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I laughed so hard at this, you really nailed this challenge with the whole tatoo thing. Of course the Teleri, being sailors, would have tattoos, and of course the Vanyar, stick in the muds that they are would prohibit it, and of course Finrod would know all about it. And finally, that Fingon is getting a tramp stamp with Maitimo's name on it is just too rich.

I especially liked Finrod's dad having a dolphin tattoo, Indris shitting a brick to learn Fingon has gotten a tattoo, and the poor book seller watching those two reenact a Three Stooges moment with his prized book.

This begs for a follow up where Maitimo sees the tattoo for the first time. I just can't see him being too thrilled with the design but who knows, he might think it's really hot since it has his name on it. lol

I really love this thing. It's instantly become one of my favorites.

OMG! I saw those prompts for and they screamed "this has to be IgBee's story" at me!

Thank you! As soon as I saw TABOO(!), I thought of you and your request for a Finrod and Fingon friendship fic. What could better than those two breaking rules together?! And I just kept adding elements. I had so fun with it!! I am thrilled to death you got a kick out of it.

I think I will have to have at leas the continuation wherein Maedhros gets to react. A series sounds scary, but I will not rule it out. I always skirt the edge of crack fic in my Finwean family fics anyway.

Yes, please, write a sequel with Maedhros' reaction!. I totally see him feeling so guilty for loving the tattoo!.

And I'm also imagining Fingolfin getting offended as hell when he discovers his son is wearing the star of Fëanor ON HIS BODY, and Fëanor not very pleased with HIS star on Fingon's ass. So funny.

Fingon and Finrod's interaction is lovely and funny. And I loved the "Book of Vanyar"... sounds like an obscure, righteous and terribly boring book!.

Thanks for the enthusiasm! I probably will cave in and have to write that sequel. I hope it isn't a letdown though.

Poor Fingon, the things I have done to him over the years. Thinking of how I had him stoned out of his skull on hallucinogenics at the Mereth Aderthad. It is that irrepressible personality, which comes straight out of hard canon, which makes me do these awful things to him! I fell in love with Fingon for his daring, optimism, and, of course, that famous valor! Yay! Never too much of Fingon taking chances.

You know I loved this! I loved the setting to begin with--the first paragraph is marvelous--being a fan of the squalid parts of Valinor. And of course the very idea of Elves and tattoos. (Being married myself to a rather tattooed man, the idea of these lovely guys getting inked is itself quite appealing.) The Vanyar would be opposed, and it would be a Telerin art.

"Doesn’t your father have a tattoo of a large elaborate dolphin on his arm?"

OMG! How am I ever going to picture Arafinwe without this again?!

"Findekáno bonked him on the head with the dusty book."

This interlude was perfect.

Loved loved loved this!

You are so kind! I don't know when I've ever had so much fun writing a story. It wrote itself. thanks for reading and thanks for the lovely comment.

I think I probably was greatly influenced by your lower levels of Tirion, if not in any specifics in  spirit. Although, I do think I got scolded for writing about working-class denizens of Valinor and where they lived in Tirion** long before I ever read your wonderful descriptions in The Sovereign and the Priest--that is the gold standard for that neighborhood for me.

I can't believe I didn't retain any memory of inkings on your spouse--don't tell him that! There are some impression tattoos at this point in my immediate family, including the Jewish part! I was channeling myself when writing about poor Indis! I doubt if there are many mothers who greet the idea of a child or grandchild's first tattoo with enthusiasm. I could be wrong--I suppose it is a cultural question. I know I cried when Laura got her first tattoo--it was never discussed, just a "hey, mom! surprise!" kind of revelation by a tipsy teenager.

Thanks again! Glad it entertained you.

**I remember now! In my story "I Hate You," I got an objection to this line, "Brawling in public like two unfortunate ner-do-wells from the lower levels of the city." I've forgotten where and who objected, but they said something along the lines of "pulled me right out of the story" (an old HASA expression!) to think of rundown areas or ner-do-wells in Valinor. Not me ever!

Wow--that was quick! But it doesn't read like something hastily written at all--very smooth and confident and as if you were having fun.

