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greenleaf4stuff · 1 month ago

Text

Handmade

(my other TROP fanfics)

Silverscars (Adar x Celebrimbor), Modern!AU. Very lightly based on my Ask Game Answers drabbles (here or here & here) (prior reading is not required though!), in which I hint at Celebrimbor making an engagement ring for Adar and proposing during the Christmas days. This is how the proposal went. (This can also possibly be connected to a musician!Adar modern AU one-shot I haven’t shared yet.)

Aka, Adar and Celebrimbor celebrate Christmas together – and both are very nervous about their gifts. Unbeknownst to them, they both handmade their presents this year. Both will find themselves with something very special.

This is another entry for Cozy Cuddle(s) Week 2025 by @rivendellwatch. <3 I also used the chance to make use of a prompt from TROP Fluff Week ('I Made This For You') that I didn’t get around to writing during that event, which also overlaps with the 'handmade with love' prompt from @wowstrawberrycow’s amazing Give Him Nice Thing 2025 Adar Valentine’s Bingo prompts. (Also a Thank You to @plotdesigner, who gave me the idea with the Nightmare Before Christmas sweater for Adar through a conversation we had a few months ago.)

For those of you who want to read the fic on AO3, here is the link! <3

(Adar’s POV)

Adar couldn’t quite remember the last time he’d been so nervous; usually, very little could phase him, but this was very different.

He and Celebrimbor had celebrated Christmas together before, of course, though never quite like this – they had celebrated Christmas Eve with their friends and family, but with Adar’s youngest child having moved out this summer to start university, and their social circle having gotten a myriad of invitations for various dinners and parties, they had the second Christmas day all to themselves this time around.

Which meant that Adar finally had the chance to gift his partner a present he had been working on for quite a while, and which he’d wanted to give to Celebrimbor without any other people being around, due to its sentimental nature.

Celebrimbor himself had been in his little workshop for most of the day, after stating that he’d been hit with inspiration and the need to sketch out some new pieces. Adar had readily let him go. Celebrimbor’s occupation as a jewelsmith meant the other often worked odd hours, and sometimes, inspiration would hit him in the most random of moments; while washing the dishes, in the middle of the night, or as had just happened, after kissing Adar below some mistletoe.

The dark-haired man only shrugged and fondly shook his head. He knew what it was like, being a creative, and didn’t begrudge Celebrimbor his passion for his craft in the least. He knew he could go and drag the other out of his workshop anytime he wished with nary a complaint, after all. His partner had done similarly with him in the past as well, whenever Adar got too occupied with writing new lyrics or composing his music.

Also, Celebrimbor being in one place and away from their living room meant Adar didn’t have to sneakily tiptoe around him and make up some contrived excuse as to why the jewelsmith shouldn’t enter the area. Instead, he could prepare for the evening at his leisure, with zero chance of being discovered early.

After some brief deliberation, he decided to go all out – he cleaned the fireplace and set it up nicely, with new logs and after making sure all decorations were far enough away not to catch fire. He also pushed back the furniture a bit just in case. He rearranged the Christmas decor, and then prepared for the gift exchange later on:

He was torn between using the couch or having himself and Celebrimbor sit on the floor. The latter seemed far more romantic to him, but considering that both of them weren’t in their 20s anymore, and that they’d hopefully spend quite a while sitting together and enjoying some hot beverage, as well as Adar’s present, it ultimately made more sense to convert their couch into a soft, cozy nest.

Bummer, the floor would have meant they might have even laid down to sleep in the living room, perhaps. But if he played his cards right, maybe they could also do that on the sofa. It was one of those big ones, with extra sectional pieces to place one’s feet on, after all.

An hour or so later, he was rather satisfied with his work; the couch was covered in throw blankets and the covers from their bed, and probably ever single pillow in the house, including the spare ones they usually kept for guests. He’d even gone and pulled out the seasonal pillows he’d made for autumn last year, lovely soft crochet pieces in orange and black, made with a yarn that looked and felt like velvet.

He and Celebrimbor had very different ideas about personal style, which had become the most glaring when it came to Christmas; while Adar preferred his usual, darker style for all things, Celebrimbor adored the kitschy aesthetics of the festive season. Green and gold were his favorite colors, and there were glitter and velvet and metallics everywhere in the house.

The compromise had been a mix of both; black velvets, Christmas tree baubles adorned with skulls, the Top 50 kitschiest Christmas songs but as rock and metal interpretations, cookies baked to both resemble Santa Clause and the Grinch.

