Realization

Title: Realization
Fandom: Lord of the Rings
Author: Lynsey
Websites: see links under userinfo
Beta: None
Chapter: 2/?
Word Count This Chapter: 2219
Pairings: Glorfindel/Erestor, OC/Erestor
Rating: PG-13 this chapter
Warnings: AU
Disclaimer: I do not own Lord of the Rings or its characters. I make no money from this fiction.
Summary: The realization of who you are and where you belong is never easy.
A/N: Sequel to “Tolerance”


“Just a few more steps and we’ll be there,” Erestor said with a grunt of effort. He wasn’t a big elf by any means, and the injured boy he was helping along was quite a bit larger. Corchvorn, his former nemesis, wasn’t quite fully grown yet; still slightly gangly and awkward but showing the signs of becoming a rather intimidating specimen.

With a last effort, Erestor heaved Corchvorn onto a cot in the main ward. Corchvorn moaned pitifully and lowered himself into a reclined position. “Thank you,” the young warrior breathed painfully.

“Yes, well, I still need to let a healer know you’re here. I’ll be right back,” with that, Erestor started searching the seemingly empty healing wing. It was a rather quiet day, most of the healers off duty or running other errands. The darkling finally found an apprentice dutifully cataloging a table-full of herbs. “Hello?” Erestor called.

The young elf startled for a moment before turning to Erestor with a stabilizing sigh. “Goodness you frightened me. Can I help you with something?”

“Sorry, but um…I helped one of the guard trainees here. He’s hurt his back. Can you help…?”

“Of course!” the apprentice said brightly. He sat his board with its inventory list on the table and followed Erestor into the main ward.

The apprentice gazed down at the boy laying in misery on the bed. “This looks to be promising. I thought my day was going to be boring.” The healer’s grin was positively ecstatic.

“I’m not going to like this, am I?” Corchvorn groaned.

“Probably not,” the healer said gaily.

Erestor smiled a little wickedly before clearing his throat. “Well…I’m going to get back to the training fields. I…hope you feel better soon.” His tone was still unsure, but it held a hint of teasing.

Corchvorn looked very embarrassed and very ashamed of his weakness. He cleared his throat and said very quietly, “Thank you.”

Erestor nodded and turned to leave, but an urgent, “Wait!” made him stop and turn back to the bed. Corchvorn blushed a very deep red and said, “Really. Thank you, Erestor.” Erestor smiled bemusedly and nodded again before exiting to find Glorfindel.

*******************

The training fields were still busy when Erestor returned, but many of the trainees had broken away to eat the mid-day meal. Glorfindel was standing under the tree Erestor had been sitting under earlier. The blanket Erestor had packed with the basket of food was spread neatly on the ground. The basket was open and waiting. Erestor ran the last few yards and threw himself into Glorfindel’s strong arms.

Glorfindel laughed softly and gently kissed Erestor’s smiling lips. Erestor kissed back, eager and pliant. The darkling loved the way Glorfindel’s warm, solid lips pressed against his. Loved the way he smelled, like male and steel and leather.

To Glorfindel, Erestor scented of parchment and fragrant candles. It was calming, reminding him of soft evenings by the fire and warm, sun-filled libraries.

Gently releasing the smaller elf, Glorfindel sighed in contentment and brushed wayward strands of hair from Erestor’s forehead. “Why don’t we eat this fine meal you’ve brought?”

Erestor chuckled and flopped down on the blanket. “It’s just sandwiches.”

“And I’m sure you make a fine sandwich,” Glorfindel replied as he followed suit and lowered himself to the ground. He pulled the basket towards himself to pull out the offerings. He doled out the napkin-wrapped sandwiches and placed the bowl filled of vegetables between them.

Erestor took a bite of his sandwich and then brushed the crumbs of bread from his mouth. The dark elf looked up as he heard calls in the distance, and he waved when he saw it was a group of soldiers greeting them as they passed through the field. Glorfindel waved also with his hand containing the sandwich.

