King Elk Forest of a boy ruled by the sun, burned by the things he could never touch

he shrugs, looking away awkwardly. his dedication to tindómë, its history, its preservation -- these things definitely originate in the bodies buried under rock and snow but he is past the point of feeling raw about it. and it's a good thing he's looking away, too, because when mato says i'm not sure what i would do without you he nearly chokes, and there is no way the way his heart thumps in his throat isn't audible. 

it really really

isn't

fair.

he finally looks back over when mato admits to almost leaving. "i would've gone after you," the nénar admits, trying to play it off as a joke, "so it's a good thing you didn't or the whole place woulda collapsed." (it's a joke hidden in a very honest truth: if mato ever leaves delight will go with him. he would more tindómë on his way out but he would absolutely go with him.)