Staring at the couch now further reminded Adar of that fact. It was a lovely, eclectic mix of both their personal styles and preferences, combined into something that was so decidedly them that it made his heart swell. Even if some part of him still balked at the overly cheery depictions of reindeer, snowmen and Christmas elves on some of the pillowcases.

Satisfied that the couch was now a nest worthy of a cozy evening together, he went and brought over a tray, and began to set up what would be their 'drinks station' for the evening; a thermos filled with the hot chocolate he’d prepared on the stove, two large Christmas cups – one red, green and white, one black – and little bowls filled with marshmallows, whipped cream and a bigger one with cookies, as well as two or three small bottles of flavored syrup.

For music, he did select a mix of classical songs; Adar, at least, was already at the point where any more seasonal music might just cause him to run around with ear plugs at all times, so he hoped it would be alright with Celebrimbor if he chose something a little more neutral. They both did love classical music, after all, and it was a mix of nice, quiet songs, fitting the occassion.

There were a few other things to take care of, with the final steps being to take a shower – especially after he’d cleaned the fireplace and made sure the chimney wasn’t blocked by anything as well – and changing into something both comfortable but fitting for the night ahead.

Which soon after had him stand in the door to Celebrimbor’s workshop, while wearing black sweatpants, a Nightmare Before Christmas inspired sweater, and thick, knitted, black socks on his feet. The latter of which he’d made himself.

To his surprise, Celebbrimbor hadn’t been slouched over his desk, skribbling away as he tried to perfect some new design of his, but had instead been pacing his workshop while muttering to himself, something clutched in his hands.

He startled, rather badly, when Adar gently announced himself with a knock, and quickly hid his hands behind his back with a very shocked expression. Adar took a step inside the workshop in worry, in case he’d accidentally frightened the other somehow.

"Sorry, I tried not to startle you – are you alright?"

The other blinked, as if he’d seen Adar for the first time, before he quickly nodded. He still firmly kept his hands behind his back. "Uh, yes I- no need to apologize, I was just lost in thought, is all. You were very considerate, as always," he reassured Adar.

Perhaps he was working on something that didn’t come along very well, and he was still in the stage that he didn’t want Adar to see. It happened. The dark-haired man mentally shrugged, and decided to trust his partner’s word. "Glad to hear it. I have actually come to retrieve you – the hour is getting late, and I had hoped to spend the evening with you," he said, and then smiled secretively. "I actually prepared something for the two of us. Since we got the house all to ourselves."

Celebrimbor stilled, and then raised his eyebrows. "Oh- you are right. We are on our own today, aren’t we?" He briefly looked as if he wanted to apologize as well, for having spent all day in the workshop, when they could have spent it together. Adar gave him a stern look; they’d been over this, after all. The jewelsmith took the hint, and the dark-haired man could see the other’s shoulders lower as they untensed.

His partner still sometimes became incredibly sorry if he got too involved in his work. Adar knew this to be something that had been held against him in the past, and he also knew very well as to who exactly had done so. From his own experiences, he knew only time and patience could help the other heal – and that he already had, in some ways. But healing was always a process.

Celebrimbor swallowed, and finally lifted one hand to his front again. He pinched the bridge of his nose, rubbed his palm over his face. And then, he moved his gaze to Adar again, looking more centered. "That sounds like a very good idea. Give me a moment to get ready, yes? I feel a little-," he looked down on his clothes, which were a ratty shirt and a pair of pants he’d specifically chosen as his work clothes, streaked with all manner of soot both from his forge and his time working on his gold and silver pieces. At least he’d already stripped out of his protective gear. "Underdressed."

Adar smirked in humor as their gazes met, and saw a smile break out on Celebrimbor’s face as well. "That you are. I already prepared the shower for you, and took the liberty of putting out some clothes for you," he winked, and then turned back from the workshop, aware that Celebrimbor was still hiding something behind his back and wanting to give him some privacy. "Come to the living room, once you are done."

"That is- very thoughtful of you. Thank you Adar," Celebrimbor replied, and Adar turned over his shoulder to see the other throw him a grateful look. He wasn’t sure who was looking at the other with more fondness in that moment.

"Anytime. Now go, I will complete some last preparations and then wait for you to join me."

Adar found himself glad that he had something to busy his hands with, during the time that Celebrimbor showered and changed. His earlier preparations had helped dispel some of his nervousness, but it had steadily risen again as he waited for his partner to come to the living room.

