Chapter Text
“Hey.” Fingon caught Aredhel’s shoulder as she pushed through the crowded basement and tugged her to the side.
She quirked an eyebrow at him. “What?”
“What do you think you’re doing?” he asked quietly.
“What do you mean?”
“Don’t act dumb. You’ve been with Elenwë all night.”
“It’s a party. We’re dancing.”
“You’re doing a hell of a lot more than dancing.”
She stared at him, defiant. She was tall enough to meet his gaze head on. “So?”
“So?” Fingon ran his hand over his hair. “Christ, Ireth. She’s your brother’s girlfriend.”
“Talk to her about it, then,” said Aredhel, crossing her arms. “If she wants me, I’m not going to say no.”
Fingon grimaced. “C’mon, you know better than that. Just because it’s her choice to screw around on her boyfriend doesn’t make it okay for you to screw around with your brother’s girlfriend. There are rules about this.”
Aredhel tightened her jaw, and her eyes flashed. “I don’t care.”
“Yes, you do.” He touched her lightly on the arm. “I don’t believe you care so little about Turno’s feelings. He loves her.”
“What if she doesn’t want him anymore?” Aredhel demanded. She wrapped her arms around herself defensively. He could practically see her bristling.
“Then she needs to have that conversation with him first,” said Fingon, firmly. “And you need to back off until they’ve got it worked out. Because making out with Elenwë with Turno in the other room – it’s not okay, Ireth.”
When she just glared at him, he tugged lightly at her hand. “You know it’s not.”
At last she slumped, folding heavily against his side. “Shit, Finno.”
“Yeah.”
“It’s not fair. The first time I’m really crazy about a girl, and she actually wants me back – and she’s with – ”
“Yeah,” said Fingon. “It’s a bitch. I’m not gonna argue with that.”
Aredhel let out a great breath and pulled herself upright. “Okay. I gotta get out of here, then, or I’m gonna do something stupid. I – if she asks where I am – ”
“I’ll tell her you’re having an early night,” said Fingon. “No worries.”
“Augh,” said Aredhel, and turned up the basement stairs. “Fuck this shit.”
Fingon watched her go, face tight with concern, until he felt a light touch at the small of his back. He turned, and his face relaxed as he saw Maedhros.
“Is everything okay?”
“I think so.” Fingon sighed and leaned into Maedhros, who wrapped an easy arm around his waist. “I think I averted the worst of the train wreck, but Jesus, poor Irissë.”
“Poor Turukáno,” said Maedhros, mildly. “He saw, surely.”
“I hope not too much,” said Fingon. “They were getting kind of graphic on the dance floor.” He let out a groan. “Augh. Why am I suddenly being the responsible one? I’m uncomfortable with this role. Help.”
“You’re doing great,” said Maedhros, smiling, and pulled him into a kiss. “Need some distraction?”
Fingon raised his face, grinning, and asked, “You got a particular closet in mind?”
“Actually, I need you elsewhere.”
“What, laundry room? We’ve never done it on a dryer before…”
“Nope. Findaráto has challenged me in beer pong. I need you on my team.”
Fingon whined as Maedhros tugged him away. “Not fair, pitting alcohol against sex. You know those are two of my favorite things…”
“If we win, I’ll take you up on the dryer idea,” said Maedhros, and grinned as Fingon sprang ahead.
“Watch out, Ingoldo, you’re about to see how this is done…”
-
Outside, Aredhel leaned exhaustedly against a lamppost and took a long drag on her cigarette.
“Fuck,” she whispered, and blew out a long stream of smoke.
“You got more of those?”
She looked up and Celegorm was grinning at her, handsome and wicked in the light of the streetlamp.
“No,” she said shortly.
He shrugged and put his hands in his pockets, leaning up against the post beside her. “Share?”
Aredhel rolled her eyes and handed the cigarette over. He took a drag and passed it back, turning his head to blow smoke at a passing raccoon. “Early night, huh?”
“I’m not in the mood, Tyelko.”
“I’m just making conversation.”
“I’m serious. Stop flirting.”
He caught her eye, then, and seeing the utter lack of humor in her expression, nodded, and his body language changed subtly. He still leaned up next to her, their shoulders brushing, but that certain charge was gone. She gave a little sigh of relief and tilted her head against his shoulder.
“Ugh, why is this happening to me?”
“I’m sorry about your girl.”
“She’s not mine.” Aredhel dropped her cigarette and ground it out with an angry toe. “That being the problem, see.”
“Yeah.” He leaned back, looking up at the bugs circling the circle of light cast by the streetlight. “Want to go somewhere?”
“I’m not going back to your place, I said – ”
“I meant somewhere we could drink. Like, seriously drink.” He nudged her. “Something other than piss beer and cheap ass vodka.”
“Oh, god, yes,” said Aredhel. “That’s exactly what I need. And you’re buying. I picked up your whole fucking tab last week.”
“Done.” Celegorm pushed himself easily off the lamppost and pulled her up with him. “Let’s go, kid.”
She sighed and tucked herself under his arm as they walked off down the street. “You’re gonna have to listen to me whine, just so you know.”
“Fair’s fair. You had to put up with my shit last year.”
“Yeah, you fucking jackass, I had to listen to you moan about Lúthien for a goddamned month…”
“Hey, I got over it. Lúthien who?”
“It just took several bottles of whiskey and some drunken groping,” muttered Aredhel.
“Isn’t that how everyone deals with a broken heart?”
“Hah.”
They rounded the corner and vanished from sight.
In the light of the lamppost, the moths still fluttered. One last glowing ember from Aredhel’s cigarette glowed briefly, then flickered and died.