Title: Flame

Author: Khylea

Rating: NC-17

Pairing: Elrond/Glorfindel

Archive: Feel free, just drop me a URL where I can visit it please sl_chester@hotmail.com

Disclaimer: I do not own these Elves. Damn. No profit being made. Double damn. Can I just perv out on them now and then? Yeah? Wee!

Feedback: Hit me baby, one more time!

Beta: Manon the Magnificent

Summary: Elrond has an idea for a rather unusual way of curing Glorfindel of his fear of fire.

Author's Notes: Inspired by the Daily Drabble word for April 14^th on lotrallslash. The word was "match"....which ironically, there are no matches in this fic, but the starter word got me thinking in the direction of match->flame, so seems only fair to give them credit.

Dedicated to Nesrie, because she writes such a lovely Elrond.

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"Are you ready?" the voice whispered, causing Glorfindel to jump, but nod. His eyes widened as he saw the torch come closer, and he hesitated for a long moment before reaching out to take it in his hand. "I am here, love," the voice whispered again, this time closer. "Everything is at your command. It stops when you wish it to."

Glorfindel nodded again, staring at the flame for a long time, lost in memories. Flame. Ironic how such a thing could cause such fear, such terror. It had not been that way previously. He had been the same as any other elf, carrying a torch high to ward off the Dark One's servants, poking at the campfire at night, playing the 'who can get their boot the closest to the hearth without having it burst into flame' game with the other young, reckless elves.

But all that had changed. Changed with his death, and not been healed by his rebirth. Though the Balrog had inflicted many wounds on him, and though the fall itself, not the fell creature, had been what had actually ended his life, it was the flame that he remembered. It was the flame that haunted him, that woke him from nightmares, shivering in his lover's arms. The dreams were never of the betrayal of one he considered a friend, nor of the sickening feel of the pathway falling away under his feet as the creature pulled him to his death, nor the sight of his friend and comrade drowning under the massive weight of the Lord of the Balrogs.

No, it was none of those. The flame....always the flame was what he dreamed about. The smell of charring flesh, the heat, the sight of his skin being burnt away, seeing his bones underneath. He had thought that over time, the nightmares would diminish, but they never had. He still was weary....or if he was truly honest with himself....downright terrified of flame. He still sat at the far end of the Hall of Fire, not able to enjoy the warmth of companionship or the fire itself. He still curled shivering in his bedroll on the coldest nights rather than light a fire to warm himself. His lover still avoided lighting the scented candles he so loved in respect for Glorfindel's fear of even the smallest flame.

But no more, he told himself. Enough was enough. It was time to move on. He had smiled when his dignified lover blushed as he explained what he had in mind. And though Glorfindel had teased him, the idea had intrigued him. It was simple really. His fear of flame was due to what had happened to him when last he was exposed to it. If he could replace those negative associations, displace them with something positive....nay, something so pleasurable, he was often reduced to begging his lover for it....

"Whenever you are ready," Elrond's voice cut through his memories, causing him to shake his head, bringing himself back to the present. For a long time he stared at the torch. So harmless, peacefully flickering. How could such a simple thing cause him such terror? There were hundreds of these torches around Rivendell, lighting the dark hallways. The others all saw them as a comfort, as a source of light and warmth. How could he be so terrified of them that when walking by one, he was forced to press to the other side of the hallway so as not to feel even the slightest hint of their warmth?

After a long while, he looked down at his naked body, seeing his lover lying equally naked next to him on the bed, his hand curled loosely around Glorfindel's erect shaft. The slim, delicate fingers moved slowly up and down the hard flesh, keeping him stimulated yet not drawing him any closer to his eventual release. He looked back at the flame, moving it a tiny bit closer to his face, so small an amount as to be invisible to any but elven eyes, and sighed softly as Elrond gave one quick, firm stroke to his arousal. Another small movement closer, another stroke.

He shifted on the bed, trying to push himself more into Elrond's touch, but his lover pulled his hand fully away, shaking his head. That was not what they had agreed on. Swallowing hard, Glorfindel raised his other hand, moving it closer and closer to the flame he held, until he could feel the heat on his palm. His breath came fast as he fought to not pull it away and just when he thought he could bear no more, his lover's hand moved to his aching flesh again, rewarding him with gentle, though firm strokes, strokes that did not stop as long as he kept his hand near enough to feel the warmth.

