Chapter Text
1. His brothers
He was too old to truly be a friend to them when they were born–sure, he was equal with them later, but not at first–they were so small and so wriggly and he loved them all so much and his parents were busy enough that at least three days a week he was wandering around the house with a baby in his arms, trying his best to tolerate their whining and, later, listening with rapt attention to their incomprehensible ramblings.
2. Celebrimbor
No one had expected Curufin to lock himself away in his room/workshop/literally-whichever-room-was-big-enough-to-work-in the moment they left Alqualonde, least of all himself. His nephew was still so small and still wanted so much attention; he couldn’t just leave him playing in the corner with heavy tools and he couldn’t watch him sitting quietly and patiently outside of the door, barely holding off tears. “Why don’t you come outside and get some fresh air? I can teach you to ride a horse,” he says, and Telpe looks so grateful for the excuse to be anywhere else
3. Ereinion Gil-galad
It’s been so long since anyone trusted him to childmind (he’s fairly sure he still knows how: it’s the scars that scare people off these days), but Fingon has always trusted him. The question, of course, is who the hell trusted Fingon? He doesn’t ask it. Instead, he keeps the child in his arms while politics happen in the next room, teaching him to read and write and praying hard that everything goes to plan because the kid is growing to be so kind and he doesn’t deserve any of this.
4. Elros
He demands to be taught swordplay. Of course, he refuses; he’s ten, and Maedhros isn’t entirely sure if he will ever be able to hold a sword again without painful memories spilling over every one of his senses. Instead, teaches him the virtues of keeping your thoughts to yourself, and knowing how to say exactly what people want to hear while still suggesting entirely your own ideas. He’s eager–the child takes notes. And Maedhros is proud because, if even only a tiny shred of his legacy isn’t written in blood, then he will be happy.
5. Elrond
Elrond wasn’t meant to overhear them. He wasn’t meant to know what they were planning to do, but he was too smart to go and sit quietly and wait for answers that would probably never come. He remembers the way he froze when he saw him standing in the doorway–the way Maglor cursed at the sight of his expression. He turned and left without a word, and Maedhros remembered what it was like to suddenly be left without any kind of support in the world. He silently swore that, if it couldn’t be him, there would always be someone to look after them.