Falling for a Broken Heart

Chapter 3

     "Finno, this is amazing." Turgon said as he shoveled another spoonful of the pot pie into his mouth.
     Fingon grinned and took a small bite of his own. Maedhros had noticed that he wasn't eating much and wasn't too talkative. After awhile, he pulled his phone out and texted him, "What's wrong?". The text he got back surprised him.
     "Nothing."
     Maedhros stared at him. Since when did they lie to each other? He pursed his lips and looked down at his plate. He didn't talk for several minutes, not until he heard his name.
      "Hmm?" he said looking up.
      "Are you okay?" Fingon asked.
      "Yeah, sorry. Did you say something to me?"
      "Yeah," Aredhel said. "Why aren't you eating?" Her tone was harsh and made Maedhros shift in his seat.
      "Oh um... I don't— I'm not hungry." he said quietly.
      "I ate less than an hour ago but I'm always hungry for Finno's food." Turgon said.
      Fingon grinned again but Maedhros could see in his eyes that he was hiding something. He made up his mind to ask him about it later and brought his mind back to the present.
      "He does make very good food."
      The others stared at him for a moment before Fingon got up and took his and his siblings empty plates into the kitchen. Maedhros followed him to help.
      "Something is wrong," he whispered in his ear.
      "I'll tell you later," he whispered back before Aredhel came in.
      "Out," she said to Maedhros. He looked at his friend before obeying her and going back into the living room.
      "Just give her some time. She'll warm up." Turgon said. Maedhros looked at the floor before nodding.
     After a few hours of talking with a movie playing in the background, Maedhros got up, announcing that he was going home.
     "Why?" Fingon asked, concerned about why he was leaving so soon.
     "I'm tired." he said with a look so Fingon wouldn't ask him to elaborate.
     "Alright," he said standing. "I'll walk you out."
     "It's not necessary," he said, but Fingon could tell he didn't mean it.
     "Of course it is," he said and addressed his siblings, "I'll be right back."
     They walked out of the room and went to the stairs. Fingon stopped trying to hide how tense he was and Maedhros truly saw just how upset he was.
     "What wrong?!" Maedhros stopped on one of the landings and turned Fingon's shoulders so they faced each other. Fingon almost started crying and that scared him even more.
     "Please, tell me what's going on," Maedhros begged.
     "I can't be around them yet," he said, leaning against the wall. "They look so much like him, it still hurts."
     "What are you talking about?" Maedhros asked, trying to be as gentle as he could.
     "My brother," he whispered. "It happened a few months ago. He was in the mountains. It was raining, it was dark. He hit a sheet of water and hydroplaned right off the road." Fingon closed his eyes covered his mouth with his hand.
      "He died," he sobbed out. "God, it hurts so much." He leaned forward and lay his head against Maedhros's chest as he cried.
      Maedhros didn't know how to react. Yes, they did know quite a bit about each other, but this was the first time someone had been this close to him since it happened. For a moment he just stood there as Fingon leaned against him, but eventually he wrapped his arms around him.
      For a few minutes he held him. And those few minutes were the first minutes of peace he'd had in three years. But it ended too soon as Fingon pulled away, wiping his tears.
     "I'm s-sorry," he murmured.
     "Don't be, it's alright," Maedhros soothed him, gently rubbing his back.
     Fingon sniffed and looked at him. He didn't expect such a reaction from him considering the first time he had touched him. Then he reasoned with himself that the difference was that this time he hadn't touched his skin whereas the first time he had. And now they knew each other better.
     "Thank you," he whispered. "It means a lot to me."
     Maedhros nodded, put his hand on Fingon's back and lead him the rest of the way downstairs. At the door, he turned and gave him a gentle smile.
     "Talk to them," he said gently. "They'll understand, they're your siblings." Fingon looked away, wringing his hands.
     "Fingon," he started.
     "Please, call me Finno. All my friends do."
     "Alright," he said with a smile. "Finno look at me. They love you. They'll understand where you're coming from. Just tell them how you're feeling."
      "Maedhros, you sound like you speak from experience." he said as the redhead tucked Finno's hair behind his ear.
     "Trust me. Talk to them. And call me Mae." Finno smiled and hugged him tightly.
     "I'll see you tomorrow," he said.
     Mae hugged him back, saying, "You most certainly will."