Rain lashed the windows, and thunder crashed outside, but Maedhros took no notice. He was busy, typing away at his laptop. He didn't look outside, didn't look at the TV with the volume muted, took no notice of the fire in the hearth, or the glowing thermostat.
He was far too busy to see any of that; wrapped up in important legal matters, trying to prove one and for all, that his client was not guilty (Maedhros' own opinion on his client's guilt did not come into play). The clicks of the computer keys was the only sound in the room.
Outside a man stood at the gate, stopped and staring, afraid of opening it. He slowly reached out, placed his hand on the metal, and pushed. He almost seemed surprised when it swung open, and spent several moments staring indecisively as though frightened of following the path to the front door. Another crack of thunder pushed him forward, reminded him of why he was doing what he was doing.
Inside Maedhros yawned and glanced at the television, registering that it was going to be a cold night.
The man outside had reached the front door. He stood on the stoop, afraid of knocking. He shivered through his thin clothes, and registered that he wanted nothing more than to curl up somewhere nice and warm. Somewhere like his brother's house.
Maglor raised his hand to the door and knocked.
Inside Maedhros stirred, snapping back to reality with a yawn. Glancing at the clock on his wall, he wondered who was calling at that hour. He stood, stretched, and walked to the door. He fumbled with the locks (his father insisted everyone have no less than three), and forced the door open.
A sodden man was standing on the doorstep, and, for a moment, Maedhros did not even recognize his own brother. He was confused by the sunken eyes, and the prominent collarbone visible where the rain stuck his shirt to his skin. His clothes, too thin for the weather, had lost all color and shape, hanging on his skeleton like wet potato sacks.
"Kano?" he asked, unable to believe his eyes.
The skeleton smiled weakly. "Hey 'timo." Maglor swallowed nervously, uncertain what to make of his brother's reactions.
"What happened to you?"
"I've been living under the Main Street Bridge." Maglor cursed his mouth for rambling on ahead without his permission.
Maedhros' eyes widened, his heart clenched in his chest. "Kano, it's nearly winter," he whispered.
"I know."
"Can I convince you to stay?"
Maglor's head jerked up, he met his brother's eyes and whispered, "You mean it?"
"Of course." Then his arms were full of a sopping wet, smelly, brother.
"Thank you, thank you."
Maedhros pulled his brother inside. "You smell terrible. Take a shower or something, I'll make you something to eat."
"Really?"
"Of course, of course."
"Thank you."
Maedhros showed his brother up the stairs, to the bathroom in the master bedroom. "Use anything you want, I'll find some clothes for you to borrow and leave the on the bed, come downstairs when you've finished."
Maglor stepped into the bathroom, and stepped into the shower with his clothes still on. Once the water was running he stripped and tossed the wet clothes to the bottom of the shower. His hair was a tangled mess, and he have up on unknotting it, instead washing it as best he could without pulling it out by accident.
He didn't get out of the shower until the water running down the no longer muddy, and instead ran clean. He wrapped his hair in a towel and left it as he tugged on the clothes that had been left out, an silently wandered down stairs.
Maedhros had heated a can of chicken soup, and buttered him two slices of toast. "Any injuries I need to know about?" he asked, once Maglor stepped into the kitchen. "Tell me now and I'll take care of it, tell me later and I'll be livid."
"Nothing."
"Eat up. Let me know if this doesn't fill you up. I have every intention of spoiling you."
"Thank you."
Maedhros watched his brother eat for a minute, then, remembering the state of his hair when he had greeted him earlier, pulled the towel off his head and clucked his tongue. "Would you like me to try to brush it, or just cut it off?"
"I don't want it this long."
Maedhros left his brother for a moment, went up stairs, and returned with a comb, a brush, and a pair of scissors. He pulled the trash can over, took ahold of Maglor's hair, and cut through the last several inches. Then he carefully, noting when his bother winced, brushed out the rest of the tangles. Once it was tangle free he evened up the ends. When he was finished, it fell it about Maglor's shoulders.
"I should have asked earlier, did you have lice?"
Maglor gagged. "Yuck! No."
Maedhros sat beside him. "Any ticks? We should check you for lime disease if you did. Are you up to date on rabies shots? Any chance you were infected? What about cuts; infections? Contagious diseases? Trouble with the law? If you did drugs I swear I'll spank you."
When Maedhros finally stopped for a breath Maglor said dryly, "No I haven't been out of the county, and I haven't been exposed to Ebola. I also haven't had sex, so don't worry about STDs."
For a moment Maedhros seemed to genuinely relax, then he realized he was being mocked. "That's not funny."
"I promise I'll tell you if I'm in danger of having anything. I wouldn't have come here if there was any risk of that."
Maedhros patted his brother's shoulder. "I'm not worried about me, I'm worried about you."
Maglor smiled weakly. "Thank you."
The cuckoo clock in the basement began to sing, reminding Maedhros that he needed to be awake early the next morning. "I can't talk now Kano, I'm on an important case. Let me show you to your room."
"Thank you."
He took Maglor up the stairs, to the bedroom next to his own, which thankfully he kept furnished in case any of his brothers or cousins decided to visit. "Sleep well, alright? And don't worry about anything.
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Notes -
- In comparison to the real Silmarillion, this is set at the time of the Dagor Bragollach, the 'Battle of the Sudden Flame' hence the house burning down.