“Things have changed,” stated Erestor.

Glorfindel paused in the middle of a bit and regarded Erestor softly. “How is that, lovely one?”

Erestor blushed at the compliment and said, “It’s just that…well, it seems like everyone is so much nicer since…well, since we moved in together after the ball. Everyone smiles at me. They no longer treat me like I’m infected with some kind of human plague. Things have changed. I often wonder if it’s just because it’s you I’m with. If it had been anyone else…”

Glorfindel smiled wryly. “That would be part of it, I imagine. People respect me, and I’m sure many of them fear me. They wouldn’t dare say or do anything against me or you. However, I’m sure part of it is also that you’ve changed your life.”

Erestor’s brow furrowed in thought. “Say again?”

Glorfindel shifted so he was leaning against the crumbling wall that Erestor had been seated on earlier. “Since the night of the ball you have surrounded yourself with different kinds of people, Erestor. You now associate with people that have known me for centuries, or even millennia. They are my friends and comrades. Never have they treated me differently, despite my personal life. They are a different kind of people than those you are used to being around. By associating yourself with me, you are proving to them that you are also worthy of their friendship, and, in turn, their respect. You no longer see the younger elves, as they mostly avoid me at all costs unless it is unavoidable. And, well, since we have moved in together we have been nigh inseparable.” He grinned happily. “Therefore, you do not have to deal with them. You also don’t have to bear the hostilities of your parents: another reason that things seem to have changed so much. By surrounding yourself with a different type of people, you have created a much better environment for yourself to live in. Be assured that there are still many here in Imladris that do not care for our liaison. Actually, there are many that probably despise us for what we are.”

Erestor frowned and looked down to pick at one of the billowing sleeves of his shirt.

“Don’t look so sad, sweet one. Why should you care how the other part of the population views your sexual preferences? Since when was it their business whom you were attracted to? If they are tied up by something so inane as that then they are of no use to you. A real elf looks past such silly things as someone’s sexual preference. A true elf looks at the heart, the soul of another elf to judge them. Those that do otherwise are not worth your time or worry. You are a wonderful, sweet elf. My friends, and now others, are beginning to realize that. And, if I might say, it’s about time.”

Erestor smiled shyly, looking up at Glorfindel through a veil of black hair. Glorfindel smiled back encouragingly and ate the last bite of his food.

“Be proud of who you are, little one,” Glorfindel said as he finished. “You are…more than anyone could ever ask for.” Glorfindel leaned forward and cupped Erestor’s head in his hand, tilting his head upward to lock eyes with the younger elf. “You are so beautiful,” he whispered.

Erestor smiled in a way that said he didn’t really believe the elder elf.

Glorfindel shook his head and said, “It is true, little raven. The light of your spirit shines right through your very skin. Its pure, taintless essence ensnares me with its allure.” The warrior leaned closer.

The darkling closed his eyes, his breath coming fast.

Glorfindel halted his forward movement when his lips nearly touched Erestor’s. “You make me ache. My soul cries for yours. It yearns to know the touch of your innocence upon it.”

Erestor’s breath shuddered out softly.

“My body,” here Glorfindel wrapped his arms around the smaller elf, “My body aches as well. It throbs at the thought of your lips touching mine. It thrills at the whisper of your hand upon mine. My core tightens with need when I feel your body against mine.”

Erestor’s eyes fluttered open to gaze deeply into Glorfindel’s lust darkened irises. The young elf’s body shook very slightly, his breath shuddered. The golden elf tightened his embrace of the Erestor until they were flush together. He closed the fraction of an inch between their lips, kissing the trembling elf in his arms. Erestor’s young and very eager body responded beautifully to the kiss. The young, plump lips under Glorfindel’s opened to his gently probing. Erestor moaned softly as a clever tongue invaded his mouth. Slowly, he sucked on the slick muscle. They’d kissed a few times before, always in a nearly chaste manner. This, however, was the most sensual, deliberate exchange they’d experienced.

