around the back of his head to drape across his shoulders to claim your ribbon he passed to Earendil on his ride back in from a patrolling lap on the jet ski, earning a chuckle from him along with a promise to keep it safe up in the tower. Thranduil grabbed his board he tucked under his free arm he carried to the water’s edge, where he lowered you down to his side stirring an anxious giggle from you. Griping his shoulder from both sides you felt the peck on your cheek he stole after humming, “I’ve got you.”

You nodded still watching the water swaying in and out from the perfectly tolerable sized waves for you to partner up on without frightening you. Down to his waist he walked and lowered the boar he then sat you on and hopped on behind you to start paddling the long board out. Straight at you a big wave came out of nowhere and you said, “Dew Drop,”

Lowly he chuckled as you uncrossed your legs and eased down onto your stomach holding the nose of the board you forced down while his upper body rose to lay flat over your lower legs in the dive you made under the wave to come out safely on the other side. Up on the surface again you brushed your hair back out of your face hearing another chuckle from Thranduil as he settled his chest on your legs to start paddling again as you rested your head on your now crossed arms, “If you don’t mind my saying, you seem a bit sturdier down here.”

Weakly you giggled laying your forehead on your arms as he asked, “Wouldn’t happen to be hiding a workout buddy back in Gondolin do you?”

“I bought some tapes. Didn’t want to set anyone off.”

He chuckled, “Anyone off on what, exactly?”

“It’s a surprise.” Chuckling again he turned you in front of a big wave then lowered to get you at the right speed.

Anxiously you squeaked and at the right time he shifted his hands to your hips in his hop up signaling your mark to get on your knees. The water rushed under you and at his hand extending you inched up and felt his hand on your hip on the water carrying you onwards into the start of a tunnel of water he turned you through. No doubt drawing proud chuckles and cheers from the guards in the tower watching your natural skills and feel for surfing, even if you refused to do so alone.

Nearly an hour you spent on the waves until a lull came and you were standing again by the board rack. In a glance at the tower Thranduil subtly nudged you out of the sight of the other guards watching you wring out your hair asking, “You know you can tell me anything?”

Exhaling slowly you tilted your head back to catch his eye seeing his dark brows raised in the wringing of his own hair up into a bun then its drop again. “I’m gonna try the Mithril Man.” His lips parted, “I know, that involves 5 mile swim to start. Dad still works long shifts even off tours. There’s a little murky patch of frigid ocean there. At least it’s warm here, should cut my time in half.”

His grin doubled, “I can’t wait to see their faces when they see you on that starting line.”

You giggled and rolled your eyes, “Worst thing I can always let them down by not winning. Instead of never trying.”

His arm eased around your shoulders and he kissed your forehead as you started walking back to the tower at Earendil’s call of, “Hey Lovebirds! Tower’s not gonna clean itself!”

Thranduil, “You’ll be amazing. You could never let them down. We have the usual early morning ride tomorrow if you wanna dust off your bike. Unless you wanna try to keep it a secret.”

“I have three weeks, can’t slack off now. 125 mile biking and 30 mile run.” Both heading off to fulfill your tasks for your part time jobs helping out in the towers keeping it tidy while the guards are out on their rounds you continued your chatting about his own practicing.

The crack of dawn drew out the usual creaking of the opening garage door, though behind your comfortably groggy uncle you blindly made your way to your bike hoping that you would wake up enough not to crash. Swinging your leg back you could feel your uncle’s gaze on you as if to gauge how fast the group would go this practice on how he deemed your ability. Always meaning if it was too slow for his liking he would leave you and Thranduil at his home after your usual two laps to nap while they did a hasty catch up on speed training until their muscles were contently burning.

Today was no different, they all started in your joint groggy pace catching your strides until your vision seemed to clear and in your forward hunches you eased comfortably with only a few subtle glances your way at your subtle pushing of the pace. Smirks spread through the group at each try from you in the years prior at trying to push yourself a bit harder each time so they wouldn’t suffer at including you. But this time the pushing didn’t stop and nearly their comfortable speed without you between their speedy burst the guys stole yet another glance at one another and your exposed bits of skin under your knee length sweats revealing your clear efforts without them. Bleats came up on your right, all behind their father Turon, Frohm and his brothers in their rush past you.

Turon turned his head calling back, “See you’re still playing shepard over training properly Meddy!”

