A/N: I realised that I don’t post many Celebrimbor content and that needs to change. So, here’s something to enjoy your cozy autumn.
Warnings: none, all fluff
Words: 1.9k
Synopsis: As autumn finally rolled in, you decided to teach Tyelpë a tradition from your modern world, one that involves pumpkins and crafting.
The autumn season had arrived in Eregion, and with it came a crispness in the air that whispered of change. The leaves on the trees had turned rich shades of gold and orange, carpeting the streets with their vibrant hues. The scent of the season, a mix of damp earth and woodsmoke, hung in the air, reminding you of home. It was the kind of day that made you miss the simple pleasures of your world—hot drinks, the sound of crunching leaves underfoot, and, of course, pumpkin carving. Despite being in Middle-earth, so far removed from the modern world you had come from, there was something about autumn that felt familiar—comforting, even.
Today, Celebrimbor had a rare moment of respite from his duties, and you had been thinking about how to make the most of it, wanting to share something from your world with him. After all, autumn wasn’t just about the changing of the leaves. It was about warmth, cosiness, and most of all, traditions. And there was one tradition in particular you were eager to introduce him to.
“Tyelpë,” you called softly, using his Quenya name. He glanced up from his book, his sharp, grey eyes softening when they met yours.
“Yes?” he responded, removing his focus from the book he was invested in.
“I think you’ve spent enough time reading and cooped up in the library for today,” you said, stepping into the room and crossing over to him. “It’s autumn, after all. There’s something I want to show you.”
His brow arched in curiosity. “What is it?”
Smiling, you took his hand and led him out of the library, into the courtyard. “Just trust me,” you said, giving his hand a reassuring squeeze. “It’s a tradition from my world. Something we do every year during this season.”
Curiosity piqued—Celebrimbor followed you out to the courtyard where two large, round pumpkins sat waiting. You had found it in the market earlier that day, marvelling at how similar it was to the ones from home. And now, as the golden light of the late afternoon bathed the scene in warmth, you felt a wave of nostalgia wash over you.
“What is that?” Celebrimbor asked, eyeing the pumpkin with a mix of amusement and confusion.
“It’s a pumpkin,” you replied, grinning up at him.
Sighing with a bit of sass, he rolled his eyes nonchalantly. “I know that it’s a pumpkin. But what I meant was the purpose of it.”
“Pumpkin carving!” you cheered.
“Pumpkin carving?” Celebrimbor’s voice was rich with curiosity and a hint of amusement, as he approached to two, medium-sized orange fruit sitting on the table.
“Yes!” you replied, turning to face him with your excitement growing by the second. “It’s something we do back in my world during this season. It’s part of a tradition called Halloween. We carve faces into pumpkins, light them up with candles, and make all sorts of fun autumn-themed treats. I thought it might be fun to try it together.”
Leaning closer to inspect the pumpkins while you spoke, he smiled from the sheer enthusiasm you expressed for the love of this festive seasonal tradition. “I’ve heard you mention this Halloween before,” he said thoughtfully. “A festival for warding off spirits and celebrating the harvest, correct?”
You nodded, grinning. “Exactly. But it’s also about having fun. You get to be creative, and it’s a great way to embrace the season.”
“It sounds…whimsical. Very different from the customs of our people,” he murmured under low. “But if it involves creativity, I imagine it’s not too different from sculpting or forging. But I must warn you, if this pumpkin carving involves skill, you might be at a disadvantage.”
You playfully rolled your eyes at him, laughing. “Oh, come on, I’m not that bad. Besides, you’re the one who's never carved a pumpkin before. I might surprise you.”
Throwing an almost invisible competitive smirk at you, he chuckled. “We’ll see about that. But first, would you might showing me how it is performed?”
You handed him one of the knives, explaining how to cut the top off the pumpkin and scoop out the insides while he watched you closely as you demonstrated, his eyes intent on the task at hand. Once you were finished, he took his knife, his movements precise and steady as he made the first cut into his much larger and clearly better suited pumpkin, for carving.
“I have to admit,” he said, as he carefully removed the top of the pumpkin, “I’ve never worked with a medium like this before.”
You grinned as you passed him a spoon to scoop out the guts and seeds. “It’s a bit different from metal and stone, isn’t it?”
He nodded, his eyes twinkling with amusement. “Quite different. Though I can’t say this is how I imagined spending my day—it’s strangely satisfying.” He took the spoon from you, his lips quirking with amusement as he began to dig into the pumpkin. His movements were careful and precise—of course, they were, he was Celebrimbor, grandson of Fëanor. His entire life had been spent mastering delicate and intricate work. And yet, the sight of him here, elbow-deep in pumpkin guts, was oddly endearing.
