Barduil Month 2024

This is a blog for Barduil Month 2023, which celebrates the pairing Bard the Bowman/Thranduil Oropherion from The Hobbit and will run from April 1 to April 30, 2024! See our pinned post for event details and FAQ!

[plutolichen]

A scene from chapter twelve of @scary-grace's fic, Kairos!

Every day. Every day between that day and the last one, he saw her. He never thought to live without her, and now he is, and even that last morning when they were tired and worried and not terrified yet, he was happier than he has been since she died. He thinks. Maybe. Sometimes he catches flashes of it – a different kind of happiness than before – but it’s likely his imagination. Being alive feels much less like a chore than it did at first, but that does not mean he still doesn’t wish – You don’t have to wish that, Rirosseth says. I don’t want you to wish that. Thranduil rolls over onto his back and stairs at the ceiling once more. His hair is stuck to his shoulders, to the side of his neck, and he peels it away. The air is so hot, and so still. Would it be too much to ask for a breeze?

Uncontested number one Barduil fic for me, in no small part due to my personal connection to its setting. We've had a few miserably hot & stagnant days up here in Kairosland, and for the past couple of years our summers have made me think of the earlier parts of this fic, which take place in summer, so I figured if I have to suffer I may as well draw Thranduil suffering similarly. I've been messing with a new brush and really liking it so far, might retire the old one after TRSB...

[aircrashbureau]

[aircrashbureau]

[ministarfruit]

loved and adored this exchange in my replies on a barduil post. thinking about middle-earth history and what stories survive… ooughh

(thank you @jellitheorange and @vampire-hubby for your thoughts!)

[myeaglesongwrites]

Moulin Rouge inspired Barduil idea

Bard is a poet and singer/song writer with dreams of having one of his songs performed by the famous singer Thranduil in Paris. Bard travels to Paris to seek out Thranduil and put the idea of singing one of his songs to the singer. He meets up with his friends, Legolas, and an OC male poet that Bard knows.

Bards arrives in Paris with intention of seeking out Thranduil the singer, but not is all as easy as it looks, first Legolas has to persuade Master Lackton, to allow him and his poet friends into the prestigious night club where Thranduil is performing a set of his famous songs that night. Master Lackton agrees on the condition that Legolas makes it a one time visit, and no more visits from his poet friends after that. Legolas relunctantly agrees.

Amongst the chaos of the night club setting, with scantily clad dancers named Kili and Fili enticing the crowd before Thranduil takes to the stage, Bard gets mistaken by one of Thranduil's body guards, Tauriel, for being Alfrid, the man to whom Thranduil is secretly betrothed too.

Being given this sudden special treatment by Tauriel the guard, makes Bard feel that his dreams are close to realisation. He's shown backstage before Thranduil makes his performance that night, where he's introduced as Alfrid. Thranduil knows Alfrid wouldn't sneak into the prestigious club, because Thranduil knows that Alfrid had a special agreement to allow him entry to the club with Master Lackton in exchange for Thranduil's hand in marriage.

Thranduil is curious about Bard from the beginning and plays along with Tauriel until his bodyguard leaves him alone with Bard. Once they are alone, Thranduil ushers Bard into his private room, and demands some answers about who he is and what he's doing there. Bard explains rather nervously that he's there to try and get his songs performed by the singer, to get the money raised from any concerts that they were performed. Thranduil likes the idea and asks what he could give Bard in return for having his songs performed, and Bard blurts out that he wants to win his heart not his body.

After the initial meeting, Bard is sneaked into the prestigious club by Legolas in disguise as a rich donor to the club, but after three visits of poetry readings, Bard says to Thranduil he's falling in love with the singer. Thranduil is more guarded with his heart but secretly he knows that Alfrid as rich as he was, wasn't the match his heart needed to be happy.

When Alfrid descends on the club one night unannounced, he finds Bard and Thranduil in a deep passionate embrace, and when Alfrid tells all to Master Lackton, the Master demands that Thranduil decide between the poor poet Bard whom Thranduil deeply loves, or enter into the loveless marriage with Alfrid that very night in front on of everyone and Lackton forces Thranduil's hand by stating that he'll throw Thranduil back where he found him, if he doesn't choose Alfrid.