It wasn’t just the fact that he’d prepared everything for a cozy time between the two of them, no, his gift was the thing that made him fidget and pace the room. He knew Celebrimbor liked the things he made by hand, but this was...different. His present had taken a long time to make, and as was usual with things that took time, doubt had sown itself in Adar’s mind whether or not the other would even like it.

Was it too much? Was the idea itself silly? Would Celebrimbor be flustered about it? Would the other truly like the piece, or only the fact that Adar had made it?

He was likely being ridiculous, he knew as much, at least in the back of his mind. But that didn’t make him feel any better about the situation. He glanced at the large present by the couch, hidden under wrapping paper and a bow, itching to put it away and dash to grab the store-bought emergency gift he’d prepared, in case he might chicken out.

Just before he felt his resolve give, however, he heard steps coming from the first floor, down the stairs, and then quickly moving towards the living room.

Adar swallowed and straightened himself as Celebrimbor walked in through the open door.

He looked lovely. Hair fluffy from the shower and an attempt at towel-drying it, with his natural curls falling in his face and making him look at least 10 years younger, dressed in his favorite Christmas pyjamas – a horrible, gaudy thing, but even Adar couldn’t deny how soft they were. Forest green, made out of velvet of course, patterened with depictions Celebrimbor’s favorite plants – holly.

He also looked quite stunned, as he let his eyes move around the living room, took in the lit fireplace, the couch, the way Adar stood in the middle of the space and shifted from foot to foot. Which the dark-haired man stopped doing as soon as he became aware of it; he wasn’t usually one to fidget. And he didn’t want Celebrimbor to think that something was wrong.

Nothing was. It was all just in Adar’s head.

Bad thing being that Adar was in there, too.

The other still held something clutched in his hands, but it had been wrapped in cloth, and Adar couldn’t hope to guess what it might be, or why Celebrimbor had brought it. His attention quickly slipped away, more focused on the other’s reaction to the setup.

"This is- wow," Celebrimbor breathed, and looked at Adar in awe. "This must have taken hours."

"It did – good thing you were occupied in your workshop, that way I didn’t have to do it in secret," Adar winked, and was glad that the other wasn’t saying anything about how he could have helped. Adar was glad whenever the other offered, but in this instance, he’d wanted to do this on his own. He’d have likely not been able to work up the courage to go through with this in the first place, otherwise. "I wanted this to be something nice, just for the two of us. It’s...part of my Christmas present to you."

If possible, the other looked even more stunned, his eyebrows disappearing into his hairline and his mouth briefly hanging open as he stared at Adar. "C-Christmas present?" He stammered, "Adar, you know you didn’t have to-"

"I do. But I really wanted to," the dark-haired man explained, and just barely kept from picking at his fingernails as he looked at Celebrimbor. He took a steadying breath and explained, "I figured, since this is the first time we can enjoy a Christmas day on our own in a while, that we should make the most of it, and have it be special. And I also- the gift I have for you isn’t something I wanted to give you with many people around. It’s...special, too."

"O-oh," the other replied, and Adar could see him clutch whatever he held in his hands tighter. "In that case – I am- this is- Adar, this is wonderful," he finally managed, obviously a little overwhelmed, and smiled at the dark-haired man.

"I hoped you’d like it. Now come, sit. I have something to give you," Adar said.

This was it. No backing out now.

Celebrimbor nodded, and moved over to the couch, "This is already such a wonderful present, getting to spend the evening with you. All the time you put into this- and then you have something to give me as well?" There was a bit of humor in the other’s voice. "You spoil me."

"Indeed. And gladly so," Adar replied, and saw his hands shake as he picked up his present. But Celebrimbor’s words were already putting him at ease; he had a way of doing that. It was clear he already considered this as something precious, the way Adar had prepared everything for them. He was certain that if he hadn’t mentioned the present, the other would already cherish the evening as it was.

One more reason why Adar wanted to give him this gift so badly. He overcame his own apprehension, those doubts that still lingered, and walked over to hand over the wrapped package.

"Here. I hope you’ll like it," he said.

"I have no doubt I will," Celebrimbor replied, devastatingly, disarmingly nonchalant in his certainty that whatever Adar might have chosen for him, he would enjoy and appreciate it. He took the gift as if it was precious, or fragile, despite how soft it was even through the thin wrapping paper.

As sappy as it sounded, it almost felt as if he was holding Adar’s heart in his hands in that moment. Adar knew he would handle it with care.

