The guests swarmed into the large hall, engaging in conversations with friends and strangers. Of course, it was a large wedding - a wedding as important as that of the King of Gondor and an Elven princess had to have a large guest list. Everyone was happy and looking forward to the ceremony, and there were people of all kinds here today: elves, hobbits, men, and dwarves.

Celeborn pushed his way through the crowd to where Eomer was discreetly trying to peek under the cloth on the banqueting table on the far side of the room. He jumped, startled as Celeborn put a hand on his shoulder.

"Oh it's you," he said, half pleased and half indignant.

"Why have you not washed your hair yet?" Celeborn said almost sadly, lifting a strand of Eomer's hair between his fingers. "It looks so pretty when it's brushed and curled..."

Eomer removed Celeborn's hand in annoyance. "It's the modern style, like you can talk anyway, you've had the same haircut for three thousand years, so I've heard."

"Once a stylish elf, always a stylish elf," Celeborn retorted.

Eomer just frowned. "Are you wearing the same outfit as me? I told you I'd be wearing this, after I was so kind as to lend you a pair of my shoes, too."

Celeborn raised his eyebrows. "It's a completely different outfit, can't you see this embroidery around the hem; it's gold, not purple! And besides, these are my own shoes, why would I borrow yours?"

"Well I wondered why you'd want them too, but I was being nice, unlike some people, and decided to give you mine, my best shoes too, that's why I'm wearing these ridiculous old ones of mine, I'm sure they're too small," Eomer said, before looking around the room carefully and then gazing pointedly towards a curtained recess behind the table. Celeborn nodded, and pretend to be distracted by the tablecloth while Eomer slipped into the recess, only for the elf to join him a few moments later.

Immediately the man caught him up in a passionate embrace, running his fingers through his hair and pressing their lips together fiercely. Celeborn responded by pushing close to Eomer and attempting to run his fingers through the man's hair, then giving up and put his hands on Eomer's waist instead. His tongue pushed gently on Eomer's lips, which parted to allow him access and the kiss deepened. Eomer's fingers tightened their grip on Celeborn's hair, so engaged with passion was he, and he pushed his hips closer to the elf's.

After a few seconds, Eomer broke away and scowled. "Though I don't know why you deserve that, after borrowing my shoes and wearing an identical outfit to mine."

"They're not your shoes," Celeborn said calmly, his hands not leaving Eomer's waist. "And this outfit is nothing like yours. Can you not see the gold?" He lifted his arms to show Eomer the hem on the sleeve.

"A minor difference," Eomer said, holding up his own. "Look, same pattern, just purple. It's hardly noticeable! What will people be thinking? Hopefully no ones noticed us yet and we can fix this situation before they do."

"If it really bothers you maybe you should just roll your sleeves up," suggested Celeborn. "Or cut the pattern off?"

"That's not going to make much difference! It's not about the bloody pattern!"

Celeborn ignored Eomer's protests and carefully examined the man's sleeve, beginning to pluck at a strand of embroidery.

"Hey, what are you doing?" Eomer cried, "Unpick your own embroidery!"

"You're the one with the problem, not me," Celeborn reminded him, still annoyingly calm. He pulled the strand carefully and the pattern began to undo.

"Someone is coming! Just cut it off!" Eomer whispered suddenly, hearing footsteps outside their recess. He pulled his sleeve away from Celeborn, trying to bite off the thread silently with his teeth.

The footsteps stopped outside the curtain, and voices could be heard.

"Merry, do you think there's food under that tablecloth?"

"I wouldn't be surprised, Pip."

"Shall we try and sneak some? I'm starving!"

"You always are! But how can we reach the table?"

Eomer sighed and leaned against Celeborn in exasperation. He knew they were going to be there some time. There were muffled grunts as Merry lifted Pippin onto his shoulders and they carefully tried to fill all their pockets with trifle.

Eomer stood back and observed Celeborn carefully, trying to work out a way to change his outfit. At last he took off his cloak, and Celeborn's, and taking a needle out of his pocket began to sew the two together.

"What are you doing?" hissed Celeborn.

"Making you a new outfit," whispered Eomer back.

Celeborn looked rather cross and peeped out of the curtains, but Merry and Pippin were still outside.

