Two weeks after the wedding of Elessar and Arwen.
While Erestor had been just as gracious and dignified as ever throughout the wedding feast, at all other times he avoided any contact whatsoever with the Elves he considered traitors. He preferred instead to put himself to some use in assisting Faramir with the office of the Steward. The Noldo had taken an immediately liking to the young Steward, he was quite wise for someone so very young, something Erestor identified with, and pitied. For he knew that such early wisdom can only come through great sadness.
Glorfindel had been very close to going to find Erestor just two days after the wedding, but every time he thought about crossing the corridor to Erestor's chamber, he thought again that perhaps Erestor was not yet in the mood to talk to anyone. When Glorfindel had word that riders from Rohan were approaching, he found himself growing a little desperate. He knew he would need to have a word with Erestor before they set off again on the road. As much as he knew Erestor hated traveling, he knew that traveling together to go back to Edoras for Kind Theoden's funeral was going to make Erestor very unhappy. He could not understand why he hesitated so to speak with the dark-haired one. Every time he went to see him, he made up some excuse to himself why he should not, as though he was nervous to see him or something. Moreover, every night he lay awake wishing more and more that he had not put it off. Glorfindel began to wonder if he did not actually have... feelings for Erestor. The way his dark hair cascaded neatly down his slender back, the way his dark tailored robes fit so closely about his perfectly postured upper body.
The day that the host of Rohirrim arrived with their king Glorfindel decided to be courageous and seek out Erestor once and for all. He was startled to find the dark-haired one only just around the corner looking out a window in the hallway. Glorfindel swallowed the lump in his throat and ignored the flustered voice in the back of his mind that screamed that this was not a good time, as it had every other time.
"Erestor? May we talk?" he said, hoping he did not sound as nervous as he felt.
Erestor turned, jaw set and staring. "What have we to discuss?" he said coldly. He regretted watching the Rohirrim arrive from such a public place.
"My behavior of late, for one," Glorfindel said humbly. As he spoke he did not meet Erestor's stare, but was just realizing how full his lips were and how inviting they looked in that half-sulk, half-glower. Glorfindel's eyes dropped lower to Erestor's hands, barely noticing that his arms were crossed in annoyance. They were the hands of a scribe, thin and soft and smooth, in contrast to his own warrior's hands. Glorfindel shook himself, looking back up to meet Erestor's stare which now held a tinge of confusion. Glorfindel grinned childishly and asked if Erestor would talk with him.
Erestor felt wary but accepted, reasoning he could go through little more pain than his best friend betraying him. Upon entering Erestor seated himself in the chair closest to the door, refusing to venture very far into Glorfindel's apartments. A drink was offered, but Erestor categorically refused. If Glorfindel wanted to talk, fine, he would talk. But he would concede nothing else.
Glorfindel smirked nervously, belting back a glass of miruvor before taking a deep breath. 'Best to just be out with it,' he thought. "Erestor, i... i apologize for my... foolish behavior. I am sincerely sorry if any of my actions have caused you undue stress." Glorfindel hoped that sounded as heartfelt as he liked to think he meant it to be.
Erestor looked rather stunned by Glorfindel's apology, having never heard such a thing before. His first thought was that perhaps this was all another joke, but the more he read into it, the more it seemed to be a real, honest apology. Then it hit him. The Balrog-slayer wanted something. Obviously, why else would he be polite to him? Erestor stood and stared at Glorfindel in weary exasperation. "What favor do you seek?" he asked, sounding tired.
Glorfindel looked confused until he realized that Erestor did not buy his contrition. "No, Erestor, i seek nothing but your forgiveness. That was no ploy. Truly." Glorfindel felt rather downhearted to see that Erestor still did not believe him. Now he looked at himself a little differently. Was he really so insincere that his apologies were worthless? Surely not, but Erestor seemed to think so. At the moment, Glorfindel really was feeling sorry for the way he had treated Erestor. He certainly had never realized that such behavior as his might have an impact on what other's thought about him. It had never been a problem in Gondolin, nor in Imladris with anyone else.
Erestor moved to leave, sick with himself that he ever accepted Glorfindel's invitation. As he went walking in search Minas Tirith's library (which, though grand indeed, did not hold a candle to the information Imladris contained) he wondered just what favor Glor' had been after. Unintentionally he could overhear Elrond and Arwen speaking when he passed by a parlor not far from the King's study. Arwen sounded rather angry with her father for his part in setting Erestor and Glorfindel up the night before her wedding. Apparently, the twins had already had the same lecture from her. Elrond, for his part, did sound genuinely sorry but he was adamant that his intentions were only to get the two of them together. Though he told Arwen that he did regret the method and the fact that Erestor had refused to see and speak to anyone involved since.
Erestor was unsure of how to handle Elrond's roundabout apology (knowing Elrond, the Elf-lord was probably fully aware that Erestor had been in the hallway and overheard), but he decided that it was better than Glorfindel's at any rate, though they would have to discuss it later when he was in a better mood for such things. Erestor knew that on the morrow practically the entire guest population of the Citadel, excepting Faramir, would be leaving for the funeral march of Theoden. Erestor had been contemplating staying in the city to assist the young Steward, since he did not appreciate the idea of going back to Edoras any time soon, nor the idea of riding anywhere in the vicinity of Glorfindel. After spending an hour's time in the nice, quiet library he had made up his mind. He would indeed be staying.
That night Glorfindel had the worst sleep he could remember not getting. Always at night was the guilty feeling at its worst. When he finally did get to sleep he slept deeply and when he woke, Anor had clearly been up for some time. He rushed to get dressed, hoping that Elrond would not decide to not waste a funeral march and add one of his own. The Balrog-slayer rushed with all speed toward the grand gate of the Citadel, nearly knocking over several servants and guards of the city. When he rounded a corner and collided with a walking shadow, Glorfindel had a feeling that his day was simply not going to get better. Sighing, Glorfindel picked himself up and offered Erestor a hand as well. "My apologies, Erestor, i was in a rush to get to.... What are you doing looking like that? Surely Elrond is waiting for us and you do not look at all ready to ride!"
Erestor clenched his teeth. He really wished that he and Glorfindel had not some mysterious way gotten back onto very rare speaking terms. "I am not riding. I have decided to remain here. It will be some time before any of them make a journey back to Imladris and i shall wait until such a time to join them," he told Glorfindel as calmly as possible.
Glorfindel looked strangely intrigued. "Not going? I had not thought of that...," he mused aloud, drawing a sarcastic "no!" from Erestor. "Well enough, then. I shall remain in Minas Tirith as well. Excellent idea, Erestor," Glorfindel said, ignoring the dark-haired Elf's cynical wit and brushing passed him at a much more dignified pace to find Elrond and let him know of his decision.
Erestor stared after him in rage. How dare he steal his idea?! Minas Tirith would have been so calm and peaceful without him! Erestor took a deep breath and repressed all of his anger. After all, the city was quite big enough for two Elves. Maybe they would never even see or hear one another the entire time. Erestor turned quickly, black robes billowing characteristically, and he also went to inform Elrond of his decision to stay in the White City for a time.