Healing In The Night

Title: Healing In the Night.
Author: Fishy (fishyz9@yahoo.com)
Pairing: Glorfindel/Erestor.
Rating: PG13
Notes: I own nothing, un-beta’d.
Summary: Glorfindel is injured, Erestor is upset by this, he sits with him, they talk. And stuff.


Healing In The Night.


Glorfindel came to with a groan. His eyelids felt heavy, his limbs felt heavy, everything ached.

“Glorfindel?”

Now that was a voice he knew, what was the name? It was an important voice. Though strangely, it sounded - wrong. Erestor, that was Erestor, it felt odd that he should even have to query for a moment who’s voice that was. Perhaps it was the unfamiliar quiver, perhaps it was the unusual gentleness in his tone. Erestor was not gentle, he was not unkind, but he was not gentle. He was too prepared and wary of people to be gentle with them. Something was definitely wrong if Erestor was worried. He tried to ask why Erestor sounded so different, and coughed instead. Ah yes, he was laying down, and everything ached.

“You’re awake,” spoke the soft, unusually relieved sounding voice.

“What..?” He asked, blinking those heavy lids whilst trying to focus on the figure standing at the end of his bed. It was dark. Night time.

“You took a little nick to your side,”

The voice was shaking again, and blinking, clearing his vision some more, he could see - despite the darkness of the room - that Erestor twisted his hand together, in a rather mother hen way he had only seen fretting nervous wrecks do. What had shaken him so?

“Nick?” He had been - rather thoughtfully -propped up on soft pillows at a slight angle, and looking down to his midsection, he mustered all his strength and lifted the edge of the cream blanket draped over him.

“Oh,” his left side was bandaged, and it was then that he discovered the source of where most of the aching was radiating from. “And, how..?”

“Patrol.” Erestor nearly whispered, “Orc.”

“Ah, and how long…?”

“You’ve been unconscious for a few hours. You were brought back this afternoon, Elrond was worried for a while, the blade-”

“Had that nasty poisonous stuff on it, I’m guessing.”

“Umhm,”

Glorfindel dropped the cover, unconcerned over what appeared to be a healing wound, and glanced back at Erestor. There was a candle lit somewhere in the room, he could just make out Erestor’s features. He stood at the end of Glorfindel’s bed, looking as worried as ever despite the fact that he knew his condition could not be overly serious. His heart constricted, first in sympathy at the misery and concern written across Erestor’s face, and then in guilty pleasure at the fact that Erestor stood there, quite obviously fretting - over him.

“Why are you standing over there? I can barely see you.”

“Oh,” Erestor moved from the end of his bed, his hands still clasped in front of him.

“A little closer,” Glorfindel teased, until Erestor stood to his side. “And sit?” He asked the spooked creature before him.

“Right,” Erestor mumbled, as if he should of known that. He bent to lift the items piled on the seat beside the bed. “I didn’t want to… I was sitting there earlier but, well Lindir asked to sit and..”

“Ah, where is he, anyway?”

“Um,” Erestor looked awkward. “Don’t know, really.”

Glorfindel quirked a brow in both query and surprise. It was unlike Erestor to not discreetly take an opportunity to hint at Lindir’s possible flaws. He chuckled, suddenly finding it amusing and in an odd way, touching that Erestor would curve his tongue so as not to cause him any upset.

Erestor looked up at Glorfindel’s amused grin, and actually looked rather ashamed - knowing what it was that caused his amusement.

“I don’t hate him you know.” He sat, and neatly arranged the moved items onto the low table beside his seat.

“You don’t?”

“No. I don’t like him,” he mumbled, “but that doesn’t mean I hate him, I don’t really hate anyone.”

“Not even the beast who did this to me?” Glorfindel jested, touching his side.

Erestor sat now facing forwards, his hands in his lap. He rubbed his hands down his thighs to his knees before returning them to his lap, twisting them together. And without a smile, he said, “now him, I could murder.”

Glorfindel blinked in surprise, “you’ve been crying,” he whispered.

“What?” Erestor’s head snapped to his left, facing the warrior, “no I haven’t,” he said desperately, “I haven’t I was just…”

Glorfindel nodded, and swallowed. He knew the truth, but wasn’t going to push. “So.. what did Elrond say?”

“You’ll be alright, you should be in your own quarters tomorrow night, I‘m sure you‘ll be glad to know.” Erestor tempted with what he hoped was a reassuring, if not shaky smile.