As he worked, you scooped out the seeds and pulp from inside your pumpkin, explaining how in your world, people often roasted the seeds as a snack. And Celebrimbor seemed fascinated by the simplicity of it all, so different from the more elaborate customs of Middle-earth.
“And now, here is where the true fun begins.” You were bouncing on your toes as you passed him a smaller carving knife. “Time for us to start carving the faces. You can make it as simple or as detailed as you like.”
Celebrimbor’s eyes gleamed with interest. “A face, you say? I think I can manage that.”
You handed him a smaller knife and explained how to cut out a simple face—triangular eyes, a jagged smile. You decided to keep it straightforward for now, not wanting to overwhelm him. But as you suspected, Celebrimbor was a natural. You watched in awe as his skilled hands moved swiftly, the knife gliding through the pumpkin with ease. Despite his initial unfamiliarity with the task, his natural talent shone through. Within minutes, he had carved an intricate, detailed face into the pumpkin, far more elaborate than anything you had ever managed.
“Well,” you said, standing back to admire his work, “I think it’s safe to say that you’ve won this round, which is unfair.”
He looked up at you, a teasing smile playing on his lips, one that was rarely seen at all—symbolising his comfort and enjoyment. “Won? Was this a competition?”
Nudging him playfully, you laughed. “Everything’s a competition with you, Tyelpë. But yes, I admit defeat. Your pumpkin is perfect.”
He tilted his head, studying the pumpkin with a critical eye. “I wouldn’t say perfect. There’s always room for improvement.”
“Perfectionist,” you muttered under your breath, earning another soft chuckle from him.
“Now it’s your turn,” he said, handing you the knife with a flourish. “Let’s see what you can do.”
As you took the knife, not missing an opportunity to roll your eyes good-naturedly, you warned him. “Alright, but don’t laugh. I’m not a master craftsman like you.” As you began carving, Celebrimbor watched you with quiet amusement. Every so often, he would offer a word of advice or point out a better way to approach the task, but for the most part, he let you work in peace. When you finished, your pumpkin was far simpler than his—a goofy, crooked smile and triangle eyes that reminded you of the ones you used to carve as a child.
“Well?” you asked, stepping back to examine your handiwork. “What do you think?”
“Um…” his voice trailed off as he angled his head differently to capture the image of the face you carved, not wanting to leave you under the impression that it could do with a few touch ups…and more—typical artesian behaviour. “Do you…I can help in some areas…”
Your brown immediately shut up to defeat your artistic work. “Oh, what now? Is it not as artistic as yours even though you offered advice?”
“Oh, no, no, no. It’s um…artistic indeed, but just need a bit of…enhancement,” he sheepishly said with his hands up in defence.
“Ha, ha,” you dryly laughed and morphed your face to match the one on your pumpkin. “You can fix it, but just this once.”
The two of you spent the rest of the afternoon carving, laughing, and teasing each other about your respective pumpkins. Celebrimbor’s, of course, ended up looking like a work of art, while yours was more endearing in its imperfection. Still, you didn’t mind. The real joy came from sharing the experience with him—watching his face light up with each new detail, hearing the soft chuckles that escaped him when he struggled with a particularly tricky cut. It felt nice to see him stress-free since your arrival at Eregion. All your memories of him hunched over the anvil or some blueprint faded into mist upon his carefree laughter and smile.
You know such a simple act could appear that beautiful, nor did you understand why people labelled him as tempestuous and dangerous. He was quite the opposite.
As the sun began to set and the courtyard grew darker, you lit candles and placed them inside the pumpkins. The warm glow filled the small area, casting flickering shadows across the table, displaying your handiwork.
“I have to say,” Celebrimbor mused, “this Halloween tradition is rather pleasant. I can see why you enjoy it.”
You smiled, leaning into him as he bumped his arm into your shoulder. “It’s one of my favourites. And now you’ve got a pretty good handle on it, too.”
Turning to him with your heart swelling with emotion. “It means a lot to me, too,” you said softly. “Being here in Middle-earth, so far from everything I knew…it’s hard sometimes. But sharing things like this, it makes me feel like I’ve brought a little piece of home with me.”
Celebrimbor’s expression softened, his silver-grey eyes full of understanding. “I will always strive to make you feel at home here, no matter the distance between this world and yours.”
