第 6 页

“That’s what killed me, Coach,” said Celegorm, and Oromë flinched at the word. “I knew you wanted me. I knew you wanted me just as much as I wanted you. I just couldn’t understand why you wouldn’t let me have you.”

“And now?”

Celegorm tilted his head to the side. “Now…I think I get where you were coming from. And I wouldn’t have wanted to get you in trouble.”

Oromë looked concerned and leaned forward on his knees. “Fear about losing my job was lowest on my list. It wasn’t non-existent, but mostly I wanted to make sure I wasn’t abusing my position over you.”

“Yeah, well, talk like that’s only going to get me hotter for you,” said Celegorm, and raised his hands at the look on Oromë’s face. “Joking! Mostly.”

Oromë sighed, and then laughed. “I’ve missed you,” he said, and Celegorm’s heart sped up.

“Have you?”

“More than I should,” said Oromë, and Celegorm found himself shifting forward in his chair, aching for him.

“I’ve graduated,” he said. “I’ve been out of school for a while now. Does that…offer you made still stand?”

There was a long pause, and Celegorm bit his tongue, impatient, but determined to wait until Oromë replied.

“You realize it still won’t be easy,” said Oromë, at last. “There will still be questions of impropriety, still be those who – ”

Celegorm twitched a shoulder dismissively. “I don’t give a shit who talks about me. But if it puts your job at risk, then I’m fine keeping it quiet for a while.”

“You shouldn’t have to hide,” said Oromë. “It’s not fair that you would have to be in this position because of me.”

“Lots of things aren’t fair,” said Celegorm. “But Coach – Oromë – I want to start over with you.”

“Do you?” asked Oromë. “With all that entails?”

“All of it,” said Celegorm, and he leaned forward and put his hand on Oromë’s knee. “All of it.”

He kissed Oromë then, slow and sweet, and his heart leapt when Oromë kissed him back, hands settling warm and heavy on Celegorm’s thighs.

Celegorm felt intoxicated with the pleasure of it, with how right it felt: a sense of longing fulfilled. He parted his lips, welcoming Oromë’s tongue, fighting to keep himself from moving too fast and breaking this fragile moment. But when Oromë wrapped a strong arm around his waist, tugging him up and in, he threw patience to the winds and let himself groan under Oromë’s lips.

“Tyelko – ”

“It’s been so fucking long since I’ve had you,” whispered Celegorm. “Do you know how often I still fantasize about you? Every time I take my cock out to jack off, all I can think about is you pushing into me, all hot and slow, and the way you touch me…”

Oromë groaned, burying his face in Celegorm’s shoulder as Celegorm dug his fingers into Oromë’s hair. “Jesus. I’m remembering why I always found it so hard to say no to you.”

“Good.” Celegorm pulled himself forward, straddling Oromë’s lap, kissing him hard, hands wrapping over his broad back. “I want you so fuckin’ bad. I’ve been wanting you for a year now, Christ.”

“Always so wild,” whispered Oromë, hands tight on Celegorm’s hips. “Over-eager…”

Celegorm laughed breathlessly down at him. “That’s right. What are you gonna do about it, Coach?” He ground down against Oromë’s groin. “You gonna make me behave?”

“Tyelkormo,” Oromë growled, and Celegorm shuddered at the low rumble of his voice. “Will you never let me simply make love to you?”

Celegorm rested his forehead against Oromë’s and closed his eyes, still laughing as Oromë pulled him close. “Fine then,” he breathed into Oromë’s ear. “Whatever you want. Fuck me, make love to me, take me however you want me…I’m yours.”

-

Outside the bedroom door, the great wolfhound paced back and forth slowly, then circled and flopped down with a sigh, resting its head on its front paws. In the stillness of the hall, a clock ticked.

In the bedroom, the ceiling fan whirred lightly, brushing cool air over Celegorm's sweaty bare skin.

“Fuck,” he said, sprawled breathless across the bed. “Fuck, I missed that."

On the floor, somewhere in the pile of his discarded clothes, his cell phone buzzed, unheeded.

Celegorm laid his head against his forearms, satisfaction like a warm hum in his veins. "You have lost none of your skill, Coach. Goddamn, though,” he shifted, wincing. “I forgot how big you are.”

Oromë, who was lying beside him and watching him with open appreciation, stroked a hand down his back. “Sorry about that. I hope – ”

Celegorm rolled over and pinned Oromë to the mattress, laughing down at him. “Never apologize for that, you fucker, it’s perfection.” He kissed Oromë fiercely and knotted his hands in his hair. “I’m going to make you do it again, just as soon as I get a second wind.”

* * *

Celegorm breezed into Aredhel’s kitchen as she was preparing vegetables for dinner.

She jumped as he swung himself onto the stool on the other side of the counter from her. “You nearly gave me a heart attack. How’d you get in here?”

