A random snippet for the coffee shop au. This is 900-ish words with no plot, written in like 20 minutes. Forgive any errors.
Elros goes over to his cousin to hide give Elrond and Celebrían some privacy.
He never had felt the need to do so. Ever. It isn't something that just crosses his mind and makes him show up on a Wednesday evening around ten in only his pyjamas and socks, wet from the pouring rain outside looking miserable enough to be mistaken for a homeless person.
Now he does feel the need to because his brilliant and foolproof plan backfired on him and he has nowhere else to hide. One more day in the presence of these two lovebirds and he's going to break something and neither he nor his brother would appreciate that to happen.
He also kind of panicked but that is totally reasonable given his situation.
Once he is dry, wearing some spare clothes and has successfully cocooned himself into a pile of blankets on Ereinion's couch perfectly hidden from the outside world, he feels more than ready to spend the weekend there.
Ereinion looks at him with a somewhat amused expression on his face. He tries to cover it up by taking a sip from his iced tea as soon as Elros looks his way.. but they both know that this was just a pitiful attempt.
Elros doesn't mention it.
He is in too much despair to do so. And because he needs someone to show him sympathy. He had hoped Ereinion would be that person but once again he is proven wrong. Lady Fortuna hates him apparently.
He probably should be a bit more frustrated by the lack of sympathy but then again Ereinion has been in a relationship for what felt like the last decade (it was) and probably was immune to the embarrassing behaviour Elros was forced to witness every day. He most likely didn't even notice.
"It was your grand plan to get them together," Ereinion says and puts his glass down.
Very helpful. Not.
Also still no sign of sympathy.
"Yeah because their pining was getting on my nerves." he replies, trying to not sound too pissed. It almost works. Hopefully. He tries to do a good job at it anyways.
"And now their relationship is?"
Ereinion is supposed to do anything to make him feel better, not make him feel like garbage! Not fair, especially after Elros worked so hard on getting his brother to admit his feelings for Celebrian. It wasn't his fault that they had to become even more embarrassing afterwards.
"No! Of course not!" he says without hesitation and sits up straight. The blankets shift around him. His fortress of safety falls apart. "I mean I'm happy for them and everything but do they have to behave like this?"
A little bit of panic rises inside of him and he looks at his cousin in horror. " Is everyone like this?"
Ereinion shrugs. Then:
"My dads are."
He didn't need the mental image of uncle Maitimo and uncle Findekáno looking at each other with heart eyes during breakfast, thank you very much.
God he will never look at his uncles the same way again. Uncle Tyelko is now the cool uncle.
He never thought he would think this. No... wait bad idea he should reconsider this. Uncle Tyelko was awesome but also the kind of person to leave two six year olds behind at the gas station in the middle of nowhere. Not the best choice.
He doesn't have many options left though, most of his dad's brother's are awesome but not in a cool way. Then there is uncle Daeron who is creepy but kinda cool but he's also kind of his dad (in a weird way). Maybe uncle Beren? But he's the normal uncle.. His mom's family live too far away for him to consider any of her brothers to be the cool uncles on a regular basis. Although they might deserve this title the most.
Wait no, he's going off track.
"How long do you think they're going to be like this?" Elros asks after forcing this train of thought out of his mind, locking it up and promising himself to never let it see the light again.
Ereinion bites his lower lip and thinks.
"Dunno? A few months? A few years? If you're (un)lucky they'll be like this for a while."
Elros wants to bury himself somewhere for the next decade and come back once his nieces and nephews are born and his brother has stopped behaving like an idiot.
Ereinion's couch wasn't going to be a permanent solution.
"You could try talking to him?" Aracundo suggests from where he is studying at the kitchen table. Elros turns his head towards his cousin. He wants to hit him but he has to admit that he's kinda right.
Well not even kinda. He is right. Like always.
Elros doesn't need someone who is right right now. He needs someone who smacks some sense back into his brother for him or alternatively provides shelter until the worst is over.
But then again. Aracundo is right and Elros at least has to admit that out loud or that realisation is going to kill him.
He picks his words carefully.
"After I complained about them being completely incapable of having a conversation? Yeah I probably should."
Ereinion makes a noise in agreement and looks over at his boyfriend. Aracundo returns the gaze and blows him a kiss.
Elros looks up to stare at the ceiling.
Maybe he should've gone hiding in his grandparent's attic instead. The bats at least would have been nicer and less lovey-dovey company.
He eventually rebuilds his fortress, buries himself deeper and quietly accepts his suffering.
Tomorrow he should probably have that conversation.