The other was slow and methodical to unwrap the present, gently opening the bow and pulling apart the paper without a rush, as if cautious not to rip or damage anything accidentally.

Soon, a large stack of fabric was uncovered, a myriad shapes and materials and colors, and as Celebrimbor stood and unwrapped it, it became a large, square shape, longer and wider than Celebrimbor himself was. Even when he stood on the couch itself, it was almost too long to reach the floor.

"That is-," he looked at the large piece, eyes moving over each part slowly as he tried to find words. "This is a patchwork blanket, isn’t it?"

Adar felt pride swell in his chest and nodded. "You are correct. It is," he smiled. His heart felt full, seeing the way Celebrimbor already beheld the quilt as if was something exceptional, something significant.

"You handmade this, didn’t you?" the other asked, and held the upper edge of the blanket to his chest with one hand, while using the other to spread out different parts, behold them, stroke a careful palm over certain pieces or trace the stitchings and shapes on others. "That must have taken...more than hours. Days. Weeks!"

Of course the other had an inkling as to how long it had taken. Celebrimbor, too, made things by hand. He’d seen Adar knit and crochet in the past, sometimes even sew. "I think 'weeks' is the pretty close. If I added all the hours together, certainly," Adar confirmed, with a gentle smile and a nod.

Celebrimbor’s eyes were wide, his expression so awed it seemed almost overwhelmed. "You must have put so much time and work into this...for me?" He blinked again, but this time, his eyes shone. "Adar that is...I don’t even know what to say."

"Perhaps I should give you a bit more context for this piece. But first, please, sit again," the dark-haired man gently advised, and helped Celebrimbor by offering him a steadying hand as the other sat down on the couch again, still looking at the quilt.

Adar reached out a hand, and touched it to a green square at the top, close to Celebrimbor’s chest. "Do you recognize this?" he asked, voice soft. Seeing that particular patch again brought back memories.

The other looked at it for a while, before he frowned and tilted his head, as if raking his brain. Adar could see the moment when he grasped at what his partner was saying. "Wait- is that-?"

"Part of the sweater you wore when we first met each other, yes," Adar finished, and found his own eyes getting a little misty as Celebrimbor’s lifted from the blanket, their gazes locking. They both still remembered that day. Celebrimbor had been working in a different profession, back then, and they’d been at one of Adar’s concerts. "Remember how I told you I’d take care of it, when it ripped and you wanted to throw it away?"

Celebrimbor stared at Adar, eyes still wide. "...you have worked on this since back then?"

Adar nodded, "I’ve had the idea ever since we met. I knew- I think I knew I wanted to be serious about you right away. I didn’t start until a year ago, but I’ve collected pieces to add to this probably since the beginning," he admitted.

He pointed to another square. This one was a crochet pattern, in green and black. "This I made on our first vacation together, when you went out to take a hike and I stayed in the cabin for a few hours. You almost caught me when you came back," he smiled, the memory a fond one.

Celebrimbor stared at him incredulously, then chuckled as he seemed to remember. "Oh you! I knew you were up to something – I remember how you claimed you’d read Rúmil. You held the book upside down when I came in, by the way."

It was Adar’s turn to look surprised. "I did?" He tilted his head. "Why didn’t you say anything?"

Celebrimbor shrugged and smirked lopsidedly. "I figured you’d fallen asleep and were embarrassed, or something to that effect. You had claimed you would cook us some dinner before I returned, after all."

The two of them laughed at the memory for a bit, then turned their attention back to the blanket. The mood became sentimental, and reverent, as they went over more of the squares; it was a trip down memory lane, but told through pieces of fabric, just as Adar had intended.

A piece of a table cloth, not the exact same one from their first, official date, but Adar had gone back to the restaurant and gotten to buy one they would have thrown out soon as a substitute. He’d decorated it with a depiction of the meal they’d had, using embroidery thread – and enduring many pinpricks to his fingers, none of which had left any traces on the fabric, thankfully.

A pillowcase, from the first time they slept in their shared bed in this house after they’d moved in together, the date and address stitched into the corner.

A knitted piece, depicting sage, both blossoms and leaves – Adar’s favorite flower –, which he’d made during a tour with his band, and finished on the last evening of it, before Celebrimbor had come to the last concert of the tour and surprised him with a home-cooked meal and a booked hotelroom, so Adar could get some good, proper sleep before driving home the next day.

