Tolkien Elves Halloween Works

8. The Green Ribbon

Elladan x Reader

Implied relationship with Elrohir

1.3k words

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"It is because I lost my bet that I am dressed like this." Elladan halfheartedly grumbled and you laughed as Elladan finished his explanation. Wine in your hand sloshing slightly as you doubled over. The room around you was alive with chatter and laughter alike as the other elves and humans conversed amongst one another. The ellon in front of you looking quite proud of himself having accomplished such a thing, with Elrohir's hand resting on your lower back as he stood close to you.

Dressed in a rich deep burgundy tunic with pretty black embroidery, black hair slicked back away from his face. Face powdered to look pale and a little fake reddish brown paint "dribbling" from his mouth to be blood. With Elladan stuck having to dress up as a Ranger, wanting to be as simple as possible with his costume.

"So is he dressed up as you in return?" You asked between chuckles, bringing your wine up to your lips to sip on, Elladan sighed out softly shaking his head at this question.

"No unfortunately." He sighed out,

"Yes, how truly unfortunate." Elrohir winked to his twin, and Elladan only rolled his eyes, shaking his head.

"Now enough about my costume, tell me about yours! And why you have that atrociously green ribbon wrapped all the way around your neck." He began moving to touch the little bow that was there. The green ribbon was wrapped down the entirety of your neck, thanks to your lover's assistance to get it just right. Elrohir sighed out at the question, knowing precisely where this was leading and how Elladan wouldn't like the answer.

"Are you sure you want to know?" You asked, raising a brow watching him, knowing if Elladan's reaction was anything like Elrohirs it would certainly be full of regret. Elladan merely smiled,

"Oh come now you are dressed in just white with this... thing around your neck. Surely it can't be that bad!" He poked, prodding you for an answer. Elrohir simply raised his brows and began to drink from his cup, not entirely a fan of the story himself. But he knew Elladan was stubborn and decided to stay out of it.

"Alright, I am dressed up as a character from a tale I read when I was a child." You began, with Elladan quickly interrupting.

"Ah so you are a bedtime story character?" He chided with a mischievous grin, and you began to shake your head at his words.

"Are you going to let me explain it or interrupt me constantly?" You pressed with a slight frown, only for Elladan to hold up his hands in surrender with a laugh at your reaction. You sighed out with a heavy huff, cupping your wine glass close to your chest,

"The tale goes, one day there was a boy who met and played with a little girl named Jenny. Jenny always wore a thick green ribbon wrapped around her neck." You finally began, Elladan folding his arms over his chest.

"One day the boy asked Jenny, 'Why do you wear that ribbon around your neck?' and Jenny had told him that maybe one day she would tell him but today was not the day. So the boy dropped the conversation and they didn't discuss it again until they were older.

"When they advanced in their schooling, the boy asked Jenny again why it was she was wearing a ribbon around her neck and Jenny replied with the same thing 'Maybe one day I will tell you.' and the boy once again reluctantly dropped it." You continued gaining a few other elves to crowd around you to hear the tale about your costume. All looking curious and attentive to your words.

"Well Jenny and the boy had fallen in love, entered a courtship and went on to get married. But Jenny never took the ribbon off, even on her wedding day she still wore it. When afterwards the now man asked her again 'Jenny, will you please tell me about the ribbon around your neck?' and once again Jenny answered him with 'Maybe one day I will tell you.'

"The man was upset at her refusal but accepted that she once again withheld the answer from him. Time went on the man never brought up the green ribbon again. But one day when Jenny and the man were old, Jenny had gotten sick. The healers had informed Jenny and the man that she was dying." By now you had a small crowd that had gathered, this part of the room had grown considerably quiet to listen.

The elves always loved listening to a good tall tale, so you had come to learn over the course of your time being here in Middle Earth. Their faces had gone from interested to a little more solemn and somber at the mention of the human woman you described to be dying. Though their interest didn't waver. 

"So being that she was on her deathbed, the man asked Jenny once more 'Jenny please will you now tell me why you wear that green ribbon around your neck?' and Jenny began to nod, and in a cough and raspy voice Jenny said to the man 'Yes, but I will show you. You can take the ribbon off.' and the man reached for the ribbon." The elves around you were practically on the edge of their seat, Elladan included as they all waited to finally find out why the woman named Jenny had, had this ribbon around her neck for all this time.

With Elrohir knowing precisely where this was going and he hung his head down shaking it, before focusing his attention on his brother to see his reaction.

"The men gently pulled on the ribbon, watching it unravel quickly from around her neck. Suddenly her head tilted sideways, rolling down her shoulder and into the floor, dying." There was a collection of gasps and horrified faces at the sudden turn that this story had taken. Elladan looking no less surprised as he could scarcely believe the turn that this story had taken!!

"You heard this tale when you were a child!?" He asked you flabbergasted in a lilted voice, you couldn't help but begin to awkwardly chuckle at his words, nodding and there was soft murmuring of concern from the elves that had joined in to listen.

"Yes I in fact did hear this tale as a child." You confirmed,

"That is inappropriate for a child!" Elladan said in a breath and Elrohir began to nod beside you.

"That is what I told them." He concurred, and for a moment the crowd you had amassed were silent as you sure there was still shock still running through them from the tale. None of them having anticipated such an ending. Suddenly you watched Elladan's eyes trail to your neck and then back to you. Beginning to reach out,

"So if I pull on this-"

"NO!" There was a collection of startled voices from surrounding elves, with a couple reaching out to stop him. You both couldn't help but begin to laugh, not meaning to have traumatized the elves the way that you had.

"Its okay! I promise my head is still attached, it is just a story I assure you all!" You responded in a breathy chuckle, there was a collective sigh of relief from those around you. Elladan cackling at their reactions along with Elrohir. Though he tensely gripped your waist, surely still not over hearing the story for a second time.

The crowd finally beginning to disperse, now all comfortable that your head was not going to fall off if Elladan undid the ribbon around your neck.

"They are going to ask you to retell that story to everyone they know." Elrohir breathed out with a sigh, bringing his glass up to his lips. Elladan began to laugh reaching for your wrist, garnering a frown from his brother.

"You must tell Ada!" Elladan said beginning to drag you off and away from Elrohir,

"Elladan no!!" Was all you could hear from behind you, with Elrohir hot on your heels to try and stop you.