When Worlds Collide: The Big Comedown

“Hmmm, this is nice.”  Severus pulled Haldir closer, gently kissing his forehead.  Haldir closed his eyes and laid his head on Severus’ shoulder.  “Yes, it is.”  He agreed.  They sat together on the sofa, both enjoying the feeling of closeness, both bodies relaxed in post-coital satisfaction.  A blanket was draped over their naked forms and under the blanket, their fingers were intertwined.  Both Elf and man wore contented smiles.  Their bliss was shattered however, when the front door was thrown open and Haldir’s two brothers came crashing into the flat.  Severus pulled the blanket up to his chin.  His sense of modesty had relaxed with Haldir – it was hard to remain shy when he had been witnessed in the throes of passion on a regular basis.  The brothers on the other hand remained virtual strangers and Severus still felt uncomfortable around them.  Orophin in particular.  Rumil was just plain weird, but there was something about Orophin…

“Wheeeeeee!  Brrrrrrrrrrrrrooooowwwwrrrrrr!”  Rumil ran into the room, arms outstretched.  He ran around the sofa making engine noises and grinning madly.  Haldir gazed at his brother in wonder then glanced at Severus who was wearing his trademark scowl.  “That boy’s not right in the head.”  Severus commented to his lover.  Unfortunately, as the words left his mouth Orophin walked into the room.  Orophin gave Severus a black look, Severus responded in kind.  Haldir caught the exchange of glares and thought to step in.  “Orophin!  Rumil!  Great to see you back – did you have a good time?”  Orophin tore his eyes away from Severus and looked at Haldir.  After a moment’s hesitation, he broke into a huge grin and leaned down to hug Haldir tightly.  “We had a fantastic time.  Oops – sorry.”  Orophin’s rucksack had snagged the blanket, pulling it from Severus and exposing the man’s chest.  Haldir shimmied out from under the cover, completely comfortable in his naked state.  Severus grabbed the blanket, wrapped it around his body and shuffled off to Haldir’s bedroom.

“Wheeeeee!  Mrrrraaaaarrrrroooowwwwww!  ‘Scuse I.”  Haldir stepped out of the way as Rumil “flew” past.  Haldir raised a questioning eyebrow to Orophin.  “Care to explain what’s up with him?”  Haldir jabbed a thumb in Rumil’s direction.  Rumil ran past again.  Halfway around his next circuit of the sofa he stopped, turned around and addressed Haldir.  “Why are you naked?  Monkeys steal your clothes?  They stole mine once.  Bad monkeys.  I hid their bananas.  You’re totally nude.  Wheeeeee!”  Rumil took off again.  Orophin dropped his rucksack onto the sofa then flopped down beside it.  He reached into his rucksack and pulled out an empty bag, followed by another and then another.  He held them up to Haldir.  Haldir took the bags and turned them over in his hand.  “What are these?”  Orophin sighed.  “They were packets of stroopwafels.  We were bringing them back from our trip.  Rumil got hungry on the flight and ate them.  All of them.”  Haldir looked puzzled.  “Stroopwafels?  What are they?”  He asked Orophin.  Orophin explained, “They’re sorta biscuity kinda things.  Waffles with syrup in the middle.”  Haldir’s mouth formed an ‘O’ and his eyes followed Rumil’s path around the room.  “Syrup.  Sugary syrup?”  Orophin nodded and replied, “He’s on a sugar high.  You think he’s bad now, wait till he comes down.”  Haldir joined Orophin on the sofa, buried his head in his hands and groaned.  Orophin looked around, there was a sudden absence of noise from Rumil.  “Where’s he gone?”  Orophin’s question was answered by a shout from Severus.  “Get out of here you dunderhead!” 

A short time later, Orophin tipped some tea leaves into a pot, added hot water then stirred.  The crash had come.  Rumil was sprawled on the sofa, clutching his head occasionally whimpering.  Orophin poured a cup of tea and took it through to his brother.  Passing the cup to Rumil, Orophin said, “Don’t worry – I didn’t put any sugar in it.”  Rumil groaned.  Raised voices filtered through from Haldir’s bedroom.  Rumil had burst into the bathroom while Severus had been showering; Severus took exception to the interruption and yelled at Rumil, calling him a dunderhead.  At that point, Rumil had come down from his sugar high and burst into tears.  Severus had been unsympathetic of the Elf’s crying and forcibly shoved him out of the bathroom.  Rumil tripped on the hall rug and was sent crashing into the telephone table, knocking down a vase which landed on his head.  Orophin and Haldir rushed out of the living room to find Rumil howling at his hurt backside, sore head and loss of dignity.  The bathroom door opened and Severus stomped out, grumbling.  He took one look at Rumil and said, “You are an ignorant, rude, annoying, strange child.  Stay away from me.”  With that, Severus stalked into Haldir’s bedroom, slamming the door behind him.  Orophin helped Rumil up and escorted him to the sofa while Haldir went to talk to Severus.