Glorfindel whimpered softly, his body responding to the touches as his lover touched him just how he knew Glorfindel wanted. Elrond was a skilled lover, able to keep his partner on the edge of climax for hours if he wished, before finally allowing him to crash over. Shifting position on the bed, Elrond moved closer, his hand never stilling on Glorfindel's shaft. "You want my mouth, don't you?" he whispered into Glorfindel's ear, causing the blonde to nod. "Then bring it closer. It will not harm you....your mind knows this, Glorfindel. Force your mind to overwhelm your memories."

Glorfindel nodded....he did know....the intellectual part of his mind knew that flame, though having the possibility to hurt, was not something to be terrified of. It should be respected for its power, yes. But only the animals were terrified of fire.

With a deep breath, he dropped his free hand away from the torch and brought the flame closer to his unprotected chest, feeling the hand on his shaft move quicker. Closer still....more pleasure from his lover's hand. But finally there came a point when Elrond ceased his actions, moving his hand away from his lover's arousal. "I will do no more until you feel the warmth, Glorfindel," he whispered, gently sucking on his lover's earlobe. "You must feel the warmth on your face. Then and only then will you feel my mouth where you desire it most."

Glorfindel stared at the torch for a long moment before slowly moving it closer. There was no danger, he reminded himself. Elrond was here. Even if he did burn himself, his lover would heal him almost instantly. There was no Balrog. There were no refugees he was fighting desperately to protect. It was just him, and his love, and the flame. He could do this. He could.

He saw Elrond shift position, shivered as he felt his lover's tongue flick along his hipbone. Valar, he wanted to feel Elrond's mouth so badly. It had been so long. Weeks....they had agreed to forego that one pleasure for many weeks, so the pleasant associations could be as strong as they possibly could, the longing and need so powerful as to overwhelm the fear.

"Please...." Glorfindel whispered as the tickling tongue moved closer, the warm breath stirring the downy hairs at the base of his shaft. "Please, Elrond....I need you...."

"You know what is required, Glorfindel," Elrond whispered back. "Feel the heat and I will give you what your body aches for." Glorfindel moaned softly, leaning his head back against the headboard. So easy....it was so easy....he could do this. He could. The torch began moving closer again, the mouth moved closer to his aching shaft. He could not help himself, shifting closer to his lover's mouth, but Elrond gently pushed him down against the bed, not letting him dictate the pace. Just a little further...he could feel the warmth on his cheek now....

"Warmth...." he gasped as Elrond's mouth closed over the head of his shaft. His mind was swimming in pleasure and anticipation, but Elrond was patient. Though he was softly licking and nibbling on the head, he refused to go any further.....and finally the desire, the anticipation, caused Glorfindel's self control to shatter. He quickly moved the torch closer, feeling the skin of his face flush from the heat, but suddenly it did not matter....his shaft was fully in Elrond's mouth, his lover was sucking and licking on him with abandon, intending on bringing Glorfindel to a mind-blowing climax.

The blonde writhed on the bed, gripping the torch tightly in his hand, suddenly uncaring as to where it went. Sometimes it was far away, other times close enough to blister his skin. He simply no longer cared. The pleasure....the pleasure his love was giving him, that was all that mattered. He knew he would not last long under the sensual assault and when Elrond slipped one oiled finger inside of him, he lost it, arching his back and coming with a mighty cry.

Elrond continued his actions, using his free hand to reach up and catch the torch before Glorfindel dropped it on the bed, lost in the mindless sensations of a powerful climax. Finally when he felt his lover sag underneath him, he gently withdrew and placed the torch in the wall sconce above their bed....the sconce that had gone unused for the many long years they had been together. But he knew it was different now....Glorfindel would be alright. The fear was not magically gone, nor did Elrond think it ever would be. But it was at a manageable level, the terror of before was ended.

Gently he slid down next to his lover, pulling Glorfindel into a snug embrace. His fingers moved carefully over a blistered patch of skin on Glorfindel's chest, rubbing a soothing salve onto the wound and allowing his healing energies to enter the wound, to heal it. He saw Glorfindel was watching him as he moved to another spot. "You were burned, my love," he whispered. "And it was not so bad, was it?" Glorfindel shook his head, turning to look at the torch above their bed. The fear was not gone....but it was not the paralyzing terror of before. And he had felt fear before. He could deal with fear.

"Thank you," he whispered as he pulled Elrond closer, laying his head on his lover's chest, sighing in delight as he felt those delicate hands soothe and relax him.

"No thanks are necessary, my love," Elrond whispered back. "Now sleep....and dream of pleasure, not of fear...."

Glorfindel nodded, letting his eyes close in sleep. His love watched him for a long time, assuring himself Glorfindel's dreams were pleasant, and when he saw Glorfindel moan softly and move his hips in his sleep, smiled and gently kissed him on the forehead. Pleasure indeed....

END