Ringing in the New Year Part 2

Haldir looked at Legolas’ guest in surprise.  “Of course I don’t mind.  The more the merrier.”  He gestured for the other Elf to enter.  “Welcome to my new home, altho’ of course you’ve seen it before, Thranduil.”  He hugged Thranduil in greeting.

“Here you go, Haldir.  A housewarming-come-Christmas-come-Hogmanay present for you.”  Thranduil handed Haldir a bottle of Talisker whisky.  “I picked it up when I visited Skye in the summer.” 

Haldir looked appraisingly at the bottle.  “Good choice.  Fancy a wee nip just now?”  Thranduil cocked his head as if to say, ‘you have to ask?’.  “I’ll just get some glasses.”  Haldir walked over to the drinks cabinet and pulled out enough glasses for everyone.  He poured a carefully measure nip into each glass and set about distributing them.  It was only when he had one left over that he noticed Dave hadn’t joined them.  He took Dave’s glass and his own through to the kitchen.  Dave was still sitting at the breakfast bar.

“Legolas and Thranduil are here.  Won’t you join us?”  He handed the glass of whisky to Dave.

“I’m sorry about earlier.  It was inappropriate.”  Dave sipped his drink.  “Hmmm, nice.  Talisker?”  Before Haldir had a chance to answer, Dave continued.  “It was a spur of the moment thing.  It’s too soon for that.”

“Oh yes, much too soon.  Don’t think anything of it.  Now, if you’re going to come and join us, how about helping me take some of the food through?”

The party was in full swing.  Orophin and Legolas had retreated to the conservatory to swap Christmas gifts.  Thranduil was deep in conversation with Dave and Mr Potter from the village shop.  A few of the other villagers were admiring Haldir’s collection of weaponry, laughing at the stories Haldir had to tell about each piece.  And what of Rumil?  Well, Rumil was entertaining a little girl named Daisy.

“I’m so sorry, my mother fell ill and I really wanted to come to the party.  Are you sure Haldir doesn’t mind?”  Cassie chewed on her bottom lip.  Her mother was supposed to have been looking after Daisy but had been struck down with a tummy bug so she had brought her daughter along to the party.

“Of course he doesn’t mind.  Besides, we’re having fun here aren’t we, Daisy?”  Rumil made a silly face at Daisy, making her laugh raucously.  “Besides, it’s nice to meet you.  Both of you.  It’s a pleasure to spend some time with two such beautiful ladies.”  Rumil noticed that Cassie blushed at his complement and felt pleasure at the reaction.

“Do you have any children?”  A small voice drew Rumil’s attention away from Cassie.

“Daisy!  I’ve told you before about that.  I’m sorry Rumil, she asks everyone.  There aren’t many children in the village and I think she gets lonely sometimes.”  Cassie shrugged sadly.

“I’m afraid I don’t have any children, but that’s a good thing.  That means when I visit my brother I’ll be able to spend more time playing with you.”  Daisy looked satisfied with that answer and crawled up onto Rumil’s lap, threw her arms around his neck and gave him a sloppy kiss on the cheek.

“That’s in case I fall asleep and I can’t wish you a happy new year.”  Daisy grinned.  “Mummy, you had better remember to kiss Rumil at midnight.  She has to, doesn’t she Rumil?” 

Cassie blushed again at her daughter’s forthrightness and again, Rumil enjoyed the vision before him.  He gave a light chuckle.  “Kids, eh?  Still, she makes a good point don’t you think?  I hope you won’t forget me at the bells.”  Aaaah, such pretty, pink cheeks.  Rumil thought he’d like to see more of that and promised himself he’d visit Haldir more often in the future.

“And that’s why you should never poke an Orc in the eye without first covering your horse with a blanket.”  The group around Haldir laughed at his joke, despite most of them not fully understanding it.  He had slowed his drinking at Dave’s suggestion and had been nursing the same glass of wine for the best part of an hour now.  A quick glance at the clock told him that the midnight hour was fast approaching.  He made his excuses to his guests and went through to the kitchen to ready the Champagne.  He had just popped the cork from the last bottle when he felt a pair of hands slide around his chest to grip him tightly.

“Oh Mr Haldir. This is such a lovely party.  I was so pleased to have received your invitation and although I was a little surprised when I found out that your brother was actually in a relationship with that other fellow, it hasn’t spoiled my evening at all.”

“I’m glad you’re enjoying yourself, Mrs Granger.”  Haldir gasped, surprised at how tight the elderly woman’s grip was.

“Oh yes.  The late Mr Granger and I used to throw the most wonderful Hogmanay parties.  We invited the whole village and there was singing and drinking a-plenty, I can tell you.  We never had, well...homosexuals at our parties, but times are changing, aren’t they?  Oooh – is that Champagne?”  Mrs Granger withdrew her arms and snatched one of the newly filled glasses then tottered back to the living room, passing Dave on the way and pinching one of his cheeks.