It continued this way for the whole blanket. Scraps and pieces refashioned into a bigger one that showed their relationship, their shared history of the last few years, and most importantly – their love for each other.

It must have taken at least an hour, more likely two or three, going over almost every single square, talking and reminiscing together, before Celebrimbor looked up at Adar and said, "I love you. You have no idea how much. Seeing this, it’s a reminder of that, and all the reasons why I do."

"That was the intention," Adar grinned, before he sobered, and reached out to hold the other’s hands in his own. "I love you too. Collecting these pieces, each proved to me that what we have is something extraordinary, and profound, and something I wouldn’t miss for the world. As corny as it might sound, this quilt feels like our relationship, since it is made up out of so many moments we spent together, just like our relationship is. I think it’s...it shows how far we’ve come."

"I don’t think it’s corny at all," Celebrimbor breathed, and smiled brightly. His eyes were impossibly soft. "I think it’s the most romantic thing that I’ve ever received. I don’t think anything could ever possibly compare, with all the time and care you have put into this."

His words were sincere, his look fond. It took Adar’s breath away. His first instinct was to deflect, to reach up to rub the back of his neck, look to the side, make a quip about how Celebrimbor liked kitsch and therefore wasn’t impartial. But he swallowed all of that down.

"I am...very glad you think that way. And that you like the present. It makes me very happy," he replied instead, and squeezed Celebrimbor’s hands.

"I love it," Celebrimbor confirmed, and then reached up to cup Adar’s cheeks, before he leant over and kissed him. Adar gladly accepted the kiss, and soon returned it. The both of them were a little emotional, rightfully so, as they crowded close and pressed kisses to each other’s mouths, held onto each other and then finally, embraced as Celebrimbor peppered little kisses to Adar’s jaw and cheeks, and Adar buried his nose into the other’s hair.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you," Celebrimbor whispered, breathless and awed, into Adar’s ear, who held tighter onto Celebrimbor and placed a gentle kiss to his temple, then another to his locks.

"Of course," he replied, voice low, his heart so full it felt ready to burst. He felt oddly light, and safe, and so very cherished. Glad that Celebrimbor liked the present, and with the reminder of all they shared, he was just so utterly grateful.

To his surprise, Celebrimbor soon drew back, holding onto Adar’s shoulders as he pushed back from their embrace. There was an oddly determined look in his eyes, which had Adar blink at him.

"I think- no, I actually have something for you as well," the other said, and reached for the little piece of fabric on his lap. Adar had almost forgotten about it.

(Celebrimbor’s POV)

Celebrimbor was fairly certain he’d never been so nervous in his life. Not when he’d publically disowned his father and the rest of his family. Not when he’d decided to end things with his ex. Not when he’d quit his previous job. Not even when he’d presented his first collection as a jewelsmith to the public, his friends, and his boyfriend.

Not even when he’d decided to take a risk and accept Adar asking him out for the first time, or when the two of them had decided to be serious about each other and a possible relationship just a few days after their initial meeting.

A few days ago, when he’d first gotten the idea for Adar’s present, he’d been so self-assured of his idea. It had just seemed right, as they both stood under that mistletoe and kissed, Adar looking so incredibly attractive with that one strand of hair hanging in his face, the way he’d smiled softly at Celebrimbor and then immediately gone to fetch the two of them a drink right after, always looking out for them both.

He’d spent the time when Adar had fallen asleep that night frantically sketching, trying his best to be quiet and utterly relieved he hadn’t accidentally woken up his boyfriend with his antics; the ideas has simply flown out of him, too fast to contain.

He’d also spent every free minute in his workshop, being truthful insofar as that he told Adar that he’d gotten inspired, but not quite telling him in what way. The other was ever-patient, reminding him to come out and eat, but willing to let him get his ideas out of his system in the times between.

Celebrimbor remembered Halloween had been very similar, with Adar having spent a lot of time composing new music in the times when the two of them hadn’t decorated the house or the frontyard. The jewelsmith was glad that they both were creatives, and understood one another’s need to be creative, even if it came at inopportune or unexpected times.

So Celebrimbor had worked, time flying by as he fashioned the piece he had in mind. He felt as if he was floating on inspiration, and the drive to create – the drive to make this little piece in time before Christmas was over.

Only when it looked like he might actually succeed with his plan, did second thoughts begin to creep in.

Was this too much? Would he ruin Christmas, making something like this and presenting it to Adar? Would he pressure the other if he did this? What if the other felt inadequate for not having a similarly impactful present?

