Erestor, sitting on a bench on one of the less traveled paths of Imladris, sighed as he heard voices approaching. Without difficulty, he was able to identify Glorfindel, talking with Haldir, recently arrived from Lothlorien for a visit.
"Is it true what the rumors say?" Haldir asked, and Erestor rolled his eyes, wondering what poor fool was being gossiped about now. He had thought Haldir had more sense.
"You will have to be more specific mellon nin," Glorfindel replied lazily.
"That Lord Elrond is in love with Counselor Erestor," Haldir said, causing Erestor to shoot upright. The two conversing were on the main path, hidden from sight but allowing him to hear their conversation in full. "It is common knowledge in Lothlorien that he did not marry Celebrian for love. Is it because his heart was already taken?"
"It is true that their marriage was only political, at least on Elrond's end," Glorfindel answered, "Although he remained faithful and lay with no other while they were bound. They were friends, nothing more, and Celebrian revoked their binding before she sailed."
"And the rest?" Haldir asked, and Erestor pricked up his ears even as he told himself that the gossips were wrong.
"Aye," Glorfindel sighed, freezing Erestor where he stood. "Elrond is in love with his Counselor, and Erestor is the only elf in Imladris who doesn't know. Elrond has attempted to keep this secret for millennia, since before Imladris was founded. It is said he fell for Erestor in Lindon while they both worked under the High King and that he has carried a torch for him since. I doubt there is another elf in Middle-Earth or the Havens that has more influence over Elrond."
"Has he ever told him?" Haldir asked as Erestor remained standing, frozen by the other elf's words.
"Not in many words," Glorfindel said, and there was sadness in his tone now. Why is he sad? "He has kept his secret for millennia, although anyone with eyes in their head can see it. He fears rejection. He knows not if Erestor would lay with a male, and he worried that Erestor would only accept his suit to keep his Lord happy. Elrond would not have been able to bear that."
"How do you know all of this?" Haldir asked curiously, and that was a question Erestor wanted answered as well. "Lord Elrond doesn't seem the type to speak of such things."
How did Glorfindel know this but I, Elrond's closest advisor and friend, did not have a clue? Erestor wondered.
"I surprised him in his office two days ago," Glorfindel said, his voice still tinged with sorrow. "I had suspected, but my suspicions were confirmed that day. 'Why would he want a worthless Peredhel?' was one of the main reasons he gave, the others following soon after. The taunts of his youth have stuck, in this if in nothing else. He feels that Erestor would be disgusted by the thought."
He thinks what? Erestor thought, ready to reveal himself to the other two and go track down his foolish half-elven lord, but Haldir's words stopped him cold.
"So Erestor is the reason he is fading?"
"Aye," Glorfindel replied, the sadness in his voice more pronounced now. "He has been halfway there for a while now, but he no longer has the strength to resist. His children are grown, and he is no longer the protector of the peace on Middle-Earth, nor is he the Lord of the Last Homely House. He has remained because of a faint hope that Erestor could love him, but something the Counselor said or did seems to have crushed that hope. Lord Elrond fades, and he is likely to see his brother in Mandos' Halls soon enough, as he is not strong enough to travel to the Havens."
The two elves continued speaking, passing out of his hearing range after a few minutes, but Erestor took no notice.
Elrond loved him? He was fading…over him? He hadn't seen his Lord in several days, which in itself was unusual, but did that mean that Glorfindel spoke the truth.
Glorfindel never lies, nor would he about something as serious as this, Erestor thought, slowly moving back to his bench and sinking down onto it. Elrond loves me.
That thought reverberated throughout his mind as he sat there, trying to understand how he had missed something so important, and what he should do now that he knew.
I've seen a lot of fics with this pairing where Erestor is the one pining for Elrond, and I wondered what would happen if it was the other way around. I've never written this pairing before, so sorry if they're not in character. Also, I'm getting back to continuing my other stories, but I've been having personal problems so they've been on hold. I'm sorry, but I'm working on updates.