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lochallthedoors · 2 months ago

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Noel Versus the Council Skies Tracklist

Context: If you pick just one interview of Noel's to read/listen to from the Council Skies promo run, chances are that interview will feature Noel complaining that he fucked up the tracklist--that he now believes "Think of a Number" should have been first and "I'm Not Giving Up Tonight" should have gone last.

I find his obsession with the album's messaging kind of fascinating in the context of whatever led up to the Oasis reunion, so I thought I'd put together a masterlist of interview excerpts where he explains why he made the choice he did and why he wishes he could go back and get a do-over.

I have thoughts but they're very rambly so they're going in the tags. The focus should be on the transcripts here anyway.

NME Interview Posted 3 June 2023

Noel: "Think of a Number," yeah, it's got a Bowie feel to it. If I had my chance--if I had my time again, I would have had that as the opening track on the album. I've kind of--yeah, that's--that's--I mean, every album that I make, anyway, tends to be flawed in some way, and this is almost perfect, but that's the biggest flaw, is that the opening track, "I'm Not Giving Up Tonight," should be the closing track, and "Think of a Number" should be the opening track. But I didn't think "Think of a Number" was strong enough until it was too late. You know, and, uh, yeah--what a dick. But there you go--I'm allowed to be a dick when it's my own music, so. later in the interview Interviewer: I mean, you talked about how, uh, Council Skies was about you asking "how did we get here, and how did I get here?"--as in you, not me. I know how I got here. Um, did you find any answers? Noel: (pause) No, I think--I think the last line of, um, "Think of a Number," although--although it should be the first track on the album, I think the last line of it is perfect for an ending of an album, which is--is--it's like, "let's drink to the future / I hope it comes round again." Did I find any answers? No, but I will--no, I will find them, though.

Radio X Interview Posted 8 June 2023

On "I'm Not Giving Up Tonight" Noel: The biggest or the most interesting thing, or what I find interesting is I--this should be the closing track on the album because it ends with a lot of hope, you know I mean? "I'm not giving up tonight" and all that. And I, for some reason--the track that closes the album, we'll get to that obviously at the end, but, um, I didn't feel the track that closes the album was strong enough to open a record with. It's a big, epic kind of affair, and I thought that would be a bit obvious. And, uh, I thought "I'm Not Giving Up Tonight" would be a great way to ease into a new record. If I could go back now, I'd--I'd have it closing--closing the record, but it was too late to change my mind. But, um, I do like that song. It's, uh--it's, uh--yeah, it's got a great vibe that's slightly reminiscent of Buffalo Springfield, and, uh, Gem plays a great guitar part on it. And, uh, yeah, I mean, it's--I don't know. Kennedy: Yeah, yeah, no, it's interesting. I mean, it's got the strings on it, it's got the horns on it, and there's a little bit of the gospel choir, and-- Noel: Yeah-- Kennedy: Those are all elements that are through the record. Noel: But I guess the sentiment of it is a song of defiance, you know? "I'm not giving up tonight," and that, you know, obviously writing these things in--in lockdown there was a bit--there was a bit of that in--in a lot of the songs. But, yeah, it's a grand--it kind of sets it up perfectly because it's a--it's a grand kind of opening, but it's a bit laidback as well. On "Think of a Number" Noel: I love the song. Now--and it's me playing the guitar, so it's really epic, and, so, as mad as this sounds, I didn't think that song was strong enough to open a record with. I liked it, right? And I did, and--and something inside of me hung in there with it, and--I don't like closing records on a negative kind of, uh, almost, um, what's the word I'm looking for--uh, pessimistic kind of, um, feel to it. The last line is, you know, "let's drink to the future, I hope it comes around again"--that really should have been the opening track on the album and finished with "I'm Not Giving Up Tonight," you know? That would have been the journey through the lockdown and isolation and all that. But as that song went on, I was like, you know, just didn't feel it was strong enough. I thought it was just a bit standard High Flying Birds rock kind of tune. Obviously, when we finished--when I finished it and mastered it, the penny dropped one night at home, and I was like "Oh, God," you know. And then you do the frantic "Can we change it?" and it was like, "No, we pressed up now. What are you doing?" Um, so it really should have been the opening track, but I love the lyrics on it, and they paint a really pessimistic picture of the future, which is what I was feeling at the time. And, yeah, there's some great--the lyrics are really visual, and, um, yeah, it's--I mean, it's an epic rock tune, and it's--it's got the full production and, yeah, really great.

