Aredhel, Reborn (Part 2)
Fourth and last in a series (one, two, three). The ending’s weak, but I need it there to connect to some later things I want to write.
***
Aredhel does not return to Tirion; instead, her family come to her. The meet her intermittently in the woods and plains, around her campfire, and talk throughout the nights; they ride together far across the fields. Her father and Fingon, the first few times; then her mother, looking incongruous seated on the grass with immaculate hair and clothing. She had always looked queenly, even before she was one; for more so than Nerdanel, supporters had murmured during the Unrest, and Nerdanel had alaughed and agreed, much to her husband’s dissatisfaction.
Aredhel is stunned to learn that her mother had fought in the War of Wrath; her imagination fails at trying to pucture her mother in armour and combat. Anairië’s accounts supply what imagination lacks, and Aredhel begins to bombard her with questions; the stories and details, battles and foes, strategy and tactics supply many visits’ worth of conversation, and if Aredhel is again embarassed at how poor her showing in Middle-earth was by comparison, she is also alive with admiration for her mother.
She gradually becomes more willing to speak of her own experiences in Middle-earth: Gondolin, Nevrast, Mithrim, the Helcaraxë. Anything except her son and husband. Once she would have boasted about her battles against fell creatures in Nan Dungoetheb; now they no longer seem admirable, but heedless and selfish. She asks Fingon whether those who accompanied her and were lost have returned from the Halls. Most of them have. There’s that, at least.
As the year pass, she explores through Valinor, and finds it greatly changed from what she has known. In her youth, Valimar was the warmest part, heated by Laurelin’s rays. Now the sun is brighter and hotter by far; in the south are vast, rain-drenched woods with new creatures and trees she has never seen before, and great deserts that turn to fleeting meadows after a flash storm. She rides north to the Helcaraxe, now glimmering in the sun and less bitterly cold than it had bern during the crossing, and sees banks of ice crash from the mountains into the sea. When she tells them it’s now the most beautiful place she’s ever been, Fingolfin and Fingon look at her as though she’s gone mad.
For a time, she begins to call on Eru again, pleading for her son.
She stops after the terrible day when sails blot out the horizon before disappearing into a great abyss, when Middle-earth is taken away. The message is unmistakeable. There will be second chances; there will be warnings; but for those who persist in evil to the end, there will be no mercy.
Not long after, she finds her cousin at the shoreline. His hands are bloodied and splitered with the boards and nails of what is attempting to be a ship, his fair hair dirty and disarrayed, his fair voice cracked with weeping, or with screaming. They do not speak. She puts her arms around him, and they weep together there, for the beloved and the damned.
“If you go,” she whispers as she leaves him, “take me with you.”
He does not go. The years lengthen. Millennia pass, of a new age. Her social circle gradually expands, gathering more family to it, gathering new friends. When the little people, mortals, come from across the sea, she listens with delight to their stories and with amusement to their poetry.
And then Maglor returns, worn and wribkled and half-grey, looking like a mortal himself. He has spent two Ages in Middle-earth. He has travelled it, seemingly, from one end to another, through a thousand lands and a thousand peoples. He has had the life, the chance, that she dreamed of. He seems to have bern abjectly miserably about it all.
“You’re my least favourite, you know,” she informs him grouchily, laying back in the green grass with her hands behind her head. “I’d rather have any of your brothers back than you.”
“Mm. Even Caranthir?”
“Absolutely Caranthir. A person could have a good rousing argument with Caranthir. You just mope.”
She drags every fragment of detail and memory out of him that she can; Finrod’s better at it than her, but he mostly wants to know boring things, about social systems and philosophies. Maglor begins to make songs of some of the things he’s seen, and they travel up and down Valinor.
She is - almost - content.
Then she wakes one morning with a sudden awareness flooding every particle of her soul.
She does not wait to seek her horse, wandering a little afield. She does not wait to bring food or water.
If she were not already shod, she would run barefoot.
