Since their arrival in Alqualondë, Elrond and Elros had been tutored by Wilinquen, who had also taught Finarfin's own children, most notably Finrod, renowned for his brilliance. But their musical education was given by Finarfin himself. Finarfin had taught the harp to Maglor, Fingon and Finrod, who had all surpassed him in skill - Finarfin deemed this a good thing, and the proper goal of a teacher - and Finarfin felt the twins would also benefit from learning an instrument, something Maglor couldn't argue with. Maglor had offered to teach them himself, but Finarfin had said, "You had little enough time to care for yourself in Beleriand. Focus on your own recovery... your own songs."
Maglor was grateful for that - spending time each day practicing and composing was nourishing to him, his music had fallen far by the wayside during their struggle to survive in Middle-Earth, and the fire of creation had gone dim in his grief. And he was sure the boys were in capable hands with learning the harp from Finarfin.
So it was that Finarfin found Maglor in the palace gardens, playing one of his first songs, and told him, "This evening Elrond and Elros will give their first recital. They are ready for it."
From that moment Maglor could scarcely think of anything else. He remembered his first performance before an audience, all those years ago - how encouraging Finarfin was, how proud Fëanor was. How nervous he himself had been, almost bolting offstage when all eyes were upon him, but he made himself go through with it, made himself give it his best, and eventually the anxiety had subsided and all that remained was the Song. Now he felt anxiety for the boys he thought of as his sons - not by blood, but by heart - and he hoped that they would not know the same fear. He was nervous for them, as if his own anxiety could take away some of theirs somehow, even though he knew that wasn't how it worked.
At last it was time for Elrond and Elros to make their debut. Elrond went first, playing three songs. His harp playing was technically very good, his skill was impressive for a beginner, but he held back with his voice, shy and awkward. It was still endearing, making Maglor's eyes well with tenderness. Elros was the opposite. He fumbled a bit with his harp, but his voice was strong and full of emotion, full of depth.
Both of them had done well, and Maglor was the first to rise to his feet when the performance was done, and his cheers for them rose above the others save Finarfin, who was visibly choked up. Maglor realized then that Finarfin had no grandchildren to speak of - indeed, none of his children had survived save Galadriel, and they were no longer on speaking terms - and while Maglor wasn't technically Finarfin's son, his being under Finarfin's custody was an adoption of sorts, and as such Elrond and Elros were rather like his grandchildren, and they did call him Haru.
If my cousin ever has children of her own, they should meet, Maglor thought to himself, still applauding and cheering well after everyone else had gone silent. He felt like he could burst with pride, and he wondered if this was how Fëanor had felt when Fëanor attended his first performance.
"Very well done," Finarfin said, going over to the boys. "I'm proud of you."
"We have a good teacher," Elrond said, and Elros nodded and added, "Everyone give a round of applause for our haru!"
Finarfin's cheeks turned pink and his eyes twinkled as the guests - and Maglor - applauded and cheered. Finarfin took a small bow and then he reached out towards Maglor. "You were one of my first students, would you care to honor us with a few songs?"
Maglor had not been prepared to play for an audience tonight, but he wasn't going to refuse. He came forward, and though the harp was not his own and he was most comfortable playing his own instrument - it was almost like a relationship - he would still make do. He flexed his fingers, took a few deep breaths, and felt the Song enfold him, flow through him. He played three songs as the boys had, songs of his own composition. He kept it light and happy for the event - he did have a few of those songs, though less than his sad ones - and indeed his own mood was lighter than usual, in his pride for Elrond and Elros doing so well in their lessons. It was not just an accomplishment in and of itself, but it was a sign of normalcy. Though Maglor and Maedhros had done their best to teach the boys, every day was hard, made harder by the exhaustion of trauma, and Elrond and Elros had their own difficulties with concentration and memory from their ordeal. That they were doing better, well enough to give such a beautiful performance, spoke to their healing in this place.
The healing of Finarfin's presence, who was gentle and patient and had a way of making other people feel safe around him. Visits to Alqualondë had been a respite for Maglor growing up, an escape from Nerdanel's disinterest and the way she increasingly belittled and bullied Fëanor. Fëanor, himself, seemed calmer when he was around Finarfin, though Maglor had thought until recently they disliked each other - it was still a shock to him that they had been secretly quite close, and a mystery as to why they had to feign such dislike. Now Finarfin was doing what he could to make Maglor, Maedhros and the boys feel like they had a home, a family, a future. More than his own healing - which was still in process - Maglor was grateful that Elrond and Elros were thriving here...
...and it made him love Finarfin all the more.