The dreaded next day arrives and rather than performing his songs in the club, Thranduil prepares himself to marry Alfrid in front of a large crowd of Thranduil's fans. Alfrid tells Bard that Thranduil never loved him and only used him to get access to Bard's songs for his performances, feeling heartbroken, Bard chooses the believe the lies, and decides to leave Paris and therefore Thranduil behind forever.

Just as Bard is about to leave, Legolas decides that enough is enough and bursts into the hall where the so-called wedding is taking place, Legolas shouts above the crowd, a line from one of Bard's poems that Thranduil remembers hearing the first night he met Bard. Thranduil is overcome with emotion and regret over his agreement with Alfrid, he tells Alfrid he'd rather be a poor poets wife than a throphy wife to Alfrid, and walks out on the wedding to a mixture of cheers and cries from his fans.

Thranduil finds Bard, and just as they have had their reconciliation and love admission, Alfrid comes to interrupt and demands there and then that Thranduil chooses him. Thranduil stands in front of Bard to protect him but then Bard stands beside Thranduil as they hold hands. Alfrid pulls out his weapon and aims it directly at Thranduil, then back to Bard, and cannot decide who to kill first, then Legolas finds them in that situation and stands in front of Bard and Thranduil. Alfrid loses concentration and loses control of his anger and his weapon, it fires in the air and three shots are heard, Alfrid kills Legolas and in his anger, Thranduil kills Alfrid, then Bard and Thranduil run off into the shadows as sirens are heard. On the run and together, but for how long?

[myeaglesongwrites]

Barduil drabble no3

Thranduil is a historian and an archeologist,  Bard is a person interested in going on adventures looking for rare items. Together they are a pair of treasure hunters. Thranduil and Bard were in the countryside, looking for a specific item that Bard had only heard about from Thranduil. For it was now clear to Bard that Thranduil had been searching for the item for some time, and he had enlisted Bard’s help in the hope of finding the lost item.  

Bard led Thranduil to an ancient temple ruin beside a lake, where he was directed by Thranduil to follow the line of stone pillars, looking for a particular one.  Thranduil then points to a row of stone pillars that Bard has not inspected as of yet.   Bard places a hand on either side of the first pillar, tracing his hands along the hieroglyphs that are there. Thranduil takes an interest in the hieroglyphs and starts noting them down as they begin to walk between the pillars, tracing each row of hieroglyphs on each pillar and then making a note of them. 

They repeated the same motions between them until they reached the particular pillar that Thranduil had first pointed out to Bard when they had entered the temple ruins. It was once Bard had discovered the line of hieroglyphs on the temple pillar Bard discovered a secret or hidden compartment in the pillar that was not in either of the other ones. Bard carefully removes the cover to the hidden compartment, and Thranduil makes a note in his journal of their find. Bard places the stone on the ground that had covered the hidden compartment, Thranduil makes a note of the strange hieroglyphs on the stone. 

Bard glances back to Thranduil, fascinated by Thranduil’s actions during their discovery of the hidden compartment. Thranduil noticed Bard’s curious expression and smiled at his companion. Bard smiled back at Thranduil. The two glance at each other with newfound curiosity about the other. Bard looks into the space of the hidden compartment where the stone had been hiding something.  He sees a small pendant in the dust as he reaches inside to bring it out into the light. Bard takes the necklace over to Thranduil who recognises it for being the very one that he’s been looking for. 

Thranduil hands Bard a clean kerchief from his shirt pocket and places his notepad back into his rucksack. Bard takes the kerchief  and gently wipes the pendant clean of all the dust that cling to it. The necklace then shone brightly in the light of the sun.  Bard and Thranduil smile as they gaze at their new find. Thranduil thought that he must reward Bard somehow for all his help in finding the necklace. Both of them were immensely happy with their find. 

Especially Thranduil. 

Bard picked up his rucksack and took out a bag of ornate stones that he had once found on a previous expedition with Thranduil.   Thranduil passed the cover stone back to Bard, then Bard placed the bag of ornate stones inside the hidden compartment for the next pair of treasure hunters.  Thranduil glanced at Bard strangely for a moment, as Bard did this. 

Bard shrugged and realized he’d have to explain about the ornate stones being for the next pair of treasure hunters to find. Then he considered that he would need to do that because it was only right to leave a treasure behind when one treasure had been found.  Thranduil seemed to guess the reasoning behind Bard’s actions, even though Bard had not explained this before. 