“That’s good to know, I thought…” he chuckled quietly, “I mean just judging by the fact that you’re here.. ..”

Erestor frowned, “I’m allowed to worry.”

“Oh I didn’t mean,” Glorfindel shook his head, he had hurt his feelings. “I only meant...”

“We’re friends aren’t we?” Erestor attentively reached out, and touched Glorfindel’s hand. “I know we joke around, and take shots at each other but, I thought..” he drew his hand away, looking worried and unsure of himself.

Glorfindel turned his palm upwards, and stretched it to the end of the bed, silently asking for the small offer of comfort back. “Of course, of course,”

“I never mean the things I say to you, you know,” placing his hand in Glorfindel’s, he squeezed gently, “I never really thought you meant any of it either, it’s just what we do.”

“What we do,” Glorfindel nodded in agreement, smiling gently - hoping to keep this more daring, truthful Erestor with him.

“And you know I’d be devastated,” he swallowed visibly, “if anything happened to you, don’t you?”

Glorfindel, to his horror, felt a lump forming in his throat, he’d tried for this honesty, these words, with Erestor so many times before. “I know that now,” he cleared his throat, “I’m glad you’ve said that.”

They sat there silently for a moment, before Erestor actually flushed - Glorfindel had never seen Erestor flush - and looked away. He let Erestor pull his hand away.

“So, you were saying…” Glorfindel prompted.

“Yes um,” Erestor pushed hair that looked slightly unkempt - not like his usual pristine self, Glorfindel thought - out of the way and behind his ear, “Elrond said you’d be fine. He was content to let you lie here and sleep off the concoction he gave you earlier. Someone’s here to pop their head around the corner every few hours though,” he gestured with his hand over his shoulder, to the door that was closed not quite all the way.

“How come you’re here then?” He asked gently, almost hopefully, “if I’m fine?” And was surprised when a look of thunder crossed Erestor’s face.

“Yes, well.” Again he did that thing where he spread his hands down his thighs to his knees, and back, “like I said, I was here earlier” he pointed to where he sat, “but Lindir,”

Glorfindel pressed his lips together to keep from grinning. This was the Erestor he knew - who was apparently no longer worried about speaking unfavourably over his sometimes bed partner now that they had broken the ice and Erestor was sure he was in fact going to be fine.

“Lindir,” he continued, “insisting on staying when I offered to do myself.”

“You did?” Glorfindel could not hide the fact that this pleased him, but Erestor continued.

“Perhaps insist is the wrong word. Object would probably be more accurate. He said if anyone should stay to keep an eye on you, it should be him of all people.” He swallowed, “I hated how he said that” He whispered.

Glorfindel tried not to grin, really he did, he shouldn’t, but Erestor’s jealousy had never been so obvious as it was now.

“So I left,” he shrugged, almost sulkily, “but I couldn’t rest,” he shot Glorfindel and meaningful look, “I was worried, I wanted to be here, a-alone with you.” He stumbled over his last words a little self consciously, but took another deep breath and continued. Glorfindel snickered when the look of thunder returned to his fair features, it was adorable.

“So I came back, I was just going to ask him - Lindir - how you were, but he was no where to be seen”

“I see.”

“The healer said he’d been gone for a while,” he spoke almost furiously, “he left you here alone!”

“Well not alone, there’s a healer lurking about here somewhere, or so you said.”

“That’s not what I mean,” Erestor frowned, very annoyed. “What if you had woken up alone? I know the healer is here, but you’ve been hurt,” his brows furrowed in worry, “what if you woke up afraid, unable to remember?”

Touched, he smiled softly, “Oh, Erestor.”

“I mean if you love someone you should be there for them, he could of at least,” he stopped to shake his head, “I’m sorry, I’m speaking badly of your…person.”

“Person?” Glorfindel chuckled, “rather ineloquent of you isn’t it?”

“You know what I mean,” Erestor mumbled miserably, and Glorfindel worried for the first time if Erestor’s jealously had actually turned into hurt.

“He’s probably in bed,” Glorfindel attempted to lighten the mood a little, and almost laughed at Erestor’s outraged expression. “Or possibly someone else’s.”

“What?!”

“Erestor,” the word rolled of his tongue like silk, “if he knew I was fine then it‘s really alright if.. we’re not… it’s not what you think - our relationship.” At Erestor’s frown he continued. “We’re not setting up house you know,” he laughed.