“Isn’t she a bit young for you?”  Dave commented.  Haldir laughed in response and continued filling glasses.  Dave appeared beside him and Haldir noticed his cheeks held a distinct flush.

“I thought you warned me about the dangers of drinking too much?”  Haldir scolded as Dave helped himself to a glass of Champagne.  Dave shrugged in response and downed his drink, then held it out for a refill.

“Dutch courage?”  Dave grinned, setting his new glass down on the counter.

“For what?”  Haldir raised his eyebrows when Dave took the Champagne bottle from his hand and set that down beside the glasses.

“This...”  Dave wrapped one arm around Haldir’s waist and the other cupped the back of Haldir’s head, pulling him forward.  “I didn’t want to wait until midnight.”  Dave drew Haldir in and kissed him lightly on the lips.  For a split-second, shock made Haldir unresponsive but then instinct kicked in.  Slipping his arms around the other Elf, Haldir kissed Dave back, again lightly.  Their eyes locked and neither moved until Dave brought his hand around and gently stroked Haldir’s jaw line. 

“It’s almost midnight.  Where’s that Champagne?  Oh!”  Orophin skidded to a halt on the polished kitchen floor.  “Um, I’ll just take the tray through, shall I?”  He reached around Haldir and Dave and grabbed the tray with the glasses.  “Um...happy new year, I guess.”  Orophin beat a hasty retreat.

“Do you think he noticed anything?”  Haldir giggled, still wrapped in Dave’s embrace.

“I don’t think so.”  Dave giggled back, still stroking Haldir’s smooth skin.  They heard muffled cheers and exploding party poppers from the living room.  “Happy new year, Haldir.”

“Happy new year, Dave.”  Lips met once more, but there was nothing brief or light about this kiss.  Haldir was the first to part his lips, his tongue searching for Dave’s, hands gripping the other Elf tightly.  Although he had been the instigator of the kiss, Dave was more than happy to let Haldir lead, surrendering fully to the probing tongue and hungry lips.

In the living room, new year’s kisses were being swapped.  Mrs Granger was circling the room, collecting kisses from all the males.  Daisy, too was running around gathering as many kisses as she could.  After Legolas and Orophin had done their duties with Mrs Granger and Daisy, they faced each other.

“Before I kiss you, there’s something I want to say.”  Legolas licked his lips, nervously.  “I know that we’ve been here before and well, let’s just say it hasn’t worked in the past.  This time feels different somehow.  It feels better.  It feels more...right.  Do you understand what I’m saying?” 

“I understand.  Legolas, I love you.” 

“You do?  I mean...that’s what I was going to say!  Oh, Orophin!  I love you too!”  Legolas held back from squealing like a girl so he could kiss Orophin as deeply and as sweetly as he possibly could.

“I do hope you’re not forgetting your promise to Daisy?”  Rumil slipped an arm around Cassie’s waist, pulling her close.  “About that new year’s kiss, I mean.” 

“Um, of course not.”  Cassie stood on her tip-toes and kissed Rumil on the cheek then blushed furiously and looked away.

“You call that a kiss?  I am disappointed.”  Rumil chuckled.  He held onto Cassie tightly, dipped her then kissed her fully on the lips.  He held the kiss for a moment then pulled away.  “I’m sorry – am I being too forward?”  He flashed Cassie a cheeky grin.

“No, not at all!”  Rumil took her answer to be a good sign.

“How about a proper kiss then?”  He pulled her upright, placed a hand on each of her cheeks and kissed her again.  The kiss was broken only when a small hand tugged on his shirt.

“Are you trying to eat her, for goodness sake?”  Rumil and Cassie looked down to see Daisy looking very serious, hands on her hips.  The pair laughed.

“Oh well, maybe next time?”  Rumil slipped one hand into Cassie’s and the other hand into Daisy’s. 

Dave leaned against Haldir.  They had decided to rejoin the party.  By that point, Legolas and Orophin had snuck off to the guest room, Mrs Granger was snoring soundly in the corner, an empty Champagne flute dangling from her hand, Thranduil was pacing around the garden trying to get a signal on his mobile ‘phone and Rumil had decided to walk Cassie and Daisy home.  The rest lingered and had been joined shortly after midnight by a few others – including Geoff, who had gathered up a few of his friends and decided to first foot Haldir.  More whisky was opened and poured and almost all of the food was consumed.  Haldir looked around the room, and sighed happily.

“So, did you have a good time in the end?” 

Haldir looked down at Dave and smiled.  “Oh yes, definitely the best Hogmanay I’ve had in well over a century.  Thanks to you.”  Haldir placed a gentle kiss on Dave’s nose.  “Happy new year.”

“Happy new year to you, too.”

The end