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Darkness. Plunging darkness, and the feeling of falling, falling without end. He did not think this was how it would feel, like he was being torn apart limb from limb, excruciating pain. Then, nothing. He can feel that he is lying somewhere, on the ground possibly, heaving for breath like he had been holding it under water for too long. He does not know where he is. He hears muffled footsteps, and tries to open his eyes when his breathing has calmed, the light a searing pain, nothing clear. He does not try to move, just stays in the same position while trying to focus on the figure appearing over him. He feels like he is dreaming, only just making out a tall figure with such a magnificent golden hair he has only ever seen on one before. He smiles and whispers "Glorfy", closing his eyes again. He feels the figure getting closer, then hands on his face. A muffled voice close by, "Ecthelion? Ecthelion, can you hear me? Please open your eyes for me". He opens his eyes, and winces at the returning pain in his eyes, before everything starts to turn dark again and he feels himself being lifted off the ground. Then the darkness takes him fully.
The next time Ecthelion wakes he is lying in a soft bed, sheets tucked around him. It is still bright, but this time it does not hurt his eyes when he opens them. He proceeds to look around the room, without sitting up at first, but then deciding it is better if he sits up, so he does so, gently. That is when he sees him, sleeping in a chair at the far end of the room, Glorfindel. Ecthelion's heart flutters at the sight of him, even now. His hair loose over his shoulders, partly covering his face as he sleeps, his breath soft and quiet, his legs drawn up underneath him. Ecthelion had always enjoyed watching Glorfindel sleep, there was something so unguarded, innocent and relaxed about him that was not always there when he was awake, unless they were completely alone, lying in bed together. How he had longed for that, and wondered if it would ever happen again.
He stirs then, a tired grunt escaping him, making Ecthelion smile, before he lifts his eyes and blinks tiredly. When Glorfindel sees he is awake his eyes go wide, something akin to fright spreading on his face. "You are awake", he says, breathless, before he slowly stands up and starts to move towards the bed Etchelion is lying in, in a manner like he is afraid he will startle Ecthelion. All Ecthelion can muster is "hello", in a quiet voice, afraid it will break if he raises it any higher. Glorfindel makes his way to the bed and takes a seat at the foot end, not once taking his eyes from Ecthelion's. "How..how are you feeling?" he asks softly, while searching him with his eyes, looking for any signs of discomfort. "I feel all right, only a bit tired and sore, like i fell down a flight of stairs recently." He says so with another smile at Glorfindel, who only continues to look at him like he is something ghostlike. "I did not mean to fall asleep, i wanted to watch you. I thought you might disappear if i turned my eyes from you, like you were a figment of my imagination, or perhaps a dream." Glorfindel's eyes turn wider again when he says it, and Ecthelion can see the struggles behind his eyes so clearly it almost worries him. "I'm here. I'm real." Ecthelion moves and stretches his hand until he reached Glorfindel's, touching it gently, and Glorfindel lets out a quiet gasp at the feel of Ecthelion's hand on his. He quickly moves then, sitting close to Ecthelion, slipping one of his hands into Ecthelion's, and placing the other softly on his cheek, touching with his fingertips, removing some of the hair that has fallen into his face, looking into his eyes all the while, both pain and happiness so plainly shown in them.
They sit like this for quite a long moment before Glorfindel speaks again. "So much time has passed since i last saw you, since you...died. So much time without you." Ecthelion puts his free hand in Glorfindel's hair when he says this, and brings their foreheads together. "I'm sorry i'm late, Glorfy." Glorfindel gives a choked laugh, before Ecthelion feels all the walls falling down and Glorfindel starts shaking. Ecthelion draws him into his arms, holding him tightly while whispering softly to him. "Ssh, i'm not leaving again, not ever." Glorfindel eventually relaxes in the embrace, pulling back a bit so their foreheads touch once again. "After all this time, you never forgot?" Ecthelion says with a smile, and Glorfindel finally smiles back, "It could be another 5000 years and my love for you would still be the same." Ecthelion laughs then, and kisses him, his turn to feel hot tears on his face. The kiss feels exactly like it should, the same as it did all that time ago, but also new, something they had not had for so long, and finally getting to experience again, desperate to feel the other again, trying to touch every part of each other, to feel everything at once.
