Room 143

[nerdanel_the_wise]

She was asleep.

Uncomfortably so, but asleep just the same.

The knock was insistant, though, and she drew her robe on as she trudges to the door. When she opens it, all remnants of sleep are gone.

"Glorfindel!" she gasps. She looks from him to the cold, stoic face of the Vala, who she hadn't seen for days. "What happened?"

Námo steps in.

"He is in need of warmth and attention," he says, laying Glorfindel on the sofa.

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[gondolin-noble.livejournal.com]

The scars stand out more starkly as his skin flushes in response to the heat. He's shaking exhaustion warring with the innate reflex to shiver, warm up some, combined with all-over pain.
"'Rohir? Daro, te naegra, daro..." He murmurs, forgetting utterly where he is, and what he had been doing. Two weeks ago, by his reckoning, he had gone out hunting with the younger of the Peredhil twins, and now his mind latches on to that trip to explain what is going on now. Something must have happened, a fall into the river, perhaps? Doesn't matter. It hurts.

[nerdanel_the_wise]

She scoops water over his body, running the heated washcloth over the flushed skin.

"Avosto, Glorfindel," she says softly. "Garo posto. Elrohir is not with us, I am sad to say."

[gondolin-noble.livejournal.com]

Slowly, his eyes focus on her, at first without any recognition at all, then as he becomes more aware, with dawning horror.

"I am sorry, I am so very sorry..." He repeats, endlessly, despite the pain in his jaw. He feels, at the moment, it would have been more of a kindness to kill him outright, than to force him to face the cousin he failed first thing upon waking. He's not sure how the fight escalated as fast and as far as it did, other than that his temper had snapped beyond repair, and he had gone for the Death Lord with no thought to his own survival. And for what?

All Glorfindel has earned is the certainty that if anything, this Vala will treat his beloved cousin worse than Feanor ever did.

At least, in his way, Feanor loved her.

[nerdanel_the_wise]

She smiles at him, pressing fingers to his lips.

"Shh, beloved cousin. Mandos brought you to me. We will have you warmed and in the comfort of bed soon enough." She washes dirt and cold from his body. "And perhaps, in the morning, you will tell me what this disagreement he mentioned was about?"

Nerdanel kisses his damp shoulder before splashing more hot water on skin not submerged.

[gondolin-noble.livejournal.com]

"In the morning." Glorfindel agrees, surrendering to her as he refused to do to Namo. Slowly, he stops shifvering, relaxing against the cool tile of the tub, eyes half-closing.

[nerdanel_the_wise]

When he stops shivering, she stumbles to her feet and sticks her glaring head out of the bathroom.

"You broke him, Mandos, your ass can come in here and stand beside him for five more minutes."

She returns, pulling the drain and getting a few towels. When Mandos arrives, looking decidedly unhelpful, she glares.

"Help him up."

[namo]

He clenches his jaw, bending over to help the weakened Elf from the tub.

"She is insisting I help," he explains. "It is best to do as she desires and not fight me."

[gondolin-noble.livejournal.com]

He cannot help it - he's learned to associate that touch with pain, burning cold pain, and so he flinches. He would pull away entirely, make a fight of it, but he hasn't the strength. Thus, with seeming meekness, he is hauled out of the tub and to his feet. Silently he hangs his head, refusing to meet either of their eyes.

[nerdanel_the_wise]

Nerdanel dries him tenderly, then rushes into her room for warm clothing. She returns with a thick sleeping robe and quickly covers him.

"You may go, Mandos," she says dismissively, taking her cousin from him. He stares at her briefly before silently walking from the bathroom, then her room.

When they are alone again, she slowly walks him to her double bed. "Sit here, love," she says softly.

[gondolin-noble.livejournal.com]

He slumps more than sits, the momentary spurt of energy fading fast.

"Done better... w'out me to... interfere. S... sorry... Ner..." He murmrs, his eyes already turning glassy.

[nerdanel_the_wise]

She sheds her own robe, dressed in strawberry coloured pajamas and crawls in beside him. The Elf adjust them so she can curl against him, her ear on his chest.

"My sweet cousin. I needed you all those years. I was so alone. Always need you and Ecthelion. Who else would dress in my gown, dance and have tea with me?" she asks, her arms tightening for a minute around him. "Never be sorry for being by my side."

[gondolin-noble.livejournal.com]

He shudders, but this time from guilt. So very long, she's needed him. Now that she has him, he's proving to be beyond useless.

Suddenly he just doesn't want to think anymore.

Closing his eyes, he surrenders willingly to the dark this time, practically throwing himself into oblivion.

[nerdanel_the_wise]

She listens to him breathe for a while, his heartbeat, and Feaho settles within her. Nerdanel shifts again until her back ceases aching so much, and then also finds a light sleep.

Even in her sleep, she is aware. Very aware. And that is how she spends the rest of the night, clinging to her cousin.