"The good Comrade seems to have, by all accounts, come home to roost."
THREE CHEERS FOR THE GOOD COMRADE! Him being what Elrond first hears upon waking up and not believing himself to be fully awake ough.. Elrond calling Elladan an underfed porcupine LMAO
"Oh, also, boy, your gay called me last week, asking some protesting advice. Apparently your gay it seems, he will be calling me tomorrow also."
"So anti-gay you are, Maglor. It’s a normal English word. Astagfirullah, bachelorhood has made you a homophobic."
I'm in hysterics oh my god. Bachelorhood has made you a homophobic...
the man was over six foot tall and had loose, wild red hair and looked like a fire with legs and frankly you’d repeat after him too.
Ohhhhhh Maedhros giving a speech and being described as a fire with legs in the chapter after we find out about Fëanor's speech and self-immolation.... Zara oh my GOD. Don't do this to me
can you see me as something besides the sum of my ruin? Do you love me? Can you? Can you love me even so?
DON'T DO THIS TO MEEE
“Sorry,” Elrond flushes, embarrassed. “I hadn’t meant it like that. My Arwen had a stutter too.”
A muscle jumps in Maedhros’ jaw, and he lights another cigarette.
So much left unsaid here, you can feel the weight of it just in that short exchange.. And then Maedhros frantically putting out his cigarette and chucking both ashtray and tobacco as far as he can once he realises why Elrond is being odd about him smoking, "the third person apology that came so naturally to parents" , swearing off of smoking just like that (cold-turkey, dude, not the best idea but I commend the intent lmfao), I love dad Maedhros SO MUCH!!!!! one of my favourite flavours of Maedhros. So so so happy he and Elrond finally spent time together!
“Then why do I not live here, Maglor? Tell me. Hm? Why do I not live in this house, our father’s house, the deed of which is in my name, eh? Why do I stay with Fingon, when I used to sleep here most nights, at least four a week? Why was last night the first time I woke up in this house for the last five years, and even that — even that on the bloody porch. Why do my grandsons call me Uncle Maedhros, and call you achachan?"
Maglor blanches.
I'm unwell.
Celebrimbor's speech was so chilling and intense, Kozhikode's finest orator since Fëanor indeed! I think this is one of my favourite scenes so far. He captivates the crowd so well, and the way he disappears amongst them at the end! And the flashbacks to Maglor and Maedhros' conversation at the aftermath of Elros' death emphasised Celebrimbor's words even more, as a hammer hitting the nail even deeper into the wood. Thank god for Celegorm getting Elrond out of there. That wouldn't be the way to find out the truth about his brother's death.. I knew Elros' death wouldn't have been pretty, and expected it to be Party-related, but not like THAT. Not being charged with speeding, tortured and killed just to make Maedhros beg. Holy shit. I need to stare at a wall for a bit.
“Maedhros loves Fingon, yes,” Maedhros looks out at the sea, watches the red sun bobbing up slowly over it like a distant lure, calling to elsewhere. “It will be so always. But why does Fingon love Maedhros? Does Fingon wish to spend his future as the keeper to a rabid dog leashed to a rotting post? He is better than such a life. How can Fingon love Maedhros? In his rage, his stasis, his destructiveness?”
“Because he does,” he feels Fingon shrug, as if it all truly is as simple as loving unconditionally. “Because when Maedhros was eight years old he knocked his own brother’s tooth out for calling his Fingon a sissy. When Maedhros was thirteen, he thrashed a twenty year old for the same. That has always been what sits within the rage and destructiveness of Maedhros. Love is just another way of looking at something. Squinting, glaring, scanning, loving. And what Fingon sees in Maedhros as he loves him, is too unexplainable and complex to be confined within the four rigid corners of a single photo. So don’t ask me silly questions like why.”
The beach scene had me so misty-eyed.. Maedhros making Fingon the happiest man in the world.... Fingon loving Maedhros for who he is, and mourning all he would've been... The memories of their school years and the would I be in your heart in another life? [...] You’re in my heart as Finnu - as my Finnu. conversation... Their first true kiss outdoors.. aaahhwhfrwbhwb I'm melted into a little puddle from the adorableness. They are so. damn. CUTE together!
And then the transmission at the end and Maedhros' mind getting stuck on "I take your grief in me." ZARA WHAT THE HELLLLLLL. HOW COULD YOU 💔
This was another incredible chapter (as always!) and I'm so excited to see what happens next! (and any other spinoff fics of this one – you'd mentioned on tumblr that you had some ideas and I don't think I mentioned it there, but I'd definitely read more of this au if you wish to write it!)
As always, thank you a million times of engaging so closely with the chapter, it has me THRILLED to read!
Maedhros’ mind being a stuck record, so to speak, was something that came up to me literally AS i was posting the chapter and I fully had to unpost and add that part on so I am Glad it has landed so well hahahah
Celebrimbor’s speech was v fun to write as well, I could really let my Dramatic Activist Lingo run wild and free lets just say… and bless Celegorm, he truly is the gift that keeps on giving in this fic and Maedhros truly needs to stop being MEAN about him 😭😭😭
ALSO SCREE YOU SPOTTED THE FIRE W LEGS THING EXCELLENT I DROPPED IT IN THERE AT THE LAST MOMENT SNJSJSJSJ IM THRILLED
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stars_and_knives on Chapter 7 Sun 02 Mar 2025 06:08PM UTC
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timelessutterances on Chapter 7 Fri 21 Mar 2025 08:53PM UTC
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