"Glorfy", Ecthelion says against Glorfindel's lips. Glorfindel chuckles at that, placing his hands in Ecthelion's soft, long, raven black hair. "You are the only one who ever called me that. No one else ever dared to call me by any nickname. I've missed hearing it so much, Ecthelion, missed you, so much." Ecthelion kisses him on the nose, but before he starts saying anything back there is a knock on the door and Lindir enters. He does not look to be made uncomfortable by discovering Glorfindel and Ecthelion in such close proximity to each other, but he tries to keep his expression passive, a suppressed smile barely visible. "I apologize for interrupting, but i thought perhaps you would like some food brought in, Ecthelion must feel hungry by now", he says, not trying to hide his smile any longer. "Yes, thank you. When i think about it i feel absolutely famished actually." Ecthelion tries to move a bit away from Glorfindel, as to not make Lindir feel any kind of awkwardness, but Glorfindel simply will not let him move any further away. "I will return with it shortly then", Lindir says and leaves them alone once again.
"Hey, i am not going to dissolve if you let go of me", Ecthelion says with a kiss to Glorfindel's forehead. "Hm, i'm not so convinced just yet, so i better be on the safe side", Glorfindel gives him a sheepish grin, and Ecthelion suddenly feels so very young again, as if he is falling in love anew.
When the food arrives, Glorfindel reluctantly moves to the edge of the bed, giving Ecthelion some room for eating, but he refuses to look anywhere else than Ecthelion, and they sit in silence for quite a while, until Ecthelion has finished all of his food. It is a comfortable silence, just like the old days, when they often spent time together without talking much, just being in each others company.
The next day they spend walking around Rivendell, Glorfindel showing Ecthelion everything which he thinks is worth seeing, which incidentally is everything. He will not once let go of Ecthelion's hand, and leads him around, talking excitedly about everything that has happened during the time they have been apart. To Ecthelion's eyes Glorfindel is glowing like the sun as he talks and talks, and Ecthelion hopes he never stops talking.
After walking around for most of the day they stop in a clearing by some trees, finally sitting down to take a rest. Ecthelion sits with his back against a tree, and Glorfindel lies down with his head in Ecthelion's lap, gazing up at him, smiling. It barely takes Ecthelion seconds before he winds his hands in Glorfindel's beautiful hair, stroking, smiling back down at him. "You have not changed at all, Glorfy. Still more beautiful than anyone or anything i have ever laid eyes on." Ecthelion traces his fingers along Glorfindel's jaw, trying not to spew his whole heart out. Glorfindel laughs, reaching his hand up to Ecthelion's chin. "And you still flatter me like no one else, my love." Ecthelion feels like his heart might swell out of his chest. He smiles wider and bends down to kiss Glorfindel, turning into a fiasco when all his hair lands in Glorfindel's face instead. Glorfindel just laughs and sits up, "here, let me do something about that hair of yours." He then proceeds to take a part of Ecthelion's hair in his hands and starts braiding it.
When they were together, Ecthelion was usually the one doting on Glorfindel's hair, how could he not, it was and still is so astoundingly beautiful, and not to mention soft. It always made him forget how much he actually enjoyed Glorfindel's hands in his own hair as well. He lets his his eyes fall shut as Glorfindel switches between braiding and tracing his hands through Ecthelion's long hair. Ecthelion startles himself when a soft moan escapes his lips, and Glorfindel chuckles next to him, kissing him on the cheek. "I didn't realize you enjoyed this so much. If you had told me i would have done it for you as often as you would have liked", he whispers in Ecthelion's ear, sending shivers down his spine. Glorfindel shifts Ecthelion so that he is sitting against the tree, and Ecthelion between his legs, back against his chest. He slowly moves all of Ecthelion's hair over one shoulder, and puts soft kisses on the naked part of his neck. Ecthelion tilts his head for it, and pulls Glorfindel's arms around him, keeping his own arms over them, holding tight. "Why don't we go back to the room?", Glorfindel says between kisses. Ecthelion feels breathless, "yes, please". Of course Glorfindel chuckles again at that.
Glorfindel takes his hand and leads the way back to the room he woke up in, Glorfindel's room as it turns out, but Glorfindel will not have him stay anywhere else, and neither will Ecthelion, not after all the time they have been parted.
The room has started to grow dark, so they light a couple of candles for it not to turn completely dark just yet. They do not go to the bed though, instead Glorfindel settles in one of the bigger chairs standing in one of the corners of the room, looking longingly at Ecthelion. Ecthelion gives him a smile, before he moves toward the chair, to curl up comfortably in Glorfindel's lap, head against his shoulder. Glorfindel runs his hands through Ecthelion's hair, releasing the braids, combing all the length of his hair with his fingers. Ecthelion simply sits there, closing his eyes, enjoying the closeness and Glorfindel's doting of him.