Before your uncle could call back Thranduil’s hand patted his handlebar seeing your hands clutching the grip of yours. Relaxing your grip you huffed and shoved your left foot down harshly jolting forward with Thranduil right behind you. Earning chuckles from the men behind you seeing you gaining speed leading up to the harshest hill on the practice trail you always lagged behind on as the men would cut ahead to meet you at the base of the next hill.

Halfway up what felt like a near 90 degree angle of a hill you were upright and catching the open mouthed stares from Frohm’s brothers as you passed them followed by Frohm’s and Turon’s after. Chuckles came from the men behind you as you kept charging on gritting your teeth to shakily exhale at the top in your wide eyed stare at the ground whizzing rapidly under you in the path down the other side.

Behind you Maedhros said, “Ease back.” Blinking back to focus you forced your legs to lower to sit back onto your seat and adjust your footing to ready for the next hill after barely a few yards of near flat street. “Good. Don’t forget to breathe.”

The rest of the practice path you and Thranduil took in each tip and helping comment until slowed to a stop in front of your house and shook your hands only to look up from ensuring your feet were on even ground to see Maedhros’ raised brow, “Hi.”

His grin doubled, “Hi. Someone’s been busy secret keeping.”

Rolling your eyes you swung your leg over the middle bar to walk your bike in to the garage saying, “Love to see him bleat at me again.”

Thranduil chuckled, “Unless their dropped jaws slowed them too much.” Making you giggle as the others chuckled.

…

You had hoped it would get better, but it didn’t, like always it got worse, so much worse, and the worse it got the more you doubted. It was the week before and it all erupted at your name on the sign up board and wad of bills set on the counter to pass over to the man in charge smirking up at your uncle fully seeing the resemblance and familiar doubt from when your father had given it his first go. No turning back now. You repeated it again and again in your sleepless laps in the ocean and jogs around town before your group bikings.

Seven days. Seven days of pure hell from the teens in town filling all the hours they could waste on taunting and jeering at you so worse than you had ever imagined them daring to do to the men in your family. Trembling and uncertain you found yourself staring at the ocean seeing the speedboat racing out to the floating dock they had anchored on your targeted halfway marker for your distance that morning.

Swallowing dryly you eased your fingers around the straps of your sports bra under your one piece tucked into a pair of skin tight shorts reaching your knees through another exhale before sealing up the wetsuit over it all.

A simple pull of your goggles down came with another exhale as you watched the chosen starter holding up the starting horn calling for you all to ready. No comforting pat came from Thranduil at your side in his own moment of panic matching that of the other first to try this hell of a race.

Hours Maglor had flew out here, just shy of a full day of traveling to do so in his usual means to spend the full twelve plus hour race with you in what he expected to be your best friend’s first try. Heavily he dropped his bags in the spare room at his brother’s before he turned to head to the race where he knew he would find you in the group of veterans to cheer on the spectacle.

Hopelessly he searched only finding a familiar fiery haired figure he hurried to. A hard grip of his shoulder turned Maedhros to his brother earning him a smirk to his near frantic, “Where’s Jaqi?!” Assuming in a mild panic that you had taken off without warning after yet another time he had felt he’d dumped you off on your own once again.

Maedhros chuckled as Gil Galad turned to say, “Just in time Mag.”

Maglor’s brow twitched up and Earendil pointed to the lines of racers turning his head as Oropher said, “It seems someone’s been using her time away to good use.”

Maglor’s mouth fell open seeing his baby girl drawing in a shaky breath and trembling staring off at the open ocean. Maedhros caught onto the unspoken question Maglor was asking and answered, “She told us her plan last week.”

All at once Maglor flinched at the sudden blow of the horn signaling your full speed charge at the water triggering his urge to charge after you to ensure your safety.

Stroke, stroke, stroke. One after another you repeated between bouts of counting each of them. Surprisingly on the screen projecting the footage from the soaring drones above you all, your place especially startling in a clear lead. Open mouthed the group all watched your first deep breath and dive under the surface to grab a handful of sand and rise up. The first to one handedly rise up onto the dock to trade the soaking sand for a band to ease around your wrist from the smirking man in the group there waiting to hand out the rest. Who all watched your bounding steps across the dock to leap back into the ocean to cross the rest of the strip to the beach across from you where your bike racks were waiting.

