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“What are you doing… here…?” Celebrimbor asked cautiously, sitting down some of his bags on the ground. He had found it odd that the stables looked like they had been suited with new hay, but then again, he hadn´t slept in a week.
“Having my vacation,” Arafinwë said matter of factly, as he sipped his tea cup in his long, many layered, irritable, flowy robes. But Arafinwë might not find them irritable, since he kept wearing the same style.
He was tired and did not have the energy for this. Why couldn´t he just ever be alone!? “This is Har- Fëanáro´s vacation house, and has been long before you were born!” Celebrimbor hissed before going blank. Maybe Ereinion was right, and he did sound like Atto when he was tired. A funny thing was that Ereinion had never met Curufin. Even now.
Celebrimbor did his best to keep his friends and family separate. Elrond and Finrod, two lost courses. For two different reasons. Ereinion was hard, but he had succeeded for a long time and would keep succeeding. Maedhros and Caranthir not counting. Truly, he had no idea where Caranthir and Ereinion had met, or if they had even been aware the first time, but now they would nod at each other when Maedhros was at Fingon´s house and Caranthir needed Maedhros for whatever reason, sometimes dragging his son with him, who apparently worked for Elrond. He did not ask, and would not ask.
“Well, he hasn´t really been using it,” Arafinwë said, now setting down his cup, “don´t worry, Tyelpe, I will clean up after myself. Have you ridden ahead?”
“... what?” Celebrimbor said, having caught himself in his own thoughts. Again.
“Is he coming today? My brother. We had tea last month.”
“No… just me,” Celebrimbor mumbled before looking up sharply, “when- when did you start using this house?”
“Oh…” Arafinwë said, looking thoughtfully up at the ceiling, newly painted ceiling, Celebrimbor noted as he looked up too, as he walked up to the porch to place his bags. With Fëanáro´s stars and suns.
“Not long after the rise of Isil I think, I have done my best to keep it as it was the last time he was here. In case he came back.”
“You bought it?” Celebrimbor asked accusingly, maybe a bit more forceful than he should, but he was angry at the possibility that his “safe house” was now unavailable, following Arafinwë into the house, marveling silently at the well kept state of the house.
“Of course not!”
“How often do you come? Has Finrod been here?”
“No. Just me. I have found it soothing to have something to do,” Arafinwë said as he looked back at Celebrimbor with a too big smile, “like keeping this place up, I learned to paint here, you know! Although I have cheated, I must admit and have some of the furniture taken to someone who works with it, and a few times bought new instead, but I have learnt to reupholster furniture!” he said brightly with a bell like laughter.
“Huh…” Celebrimbor replied, looking down at the newly enough looking rug.
“I renovate it each tenth year of Anar,” Arafinwë chuckled before turning his head like a bird, “how long do you plan to stay here, Tyelpe?”
“Erm… like… I don´t know… forever?” Celebrimbor stumbled as he caught sight of Arafinwë´s eyes, which glared a bit too much like Fëanáro´s. Maybe they both had it from Finwë. Did Finwë glare?? He wasn´t sure; he had been so little the last time he saw him.
“Oh…” Arafinwë said, a bit of poorly hidden disappointment flowing through like seaweed in the water you knew was there, but still got a bit surprised to find it touching you. He should visit Círdan soon. Soon. Not now. He had to make sure the house was his. Or at least so much as possible.
“I wouldn´t be opposed to still coming, you know.”
“What? Oh yeah. Yeah sure, you can… come… each century was it?”
“Just once a decade,” Arafinwë smiled.
“Yeah… that sounds fun,” he truly had never been close to Arafinwë and while he admitted he at times, usually more than normal apparently, or he was told more than usually, where social awkward, Arafinwë´s sudden appearance had thrown him to the ground, like a sand storm darkening the world and clorking your lungs and eyes, leading you to fumblr blindly.
He needed sleep.
“-with Finrod, and the other, what was his name? Oh it matters not, either way Alqualondë is beautiful this time of year, and I don´t think my Vessë would mind me coming a bit before we decided,” Celebrimbor nodded along, acting as if he definitely had heard the first bit too, “and hopefully I can make it clear I am still on vacation…” he mumbled as he drifted off, looking mournfully around the house, “I wille show you to the bedroom wing, Tyelpe.”
Nodding Celebrimbor followed Arafinwe to the part of the house with the bedrooms. Seven bedrooms. The house being built by Nerdanel and Fëanáro didn´t have any guest rooms or servant rooms, as neither guests nor servants were wanted in their escape plan from society.
“Ambarussa told me they both used Minyarussa´s room, and I had leave to use his, don´t worry.”
“I didn´t!” Celebrimbor almost jumped. He might not have forgotten Arafinwë´s presence.
“Right. You know, Tyelpe, I am always there if you need any help, right? Expressly with the house? Maybe I should visit twice each decade… just to be on the safe side.”
“I… I- I will write to you each time I leave for longer periods if you want?” Celebrimbor asked. Take that, Elrond, he wasn´t completely blind to the reading of people's emotions and wants!
Brightening up, in a way that looked way too much like Finrod, if Finrod had straight hair and bangs, and a less sharp and more retungelar face, Arafinwë smiled as if Manwë just had… just had something, “I would love to Tyelpe!”