The Lost Boys by Lady MSM

Family Planning

Family Planning

The impassioned knocking at his door cause Ecthelion to jump out of his chair and hurry to answer it, slightly regretting that he was only wearing his bathrobe. Then again, it was midnight. Anyone with the nerve to call at this hour deserved a bit of awkwardness.

“Oh, thank the Gods you’re still up,” said a very frazzled-looking Tuor as soon as Ecthelion opened the door. “I would have gone to Voronwe’s but ever since he and Iavas had Ilverin they’ve been less open to me dropping by at odd hours and you’re one of the only people I know irresponsible enough to be up at midnight…”

“Tuor. You’re a mess. Calm down and come in.” Tuor followed the second half of this advice, if not the first, and collapsed into Ecthelion’s chair. With a sigh, Ecthelion sat down next to him.
“What the hell is going on with you?” he asked. “You look like someone just told you there was no more bacon in the world.”

“I shouldn’t be acting like this, I should be happy…it’s just that, Ecthelion, Idril told me today she’s going to have a baby.”

“Oh,” said Ecthelion. Then, “Oh.”

“I’m not really sure why this has me so shaken up. I mean, I suppose it was fairly likely…”

“Considering you two have barely left your bedroom for the last month, I suppose you’re right.”

“Unnecessary. But the thing is, Idril and I are going to be terrible parents. I mean, I love Idril, but she’s stubborn and overworked and always annoyed about something, and I’m lazy and disorganized and vulgar. Can you even imagine a kid that’s a combination of us?”

“I can,” said Ecthelion. “And that kid would be smart, and practical, and opinionated, and we’d all love him. We will. Sure, you and Idril are a pair of the oddest people I’ve ever met, but you’re also my friends, and I’m sure you’ll be brilliant parents.” He stood and picked up a bottle of brandy from a shelf. “And now, seeing as you’ll have precious little time for getting drunk over the next year, I say we use tonight to celebrate.”

“Your solutions to all my problems involve brandy,” remarked Tuor.

“That,” said Ecthelion, “is because I’m brilliant.”