Down by the water

Portishead - Elysium

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Chapter 4. - If you felt as I do, would you betray yourself?

Sitting in the garden, looking at some flowers, Glorfindel looked

almost as if he expected the flowers to suddenly get up and dance, or the

like. Elladan had noticed him sitting there for hours, looking lost to

himself. Elladan had been busy carrying out his duties and some extra

work due to Arato's arrival today. But now he had a moment, and slowly

walked over to sit at Glorfindel's side.

He gently touched his teacher’s shoulder. "Glorfindel?" he said softly.

"Is something wrong? You don't seem happy."

Glorfindel looked up at Elladan and smiled sadly. "I am just a little

lost," he admitted.

"Of course," Elladan said with a nod. "He is your brother, so it’s only

natural that you are a bit beside yourself… I know if I had not seen

Elrohir for so many years, and I had thought him dead, only for him to

re-emerge suddenly, I would feel lost, and my soul in chaos."

Glorfindel nodded, he really didn't want to bring the Erestor issue

up; this only complicated matters, but Elladan was right, he was

troubled by the return of Arato. What if he were not the elf he

remembered? He opened his mouth and was about to say something when

he heard a horn. He was here, already? Elladan got up from his seat

and dragged Glorfindel with him.

"Come now, you won’t let your brother wait, will you?" he said softly

and gently guided Glorfindel back to the house with a hand on his

shoulder.

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Glorfindel stood on the shallow stairs of the courtyard, watching as

the single horse slowly trotted in. He looked over

at Elrond who, just smiled and nodded. Glorfindel wrung his hands, not

sure what to say or do. He couldn't really remember being this nervous

before, not even when he had arrived here to start a new life, when he

had had to face an entire new household and an entirely new world.

He looked up, only to see the blond elf jump off the large black

horse. The elf smiled and the elda felt his heart melt. Yes, this was

his brother, he remembered those dimples and those impossibly blue

eyes. As if he were hypnotised, he walked over to his brother.

"Arato," he whispered.

"Glorfindel," Arato said softly, "brother, finally I find you," and with

that he grabbed Glorfindel's arm and hauled him in for an embrace.

Glorfindel let out a shaky breath, trying his hardest not to cry. "I

thought you perished," he mumbled into his brother's thick hair.

"And I thought you dwelled in the halls of Mandos as well," Arato

whispered back and then he pulled from the embrace and held Glorfindel

out in stretched arms, looking him over with a big smile. "My brother,

the seneschal of Rivendell, who would have thought?" he said with

adoration in his voice. "My scrawny little brother, a war hero and a

praised strategist."

Glorfindel blushed a little. "Thank you," he whispered, beaming under

his brother’s loving words. Looking to his left he saw Elrond descend

the stairs also, smiling at them. Elrond welcomed Arato and

told him that he was welcome to stay for as long as he pleased, and

that he hoped he would like it in this valley.

Arato looked back to Glorfindel and said with a cocky smile, "Where is

my sweet husband? I was told that Erestor was here, in this household."

Glorfindel stepped to the side, and behind him stood Elladan and

Elrohir with Erestor, who to Glorfindel looked even more nervous than

he.

"There you are, my love," Arato said and held out his arms, inviting

Erestor over for an embrace. Erestor moved slowly to his husband's

arms, and was whirled around when Arato's arms closed around him.

"Erestor, Erestor, Erestor, I missed you terribly," he laughed softly

and kissed the dark-haired elf on the lips.

Erestor blushed and whispered, "And I, you."

"I trust my brother took good care of you in my absence?" the golden

haired elf whispered.

"He did," Erestor whispered back and rested his head on Arato's

shoulder, closing his eyes.

When they were done hugging, he greeted the sons of Elrond as well,

and the rest of Elrond’s advisors, before he and Erestor walked into the

house to go and get acquainted with his new suite of rooms, Erestor's rooms.

Glorfindel watched as the pair walked away, and kept staring at the

door from the courtyard as it closed shut behind them. "Glorfindel?" Elrond said

softly resting his hand on his friends shoulder, "I know how you feel,"

he whispered.

Glorfindel looked up at his lord and friend. "You do? For I do not know

how I feel myself," he admitted.

"I am truly sorry for my poor advise regarding Erestor. I could not

possibly have known that his husband would show up, even if that

someone is your own brother," Elrond said as sadness flashed in his

steel grey eyes.

"I know, mellon," Glorfindel whispered. "Don't worry, Elrond." The blond

looked up at the lord of Imladris and smiled a sad little smile. "I

won't embarrass you."

"Oh no, I know you won’t, Glorfindel, and I would never worry about

that," Elrond said and wrapped his arm around Glorfindel's waist. "But

I 'do' worry about you."

Glorfindel smiled and let Elrond lead him back into the house.

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That night Glorfindel stood in his balcony door and watched the little

cobblestone yard under his balcony. The little fountain spurted water

with continuous soothing sound, and the chickadees made noise

further away. The warm breezed lifted tiny strands of the Balrog

slayer’s hair. This was a night like any other night in the last homely

house, except that the house had gained a new inhabitant.

Glorfindel let his gaze wander from the fountain to Erestor's windows

that were directly opposite his. He took a sip of his tea and sighed.

He didn't understand, never had he taken a mate, neither male nor

female. He had been holding out for someone special, someone to make

him forget time and place, someone that could make his world turn. But

that special someone had never come along. Not in Gondolin, and not

here either. For a second he had almost believed that Erestor could be

that one, the one he would lose his heart to, but fate had had other

plans. He was happy to see Arato, yes. But... Glorfindel closed his

eyes for a second and then opened them again, looking at Erestor's

rooms.

He could see Arato sleeping on his back naked in the beautifully

carved bed, and Erestor. He was sitting and looking at something,

squatted on the floor. Glorfindel knew that the fireplace was placed

there from the times he had been in the advisor’s rooms. Erestor looked

thoughtful, running his finger absentmindedly over the rim of a glass

of something Glorfindel couldn't make out. Over and over again Erestor

ran his finger, making a crisp little noise.

Glorfindel couldn't help but to notice Erestor's naked form. He was

much more fragile boned than he had thought. Skinny was the thought

that came to Glorfindel's mind.

What he wouldn't give to be the one on his back in Erestor's bed,

sleeping like a baby, he thought to himself. Quickly finishing his tea,

he silently chided himself for that thought alone. Erestor was bound

to his brother, not some strange elf, no, his own brother! What was he

thinking? Committing adultery against his own brother? He was about

to close the balcony door when he had to look out at Erestor once

more. Now he could see that the elf was whispering to himself.

Glorfindel shook his head as he closed the door, and blowing out the candle,

he walked to his bed. Whatever ailed Erestor, was none of his business,

and whatever happened, he would not put his lord to shame and meddle.

Next chapter --->