#(thats who the nazgul is; this is set at the battle under trees)

[arofili]

Elladan + Elrohir, #21 break or be broken, winter

You can spin it however you like but I'm obsessed with the 'chose who lives/dies' trope being somehow spun with this prompt.

The one and only thing I can't cope with, with these characters, is when they choose different fates , one Human and one Elf. I hate that so much. Otherwise anything goes.

(AO3 is Elladan_E)

“Break or be broken?” snarled the wraith in its foul tongue.

Elladan cast aside his sword, not watching as it skittered across the ground and off into the chasm below. His gaze was fixed on his foe, and his brother in the spirit’s grasp.

“Break me,” he declared. “I will never harm him.”

The Nazgûl laughed, a wretched, breathless sound. Casually as one might toss aside the husk of nut, it flung Elrohir aside. Elladan tensed at the dull impact his brother made as he hit the ground, but he dared not look away from the wraith.

He thought he heard Elrohir whimper. That had to be enough. It had to be. If Elrohir had died...

“He lives,” the Nazgûl growled. “For now. But you, half-breed, shall live no longer.”

Elladan stood firm as the spirit approached. He had no more weapons; his bow was broken, his arrows spent, his sword swallowed by the depths of the wicked forest below. He held his head high as the Nazgûl lifted its scythe, ready to bring it down and sever life from limb—

El! No! El!

He flinched. Damn him, he flinched. How could he remain still and stoic when his twin’s voice rang panicked in his mind?

Don’t—El, please—

I will see you again, Elladan promised, bracing himself for the inevitable blow. They’d talked about their Choices, but hadn’t made them; it never seemed pressing. But now, with the end so near...

Well. So long as they made the same Choice, they’d never be alone.

And if Arwen Chose mortality...

Elladan! Elrohir screamed in his mind.

See you in Valinor, Elladan said, then shoved his brother out of his mind.

The scythe lowered. Elladan closed his eyes.

A great blow knocked the wind out of him, and he heard the Nazgûl scream—but it was too late. Elladan crumpled to the ground, and everything went dark.

~~~

“Don’t ever do that to me again!” Elrohir sobbed, clinging to him so tight Elladan thought he might stop breathing (again).

He was awake—he was alive. He was home, in Imladris, and his father was watching him with an exhausted smile. Arwen stood behind him, her hands on his shoulders, sorrow in her eyes.

“El,” he croaked. “I’m...what happened?”

“Grandfather Celeborn saved you,” Arwen murmured. “And Grandmama and King Thranduil drove the Nazgûl away. You’ve been asleep for...weeks. But you’re awake now. It’s going to be okay.”

“Your fëa is strong,” his father said quietly. “It...you healed faster than I anticipated. It is as if...”

Elladan swallowed. “I—I think...”

Arwen nodded sadly. “I thought so.”

Elrond wiped away a tear. “I cannot say I am not relieved,” he admitted. “But with our Choice comes sorrow, no matter the decision.”

“I just...I thought I was dying,” Elladan murmured. “And I knew...you would sail eventually, Ada, and Naneth already has, and...and...” He looked helplessly at Elrohir. “I wanted to see you again. All of you. But...El, I’m sorry. We always said we would Choose together...”

“We did,” Elrohir croaked, his face half-buried in Elladan’s shoulder. “I Chose, too, the moment you did. You’d have known if you hadn’t shoved me out of our twin-bond—”

“I didn’t want you to feel me die—!”

“And you think I wanted you to die for me?” Elrohir cried.

“None of us is dead,” Ada said firmly. He very purposefully did not look up at Arwen. “We are all together still. And we will be for a very long while yet. The Quest succeeded! As soon as you are well, Elladan, we will travel to Minas Tirith, and Arwen...”

“My Choice was made years ago,” Arwen said softly. “But soon I shall begin to live it.” She walked over to Elladan’s bedside and kissed both her brothers on the brow. “El. And El. I love you. I suspected you would Choose this way...it is good that Naneth will see her boys again, even if she and I are forever sundered.”

“Arwen,” Elrohir whispered.

“We love you too,” Elladan echoed, and meant it fully. “And no matter our Choices, we will always be family.”