Maglor's eyes met Finarfin's across the room, and Maglor spoke directly into Finarfin's mind. I have one more song to play... for you, alone, in private. It was time to share the song he'd been composing, adding to and subtracting from, shaping and refining and perfecting. He still wasn't completely satisfied with it but he never would be, the way Fëanor was never completely satisfied with any of his own works save for the Silmarils. It was, however, the right timing, and that made it as close to perfect as it would get.
Maglor carried his harp from his own rarely-used bedroom through the secret passages into Finarfin's bedchamber. After he set up and did some more warmup exercises, he began the song. His hands trembled as he played, and emotion husked his voice, made his voice shake, but he played and sang from the heart, singing of Finarfin mending his broken wings and teaching him to fly again. Singing of trust, singing of joy... singing of love, of feelings deeper than love. It felt like the words of his song weren't adequate to express the depths, but they were all he had. The notes shimmered like the sun sparkling on the sea, the melody soared, gliding like the flight of a bird. When it was all done, Maglor had tears in his eyes, shaken by the intensity he felt... the vulnerability.
For a long moment Finarfin was silent, not reacting, and Maglor's heart froze and his stomach sank, wondering if his uncle hadn't liked the song... if it was unsophisticated, if it came off as trite -
- and then Finarfin strode across the room, pulled Maglor from his seat, took Maglor's face in his hands, and kissed him hard.
Maglor melted into the kiss, his hands in the lovely silver-gold hair, then sliding down over Finarfin's chest, and back up. Their tongues teased with the promise of their bodies moving together in the same sensual rhythm, and Maglor's cock rose, aching for the man he loved, to express those feelings with his body as he had his song.
"That was the most beautiful song I've ever heard," Finarfin said, breathing harder. "Magnificent. So much so that to call it beautiful and magnificent seems a crime, like it isn't enough -"
"It's enough to know that you liked it, Ara." Maglor smiled, silent tears streaming down his cheeks, relieved that Finarfin enjoyed it - touched by the passionate response.
"I am honored," Finarfin said softly. He took Maglor's hands and kissed them, then put Maglor's hands on his heart. "Even if the song wasn't about me, it would be a privilege just to hear it... but knowing you composed such a masterpiece for me is... one of the utmost honors anyone has ever paid me."
Maglor noticed Finarfin's wording - "one of the" rather than simply "the". He wondered about that - if perhaps the Valar had given him a special title or trophy of some kind, but that didn't seem correct. Before he could dwell too much on it, Finarfin was kissing him again.
"I would like to reward such a good boy," Finarfin said.
Maglor's hand strayed to the hard bulge in Finarfin's trousers. "I know what I'd like as my reward, hántya." This time Maglor initiated the kiss, deep and fiery.
Their tongues took a few playful licks, then Finarfin pulled back, chuckling. He took Maglor by the hand and led him to the bed. "I will give you that, of course... but I'd like to give you something new and special first. Something we haven't tried yet."
"Oh?"
Finarfin began to undress Maglor, whose cock hardened even more in anticipation. "You sang of me healing your wings... learning to fly again." Finarfin gestured to the canopy roof of his bed, where there were four beams. "I would like to see my pretty songbird fly, really and truly."
Maglor didn't understand, but Finarfin went on, explaining. "If you consent, I will tie you up, as we have done before - but this time you will be tied so that you're hanging from the canopy. I never had a problem with my previous lover falling, when we played this way, and you are of a similar height and build so I expect the ropes and the beams will hold you as well. But you won't have far to fall, in any case. You will only be hanging a couple of feet above from the bed, but it will still feel like you're flying." Finarfin touched Maglor's face. "Yes?"
It sounded interesting. Maglor nodded. "We can try it."
"Good. You'll tell me if it gets to be too much and you need me to stop."
Finarfin instructed Maglor to stretch first, so he wouldn't cramp up when he was tied and hanging. As Maglor stretched, Finarfin retrieved several lengths of rope.
It took Finarfin much longer than usual to tie Maglor - more of Maglor's body was bound, and he was being secured to the canopy which took additional time. Every now and again Finarfin paused to touch Maglor or give him a kiss, and ask if he was all right.
But at last, after what felt like days, even though it was still evening, Maglor was hanging from the canopy of the bed he and Finarfin shared. More than any other time Maglor had been tied, he was completely helpless, completely under Finarfin's control... literally trusting Finarfin with his life.
Maglor could see what Finarfin meant about it feeling like flying. He felt a bit dizzy, hanging there, and there was a touch of fear, but more than that, a thrill. Exhilaration. Euphoria.
"I wish you could see yourself," Finarfin husked. "You look beautiful."