“Thank you, Tyelpë,” you whispered.
As the two of you stood there for a long moment, the flickering candlelight casting a soft glow over the room, you relaxed with the slight chill of the autumn breeze. You knew he wasn’t a person of many words, even though you had wiggled your way unexpectedly into his life, bringing minor changes, you understood through the silence that he reciprocated your thanks.
“Now,” Celebrimbor said, breaking the silence with a teasing smile, “you mentioned something about autumn-themed foods. I believe you owe me a taste of these seasonal treats from your world, and I hope they also involve drinks.”
You laughed, nudging him playfully. “Oh, don’t worry. I’ve got just a few things in mind. But you might have to help me make it.”
He raised an eyebrow, his smile widening. “If it’s anything like the pumpkin carving, I think you’ll find I’m quite capable.”
“Confident, are we?” you teased, heading toward the kitchen. “Let’s see if that holds up when we start baking and brewing.”
Request: Hi, can I request a marriage to Celebrimbor headcanon? He's my absolute favorite and I'd love to see you write for him - Anon
A/N: Some lovely headcanons for your hunky Feanorian coming right up :)
𑁍 Marriage to Celebrimbor isn’t anything different from dating him. The only difference is that his mind has already solidified your reason for being with him and his insecurities have diminished.
𑁍 He is much more affectionate with you now that he doesn’t have to worry about scaring you like during courting days. Every action has a deeper meaning and feels to it.
𑁍 Physically, he’s still careful with trying not to crush you under his weight, but he enjoys the feeling of being bonded to you — which makes every moment more special than before.
𑁍 He loves all the intimate moments shared with you. Be it kisses that escalate into something more or cuddling.
𑁍 Celebrimbor has developed an affinity for loving when you visit him late in the forges at night, or when no one’s around. The little risks you two take give you both good laughter.
𑁍 Emotionally, he has opened up to you more than ever; he would have sat you down and had a long discussion before the wedding.
𑁍 You don’t have to worry about him being afraid of opening up about his past or talking about them should an event surrounding it pops up. This is also shown in his ability to converse openly with you without flinching or wanting to divert the topic when it drifts to family.
𑁍 Spoiling you is a greater joy and comfort to Tyelpë now that you are married. He knows your interests like the back of his hand, hence the reason why presents are always being gifted.
𑁍 If anything, he crafts more items for you than ever and gets you everything and anything you could ever desire. From the finest materials for clothes, jewellery, stationaries, you name it.
𑁍 He also loves to spend quiet moments sitting by the fireplace, sharing a glass of wine and a good laugh. There are times he would engage in a little dancing, reminiscing on your first dance.
𑁍 Other times he'll ensure he has breakfast and lunch with you or dinner. At least two out of the three so you don't feel neglected.
𑁍 His forms of expressing his love to you at that state are well-developed and he can express himself verbally more. He still uses his father as a blueprint to not mess things up for situations such as a dispute.
𑁍 His protectiveness goes up the extra notch now that you are both wedded. Thus, the slightest discomfort in your bond, he’s sending his guards to find you and then he comes strolling in after with the most worried look ever.
𑁍 As you are both wedded, he loves to spend the mornings lazily wrapped up in the sheets, still in a haze, and tracing each other’s scars or skin. Lazily planting kisses here and there.
𑁍 His lazily kisses always lead to having your bodies tangled in the sheets. Not that he's complaining. He adores being intimate with you.
𑁍 He attempts to suppress his urge of wanting you now that he has gotten a taste of what intimacy is like. Not wanting to come off as desperate for your touch and craving you.
𑁍 Sometimes when he hasn't any work or duties, he'll still wake up early and await your lively state. Have some breakfast with you and chat a bit before tugging you back in bed for a little morning session.
𑁍 It brings him the utmost sense of comfort and security. It causes him to sometimes force himself out of bed because he doesn’t want to leave your arms.
𑁍 Since he’s learning to be verbally expressive, he never fails to remind you how grateful and appreciative he is for having you in his life every day.
𑁍 Talks of having children would be the last conversation the two of you would have because there is still a slight bit of hesitancy. He adores the idea of having little ones since elves do love children and so does he.
𑁍 If you manage to convince him to have one and he grows to be understanding and welcoming to the idea, Tyelpë would be a great father to his child/children.
𑁍 However, whether or not you start a family with him, your married life will be filled with ultimate bliss and contentment. Aspiring to your needs and wants, and in return reciprocating, Celebrimbor would be proud to have you as his spouse and in his life.
