Midnight Continuation

[english_dignity]

Post for threads in the setting of or continuing from Midnight Syndicate. I'll likely add some themed prompts here later.

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HALDIR - Daily Outings

[english_dignity]

It's not often that Haldir chooses to practice his archery during the day.

The marchwarden usually preferred practicing at the later hours of the evening to avoid others. His fondness for solitude seemed to have waned as of late. Either that or Haldir had grown quite bored. Nevertheless, here he was practicing to his heart's content with a little grey dragon rustling about within the tall grass. The dragon, Míthë, had taken a liking to the elf as of late. It started off as a onesided affair at first until Haldir begun to care for the little beast. Now the pair were inseparable and Haldir reluctantly gave it a name.

"Míthë?" Haldir grumbled in annoyance once the little dragon started squawking for attention. "You can't possible be hungry already." He let out a sigh as he lowered his bow. "You're interrupting me and you know I dislike that." The dragon all but pouted at him which won another sigh from Haldir.

"I'll feed you when I'm done." He said as he drew his bow again. Haldir readied his arrow and aimed it at the wooden targets he hung in a nearby tree.

The elf struck it with ease but it's a little off center. This won a sound of distaste from Haldir. There's multiple small wooden squares hung upon the branches of several trees. A good dozen or so. Anyone in the park might notice these odd charms littered about, especially since each wooden square bares a red mark written in elvish.

It seemed they'd had the same idea that day. Proper English longbow over his shoulder, Arthur hadn't even noticed the until he heard the dragon squawking and looked in their direction. He'd just been planning to do some shooting of his own to give himself quiet time to think after the confusing mess a few days before. But now that he spotted Haldir, the nation started his way in time to see the imperfect shot. Still, it was impressive.

"Getting some practice in?" Arthur asked, waiting to speak up until there were no arrows knocked and ready to fire. Digging an arrowhead out of one's shoulder was never a nice way to spend the afternoon.

The elf felt the presence of another but ignored it once he realized who approached. "Is it not obvious?" Haldir replied with a hint of coldness in his tone. He notched another arrow within his bow and fired again. Haldir struck the same bullseye again but it hit even further than last time. It's nowhere near the center.

The elf clicked his tongue. Haldir is in a foul mood now.

"What brings you here?" The marchwarden asked as he turned towards Arthur. As soon as Haldir caught a glimpse of the longbow, he had his answer. "You know archery?" Excuse him if he sounds a tad surprised, Arthur.

He just thought the man was a bookworm.

Well, there was that phrase about assuming. Removing his bow from his shoulder, Arthur raised an eyebrow? "It is not obvious?" he asked, deliberately echoing Haldir's own rather curt words. "The English people were once known for our archers. Do you mind?"

His last question was made with a nod towards one of the targets, requesting permission to shoot. And perhaps to show the elf that maybe he actually knew what he was doing.

The elf almost scoffed. Does this man plan to join him in his practice? Surely there's other places where this lanky pest could be.

Haldir couldn't stop the scowl that settled on his lips. He's not truly fond of Arthur even after his assistance some moons ago. "Be my guest." Haldir replied as he shrugged his bow over his shoulders. "I suppose I could use a moment's rest to watch you flail about, Englishman." There's a hint of a challenge in his arrogant tone.

Lords, it was like being sent away as a 'student' from his own office building all over again. But this time Arthur wouldn't be calling his secretary to vouch for him, even if he could.

And nations were never good at stepping away from a challenge.

"I named the bow Agincourt, after the battle where our archers defeated the French calvary with odds of one to three. Of course, that was just over six hundred years ago now," Arthur said casually as he picked out which target and notched an arrow, taking aim.

When the arrow hit dead center with a satisfying thk, Arthur smiled and looked over at the elf. "Should I 'flail' again?"

Haldir couldn't help but smirk at that. "Only six hundred years ago?" The elf's smirk widened. "That is merely a wrinkle in time to an elf." While he won't state his age here, Haldir happened to be close to two thousand years old. He's still considered quite young by other elves but he's much older than most present in Eros.

A look of pure contempt settled on Haldir's face as he stepped back for Arthur to take his place. He watched with a smirk as the man readied his bow but once that arrow made its mark, Haldir's smirk faded quickly.

"What kind of trickery is this?" The proud elf asked as he turned sharply to Arthur. "How did you--" Haldir scoffed.

"T'was the wind that guided that arrow." He said while quickly shrugging off his silver wooden bow. This had quickly become a contest.

Arthur snorted. "Really, that's your explanation?" he asked, grabbing another arrow with a twitch of annoyance at being called out. "Wind? I suppose after this one you'll say the tree moved to help my aim."

And while Haldir transferred his bow to his hand, Arthur fired another shot.

Another perfectly centered hit.

The nation raised an eyebrow, lowering his bow. "Or perhaps a leaf hit it at the right moment?"

The look on Haldir's face was absolutely priceless. It's stuck in-between shock, awe and mild confusion. Just how was this average looking blond capable of out maneuvering an elf? The marchwarden's eyes widened even more with each and every successful shot.

"Despite my disbelief, I am no fool." Haldir grumbled as he fired an arrow at one of the targets. He nailed it but the arrow was once again skewed to the right. A deep escaped Haldir's lips as he tried to shake off the shame.

Oh, Arthur would never forget that expression, but would instead savor it. Especially after being so thoroughly doubted. "Are you so sure?" Arthur asked, holding back a smirk. Haldir was not the first to thoroughly underestimate him, nor would he be the last. "You've misjudged me twice now."

He fired again. Another perfect hit.

