Brothers, close again by chrissystriped

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Brothers, close again

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Melkor smiled at Manwe who waited in the entrance hall of Ilmaren.

“You wanted to see me?”

Manwe nodded.

“I hope I don’t keep you away from Mablung.”

Melkor shook his head.

“He’s at rehearsals. You do keep me away from a new recipe a friend sent me”, he joked. “Is there as special occasion...”

“Do I need a reason to spent time with my brother other than wanting to?”

Melkor could feel how happy Manwe was to see him and relaxed.

“No politics?”

“No politics. I just want to spend the afternoon with you. That is, if you want, too. I didn’t mean it to sound like an order.”

“It didn’t.”

They still were careful with each other sometimes – Melkor nervous when Manwe called for him, and Manwe unsure how much closeness Melkor wanted from him – but they were brothers and they loved each other.

“I like to spend time with you, Manwe.”

They walked in the direction of the garden that was still covered in snow. Boulders and leafless shrubs could be made out under the snow.

“They call it the dead of winter, but it isn’t”, Manwe said. The snow crunched under their feet, no other sound was to be heard. “It is just a sleep, and when it thaws the flowers will bloom all the more beautiful for it. I’m glad that you did it.”

“I worried that it might look as if I learned nothing”, Melkor answered. “But I’m grateful that you let me.” He grinned. “We had a snow ball fight. The elves act like children in the snow.”

“I know that you...” Manwe stopped. “I meant to say: ‘That you learned your lesson.’ But that isn’t the whole truth of it. We all learned. You weren’t the only one to make mistakes.”

Melkor smiled wryly.

“Thank you for saying that. But you’ll agree with me that I’m the one who made the worst mistakes. I’m so happy that you – you and Mablung – gave me another chance.”

Manwe laid his hand on his shoulder.

“I always just wanted my brother back – and that’s what I have now. I’m happy that you are happy. And I’m glad that you have at least part of your power back. It must have been so hard for you to not have that.”

“I missed the Music.”

Melkor didn’t tell him that he’d been afraid of his returning power.

“How much do you have back? Can you change your shape?”, Manwe asked and Melkor listened inside himself.

“I don’t think so”, he said hesitantly. “It doesn’t feel like I can.”

“Pity, I’d have loved to fly with you again. Do you miss it? Or did you just butter me up back then?”

A sharp pain stabbed at Melkor’s heart.

“Yes, I miss it”, he admitted. “I liked it, then.”

Although he hadn’t always been able to appreciate that Manwe tried to make things better between them after his first captivity.

“Maybe there’s another way.” Manwe gave him a mischievous look. “I could carry you if you want.”

“That...” Melkor felt his heart beat faster. “That would be nice.”

A giant eagle stood in the place where Manwe had been a moment ago.

'Get up. But don’t pull on my feathers.’

Melkor grinned and made himself comfortable on Manwe’s back. His feathers were soft and smelled pleasantly of freshly mown grass. Manwe beat his wings and Melkor’s hair fluttered in the draught.

By the time he got the wayward strands out of his eyes, they were already in the air and still gaining height. Melkor shouted happily as the icy wind stung his face and Manwe answered with a screech before he tilted to the side and flew south. Under them the mountains glinted white in the sunlight. They were high, so high that Melkor’s lungs struggled to breathe enough oxygen.

The sea was to the left of them, dark and stormy, to their right lay Orome’s wood. Melkor lay down on Manwe’s back and closed it eyes. He enjoyed the sensation of flying, although it wasn’t of his own power. He touched Manwe’s mind with his own.

‘Thank you, brother.’ It was a wonderful gift.

‘It’s my pleasure’, Manwe answered him. ‘Hold tight.’

Melkor barely had time to follow his advice before his brother started into a sequence of break-neck figures – just for the fun of it, it seemed. Melkor screamed and Manwe laughed at him, but after a moment of panic he let his brother’s elation take him and enjoyed the ride. The cold air stung his skin like needles, but he didn’t feel the cold as something unpleasant. It was invigorating.

Melkor panted, his heart raced, when Manwe finally spread his wings and sailed back to Ilmaren. He swiped his tousled hair out of his face.

‘Remind me to braid my hair next time’, he said laughing. ‘That is, if there is a next time?’ He didn’t want to impose on Manwe.

'You aren’t. I’d be happy if you fly with me again – maybe even of your own power someday.’

‘Yes, maybe.’ Melkor gave his brother a mental hug. ‘I love you, brother.’

Long ago he’d have meant something else by that, but he was sure that Manwe understood he meant brotherly love.

‘I love you, too, Melkor.’

They had loved each other and they had hated each other and now they allowed themselves again to love each other. Melkor was happy that it had come to it and he felt his happiness echoed in Manwe’s Music. Eru had made them to complement each other. What one started, the other finished – instead they had become complete opposites.

‘No theme may be played that hath not its uttermost source in me, nor can any alter the music in my despite.’ And how he had hated their father for depriving him of choosing his own fate. Today he knew that he had only come full circle by trying to rebel against him. He had chosen the long, hard way.

‘He loves you, too’, Manwe said softly. ‘Despite it all. Or maybe because of it. He didn’t make you like this by accident.’

‘Thank you for saying that’, Melkor answered equally softly. ‘Does he talk to you?’

Manwe hesitated.

‘Not in words. It is... hard to explain. In very rare instances I feel his attention on me. Most times it is more like he is... directing my memories of the Music? He leads me to the places I need right then. Please don’t be jealous.’

'I’m not. You are the Elder King and I no longer envy you that position. He never talks to me – but I’m happy now and that is sign enough for me.’

‘That is good. Never doubt that you mean something to him.’

Manwe alighted on Ilmaren’s highest tower and turned back into an elf after Melkor had slid off his back.

“That was wonderful, Manwe.” Melkor reached out to him before hesitating. “May I...”

“Come here”, Manwe said gently.

They shared a long, heartfelt embrace before Melkor headed home. Yes, they were close again – maybe closer in mind than ever before.