Silent anticipation erupted into cheers from the waiting crowds far behind you as each of their racers had dove back into the water. All the way to the shore you swam until your feet could meet the ground again to welcomingly sink your feet into the sand for the start of the race to the racks.

Shakily you exhaled trying to refocus as you found your proper rack passing an aid all the way to Glorfindel, who was there to help pass over the next of the bands. Just barely you managed to ease down the zipper on your suit to gasp in a glance down seeing what the aid was laughing at.

“Get it off, get it off, get it off!” you squeaked hopping on one leg realizing there was a Blue Bottle Jellyfish wrapped around your leg earning a chuckle from Glorfindel that died in his lowering to help Beren in his rush over to aid in removing the creature while his wife brought the vinegar for any possible stings.

With that removed you wiggled out of your suit you set aside and moved to tug on your socks and shoes, accepting your second band in your hop onto your bike to start on the second leg of the journey seeing the first group of the others behind Thranduil on their own way to claim their bikes. Ignoring the pain in your leg similar to that in the dozen other racers having caught one of the little buggers on their own trip across.

125 miles, not so hard. Lying to yourself. You reminded yourself of the set pattern you would keep for the path ahead while you turned your attention away from Ectellion on the motorcycle in front of you to mark the lead spot for the bike portion.

Like a small boat

On the ocean

Sending big waves

Into motion

Like how a single word

Can make a heart open

I might only have one match

But I can make an explosion

Wide eyed the relatives and town all watched the bikers set into their own paces behind the tiny box marking your lonely spot ahead of the others many imagined would drop back to meet the others in the first steep hill.

To yourself you began to hum to calm yourself in the rising winds at your first hill as the storm that had been slowly creeping in started to show itself. A soft drizzle soon broke into a full on gale force storm leaving you to your memory mostly and glowing paint on the path to keep you from biking off a cliff side plummet into the ocean below.

And all those things I didn't say

Wrecking balls inside my brain

I will scream them loud tonight

Can you hear my voice this time?

A glance back now and again eased the worry of your friend on the lead bike seeing you were still upright as he also was struggling to do so as the rain seemed to be growing harder. Squinting through the rain you kept going pretending like the painful drops slapping into the scar on the base of your neck wasn’t stirring painful flashbacks of your struggle to break back for the surface under those treacherous waves as a child. But still you kept on and just hoped that when you got to the finish line, if you could make it pas that final wall you wouldn’t just burst into tears at all the pain coursing through your body.

This is my fight song

Take back my life song

Prove I'm alright song

My power's turned on

Starting right now I'll be strong

I'll play my fight song

And I don't really care if nobody else believes

'Cause I've still got a lot of fight left in me

Maglor, “She’s halfway already!”

Maedhros chuckled, “The others can barely keep up with the sight of Thranduil and he’s nearly an hour behind her.”

Oropher, “What the hell has she been training to out in Gondolin?”

Maglor shook his head, “I have no clue.” Staring at awe in your turning skid to avoid a drooping branch nearly hitting you in the face making them all clutch one another’s shoulders and arms at their moment of panic.

You and Thranduil clearly marked the lead and showed your training time with the best in the victors of this grueling race, all of whom were not looking forward to their own chance at it in a few days. Still you spurred on the itch to try again another year for the crowd all watching your time nearing the middle time for their level making them wonder what you could do when you were finally in their age group.

Losing friends and I'm chasing sleep

Everybody's worried about me

In too deep

Say I'm in too deep (in too deep)

And it's been two years I miss my home

But there's a fire burning in my bones

Still believe

Yeah, I still believe

“Drawbridge, drawbridge, drawbridge.” Muttering your childish replacement curses to yourself you kept on going in another cold slap of sheet rain making you scoff to yourself in the wind scooting you another foot to your right at its change in direction. “Run the race they said!” Ecthelion could be heard chuckling as you added, “It’ll be fun they said!” With shaking shoulders he took another turn as you grumbled out adjusting in the turn for the next steep hill, “Somebody owes me a deep dish pizza.” Each push of your feet had you listing the toppings and fillings to the stuffed crust you wanted, complete with breadsticks and dipping sauces until you were on the other side.

And all those things I didn't say

Wrecking balls inside my brain

I will scream them loud tonight

Can you hear my voice this time?

All together in the waiting busses the crowds moved to the end of the racing path to fill the waiting theater set up for the last ring of the race. Two stops in the biking portion gained you more bands for your arm bearing your assigned number, 48, the one your relatives had all worn for their first that everyone nearly demanded you get, a tradition shared with the other legacies.

