第 86 页

“You don’t belong here,” he whispered. “Idiots like Saeros don’t matter, it’s the rest of us who lo– care about you, and want you to come back…”

“If you think the things Saeros says are limited just to him, then it’s you who’s the idiot,” said Túrin, still not pulling his hands away. “I’ve been an outsider since I came to school, no matter what you and a couple others pretend.”

“So what, you’re going to exile yourself?” said Beleg, starting to get angry. “Take what those small-minded, idiotic bigots say to heart and act like the rest of us don’t matter, and just leave, stay with these…criminals, who don’t care about you? They don’t, Túr – Neithan, they don’t give a shit about you.”

“You don’t know them,” said Túrin, and his eyes were very dark, his voice very sharp. “You don’t know shit about acceptance, or what it feels like to be a part of something after so long being different.”

“You’re not different!”

“Sure.” Túrin laughed. “And yet you don’t get called sa- the names I get called, do you? What do you know about being different? These people may not be pretty or educated like the rest of the assholes at B.U., but they don’t care where I come from, or where my parents came from, or what I look like, or where my father is. Go home, Beleg. You’re the one who doesn’t belong here.”

“Maybe not,” said Beleg, trying not to let the pain show, “Maybe you're right. Maybe staying would just show that I’m an idiot being led by his heart instead of his brain.”

Túrin clenched his jaw. “Yeah, probably.”

“But I don’t care, that’s not the point. My point is that you’re my… You’re my friend.” Beleg managed to keep his voice from catching, but realized he’d raised Túrin’s hand to his mouth, like he was going to kiss the knuckles beseechingly, or like the heat of his words could be felt by those long fingers. “And I’m not just going to let you vanish, however dumb I might be to try and keep chasing you.”

Túrin's eyes were fixed on Beleg’s mouth. “I told you, I’m not coming back.”

“That’s fine,” said Beleg, still staring into those terribly young grey eyes and holding onto that lean brown hand. “You don’t have to come back. But I’m going to stay.”

And he pressed his lips to the back of Túrin's hand.

* * *

Glorfindel tried to compose his face into something properly solemn and welcoming, while attempting to stifle the grin that threatened to split his face in half. He bit his lips, and nearly died of asphyxiation as he tried to breathe through his nose and pretend he hadn’t run the full mile to the bus stop, skidding around corners. Belatedly, he realized what a mess he must look, his hair falling out of the messy bun he had knotted on top of his head, his skin flushed from excitement and exertion, and – oh, balls, he was wearing some idiotic shirt that said HOW BOUT DESE PYTHONS, well, that was auspicious, what a way to welcome someone…

…someone who was walking down the sidewalk towards him, his black hair very short and neat beneath his cap, his uniform fitting him criminally well, his skin browner than ever from the sun, his clear dark eyes fixed on Glorfindel…

Glorfindel’s breath caught, and then felt like it stopped entirely.

“Glorfindel.”

Glorfindel dragged himself together and fought the urge to salute. “Ecthelion. Hey. Welcome home.”

They stared at each other for a moment, and then Ecthelion crooked the corners of his lips in a slight smile. “I got your letters.”

They started to walk down the sidewalk, side-by-side like they always used to, far slower than the pace at which Glorfindel had arrived.

“I got yours.” Too few, and too brief, but read until the words wore out. “How was the bus ride?”

“Long. Too long. I…” Ecthelion raised his head from where he’d been watching the sidewalk, and stared at him for a prolonged beat. “I think I’ve been an idiot.”

“What?” Glorfindel looked over, taken aback. “I don’t think that’s a thing, Thel.” He smiled and jostled Ecthelion’s arm, trying to ignore the jolt of electricity that went through him at the contact. “You are, like, verifiably never an idiot.”

“No, I’m quite sure I’ve been very stupid,” said Ecthelion seriously. “I read your letters…a lot.” Glorfindel’s heart sped up. “I think I finally read…between the lines, as well.”

Glorfindel wavered, not sure if he was supposed to be terrified or exultant at these words.

“Oh, damn.” Ecthelion shook his head, looking frustrated with himself. “I honestly meant to save this until not the first five minutes I saw you, but…” He reached out and pulled Glorfindel around a corner into an alleyway, dropping his heavy bag to the ground with an emphatic thump. “I’ve spent the last three months thinking about you.”

Glorfindel felt his eyes go big.

God.

“About what I want to say to you.”

Godgodgodgod –

“About what I wanted to…do. Once I was back here with you.” Ecthelion’s eyes dragged down Glorfindel’s body, and he reached out, almost hesitantly, for the strand of hair that had fallen into Glorfindel’s eyes. He brushed it behind Glorfindel’s ear, and blinked as their eyes met. “If you would want me to, of course.”

Say something.