Once the cover stone to the hidden compartment was back in place, Bard and Thranduil stood up and walked out of the ancient temple ruins, side by side. Each wondered where their next adventure would take them and what they would find. 

[myeaglesongwrites]

Barduil drabble no2

Thranduil and Bard had been officially courting for only a week, ever since Bard had accepted Thranduil’s suit to court him formally. Their courtship had started off somewhat awkwardly, as neither were sure where to begin, with a meld of both elven courting etiquette, and human courting customs. However, after their first week of concerts, dining, and seeing the sights of both Dale and Mirkwood. Neither were sure where to spend their next date, which had led to an argument on the matter. 

“I think that dining at my place, in Dale, would be a wonderful idea for our next date,” said Bard.

“No, I would rather that we dined in the grand halls of Mirkwood, for it is far finer” said Thranduil. 

“No,because we went and saw Mirkwood’s grand hall before when some of the elves put on a small concert for us of elvish music. Besides that I would like to do something different than simply dine in the grand hall, as fine as it is! What’s wrong with my place?” asked Bard. 

“Nothing, but this argument is going around in circles.” sighed Thranduil.  

“I’m not the one who brought that out of thin air!” sighed Bard. 

“Fine!” huffed Thranduil, then left the conversation and the room where they had been talking. 

“Fine?” Bard asked into thin air. As the man was left with no answer to his question. 

 As usual when they had had an argument, Thranduil and Bard had turned to Gandalf for advice. The knowing wizard had suggested that Bard be the one to be persistent with Thranduil and calmly approach him one more time.    

Bard heard his own heart beating quite fast as he began to take Gandalf’s advice and be the one to approach Thranduil.   

Unknown to Bard, old Gandalf had told a very stubborn Thranduil that he should be the one to approach Bard and make an apology towards him. At first Thranduil was reluctant to speak to Bard, yet he could not deny that his feelings for him were very real. A second time that Gandalf approached Thranduil on the subject, the elf knew why the wizard was present, and that time he truly listened.   

So here they were, under the shade of an old mallorn tree, standing a little apart, each glancing at the other, turning away, then returning the glance at one another.  Both had noticed that the heavens had started to open, causing them both to seek shelter under the mallorn tree. Thranduil was the first to clear the awkward silence 

“Bard” he said in that deep voice of his.  They were still in the early days of courting between an elf and a human. Thranduil took a step closer towards Bard.    

“Thranduil!” Bard said with a smile. He could not help but feel slightly differently about the elf ever since their argument. Yet there seemed to be no sense of anger in the Thranduil’s tone this time. If anything, he seemed to be treading carefully. 

“What brought you out here, to make the first move towards me?” asked Bard curiously. 

“Well, a certain wizard that we both know has been meddling again - and well this time I am glad that he did. I have come to apologise to you for my reckless words the day before!” Thranduil said with a hopeful tone. 

Bard was silent for a few moments, which made Thranduil a little nervous.  

“Gandalf has approached me too, probably to tell me the same advice that he told you!” Bard pointed out. Bard took a deep breath as he slowly walked closer towards a tense Thranduil.   

“I accept your apology, Thranduil. As I was thinking that we could share a dinner together.” Bard mentioned. 

Thranduil sighed, fearing that their argument was resurfacing. 

“You win, we can go to your place in Dale,  to dine. But then what?” said Thranduil with a little sarcasm in his tone. 

“Then you are really coming to Dale?” Bard grinned at a still stubborn Thranduil. He was just as surprised as the other that he had actually considered giving the suggestion a try. Bard then decided that whatever words Gandalf had said to Thranduil they were working. 

“I don’t know,” Bard shrugged as he stepped within inches of Thranduil, “Maybe a dance?” Bard’s own cheeks turned red. 

“Then after the dance, I suppose you will want me to kiss you!” Thranduil said. His own cheeks were just as rosy as Bard’s. 

“It’s possible!” Bard bravely said.

“Well then, why don’t we cut out the dancing, and I kiss you right now?” Thranduil said.

“Why don’t you?” Bard said.  

“You’re right!” Thranduil said.

There it was that Thranduil lifted Bard’s chin, and placed a gentle kiss upon his lips. Their kiss was chaste, tender, and warm. Yet it held the promise of a better future for Thranduil and Bard.

