Hug. 

And the next time they're out in public, a kiss. He's very convincing.

She can do convincing, no matter how many faces she's making internally.

"Maybe Maitimo's just not very romantic," he muses, "but it'd be a sort of weird thing for him to be bad at."

"It kind of would. On the other hand, maybe he's so friendly with everyone all the time that his expressing-affection instincts are miscalibrated."

I got permission to tell you the secret but it should probably wait until we get back to the house in case you react noticeably.

This is a lot of dramatics. Yeah, that's fine.

It wouldn't surprise me if he just enjoys drama for the sake of drama.

Eventually they get back to the house.

Do you remember when I said that if I had liked girls and my parents had dragged me to Lorien I'd never be able to forgive them, and you commented that it was lucky I was nice and appropriately attracted to boys?

Yeah?

Marille isn't.

Thaaaat seems like additional reason she shouldn't get married. To my brother. Who is a man.

And it turns out he isn't attracted to girls. Which is. Most of the reason I expected her to need to consult him before giving me permission to tell you.

Huh. That explains a lot. Okay, I guess they can get married. 

I'm sure they'll be delighted to have your permission.

It's our job to look out for them! 

That is true. And it's a lot easier for me to look out for Marille because she tells me stuff like this. 

It's not that Maitimo doesn't trust me it's just that he's super paranoid. In general. He doesn't tell anyone anything that actually matters.

And I understand that but the fact that he's not keeping information from you because he doesn't trust you doesn't mean you have the information you need to look out for him.

Yeah. Have to try anyway though.

I know. It's one of the things I love about you.

I love you so much. I don't give a damn what the Valar think of the whole business but I'm glad I'm attracted to boys because you are one.

Yes, it's terribly convenient.

My convenient beautiful amazing ~husband~.

Forever and ever and always.

There are advantages to having waited to have this conversation until they were back at their house.

Oh, gosh, are there?