"I'm quite happy with my own outfit thank you," he whispered.

"Well I'm not!" Eomer held up the rather clumsy new outfit, and draped it over Celeborn's head.

Celeborn pushed his head through the nearest available hole and looked down at himself. The outfit rather resembled a purple poncho. "Hmm," he said. "If you insist."

"I do! And my feet hurt; please let me have my shoes back! Then this clothing problem will be resolved."

Celeborn gave Eomer a strange look. "They're not your shoes."

Merry and Pippin seemed to have disappeared, and so Celeborn strode out of the recess, Eomer following after a moment's cursing.

Celeborn was immediately set upon by a few women, who admired his new outfit with excitement.

"You look so dashing," one of them said, blushing.

Celeborn just winked at them and wandered off, wiggling his hips as he went. Eomer limped after him. "Will you not walk with me the rest of the way? I need to tell you something about your father's shoes."

He dragged Celeborn off into side corridor and nearly stumbled into Merry and Pippin who were sitting on the floor next to a heap of trifle. The two hobbits moved quicker than they'd ever been seen to move before, gathering up the trifle and scuttling away.

"I want my shoes back!" Eomer insisted. "Really! These shoes are killing me."

"Eomer, I don't know why you think they are your shoes, I think you should have a lie down."

"I don't want a lie down, I want my shoes back!"

"Your father's shoes?"

"What? Oh that, I just made that up in case anyone heard us. That's not the point Celeborn!"

"You see to have a shoe fascination, Eomer darling, I really think you should have a rest." Celeborn put his hand on Eomer's forehead in concern to check his temperature.

Eomer looked furious and stormed out of the corridor, announcing for a surprised Merry and Pippin's benefit, "I have to leave you now, but I promise to return your boat in the morning."

Celeborn sighed, and chuckled to himself.

As he stepped out into the hall again, another group of girls saw him and one fainted and had to be carried away.

"Seems like my new outfit is creating quite a stir," Celeborn said cheerfully to Eomer. "How ever can I thank you?"

"By giving my shoes back," Eomer said, through gritted teeth.

"Oh, I would, I promise you, if I had your shoes," Celeborn assured him. "I really can't think what you've done with them."

Eomer said nothing, but glared at Celeborn.

"Well really," Celeborn said, hands on his hips. "I've come all this way to see you and you're acting very hostile. Anyone would think you didn't love me after all."

"Shh!" Eomer said, looking around furtively.

"I do like your outfit, Celeborn," Legolas said, impressed. "Very original."

"It is, rather, isn't it?" Celeborn smiled, doing a little twirl.

Legolas smiled, and moved on.

Eomer glared some more.

"Why can't you be how you used to be?" Celeborn continued. "You used to be so loving, and romantic, now I just feel neglected." He sniffed.

"Shhh! Not in public!" Eomer hissed, blushing.

"Won't you do, that thing you used to do?" Celeborn asked, wiping away a few tears. "I used to love that so much, I'd really know you cared then."

"If it pleases you, I will do it again; but I don't think the horse enjoyed it much," Eomer said, a faint smile appearing on his lips. "But later, later."

Celeborn sniffed and smiled a little. "Promise?"

"I promise." Eomer nodded. "I'm sorry," he added, in a whisper.

"Prove it." Celeborn smiled slyly, and Eomer frowned in mock annoyance. He nodded towards the curtained recess again, and grinned before walking towards it.

Celeborn decided to wait a bit longer this time before joining him; it wasn't good for Eomer to be so impatient. He hesitated by the table again, feeling rather hungry. They always had to wait so long for food at these types of events, especially Elven ones. He'd been to far more weddings and coronations then he cared to remember and he was getting rather sick of it now. Indeed he'd only come to this one because of a rumour that Eomer would be there. He chuckled a little to himself at Eomer's behaviour; he loved Eomer dearly but it was such fun to wind him up.

A slight scuffle at his feet made him look down in confusion. Lifting up the edge of the tablecloth he saw Merry and Pippin under the table, surrounded by jelly and other dessert items. Celeborn felt rather relieved that they were still fully clothed, and said quickly: "I won't tell anyone about this if you give me some of that jelly."

Eomer watched this from behind the curtain in glee. Everything was going perfectly.