With every perfect mark Arthur made, Haldir could feel his self-confidence wilt. He's wilting much like an unwatered daffodil. The marchwarden purposely ignored Arther's comment in favor of trying to one up the blond. He drew back his bow and fired another arrow but due to his dismay, Haldir actually missed.

A short gasp left him followed by the worried cooing of his pet dragon. Haldir missed so badly that even Míthë felt the need to show concern. "The only person I misjudged was myself." The elf whispered as he lowered his bow in silent defeat.

Instead of firing a final arrow, Arthur lowered his as well, silently studying the elf. "You know, you're not the first to think I was a youth," he offered. After all, the nation wasn't a cruel man. "I may not be the eldest of my kind, but I'm far from the youngest. I've had a lot of practice."

Haldir glanced over at Arthur with something akin to curiosity. He didn't know what to think of him. As much as the elf wanted to dislike him, Haldir found the opposite happening. Arthur had proven himself to the prideful marchwarden at last.

"What are you?" He questioned. "You are no mere human, this is known to me."

He'd been wondering when Haldir would ask that. And. Certainly did not mind the question one bit, even smiling a little. "I'm a nation, England. I named my bow because I was present for the battle six hundred years ago." Arthur smirked. "And it makes the nation I fought twitch every time he sees the bow and remembers being shot in his oh so beautiful and vain face."

The elf blinked his eyes a few times in confusion. "You're a...nation?" That had to be the most peculiar thing he's ever heard. Haldir didn't quite believe it.

"How can 'one' man represent an entire nation?" He asked while giving the blond a second glance. "You seem no different than the average man but you seem...strange to me." The elf said as he drew closer to Arthur. Haldir stared at Arthur as if he had grown a second head.

Arthur's cheeks pinked as he registered just how close the other man was getting to him but didn't step back, swallowing as he told himself to stay on topic. No matter how attractive the elf was.

"I don't represent a nation. I am England. My lands, population, and governments are as much a part of me as my hands and liver," he said, thinking of how to explain. "We're not born like humans. We just come into being as the thought of us does." He thought at least. Arthur didn't know anyone who had witnessed it, and he'd certainly been too young to remember.

Curiosity lingered within Haldir's blue gaze as he stares at Arthur. It's almost as if the elf was looking beyond him rather than at him. His gaze was slightly unnerving but the marchwarden's fetching looks made this somewhat bearable.

"Your words are true." Haldir whispered quietly as he inched just a little closer. A strange gleam lingered in the elf's eyes as he suddenly pressed his lips against Arthur's. It's a brush of a kiss, gentle and soft. Haldir muttered an apology in his native tongue before saying it again.

"My apologies for earlier, Arthur. I never meant to display such haughtiness to someone of your stature." The marchwarden drew away.

"I've made a fool of myself."

Unnerving was certainly the word, but Arthur just blushed more as he caught that gleam a moment too late, gasping at the sudden kiss. It was far from unwelcome, but certainly a surprise and he leaned into it before Haldir drew back.

"Apologies accepted," he breathed out before making a decision and taking his own step forward this time. "I'll happily let you make up for it though."

When Arthur stepped forward, a little smirk tugged at the corners of Haldir's lips. "Oh?" He arched his brow elegantly with a smile. "How shall I make it up to you, Arthur? Perhaps another kiss?" The elf asked as he inched in real close to brush his lips against Arthur's. "I seen the way you look at me." He whispered.

"I disliked you for it when I thought you were mortal." Haldir didn't exactly hate men but he wasn't keen about bedding one. The only exception thus far was Abel and that was a mistake caused by the Maeve. "But I find myself willing to give you what you desire." He'll only share his love with those as immortal as him.

"That is...if you want it."

Clearly Arthur would have to teach him to appreciate mortals more, but later. Right now he was finding himself more interested in taking another taste of the haughty elf. "It's a place to start," the nation said with a low chuckle as he slipped an arm around him. "I'd like it very much."

Haldir slipped his fingers gingerly through that perfect nest of blond hair and drew Arthur in for another kiss. He gently coaxed the man to ease into the kiss by nudging his tongue against his lips. This a wet kiss, a passionate one that spoke of the fire within the elf that cannot be quenched. Ever since he gave into his desires here in Eros, Haldir found himself quite entranced by the Maeve's spells.

A soft hum escaped Haldir as he gently nipped at Arthur's kiss-bruised lips. The two of them had looked as if they were eating cherries by the time their liplock ended. "What else would you like?" Haldir questioned in a breathy whisper.

"This is my apology to you. I am yours."

And here Arthur thought he'd been a good kisser. He melted into the kiss, parting his lips invite him to deepen it as he drew him even closer until their bodies pressed together. If this was how Haldir apologized, that Arthur was never going to hold a grudge against the elf.

"Then I want you. Here," Arthur murmured against his lips, letting his hands slide down. They were just far enough in the trees not to be seen by a casual walker. He hoped.

"An outside excursion, hm?" A melodious chuckle escaped Haldir as he felt Arthur's hand wander down his clothed back. "I have no qualms about this." He said as he playfully flicked his tongue suggestively at Arthur's lips. Haldir wondered silently how much he could make this man blush.

"Undress." He whispered quietly as he leaned over to Arthur's round ear. "Or rather would you have me undress you?" The elf questioned. Haldir nibbled upon the outer shell of Arthur's ear before traveling down his neck slowly. His hands were upon him quickly trying to loosen the clasps of his clothes.

Everyone seemed to go for the ears. Not that Arthur minded, shuddering against him as he stepped back towards a good sturdy tree, drawing Haldir along with him. He was certainly not interested in breaking contact now.

"Undress me," he murmured with agreement, trying to sound authoritative. Ancient, immortal embodiment of the land he may have been, but that didn't mean he didn't get oh so easily flustered and breathless.