A very tense encounter indeed!

And an interesting choice to tag it for both of the twins. 

A riddle not (only) for Maedhros, but for the reader?

I really enjoyed reading this. I like the spiky uncompromising conflict in this- neither gives in, neither is soft. But there is, underneath it, not exactly hostility but something more... something more nuanced and interesting. My reading is that they both start with the possibility of comfort, or holding out something- Elros (I'm guessing but not sure it matters) gives and Maedhros gives his space and Elros moves into it. Each takes a step... but then Elros (?) retreats -because not to, would be a betrayal of everything else. Great writing. Really good scene-setting and characterisaction.