3. Something about a character who inspires you to be a better person

So much happened to Elrond, ugh, and he still manages to be "kind as summer," and enjoy life with his family, even though he lost so many, aka basically everyone in his early life and no I'm not crying.
Even in the Third Age, non-move Elrond anyway, is serious but also merry like the rest of the elves in his House. I feel like Elrond has bouts of lonely-depression-like periods after Celebrían sails, but I think he never, ever lets them affect his children or his people in any way. And when he can be, he is always as joyful as possible.

(A/N: I have a headcanon that Elladan and Elrohir were their mother names, not their father names. Or at least definitely Elladan, and it means Elf-man, which is representative of his strong ties to both sides of his heritage. So I think Celebrían named him Elladan, foreseeing that the choice would be more difficult for him.)

"Ada, we've already heard all these stories!" Elrohir protested at Elrond's offered stack of books for his sons to pick a story from. It had been snowing heavily outside for the past four days and the young twins were being kept inside, and were proving difficult to entertain.

"You're old, don't you know any better stories?" Elladan asked, somewhat rudely. Elrond didn't blame him too much; the twins were not used to being inside so much, even if Imladris was a big House.

"I am what?" Elrond raised his eyebrows and tried not to laugh. "Go pick out another if you wish. But only from the bottom shelves in the left corner!" He called after them as they ran off.

"We've heard all of these too." Elladan moaned to his brother.

"No, you haven't. You never listen or read on your own." Elrohir argued. He, on the other hand, had read all the books on their designated shelves before.

"Well only 'cause they are all boring." Elladan protested. "We should read something else."

His eyes took on the gleam they always had when the twins concocted plans, and Elrohir joined him without hesitation. The elflings went over to the next row and climbed up on a stool, reaching the books on higher shelves.

"They're just history books." Elladan rolled his eyes and left for another isle, but Elrohir remained, flipping through them. Most of them were in languages he could not read yet but he did find one written in Sindarin, and better yet, it was about his father.

He eagerly un-shelved the book and started reading, glancing over his shoulder from time to time to make sure his father didn't come looking for them.

A few paragraphs in, he ran to find Elladan.

"Elladan!" He whispered hurriedly, finding his brother two isles over, precariously balanced on a chair. "It talks about Ada's brother!"

Elladan's eyes positively shone with excitement. The twins knew, vaguely, that Elrond had had a brother named Elros, but their father rarely mentioned him and their mother said it was not her story to tell. Elrond would not tell them much, but he got far-away looks over his face whenever he did. All they knew was that Elros had died

"Listen! 'Elrond Half-elven,' that's Ada, 'who chose, as was granted to him, to be numbered among the Eldar; but Elros his brother chose to abide with men.' His brother's a mortal!"

Elladan read the words for himself, and looked up wide-eyed.

"I'm asking Ada!" He said loudly when he heard Elrond's footsteps, ignoring Elrohir's hiss to be quiet, because Elrond would be angry they had read books they weren't supposed to.

"What are you asking me?" Elrond found them, one eyebrow raised in question.

" 'Rohir found this book." Elladan handed the book to Elrond, and Elrohir crossed his arms and glared at his brother.

Elrond took it, opened to the page the twins had been reading, and his eyes widened and he sighed slightly.

"Is it true?" Elladan asked him.

"Yes, it is true." Elrond told them. "Elros wasn't just my brother, he was my twin."

The twins' jaws dropped, identically, and they stared incredulously at Elrond and each other.

"You were like us?" They asked in unison, and Elrond smiled.

"Quite a lot like you."

"What happened?" Elrohir asked, and neither twin missed the shadow that passed over Elrond's face.

"Sit down." Elrond told them. He sank into the soft carpet in that section of the library and the twins sat on either side of them, half on his lap.

"Why aren't you with your twin anymore, Ada?" Elrohir asked him softly after a moment when Elrond did not begin right away.

Elrond looked between his sons, who were watching him with identical wide gray eyes. There was a time when Elros and himself wouldn't have been able to understand the concept of being apart, either.

"Where is he?" Elladan asked.

"He lived a long time ago, Elladan." Elrond told him softly. "And he chose mortality. They to not live forever, like we do."

