tehhumi

My latest fic on Ao3.

Celebrimbor, Idril, and Elrond chat in Valinor over tea.

Celebrimbor had thought he’d never see his family again after Nargothrond, but he was wrong.

It started after Doriath. Curufin told his son of his death in person. Caranthir and Celegorm had arrived less than day later. Amras and Amrod had appeared while Gil-Galad was frantically ordering everyone for the ships to Sirion. And it had been mere hours after the theft of the Silmarils when Maedhros had opened his eyes, said “No.”, and started walking north. Maedhros had returned though, they always did.

The ghosts don’t have to do what he says, but they do a lot of the time anyway. He’s their anchor in this world; if they aren’t paying attention they drift back to him. And when all six of them are there, sometimes he can feel, though still not hear, his grandfather. The ghosts can talk to each other, and when Celebrimbor is lucky they’ll entertain each other. When he’s not lucky he has six sources of ‘helpful’ advice on how to dress in the morning.

Celebrimbor is aware he’s gaining a poor reputation. People say he’s standoffish and bitter about what his family lost, that he resents Gil-Galad and Elrond. In reality it’s nearly impossible to focus on living people with his father whispering plans to take the throne. After Morgoth’s defeat he moves as far from the Sindar and other kings as possible. He doesn’t want to become more of a kinslayer than he is.

Annatar: “If you see laziness in body and spirit relying on each other-” He stopped suddenly, his eyes wide with fear. “Hide in the wardrobe.”
 
Celebrimbor: “What? Why, who would I hide from in my own rooms?”