“But he had your key,” Erestor objected.

“What?”

Erestor turned and picked up a book, a piece of wood and whittling knife. “I suggested that you should have a few things here with you, a few comforts..”

“I thought you said I’d be able to return to my own quarters tomorrow?”

“Yes, but that is not to say you will not be bored in the mean time, I know you Glorfindel.”

Glorfindel smiled at that. “yes, I suppose you do.” He loved that Erestor did, and that he said so in such a sure, possessive way.

“As soon as I mentioned this,” he spoke, placing the items back on the table, “he took great pleasure in informing me that he has his own key to you quarters, and that he would fetch whatever you would need.”

“Erestor,” he chuckled, “he was winding you up. And he knows you don’t like him, you know.”

Erestor reddened, and Glorfindel laughed aloud. He touched his hand to his side and waved a hand away when the healer popped his head around the door suddenly. “I’m fine,” he chuckled, “please, you can leave me till morning can’t you?”

The healer insisted on checking beneath his bandages first however. Erestor sat quietly as his stitches were checked, given the okay and covered back up. The healer left as quietly as he had entered, advising the warrior to rest some more.

Erestor stood then, and Glorfindel watched as the advisor closed the door and then returned to his seat.

“He had a key, Glorfindel. If he was ‘winding me up’ then how come he had a key?”

Glorfindel sighed, “I keep spares dotted in the most ridiculous places. Under flower pots, behind paintings, under the rug in the library.. you know how I enjoy a good ale Erestor,” he shrugged guiltily as if was being chastised.

“Yes. I know.” The disapproval was unmistakeable.

“Well,” Glorfindel cleared his throat, trying not to grin at the stern, sexy, almost annoyed look on Erestor’s face. “When I’m tiddly I rather stupidly tend to lose whatever’s in my pockets, and go on a hunt for one of them before slinking back into my rooms” he shrugged again, “he’s probably been with me on occasion.”

“I see,” Erestor spoke quietly, folding his hands in his lap.

“But um,” feeling awkward as to what he had just insinuated, he felt the need to clarify, “it’s not - how you said, you know…” he inclined his head, “if you love someone, you should be there for them?”

“What do you mean?” Erestor pressed, looking rather upset.

“Well we don’t,” he replied “love each other.”

At Erestor’s confused expression he felt guilty, knowing that he had perhaps, on occasion, when feeling most frustrated with Erestor, allowed him to think otherwise.

“I mean I do love him,” for a fleeting moment he was sure he saw a stricken look in those dark eyes, and was quick to continue, “but as a friend, a friend who has recognised my loneliness, my melancholy.”

“You’ve been sad?” Erestor asked, and appeared to be genuinely upset by the fact.

“And lonely, sometimes” he said seriously. “Just like anyone else. He’s a good friend, Erestor.” He took a deep breath, “And yes, we’ve gone to bed…”

“I don’t want to know-”

Glorfindel reached out and clasped Erestor’s hand with great effort. “I only tell you this - what you already know - because I want you to know that there‘s no.. that we’re not..” Glorfindel struggled to find the right words, he was beginning to feel exhausted.

“Tell him it’s over,” Erestor blurted, and held his own breath afterwards. Glorfindel blinked in surprise. Erestor hesitated for a moment, and then leaned forwards.

Glorfindel nearly gasped when realising what Erestor was plucking up the courage to do. He lay still, willing Erestor to lean closer, meeting his gaze without a flinch.

“You.. you shouldn’t be with him,” his voice shook.

“No?” Glorfindel breathed.

Erestor touched the side of warrior’s slightly bruised face, unfamiliar with doing so, but with great longing. Their noses nearly touched. Erestor closed his eyes, and with what looked like utter fear, he closed the gap, and pressed their lips together.

At the touch of those soft petal like lips Glorfindel froze. It was a touch he had yearned for, yet shocked him completely. At the stillness that met Erestor’s kiss, the advisor realised his mistake, his eyes still closed, his brows drew together sadly and he pulled away with a humiliated groan.

“No,” Glorfindel gasped, and hastily clutched the front of Erestor’s robe with his fist and, with what little strength he had, pulled him back.

Erestor had to dart his hand out and brace himself over Glorfindel as their lips crashed together. All air escaped from Erestor’s lungs, and when he gasped for air, a large hand weaved it’s surprisingly strong grip through his hair, cradling the back of his head and holding him firmly as he was kissed deeply and with absolute urgency.