He kisses Ecthelion on the forehead, and they are both feeling their cheeks growing tired from all the smiling they have been doing. "Ecthelion?" Glorfindel puts his hand under his chin to lift his eyes to his face as he says his name. "Hm?" is all Ecthelion can muster, keeping his eyes closed. "Marry me." Ecthelion's eyes snaps open at that, staring up at Glorfindel, mouth open and clear surprise in every feature of his face and eyes. "What? I mean...are you sure about this?" Ecthelion has trouble getting anything out, shocked at the suddenness of it, but also desperately wanting this to be something Glorfindel is serious about. "Of course i am sure, i would have asked you thousands of years ago, but Gothmog ruined everything didn't he? Is it not something you would want?" He places his hand on Ecthelion's cheek, stroking his cheekbone with his thumb. Ecthelion smiles at him then, placing his own hand on top of Glorfindel's and bringing it to his mouth, kissing the palm of it. "If you thought it something i did not want, i do not think you would have asked. There is nothing in my life i would want more, in the old and the new one." Glorfindel smiles so brightly when he hears it, and kisses Ecthelion as if his life depends on it, placing kisses all over his face and neck, until Ecthelion can no longer keep his laughter in, shaking from it while Glorfindel holds him tight to his chest.
When Ecthelion has calmed himself down he sits up properly and looks into Glorfindel's eyes again, voice serious; "you do realize you will then have to spend the rest of your life by my side? And considering we are immortal that is a fairly long time". He then smiles, putting his hand in Glorfindel's hair. "Well", Glorfindel says in a laughing voice, "that was in fact my main goal with it, you see. I intend for you to be entirely stuck with me, you are not getting away from me this time, love. " Ecthelion feels greatly satisfied with that answer and shows it with a kiss, a kiss that quickly deepens, and Ecthelion just says "good" against Glorfindel's lips. Glorfindel is the one to break the kiss, "I will have a talk with Lord Elrond about it tomorrow then. Now lets go to bed, hm?" Ecthelion responds by untangling himself from Glorfindel. Standing up he removes his garments, but when Glorfindel only sits and watches with a smug smile on his face, he pulls him up from the chair by the hand, and starts removing Glorfindel's garments as well.
Having removed everything from his upper body, Ecthelion's leaves him to do the rest himself, and crawls underneath the covers of the bed, propped up on one elbow. "Glorfy, you are taking too long, i am starting to feel cold", Ecthelion says after some moments, when Glorfindel stays where he is, looking at Ecthelion lying in his bed. "I'm coming, so impatient. I am not sorry, i was enjoying the good view", he says with a smirk, before he finally crawls into bed next to Ecthelion. At first they just lie on their sides, eyes level, drinking in the sight of the other, Ecthelion tracing his hand through Glorfindel's hair, causing him to close his eyes.
Ecthelion then draws Glorfindel closer, "come here, i said i was starting to feel cold didn't i?", he says as he wraps his arms around him, chin on top of Glorfindel's head. He feels Glorfindel chuckle against his chest and smiles, giving him a kiss on the top of his head, leaving his lips there, while starting to stroke one of his hands along Glorfindel's spine.
"So, Ecthelion, it might be a good thing to start some training, make sure you still have what it takes", Glorfindel says sleepily into Ecthelion's skin. "Oh, i'm quite sure i can still manage a sword, but i would love to train, if it is with you that is." Ecthelion feels himself missing having a sword in his hand, and grows excited from the thought of sparring with Glorfindel. "You do not by any chance know what happened to my sword, do you? I know it has been a very long time, but i was quite hoping it was still around somewhere."
"Ah, well... it is sort of buried with a dwarven king in Erebor", Glorfindel tilts his head back then, to look at Ecthelion's face, his smile apologetic. "Oh, is it now? I loved that sword, Gothmog was the reason i lost it though, wasn't he? But you know all that. I suppose i will just have to get myself a new one then." He smiles at Glorfindel, it was just a sword after all.
"It is a sight i will never forget, but here you are, with me, as close as you can be. There will be new memories and great deeds, i have no doubt of that." Glorfindel brings Ecthelion in for a kiss after saying so, so tender and full of love.
"Now come, let us get some sleep shall we?" With a kiss to Glorfindel's forehead Ecthelion moves to lie on his back instead, Glorfindel placing his head on his chest. "Let us just stay like this for the rest of our lives", Glorfindel says, drowsiness again detectable in his voice. Ecthelion chuckles, "I am perfectly certain you would grow bored quickly, I know you like to have things to do, no matter how much you pretend you don't. We do in fact need to do something with our lives, and we both know i was not actually sent back here explicitly for you, even if we both would like to believe so, and the thought of lying in this bed with you for a very long time is extremely appealing right now. But that is most likely our sleepy heads talking."