XS Manchester Drive Posted 9 June 2023

Note: For the clip of Clint calling out Noel's pause, see definitely-rubbish's post here

Noel: Let's do a track called "Think of a Number." Clint: "Think of a Number"--now, this is the--it's the actual last track on the album, innit? Not including the bonus track? Noel: Mm-hmm. Yeah. Clint: When I heard this--and I made some notes--some of the--"Let's drink to the future / I hope it all comes 'round again." It sounds like you reaching out to somebody. Noel: Well, uh-- [Long pause] Clint: That was a brilliant pause! Noel: I could never-- Clint: That pause was amazing. It's gonna sound great on the radio, that! Noel: I could never decide if that track should have been the opening track or the closing track. And if I had my time again, I'd have it as the opening track, because the track that is the opening track, "I'm Not Giving Up Tonight," would end the album on a real--"I'm not giving up tonight"--a kind of sense of hope. But with this song, right up until the death--I never thought it was strong enough to open a record. I thought people would go, "You know, okay, well, I was expecting that from him." And--yeah, I kind of bottled it a little bit and put it as the closing track, which ends on a really bleak note, you know? Uh, but there you go. You know, you live and learn.

SoCal Sound Interview Recorded June 9, 2023

Harcourt: The opening track is "I'm Not Giving Up Tonight," and, I mean, that's full-on. Noel: Mm-hmm. Harcourt: There's bells, there's whistles-- Noel: Oh, yeah. Harcourt: It's--it's the whole thing. Noel: Yeah. Harcourt: Uh, is that at the beginning of the album for a reason? I mean, it sort of seems to set an intention. Noel: Yeah, I should have actually had it as the closing track. I think--I think there would have been a--well, so, the--the closing track is a track called "Think of a Number," and, actually, the entire track listing was set in stone very, very early, apart from these two tracks, and I kept flipping them, just to listen to at home, and I kept flipping them, and I--ludicrously, I actually thought "Think of a Number" wasn't strong enough to open a record, and I thought people would be expecting a big, kind of--and, actually, in hindsight, I should have had that as the opening track, because it would have meant the album would end on a more positive note, whereas it ends on a bit of a bleak note. Harcourt: Mm. Noel: But that's the one change I would make. Um, but, no, it's ["I'm Not Giving Up Tonight"] not there for any specific reason other than I felt like, for this--you know, my albums always open up with something huge, and I thought for this one, maybe something a bit more understated, um. But it's a fucking great song. Harcourt: It is a great song. Noel: Yeah, it's a great song. Harcourt: Yeah. Noel: The way that it--the way that it came out sounding is amazing. Yeah.

#think of a number #i'm not giving up tonight #cs album #things #noel interview #noel versus the cs tracklist #2023 #nghfb #lyric analysis #i spend too much fucking time thinking about this #but if council skies is telling a story and if that story has anything to do with liam and an oasis reunion #then i feel like noel's raging internal debate about how he should begin and end the album #is kind of cool to look at #the tracklist we got and the one that apparently seduced noel into going with it means the album opens on a joyful note of defiance #an attention-grabbing message maybe to 'pretty boy' since that was always meant to follow the opener #in INGUT noel's saying he's ALREADY decided he's not giving up #and there's dancing and music and his assurance to someone that he'll be that person's port in the storm etc #like harcourt says it feels very intentional #and then the album ends on sober negotiation and uncertainty about the future--like ok now what? where do we go from here?#noel doesn't say in any of these interviews when he changed his mind--just that he did when it was already too late #but if the oasis reunion became a certainty around that same time then i think it's plausible that he started thinking about the narrative #and how much better it would have been to start the record on the sober negotiation and end with the joyful/defiant message #to make it so that council skies better reflects the journey to the reunion he was already living #also as an aside #noel did tell rolling stone in 2023 that think of a number as well as DTTW are the two songs on CS about his divorce #but i don't think that precludes the possibility that some part of think of a number is also directed at liam #as clint boon seemed to be hinting

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greenleaf4stuff · 2 months ago

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In Convenience - Chapter 6, part 2

Adar x Celebrimbor (silverscars) political marriage to marriage of love AU, post story snippet 6, part 2. The battle for the wine chalice goes into Round 2, and Celebrimbor is done playing nice. The two husbands watch new connections form between the elves and the uruk, Celebrimbor reflects on how far they have all come, and Adar has a small gift to give him.