[myeaglesongwrites]

Barduil drabble no1

Thranduil looked around at the familiar surroundings of his lover’s abode. Not much had changed since his previous visit. Thranduil glanced towards Bard, for there was something that he had not noticed before. Thranduil had noticed a piece of ornate artwork hanging on one of the walls in the interior. He recognized the artwork for being the very same ornamental sword and shield that he had gifted to Bard when they had first started courting. 

Both of the ornate items were hanging from the right interior wall, gleaming in the light.  His attention was then returned to Bard when the latter had flashed Thranduil that charming smile of his.  He was fascinated with Bard’s little quirks. It was one of the things that the Elven King had grown to love about his mortal lover. 

Thranduil was even more surprised when Bard was the one to make the first that evening, rather than it being Thranduil this time. Bard wrapped his arms around Thranduil’s waist. Bard could be certain that he could feel their spiritual bond coming back to them. This special bond that he shared with Thranduil was not unknown to the Elven King. For Thranduil had once explained to Bard that once an Elf started courting another, a special spiritual bond was made between them.  For them both, it was the first time since either of their former spouses had died that they had felt that sensation with another. It surprised Thranduil as much as it did Bard, that they could both find love with one another.  

Bard could feel his heartbeat quicken whenever he shared this level of intimacy with Thranduil.  Then Thranduil, taking the lead once more, placed his hands upon Bard’s shoulders, bringing them closer to each other.  Bard smiled as Thranduil gazed into his dark eyes. He realized then that their special bond was just as strong as it had been, ever since Thranduil had subtly made his feelings for the man known.  All it had taken for Bard to accept this Elven King as his new lover, was to accept a glass of offered wine in the tent during the Battle of the five armies. Ever since then, Bard had accepted the approach of Thranduil into his life tentatively at first, then growing stronger with every visit.  

Bard and Thranduil realized that their spiritual bond was linking their minds together briefly for a time. They were sensing each other’s thoughts and feelings and they realised that their feelings for each other were one and the same. Never before, had either thought that this would be possible between them and yet here they were.  Neither of them,  in either of their lives, had the other felt so at ease with another. Neither had either ever sensed spiritually that their bond was meant to be. Not until that moment, that is. 

Thranduil moved his arms around Bard’s waist, bringing the man closer to his chest.  Bard rested his head on Thranduil’s shoulder, and the two started to move slowly in time to the music of their own hearts beating in time. They were dancing, and it did not matter at that moment who saw them. Luckily for Bard, Tauriel and Kili had offered to babysit Bard’s children while Bard had his arranged visit from Thranduil. 

As they began to move their dance into the other room, where Bard had indicated that he just wanted to be held by his Elven lover. To which Thranduil had agreed entirely. Their heartbeats were still in time, and their special bond was as strong as ever could be in that moment.  Thranduil and Bard lay on the top of the bed together, still fully dressed, minus their own boots which had been abandoned a while before when they were dancing together in each other’s arms. They fell asleep like that, their special bond starting to fade a little as dawn approached.  

When the dawn light shimmering through the windows woke Bard up first, he opened his sleepy eyes and wondered if the previous night of dancing with Thranduil had been a dream. For a moment he convinced himself that he had truly been dreaming of the previous evening’s embrace.  He could not sense Thranduil’s thoughts anymore, and it made Bard a little saddened.  Bard wondered in his sleep-filled state, that it had all been a dream after all.  Yet when he turned around, there was the warmth of another fully clothed Elven King sleeping soundly behind him.  Then as Thranduil began to stir, the Elf reached out for Bard as was his tendency to do in moments such as these. 

A firm smile appeared on Bard’s face as he saw his Elven lover begin to wake up fully from a much-needed slumber by the looks of it. It was there and then that Bard glanced into Thranduil’s eyes, and saw glimmers of a warm smile forming on the lips of the Elf.  Thranduil reached out for Bard and pulled him closer to his chest once more. He did not know why their spiritual bond faded with the dawn, or perhaps the special bond that Elves shared with their chosen, worked differently with mortals.  He was just happy for their small moments of happiness together while they lasted.  

Thranduil gently caressed Bard’s back with his hands, as they lay facing each other on the bed. Their foreheads touched and they shared their first official kiss together at that moment.  It was a strange yet warm sensation for Bard and in return for Thranduil. When they kissed, Thranduil felt their special bond starting to blossom again. Bard was sure that he sensed it warming up between them as their kisses grew a little more frequent. 

