第 53 页

The thoughts flickered through as him fast as lightning, but were overpowered by a familiar voice echoing inside his head. Remember to breathe, Tyelkormo.

He let his fists unclench. He let air fill his lungs.

-

Aredhel emerged from the locker room, shaking her hair free of snarls, an apology ready on her lips for making Celegorm wait. She paused when she saw that he was talking to someone, and her lips tightened with nerves as she read his stance. She was in his line of sight but he hadn’t noticed her yet, and she knew from the look on his face that his vision had probably narrowed to the exclusion of all but the figure in front of him. She held her breath as she took in the tightness of his shoulders and the cold thunder on his face, trying to make out the conversation he was having. She caught the last few words of the exchange, and anger made the blood pound in her own ears. There’s no way he’s going to take that lying down. But even as she braced herself to intercede, she saw Celegorm’s chest rise in a deep breath, his eyes momentarily closing. Then he turned, arms held stiffly at his sides, and walked out. He didn’t stop, even though the word his aggressor called after him made him flinch momentarily at the door, as though every inch of him yearned to turn back.

But he didn’t.

Aredhel had no such compunctions.

-

Celegorm tried to take another deep breath, but he was so angry he felt as though his chest was curling in on itself. He felt for the inner breast pocket of his coat, where he kept an emergency pack of cigarettes. He knew Oromë hated when he came back stinking of smoke, but – “Preferable to me coming home from a fight, at least,” Celegorm muttered, and lit up.

He’d only taken a couple drags when he heard someone came up behind him, and he turned swiftly, prepared to face down Mablung again.

“Those things will kill you, you know,” said a familiar voice instead, and Aredhel grinned at him before plucking the cigarette from between his fingers and bringing it to her own lips.

Celegorm grunted, not sure if he was relieved or disappointed not to have another chance to confront Mablung. His eyes settled on Aredhel’s hand as she held the cigarette to her mouth. He frowned, distracted, at the fresh scrapes on her knuckles. “What did you do to your hand?”

Aredhel held both hand and cigarette out in front of her, examining them critically. “Hum. Must’ve happened when I hit that guy in the mouth.”

“When you what?”

Aredhel shrugged, beautifully calm. “Ahh, you know how it is. This guy got in my way, maybe he pushed me – maybe I imagined it – but you know how reactive and belligerent I am…”

“You-”

“So I was all, ‘yo you talkin’ to me, bro? Huh? HUH?’ and got all up in his face, because I cannot HAVE people giving me lip, even when I walk into them on purpose.” Aredhel took another drag on the cigarette and blew smoke over her shoulder. “That’s when I socked him in the teeth. It was probably an overreaction, but you know how we bitches be crazy.”

Celegorm was staring at her. “What guy was this, exactly?”

“Mad Lung or something. Think that’s a gang name? I suppose it’s possible I misheard, of course.” Aredhel’s eyes were twinkling, and Celegorm gaped at her, awestruck.

“Ireth…”

“Yes?” said Aredhel sweetly, grinding the cigarette butt under her heel.

“I am so fuckin’ in love with you.” Celegorm reached out and pulled her into a rib-cracking hug that he finished off with a smacking kiss on the lips. “Goddamn, girl.”

“I know,” said Aredhel blithely. “But hey, let’s get a move on, okay? I’d really rather not be here when he comes out. I’m hoping no one called the cops, but you never know.”

They took off down the street, Aredhel calling over her shoulder, “Hey, Wolf Boy, know what I think?”

“What’s that, Hulk?”

“I think we need to have some fun.”

“I think you are correct.”

Snow started to fall as their footsteps rang out on the cold street, their laughter echoing off the still and silent buildings.

* * *

Mass text from Celegorm: EYO. family touch-football game, himlad park, tmrw afternoon. HELLA SNOW, HELLA FUN. be there or ur dead to me and u have also betrayed the family. ireth says so too.

Aredhel: It true.

Fingon: I’m in. Don’t worry about Mae, I’ll drag him along.

Curufin: Excuse me, have we met? Besides, I’m busy.

Maedhros: Apparently yes? According to Findekano.

Caranthir: Can’t, got stuff to do. Also football=gross

Aegnor: HELL YES

Galadriel: I suppose I could use a break from homework. Are Ireth and I going to be the only girls again?

Galadriel: We’ll shame you anyway.

Finrod: Can’t, sorry! Busy this afternoon... :(

Maglor: D: whyyy do you choose these kind of pastimes

Turgon: I guess…It’s not tackle, right?

Argon: bOOm. i’ll be there.