(all previous parts of "Of Convenience" and "In Convenience")

This is again mostly just nice vibes (with a little bit of suggestiveness at one point, but nothing happens), and small little moments between characters. The fluff fest continues. The gift Adar gives Celebrimbor is inspired by @plotdesigner's uruk lore, as well as a Person of Interest/Tolkien AU fic called 'I Have Quite Forgotten Their Names' that I read ages ago but still remember small parts of. A big Thank You again to everyone, and I can't wait to see you for the little 5+1 aside that I will soon begin uploading as well. Enjoy! <3

After the ceremony had been concluded, the feast was indeed starting to become much more enjoyable, to Celebrimbor’s great relief. They could all finally eat and drink at their leisure, though both Adar and Gil-Galad seemed to 'accidentally' keep the wine just out of the smith’s reach. Again. After a few instances of this, he caught onto the fact that the two had begun to see it as a fun game, instead of them strictly trying to prohibit him from having any.

Well, most games required multiple participants, and Celebrimbor had no qualms about not only engaging in it, but meeting them both on equal footing.

When Gil-Galad yet again handed the chalice to Adar and pretended to forget the Lord of Eregion in between them, and the uruk threw his husband a little smirk as he poured his own drink, Celebrimbor returned it with a deceptively sweet smile of his own.

And then leant over Adar, deliberate about pressing himself to as much of his husband’s body as he was able to, wholly uncaring about whether he might make a fool out of himself in the process. Judging by the brief sound of choking coming from Gil-Galad, he might have taken out one opponent already.

Adar himself was quite the picture, with how off-guard his husband’s actions took him, especially so when Celebrimbor kept smiling and softly, but audibly, asked, "Would you mind handing me the wine as well, Beloved? Or could you perhaps pour me some, if you do not wish to be parted from the chalice?" with a flutter of his eyelashes, and while he squeezed Adar’s upper arm.

Considering that the other had moments of teasing the smith both innocently and not-so-innocently, Celebrimbor thought it only fair to return the favor, and settled his other hand high on Adar’s upper thigh. He was fairly certain Gil-Galad had turned away from the two of them by now.

Adar wasn’t one to fluster easily, so to see him grapple with the sudden closeness and Celebrimbor’s unexpectedly bold demeanor was quite the sight to behold. The smith couldn’t keep the triumphant grin off of his face when the uruk brought the chalice closer and poured the elf a cup without complaint or even a sly remark.

Celebrimbor merely moved back onto his seat, though not without placing a small peck onto the uruk’s cheek as he did. "Thank you, Adar," he breathed, and then leant back to enjoy his drink and continue his meal as if nothing out of the ordinary had taken place.

He could see the uruk studying him intently from the corner of his eye, and as the smith turned his head slightly to the side, cup in hand hiding the smirk and the gleam of his eyes, the look on Adar’s face was knowing – and wanting.

"Very persuasive, Tyelpe," he remarked, going for dry humor and landing on something that sounded a tad too husky not to be mistaken for anything but blatant interest. "Maybe you might wish to give me some lessons in your...unique diplomatic approach."

The elf grinned and winked at him, while Gil-Galad very loudly cleared his throat behind him. Further down the table, Elrond was patting Galadriel’s back, who seemed to have accidentally inhaled her own drink. When Celebrimbor looked over in concern, however, her expression displayed approval, despite the fact that she was wiping reddish droplets from her chin and mouth with a napkin.

He threw her a wink as well, mirthful, and turned back to Adar. "Oh, I can do that, most certainly. I am sure we could-"

"Enough," Gil-Galad grouched, quietly. Where he’d usually have felt reprimanded, Celebrimbor only felt vindicated now, and continued to enjoy his wine. He’d already been met with reproach for worse in the last few weeks.