It was there that Bard knew beyond anything else that however long he and Thranduil may have been together, it was blessed moments such as the ones that they shared on their visits with each other that made everything else seem worthwhile. During their intimate kisses, Thranduil was feeling that their bond was strong as it had been the evening before.  Their spiritual bond had been established.

Thranduil shifted his weight to stand up from being laying on the bed, then helped Bard to stand up. They both stretched and stood in the door that led to the main interior of Bard’s abode.  Bard listened to his own heartbeat in time with Thranduil’s own. He smiled at his Elven lover warmly. 

Soon enough it would be time to break their fast and then Thranduil would have to return to Mirkwood.   Soon became too soon for Thranduil’s liking.  He was patient, he could wait, however, even Thranduil knew that mortals had a brief time in Arda compared to the lifetime of an Elf.  He chose not to dwell on that for the moment.  In his murmurs, Thranduil suggested that next time they arrange a visit between themselves, it be Bard’s turn to visit Thranduil in Mirkwood. 

[acebarduil]

Soothsayer, by @piyo-13, Urban Fantasy!AU, read on AO3

Bard Bowman, single father of three and human (and secret soothsayer), needs a job. He applies for a position at Greenwood & Co., one he’s sure he won’t get—except then he does. Thranduil Oropherion, elven single father and CEO of Greenwood & Co., puts out a job ad that in all honesty can’t really be fulfilled. Except then the perfect candidate shows up, and Thranduil hires him without second thought.

These are the adventures of Bard Bowman, (no-longer-so-secret) soothsayer and personal assistant to Thranduil Oropherion (who is also involved in most of said adventures).

[laudys83]

Perfectly imperfect

Day 31: Forever

The evening had been calm: the boys had gone to bed early, the house was quiet, and for once, no drama had erupted. Bard and Thranduil were lying in their bed, the lights off, only illuminated by the moon filtering through the curtains.

Thranduil was unusually silent. He was tenderly stroking Bard’s arm, his gaze lost toward the ceiling. After a long moment, he murmured, in a low and solemn voice:

“I want to be with you… forever.”

He had said it with that elvish gravity that characterized him, as if pronouncing an ancient oath under the stars. His words carried all the weight of his long existence, of his fears, of his deep and sometimes clumsy love. Bard, who was half-dozing, opened his eyes. He remained silent for a second, then a small nervous laugh escaped him.

“Forever?” he repeated, amused. “Is this a marriage proposal under a sacred tree with ancient chants and all the tralala?”

Thranduil stiffened slightly, offended.

“It was a sincere declaration.”

“I know, I know!” Bard replied, smiling, still shaken by a contained laugh. “It’s just that… you say it with such solemnity. It’s like you’re going to make me sign a contract in front of the Valar.”

Thranduil turned his head toward him, eyebrows furrowed.

“You’re making fun of me.”

“A little,” Bard admitted, moving closer to kiss his shoulder. “But it’s because I love you. And that ‘forever’ with you, even if it’s a little scary… it suits me very well.”

Thranduil remained silent for a moment, still a little miffed. Then he sighed and slipped an arm around Bard to pull him closer.

“You’re a real drama queen,” Bard murmured against his neck. “But I love that.”

“King, please,” Thranduil corrected.

“No no, I said Queen.”

They stayed entwined in the dark. Thranduil eventually smiled despite himself, his chin resting on Bard’s hair.

“Forever, then?” he asked more softly.

“Forever,” Bard confirmed. “Even if we argue, even if the boys set the house on fire, even if you become unbearable with your elvish rules…”

Thranduil let out a small laugh.

“Deal.”

In the calm of the bedroom, the promise floated between them, a little awkward, a little solemn, but sincere: a perfectly imperfect “forever,” just like them.

Thanks for the challenge @monthlywritingchallenges also thanks for the reblogs @bi-widower-dads and the reviews @cherrrysthings

[angstyourwaying]

Art pieces for piyo-13‘s fic Orion Ascendant.

Part of the Barduil BigBang 2015!

The fic is absolutely perfect and hilarious, go read it guys! I had the most amazing of times reading it (:

[laudys83]

Father & Son

Day 30: Failure

Bain had been observing Thranduil differently lately. He saw how Legolas shared with his father a natural elvish grace. He, Bard’s human son, sometimes felt left out. So he had an idea: to learn the elvish traditions. Archery, posture, calligraphy… everything that could allow him to get closer to his stepfather.

