middle earth x male oc // oneshots

Love letters pt2

Duvain was training with a few younger elves when he first met the young (barely an adult) man known formally as Estel and now as Aragorn

Of course, being an elf as revered and old as Duvain was, he knew of the boy and his heritage before it was revealed even to Estel himself. however, he had no direct hand in the boy's upbringing due to a plethora of reasons, not least the fact he wasn't over fond of infants himself

So when Duvain noticed the man watching his training intently he was curious (and intrigued by his handsome face) and despite being drenched in sweat from vigorous drills he approached the human, leaving his students to have a brief respite

"Are you interested in joining our practice" he smiled at the man, pulling sweat-slicked black locks from his forehead and into a loose plait

Estel- no Aragorn, almost jumped out of his skin, Obviously not having heard the older approach

"If it's alright with you," he said, his tone nervous

A small smile tugs at the corners of Duvains lips

"of course, come on then" he motions with his hands for the rest of his recruits to get back into their formations, "you can spar with me"

After that, Aragorn became a regular addition to the group of young elves Duvain trained, right up until his departure from Imladris to join (what was left of) his people in the north

It wasn't long after that Duvain noticed an absence of letters, the once constant (highlight) of his week disappeared, and of course, Duvain wasn't an idiot.

It wasn't that hard to piece together the information, although it was highly possible he was wrong and his admirer was an elf who simply lost interest, but he doubted that.

Aragorn was behind the letters

And yet alas he was gone, with his people in the north learning the ways of the rangers.... But time is fickle for elves, and thirty years is not such a long time to wait for the man's first visit back to his childhood home

They met again under the shady apple tree (where he first received the love letters) the man's face now older and with a much more rugged handsomeness than the youthful splendor he'd sported before

They exchanged smiles but no words, this time Aragorn handed Duvain a letter directly and the elf slid a golden hairpin into the humans hand as thanks

A hairpin the ranger dawned immediately, the sunset and the flames of love flickered in both men's chest

But this was a love never to be acted upon. A forbidden love. Not only were they of different peoples but they were the same gender, forbidden twice over.

And Aragorn was a mortal, doomed to die, such was the gift (curse) of men. Duvain was immortal, he had and would witness centuries of change in Middle Earth. They would not (could not) grow old together

It was not their destiny to be intertwined with the strings of love, a love they would have to hide from all others even if they acted on their feelings.

And so they stared silently into each other's lovestruck eyes, and they ignored the sorrow in their souls for a few more minutes

If only this could last forever

Duvain saw Aragorn again just before the council of Elrond. The man had grown older, his stuble more prominent and his hair streaked with the beginning of gray strands. The elf however was largely unchanged, his dark hair and ever-youthful face the same as they always had been

Duvain did not volunteer for the fellowship despite his presence at the council. he wanted to, of course, but should the mission fail he was needed to protect Imladris

And yet when Aragorn set out on a task that may yet be his last, he embraced the man right there despite all the stares and smiled as he realised the ranger was wearing the gold hair clasp still.

And they parted again, silently

(As the man set out a hobbit whispered to him,
"who was that"

"a very important, old... Friend" he replied)

Duvain was not present in the battle for Helms Deep nor any other battle concerning the fate of Middle Earth, despite his want to be. The fighting this time had to be done by men, it was their age now.

He saw Aragorn at his coronation, their eyes met from where he stood in the crowds, but that was it. There was no longer any place for gentle casual touches, they were separated by rank on top of all else now.

And they parted again, and yet Duvain remained in Rivendell after the rest of his people departed for the grey havens

Unable to let go of his attachments in Middle Earth, he volunteered to stay and guard their former home,

alone.

He saw Aragorn a final time at his funeral, he stood solemnly over the greyed and aged body of the king and then he did something they could never do in life.

He placed a gentle kiss upon the lifeless lips of his soulmate

And then he returned to Imladris to fade away in peace, and yet even though they both had died he knew they would be yet parted in death.

Men and elves do not go to the same halls after their demise.

They would be forever parted, just as they were in life.

Sorry

(Cross posted on AO3)