Welcome Home
He opens the door to Nerdanel's room, not bothering to flip on the light.
Gabriel chirps and babbles to himself quietly while Nerdanel changes his nappy and clothes, getting him ready for bed. Námo stands close by, watching, eyes never leaving his son. She sings to him quietly, nosing his belly as she does up his little night jumper, then settles him into the crib. His parents stand by his side, watching until eyes unfocus and sleep claims the little body.
Then, they simply remain, staring at him, silent gratitude for his return passing between them.
"I will leave you both now," Námo murmurs, eyes lingering on the infant as he backs away.
Nerdanel stops him, though; she reaches for his hand and looks at him with earnest eyes. "No. Please. Remain tonight? He will sleep better with us both here."
He nods, smiling faintly, then heads for the sofa. Under her gaze, he sits and removes his boots, adjusts the throw pillows on the sofa--
"Not there, my Lord." Nerdanel sits on her bed, a slight flush in her cheeks. "Lay beside me?"
"I do not have to," he replies quietly. "Do not think you must offer your bed, Nerdanel. The sofa will suffice."
She looks at him, meets his eyes for the first time in many months. "You have ever beed a god to me. A god who happens to be the father of my son, but nothing more. Please. Tonight. Be a friend? When the morning comes, you can be a god again, but tonight..."
He understands. Tonight, let them be two parents who had lost their child and regained him. Only they truly knew the loss and horror of the events, and in that, they could find understanding. Námo leaves the sofa and crawls into the bed, drawing Nerdanel down into his arms. He spoons her from behind, arms around her waist, and kisses the back of her head.
Quietly, she cries, her only means of expressing her relief and her fear, her need and her exhaustion.
And he holds her, sharing in those same emotions, but not shedding tears.
It isn't long, though, before tears give way to deep, dreamless sleep. Námo sends a brief thought to Gorlim, letting him know their son has been returned, then he nuzzles the copper hair and allows sleep to come to him as well.
Gabriel chirps and babbles to himself quietly while Nerdanel changes his nappy and clothes, getting him ready for bed. Námo stands close by, watching, eyes never leaving his son. She sings to him quietly, nosing his belly as she does up his little night jumper, then settles him into the crib. His parents stand by his side, watching until eyes unfocus and sleep claims the little body.
Then, they simply remain, staring at him, silent gratitude for his return passing between them.
"I will leave you both now," Námo murmurs, eyes lingering on the infant as he backs away.
Nerdanel stops him, though; she reaches for his hand and looks at him with earnest eyes. "No. Please. Remain tonight? He will sleep better with us both here."
He nods, smiling faintly, then heads for the sofa. Under her gaze, he sits and removes his boots, adjusts the throw pillows on the sofa--
"Not there, my Lord." Nerdanel sits on her bed, a slight flush in her cheeks. "Lay beside me?"
"I do not have to," he replies quietly. "Do not think you must offer your bed, Nerdanel. The sofa will suffice."
She looks at him, meets his eyes for the first time in many months. "You have ever beed a god to me. A god who happens to be the father of my son, but nothing more. Please. Tonight. Be a friend? When the morning comes, you can be a god again, but tonight..."
He understands. Tonight, let them be two parents who had lost their child and regained him. Only they truly knew the loss and horror of the events, and in that, they could find understanding. Námo leaves the sofa and crawls into the bed, drawing Nerdanel down into his arms. He spoons her from behind, arms around her waist, and kisses the back of her head.
Quietly, she cries, her only means of expressing her relief and her fear, her need and her exhaustion.
And he holds her, sharing in those same emotions, but not shedding tears.
It isn't long, though, before tears give way to deep, dreamless sleep. Námo sends a brief thought to Gorlim, letting him know their son has been returned, then he nuzzles the copper hair and allows sleep to come to him as well.