He dangled a set of keys in front of her. “From back when there was a still a ‘with benefits’ tacked onto our friendship.”

She made a grab for the keys but he yanked them out of her reach, grinning.

“I’m going to have to get the locks changed,” she said, returning to her chopping. “Damn, Tyelko, you know I like to cook naked half the time.”

“I know,” he said, waggling his eyebrows. “One of my favorite things about you, and a great incentive for me to come over unannounced. Even if it’s just to laugh when you spatter hot oil on your – ”

“That was one time,” she said. “I have an apron I wear when I sauté, now.”

He propped his hand on his chin and smiled fondly.

Aredhel glanced at him and chuckled. “You are in far too good a mood. What’s the occasion?”

“The occasion, dear child, is that I actually took your advice for once.”

She thought, brow wrinkling. “You wore a shirt when you went to your job interview?”

“What? No, don’t talk crazy, I skipped that.”

“You finally stopped your incessant flirting with my brother.”

“You and Nelyo are such broken records. That’s tradition now. Findekáno and I have an understanding.”

“Then I dunno, man, sounds like you aren’t listening to me at all, as per usual.”

“Not so,” he said, and taking her hand, pressed a kiss to it. “Guess who I talked to yesterday?”

“Your mother,” she said, then shook her head. “No, what am I thinking, it’s not the fifteenth yet.”

“Stop obsessing over my flaws. They’re endearing and you know it. And anyway,” he tugged hard on her hand, “I stopped by Oromë’s house.”

She laid down the knife and gaped at him. “Seriously?”

“Seriously.”

“How’d it go?”

“Well, I went over there yesterday evening…”

“And?”

“And I just left this afternoon.” He stretched his arms smugly over his head and grinned at her.

“You dog.”

“That was one of many positions, yes.”

“So wait, what does this mean? Are you two back together?”

“We’re ‘starting over’,” Celegorm quoted. “Fortunately, starting over doesn’t mean we have to go all the way back to first base.”

“I wasn’t aware you knew there was a first base,” said Aredhel, but she was grinning too. “Are you happy?”

“You don’t know the half of it.” He hummed. “Ireth, let me tell you, his cock – ”

“Nope.” Aredhel raised the knife warningly. “No cock talk. Boy, do I not need the details.”

“Aw, c’mon, you’re the only one I can talk to!”

“Tough,” she said, returning to the vegetables. “I do not need to know about his dick. You don’t hear me going on about Elenwë’s vagina.”

Celegorm’s eyes shone. “My dearest Irissë, I would be delighted to hear about Elenwë’s vagina.” He leaned close. “Spare no details.”

“I would sooner castrate you,” said Aredhel. “And will. Hang on, I’m the only one you can talk to? Does that mean…”

“Oh, right,” said Celegorm. “Still a secret. Can’t tell anyone. I’ll have to kill you if you spill the beans, and all that.”

“Tyelko.”

“What?”

“You and your brothers are all hyper-involved in each other’s lives,” said Aredhel exasperatedly. “You know everything about each other. You really think you can pull this off without them noticing?”

“I slept with him for six months without anyone knowing,” said Celegorm. “I think I’ll be okay.”

“You were in college then, you lived in the dorms, half your brothers weren’t even around...”

“It’ll be fine.”

“They’ll have questions.”

“I’ll have artfully constructed answers.”

“You couldn’t artfully construct beans.”

“Ye of little faith. I’m an expert bullshitter.”

Aredhel conceded the point. “But you’re not even going to tell Curvo? I thought you two were close.”

For the first time, Celegorm looked uncomfortable. “Yeah, but… He probably wouldn’t understand. He already hates Oromë, anyway.”

“Really?” asked Aredhel curiously. “Why?”

“He blames him for my injury,” said Celegorm. “Which is, in a roundabout way, astute of him.”

“Yeah, the kid’s very astute,” said Aredhel. “He’s as sharp as your dad and just as scary. You think he won’t figure it out? And Maitimo watches you all like a hawk.”

“Irissë. You’re ruining my afterglow.”

“I’m sorry,” she said, and managed to look contrite. “I’m…happy you’re happy.”

“Makalaurë would call that a cliché.”

“Okay. I’m happy you’re getting boned again.”

“That’s more like it,” said Celegorm, and swooped over the counter to kiss her swiftly on the lips.

Aredhel laughed. “I’ll break out the guac and tequila. Fair’s fair, right?”

Chapter End Notes

0. If it seems like Celegorm and Oromë are taking over this story, it's only because they are. I've been trying to give each character/pairing/conflict a couple chapters to play out, more or less, but these two gave me more than I could satisfactorily resolve in two chapters. So...more to come. But I promise I haven't forgotten the rest of the gang!

Guilty filthy soul

Chapter Summary

The things he doesn't tell you.