She runs without thought, without wearyness, without rest, without any need for direction, drawn as the sun on its course, to the Gardens of Lórien, through the gardens, to the pale black-haired boy sitting on the grass.
“Lómion. My Lómion. My child, my dear one.” He is wrapped in her arms, and nothing else in the world matters, and her words are falling over each other, endearments mixed with thanks to the Valar, to the Eru, to the universe, that have given her son back to her.
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Endeavor’s Intern
(3/?)
Request: Quotev
Pairing: Enji Todoroki/Endeavor x Reader
Type: fluff,
Warnings: Reader is a student, even though that was clarified in the beginning.
(If there is any misspelling or improper grammar I apologize in advance.)
💙❤️🖤💙❤️💙🖤❤️💙💙❤️🖤💙❤️💙🖤❤️💙
“Nani!?” A mans voice screamed.
I tilted my head watching whatever drama Todoroki played on the secretaries computer.
She called in sick so we’ve both been manning the desk. So on my third day, I’m doing exactly what I threw a tantrum about not wanting to do.
“Wait wait wait,” I paused the show, “So, his wife is pregnant?”
“Yes?” Todoroki answered.
“But He had a vasectomy four months ago.” I pointed out.
He looked at me, a blank expression, I looked back and his eyes widened slightly. “What a scandalous woman you are Sakura Tsukino.” He looked at the screen and went to push play.
I smiled and shook my head, I leaned my head into his shoulder and went back to watching.
“Who do you think she cheated with?” He asked as her husband sat down and hurried his face in his hands.
“Hinata, that guy from her work space.” I mumbled staring as she broke into tears after her husband told her about what he had done.
“That’s messed up, he was all, not good looking.” Shoto mumbled and sighed.
‘HOW COUKD YOU DO THIS TOME?!’ She screamed.
‘DO WHAT?! YOURE THE ONE WHO CHEATED ON ME! YOU SLEPT WITH ANOTHER MAN! AND YOU WERE GOING TO PLAY IT OFF AS MINE?! THIS IS RIDICULOUS!’
Her husband was standing and screaming back at her. I bit my lip becoming more interested.
“Divorce.” I said, as he pulled his ring off placing in on the table.
‘I should’ve never given you my heart, everyone told me you’d only turn out like, like this. I denied it I trusted you and believed you changed.’
He backed up to the door, ‘I was wrong.’
He left, the camera moved to her sitting on the sofa. Her elbows on her knees, she looked down, eyes dripping tears, body shaking.
The screen went black and asked to start the next episode.
“Oof.” Was all I said as Todoroki clicked next.
“W-” i was cut off by the phone ringing.
“Hello, Endeavor Hero Agencies how may I help you?” I asked.
Todoroki just eyed me and paused the show.
“Hello yes? This is I’m calling to talk to Enji Todoroki. I was given this number to get into contact with him.” It was a WOMAN.
“Oh, of course. Please hold, I’ll see if his line is busy.” I lied.
“Of course, thank you.” I put her on hold then mute and sighed sitting back.
“Being a Secretary is so hard.” I stretched in my chair.
“Yeah.” Todoroki said stretched.
“Let’s get something to drink, also someone has to tell your dad he has a call.” I yawned and stretched up.
“You do it.” Was all Todoroki argues back.
“Alright.” I didn’t even argue back.
I knew his office was free, the only people who showed up for a meeting had left already. So I walked into his office, he quirked his brow at me and then looked back down at his paper work. I walked over to his desk and looked at his phone. A red light was blinking, the lady was still on hold. Okay, this is great I walked around his desk and squeezed my way onto his lap. I smield up at him and he looked down at me. He hand little Endeavor and Todoroki sitting infront of his monitor blocked form public sight by a stapler.
“You have a lady on hold. She didn’t tell me what she’s calling for just that she’s trying to get in contact with you.” I sighed and leaned against his right shoulder.
“Did you get her name?” He asked.