But Glorfindel’s tongue felt glued to the top of his mouth.

“Please tell me if I have misread anything, but I think, from your letters, and possibly from the past six years during which I have, as I said, been an idiot, that you may have certain feelings for me.”

At this, Glorfindel managed to let out a tiny huff of air.

Ecthelion tightened his jaw, and Glorfindel saw a muscle jump in his cheek. “Was I mistaken?”

“No,” croaked Glorfindel, and felt color flood his face. “You weren’t mistaken.”

Ecthelion’s chest rose and fell with a great sigh. “Good. I – Good. I am glad to hear it.”

“Are you?” Glorfindel wondered if he was going to start laughing hysterically. This was never how he’d imagined this conversation going, but it was so Ecthelion that he should have expected it.

“I am,” said Ecthelion, very seriously. He paused. “May I,” he began, very formally, then coughed and drew himself up. He’d always been straight-backed, but boot camp had made him even more so. He even had his hands clasped behind him. “May I, if you don’t object, kiss you?”

“Yes,” said Glorfindel hoarsely.

“I do not wish to rush this confrontation, I know it is rather fast, it is just all I have thought about for the past – ”

“I said yes, Ecthelion.” Glorfindel reached out and grabbed Ecthelion by the lapels, dragging him in until their chests bumped together.

“Oh. Good.” Ecthelion wrapped his hands over Glorfindel’s elbows, then he hesitated, and dropped them to Glorfindel’s waist instead. He looked down. “Um. I like your shirt.”

“You don’t have to compliment me before kissing me,” said Glorfindel, ready to slam Ecthelion into the alley wall and shut him up if he didn’t move more quickly. “You’ve been waiting three months? I’ve been waiting six years.”

“Fair point.” Ecthelion nodded briskly, and closed the distance between them.

When their mouths met, Glorfindel felt almost prayerful, and all he could think was, God bless the United States Marine Corps. God bless having to write all those damn letters instead of texting like usual. God bless my inability to write anything with any subtlety.

Sweet Jesus.

He had been wanting to kiss Ecthelion for so long that the actual moment was very nearly drowned out by what felt like every neuron in his brain doing a conga line. This is it it’s happening this is real is it real it can’t be holy shit holy shit IT’S HAPPENING. His brain was so overexcited, in fact, that he almost blanked out on what he was supposed to be doing to return the kiss. But then Ecthelion tightened his hands on Glorfindel’s hips, one of his thumbs sliding under the hem of his shirt to brush against bare skin, and Glorfindel’s brain shut down entirely except for, Yes, this, and he let his mouth open for Ecthelion’s tongue. All that mattered was Ecthelion’s warm lips on his, the press of Ecthelion’s chest against him, the feeling of Ecthelion’s arms beneath Glorfindel’s hands. He realized he was gripping Ecthelion’s biceps rather hard, his fingers digging into the hard flesh beneath the material of Ecthelion’s uniform, and Ecthelion pulled back slightly to say, “Is everything all right?”

“Yes,” said Glorfindel, and licked his lips, a gesture that Ecthelion watched like he was riveted. “Your arms are very, are very nice. Did you – do they do special exercises for them in boot camp?”

Ecthelion stared at him, surprised, and then laughed. “I guess I should have expected you to ask inane questions at a time like this.”

“Yes, probably.”

“Yours are very nice too,” Ecthelion murmured, running his hands up Glorfindel’s bare arms, and Glorfindel shivered, and grabbed him and tried to kiss him again. Their noses bumped, and he only got the corner of Ecthelion’s mouth, but Ecthelion responded eagerly, and Glorfindel felt a great leap of pleasure and satisfaction that he could clearly sense Ecthelion’s want just as much as his own. About time.

He pulled Ecthelion back so they were pressed to the alley wall, unable to keep his hands from roaming avidly over Ecthelion’s torso, tugging at his uniform and exploring the solidness of muscle that three months of training had given him. Ecthelion slid his hands up under Glorfindel’s shirt, running his fingers along Glorfindel’s ribcage, and every brush of his fingers sent electricity crackling over Glorfindel’s skin and down to where their hips were aligned. Glorfindel shifted slightly, so that Ecthelion’s thigh wedged between his legs, and he was just telling himself to resist the urge to grind down against it when Ecthelion pressed forward and rubbed tantalizingly against his groin. Glorfindel let out an embarrassingly needy moan that was thankfully stifled against Ecthelion’s mouth, and immediately Ecthelion was deepening their kiss, his tongue insistent against Glorfindel’s. Glorfindel was quite sure they would have stayed like that, grinding against each other, until the world ended or they both came – though admittedly one was more likely than the other to happen first – had not Ecthelion’s phone chosen that exact moment to ring.