“I want to learn to shoot a bow,” he announced one morning with touching determination. “Like you, Ada.”

Thranduil was surprised, then visibly moved. He accepted. After breakfast, he took Bain into the garden, an ancient elvish bow in hand, and began to explain the posture, the breathing, the concentration. Bain, too enthusiastic, drew the bow with far too much force. The arrow went into the Greenwood forest.

“We’ll start again,” Thranduil said, stoic.

The second arrow ended up in the roof of the toolshed. The third ricocheted off a stone and came dangerously close to Bard, who was watching from the terrace.

“Maybe we should take a break,” Bard suggested, slightly worried.

But Bain refused to give up.

“No! I can do it!”

He insisted on trying elvish calligraphy. The result: three hours of work, a bottle of ink spilled on the living room carpet, and a parchment where you could vaguely read “Ada” provided you turned the sheet 90 degrees and squinted. Thranduil, who had spent the day patiently correcting Bain’s posture, picking up lost arrows and cleaning up the ink, was exhausted. His face remained calm, but his shoulders were tense. That evening, Bain, covered in ink and dirt, sat down at the table, looking dejected.

“I’m useless…” he murmured. “I just wanted… to be a little more like you.”

Thranduil froze. He looked at this human boy, stubborn and full of good will, who was trying with all his might to fit into a mold that wasn’t his. He approached and placed a hand on Bain’s shoulder.

“You don’t have to be like me, Bain. You’re perfect as you are.”

Bain looked up, surprised.

“But… I wanted to make you proud.”

“You already make me proud,” Thranduil replied with rare softness. “Every day.”

Bard, who was watching the scene from the kitchen, smiled softly. Bain eventually smiled too, even if his shoulders remained a little hunched.

“Can we still continue the lessons? I promise not to destroy the garden this time?”

Thranduil sighed, but a small smile tugged at his lips.

“We can try. But I think I’ll invest in foam arrows first…”

Challenge by @monthlywritingchallenges @bi-widower-dads @cherrrysthings

[laudys83]

Video Games

Day 29: Desire

The intimate life of Bard and Thranduil had taken a backseat for the past few weeks. Between classes, work, arguments, and Haldir’s invasive presence at Greenwood, they hadn’t had ten minutes alone — or else they collapsed from exhaustion as soon as they lay down in bed.

That evening, the boys had gone to a party. Silence reigned in the house, so unusual it was almost unsettling. Bard joined Thranduil in bed, kissing him in a hungry, even brutal embrace. Thranduil settled on top of him, his breathing already short.

“Finally…” he murmured, leaning down to kiss his neck.

Bard let out a raw groan, his hands gripping Thranduil’s hips.

On the other side of the wall, in Legolas’s room, the console turned on with its characteristic sound, immediately followed by shouts and laughter. Bain had clearly come back with him.

“GO ON! SHOOT!” Bain yelled.

A barrage of virtual gunfire and panicked horse neighs exploded through the speakers, followed by a resounding “BOOM” and the victorious screams of the two teenagers. Thranduil froze above Bard.

“What are they doing here…?” he growled.

Bard closed his eyes, frustrated.

“Ignore them.”

Thranduil tried, but he pulled out of Bard.

“What are you doing? Stay!” he tried to grab him by the arm.

“Wait. I’m just checking.”

He slipped on his expensive silk robe and went to knock on Legolas’s bedroom door. He entered:

“Didn’t you have a party tonight?”

Bain had his mouth full of candy:

“S’all cancheled. Aragorn and Arwen got gachtro”

Thranduil raised a perplexed eyebrow:

“Okay. Try not to make too much noise. We’re trying to sleep.”

Legolas and Bain exchanged a knowing look, giggling as soon as the door was closed.

Just a few seconds later, as Thranduil tried to make love to Bard again, a victorious cry from Bain pierced the wall:

“I GOT HIMMMM! DID YOU SEE THAT?!”

Legolas burst out laughing, followed by a new round of gunfire and explosions. Bard let out a desperate laugh.

“This isn’t possible…”

Thranduil collapsed on top of him, his face in his neck, shaking with silent, frustrated laughter.

“Even when they’re not in the room, they’re in the room,” he murmured.