What if he refused Celebrimbor’s gift, and everything that came with it?

It had been that last thought that had made Celebrimbor stop pacing his workshop, his finished piece in hand, and shake his head at himself. Of course he would never presume to know Adar’s heart in its entirety, but- they both had already taken so many risks with their relationship. Would never have gotten this far if they didn’t.

This wasn’t any different; trust and confidence had gotten them to this point, and if Celebrimbor stopped trusting himself and Adar – their relationship – now, it would be a disservice to their previous struggles and accomplishments alike.

So, when Adar came to retrieve him for their evening together, looking cozy in that unique way of his, wearing an eager yet anxious expression of his own, Celebrimbor had swallowed his own insecurities and decided to take yet another risk.

He couldn’t have known that Adar had taken a risk of his own. Perhaps he should have been able to guess it; the two of them fit each other so well, after all, despite how different they were at first glance:

Celebrimbor, who had decided to turn his life around in the middle of it to take up the family occupation, and become a smith who worked only for himself. Who loved the Christmas spirit in all its facets and shapes and felt no shame standing in the living room, humming along to generic popsongs on the radio as he cleaned. And Adar, who had an exclusively all-black wardrobe, loved Halloween and had been making music with other people for all of his life, despite all the curveballs that same life had thrown at him, who wouldn’t be caught dead listening to pop music – except if Celebrimbor asked him to.

But they also had so much in common, too. Both of them creatives, both of them with a chip on their shoulder, both of them a little odd in their own ways.

In a way, Celebrimbor felt it was confirmation of his own plans and intentions, when Adar ended up presenting him with the quilt he’d made. And what a beautiful thing it was, a labor of love, with so much thought and work put into it, which had taken Adar weeks to assemble, but years to aquire and prepare all the pieces.

Nevermind that he’d taken the time and effort to turn their living room into a very nice, beautiful space for them to spend the evening together, just the two of them, some hot chocolate – and a new, warm, soft quilt to huddle underneath and appreciate.

It made Celebrimbor’s own nervousness fall away. He wouldn’t get a better moment than this, a moment where he’d feel this confident, this certain that he was making the right choice. This moment felt perfect.

If not now, when?

He reached down and lifted the bundle of fabric up in his hands; it didn’t look like much, due to the fact that he had completely forgotten to prepare anything more fancy to wrap the piece in, and so he’d merely taken a rag from his workshop.

At least the piece itself was hidden in a little box, which he slowly pulled out of the fabric while keeping his eyes on Adar as he did. The other had looked quite relieved at Celebrimbor’s reaction to his quilt, and now seemed mostly curious, head slightly tilted as he watched Celebrimbor fumble with his own present.

He blinked as the little box came into sight. Then his eyes seemed to widen, if only slightly – it was obvious that he had an idea as to what this particular piece could be. Celebrimbor beamed, even as his hands shook a little bit.

When their eyes met, Adar looked openly confused. He did his best to hide it, but Celebrimbor had learned to read him well over the years. And, truth be told, the jewelsmith was quite certain he hadn’t been subtle with the packaging he’d chosen.

It was a little velvet box, in black. The shape was familiar to both of them; Celebrimbor had used a similar one for his last collection of rings, which had also been inspired by Adar, and his band’s music.

He took a shuddering breath, and held Adar’s gaze as he began to speak.

"Do you remember, a few days ago, when we stood under that mistletoe at the party?" he asked, trying to ease both of them into what he was about to do. He saw Adar still, and then slowly nod at him, eyes moving between Celebrimbor’s face and the little box that he held clutched in his hands like a lifeline.

"When we did, I looked at you, and couldn’t help but think how lucky I am to have you in my life. You looked...lovely, as you always do, that night. But somehow, that moment was- special. When you went to get us some drinks afterwards, I looked up and at the mistletoe, and thought of our favorite plants. And I suddenly had an idea."

He grew a little sheepish, and scratched his cheekbone with two fingers, "Which is why I got holed up in my workshop for so long. I had the urge to make this piece, and I really wanted to get it finished before Christmas ended."

He held out the little velvet box, one hand beneath the bottom, one ready to open the top, the side that would open turned towards Adar.

Realization was beginning to dawn on his boyfriend’s face now. He looked almost like a deer caught in the headlights, and his hands were clutching the quilt before him, before they lifted and gripped Celebrimbor’s upper arms, as if he had to steady himself.

Celebrimbor took another breath, and slowly eased the case open.