They stayed locked together for several moments, neither wanting to separate from the other. Finally, when they heard a large crowd coming closer they parted, albeit reluctantly.

“It seems my warriors are back from their lunch break,” Glorfindel said softly.

Erestor sighed disappointedly and pulled back from Glorfindel’s embrace. “This was nice,” he said dreamily.

“Remember what I told you,” Glorfindel said in way of parting when he stood to join the group that was once again warming up in the field.

Erestor smiled and replied, “I will. I’ll see you tonight at dinner.”

The warrior smiled back before trotting across the sparring field.

****************************

Corchvorn groaned with pain as the healer moved him this way and that. “You’re sure you know what you’re doing? OUCH!”

The healer heaved a long-suffering sigh. “I might be an apprentice, but this is very much a specialty of mine.”

The young warrior groaned, face buried in the mattress. His shirt lay discarded on the bedside table. The healer was standing on one side of the bed, bend over and poking and prodding with extreme prejudice. “What specialty? Torture?”

“Alignment,” was the succinct answer before he jerked harshly at Corchvorn’s back.

“HOLY-” Corchvorn squealed as he back cracked loud enough to ring in his ears. Suddenly, the pain was gone, replaced with a lingering tenderness and profound relief. “Oh…yes,” he sighed with sincerity.

“Ha,” the apprentice said with victory. “You’re vertebrae were out of position and pressing on your nerves. I’m assuming you’ve strained some muscles, so don’t assume you’re completely healed. Light training only for the next few weeks. If you feel any pain, come back and we’ll look at it again. If something hurts, don’t do it.”

“Sounds easy enough,” Corchvorn muttered. He felt relaxed and rather exhausted now that the pain was gone.

“I’m going to rub some oil that contains a mild muscle relaxant into the muscles. I don’t want you moving from this spot for several hours. Everything needs to rest for awhile or you’ll just end up in the same predicament.” The healer gently started massaging the youth’s back, his expression thoughtful. “The boy who brought you in earlier…you know him?”

Corchvorn was quiet for a moment, not really sure how to respond. He felt that saying he’d beat the kid up on more than one occasion wouldn’t cut it. He settled with, “Not really.”

The healer sighed, and his tone took on a rather gossiping tone. “He’s Lord Glorfindel’s betrothed. Can you believe it? I never would have thought the good Seneschal to be sly, you know what I mean?” Without waiting for Corchvorn to respond, the apprentice continued. “I mean, really? He’s the least likely candidate I’ve ever seen for those preferences.”

Corchvorn made a noncommittal sound, and the healer seemed pleased enough to continue. “At least he found someone adorable, right? They are so cute together. Well, I think they’re really cute together. I saw them at the ball, and they were so beautiful. It was almost like watching the Valar come to earth, you know? I don’t know why everyone was so upset. I mean, who could possibly think they are anything other than meant for each other?”

Corchvorn hummed in agreement, still facing away from the young healer. He wished the other boy would hurry in his hearsay speculations and go away. It was too hard to think about, his actions and public humiliation by Glorfindel after getting caught hurting Erestor. He already knew what he had done was wrong. He didn’t need some gossipmonger to rub his face in it.

“Hello?” called someone from the entrance to the wing.

“Oh!” startled the apprentice. He picked up a rag and rubbed the excess oil off of his hands as he responded, “Be there in a moment!” He poked Corchvorn’s shoulder and said, “You just lay here until I say you can leave. I’ll be back to check on you in a bit. Be good.” With that, he flounced off towards his newest victim.

Corchvorn sighed, happy to be rid of his talkative company. He just wanted to be alone to wallow in self-recrimination and humiliation. It was all he deserved, after all. Unless he spoke to his father. According to him, Corchvorn had only done what was right. He was so confused. Right and wrong were hazy, obtuse concepts, and they varied depending on who he was talking to at the time. His father said one thing, his idol, Glorfindel, said another. Glorfindel was the other.

What was right? What was wrong?

And why, oh why, did Erestor have to look so beautiful today?

TBC…