"Why didn't he want to live forever?" Elrohir asked, confused.

"That is a long story." Elrond responded. "But I will tell you the rest of it. Elros and I were born by the mouths of Sirion to Elwing and Eärendil, as you know. But when we were younger than you two, we were separated from our parents-"

"What happened?" Elladan interjected eagerly. The twins knew of Maglor and Maedhros, but nothing more than that they had taken care of Elrond, and they wanted to hear the rest of the story.

"That is another story entirely." Elrond laughed. "But you know that my parents went to Valinor. They were heroes to us, but they had to remain in Valinor and could not return. So we grew up with Maglor and Maedhros raising us."

The twins nodded; this part sounded familiar.

"Well, then I met Gil-galad, King in Lindon High King of the Noldor, and I entered his service and friendship. Elros, instead, went to dwell with mortals for a time."

"You decided not to be together?" Elrohir asked, looking at Elladan. "Why?"

"At the time, we did not think it would be for long." Elrond told them gently.
"But then we never left; we learned that being Half-elven, we had a choice. We could be counted among men or elves. I chose elves and…Elros chose men."

Again, the twins did not miss the far-away pain in their father's eyes.

"It was the right choice for us each." Elrond finished.

"You miss him though." Elrohir said sadly, and Elrond nodded.

"And he misses you." Elladan added. Elrond realized, strangely, that his small sons understood more about the bonds between himself and his brother than anyone else he had ever talked to about himself and Elros, even perhaps Celebrían.

"I suppose so." Elrond answered at length.

"He does." Elladan nodded, and Elrond smiled and gave him a one armed hug.

"What do you say we go find your mother and some warm mugs of tea?" Elrond rose, helping the twins to their feet.

Later that night, after Celebrían and Elrond had tucked them in and blown out the candles, Elladan and Elrohir were still thinking about their uncle. When their parents went to check on them, they found they weren't yet asleep.

"Elladan, would you ever choose to be mortal?" Elrohir asked suddenly, through the dark room.

"No way!" He laughed.

"But what if you did?" Elrohir moved over to his brother's bed, worriedly, and Elladan sat up and moved over for him.

"Then you'd choose with me." He answered confidently.

"How do you know?"

"Because you saw Ada when he talked about Elros. He's happy, but he's not whole without his brother. We wouldn't let that happen to us,"

"…no matter our fate." Elrohir finished and nodded. "Promise it?"

"I promise." Elladan looked him straight in the eye.

"Me, too." Elrohir told him, before settling into his side of Elladan's bed, neither giving a thought to their parents' gentle reminders every time they did this that "big elves sleep in their own beds," and both were asleep nearly instantly.

Celebrían turned to Elrond and, noticing the tears in his eyes, took his hand and gently led him the short distance to their chambers.

She didn't say a word, letting him speak first, if he would.

"I hope they do choose together, whatever they choose." He said finally, quietly.

"Whatever they chose they will do well, as the two of you did." She reminded him gently, and he shook his head.

"What do you think they will chose? I would hate to lose one of them, I can not imagine both…"

Celebrían wrapped her hands around his. She felt the same way. Not seeing the twins every day was unimaginable right now; of course things could change, as they got older. They would live lives of their own, in Imladris or not. But she hadn't lost anyone like Elrond had, so perhaps she could not truly feel as he did.

"It is too early to tell." She answered finally. "You know why I named Elladan what I did. But they are growing up entirely around elves, and around us, that might influence their choice."

Elrond nodded and swallowed hard.

"Do not worry yet, meleth nín. There is a long time still before that decision will come for them. Let us focus on where they are now. Be at peace, Elrond."

He smiled a little and sat up straighter. Celebrían was right. Long ago he decided that he would do his best to be happy,no matter what his situation was. A mortal life may be shorter, but if Elrond had chosen the fate to be tied to this world until it's end, he planned to spend as much of that time as he could enjoying it. And he should teach his sons to do the same.

"I am at peace, mell." He said, honestly. He stood, looking out towards the gardens illuminated by the stars and the full moon, and pulled Celebrían into his arms. "Let us enjoy the rest of this night."