They persisted anyway. Their movements became more urgent, almost angry, as if to compensate for the noise coming from the neighboring rooms. But when Bain screamed “TAKE THAT!” and the game music started up again at full volume, Bard completely broke. He burst out laughing, a desperate and exhausted laugh.

Thranduil lifted his head, his cheeks red, half-frustrated, half-amused.

“We’re cursed.”

They stayed like that for a moment, naked, entwined, laughing softly in the surrounding sound chaos. The frustration was real, but the ridiculousness of the situation was too strong.

Bard finally kissed Thranduil tenderly on the lips.

“Tomorrow, we’re sending them to the Dwarves. All day. And we’re cutting the Wi-Fi.”

Thranduil smiled against his mouth.

“Good idea.”

On the other side of the wall, another victory cry rang out, followed by a dramatic “OOOOH NO!” from Legolas.

Bard and Thranduil looked at each other: the desire was still there, burning. But tonight, it would have to wait. Again.

Challenge by @monthlywritingchallenges @bi-widower-dads @cherrrysthings

[laudys83]

Snowball fight

Day 28: Tumble

By an unusual meteorological phenomenon, Greenwood woke up one beautiful morning under a thick blanket of abundant snow. As soon as he got up, Bain declared that they had to have a snowball fight. Legolas had raised an eyebrow but eventually agreed. Bard had laughed and said “why not?” Thranduil, for his part, had first refused with dignity and then gave in to the pleading looks of his sons (and Bard’s mocking smile).

The teenagers rushed outside shouting with excitement. The adults followed them, calmer — on the surface. Bard threw the first snowball, which hit Thranduil square in the chest. The Elf narrowed his eyes, picked up a handful of compact snow and aimed with frightening precision. The snowball struck Bard right in the forehead.

“It’s war!” Bain shouted, wanting to defend his father.

Legolas joined the battle with formidable grace, sending fast and precise snowballs. Bain, more chaotic, threw them any which way while laughing. Thranduil tried to maintain a certain elegance until Bard sent him a huge snowball that made him stagger back several steps.

“Watch out for the slope!” Bard shouted.

Bain, carried away by his momentum, slipped on a patch of icy snow. He tried to grab onto Legolas, who lost his balance in turn. Legolas instinctively grabbed Bard’s arm to steady himself. Everyone fell: Bain dragged Legolas, who dragged Bard, who dragged Thranduil. The four of them tumbled down the small garden slope in a shapeless pile of arms, legs, and shouts. They rolled over each other, snow flying everywhere, until they ended up in a big tangled heap at the bottom of the garden, completely covered in snow.

A stunned silence settled for two seconds.

Then Bain burst out laughing. Legolas followed, then Bard. Even Thranduil, lying on his back with snow in his hair and on his eyelashes, let out an incredulous giggle before laughing heartily, head thrown back.

They stayed like that for a long time, in a heap in the snow, laughing like children. Thranduil eventually put an arm around Bard, while Legolas leaned against Bain.

“We should have just made a snowman,” Thranduil murmured.

“That’s true,” Bard replied, laughing, before kissing his snow-covered temple.

In this great white mess and this collective burst of laughter, their little blended family had never been so beautiful.

Challenge by @monthlywritingchallenges @bi-widower-dads @cherrrysthings

[laudys83]

Dinner

Day 27: Lost

Thrain and his son Thorin had come to Greenwood for what was supposed to be a “diplomatic meal.” Bard had hoped it would remain civil: he was wrong.

The dinner had started rather calmly, then the conversation had drifted, as it always did between Dwarves and Elves, toward old grudges. Someone had mentioned Thror — Thrain’s father. Thranduil, who had remained silent and dignified until then, suddenly straightened up. He knew he should have stopped, that it was dangerous territory. But the old wound, the old guilt resurfaced.

“Thror mocked me,” he began, his voice calm at first. “He used my wife’s death to hurt me.”

The table fell silent. Once started, Thranduil could no longer stop. He was lost in his memories, in his justification, in the regret he had carried for centuries.

“I had warned him that I would take revenge. I had told him I would not forget. But he was as stubborn as all you Dwarves. He preferred to make me his enemy.”

His voice grew more intense. He didn’t notice that Thrain had stopped eating. He didn’t see Thorin’s jaw clenching tighter and tighter.

“You got your necklace back, didn’t you? Isn’t that the main thing?” Thrain cut in coldly.

