b2mem | Summer games, by linndechir (Reply)

Title: Summer games
Author Name: linndechir
Prompt: hot summer days
Summary: It's far too hot to do anything, so the Fëanorians spend a lazy day by the lake together.
Rating: PG
Warnings: brief mentions of consensual incest (Fëanor/Maedhros, and Maedhros/Caranthir if you squint)

“I can see the freckles sprouting on your face.”

Nelyo's jaw twitched as Moryo poked at his face, curiously at first, before they started trailing over his skin more tenderly, over his nose, his jaw, down to his throat and his collarbones.

“I thought you couldn't get any more freckles than you already have.” His fingers continued further down, over Nelyo's bare chest, and he bent forward to breathe a soft kiss onto his brother's cheek. For all that Moryo didn't really seem to like anyone outside of his family, for all that he withdrew into himself and scowled whenever strangers tried to talk to him, he was even more affectionate than his brothers, as far as that was possible. Nelyo didn't mind, usually, but today every touch seemed to set his skin on fire, and not in a pleasant way. He groaned, tried to turn away without actually having to move.

“It's too hot for touching, stop that.” He couldn't even muster the energy to sound annoyed.

“If it isn't too hot for father to be working in the forge, it's not too hot for touching.” Moryo all but pouted against his skin, and his fingers continued their exploration, retracing the familiar lines of Nelyo's chest, but at least he had the decency not to splay his warm palm over Nelyo's already sweat-slick skin.

“Father's still in the forge?” Nelyo opened his eyes, blinked against the bright light. Tyelko was sleeping not far from them in the shade, naked because he had decided it was too hot for clothes. Ambarussa were frolicking through the shallow water by the shore of the lake like excited pups, under the watchful eyes of Kano, who was drenched from head to foot, either because the twins had pushed him into the lake or because he had jumped in himself, seeking some reprieve from the heat.

“He and Curvo,” Moryo said. “He was working on something earlier today.”

“I'll go check in on him.” Nelyo sighed, forced himself to sit up. He kissed his brother briefly on the cheek. “How about you go pester Tyelko a little? He looks far too relaxed over there if you ask me.”

As Nelyo made his way back to the house and the forge – a way that seemed a lot further than usual in the sweltering heat – he heard a loud screach, glanced back over his shoulder to see Moryo and Tyelko wrestling under the tree, or rather Tyelko trying to fend off his younger brother. He'd never understand why Moryo seemed not the slightest bit bothered by the heat.

To his surprise his father met him halfway, covered in sweat and soot, shirtless, his hair bound together messily. He was carrying Curvo in his arms, even though the boy was really getting too big for that. The sight made Nelyo smile – his father still tried to carry him sometimes, even though these days it was easier for Nelyo to lift Fëanáro than the other way around.

“Have you given up on working, father?” He covered Fëanáro's hand with his own where it rested on Curvo's shoulder, glanced down at his dozing little brother before meeting his father's eyes again.

“I wanted to finish that ring I'm making for Tyelko, but the forge was getting too hot for Curvo, and he refused to leave my side.” Fëanáro smiled fondly. There was no doubt that he loved all his sons equally, and he would have refused to name any of them his favourite, but he did enjoy how attached little Curufinwë was to him, how the boy seemed more interested in his father's work than in anything else in the world. “You know how he is. So I thought we should join the rest of you by the lake, cool off a little.”

“I should throw both of you into the water, you could use it.” Nelyo brushed a streak of sweaty hair behind Curvo's ear, laughed softly when Curvo wrinkled his nose in the same way their father did.

They walked slowly back towards the lake, Curvo still curled up in his father's arms, Nelyo's hand resting ever so lightly on the small of his father's back. Fëanáro's skin was as hot as always, but Nelyo found that he didn't mind all that much. His father's warmth meant home, safety, love. He supposed that Curvo felt the same way, considering how he clung to his father's chest even in his sleep.

“Father?” Nelyo said when they had almost reached the lake, close enough already to hear Ambarussa's laughter and the splashing of water. He leant in until his lips almost touched Fëanáro's ear, raised his hand to wipe a drop of sweat off his father's neck. “You know what we should do later, if we ever manage to get all six of them to sleep?”

“In this heat?” Fëanáro snorted. “Ambarussa will be up all night.”

“They'll exhaust themselves eventually,” Nelyo said, and if not, well, Kano was as good at taking care of the twins as Nelyo himself. “And when they're all sleeping, we should get back into the lake, just you and me.” He kissed his father's neck, below the ear, felt a slight shiver go through his sweaty skin. “It's not too hot for that in the water.”

Right now the water still held two overexcited twins playing catch with Kano between them, and an angrily protesting Tyelko as Moryo dunked him repeatedly under water. Loud cheering greeted them when the boys saw their father and missing brothers, and Pityo promptly sprinted out of the water to wrap his arms around Fëanáro's leg and demand that he come play with them, followed only seconds later by Telvu, who attached himself to his father's other leg. Curvo woke up from the noise and blinked lazily, mumbling a soft protest when his father set him down. His small hand reached out for Nelyo's immediately as soon as Fëanáro let go of him.

As he got dragged off towards the lake, Fëanáro turned around to wink at Nelyo, a carefree laugh on his lips.

“You're right – they're bound to exhaust themselves some time.”

Nelyo stroked Curvo's hair again, took his hand, and followed his father down to the lake. He was patient, he could wait until then.