Against all odds

Chapter eight Erestor’s decision.

For weeks Erestor had laid in his bed, thinking. He never was left alone. Elrond, Glorfindel and the twins took their chare of sitting with Erestor. But he never spoke up.

None of them had stopped sitting with the counsellor. Glorfindel’s endless cheerful chatter didn’t cease, Elladan’s worried stares always stared, Elrohir’s quiet sobs never left and Elrond’s companionship stayed.

But Erestor noticed the differences. Glorfindel’s chatter might still be there, but it was obvious the blond felt as if he was talking to stone. And the twins had already given him up, he could tell. But Elrond’s change had been bigger, but that was the one he could not figure out. Elrond was ever present; even if he wasn’t sitting with Erestor the lord of Imladris was never far away.

He saw emotional storms in Elrond’s orbs he had never seen before and he could not place it. This was one time his reasoning failed.

As time went by Erestor realised Elrond could not be running things, he never took papers along and the times the Half-Elf wasn’t sitting at his side were too short to do anything.

Elrond was the only one talking normally to him, in a positive way. Unless his wounds were checked, than the healer took over, but otherwise Elrond was the best companion Erestor had. It was Elrond’s company that made his choice.

It was Elrond that kept a close eye at his wishes. The moment Erestor closed his eyes Elrond stopped speaking, realising the counsellor wanted to rest. But when the eyes were open, he talked to him. Elrond told Erestor about everything and anything, the way they had always done, only now Erestor did not answer.

At the moment he had no interest in speaking, or to listen. He had his eyes closed and Elrond had taken to reading. Poetry. He had always read poetry at Erestor’s bed. Glorfindel had once laughed at it, but Elrond had simply told the blond he had no more songs to keep him awake, should he get into another situation like this again. Therefore he had taken to poetry. After all, what was a song but a poem to music. Erestor had silently laughed at it. But it had not gone unnoticed.

Both Elrond and Glorfindel had seen it. Glorfindel had looked absolutely stunned, but Elrond hissed in his ears. “Told you so.” Elrond knew Erestor was still there, watching, listening, just not responding they way they would like. Bu was was there.

Elrond had taken great care to recognize the signs Erestor made. He knew when the counsellor wanted to drink, he knew when Erestor wanted to eat, he knew when his patient was uncomfortable. He knew the signs and he had adapted himself to Erestor. Erestor had noticed the way Elrond seemed to know what he wanted and when he wanted it, but he had blamed it on their long friendship.

Erestor sighed, he should make his decision known.

He opened his eyes and saw Elrond seated at his side, still reading the big heavy poetry book. Elrond was seemingly lost in it and he now had a change to study the Half-Elf they way he had been studied by Elrond. Elrond had never done it when Erestor had his eyes open, but Erestor had always noticed.

The very posture Elrond had adopted showed he did not plan to leave soon. Slumped in the chair, ready to jump out the moment Erestor might need something, his robes were casually thrown aside. Erestor could clearly detect large parts of uncovered flesh; legs, arms, chest. The dark hair was loose, the strands where the two small braids normally lay, where undone and constantly fell in front of Elrond’s eyes. A delicate and slender hand gently pushed it behind the ear again and again. Erestor could see Elrond had not seen his bed for days.

He kicked himself. Of course Elrond had not seen his bed for days. He was in it. But why had he not been moved to the Healers, or why had they not placed him there to begin with? He had never before wondered but now he did.

Hoping his voice was back to normal he spoke up. “Why am I here?”

Erestor’s voice startled Elrond and he lost the grip he had on the book. It landed on the floor with a loud thud. He looked at Erestor with joy. The counsellor had spoken. For the first time in days. “Erestor. I have missed the lyrical sound of your voice.”

But Erestor merely gave him a look that said you-better-answer-or-else. A look Elrond had seen many times, a he he had also missed. His heart was practically fluttering in his chest. He had almost forgotten how sensual the look had seemed to him.

But he would not answer that easily. Maybe he could draw Erestor into a conversation. “Why do you think?”

“How am I supposed to know why I am not in the Healing house.”

“Because it would have taken too much time to reach it.”

“But why here? Why am I in your bed and not my own? Surely you could have moved me.”

“Do you prefer your own rooms? Elrond’s are more luxurious, you know.” Glorfindel’s voice had startled both elves. They had not noticed the presence of another.