The tension skyrocketed. Thranduil continued speaking, trying to explain, to justify, to make himself understood. He was completely lost in his own words, in his guilt, in his need to be understood. His usual icy control had vanished. Bard watched the scene with growing horror. He tried to catch Thranduil’s eye, to signal him to stop, but the Elf was too far gone. At the end of his patience, Thrain finally slammed his goblet on the table.

“By Durin’s beard, are you going to keep talking much longer?”

Thranduil blinked, as if coming out of a trance. He looked around the table: everyone was staring at him. Some amused, most annoyed. Bard had his face in his hands.

“I… appear to have lost track of time,” Thranduil said stiffly, his ears slightly red.

Bain snickered, Thorin hid a smile behind his cup. Bard finally intervened, his voice strained with suppressed laughter:

“Yes, my love. You spoke for twenty minutes straight.”

Thranduil remained seated, mortified but trying to maintain his dignity. He cleared his throat.

“A thousand apologies. Old wounds run deep.”

Thrain looked at him for a long moment, then, against all expectations, let out a low chuckle.

“Stubborn Elf. At least you admit it.”

The tension eased slightly. Old grudges didn’t disappear in one evening, but the dinner continued without bloodshed; between Dwarves and Elves, that was nothing short of a miracle.

Challenge by @monthlywritingchallenges @bi-widower-dads @cherrrysthings

[aircrashbureau]

[laudys83]

Baby you’re a firework

Day 26: Spark

Bain and Legolas had had a spark of brilliant inspiration.

It was soon Bard’s birthday, and they wanted to give him “the most beautiful gift in the world”: a homemade fireworks display, made by themselves in the garden, with the help of Fili and Kili, who had found the ideal materials from the Dwarves.

“It’s going to be epic,” Bain had said, eyes shining.

“We’re going to call it ‘The Tribute to Bard’,” Legolas had added.

Thranduil was away for the day, which left them free to do whatever they wanted without him on their backs. They had spent the afternoon tinkering in the garage with the rockets provided by Fili and Kili, black powder, and an adorable childlike enthusiasm. In the evening, when it was dark enough, they set everything up in the garden to test their creation. It was only a rehearsal before the real evening.

“Ready?” Bain asked, lighter in hand.

“Ready,” Legolas replied, slightly less confident than his brother but not showing it.

The first rocket went off, barely rose two meters before exploding in a ridiculous “pof,” sending sparks everywhere. The second was worse: it shot horizontally like a missile and crashed into the hedge, which immediately caught fire.

“Shit shit shit!” Bain shouted, running with the garden hose.

Legolas tried to put out the other rockets with his feet, but one of them lit up by itself and spun off, whirling around the garden with a whistle.

At the height of the disaster, Thranduil’s car pulled into the driveway. Legolas’s father got out of the car, still in his suit, staring at his garden turned into a war zone: sparks everywhere, smoke, the hedge on fire, and his two sons running around like headless chickens.

“But what the…?!”

He dropped his briefcase and ran toward them in his expensive suit, grabbed the hose from Bain’s hands and started spraying the hedge like a firefighter in full crisis mode.

“Are you completely out of your minds?!” he yelled over the noise of the last fireworks still exploding.

Bain and Legolas froze, covered in soot and grass.

“It was for Da’s birthday…” Legolas tried in a small voice.

Thranduil turned toward them, hair disheveled, a black smudge on his cheek, and an absolutely furious expression.

“You nearly set the house on fire for a birthday?!”

At that moment, Bard arrived on the doorstep, alerted by the noise. He looked at the charred garden, the smoking hedge, his two sheepish sons, and Thranduil in a soaked suit, hose in hand.

He burst out laughing, genuinely, an uncontrollable fit of laughter that doubled him over. Thranduil shot him a murderous look.

“It’s not funny.”

“Oh yes it is,” Bard gasped, wiping his eyes. “You’ll understand when you look in the mirror.”

Bain and Legolas, seeing that Bard was laughing, started giggling nervously too. Thranduil stood there, dripping wet, surrounded by his devastated garden, and let out a long, defeated sigh. Bard approached, still shaking with laughter, and kissed him on the temple despite the smell of smoke. Thranduil groaned as he looked at Legolas and Bain who were giggling uncontrollably:

“Next time you have a brilliant idea, warn me. I’ll lock myself in the basement.”

Challenge by @monthlywritingchallenges @bi-widower-dads @cherrrysthings