“Oh, no,” said Glorfindel indistinctly, and tried to hang on to Ecthelion’s shoulders to keep him from reaching for his pocket.

“I’m sorry, I have to,” Ecthelion murmured, sliding his thigh from between Glorfindel’s legs. He ran a hand over his hair distractedly, his cap having been knocked to the ground, and Glorfindel itched to drag his fingers against Ecthelion’s scalp. “Hello? Oh – hi, baba.” He cast an apologetic glance at Glorfindel as he pulled away.

Glorfindel dropped back against the wall, his hair by now entirely loose and falling messily over his shoulders. Ecthelion had stepped back into the alley and was pacing as he talked on the phone. He glanced up at Glorfindel, once, and his lips parted in a small smile. He crossed back to him, phone still at his ear, and very carefully swept Glorfindel’s hair out of his face. He ran a finger lightly over Glorfindel’s swollen lips, then closed his eyes, seemed to brace himself, and stepped away again. “Yes, baba, I can be home for dinner. I – no, I don’t need a ride from the bus, I’ll get myself across town. Yes. Will Ría be there? Okay. Okay. I’ll see you soon.” He hung up, and Glorfindel reached out to smooth down the shoulders of his uniform.

“I’m afraid I have to go.”

“I figured.” Glorfindel heaved himself up from the wall and pulled his hair into a sloppy ponytail to keep Ecthelion from frowning at him. “So you’re just going to leave me here with a stupid grin on my face and a newfound uniform kink.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be.” Glorfindel reached timidly for Ecthelion’s hand. Somehow, taking their palms against each other felt more intimate than the kiss. “Somehow I think I’ll still be stupid grinning the next time you see me, too. Actually, I stupid grin every time I see you, even when you haven’t kissed me stupid…er, and this is definitely the first time you’ve kissed me, so – ”

“Hush,” ordered Ecthelion, chuckling, and leaned forward to kiss Glorfindel once more. “We need to actually talk at some point, too,” he said, more seriously, when they broke apart. “About the whole six years thing, that’s probably first, and then what you’ve been up to these past three months, and then other things, such as why on earth you’re wearing such an idiotic tee-shirt.”

“You complimented it earlier,” Glorfindel pointed out, not letting go of Ecthelion’s hand.

“I was making small talk.”

“You chose a ridiculous time to do it.”

“I was nervous.”

“You’re never nervous.”

“Hah.” Ecthelion half smiled, and looked at the ground. “Then I must be a very good actor.”

“And a good liar. God, now I’ll know never to trust any compliment you give me because you might secretly be thinking ‘oooh, he’s wearing an idiotic tee-shirt, now I’ll never kiss him again’.”

“That won’t happen,” said Ecthelion firmly. “If you’re wearing an idiotic tee-shirt, well, I’ll just have to get you out of it.”

“Christ, and you expect me to let you go now?”

“Sorry.” Ecthelion squeezed Glorfindel’s fingers, and then released his hand. “I really do need to go. Can I call you later?”

“As late as you want.”

Ecthelion nodded, retrieved his bag from the ground and shouldered it, and turned to go. The he turned slightly back. “I’m home for ten days,” he said quietly. “And…ten nights. May I spend some of them with you?”

“If you don’t, I’m following you back to the USMC.”

“They’d welcome you.” Ecthelion smiled. “What with your arms, and all. But they’d make you cut your hair.”

“Then that’s out.”

“I quite agree.” Ecthelion’s gaze lingered on Glorfindel’s bright head. “I’m sorry this moved so fast. One minute we’re friends, and then next…”

“We’re still friends,” said Glorfindel easily. “That’s never going to change. We might just add something else to the mix, hey?”

Ecthelion let out his breath, looking relieved. “Yeah. I’ll call you.”

“I’ll look forward to it.”

Ecthelion settled his cap on his head and set off around the corner. Glorfindel watched him until he was out of sight, and then leaned back against the wall and smiled at the sky.

It was a beautiful day.

And the next ten promised to be equally good.

Chapter End Notes

2. LOOK LOOK LOOK IT'S BEEN ILLUSTRATED

Wouldn’t it be nice, drifting out to sea

Chapter Summary

Tyelko gets sheared, Finrod and Galadriel get salty, and Glorfindel waits.

Chapter Notes

0. Warnings for some make outs, some boating, and some giving Celegorm shit.

See the end of the chapter for more notes

“It’s gotten entirely out of hand. You look like a shrubbery.” Curufin spoke with utter authority, hands on his hips.

“No, more like a sheepdog,” said Maglor, who was standing next to him with his arms crossed and his head tilted to the side.

Celegorm whined, which did nothing to make Maglor’s comparison less apt. “Leave me alone, you judgmental bitches. There’s nothin’ wrong with my hair.”