And how many of those bingo prompts you got in! Plus hitting someone over the head with an ancient tome, which wasn't on the list of taboos, but by my lights should have been!

So lovely seeing your Fingon again--and having a good banter with Finrod! I enjoyed every minute of reading their conversation.

I'd love to see that sequel you said you were considering.

 

<i>Plus hitting someone over the head with an ancient tome, which wasn't on the list of taboos</i>

I am dying laughing! I definitely feel you there! In the not too distant past there was a time I could not have written that those lines so callously, but I have hardened up a little through a long and difficult life--kids spilling things on books or writing in them! But I think that ebooks may have softened my sensibilities the most.

There was a scary period --early 1980s?--when publishing took a bad turn and non-bestsellers were having a hard time getting printed at all and it was still a while before the deluge of ebooks gave greater accessibility to most people, during which I actually feared the loss of an entire world of literature past and future. For ages, after I left school and started making real money and before I retired, I had Good Copies and Reading Copies of lots of things I loved. The Reading Copies were all dogeared and filled with yellow stickies (I never went so far as to highlight in a text!). The Good Copies were lovingly cared for out of reach of grimy little hands and regularly tended with a special feather duster--I kid you not! I even had a couple stored in bubble wrap.

I've written rants before about losing more than half of a shared library in a divorce settlement (it was so unfair and wrong! but he had a better lawyer!). That really settled me down, kind of broke my spirit on the library building urge. And also kept me from investing so much of my own self-esteem in hard copies of books. They are much more objects of use to me now and less jewels in a physical sense. But the manuscript sections of major museums and libraries are still the equivalent of scared, holy places for me!

So happy you got a kick out of the silly story. It made me happy to write it. I would love to try the sequel, but I am shy of sex scenes these days and I really think it begs for one--I'll find a way.

Thanks again for the lovely comments. Sorry for the eruption of feelings about my ever evolving reationship with the printed word! In the best of all possible worlds, I should own a bookstore!

 

I can't decide what made me snicker more, the poor horrified bookseller or Fingon's nonchalant description of what he's planning to get inked! I loved the easy bickering between Finrod and Fingon, too. It's always fun to see these characters behave like normal human beings!

I have to admit I'd also love to see Maedhros' reaction. But also Indis'! In conclusion, loved the idea, loved the execution. Great work!

I'm so thrilled that my low humor tickled you. The poor bookseller! That was cruel indeed. I love Fingon who in my verse is the king of too-much-information--an entertaining contrast for the writer to the more reserved Maedhros.

Indis has my sympathy! I mentioned somewhere recently, that I cried when Laura got her first tattoo--up until that moment her body was pristine, perfect, unblemished as the day she was born! It makes me laugh now to think of what a sissy I was--she could have done so many things that were so much more extreme!

 

Thank you so much for reading and leaving a comment.

What a lovely, fun story!  It flows so smoothly, the characters interact so effortlessly and the whole idea is fantastic.  Fingon's idea of getting a Feanorian star on his bum is so... well, Fingon. I'd love to see Fingolfin's reaction too.

Two gems among many:

“I will relieve you of the volume, if you are finished, my Prince,” begged the bookseller.

Delightful, poor bookseller!

Doesn’t your father have a tattoo of a large elaborate dolphin on his arm?”

After screaming with laughter, sounding more like an insane peacock than anything remotely human, Ingo at last responded. “Oh, he most certainly does. The heathen Teleri do love their tattoos and my father loves the Teleri with a passion! He got it when he was courting my mother in Alqualondë. Apparently, Indis nearly killed him. That is how I know that she would croak if her oldest and arguably favorite full grandson got one!”

Also  screaming with laughter! And those little cultural differences in few words.

A real delight!

 

Thank you so much for reading and leaving a comment! I love writing about cultural differences--of course, NYC is full of them and they can be funny at times. Better to laugh than cry at the multitude of possible misunderstandings and culture landmines one navigates on a daily basis. So it was a lot of fun of let lose a follow a few. Also, living in a few multi-cultural, multi-ethnic family which encompasses a plethora of religious differences also. With all due respect its a circus at times!

Having been a bibliophile and rabid collector for years I making fun of myself when I lease the bookseller!

Thanks again!