An uir

Elrond stared his sons, completely loss for words. Finally, he managed a tentative smile. Erestor had turned his face against his chest, and he too found it difficult to face his sons right now. He felt a coldness inside him… how would the twins take his new love?

“Why are here, ionnath nín (my sons)? I thought that you’d be on patrol for several more days.” Elrond asked. His heart ached when he felt Erestor trembling in his arms. He pulled his meleth closer, trying to offer comfort. With his gaze, he sent a silent plea to his sons. He wouldn’t let them hurt his beloved.

“I assume that you and Erestor are together, right?” Elladan finally broke the silence between them.

Elrond tried to pick his words carefully.

“Yes. We bonded to each other three days ago. I hope that you will at least understand, even if you cannot accept this.”

Silently they glanced at each other and then came closer. What they did next startled and surprised Elrond.

“Erestor? Could you just look at us? Saes?”

Elrohir carefully put his hand on Erestor’s shoulder.

Slowly, hesitantly, Erestor lifted his head still fearing a possible outburst. This situation was beyond his nightmares. Their secret had been revealed in the worst possible way. They hadn’t had the chance to talk to them and try to explain this carefully. No, they had been caught like snogging teenagers.

“We are not mad at you if that’s what you fear, Erestor. We want to talk to you.” Elladan said softly, leading Erestor to the couch and beckoned him to sit. He could see that Erestor was still afraid and his heart ached. He shook his head at his ada, pleading with him not to meddle in this.

“Are you happy with ada, Erestor?”

“I am very happy. I… I love him.” Erestor whispered, not daring to meet twin’s gazes.

“It’s everything that we want for ada. You don’t have to be afraid that we won’t accept your and ada’s love, Erestor. Don’t you know how much we have always loved you? You helped to raise us; you were always there for us whenever we needed you and… you helped us to accept nana’s departure. Ada was grieving and unable to help us. Without you, we would drown in pain, hatred and agony. We would have faded without you. It was you who came to us to console and just hold us when we needed you most. You were still in pain from your injuries, but you came to us and didn’t let us leave Imladris to hunt those foul creatures.”

Elrond couldn’t suppress his tears. His sons had really surprise him. He had known that his children had always liked Erestor but this, this was something new to him. He never realized how dear Erestor was to his children. He didn’t know how much Erestor had helped them when he couldn’t and suddenly the Vala’s words echoed in his mind.

“Your mate is one of the most incredible elves ever lived in Arda. His emotions are deep like The Endless Sea and that makes him more powerful than any other his kin.”

“You were right, master Lórien. He really is incredible. He had been so good, so loving to me… to my children… and I haven’t known any of this.” Elrond thought.

“Do you really mean that you accept this?” Erestor asked small voice.

“Erestor! We don’t ‘accept’ it, as you put it. We have waited a long time for you to finally find happiness and if you have found it with our ada, nothing would make us more happy. You deserve only the best.”

“I…I don’t know what to say.” Erestor whispered. He was completely stunned.

“You don’t need to say anything. We will be very happy if you give us hug instead.” Elrohir suggested, smiling gently.

Erestor couldn’t help it anymore. Tears of relief flowed freely from his eyes and he found himself in twins’ tight and warm embrace.

“Don’t cry, meleth. You don’t need to worry anymore.” Elrond said softly. He could see that Erestor was now beyond rational thinking. With his sons’ help he carried his hervenn to bed.

“Are you all right? This has been too much for you.” Elladan asked worriedly.

Elrond glanced at his sons and noticed the serious expressions upon their faces.

“We should have expected something like that, ada. He was so alone. He suffered many years because of you. Why, ada? Why you were so cold to him? He loved you and you hurt him… Why?”

“I’m so sorry! I was a blind fool. I am very grateful that he still loves me and I’m going to make it up to him. I’m so happy that you haven’t been as blind as I. He needs us now. He needs our support and love and I’m going to give him everything I can. I hope that you’ll help me.” Elrond said hopefully, tears in his eyes.

“There is no need to ask it. We love you, Erestor. You are like second ada to us. And you always have been.” Elladan whispered to Erestor and leaned to kiss his brow.

Erestor started to finally recover and he smiled shyly.

“I’m so happy that you are so understanding. You two have always been very dear to me, like my own sons. I never wanted to take your nana’s place in your or your ada’s heart.”

“We know it and it would be impossible anyway. We will never forget her but she is gone. You are here with us and you have always had your own place in our hearts. Nothing will ever change that.”

“But what about Arwen? She is coming home next spring for the first time since Celebrían left. How will she take the information that her beloved ada and I are bound? Elrond has always been very dear to Arwen.”

Twins smiled mischievously.

“Oh, I think she must be devastated! Arwen really loves ada but there is someone else too. Don’t you remember? She always was your little princess and you spoiled her shamelessly. Every time we played our pranks on her, she came to you to get comfort and later, she even had little crush on you. We teased her mercilessly when she told us that she was going to marry you. And now…our ada has stolen you all for himself.” Elrohir chuckled.

Erestor blushed heavily.

“I… she never told me that. She was always so lovely that I couldn’t deny her anything. I’m afraid that she really had me around her little finger. Do you really think that she won’t hate me because of this?”

“We are sure and if you want, we can go to Lórien and escort her back. We can tell her so she has time to adjust.” Elladan suggested.

“Could you really do that? This is more than I deserve.” Erestor said, tears in his eyes.

“You deserve it, don’t ever doubt that. We owe you much more.”

“You never cease to amaze me, ionnath nín. I’m so grateful to both of you.” Elrond whispered. He never dared to hope anything like this; that his children would welcome his hervenn so heartily.

“We only hope that you take good care of Erestor from now on. Don’t hurt him anymore. Do you understand? We didn’t say anything earlier because you were grieving, but it has to cease now.”

Elrond blinked at Elladan’s words, completely at a loss for words. Then he started to laugh.

“You see, meleth? Not only Glorfindel protects you but my own offspring too, even against me! You really are loved by everyone here and I can fully understand why.” Elrond chuckled. His heart lifted when he saw dazzling smile upon Erestor’s face. It really seemed that everything would be all right.

“We must go now but we come back before dinnertime. It would be best if we all went to the Great Hall together so you can announce your bonding properly.” Elrohir said, pulling his twin with him.

The door opened and closed quickly leaving them alone again.

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“Your sons are very generous young elves. You can be proud of them, Elrond nín.” Erestor said.

“Don’t forget your own part, meleth nín. You are very dear to them; I see it now.”

“And they are dear to me, almost as much as their ada.” Erestor whispered, pulling Elrond into kiss.

“Ai… ind nín… if you don’t stop we will never make to dinner in time.” Elrond said, but moaned regretfully when Erestor broke the kiss.

“If this is how the things are going to be between us, I wonder if we will ever be able to go back to work.” Erestor whispered.

Elrond smiled. “Would it be so bad, ind nín?”

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“Come, gwanur (brother). We must hurry.” Elladan urged his twin.

“I’m coming! Calm down. You don’t need to dash like that. We will make back just in time.” Elrohir chuckled.

“But we don’t remember where we stored the box!”

“You mean, ‘You’ don’t remember. I know exactly where it is. So stop that fussing. It isn’t necessary.

“How you could be that calm? We have wished this for ages. I’m so happy that we didn’t have those pieces made for nothing.”

“I am too and our new ada would look stunning in them.” They continued their course, laughing and joking.