As he turned Elrond saw his sons standing next to the blond, looking at Erestor in total amazement. Elrond chuckled. It was quite a lovely sight. “Well, now that you’ve heard it for yourself you can’t call me liar when I say Erestor is here still”

Elrohir approached the bed. “Can I hope you’ll stay?” His voice was soft and insecure.

Erestor wanted to stand but his wounds still caused him pain. He fall back on the bed and groaned in annoyance. “How much more do I have to stay in bed?”

The remark send Elladan and Elrohir into victorious roars. They interpreted it as a sign Erestor was back to normal. They were in the middle of the room, hugging each other and performing the weirdest dance the other three had ever seen.

Elrond’s smile widened. “Well, mellon-nîn, it seems you are still capable of making these two act like 25 year olds.”

Erestor laughed as well. “It’s a gift, Elrond. It’s a gift.”

But his laughs were stopped when Glorfindel enveloped him into a tight hug. He could feel the tears Glorfindel was letting go. The whole scene made Erestor extremely happy: the twins acting like elflings, Glorfindel clinging to him and Elrond with the biggest smile ever.

“I’m not going anywhere” He addressed nobody spec The The hug tightened and the twins looked at him before the dance became more insane, accompanied by their loud and happy screams. But even over the sounds the twins were making and Glorfindel’s happy sobs, he heard Elrond’s soft voice. “I know, I know. I wouldn’t let you go.”

Erestor had had enough now. He pushed Glorfindel to the floor. “Get off me, you oaf, and you two, stop acting like elflings or you can clean out the stables. And you, you’re the healer, heal me.”

Elrond laughed. Erestor was back, no doubts about that. He nodded his head to Elladan and Elrohir, telling them all it was their turn to take care of Erestor. Before he left he addressed his patient. “You have not answered Glorfindel’s question yet.”

It took a moment for Erestor to catch on, but when he did he erupted in a laugh. “My bed will do. Then you’ll have yours back.”

“Then your bed it is. But not now.”

Elrond left. He was pleased Erestor was back again. As soon as the counsellor had healed he would keep his distance. Until he could control his hormones again.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Two months had quickly passed. Erestor’s wounds had fully healed although they had left many scars.

Elrond had dismissed him from healer’s care some days ago and had agreed for Erestor to get back to work. Everybody was glad to have him back; things have been rather chaotic lately. It seemed ruling Imladris needed Erestor’s subtle touch.

A party had been planned to celebrate his recovery and return, but Erestor had found out and forbid the party. “You can keep it, but without me” he had said. And so the festivities had been cancelled. No use giving a party when the guest of honour wouldn’t show up.

Erestor made good work of the mess that was waiting for him. Patiently reorganizing the system, the paperwork, everything. And once done things went back to normal.

But even though everything seemed normal, a lot has changed.

Erestor hardly went outside anymore, enjoying the splendour of the valley only from the inside. He walked through the corridors like a phantom, trying to be as invisible as possible. He kept his walks short, moving only where necessary when necessary.

Glorfindel still argued with him, but the depth has altered. Glorfindel now admired him where before he had thought Erestor nothing more than a nuisance. Now Glorfindel appreciated Erestor’s input and no longer disagreed without thinking hrouhrough.

It greatly unnerved Erestor, as did the behaviour of Elladan and Elrohir. They were constantly hugging him, drawing him into their conversations and spending more time with him than they ever had.

But the change he pitied the most was that of Elrond. No longer the lord of Imladris came to him for a casual conversation. And he thought Elrond was doing his best to distance himself and to avoid Erestor as much as possible. Elrond’s absence made it hard for him to bear his mental pain. He wanted some company. Not the forced kind, but the normal one, the way it had always been.

But Elrond always moved away. It was frustrating him. If he had no business to discuss Elrond simply excused himself and left Erestor alone. So Erestor had worked slower than before. Making sure there was a lot of work for Elrond to see to. Always Elrond would look at it and say he trusted Erestor enough to make the right decision, leaving the counsellorne ane again.

It might be frustrating to Erestor, it was killing Elrond. When more time passed, it became harder on him to stay away from Erestor. Especially when Erestor kept coming to him. But he knew he had to, he did not want to see Erestor hurt. In his blind love he did not see his actions to pnt hnt hurt were actually causing pain.

End Chapter eight.
TBC

Note:
I take the saying love makes blind rather literally here. But I have to for the tale to work. It is called Against all odds for a reason.