He turned to Gil-Galad, "Actions have consequences, Ereinion," he said pointedly, but the grin utterly betrayed his humor. "Maybe behaving in a more mindful manner in the future will ensure I don’t have to use this kind of diplomacy more often."

Gil-Galad looked like he desperately wanted to argue or at least reply, but knew, just as Celebrimbor did, that this particular day was putting the elf and his husband in a unique position; it would not do to try and berate the Lord of Eregion during this important occasion.

With a sigh, the High King merely gave Celebrimbor a look of disapproval, and turned back to his own food. "I will keep that in mind, Tyelperinquar."

Oh, the use of his full name, that was likely the precursor to trouble down the road, but for the moment, the aforementioned Tyelperinquar did not much care, kindly thanked his High King, and also turned back to his dish.

There was a touch at his lower back, then, and he found himself glancing sideways at Adar once more, who was the one who had extended his hand – dangerously low on the smith’s backside. It seemed someone had decided to change sides, and was giving Celebrimbor a very distinct look.

Adar’s voice, however, remained matter-of-factly when he said, "As will I," in reply to Gil-Galad’s words. If the High King suspected anything but deference, he voiced no remark in response to it. Celebrimbor certainly found himself looking towards the end of the celebrations for one more reason, now.

"Good."

Time passed peacefully and without much further teasing afterwards, though this was likely due to the fact that Celebrimbor had eventually caught Adar’s hand in his own and linked their fingers to avoid either of them becoming too forward. Using his fork with his left hand was something the smith wasn’t terribly used to, but more than doable.

Truth be told, he enjoyed holding Adar’s hand – his fingers smoothed over rough but warm skin, small scars and pronounced veins, and even found their way to Adar’s braided wedding ring more than once. It was grounding, especially in the light of how busy the day had been so far.

Adar returned the gesture, his own fingers not quite as curious as his husband’s, but eager to explore nonetheless, brushing gentle fingertips down the back of Celebrimbor’s hand and thumbing the elf’s ring in turn.

They only stopped due to the fact that, while he was able to use his fork with his left hand, Celebrimbor did not want Adar to get his gauntlet dirty on accident. But before he could draw back his own limb, Adar brought their joined hands up to his lips to kiss the elf’s knuckles delicately. Only then did he let Celebrimbor part their hands from one another.

Getting to do this was still novel in a way; their relationship was still new, despite how quickly it had grown and profound it had already become, and Celebrimbor was often reminded how small the chances had been for their plan to succeed. He was grateful that they had the time and peace to enjoy this easy intimacy now.

As he thought of peace, the Lord of Eregion’s gaze swept over the various other tables in the square. He knew countless more had been put out onto the streets and other squares in the city, to provide seating for the citizens of Eregion and the uruk of Mordor. He still considered the initial seating arrangement to be the right decision, but he found himself a little wistful that nobody seemed intent to breach the gap and wander over towards the other tables to interact yet.

Maybe he’d been too optimistic, hoping the guests, the uruk or the elves might do so on their own?

That was, until he saw Mirdania catch his eye. Ever perceptive, she was studying Celebrimbor as if she was trying to figure him out. He smiled brightly at her, hoping his temporary dip in mood would not cause her to worry, and raised his glass in the blonde’s direction.

Instead of putting her at ease, she frowned a little at his reaction, gaze intense, before she looked over the crowd. There was a determination in the set of her shoulders. Confused, the smith watched his assistant, and then felt his eyebrows raise as she stood up, stepped back, grabbed her plate and goblet, and began to walk over toward the table where the uruk sat.

Celebrimbor, for his part, was holding his breath. He did not dare look away, but in the periphery of his eye, he thought he saw several others watch the blonde make her way across the square as well. Even a few of those servants, who had been kind enough to work instead of celebrating themselves, had stopped in their tracks.

Mirdania, however, would not let herself be deterred – she came to a halt next to Gurlak, and Celebrimbor found himself pleasantly surprised, then elated, as various uruk made sure to bring over an empty chair and let her squeeze in between them, so the smith was sat right next to her uruk counterpart. Who first looked surprised, and then very pleased.