“No, she just asked for ‘Enji Todoroki’ because she told she could get into contact with him.”
“Then Get her name and figure out what she wants. I can’t waste time on useless things.” He argues and rolled his chair closer to his seat.
My stomach and hips pressed against the edge of his desk as he got back to work. This man made a great booster seat not going to lie. I sighed and picked up his phone, taking it off of hold.
“Hello, are you still there ma’am?” I asked and leaned onto the desk.
Fingertips ghosted my right hip.
“Yes, I’m still here.
“Alright, I’m calling to ask for your name and purpose of call. Endeavor is a bit busy but is able to call you back in thirty to fourth minutes if you can leave a name, number and purrpose of call.” I lied to her easy.
“Oh well, I’m Inosu Nara, I’m calling because we met almost a month ago. He gave me this number to get into contact with him.” She answered.
“Alright, well thank you Ms.Nara, I’ll tell him what you’ve told me and you should get a call back from this number in about thirty minutes. Can I get your number?”
“Yes it’s xxx-xxx-xxxx”
Alright that should be everything I need.”
“Thank you.”
“No thank you for being patient and calling Endeavor Hero agencies.”
I ended the called and wrote down the number, Inosu Nara
“Inosu Nara.” I picked up the sticky note, “She says you meet a month ago and you gave her this number to call you.”
He tended a bit and his face turned into a scowl. Wait half an hour and then Call her back, tell her the position I was offering has already been filled.” His left has copied his right and grabbed my other hip.
“So....Why does Shoto watch romantic Dramas?” I asked and started to click away on Endeavors computers.
“What?” He asked.
“Watch this, it’s just three minutes it’ll summarize what he’s watching.” I said and pushed play.
He sat and watched, and cringed, he paused it halfway. “That’s Enough.”
“Yeah.” was all I said and moved to sit on his right thigh, my left side and shoulder to his chest.
“Have you ever been to Universal?” I asked and tilted my head.
“Once, I took all of my children for two days to film a commercial.” His answer was boring.
“Did you go on any of the rides?” I asked wanting to know if he liked it.
“No, I didn’t have time to do anything. I was being filmed and meeting fans.” He didn’t seem amused.
“Oh, well that’s boring.” I slouched and sighed.
We sat in silence, I was looking on my
Phone and just casually chilling. Endeavor was watching me, I could feel his stare. It was very intense but not in a scary way, more of a concentrated way.
I opened snap chat and smiled, “Take more puctures with me.”
His brows dropped, he didn’t seem interested at all. I ignored it and leaned into his chest and opens the filters. He didn’t smile exactly but he wasn’t wearing a serious expression either.
He looked cute with a flower crown. After about five minutes of me smiling and taking pictures and Endeavor slid his hand around my waist and pulled me against him. I didn’t know what to do, I just moved the side slightly and looked up at him.
His chin wa son my shoulder, the stubble of his beard rubbing on my neck. It hurt a bit, but it felt nice.
“No more.” He tried to push my phone down.
“Just one more.” I raised, “But you have to smile.”
I got the filter onto both of our faces, he had a forced looking smile, I’d take it, I had a plan anyways. I held down the button and moved to kiss right on and under his jaw bone. I felt his hands grip my hips harsh and he tended.
I smield agaisnt the skin I had just violated as he cleared his throat.
“What are you doing?” He asked and moved back to look at me.
“Spreading love.” I moved my phone and got us both into frame again, “Now really smile this time.”
I took his left hand in mine and a very faint smile came to his lips.
After that I saved the video once to snap and twice to my camera roll. Then I recorded another video, it was of mini Endeavor and Todoroki, and then I panned to him and he seemed unamused during me recording random moments. I even recorded him letting out a short chuckle as I told him a story of the first time a cat meowed at Todoroki and he panicked. It was such a beguiling sound.
I even caught the small smile he had and the joy in his eyes when I told him Todoroki actually remembered his birthday, and sent a message from a random number so he wouldn’t be caught. He smiled at the thought, a look of regret in his eyes, there was a sincerity.