Amrod: yissyiesssiessyess also

Amrod: i am going to kick ur ass for leavin us out of things

Amrod: important things

Amrod: YOU HAVING A SNEAKY BOYFRIEND AND NOT TELLING US THINGS

Amrod: how dare u

Amrod: >:(

Amras: YAS

Amras: but also i shouldn’t even b talking to you traitor

Amras: YOU KEPT THINGS HIDDEN

Amras: WE R FAMILY. FMAILY MEANS GIVING US THE GOSSIP U DICK

Amrod: anyway

Amrod: see u soon

Maglor: yeah, i’m def not coming. but does this mean you’re feeling more yourself again?

Celegorm: what r we gonna do with u kano? u sentimnetal lil sap.

Maglor: is that a yes?

Celegorm: when u least expect it i will kidnap u and make u do sports. xoxox

Maglor: i love you too. still not coming.

* * *

“Bratwurst! Puppies! Mexico! Hike!”

“Dumbass, that’s not how a snap count works.”

“Sez you.”

“Sez everyone. Randy Moss is rolling over in his grave right now.”

“I know enough about football to know he’s not dead, you philistine.”

“Oh, god, this game is a disaster.”

“You’re a disaster.”

“Where’d the ball go? Is anyone paying attention? Oh. Nerwen just scored again.”

Himlad Park was blanketed in snow, though enterprising dog walkers and joggers had broken paths around the circumference. In the center of the park, where in summer there was a wide field, the snow had been slightly trampled down by a dozen determined feet, though it still stood in uneven drifts to the knees in some places. And just now Fingon was trying to get his team to follow the play he’d laid out in their huddle.

“No, go long, Turno! The other – the other direction! Where’s – Pityo, you’re on my team, remember?”

Amrod and Amras were standing together on the field, whispering together, and Amrod had stooped down to start packing snowballs. The twins seemed to have trouble remembering they’d been chosen to opposing sides, or else spent more of their time yelling smack talk at each other than actually paying attention to the game.

Turgon eventually caught the pass that Aegnor threw, but he almost immediately fumbled it in alarm as Celegorm approached him.

“Damnit, Tyelko,” he said, as he ended up face down in the snow, and Aredhel let out a gleeful ululation. “It’s touch football!”

“Whoops,” said Celegorm unconcernedly, holding out a hand to pull Turgon to his feet. “Instinct, you know. Is that a turn-over?”

Aredhel grabbed the ball from where it had landed and tossed it hand to hand. “I’m going to say…yes.”

Fingon pointed an accusatory finger at Maedhros, who was standing on the other side of the field, looking like he was hoping no one would notice him. “How did we allow those two to end up on the same team? Your team, at that.”

“It just happened,” said Maedhros, as Celegorm and Aredhel high-fived. “And your team is still up by three…”

“Not for long,” said Celegorm. “Get into position, Nelyo, and try to remember how to catch a ball.”

-

Snow was falling again, and Argon and Aegnor were having a pitched snowball fight with the twins while a vociferous debate was taking place over the legality of a certain play.

“It was out of bounds.”

“It wasn’t! It landed right next to that pile of dogshit, it was totally in bounds.”

“Moron, that pile of dogshit is past the pine tree. That’s our line.”

“Are you kidding me? The line isn’t the pine tree, it’s the maple…”

“Well,” said Celegorm at last, “can we at least agree that I am hamstrung by having this useless heap on my team?” He jerked a thumb over his shoulder at Maedhros, who scowled at him.

“Once again I’d like to register my objections to that descriptor.”

“Denied. You’ve let Artanis score twice now. Twice.”

“It’s not Nelyo’s fault,” said Galadriel serenely. “I’m faster than he is.”

Celegorm threw up his hands. “Nelyo, your legs are like as long as Irissë’s whole body – ”

“Hey,” said Aredhel.

“ – and you used to run cross-country! How can you not take down one kinda speedy chick?”

“For the last time,” said Turgon, arms folded, brows drawn. “No one is supposed to be taking anyone down. This is touch football, and if I get tackled one more time, I swear I'm just going to go hide out in that igloo those middle school kids made to get high in and you guys can do this without me.”

“I said I was sorry,” said Aredhel, but she winked at Celegorm.

Aegnor, who wasn’t paying attention to the fierce discussion, fired off a snowball that caught Argon in the back of the head.

Argon shook his head wildly, sending snow flying from his now frosted hair, and called, “Just give everybody three points and let’s keep playing! My toes are frozen and I don’t remember which demon is on my team anymore.”

“Ambarussa is,” said Amras and Amrod together, and resumed burying a happily wriggling Huan in snow.

The snow much more trampled down now, gameplay resumed. Argon fired a pass downfield that Aredhel leapt up and caught. Celegorm, however, ran straight at her, as Fingon roared, “What the hell are you doing, Tyelko? Are you tackling your own teammate?”

