*returns to Menegroth and the mission after a short visit to the suburbs to avoid the temptation of calling on Eärwen participate in a religious retreat*
*finds his building dark, the doors chained shut, and a posted notice indicating that the premises have been condemned and the associated organization dissolved* *is completely baffled until he realizes Thingol's probably taken a closer look at that marriagelicense by now* Oh dear.
*would have been able to tell himself about a safe haven for the newly-homeless wanderer except...well, you know*
*decides to go to the public library for a while to at least do some research into area companies before he accidentally gets a job at a place with dishonest business practices*
*is looking for irreproachably-run companies for a long time* *a very, very long time*
*walks past the back of your chair and steps in to avoid someone passing in the other direction* *stumbles on the leg of your chair and drops most of her books*
*flustered* Sorry! I mean, SORRY! *starts gathering the books into her arms*
*hears the clatter of the books hitting the floor and turns* Eärwen! *looks around quickly and belatedly lowers his voice* Eärwen.
*drops to the ground and starts helping you pick up the books* *inadvertently knocks a few others out of your hands in his hurry, drawing angry glares from the other patrons* Sorry. Sorry! I'm all thumbs today.
*whispers* No, it's my fault. I wasn't looking where I was going. I didn't even see you-- *reaches for a book and accidentally grazes her fingers over the back of your hand*
*smiles up at you* Were we more graceful as Quendi?
*can't help laughing a little* *quietly!* I seem to remember being so, yes.
*helps you up and feels a pleasant sort of tingling where your fingers touched his and gestures in the direction of the foyer, where no evil librarians are likely to swoop down on them amidst the noise of people coming and going*
*takes a peek at the subject of your books* *curiously* I didn't know you were into this sort of thing. How's Galadriel? ...I have no idea where that came from.
*looks down at the books too and shrugs, tucking her hair behind her ear* Well, I'm not? But I sort of am? I'd half a mind to find a place of my own. *laughs softly* Although I know, I know. I should find a place before I start thinking about decorating.
*bites her lip* She's well. Very well. She seems to be growing every day, you know?
*smiles faintly* Nothing wrong with thinking ahead. *stops smiling abruptly when he remembers where his own thinking has landed him of late*
*brightening again* Yes. Do you remember when Angaráto tried to climb that tree? He couldn't reach even the lowest branch but he swore that by the end of the summer... *trails off awkwardly*
I've been thinking about you. Both of you. Galadriel, I mean. That is, you and Galadriel. *runs a hand over his face* Could I sound any more foolish?
*takes the rest of your books from you and carries them over to the nearest checkout desk*
when you asked my mother if--
*remembers that day all too well now you've mentioned it* *goes for the rapid subject change* Where are you thinking of living, then? Not too far from your aunt and uncle, I should think. *diplomatically says not a word about your father*
*hands over her library card and waits for the librarian to scan her books*
I ... I don't know? Sometimes, I think I don't want to move. Melian is such a wonderful person and, really, Uncle Elwë isn't all bad. But other times I just want to get away from -- almost -- everything.
*retrieves your books and steps out of the queue with you* *shrugs* I guess that's one of the perks this time around? You can just go, if you want to. It's nice that we don't have state affairs to look after, or formal functions to plan, or...but I miss those things sometimes.
*looks as though he's just thought of something Órë-shattering* I miss those things. Fuck. *gasps*
*looks back at you and nods* It's not that those things were really important. It was a way of life that—our way of life and—
*shifts the books to one arm and mirrors your motion, cradling your cheek in his hand* *...* *closes the rest of the distance between them and kisses your lips hard, breathlessly*
*hardly notices when he drops all the books on his toes the floor*
*shakes his head the tiniest bit, his mind spinning with memories thousands of years or maybe only seconds old* Eärwen. Where do we go from here, my Eärwen?
*almost stoops to help but senses romantic-comedy potential there* *conversationally* Ouch.
*swallows hard and briefly wonders if he's having a heart attack* I think... *very softly* I think I maybe love you like crazy. But it's...yeah. A little crazy. Is that okay for right now?
*leads you outside and sits down with you in the fake sunshine*
Ah...no. *quite a bit more lightly than the situation merits* I came home to find that the state or the department of urban development or someone...um. Closed up shop on me while I wasn't looking? *thoroughly embarrassed* So I came here to look for a home job.
*curls his arm around your waist and leans his head on your shoulder* *sheepish smile* I'm doing a terrible job right at this very moment, Eru forgive-- *cuts himself off*
*closes his eyes, apparently unconcerned with his future while you're touching him that way* I hadn't really thought about it? I'll come up with something.
*laughs* That's not how it works. You advise me and I advise the world, remember?
*squeezes your hand* But yes. I've been here long enough. I can tell you what neighborhoods to avoid and which have potential.
*thinking* Unless...there are quite a few Noldor around here. I daresay some of them might still value my leadership. If a few people wanted to get together...find some good, untouched land to work...or someplace near the sea... *laughs again* No. It's a silly idea.
*laughs too* And here's me thinking that you were just humouring your Telerin wife.
*holds your hand between both of hers* It's not a silly idea. Darling, you were the longest-serving High King on Arda, bar none. You have more experience than any of the others put together. And you've certainly more sense than them.
*gazes at you, really content for once* I was just another Noldo before I met you.
*shrugs and smiles a little dismissively* Maybe someday. *certainly does not add "when I feel ready to move past single and unimportant" but thinks you'll likely understand as it is* It doesn't hurt to think ahead.
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