“Well, I’m pretty sure it’s lunch time.” I said standing up.
“Can we go eat?” I asked looking at my phone for the time.
“Take the lunch orders for the floor, than you and Shoto can go.” I admired the way he leaned back into his chair, legs spread, arms resting on the arms rest and head falling to the side slightly.
“Yes sir.” I smiled and went to get a notepad and Shoto.
Lunch passed, time passed, Shoto and I watched more drama as we waiting for our patrol shift, we’d be on different sides of the city but that’s fine I guess. I mean we’re literally spending all day together just watching tv and eating.
I cut my noodles with my chopstick and swallowed quickly.
“I forgot to call that lady back!” I panicked, “I’ll do it tomorrow.”
Finally our turn for Paroels came, Shoto left, then a few others, familiar faces poured into the building taking a brief break from patrolling all day. I was waiting for Endeavor for my patrol to start. Finally he came down, I smiled at him and we took off. I had my cloak on and wings out. Everything was normal, it felt like just a walk. I mean, we stopped a break in at the most. Poor guy didn’t see it coming, he ribs definitely felt it before he knew what was coming. We carried on and ran into Hawks and Tokoyami. He didn’t leave, so our duo turned into a squad. We kept patrolling, nothing really happening, Hawks said something about it being to quiet lately around the city. Endeavor agreed, that was until we sat on a roof top, well, I stood on the edge, Endeavor was siting at a bench table, Hawks was walking on the edge and Tokoyami was leaning against the stair exit wall.
“We should become a squad.” Hawks said as he stopped to my right.
I looked at him, “what?”
“Imagine how cool we’d be, we could call ourselves the fire birds.” He took my hands and spun us both, to get read Incase I fell i spread my wings out quickly, the sound of fluttering and wind being pushed out from behind me was all I heard as I looked at Hawks.
“Get it? Because Endeavor is fire, I’m Hawks” he spread his wings, “Tokoyami has a bird in his belly, and you also have bird wings, I feel like your hiding more from what we know but I won’t push it yet.” He was still holding my hands in his.
“Well, it’s an interesting name. But I don’t think it’d work out.” I shrugged.
He pouted, “Why not?”
I shrugged, “Well, I don’t know actually l, we don’t always have the same patrol hours.” I shrugged.
“I see,” he spun us again and I kept my wings spread. He lifted his own.
I could definitely feel Stares, I sound of my rubbers soles scrapping again the concrete was the only thing I could hear. Hawks walked us back and forth, “let’s see who’s faster.”
He threw us off the Edge of the building I panicked and started flapping, after the third flap I caught wind and balanced myself. There I was flying above Hawks, he looked up at me. Hs was on his back his wings holding him in the air.
“Alright then.” I said and straightened out, “I could beat you anyday.
I move higher to bring myself to the edge of the building.
“Name a spot, and I can be there and back before you can.” I looked down at him.
“Great! I was hoping you’d agree I set it up today.” He came to my side, I heard Endeavor sigh.
“In the park by the koi pond, I stabbed a feather into a the ground,” he said plucking a long feather out of his wing.
I cringed and imagined the feeling, it’s all to painful.
“First one back with it wins.” He said and got ready, I squatted oh the edge and got ready.
“Toko! Give us a count off.” He screamed over his shoulder.
Another sigh from the party behind us, I smiled.
“Three,” a paused, “Two,” another, “One.”
We took off, I didn’t see Hawks ahead of and I wasn’t making the mistake of looking back. I pushed harder and gained more speed. I was focused on a short route I normally took until I felt something grab my wing.
I looked over to see Hawks, he was grinning and knocked into me, I knocked back into him and he only smiled wider.
“Oh, so you wanna play dirty.” I laughed.
I went up into a cloud and tried to time it, I saw Hawks in break, he looked around I dropped down on him and pushed his wing down he flipped onto his back and kept flying.