Usually the race for them lasted 12 hours and for first timers could stretch to 18 at the slowest to date, and with this weather it seemed you clearly had the advantage for training in such harsh days over in Gondolin compared to the sunny paradise they were so accustomed.

A distant row of lights finally came into view marking clearly the location to park your bikes and claim yet another band once you had swapped your shoes. Under the sheets of rain you all but fell over, just barely catching yourself in climbing off your bike you set aside and hopped in removing your first shoe to set aside in the assigned bin there holding your fresh pair. Fully changed you turned seeing the next aid with a smile wishing you a safe path through the storm after Amras in his turn on the lead bike.

This is my fight song

Take back my life song

Prove I'm alright song

My power's turned on

Starting right now I'll be strong

I'll play my fight song

And I don't really care if nobody else believes

'Cause I've still got a lot of fight left in me

Everything hurt. No, hurt wasn’t even close to this. You had felt pain and this was something inhumane, and yet you kept rushing onwards through the storm imagining in the back of your mind hearing the echo of distant taunting bleats. Yet you kept on and refused to stop knowing from your relatives and Orophin that your body would adjust and numb to the pain eventually. But eventually was a far from comforting term right now, because you would reach the end eventually, you just hoped it would stop before then and not return as soon as you’d crossed that coveted line.

A lot of fight left in me

The final few miles came and even in this deluge the masses raced outside to be waiting around that finish line for you even if they would rush back for cover again right after. In the storm in a few staggering hills and near slips in rushing water to be flooded back down to the bottom of the hills again. You could hear echoes of running behind you stirring a smirk onto your lips at the oddly comforting death of your imagined thought that the others had all left you to this foolish race alone.

Like a small boat

On the ocean

Sending big waves

Into motion

Like how a single word

Can make a heart open

I might only have one match

But I can make an explosion

Steps fell behind you and in the gaps between gusts you could hear Thranduil’s off pitch wavering fast paced love song to keep himself on pace making you giggle mentally to yourself at your lack of strength to do so aloud now in your continued path ahead on sheer will alone. In a steady skid Amras stopped in his designated spot while you eyed the bend in the road, a former location of a now destroyed bridge from an old war you eyed your final stretch to victory. That bridge once marked the end and in the destruction of it and following earthquakes and tectonic shifts the cliff across from you rose adding another challenge to the heart stopping race. One would have to charge at the cliff and leap hoping to latch onto the distant rock wall to climb up to the last half mile.

“Don’t stop. Don’t stop.” You muttered running until you were already in the air. Fully aware of the net stretched out below and aids down there to assist those that had fallen to the finish line to accept their disqualified status, a trip you hoped you wouldn’t have to make.

This is my fight song

Take back my life song

Prove I'm alright song

My power's turned on

Starting right now I'll be strong (I'll be strong)

I'll play my fight song

And I don't really care if nobody else believes

'Cause I've still got a lot of fight left in me

Pouring rain, slick rock wall forty feet away, whatever idiot thought of this should be skinned alive. However to the crowds looking on at the massive screens set up all gasped at your pained cry in slamming hard into the wall before dropping out of view of the mounted cameras. Covering their mouths the group rooting for you all stared with baited breath at the second screen aimed at the empty net waiting for your confirmed fall with free hands clutching at one another until they all but collapsed seeing your hand stretching up into view.

Know I've still got a lot of fight left in me

“Duck-.” Whimpering between panted breaths you clutched the wall after your footing had slipped at the hard slam of your left wrist and knees into the wall. Just barely you had managed to catch yourself seeing below the concerned men below hoping none would fall, but mainly their eyes lingered on your pause to press your head against the wet stone in the rain to steady your breath as best you could in trying to ignore your clearly injured left arm. Unable to risk or tolerate holding your weight with it you planted your feet and remembered footage of your uncle competing one handed.

Behind you the clear sound of running grew and you heard Thranduil shout, “Right behind you! Keep going!” A firm slap of his final step was followed by another at his catching his landing and glance up to see you planting your forearm favoring your left hand, “Keep going.”