But instead, Celegorm caught Aredhel around the waist, slung her over his shoulder, and charged for the pile of frozen scarves that served as the goal-line. Aredhel let out a war whoop as they crossed the line and both toppled headlong into the snow.

“Oh yeah! Double score!”

Celegorm held his arms in the air, even as he sprawled on the ground, out of breath. “Classic…ruse. Often seen in more…advanced…gameplay. If two players…with one ball…make it to the end zone…double points. Happens in the NFL…all the time.”

Fingon and Aegnor made outraged noises, but Galadriel just nodded thoughtfully. “You forget, however,” she said. “That both players’ hands must be on the ball when crossing the line, otherwise it counts as a triple score for the opposing team and the violators must yield an item of clothing.”

“Yes,” said Turgon, before Celegorm and Aredhel could protest. “I’ve read the rulebook extensively, and I can verify that this is true. Which item of clothing will you each be removing?”

“Your face,” said Aredhel, from the snow. “Ouch damn, Tyelko, get off my leg.”

“I’ll remove all my clothing if you ask nicely enough, Turukáno,” said Celegorm, rolling over to free Aredhel’s leg and leering at Turgon. “But only for you.”

“Oh, good,” said Fingon. “He’s graduated to hitting on you instead of me. Godspeed.”

There was a distinct devolution of sportsmanship for a while, involving much throwing of snow and stealing of hats, interspersed with very little actual throwing of the football, and an overly excited dog getting in everybody’s way.

Amras and Argon ended up targeting Maedhros as he attempted to throw the ball to Fingon, who had more or less given up on actually playing the game. Maedhros went down in a barrage of snowballs, yelping as snow got down his neck.

“Taken down by my own team,” he said dramatically as he sank to his knees. “What treachery. What underhandedness. Backstabbers. What – oof.” Amras sprawled across him, and the football spun away, to be picked up by Argon.

“Typical,” said Fingon, hands on his hips. “Leaving me hanging.”

In the midst of the hubbub, Huan took off suddenly with a joyful bark, and Celegorm straightened up.

“Ey! Dog, what you do?”

Huan was bee-lining for the edge of the park, snow flying up around him as he plowed through the unshoveled piles. He pulled up short, leaping happily around a tall man walking an equally large dog.

Celegorm grinned as he recognized both figures. “Hang on.”

“Where’s he going?” said Aegnor indignantly as Celegorm took off for the edge of the park after Huan. But instead of grabbing the dog, he flung himself into the arms of the man, who took a step back, swaying as Celegorm hit him, but then wrapped his arms around Celegorm’s waist and pulled him close for a kiss.

“Whoa. What’s going on?” Argon dropped the football, staring.

Amrod and Amras giggled and dropped into the snow, where they started making small but unmistakably crude snow sculptures. Maedhros looked resigned, while Fingon let out a whistle, and Aredhel beamed, her hands clasped under her chin. “Aww.”

"Oh." Galadriel had an arrested look on her face, half confusion, half intense frustration.

“Hanging in there, Artanis?” Aredhel tugged on Galadriel’s sleeve.

“I didn’t see that coming,” muttered Galadriel. “I didn’t know. How did I not guess…? I should have put two and two together…”

“It was a secret,” said Aredhel soothingly. “It really only came out recently.”

Galadriel looked even more put out. “That has NEVER been a problem for me before. And look how many of you knew!” She gestured at the group of spectators, only a couple of whom looked genuinely astonished. Amrod and Amras were arguing with Maedhros about the possibility of getting autographs. “I must be slipping.” She sounded severely annoyed. “I blame my brother for distracting me with his nonsense while far more significant things were unfolding.” She adjusted her scarf with a jerk, her eyes flashing. “Unacceptable. But I suppose this might explain that conversation I heard between Aunt Nerdanel and my mother over Uncle Fëanaro having two sons who weren’t talking to him…”

“Wait, two sons?”

Aredhel’s startled ejaculation rang in unison with Maedhros’, who had been listening unnoticed over Galadriel’s shoulder. “Has something happened I don’t know about?”

-

Celegorm hung onto Oromë’s neck and laughed as Oromë shook his head at him. “You are drenched and freezing. Why did you feel the need to come share this with me?”

“Because I can.” Celegorm pressed his cold nose to Oromë’s cheek. “Because even though I know we’re not even close to out of the woods, I’m sure as hell gonna take advantage of being able to kiss you in public. No more hiding, right?”

Even though Oromë had spent the afternoon on the phone with the university’s lawyers, and then with the attorney Vána had made him hire, he couldn’t help but smile down at Celegorm, true happiness filling him. “No more hiding,” he agreed, and as he kissed Celegorm again, he caught sight of the rapt crowd watching them from over Celegorm’s shoulder. “Um. There seem to be a number of young people staring at us, some armed with projectiles.”