She patted Mirdania on the back, as was her usual friendly manner, though with far more restraint than she usually awarded Celebrimbor. The elven lord tried not to feel too jealous, considering Mirdania was far more petite than himself, and even he felt himself ache whenever Gurlak was particularly enthusiastic about greeting him, or showing her humor.

His eyebrows threatened to disappear into his hairline when, soon after, he saw her throw her arm over the back of Mirdania’s chair and lean over, comfortably in her personal space as the blonde elf ate and began to chat with Gurlak and the uruk’s assistants, wholly at ease with the physical closeness between them.

Celebrimbor and Adar both had seen signs that Mirdania and Gurlak must to have gotten to know one another better, maybe even begun to become acquainted, but nothing to the extent that he could see now.

He was nudged by his husband, who wore an amused but similarly surprised expression as Celebrimbor’s own. The elf smiled, gaze wandering between his husband and the two fast friends, only to see Nethiel, the newest apprentice of his, also grab her own plate and hurry after Mirdania. She, too, was quickly given a chair to sit on, and one or two of Gurlak’s assistants soon drew her into a conversation of their own.

He also saw Gurlak grab a few grapes off of Mirdania’s plate, who stilled, looked disbelievingly at the grinning uruk, then stole something right back with a cheeky grin, causing Gurlak to laugh loudly in response.

"We really should ask those two how they befriended one another, once we find the time," Adar remarked. His voice was soft, tone fond. He, like Celebrimbor, seemed relieved to see what was taking shape before their eyes.

They were the first among the elves and uruk to have such a close relationship, whether as allies, friends or lovers. Seeing others follow their example, be curious and open and willing to forgive old hurts in favor of peaceful coexistance – even friendship – was a promising sign. Hopefully, it would prove to be another step towards a future they all would soon share.

The other attendees watched the proceedings with curiosity, from what Celebrimbor could see as he looked around, but at most, he could see confusion on their faces.

It did not happen immediately, but once people had begun to turn back to their conversations or their food and drink, other elves and uruk got up and began to walk between the tables, shyly asking to use a vacated seat or simply sitting down when they found an empty chair.

New conversations were soon had, starting with the smiths of the uruk and elves, and continuing among the builders, then those that had helped with the sun tarps, the guards, and so forth.

Once again, Celebrimbor sought Adar’s hand to squeeze it. The elf felt hopeful, and saw that same sentiment reflected back at him in his husband’s face. As he turned to his High King and friends, he saw similar expressions on theirs as well.

They still had a long way to go, but like with Dísa and Durin and Narvi’s visit, with Arondir’s and Adar’s willingness to shake hands, this could be a precursor to better things to come.

All too soon, so much of the time had passed that the day had begun to turn into evening, and the warm, orange rays of the sun were cascading over the city, turning it into a sea of gold and glitter.

There was still plenty of food and drink to be had, but most people had turned away from these to talk instead – case in point, the square had been cleared of the long tables for the elves, uruk, and the delegations of the other realms, and rearranged them to line the sides of the square, with the people freely mingling in the newly emptied space.

Musicians and singers had joined the proceedings, not just elvish ones but from the uruk, dwarves and men as well, who performed various poetry and song to entertain the guests.

Gil-Galad was throwing a glance at Celebrimbor and Adar, who both pointedly ignored the subtle hint; the High King had been suggesting that they should dance at their own wedding celebrations multiple times throughout the preparations, and on each and every such occasion, the elf and the uruk had steadfastly refused. Neither of the two was much of a dancer, whether by interest or by skill, and would prefer to leave that honor to others, thank you very much.

At the king’s continued insistence, Celebrimbor had pointed out that it was also customary for one of the married parties to have a dance with a parent, and if no such parent was available, another person of authority in their lives. And then continued to look at Gil-Galad with a raised eyebrow.

The High King had been very quick to change his tune after that. He, too, was not one for dance – sometimes he could be persuaded after enough drink and at a late enough hour, but neither of that would have held true for an official, honorary dance with Celebrimbor. Seeing the point the smith was trying to make, he finally acquiescenced on trying to convince the wedded couple.