“Nice try but I’m all to use to it.” I scoffed.
“Sure.” I rolled my eyes and grabbed his boot to flip him around to face the other direction.
He did exactly that, flew in the other direction. He came back and landed on my back, his back to my back he just layer there.
“I don’t see why they don’t make this a way to travel it’s comfortable.
I did a quick roll over and he spread his own wings.
“WHAT?!” I asked as he didn’t leave my side.
“How do you get these so shiny and black?” He asked as he moved back to my side.
“If I told you I’d have to kill you.” I regretfully pulled a father of my own it hardened and caught a nice shine.
“I can do that too!” He cheered and pulled his own out. “WING BUDDIES!”
I rolled my eyes with a smield and dived down, I saw the feather and swooped in, hows swooped down. We’ll crash if one of us doesn’t pull back, or at least I’ll have to to use my whole quirk.
We pushed in before smoke filled the space I grabbed the wing and pulled back, I heard coughing and looked back to see a panicked Hawks. He didn’t notice me.
“(L/n)?” He looked around panicked.
“I let out a bird cry.” He looked up, there I was full form.
“YOU CHEATER.” He screamed and took out after me.
I flapped harder and tried to move faster and into places he wouldn’t be able to reach.
I saw Endeavor’s flames, I was so close, until Hawks pulled up infront of me. He grinned like a mad man, I changed back and stepped on his shoulder and made the jump. Feathe rin mouth I spit to get the taste of bird off my tongue.
“You should use dog shampoo, you’ll dull the color.” I said and waved the feather around.
He sighed, “I guess you win this round.”
We sat a whole longer, until the ground started to shake. There was the sound of rumbling and screams. We all rushed to the opposite side of the building. A big guy was trying to take down a building.
“Tokoyami, Go low with Endeavor, (L/n) and I will go ahead and try to save who we can from the top floors.” Hawks said taking off.
I looked back at Endeavor, “Go, it’s your job as a hero.”
I nodded and took off after Hawks. I caught up and we moved as fast as we could to get everyone out of the top floors. It was harder considering it was almost midnight and everyone one was home sleeping. I pulled out kids and men while woman tried to cling to Hawks at the chance they had. I laughed as one woman wouldn’t let him go. I heard a cry and dived in, the building was about to crumble, I can do this.
I found it, it was a little boy, he had red hair and white eyes. He was screaming for his dad. I picked him up a don looked for his dad. His dad was bleeding slightly.
“Hold onto my back and I’ll save you and your dad. Just don’t let go.” I calmly told the kid he nodded and crawled onto my back.
He held tighter then I expected. I grabbed the dad by his shoulders, “Come on.” I said and used all the arength I couldn’t o carry him at least bridal style.
With struggle I managed I ran to the holw in the wall and dived down flapping so we didn’t die from Just jumping.once on the ground I handed the guy over to Hawks and told the kid to sit with them. Hawks said ambulances were coming.
I looked back, this guy was kinda huge, what were we supposed to do? Endeavor and Tokoyami showed up. Endeavor rushed in and Hawks followed, Tokoyami knew what to do. I was still calculating and trying to figure out the best approach for myself. I found an opening, All three we’re taking him from the front, I found an opening form the back, I went for it. I flew up and spread my wings as far as they could go. At twenty four feet stretched out completely I did my best to blind him, Hawks was beside me in a flash.
“If you blind him long enough, I can get Tokoyami and Endeavor to help me.” He was gone.
I plucked out my longest, feather and used it to fight against his hands as he tried to grab at me. I stayed stretched out and tried to blind him. That was until I felt myself falling. I watched the sky swirl as I was pulled down. A sharp pain and a loud snap, my back arched. There was a loud crash, I was diving head first, the problem was, I could see where I was going, all I saw was a starry sky swirling as I started to spin while falling. The last thing I saw was Hawks Wide eyed reaching out to me and a deep scream. I was out, was I going to die?
