Coal and kisses

Title: Coal and Kisses
Author: Fishy (fishyz9@yahoo.com)
Pairing: Erestor/Glorfindel
Rating: PG13
Notes: Un-beta’d, AU, fluff
Disclaimer: I own nothing
Summary: Erestor and Glorfindel are both young elfling’s, gifts are exchanged and unbreakable bonds are forged.


Coal and Kisses.


“He looks so different.”
“He never speaks.”
“He thinks he’s better than us.”
“Look at how he dresses, its as if someone died.”
“He thinks he’s so smart.”
“But he’s not.”
“No he just thinks he is.”
“He doesn’t deserve a gift.”
“Don’t worry he wont get one.”

Erestor sat apart from the other elfling’s, only hearing snippets of what they were saying. But he knew it was he they were glaring at, that it was he they hated. He sat beneath an old oak with one of his favourite history books, swallowing the lump in his throat and willing his bottom lip to stop trembling.

“Erestor!”

Erestor looked up when hearing a familiar voice and smiled in relief when his one and only friend Glorfindel came bounding up to him and sat beside him with a warm smile. The whispers and taunts immediately stopped and he allowed himself a small smile.

“Hello Glorfindel.”
“What are you reading?”
“My history book.”
Glorfindel giggled, “that book is almost as big as you Erestor, can you really read all that?”
“Oh yes its very interesting!” The small dark haired elfling replied with much enthusiasm, his spirits beginning to lift.
“Would you read some to me?”

Glorfindel reclined on the ground next to Erestor and stared contently up at the clouds as Erestor read to him. The book itself did not interest the young lord in the least, but he knew Erestor delighted in reading to him. After a while though he became restless, his eyes constantly drifting to the small group of elfling’s playing some sort of chase game with a ball, it looked awfully fun. So caught up in what the other elfling’s were doing was he, that he had not noticed that Erestor had stopped reading.

“You can go play with them if you want.”
“Hmm? Oh no I’m having fun with you Erestor, keep reading.”
“Its alright Glorfindel, you want to go play, you can go. I have my book.”

Glorfindel bit his lip, looking at the game the other elfling’s were playing and then back to Erestor.

“Are you sure?”
“Yes, its fine, go play Glorfindel.”
“Why don’t you come and play to?”
“I…I don’t think they like me much Glorfindel.” He admitted quietly.
“Nonsense, what is not to like?”
“Apparently much.”
“Oh Erestor they just don’t know you, and you haven’t even given them a chance!” Glorfindel said annoyed, ignorant of how Erestor was treated by the others. He stood and brushed down his front. As he stood a couple of the other elfling’s called him over.

“Glorfindel, come play!”
“Yes you can be on my team!”
“No he’s going to be on mine!”

Glorfindel smiled and looked back down to Erestor with a sigh.
“Well I am going to go play, perhaps when you see how fun it is you will come to.”

Erestor watched sadly as his only friend walked to and was greeted by the other boys that taunted him so. Ignoring the gleeful shouts and laughter he again immersed himself in his book.

~~~

Erestor looked down to his feet when he felt something bump into him, it was a ball. Looking up he saw some of the other boys looking for where the ball had rolled to. Deciding that perhaps Glorfindel was right he picked up the ball and hesitantly walked over to the nearest small group.

“Are you looking for your ball?” He asked quietly, trying to smile without looking to hopeful.

“Give me that!” One of the boys reached out and snatched the ball from his hands. He quickly searched the faces for that of his friends, but Glorfindel was searching somewhere else with another boy and had not noticed him. Still he continued to smile politely and try again. As the boys turned away he again spoke in his quiet nervous voice.

“You… have an odd number of elves in you team…”
“And? What of it?”
“Well…perhaps I…can I play?” he ended in a high note, smiling as politely and friendly as he could.
“You?! No you can not play!” The boy spat out at him as the others giggled at the crestfallen expression on the dark haired elfling’s face.
“W-why not?” He whispered, his eyes filling with tears.
“Because…” The boy who had been holding the ball passed it to a friend and stepped closer to Erestor until he stood before him, “….we don’t like you! Now go away!” To prove his point the young boy pushed Erestor. Erestor stumbled backwards slightly before landing on his rear. With tears streaming his cheeks Erestor quickly ran back to the tree to pick up his book so that he could go home. Leaving the laughter behind him. At least he had tried.

~~~

Erestor sat cross legged excitedly with his own small gift in hand. This was an age old tradition, that upon a certain eve once a year all elfling’s received a single gift from beneath the big celebration tree. Parents would leave their young ones to play beneath the ancient tree whilst they danced and mingled with other elves and other parents. Erestor did not care that he sat alone again, away from all of the other elfling’s. For he had his gift, and was very excited as he while giggling to himself raised it and shook it to see if it would make a sound. It made a slight rattle and he near bounced in excitement. Seeing that the other boys were opening their gifts he slowly unwrapped his, savouring every moment.

When he unwrapped the small box he neatly folded the colourful paper, careful not to tear it and laid it next to him. Picking up the small box he with a bright smile slowly opened it. The smile slid from his face however when seeing what was inside. Inside the box was a dark dirty lump of coal. Numbly he stared into the box, unaware of the tears that fell down his creamy white cheeks, and unaware of how his lips and chin trembled in a downwards bow shape. He looked up when he heard snickering.