Of course, Galadriel had been eagerly offering to dance with Celebrimbor instead. Her offer had been an honest one; she was a fantastic dancer, and seemed to become a wholly different person whenever she got to indulge in it, becoming carefree and light and joyful as she moved to the music and sang along.

It had been what had first enchanted her husband Celeborn to her, and the smith knew the weight of her offer when she made it, especially so with how serious she was, when otherwise she might have taken the chance to tease the smith.

He had still declined an official wedding dance, but he would gladly join her for an informal one later on in the evening if she wished. Even though he dreaded it just the slightest bit, her fond smile was very much worth the offer.

Now, she was one of the many people walking around or standing in groups on the square. Gil-Galad had remained seated, but Narvi and Dísa had taken Elrond and Galadriel’s places next to him, while Adar switched with Celebrimbor, all four of them in a discussion about Khazad-Dum and what might be lurking in the darkened depths of the mountain.

Elrond and Durin had joined the dwarven delegation instead, talking animatedly from what Celebrimbor could see. The two friends were undoutedly trading humorous barbs by the look of lighthearted indignation on Durin’s face and Elrond’s cheeky smirk, with the other dwarves offering their own commentary at times.

Mirdania, Nethiel and Gurlak had remained close to another as well, pointing at and discussing some of the decor that had been hung up. He smiled at the way Mirdania motioned to a metallic piece that had likely been made by her and was being used to hold a bouquet of flowers to a lamppost, then saw Gurlak throw her an incredibly fond look, before the blonde elf turned to her and the two looked at an uruk-made piece decoration together instead.

He also saw Galadriel, who had briefly stood by the smiths but was quickly making her way to another group, almost flitting between them. The reason soon became clear as the Lord of Eregion watched her, and it caused him to chuckle in mirth.

There was a small gaggle of uruk children, mostly girls from what he could tell, who looked at Galadriel with huge moon eyes as they whispered among themselves and followed her around, always a twenty steps behind. The way Galadriel looked over her shoulder as if spooked was quite hilarious to behold, truth be told, considering she usually stared down ice trolls and large enemy forces with nary a blink.

She eventually noticed him staring and grinning in her direction, and so she made her way over to him with a questioning expression, throwing another look over her shoulder.

"I think you have acquired a small army of admirers," he quipped fondly as she came to stand in front of him. The incredulous surprise on her face caused him to laugh.

She looked over her shoulder once more, and raised an eyebrow as she turned back. The uruk children were still standing some way off, half-hidden behind a group of adults, but their gazes did not waver from her for one second. They did not look scared in the least, but rather, almost mystified.

"But how? Or why?" Galadriel asked. He knew what she meant – her past with the uruk was not exactly a peaceful one, so it had to be jarring that the young children weren’t terrified of, but curious about her. But that was a good thing, in Celebrimbor’s opinion, even if it would surely take some getting used to for the blonde.

He continued to smile at her. "Well, for one, you are one of the most beautiful elves in all of Middle-earth, and nearly all races of Arda enjoy beholding beauty," he gently said, then held up his hand as she made to rebuke him. "And also, you are a fierce warrior, which in their culture means something different than in ours, as I understand it. Of course they would be fascinated."

He paused, and slightly tilted his head at her as she did the same; his in fondness, hers in confusion. "How about talking to them?"

He half-expected her to look at him as if he’d gone mad, but instead she merely took a long moment to consider it, before she turned and looked over again. The children had moved closer in the meantime, obviously working up the courage to breach even more of the distance.

A sigh from her and then, "They are just children. I never- you are right," she replied, and turned to him to incline her head and give him a smile in turn.

After which she faced the children, taking two steps towards them before she sank to her haunches and beckoned them over. The smith could just imagine the smile on her face, and delighted in how it helped the children overcome their shyness as they slowly came over towards her, forming a half-circle.

Two of them had little clusters of flowers in their hands, and after asking her a few questions and staring in wonder, she tilted her head towards the girls so they might carefully tuck their blossoms into her hair. Haphazardly, in the way children’s hands typically tended to be a bit clumsy, but the gesture was a sweet one all the same.

