New Life...

[nerdanel_the_wise]

Nerdanel whimpers, curled up on her side as she waits for her son to return with as many of their family as he could locate. She had also sent him to find Guppy.

She tenses with a particularly painful contraction. This had been going on, more or less, for the last two days. The contractions were spaced far apart for most of the labour, but now... now they were closer and she knew something was off. She was so tired. She had vomitted both attempts at meals, and she had forbidden her son to leave her side until now.

Now, though, she is exhausted, nauseous and hungry, and everything hurt.

Against her better judgement, she begins to quietly cry when the next contraction slams into her.

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[namo]

Námo watches them go, then turns his attention to Nerdanel's bed.

In a fog of worry and shock, he strips her bed, tossing the soiled sheets to the floor where they could be taken to be cleaned. Then he remade her bed before sitting on it.

He ignored the gurgling child -- his heart racing and his eyes so close to spilling their tears of worry.

[gorlim.livejournal.com]

Gorlim gives the infant his finger to suckle.

"Namo. Namo, love, come take your son so he knows you." He manages to mostly keep the tremor out of his voice.

[namo]

He blinks, looking up at Gorlim with very wide eyes.

His son.

Their son.

"Our son," he says quietly, a little roughly. He stands, and slowly walks toward Gorlim. "Our son."

He looks down into that tiny face with its bright gaze.

"Gabriel."

[gorlim.livejournal.com]

"Aye -- OUR son. But your blood, Heron."

He eases the infant into Namo's arms. "Let him suck your finger. I'll go get formula from my room. He needs to eat as soon as possible. Can you wait here for me and hold him until I'm back?"

[namo]

He nods, taking the tiny being into his arms as if made of spun glass.

While Gorlim is gone, Námo quietly talks to Gabriel, using a hot cloth to clean the child better, and when he is done with that, he dresses him in a nappy Nerdanel had on a table and a small shirt before wrapping him in a clean, thicker blanket.

She had taught him well, but his movements were unsure, unpracticed, and each sound Gabriel made had Námo checking and double-checking that all was well.

[gorlim.livejournal.com]

Gorlim is soon back with a bottle of baby formula Eilinel thoughtfully had prepared just in case, and more blankets. He helps wrap the baby more securely, muttering to him as well, and presses the bottle into Namo's hand. "Here. You feed him."

[namo]

A nervous glance to Gorlim and he offers the nipple to their son.

Which he takes immediately, eating hungrily.

Námo watches him with such rapt fascination, seeing his features in the small face topped with Nerdanel's copper fuzz...

"Oh, dove," he breathes.

[gorlim.livejournal.com]

Gorlim wraps his arms around the Vala-turned-Elf and the baby.

"He's perfect, Namo. Perfect."

[namo]

He blinks several times, leaning into Gorlim's embrace.

"He is so small, Gorlim. So very small. I never imagined..."

The Elf never imagined that he would feel this instant bond -- this need to protect and keep and... love. And he shares those thoughts with his bird, wanting him to know what Námo could not put into words.

[gorlim.livejournal.com]

Gorlim GLOWS at Namo, just GLOWS.

"I knew you'd learn," he says, a little choked. "I KNEW. You can't... NOT learn how... he's YOURS, you know? And that's.... extraordinary."

[namo]

He looks up at Gorlim.

"I could not have learned without you, Gorlim. Never belittle what part you have played in this." He kisses him softly before returning his attention to Gabriel. "Little one... ionen... oh, how I love you already. You have stolen my heart, Gabriel, and I do not think I mind in the least."

[gorlim.livejournal.com]

He leans against Namo, his hand on the infant's blankets, on knuckle lightly stroking the pale, hot cheek.

He just smiles. Just keeps smiling.

Their son.