“You got coal, you know what that means.” One of the boys whispered, not wanting to alert any of the grown elves that stood a little way from them.
Erestor simply looked at the boy, he knew what coal meant, but he never thought he would get a lump of coal. He was always a good little elf, he always did his lesson work on time, getting good marks and praises, and he was always polite.

“You got coal because no one likes you, you are snobby and look strange. No one likes you, not even the grown up elves.”

The elfling’s that had been sniggering and watching glanced at each other nervously as the dark haired elf began to sob openly.

“Shh! You’ll get us in trouble!” One of the boys hissed.

But Erestor could not stop the shake of his shoulders, or his hiccups or open sobs. He rubbed at his eyes trying to stop the cascade of tears but to no avail.

“Erestor?” Came one soft concerned voice amongst the hissing and angry taunts.

Erestor looked up to see Glorfindel who had pushed his way to the front of the small group when hearing someone cry. He was shocked to see Erestor sitting on the ground looking impossibly sad, his small frame shaking with tears.

Erestor on the other hand felt utterly betrayed seeing Glorfindel stand amongst the other boys that were so mean to him, holding onto what must have been his gift. Ungracefully he stood and stumbled before running away to the one place he felt safe, beneath his trusty old oak tree.

“Erestor!” Glorfindel called after his friend walking forward as Erestor ran off. When something brushed his foot he looked down and bent to pick up the small black rock.

“What is this?” He asked turning back to the other boys who were again smiling triumphantly.

“A lump of coal obviously, he didn’t deserve a gift.”
“What? You mean you did this?”

The other boys merely smiled smugly in answer, not expecting the reaction they were to get from Glorfindel, young lord of Gondolin.

“Why would you do this?! You stupid elves!”

The boys looked to each other in surprise, Glorfindel was always friendly, and good at all the games they played. The one particular elfling who stood in front and seemed to be their leader recoiled almost as Glorfindel stalked forward, until they stood nearly nose to nose.

“Don’t you ever go near or make my friend cry again.” Glorfindel had said in a low and dangerous voice that should not come from any elfling.

Turning Glorfindel dashed off in the direction Erestor had headed, in search of his friend so that he could apologise and comfort him.

~~~

It did not take long for Glorfindel to locate Erestor, for the dark young elf sat in his favourite spot beneath the old oak. He felt guilt wash through him at seeing Erestor bury his face in his arms that rested atop of his knees. Crying quietly.

“Erestor?”


Erestor looked up, rubbing at his red rimmed eyes and sniffing sadly.
“What do you want? Why don’t you back to your friends!”
“They are not my friends Erestor, not anymore.”
“Well…why not?” Erestor asked cautiously, not yet willing to give into the need of flying into his friends arms for comfort.

Glorfindel knelt beside Erestor and silently wiped away his friends tears with his fingers and the sleeve of his tunic. Leaving black smudges from the coal across Erestor‘s pale cheeks.
“Because I could never be friends with anyone who would be so mean, especially to you Erestor.”

Glorfindel continued as Erestor did not answer, looking at him blankly demanding more. And Glorfindel bowed his head with guilt, he should of seen what was happening but he had not.

“Erestor I am sorry I did not listen to you, you were right about them. But do not worry, because they are not worth crying over. And we have each other Erestor, we will always be friends.”

Glorfindel felt relieved when Erestor hesitantly smiled.
“Here, I want you to have this.” Glorfindel handed over the gift he had received that eve. A small wooden figure of an elven guard, wearing a soldiers attire and with bow and arrows strapped to its back.

“But that is you present Glorfindel.”
“And now it is yours, besides I already have one like it. We can play with them together!”

Erestor smiled accepting the gift, wiping the rest of his tears away. But the smile slowly slid from his face.
“But then you will not have a gift to take home this eve.”

Glorfindel shrugged, “It’s ok.”

Erestor bit his lip and thought for a moment before taking Glorfindel completely by surprise. Kneeling up so as they were both now eye level Erestor closed his eyes and pressed his lips to Glorfindel’s in his first kiss. Glorfindel on the other hand did not close his eyes and blinked rapidly in surprise, but did not pull away. Their lips did not move, they were simply pressed together, closed tightly in an innocent first kiss.

When Erestor pulled back there was a slight smacking sound as any inexperienced kiss would sound. They both looked at each other blankly for a moment. Eventually Glorfindel grinned and touched his lips where Erestor’s had just been.

“I have never been kissed before.” He giggled.
“Neither have I.” Erestor too giggled and quickly covered his mouth with his hand, his eyes shinning and happy.

“I think that was better than the soldier.” Glorfindel whispered, even though there was no one else to hear him.

A content smile spread across Erestor’s face, he leaned forward and hugged Glorfindel tightly. Glorfindel hugged Erestor back, glad that he had been forgiven and that they were friends again.

“You are my best friend Glorfindel.” Was whispered into the young lords ear.
“And you are mine.” He said truthfully, hugging his forever friend tighter.

The end.