Celebrimbor could only guess how sappy the look on his face was when Adar squeezed his arm and the elf turned to his husband, who was also staring at the scene before them.

They both took in the festivities, the people around them, the countless little moments they were allowed to witness. Celebrimbor knew the feast was important for everyone, but to him, the important things were the small instances of understanding and harmony, like the uruk children talking to Galadriel, or Nethiel, Mirdania and Gurlak standing together, and even the small exchange of gifts between Adar and Arondir earlier.

Change would not happen overnight, or due to a single feast, or even due an important, shared victory. It would take time, but it would happen eventually. Was already happening, right in front of their very eyes, small and incremental.

The elf was pulled from his thoughts when Adar turned his upper body fully towards him, and Celebrimbor did the same as if on instinct. The other wore a small smile as he moved in. The smith did not even have to think twice, and the two soon touched lips before resting their foreheads against one another.

"This is very beautiful, isn’t it?" The elf quietly asked. "I know I said I wanted this day to be over as soon as possible, but I think I am actually quite enjoying myself now."

Adar hummed and lightly nodded, trying not to dislodge Celebrimbor from where they touched. "Agreed. Now that the formal proceedings are over, it is...nice, to watch everyone be merry. They deserve to have that. As do we."

The elf could only agree, but before he could open his mouth to do so, Adar was reaching down and brought forth something from inside his cuirass, something that he seemed to have tucked away there.

It was a small leather satchel. He handed it over to Celebrimbor delicately, and in the close space between them, the elf slightly turned his head down to hold it in his hands for a moment, before he opened it, slow despite the anticipation he felt.

It was a lock of dark, slightly wavy hair, braided together and adorned with small, carved beads, made from wood and metal. The braid was knotted in places, woven in others, different lengths and thicknesses. A beautiful, intricate piece of work.

He looked up, a memory coming to him- "You mentioned braids have a special meaning for the uruk," he breathed. "This is more than an ornament, isn’t it?"

The other nodded, appreciatively, and the two separated so Adar could cup Celebrimbor’s hands and point at different sections of the braid.

"It is a...family tree, I think you would call it? Elrond showed me the written records you and your people keep," a light smile, then he began to explain. "Traditionally, the braid would only mark the family tree of the one giving it, but I thought this would fit much better. This is us, here in the middle. Above is your family line, and below, that of my children."

He took time and care to explain each detail – how the beads marked several generations, what runes and materials corresponded with what family lines and amount of children in each, and other such things; a thoughtful, elaborate way of record-keeping that Celebrimbor could only marvel at.

"I love this," he replied, searching for words in how to convey how much he already treasured this gift, how much joy it brought him, the bone-deep love he felt for his husband in that moment. "The way you joined our families into one, our past and our future. Thank you, Adar."

His smile was bright, a little watery perhaps, causing Adar to wipe a gentle thumb under his eyes before he cupped Celebrimbor’s cheek and kissed him again.

"And I love you," Adar replied, smile and tone warm with affection. "I’m most glad you like the gift."

The elf nodded. "I do, I do," and then, "I love you, too."

It was quiet, intimate, personal moments like these that counted, more than any feast, any grand gesture, any great amount of people that might see. This – this was the moments Celebrimbor cared for, and would cherish. He and Adar both. Both of them smiled as they kissed once more, and were rather content to ignore everything else going on around them as they did.

#Gil-Galad continues to regret all of his life choices. At least he's not sitting between the two husbands or it would be even worse.#One might think it's dangerous to separate Gil from the wine. Well turns out - it's just as dangerous to do that with Celebrimbor.#Also yes I actually went and searched what the fic was called that originally gave me the idea of the uruk having strands and beads #to record their history with - this fic came out before TROP but had some lovely ideas and concepts regarding the uruk #I love the idea of this gift because - Adar has no ancestors and Brimby has no children. So they match in that regard as well.#Past and future and all that. I thought it was very neat.#mine #of convenience #adar #adar trop #adar the rings of power #celebrimbor #adar x celebrimbor #silverscars #trop #the rings of power #marriage of convenience trope #political marriage trope #fanfic #my fanfic #my trop fanfic

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