He was able to pull his lips back a fraction, was able to look into dark blue eyes that were begging, begging to devour him. “Glorfindel,” he gasped, both were heaving, and looking down into eyes that had darkened to indigo with desire, he swooped back down to crash their lips together once more.

Glorfindel groaned loudly into the kiss. Ignoring his protesting side he pulled Erestor down and over him, his hands on the advisors sides, holding him close. But the darkling elf would not allow it. Erestor’s hands were braced either side of the warrior, holding his weight off of the body beneath him, even as Glorfindel tugged him down.

“No,” he breathed into the kiss, “you’re not -” he gasped as one large hand boldly left his waste and moved over the curve of his rear to grasp one cheek and squeeze, with a possessiveness that left no space for misinterpretation as to what the warrior wanted.

Erestor gasped into the kiss again, “you’re hurt, we can’t-” just then Glorfindel broke the kiss with a huge effort, gulping for air. They both stayed that way for a while, breathing heavily - Erestor’s arms shaking as he held himself up over the warrior, his eyes closed. Glorfindel, his head pressed back against the pillow, his eyes squinting tightly closed as if pain, one hand holding Erestor to him at the hip, whilst the other still cupped tightly to one perfectly rounded cheek.

He took a moment to gain some control over himself, and lifted his head from the pillow, “Erestor,” he husked, and the advisor , who still panted, opened his eyes to look into the most intense gaze he had ever known.

“Erestor,” he spoke again, his voice like gravel. The hand on the advisor’s hip trailed up his back and into his hair, their brows now touching, and once again their gazes locked.

“You‘re right, I can’t, we shouldn’t, not now.” He rationalised. Erestor let out a deep breath, and attempted to pull himself up. Glorfindel, however, moved his hand to the nape of Erestor’s neck, his thumb resting under his chin. “But when I’m better…”

He let his words trail off, and Erestor closed his eyes and gasped as the hand that had covered his cheek moved to the centre of his rear, to his cleft, and rubbed, rubbed through the material of his robe, along that line, hard and slow, up and down that line.

“Look at me,” Glorfindel asked, and pressed his thumb more firmly under his chin so as to look into impossibly dark eyes, “when I’m better,” he husked, “ I’m taking you to bed.”

Erestor let out a shuddering breath.

“I’m taking you to bed,” he repeated, his hand still caressing that most private place, “you’re going to lay in my bed, my empty bed,” he emphasised, “and I’m going to have you, I’m going to own you.”

Erestor visibly shook, from fear mixed with desire, from holding himself up, from adrenaline pumping through him or from all of it together Glorfindel’s didn’t know, but he continued. “No more dancing around, no more making you jealous. You’ll come to my bed,” he gently pulled Erestor closer, so as to whisper against his lips, “and I may never let you leave. Do you understand?”

Erestor nodded, and pulled away. And Glorfindel would of let him, but with a groan Erestor leaned forwards again and kissed the warrior with everything he had. Deep and thorough, before abruptly pulling away, practically flinging himself off the bed, and darting out of the room.

Glorfindel lay there panting for a moment, his head pressed back against the pillow and, with his elbow cocked in the air, he ran his hand through his hair and let out a deep, shaky breath. Holding his hand in front of his face, he realised he was shaking, and that he was utterly, completely spent of energy. A grin covered his lips, and blinking heavily he noticed the first break of daylight through the window. He laid there, a subtle curve to his lips that did not do justice to the joy he felt, before drifting off into a very content slumber, despite the ache in his side that now felt insignificant.

***

Glorfindel opened his eyes when sensing another’s presence beside him. His first thought was Erestor, and there was a smile on his lips even before his vision cleared.

“Well you’re the happiest looking patient I’ve ever seen,” Elrond grinned, standing beside him.

He grinned in return, looking like a fool.

“You were stabbed in the side you know,”

He nodded, his grin unfailing.

“It was poisoned too, I was worried for a while, before I remembered how utterly stubborn and ridiculously strong you are.

He sighed happily, closing his eyes as if utterly relaxed.

“I patched you up of course. You‘ll be fine.”

Glorfindel breathed deep, quirked his head in direction of his Lord and continued to grin stupidly at him.

“So… your welcome.”

Glorfindel laughed, “Elrond,”

“Ah, he speaks,”

“Get me well, get me well soon.”

The End.