What's a Fire?

[with-rainfall.livejournal.com]

Title: What's a Fire?
Author: with_rainfall/Mistrali
Prompt: Summer Romance
Rating: PG to be safe.
Warnings: None.
Summary/Notes: Yeah, I don't even know. Wee!Arwen and Elrond, and wee!Haldir. Title from - yes, go ahead and laugh - The Little Mermaid. Feel free to tell me if this is silly and cliched, by the way. Promise I won't flounce. :P Ditto wrt conflicting with canon (LotR, Silm, UT or Hobbit) in any way. As you can probably tell, the Elves don't take the phrase 'summer romance' literally.
Disclaimer: Everything is the Tolkien Estate's, I make no profit, &c.

"Can I have a summer romance, Ada?" asked Arwen hopefully, already an expert cajoler at the tender age of fifteen. She wasn't sure what it meant, but she knew it must have something to do with adventures and having your name sung in the lore-books for all time. Besides, Lúthien had had one, and everybody except for Ada said she was like Lúthien. It would be exciting to sneak away in the middle of the night and defeat a Balrog or steal the Enemy's Palantír. Haldir had said he would go with her and rescue her on a mighty steed, instead of which he had shown off only his brother's toothless old hunting hound with vines slung round its neck, too frail to do much but lurch disappointingly around the sward. When Arwen had gleefully pointed out that it was Lúthien who had ridden Huan to glory, he had desisted.

Ada glanced up from his book and frowned. "Child, what in Arda do you mean?" When she'd finished explaining about the bit of Pengolodh Elladan had read to her - silly adults, always wanting to know why you were thinking something - Ada coughed and turned hastily away. "Imladris isn't... quite warm enough at present, I'm afraid," he said, voice muffled by his teacup.

Arwen regarded him. "Are you laughing at me?" she asked finally. "Not at all," said Ada, turning serious and pressing her palm between his. He explained that a summer romance was a special kind of friendship - usually between an elleth and an ellon - that ended much too quickly, regardless of the season.

Arwen wondered out loud how you could stop being friends with someone. Haldir was far too impulsive for her to live without, even if she had to put him in his place a few times. Racing on horse or foot, working at lessons or hunting for treasure in the great labyrinths of the further wood - sometimes finding a jewel-bright bit of cloth or a little puddle-sized freshet, but more often seeds and flowers - was no fun unless you had someone beside you.

"In another few years," said Ada sadly, "You'll understand."