Okay. In that case we shall both of us lean on him.

I haven't gotten the impression they mind, she smiles.

I wish he were safe in Valinor and I suspect he is, but the Enemy likes it, in the hallucinations, to have him here.

Ouch. Is there anything I can do to make this easier besides doing my best to make sure you don't have to see them? I haven't gotten the impression that any of your siblings would be any good at this, but I don't really understand them yet, maybe I've missed something.

My brothers are still trying to feel out whether I can lead them, it makes it inconvenient for me to lean on them too much except in practical ways, where they'll be tremendously useful. 

Mmhm. So we can't avoid it entirely, probably. Is there anything else that'd make it easier?

Avoid what entirely, interacting with hallucinations of my cousin? I don't need to avoid it; I need to apologize to him and so forth. I do that every time, even though I know it's not real.

Avoid interacting with them in ways you don't specifically choose to, then. If the Enemy likes doing something and it matters enough to mention, I don't want to do that thing, but I'm not going to stop you from doing stuff.

I mean, the Enemy usually sets it up so the only way to achieve things that would be really important if this were real, like the reunification of the Noldor and coordination on the war effort, is to make not-really-Findekáno pleased with me -

She makes an exceptionally expressive face.

So I'm expecting that someone circumstances will conspire such that I can't avoid him forever, and I do need to apologize.

Would it make things better or worse for me to make sure not to leave you two unattended.

Well, if this is real, we do in fact need to reunite the Noldor and coordinate for the war, don't we.

Yes, but since it is real and they don't want that, having me in the room shouldn't be a problem, right?

No.

Good.

And in the meantime I need to figure out how to murder a god.

Trust me, lots of people are thinking very hard about it. My brothers probably have more magic experiments for you.

Yes. Tomorrow first thing.

Thank you.

Not a problem.

She sets about making dinner - something that requires lots of chopping and mashing - and by the time there's a plate for her and a bowl for him she's a little calmer.

I didn't mean to distress you. Sorry.

Not your fault. I'd rather know, there's things I can do about it.

Sure. It's really fine - if it were the real Findekáno it'd be fine, I wronged him terribly -

They mentioned they wanted to hug you, she stabs a chunk of potato with a claw, except that they knew it'd make things worse, and I said it was going to be a while before anyone could, and they said they'd been expecting it to be a hundred years before they wanted to and that they were okay with waiting longer than that if you need them to. And I'm going to murder that god.

I am glad to be a persuasive object lesson in why it's necessary.