"Stop it, Elladan, you know I hate it when you do that," Elrohir giggled and tried to push away his brother. "We'll both end up in the water and it's freezing cold. If you want to get sick, I don't." The older twin laughed merrily, totally unimpressed by his brother's warning. It was the first time they had been allowed to stay away from home for longer than a week and he wanted to enjoy this time.

It took some time until Elrohir gave up his fight and Elladan smirked down at him, pushing more snow beneath the already wet and cold clothes. "Why didn't they notice that my twin brother was exchanged with an Orc-child when we were two years old?" For a short moment Elladan stopped his actions, totally surprised by the cheeky insult. Then he doubled his efforts to show his brother who was the stronger by holding him down with one hand while he mercilessly pushed more snow beneath the tunic.

The younger twin looked up at his brother with an almost patient expression, causing his brother to stop immediatly. "What are you plotting?" Elrohir smiled sweetly. "I would never plot against you, dearest brother, you know that." Elladan's expression showed that he was pretty unsure whether he could believe those words, but he decided not to comment on them.

Instead he stood up and helped his brother to get up as well. "Well you did lose, didn't you? I am still stronger than you are and I will remain so." Elrohir raised one eyebrow, arrogantly mirroring his father's favourite gesture and shrugged. "You may be stronger, I am smarter than you are though." Without more words he easily climed one of the trees and immediatly started to throw the snow that was covering it down at his brother.

"Daro," Elladan tried to sound serious but knew that he got exactly what he deserved. But instead of giving in he climed up the tree as well and grabbed his brother's arms. "I told you to stop, didn't I?" The younger twin smirked. Neither of them ever stopped before the other really started to feel bad, they were young teases as Erestor often chided them and it didn't help anything if one of their father's advisors told them off.

They listened to noone but their parents and as their mother didn't mind about their behaviour it was their father's task to try to raise them. "This is no way for a prince to behave," Elrohir chided his brother and both of them burst into laughter. Both Glorfindel and Erestor were among their favourite victims for tricks and antics. Once they had calmed down again Elladan tried his best to mirror Erestor's expression. "It isn't kind of you to imitate your mentor."

Elrohir wrinkled his nose. "He only says that because he's taking Glorfindel to bed." Elladan starred at his twin, pretending to be shocked by his words. "He tucks Lord Glorfindel in?" The younger brother nodded. "I have seen them kissing in the corridor only yesterday," he whispered as if he didn't dare to speak about it freely.

"What is kissing?" His brother asked innocently and Elrohir barely held back his laughter. "I could show you, if you wish," he informed his brother, and, before Elladan could react he grabbed his brother's body and pulled him close. "You pull your partner against your own body." He searched his twin's eyes and noticed that his brother didn't mind to proceed in the joke upon their mentors. "Then you make sure that the other person wants you."

Elladan laughed, but bit his lip in order not to destroy the mood. And then he felt his brother's lips against his own, sweetly touching him as if to kiss him goodnight before they went to bed. But then, all of a sudden he felt his brother's tongue, parting his lips and teasing his tongue. He closed his eyes and suddenly felt the urge to hold his brother closer, leaning into the kiss without regret.

Neither of them would tell anyone, they knew their secrets were safe with the other and he adored the sweet, tingling feeling inside himself. The low moan he heard from his brother's throat encouraged him and he started to plunder his twin's mouth in return, fighting Elrohir's tongue back and following it before his brother could pull back.

When the kiss stopped neither of them said a word for a few moments. It had been a foolish idea, something they hadn't tried before, but still it had felt good and Elladan leaned against his brother's shoulder. "I might need your lessons again, dearest prince Elrohir," he whispered and Elrohir smiled at him. "I will happily aid you with all my skills, dearest prince Elladan."

"We should climb down, brother, it is time to set up our camp for today." The other twin nodded in return and they quickly climbed off the tree, scanning the ground for a proper place to sleep. It didn't take long as they had been out before and they prepared their bedrolls within a few minutes. Then, when they lay there, starring at the sky and watching Earendil with the whole adoration that only his grandsons could offer to his star, Elrohir searched his brother's hand. "Im mela lle, gwanur," he whispered and it was Elladan's turn to smile.

"I love you as well, brother," he whispered back and pulled his twin near, allowing his arms to rest around the slender waist that was so similar to his own. "I could stay like this forever, just you and me and the stars to protect us from evil." Elrohir smiled at the thought and nodded, he surely liked the idea to do this again, leave Imladris with noone but his brother and enjoy having him around.

Even though Elladan could be rough and stupid at times they were brothers, the bond they shared was special and nothing could be sweeter than exploring the feelings that had started, far, far away from anyone who could chide them for what they were doing. With a happy smile on his face he drifted to the realm of dreams, knowing that his brother was near and that he would follow him to the same dreams as always.