Glorfindel scoffs, and places a kiss on Ecthelion's chest before saying "you talk too much sense while sleepy. I love you, soon to be husband".
"And i love you, my golden beauty," Ecthelion says and draws the sheets up so they cover Glorfindel's shoulders, and gives a last kiss good night.
The next day, Glorfindel has his conversation with Elrond about having a wedding, and Elrond is thrilled to both host and officiate it, to both Glorfindel and Ecthelion's immense joy. They decide to have it in a fortnight, as Elrond has planned a visit to Lothlorien, and also giving them time to design and make the perfect rings, rings that Glorfindel has had in his mind for so long that he barely remembers a time when he did not imagine what they would look like.
Glorfindel spends much time training with Ecthelion, who proves himself to be just as skilled with a sword as he always was, and he receives a new sword for himself, as grand as his old one.
At this time, a certain Bilbo Baggins arrives in Rivendell, to everyones joy, and he is received well by all that live there, especially Lindir, who is unable to leave him alone, and they spend much time telling tales of adventures. Ecthelion meets him for the first time, and enjoys his tale of Erebor especially, and the deeds and fate of his old sword, which he now decides belongs where it is.
When all the preparations have been made, it is at last time for a wedding, where everyone who wishes to attend may, and so many are happy to as there has not been a wedding for quite some time. Ecthelion of course knows about the rings, but Glorfindel insisted on keeping the appearance of them a secret until the ceremony itself, Ecthelion teasing him for being such a hopeless romantic, yet loving him all the more for it.
Ecthelion, arriving first, wears garments of bright blue, lined with silver, complementing his blue eyes and dark hair. But as soon as Glorfindel comes into sight, Ecthelion finds himself unable to see anything but him, everyone else disappearing, no one else present but Glorfindel and Ecthelion himself. He did not think it was possible for Glorfindel to be more breathtaking, apparently it was possible, as he walks towards him, light seeming to radiate from him. He wears garments of white and gold, with golden flowers braided into his long fair hair. He comes to a stop facing Ecthelion, and brings his hand up to his chin, saying; "close your mouth, dear, you do not look half bad yourself", while giving a small chuckle. Ecthelion is snapped back to reality, everyone watching them with adoration in their eyes slowly reentering his vision, while giving Glorfindel a smile that is almost shy.
To Ecthelion's surprise, Bilbo is the next to arrive, he had not noticed him to be missing until now. Bilbo was delighted to bring the rings forth, and he has such a blissful smile on his face as he approaches them, handing one ring to each of them, to give to the other, before he takes a seat at the front.
Ecthelion takes a moment to look in awe at the ring as he holds it between two fingers, of course this is a design by Glorfindel. It is a simple ring, but yet so beautiful. It is braided of three strands, two of white gold, and one of yellow gold, in the middle of the the two white ones, all the way around. His eyes focus back at Glorfindel as he asks him fondly; "do you like them?" Ecthelion smiles at him, reaching his hand up to rest on his cheek. "Of course i do, they're absolutely perfect."
Glorfindel takes Ecthelion's hand from his cheek then, holding it in his own, looking him straight in the eyes. "When you died alongside Gothmog, i knew i would never be the same again. I had already loved you for such a long time, and could not imagine my life without you. Of course, i died as well shortly after, so i did not have to go on for long, did i. But then, i was sent back, and i had to live on without you after all. No matter how much time went by, and it was quite a lot, there was never anyone else who could quench my love for you, but neither did i want there to be. This time however, i intend to be by your side for a very long time. I love you, more than anything in my life." At that, he slips the ring on Ecthelion's finger, and lifts it to his mouth, giving it a kiss. His eyes shine as he looks back at Ecthelion, noticing the single tear falling from one of his eyes, reaching up to remove it, and keeps his hand on his cheek.
Now Ecthelion is the one to take Glorfindel's hand, keeping it in his hand as he smiles at him. "Now, how can i possibly say anything that will exceed that, Glorfy? You are always the best at everything you do", Ecthelion says, smiling widely. "I have a hard time wording my love for you, if i am to be honest. I can say i love you, but it does not feel enough. I can not talk about all the time i loved you for when we were not together, because it is not the same as it was for you, but you were always on my mind. Even as i was dying you were the only thing i thought of, how much i loved you, how happy i was to have been able to love you and also to have received your love in return. When i was sent back, i did not believe what i saw when i first opened my eyes, i was surely dreaming of the brightest sun that ever shined in my life." Ecthelion chuckles a bit. "And let us not forget how spectacular it feels to fight by your side. I wish to always have your back, as you will always have mine, along with all the rest of me. I will love you for an eternity, and most likely beyond that as well, as the greatest love of my life." He finally places the ring on Glorfindel's finger, and as Glorfindel did, lifts it to his lips and kisses it.