I woke up from my dream as I started to hit water, everything was bright and white. I looked around rubbing my eyes. I tried to bring my hand up, it was held down, I looked at it and smield. I brought my left hand to my right. I brushed my fingers over the knuckles and skin that held my own.
“Endeavor.” I whispered.
I tried to sit up feeling pain in my back.
I brought my left hand to his jaw and held it, his eyes opened, he looked at me through his lashes.
“How are you?” I asked him even though it should’ve been the opposite.
“Are you alright?” He took his right hand to grab my right hand.
His left hand rested on my back, he rubbed it up slowly to help me sit up. His warm hand eased the pain that filled my muscles.
“Y-yeah, what happened?” I asked.
He sighed and tried to pull away.
I stretched with regret and grabbed his arm with my free hand.
“Please don’t,” I was basically begging for his heat.
He placed his hand back against my tender flesh.
“The criminal grabbed you by your wings when he started to fell back. I rushed in to catch you, and Hawks tried his best to grab you but his grip on yours wings was strong. He ripped out the feathers and fractured them.” He looked down.
I smiled at him, “Don’t worry about it, they’ll be fine by tomorrow morning...”
He looked up at me, he was soft, his eyes were glossed over. Tears filled the corners of his eyes. I moved my hand form his arm to hold his right cheek and get him to face me, his eyes held regret.
“You were my intern, I was supposed to protect you. I let you get hurt.” His voice was low.
“I’m your intern, I’m supposed to learn what it’s like to be a hero, and that’s exactly what happened. So you don’t have to worry. I’m happy that if I was going to experience this, that at least it was with you.” I smield at him, and looked down.
“I-” I cut him off with a look.
“Don’t worry about it.” I stopped him.
“I can make this up to you.” Her stated.
“You wanna make it up to me?” I asked and tilted my head with a slight smile.
“Yes, what’s something you’ve wanted?” He asked and fumbled around his costume and pulled out a wallet.
“Something? I’ve always wanted?” I asked and thought about it while staring at my hand with his.
“Well.” I looked up at him again with a grin.
“There’s this.” I pulled my hand free form his and grabbed his other cheek and pulled him closer.
His lips were soft, heat radiated form his face, quite literally because of his body temperature. His large hand landed on my cheek. He moved his hand so his forefinger and thumb took my chin and angled my head upwards. He kissed back eyes closed, I closed my own and brought my right hand down to his nape and ran it back up to feel the hairs at the base of his head. His hand still hot and comforting my back, I smield agsint his lips and pulled away.
“Okay, so I wanna go to Univeral with you and Shoto.” I smiled and he only looked down at me.
His eyes were so soft, they were clear, the bright color still outshine the bright white colors of the hospital I’m guessing I’m in.
“I don’t see why not.” He sighed and moved closer.
Kissing him a little longer the door opened and we pulled back, it was Shoto.
“SHOTO!” Enji screamed and pulled away.
His beard and mustache bursted into flames as he backed away and reached out for his son.
“Stop it dad, I already know what happening.” He sighed and looked down.
Enji sulked slightly and moved away from the bed side. I sat up straighter and smield at Shoto.
“So?” He asked.
“What?” I asked playing it off.
“Did your wings get better?” He crossed his arms over his chest the same way his dad does.
I forced them out and open, they were new and glossy.
“Of course they did!” They ruffled slightly, “I’m not an (l/n) for nothing!”
“Also, were going to universal!” I cheered and they spread out a bit.
“What for?” He asked.
“To Celebrate me becoming your step mom.” I winked at him, his eyes widened as his cheeks reddened.
“What?” He asked in disbelief.
“Why don’t you ask your daddy?” I joked.
He whipped around, Endeavor just looked at him.
“Told you.” I whispered to Shoto and smiled at Enji who was very slightly, smiling.
“HEY GUYS SORRY IM LATE!” And just like that, Hawks ruined the moment.
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