#river writes

Durin has never met an Elf before. He, like every other Dwarf, was told stories about Elves being weird and interesting, creatures others should not interact with because they didn’t interact with others either. All his life, Durin thought Elves were distant and thought more about themself than they should have. 

Probably this was the case for some of them, but as Durin was watching the - not even that tall - Elf standing in front of him, smiling at him with concern in his eyes, the Dwarf prince could hardly believe anything that he heard from his father was true. This particular Elf looked so much more different than Durin imagined - not like he didn’t look pretty. Still, Durin always thought Elves were ethereal beauties, with glowing eyes, sharp, pointy ears, and judgemental stares.

“Are you okay?” Asked the Elf quietly. His voice was just like his face - pretty, but a little bit rough, like his throat was hurting, or like someone who didn’t speak for a long time. “You just keep staring at me like you have never seen an Elf before.” Said the stranger.

Durin almost laughed, but he didn’t say anything, just continued to stare at the Elf. The stranger had curly, dark brown, nearly black hair, eyes that looked like the most beautiful gray orb, and a shy smile on his lips. His cheeks were a little flushed like he was embarrassed, but Durin didn’t really blame him - after all, he kept staring at his slim form half hidden by his dark turquoise-gold cloak.

“You’re welcome,” said the Elf finally after a quiet cough, which made Durin shake himself to look at the stranger.

“What do ya mean you’re welcome?” Asked Durin, then looked behind himself, where lay three dead trolls. Oh, yeah, he was so busy staring at the Elf that he almost forgot about how they met… “Ya didn’t save me, I was handling the situation perfectly” added the Dwarf, and the Elf laughed.

“Of course, I can see that” smiled the stranger. “My name is Elrond” He offered, still smiling.

Durin was close to telling him to leave him alone, to go to hell or something, but the Dwarf couldn’t help himself, and also flashed a quick smile towards the Elf - Elrond, as he called himself.

“Durin,” He said.

***

It was quiet. Durin was sitting next to the fireplace that Elrond successfully got working, and stared out of the window. After their quick introduction, the Elf offered Durin a shelter next to the woods. According to Elrond, it was once built by humans, but now Elves use it sometimes when it is needed.

“We don’t really come here, so it’s quite… dusty” added Elrond. He was watching Durin from next to the fireplace. The rain was still hitting against the window, and the dark was sometimes broken by lighting that followed the occasional thunder. It was a huge storm outside.

“Aye” nodded Durin, looking around. He was still hesitant about talking to the Elf, after all, he didn’t even know him. But he looked kind. Nice, even. “Dwarves don't really care about dir…”

“He’gnxt” 

Durin froze, then turned around to look at Elrond. For a moment he was confused and reached for his axe hearing the unfamiliar noise, something he had never heard before. But it came from Elrond, undoubtedly, because as Durin looked at him, he repeated the same strange noise. This time, it sounded a little bit different.

“Heh… he’gnxts”

The Dwarf stared at the Elf. Elrond’s fair face looked a little confused, he was looking towards the fire, with cloudy eyes, lips half parted. His nose wriggled, like he was smelling something uncomfortable, then he took a sharp inhale, and squeezed his eyes shut. He ducked his face in his left elbow, and then…

“Heh’gnxht… h’ETSHIEW” 

Durin jumped at the second sound, because while the first… well, three times the noises coming from the Elf were quiet, the fourth was quite loud, which gave a Dwarf a little scare. 

“Excuse me,” said Elrond quietly, and his face was now definitely flushed from embarrassment. 

“Excuse… what exactly?” asked Durin, confused, looking at the Elf. “What the hell are those… Please tell me you’re not dying or something like that” he added, raising his eyebrows.

“No, I’m merely just… he’ghnxt” he ducked again, shaking his head a little annoyed this time. “Bothered by the dust” he added, face still behind his left hand. Meanwhile, with his right, he was looking for something in his cloak, then pulled out a white cloth thing. “Heh… heh”gnxnt”ghxnt… arghh."

Well, at least Durin definitely recognized the noise of frustration, even if he still had no idea what was happening. The last two... something scared a little but Durin, because it sounded like the Elf didn't even have time to breathe between them.

Elrond threw an apologetic glance towards the Dwarf from behind his hand, then he turned, so Durin only saw his back. And then he… blew in the cloth with his… nose?

Durin shook his head. Elves were certainly… curious creatures. He just hoped that it wasn’t some magic that Elrond was doing.

“Excuse me.” Elrond turned back. His eyes were still a little cloudy and red, as well as the skin around his nose, but at least he stopped with those strange noises. “I won’t sneeze this much once I get more used to the dust, bu… but… he”gnxgt… sorry… As I said, once I get more used to the dueh… heh’TSHIEW… I give up.” Elrond shook his head, then turned around again to blow his nose into the cloth.

“Quit apologizing!” Snapped Durin, who was more frustrated about not understanding something than Elrond apologizing. “Instead, tell me what the hell are you doing, would you?” He asked, still eyeing the Elf with suspicion. 

It was Elrond’s time to be confused. He turned back towards Durin, the cloth still in his hands, holding it over his nose. His eyes grew wide, and then he ducked again, but this time he was silent - his eyes squeezed shut again - like he was in pain -, and he jerked forward from some kind of force, but he didn’t give a single noise.