“All I’m saying is that walking in on you in the shower hardly warrants a beating.”  Haldir’s exasperation led him to pace around his bedroom, fingers working furiously to tie his dressing gown cord.  He shook his head.  “Was it really necessary?”  Severus stood his ground.  “I didn’t give him a beating – I pushed him.  It is not my fault that your brother is clumsy and stupid.  Was he dropped on his head as a baby?”  Severus smirked.  Haldir’s eyes narrowed.  “I beg your pardon?”  Severus shrugged.  “There must be some explanation.  He’s just not normal, is he?  As for the other one…”  Severus shuddered.  He thought of the few times he’d been alone in a room with Orophin.  He always felt as though he was walking on eggshells around Haldir’s youngest brother, one wrong move and the dangerous-looking Elf might tear him limb from limb.  He was not aware of having done anything to cause Orophin to dislike him so much, the Elf just did.  Truth be told, Severus did not particularly like Orophin.  Frankly, Orophin gave him the creeps.  He frequently looked down on the man with an expression of mistrust and barely concealed disgust.  Perhaps he was speciesist?  Whatever the reason, Severus felt uncomfortable in the presence of Haldir’s brother, so avoided him whenever possible.

“I don’t like him.”  Rumil mumbled and glanced in the direction of Haldir’s bedroom.  “I just don’t like that man.  There’s something about him.  Why does Haldir like him so much, anyway?”   Orophin and Rumil were in their bedroom, unpacking.  Orophin looked up from his luggage and shrugged.  Rumil continued, “You don’t like him either, do you?  I’ve seen the way you look at him.”  Orophin remained silent.  It was true, Orophin did not like Severus.  Moreover, Orophin did not trust Severus.  Orophin sighed and shoved his now empty rucksack under his bed.  Tea and toast.  That was what he needed.  He left Rumil to his own devices and wandered through to the kitchen.  He looked in the breadbin – empty.  “I suppose that means I’ll have to go shopping.”  Orophin said to himself.  He winced as he heard Haldir’s bedroom door slam, again.  He listened to the heavy footsteps coming down the hall and into the kitchen.  He turned and watched as Severus strode into the kitchen, took a glass from the cupboard and poured himself a glass of whiskey.  Severus downed his drink in one gulp and poured another.  He raised the glass to his lips, and then stopped seemingly noticing Orophin for the first time.  He looked sourly at the Elf.  “What?”  He sneered and knocked back his drink.   “I suppose you’re happy that we’re arguing.”  Severus didn’t feel like walking on eggshells this time.  He was raging at Haldir and that rage spilled over towards Haldir’s brothers, after all they were the reason that he and Haldir were arguing.  A small smile played around Orophin’s lips.  He walked – stalked – over to Severus, a dangerous glint in his eyes.  He leaned over and growled into the man’s ear, “Yes, now that you mention it I am rather pleased.”  Severus felt Orophin’s breath, hot on his ear and neck.  He swallowed hard and forced himself not to cower away.  With a venomous tone, Orophin said “In fact, I’d be overjoyed if my brother ended your relationship.  I see you for what you really are wizard, even if Haldir doesn’t.  Quite why he hasn’t yet seen your true colours is beyond me, but I have.  I think Rumil has too.  You’re not what you pretend to be.  There is darkness about you, something evil and rotten.” 

Orophin took Severus’ glass from him and placed it on the counter.  “I think it would be best if you left.  You’ve had your fun with my brother, but really when you think about it, the two of you aren’t suited.  You’re as different as night and day, dark and light, good and evil.”  Severus looked over Orophin’s shoulder and saw Rumil in the doorway.  He looked back at Orophin.  “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”  Orophin snorted disdainfully.  “I know more than you think.  I know there’s something wrong about you.  I can practically smell it.”  Rumil joined his brother and added, “And you’re mean.”  Orophin glared pointedly at Rumil.  Severus suddenly felt very nervous.  Orophin had a point.  For the past few weeks, he himself had been questioning his relationship with Haldir.  His life away from the Elf was changing.  He knew that he was heading down a dark path.  Perhaps it was better to leave and never return.  Save Haldir the heartbreak of knowing what Severus was capable of.  Save Haldir having to know about… 

“You’re right.”  Severus’ shoulders slumped.  “I love your brother with all my heart, but you’re right.  I should go.  He doesn’t deserve me.  He doesn’t deserve what I’ve done or what I’m going to do.”  He looked up at Orophin, tears blurring his vision.  “Tell him I’m sorry.  Tell him I love him.”  With that, Severus moved away from Orophin and Rumil and walked out of the kitchen.  Orophin followed.  “For what it’s worth, Severus, you’ve made our brother happy these past few months.  If your circumstances were different then maybe this wouldn’t have happened.  You have your fate laid out for you.  I respect you for making this choice.  I respect you for not making me make this choice for you.”  Severus cast a longing look up the hall in the direction of his lover’s bedroom.  With one final look at Orophin, he opened the door and stepped out of the flat – and out of the lives of the three brothers forever.

The end

Notes: Much thanks again to my Beta, Athos!  Also huge hugs and thanks to my pal, Lauren.  I have to admit that I've never read a single Harry Potter novel (nor do I intend to, thank you very much!) and have only seen the first two movies.  Without Lauren's help, I wouldn't have been able to write as much as I have about Severus Snape.  She gave me all the details I needed (as well as informing me of his fate in the new book).  The reason I've chosen to end this relationship is simple, I just don't know enough about Snape to keep on writing about him.  Hopefully Haldir will forgive me!