The sheer look of surprised awe on Adar’s face would be forever imprinted on the back of the jewelsmith’s eyelids. He smiled brightly, and looked down at the piece as well.

It was a ring. Made from silver and gold, the former because it was Adar’s favorite metal, the latter because Celebrimbor favored it. Beset with small gemstones in violet, red and green, as well as some clear ones, the metal formed the shapes of entwined plants:

Holly, and sage, and mistletoe.

The center of which was a beautiful, clear gemstone, perfectly cut and without any imperfections.

Even to the untrained eye, it was obvious that this was meant to be an engagement ring.

The jewelsmith could hear Adar suck in a breath as his grip on Celebrimbor’s upper arms tightened, and their eyes found each other again. Celebrimbor expected to see yet more surprise, or perhaps overwhelm, in his boyfriend’s eyes.

What he saw instead was hope, and an inkling of joy that was steadily growing as Adar continued to look at him.

With his smile stretching across his own face and growing confidence in his heart, Celebrimbor carefully picked the ring out of the box and held it up, then discarded the box itself to put his free hand onto the back of Adar’s, stroking the skin there with his thumb.

"I feared this might be too much, but- your gift showed me that this was the right call to make. Seeing our relationship laid out like this, in pieces of fabric, in all these beautiful memories, I think there is no way for me not to do this," he explained, voice almost a whisper between them.

"I cherish every single moment we have spent together thus far, and I’d like to spend so many more moments with you in the future as well. I want us to spend the rest of our lives together, and to make more such beautiful memories. Enough to make another quilt out of, and more."

His smile turned watery, and he felt himself getting misty eyed. Adar wasn’t faring much better, however – his eyes darted between Celebrimbor’s own as he swallowed, lip faintly trembling, breath uneven. Subtle signs that this was emotionally affecting him, much more than one might grasp by looking at him with a cursory glance.

"Adar, I love you. Would you consider making more of these wonderful memories with me? Will you marry me?"

He had barely finished his sentence, when Adar began to crowd close, hands at Celebrimbor’s cheeks and their noses soon pressed together, frantically nodding as he gasped out, "Yes, yes – of course-, I will, I will-," and then he pressed their lips together, desperate and sudden.

Celebrimbor barely managed to take a gasping breath, and then they were kissing. He almost lost the ring as they moved, and only managed to hold onto it by some strange miracle. His arms wrapped around Adar’s shoulders and his hands grasped the back of the other’s head as if by themselves, as Adar’s words repeated in his mind.

I will, I will, I will-

Only slowly did it register, what he’d just asked, what the other had just said, that he’d agreed-

With a noise of happiness, Celebrimbor pressed back against his boyfriend and kissed him back just as frantically as the other did.

Adar was quick to react, and shifted his hands behind Celebrimbor’s back, before he pulled him forward and onto his lap, both of them grasping at each other to get even closer, wound so tight that nothing could have possibly separated them.

In their eagerness, they lost their balance, and tipped to the side, right into the soft mound of blankets and pillows Adar had prepared for them. Celebrimbor found himself even more grateful for Adar’s preparations as they did, before his attention was pulled back to what they were doing.

They gasped, and would have laughed if not for their lips still being locked together. Celebrimbor simply wrapped his legs around Adar and clung to him like a human octopus, not that Adar minded in the least.

They only broke their kiss when they felt the need to breathe, both gasping as they peppered kisses to each other’s lips, cheeks, eyelids, temples, any part of the other’s face they could reach. Adar was rubbing their noses together, and Celebrimbor had grasped Adar’s hair with one hand, the other curled around the ring but sparing two fingers to claw into Adar’s Christmas sweater in an attempt to hold on.

Only after another few minutes did they finally manage to lean back a bit and look at each other, both of them breathless. Celebrimbor laughed in joy, and at the position they now found themselves in. Adar similarly chuckled, and brushed Celebrimbor’s curls back from his forehead, touch gentle.

The jewelsmith smiled at the other, eyes fond, before he reached out and pulled one of Adar’s hands free. Both of them were fixated on their hands as he took the ring, and gently eased it onto Adar’s finger – it fit perfectly, as Celebrimbor had known it would. Having measured Adar’s fingers for a previous collection had really come in handy in more ways than one.

The piece looked beautiful on Adar’s hand. The two of them stared at it for a long time, watching it glint and sparkle in the firelight.

"It’s very beautiful," Adar breathed, and turned towards Celebrimbor. "Especially since you were so fast. You must have spent every single second in your workshop on this."