Chapter Notes

0. Gets a lot more graphic. And soap opera-y.

1. I’m sorry Celegorm/Oromë’s arc has kind of eaten this story. I didn’t mean it. It just happened. But look! Curufin gets an actual role!

“When was the last time you saw Tyelkormo?”

Curufin looked up from his book. Maedhros was standing in his doorway, a faint frown on his face. Behind him, across the hall, a door gaped open onto Celegorm’s dark bedroom.

“Probably that night we got takeout with Aunt Lalwen,” said Curufin, after thinking for a minute.

Maedhros sighed, folding his arms and leaning against the doorway. “That’s what I thought. It’s been two days. I don’t think he’s even been home to sleep.”

Curufin made a disinterested noise, eyes flickering back to his book. “Perhaps he’s been with Irissë.”

“I already thought of that,” said Maedhros. “But I just texted her, and she and Elenwë have been down on the coast for the past five days.”

“Here’s a novel idea,” said Curufin. “Try texting Tyelkormo.”

Maedhros shot him an annoyed look. “I have. And called.”

“Well, you’ve done all you can,” said Curufin, coolly, returning to his reading. “Now you can feel you’ve fulfilled your brotherly duties and go back to whatever it is you do when you’re not pretending to parent us.”

He didn’t look up, but knew the flash of anger Maedhros would be trying to keep from his face, and waited for the intake of breath that was him biting back a sharp response. He smirked as Maedhros let out a breath, and said, tightly. “Fine. Let me know if you hear from him, will you?”

“Mm,” Curufin said noncommittally, and Maedhros left, pulling the door shut behind him.

Curufin waited a moment, then lowered his book, eyes flicking to his own phone. Where have you been, Tyelko? he thought, feeling a surge of anxiety and frustration. What are you hiding from me?

He picked up his phone and flicked through his outgoing calls, all to Celegorm. He curled his lip, annoyed. Don't make me beg, you bastard. He hit ‘Call’ one more time.

He was not holding his breath for Celegorm to pick up, he wasn’t, he wasn’t, he wasn’t –

“Yo.”

Curufin exhaled.

“Where are you?”

“Hey to you too, little brother.” Celegorm’s voice was amused, if a bit distracted. “What’s up?”

Curufin drummed his fingers against his chair. “We haven’t seen you in days. Where have you been?”

Celegorm snorted. “What, am I out past curfew? Did Nelyo make you honorary Den Mother or something?”

“Are you staying with someone?”

Celegorm blew a sigh down the line. “I am out taking advantage of my youth and good looks, and, if you must know,” he lowered his voice, “exploring said youth and good looks with an insanely foxy chick.”

Curufin chewed his lip. “Is that so.”

“Yeah. So if you’ll excuse me, she’s coming back, and I don’t need you cock-blocking me from afar…”

“Will you be home tonight?”

“God, Curvo, you sound just like dad. It’s creepy. No, I won’t be home tonight.” He broke off, and when he spoke again, his voice was a little breathless. “But I’ll…I’ll see you tomorrow, okay?”

Curufin nodded, though of course Celegorm couldn’t see him, and hung up without a word. He was still a while, gazing into space.

He’s lying.

* * *

“ ‘Foxy chick’? Was that necessary?”

Celegorm tossed his phone across the room and grinned down at Oromë. “What? It was subterfuge. I’d be offended that no one believes that I can be sneaky, except that it makes really good cover.”

Oromë ran his hands up Celegorm’s thighs to his hips, and gazed up at him. Celegorm was straddling him, strong legs tight around Oromë’s waist. Celegorm leaned down, his shaggy hair falling into his eyes, bracing his hands on Oromë’s broad chest.

“Would you rather I tell him the truth?” he purred. “That I’ve spent the last two nights in my former coach’s bed? That I’ve got him spread out naked beneath me at this very moment… That he’s still inside me as we speak?” He rocked his hips teasingly, and Oromë’s fingers dug into his hard waist.

“Tyelko…”

Celegorm bared his teeth delightedly at the low groan he pulled from Oromë. “Yeah?”

“You’re too much for me.”

“Never. You can’t get enough of me.”

“True.” Oromë sat up, the movement making Celegorm give a hiss of pleasure, and caught Celegorm tight around the waist. He tugged him over easily, rolling him to the sheets, and Celegorm closed his eyes, reveling in the feeling of being moved around like he weighed nothing at all.

“Have I told you how much I fucking love your body?” he asked, gasping a little as Oromë began to move steadily into him. “Jesus, Oromë, I can bench 290 but you could fucking break me in half. I love your back, I love your shoulders, I love your legs, fuck, I love your ass, I love how you fuck me until I can’t speak, I – ”

“I must not be doing a very good job just now,” murmured Oromë, catching Celegorm’s lips in a kiss and stopping the flow of words. “Have you always been this talkative in bed?”