Elrond at last pronounces them married, and gives them leave to kiss. "Finally", Glorfindel exclaims before pulling Ecthelion close into a tender kiss.
They spend the rest of the day singing and dancing, Bilbo even having made a song himself especially for the occasion, wittily calling it "Balrog slayers in love". When darkness starts to fall and the stars appear in the sky, Glorfindel summons Asfaloth forth, and they both mount him, Ecthelion sitting behind Glorfindel, seeing as it is Glorfindel's horse and he is so very fond of him. Ecthelion wraps his arms tightly around Glorfindel, resting his chin on his shoulder. "Are you going to tell me where we are going? And should we even be riding? We had quite a lot to drink, love." He runs his hands along Glorfindel's chest, and Glorfindel turns his head to look at him. "We will be fine, Asfaloth would be able to get there without me steering him if there was to be any problems. And we are going somewhere where we will sleep under the stars for tonight." He smiles, and gives Ecthelion a peck on the lips, before bidding Asfaloth move forward.
They ride for a while, before they reach a small forest surrounded by mountain. It is a beautiful place, illuminated by the light of the moon. They settle underneath a large tree, laying blankets on the soft ground by the trunk of it. Ecthelion relishes so much how Glorfindel keeps creating romantic settings for them, something he was not known for doing before. Ecthelion quite enjoys teasing him for it, but he would not do so if he did not also appreciate it to such an enormous extent. Maybe it is what thousands of years of separation does to someone.
"Come here then, husband", Glorfindel grins at Ecthelion, lying stretched out on the blanket, propped up on one elbow, patting the space beside him. Ecthelion laughs, lying down next to Glorfindel. "I think i might have made a mistake marrying such a foolish elf. How ever will i survive this marriage?" Glorfindel just laughs at him, pulling him in for a kiss. Ecthelion winds his hands in Glorfindel's hair, deepening the kiss, parting Glorfindel's lips with his tongue, Glorfindel yielding easily and willingly. When they finally break apart, Glorfindel is lying on his back, Ecthelion hovering over him, and they simply look at each other for a moment, taking in the fact that they just married each other. Ecthelion gives Glorfindel a kiss on the nose, before he lies down with his head on Glorfindel's chest, smiling when he feels Glorfindel's arms wrap around him, his lips on the top of his head.
Glorfindel lifts his hand to Ecthelion's cheek, stroking gently. Ecthelion closes his eyes and says in a whisper; "my golden husband." He feels Glorfindel vibrate slightly as he laughs silently, and tightening the embrace on Ecthelion with one arm, while using the other hand to lift his chin, placing a soft kiss on his lips. "All that is gold does not glitter, my love", he says against Ecthelion's lips, eyes ever so bright.
It was the most glorious thing Glorfindel had witnessed, Ecthelion facing such a terrible beast. Even though he needed to continue fighting for himself, Glorfindel could not help but look on as the love of his life took on the Lord of all balrogs, his chest swelling with pride. Ecthelion wielded his sword with such precision, striking at the right moments at the right places, having already killed three other balrogs with the same sword.
That was before it all crumbled, and love was taken from Glorfindel. He felt all the breath in his lungs leave him as he saw Ecthelion's sword struck from his hands. Ecthelion did not let that stop him however, and by all the strength that was left in him he wrapped his legs around the beast, thrusting the spike of his helmet into his body. Glorfindel never doubted him, of course he could do this. But then Gothmog fell, bringing Ecthelion with him, into the great fountain. It felt like everything around Glorfindel went still, everything around him fell away. He heard terrible cries of despair, could not breath. They were his own cries. And then he was running, faster than he had ever ran in his life. When he arrived, others had already been able to retrieve him from the water and were laying him down on the ground. They all removed themselves when they saw Glorfindel approach, falling to the ground beside Ecthelion, gathering him in his arm. He had already parted, his face still and skin growing ever colder. "No", Glorfindel whispered, one hand on Ecthelion's cheek, Glorfindel's tears falling onto his face. "Not now, not yet, i am not ready, not ever." He remembers so clearly Ecthelion telling him he loved him, before they separated for battle. Glorfindel kissed him fondly, and then Ecthelion left, turning back to smile at Glorfindel, as he told him he loved him too.
He steadies his breath then, drying the tears on his face, before kissing Ecthelion on the forehead. He gathers him more firmly in his arms and lifts him off the ground, carrying him away.
**