"I did," the jewelsmith confirmed, and kissed the tip of Adar’s nose. "Only the best for you. And, well, the fastest, in this case."

Adar snorted, and then grinned. "Well, it’s quite fitting. I spent the last couple of days frantically finishing the quilt as well. I didn’t quite anticipate that Gil-Galad would bully us into helping him decorate, or account for Glug realizing he hadn’t gotten you a present last minute."

It was Celebrimbor’s turn to snort, and then brush back some loose strands of hair from Adar’s face. "Well. It seems to have worked out for the best, at least," he joked.

"That it did," Adar replied. This time when they kissed, it was a gentle press of lips.

"Speaking of which," Celebrimbor said, and turned his attention to the blanket again. "Shall we make use of your present, and tuck ourselves in? Also that hot chocolate tray you prepared looked quite-"

Celebrimbor didn’t get to finish his sentence. With wide eyes and a gasp, Adar drew back. Celebrimbor likewise began to sit up, and they both looked over to where Adar had left the tray earlier; they both feared that their earlier tumble might have upended the tray itself – and its contents.

Thankfully, that did not seem to be the case. Some of the cookies had spilled out of the bowl, and the whipped cream didn’t quite look picture-perfect anymore, but nothing worse had happened. They heaved a sigh of relief; cleaning the couch or the blankets would not have made for a perfect ending to their Christmas.

As it was, they chuckled, and then carefully untangled themselves. The moments after were decidedly ordinary, despite the fact that everything about the situation was out of the ordinary; they went and righted the tray, put the wrapping paper and ring box away, and finally spread out Adar’s blanket before they crawled under it.

Soon, Adar had slung his arm behind Celebrimbor’s back and drawn him into his side, where the jewelsmith readily cuddled up, their legs tangled as they eased back into the pillows, as Adar pulled over the tray with the thermos of hot chocolate.

It was Celebrimbor who took it upon himself to distribute the hot chocolate between them, his with whipped cream and marshmallows and a bit of caramel syrup, Adar choosing only a cookie to dip into his.

They spent several moments afterwards by just looking at the ring and the blanket, linking their fingers and turning their faces towards each other, to kiss, to brush their noses together, to smile lovingly at each other as they settled.

"This Christmas truly is perfect," Celebrimbor ended up saying, some time later. Adar smirked and nodded in agreement.

"Indeed it is," he confirmed, and then fell quiet for a second, before he chuckled and shook his head. At Celebrimbor’s questioning gaze, he explained, "I just realized we get to call each other fiancé now. I – like it."

Celebrimbor smiled and felt his eyes light up. "You’re right!" His grin grew sheepish. "I must admit, calling you my boyfriend always felt a little odd, considering that we are. Well. Not teenagers anymore. Fiancé has a nice ring to it though. Pun intended."

Adar rolled his eyes, though it was clearly a fond gesture, before he replied, "Agreed. Boyfriend never felt quite right. Partner felt much better-"

"Ugh, no, that makes it sound like we work together," Celebrimbor argued, and then twitched and made a noise of protest when Adar playfully jabbed his side. "It’s too formal!"

"Good thing we took care of that, then," Adar replied.

"Indeed. I realize now the proposal was practically self-defense in that regard," Celebrimbor joked, trying to look grouchy but missing the mark by a mile; he just couldn’t stop smiling. "And you do realize that we’ll have to tell the others, don’t you?"

Adar stopped, and looked vaguely apprehensive for the first time since he’d presented Celebrimbor with his own present. "...are you implying that we should tell them? Right away?"

"Uh-huh," Celebrimbor confirmed, and chuckled at Adar’s responding groan. "I am afraid there’s no way to avoid it. I am also afraid they’ll insist on a party, some time after New Year’s."

"Well. I suppose we can handle that. As long as it’s not Christmas themed," Adar said, and found himself jabbed in the side this time, soon followed by more laughter.

They did end up falling asleep on the couch, some hours later. Though not before Celebrimbor had taken out his phone and snapped a few pictures to share with their friends – with Adar’s permission, of course.

Perhaps he should have suspected that he and Adar would wake up to their phones getting blown up with messages and questions from friends, family and acquaintances when he did end up referring to Adar as his fiancé in the captions. Or perhaps he and Adar had both decided it was way easier to just post about it and then tell the others the details later, instead of making a big, official announcement.

Aside from the two of them, nobody would ever know for certain.