A Return Home
Námo returns from the bar, Gabriel holding his hand as he walks proudly while Kelly lolls half-asleep on his shoulder. The house is quiet, Nerdanel having already gone to bed and her sons off with their grandfather. He mounts the stairs and helps Gabriel when the tired little boy stumbles. Halfway up, he gives up and hefts him up in his other arm. He enters the room Nerdanel had assigned to her youngest son, and where Kelly demanded to sleep as well, and lights one of the oil lamps on the bedside with only a thought. It's low, flickering, casting long shadows about the room.
He sits Gabriel on the bed so he can change Kelly's diaper and put her into warm night clothing. She barely stirs as her father settles her in the bed, nestled among quilts and stuffed toys. The Vala then helps Gabriel out of his day clothes and into his pyjamas, asking him once more if he had to go to the bathroom. The sleepy child shakes his head, climbs in beside his sister and takes her smaller body into his arms. They cuddle close, Kelly deep in sleep and Gabriel not far behind. Námo covers them with a blanket; the air was crisper, fall coming early to Aman and plunging them into a chill.
When he is certain his children are comfortable, he snuffs the oil lamp and slips from the room. Without a sound, he enters the adjoining chamber. Gorlim had left a candle burning, which now guttered in the slight breeze from the window that was partially open. His love slept on his side, his face so young in repose that it made Námo acutely aware of just how vastly different they were.
He sheds his clothing, sliding on a pair of cotton trousers, and crawls onto the bed next to Gorlim. Immediately, stormy eyes open.
"You're late."
Námo smirks. "We were detained."
"Mmm?" he asks sleepily, snuggling close to the natural warmth he felt in Námo.
"Aye. We saw Asar-Suti and Gil. They send their love. Amanda and Shufti also stopped to spend time with the children. I lost track of time. It was only when Little Bit was drowsing in her highchair that I realized it was time to come back," he murmurs, pressing a kiss to Gorlim's brow.
Gorlim nuzzles the Vala, inhaling snow and lilies and the smell of apple juice. "She spilled her cup on you."
"Hmph. She did."
"Missed you."
Námo smiles as the candle sputters and dies. "Missed you, too."
"Sleep now."
"Of course, melethen."
Silence falls between them for many heartbeats before Gorlim says, "I love you."
Námo closes his eyes and kisses Gorlim's lips softly. "I love you, too. Now, go to sleep."
Gorlim nods and it isn't long before Námo hears the telltale shift in his lover's breathing that tells him he is asleep. Only then does he relax himself, Gorlim's mind humming near his own, his spirit occasionally reaching out to soothe or caress the Vala's.
Then sleep comes for him.
He sits Gabriel on the bed so he can change Kelly's diaper and put her into warm night clothing. She barely stirs as her father settles her in the bed, nestled among quilts and stuffed toys. The Vala then helps Gabriel out of his day clothes and into his pyjamas, asking him once more if he had to go to the bathroom. The sleepy child shakes his head, climbs in beside his sister and takes her smaller body into his arms. They cuddle close, Kelly deep in sleep and Gabriel not far behind. Námo covers them with a blanket; the air was crisper, fall coming early to Aman and plunging them into a chill.
When he is certain his children are comfortable, he snuffs the oil lamp and slips from the room. Without a sound, he enters the adjoining chamber. Gorlim had left a candle burning, which now guttered in the slight breeze from the window that was partially open. His love slept on his side, his face so young in repose that it made Námo acutely aware of just how vastly different they were.
He sheds his clothing, sliding on a pair of cotton trousers, and crawls onto the bed next to Gorlim. Immediately, stormy eyes open.
"You're late."
Námo smirks. "We were detained."
"Mmm?" he asks sleepily, snuggling close to the natural warmth he felt in Námo.
"Aye. We saw Asar-Suti and Gil. They send their love. Amanda and Shufti also stopped to spend time with the children. I lost track of time. It was only when Little Bit was drowsing in her highchair that I realized it was time to come back," he murmurs, pressing a kiss to Gorlim's brow.
Gorlim nuzzles the Vala, inhaling snow and lilies and the smell of apple juice. "She spilled her cup on you."
"Hmph. She did."
"Missed you."
Námo smiles as the candle sputters and dies. "Missed you, too."
"Sleep now."
"Of course, melethen."
Silence falls between them for many heartbeats before Gorlim says, "I love you."
Námo closes his eyes and kisses Gorlim's lips softly. "I love you, too. Now, go to sleep."
Gorlim nods and it isn't long before Námo hears the telltale shift in his lover's breathing that tells him he is asleep. Only then does he relax himself, Gorlim's mind humming near his own, his spirit occasionally reaching out to soothe or caress the Vala's.
Then sleep comes for him.