A whimper tailing after a pained groan came at the final reach up to grab the ledge roused the cheers that lulled for a moment at your forearm planting beside your hand and your pained expression. Clearly bloodied knees and a darkening and swelling left wrist explained your kneeling pause at the top as you collected yourself. Half a mile away cheers grew urging you onwards as you forced yourself up onto your feet pressing your injured arm against your middle. In awe the men cheering for you staring at the lightning lit expression returning to your face from earlier on in the race. Gone was the timid child they once knew, and in their shoes stood a determined woman.

A single shift of your weight led to the start of a finishing trot as your free hand clutched the other to hold it in place trying to ease your pain through the sheets of rain growing harder in Thranduil’s kneeling pause atop the ledge ensuring you were moving onwards still. On his own feet he readied to trot after you eyeing your pained trot and muddled proud and worried looks on your cheering groups’ faces on the other side of the line. Yet finally across the line in a trembling breath you barely managed to stop when arms folded around your middle and you heard your father saying, “Come on little bunny. Let’s get this arm looked at.”

In his own round of relieved hugs Thranduil was led after you towards the clinic set up with medics all having seen your injury occur had guesses as to what clearly must have occurred. A simple xray later and your whimpering exhales as your dislocated wrist was numbed and popped into place before it was wiped down and a woven silver cast was added over it nearly up to your elbow. Leaning back you stretched out your legs you were bouncing for the rocks to be removed and cuts to be cleaned and coated in healing creams to mend the small injuries. Soon enough you both were in the run down area where your relatives helped to stretch you and massage the muscles hoping to cramp at your abrupt stops.

In a glance over you couldn’t help but giggle seeing that Thranduil also had a splint on two of his fingers and several scrapes and nicks on his arms and lower legs that were healed. Jokes and teasing comments on your splits matching the chosen color for the banquet eased the tension on having to go injured but not the anticipation. Dried and changed you both joined the others to watch the screens until the others would start coming across the line, holding hands until the last had, and wouldn’t you know it, not a single bleat was to be heard from the weary teens. Though one did break free, from you, at the arrival of Frohm and two of his brothers who had slid off the ledge down to the net below.

Surprisingly within three hours the large group of teens had been wrangled up and you were safely off home where you found the same detailed masterpiece of a pizza you had grumbled for as detailed by Ecthellion who had sent word on ahead. Celebrations soon melted into an early bike ride for your cheering squad.

Giggling to yourself you helped Thranduil up off the unhelpful couch to head off to your bed. Heavily you settled against the pillow top mattress and pile of pillows under your fluffy comforter turning on a movie. A soft giggle from you turned his head to find you already peering up at him stirring a smile onto his face, “I would kiss you but I can’t move.”

Chuckling lowly he groaned in rolling onto his side to cup your cheek and lovingly kiss you on the lips, a soft hum followed at his forehead pressing to yours in a low groan, “We can kiss tomorrow.” Rolling back onto his back he folded his uninjured hand around yours saying, “It hurts to be on my side or I’d hold you.”

Weakly you giggled to yourself soon being joined by his chuckles at the pitiful state you found your first time alone as a couple in your bed, “When I can move you are in trouble.”

Again he chuckled and wiggled half an inch closer to you contently sighing feeling his eyes droop, “Not if I catch you first.” Halfway between consciousness and dreaming already you both hummed contently at your plummet into a well needed rest.

If there had ever been any reason to worry at leaving you both alone now assuredly would not be one of them. Both heavily exhausted and partly drugged for numbing your pain there was certainly no risk for grandbabies tonight as they all knew just how excruciating a cough could possibly be for you, let alone anything close to amorous.

Now they would focus on their own lead up to that familiar pain, leaving you both to your two days of snuggling between stolen kisses. Painfully you were able to get up on that third day. And through their suffering you would remain hand in hand watching diligently in the aggitatingly peaceful sunny day until they had crossed the finish line signaling your chance to get some food and more much needed rest in a pained snuggling pile through a favored movie.

All –

@himoverflowers, @theincaprincess, @aspiringtranslator, @sweeticedtea, @ggbbhehe4455, @thegreyberet, @patanghill17, @jesgisborne, @curvestrology, @alishlieb, @jogregor, @armitageadoration, @fizzyxcustard, @here2have-fun, @lilith15000, @marvels-ghost, @catthefearless, @imjusthereforthereads, @c-s-stars, @evyiione, @sweetlytenacious25, @tigereyesf

#Tale Teller’s 52 Week Writing Challenge #Thranduil x OC

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