Maglor smiled. "I feel beautiful," he said - there was a grace to this, and power. Feeling fully alive, fully present in his body, yet somehow existing outside space and time. He felt like a song made flesh.
Finarfin came over, and there was a swan feather in his hand. Finarfin sat on the bed, and leaned in to give Maglor a kiss. Then he began to kiss and lick Maglor's neck and throat... and the feather traced Maglor's lips, his throat, trailed down to tease one nipple, then another.
Finarfin slid under Maglor. His tongue traced around the ropes, and the path of Finarfin's tongue drove Maglor wild, panting, moaning. The teasing pleasure was all the more intense for being bound like this, hanging in the air like this - Finarfin could do this as long as he wanted, as much as he wanted, and there was nothing Maglor could do about it... and he loved it. The feather flicked over Maglor's nipples, his stomach, his thighs, as Finarfin licked and licked, his free hand caressing Maglor's body. "So very beautiful," Finarfin purred.
Finarfin moved to Maglor's cock, licking up and down the shaft, around and around the head. He sucked the head of Maglor's cock, making Maglor cry out, and the fingers of one hand walked down Maglor's spine, then worked in and out of him, while the other hand continued to brush the feather over Maglor's nipples and stomach and thighs. Finarfin licked the shaft some more, then took more of Maglor's cock in his mouth, sucking slowly... so slowly. Maglor gasped and moaned, hole twitching, cock throbbing. He couldn't work his hips to thrust in Finarfin's mouth, and Finarfin laughed at Maglor's attempt, licking at Maglor's cock once again. Up and down, up and down.
"Please, hántya. Please." He really felt like he was flying now, the tension surging in his body, and he was getting dizzier. It was a rush. He still loved it, but it was overwhelming, now that he felt that desperation to come, teased like this. "Please, hántya. Fuck me..."
"Do you need to get down?"
"Yes."
Finarfin patted Maglor's ass. "Good boy."
Finarfin set to work getting Maglor safely lowered to the bed and unbound. Once the ropes were cut loose, Maglor's skin burned, and his muscles ached as he was able to move around again. Finarfin kissed him, and stroked Maglor's hair, looking into his eyes with tenderness. "Are you all right?"
Maglor grinned. "Better than all right. I loved that. It was just time to come down." Maglor winked. "Time to come."
Finarfin grinned back. "Soon." He got out the salve and began to rub Maglor's rope burns and sore muscles. The sensuality of Finarfin's touch - the love in his touch - felt even more wonderful after the high of being suspended. Maglor sighed and flexed his toes, rubbed against the sheets, going deeper and deeper into lust and sensation and surrender.
When Maglor was ready, he lay on his back, one of his legs hooked around Finarfin. They kissed as Finarfin entered him, filled him, and kissed again and again with the first few slow thrusts. Then Finarfin let Maglor have it, fucking him hard, stroking Maglor's aching cock as his balls slapped Maglor's ass.
"Yes, yes, yes..." Maglor reached up to play with Finarfin's nipples, and his nails raked Finarfin's chest and sides and back as he rocked his hips back at Finarfin, needing this hot, primal, savage fuck, another level of intensity, higher and higher, deeper and deeper, fully alive.
Fully in love. Finarfin stroked Maglor's face and stuck his fingers in Maglor's mouth, and Maglor sucked them, as soothing as it was arousing. Their eyes held and Maglor reached up to touch the man he loved, the man he trusted, the man he flew for. All the suffering, all the tears unnumbered, felt so far away now.
Maglor came hard, moaning around the fingers in his mouth as his seed painted Finarfin's chest. Then Finarfin came with a soft cry, a shuddery gasp. He collapsed onto Maglor, trembling, and he pulled his fingers out of Maglor's mouth and kissed him deeply.
"I love you," Finarfin said, as they held each other, rocked together, their hearts thundering in the same rhythm.
"I love you." Maglor smiled through tears of joy, everything so bright, everything so beautiful. "Thank you."
"Thank you." Finarfin kissed Maglor's brow, slid his lips down Maglor's nose, and gave him a softer kiss. "We shared something sacred, tonight."
"We share something sacred, every night." Maglor touched Finarfin's cheek, then the silver-gold hair, the last light of the Trees. "It is you who I serve, not Manwë. Your love is my only law."
"I hope I never fall from that pedestal, Kanafinwë." Finarfin rested his head on Maglor's shoulder. "But I will always do my best to treat you like the treasure you are."
They took each other's hands, and their fingers linked as their legs twined. Maglor looked over at his harp, and then at Finarfin's hair, shining in the candlelight. It seemed to Maglor like it was the outer manifestation of Finarfin's inner beauty, more lovely than gold.
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