Another chapter and a huge thank you to those for read, follow, and review.

Chapter 19

Year 3012

It had taken Harry nearly two years before he felt confident enough that his wards were holding, stretched along the banks of the river.

He had spent some time with Faramir travelling down towards Osgiliath to begin on the wards there while Boromir was away training.

They had begun the slow process to overhaul the rule of the Steward by starting with the soldiers. It wasn't meant to get rid of the man, Harry had yet to even meet the Steward, and the brothers while they didn't always get along with the man didn't want him hurt.

No, they merely undermined his light handed rule and directed the soldiers themselves - preparing them. Boromir was a man that the soldiers all looked up to and with Faramir and Harry backing him up behind the scenes, they were able to entice a new found vigour in the men of Gondor.

Boromir didn't tell them about the threat from Mount Doom across the plains, but there was enough whispers on the streets that it made the men want to protect their families.

Between the three of them (Gandalf was still travelling but corresponding via Arnis) they were slowly making progress.

With this, whenever Boromir would return and Faramir would leave to do errands, Harry and Boromir's relationship slowly started to blossom.

It took a lot of effort from Harry who was not used to being with someone, let alone a man, to start their interactions. But he was trying to show more of his supposed Gryffindor courage when it came to Boromir.

It started with small things, like touching Boromir as he walked past, or leaning against the Gondorian's side as they sat together. Small things that Harry felt like he could manage to do without any hesitation.

Then it became more - taking Boromir's hand as they walked around the field in the afternoon, or pressing a kiss to the stubbled cheek in passing. Things that became as easy as breathing, so natural that it didn't even need thought.

The biggest step had been the first time Harry had taken Boromir by the hand and they had bathed together at the river.

Boromir had kept silent as Harry undressed him, slowly, taking it all in. Boromir had stood still as he let Harry touch him, softly mapping out every limb and every scar.

Fingers slowly traced the curve of muscles and ran over the jut of bones. Boromir's breath caught in his throat as lips had followed those hands, gliding over tanned skin and coarse hair.

Boromir had smiled for the rest of the day.

It had been the first big step in their relationship and Harry had taken the lead. It had been a confidence boost for Harry to have been the one who initiated that step for them.

Not to say that they didn't get on each other's nerves. Their first fight had happened at the table with Faramir having to bear witness.

"I am not some damsel in distress that needs to be watched at all hours!" Harry yelled as he roughly pushed away from the table.

Boromir's face was dark with anger. "You will not be going alone to that terrible place! I forbid it."

"Who are you to tell me what I can and cannot do!" Harry rounded back to face Boromir, his hands shaking at his sides. "I am more than capable!"

Faramir sat at the table, quiet as he watched the two of them, his eyes flicking between them both.

"You are mine and you will do as I say," Boromir growled out.

"I am not yours, like some damn animal that you keep for pleasure! I am my own person and damnit, Boromir, if you haven't gotten that idea through that thick head of yours by now then you're not the man I thought you were! I am not one of your besotted bar wenches you can have complete control over! Do not treat me as if I cannot protect myself!" Harry spat out as he whirled around and left the farmhouse, slamming the door behind him.

Boromir let out a breath he hadn't realised he'd been holding in.

Faramir cleared his throat, making Boromir turn to him.

"Harry is right Brother, you cannot forbid him to travel alone if that's what Gandalf had asked of him." Faramir said, "it is not like he will be away long, just across the river for scouting. You know what Gandalf said is true - we need to see what lays at the borders of Mordor."

"I will not risk him going alone," Boromir gritted out, running his hands through his hair. "How can I let him go alone to that terrible place?"

Faramir looked at his brother closely. "I have never seen you like this, Brother. You truly do care for Harry, don't you?"

Boromir turned to Faramir. "Of course I do. I would die for him. That is exactly why I do not like him having to leave to a place I cannot follow! What if something were to happen or if he was taken to a place I could not reach? I- I do not think I could live with myself if he was hurt and I was not there..."

Faramir stood, laying a hand against Boromir's shoulder. "Go tell Harry that. Tell him why you said those things."

Boromir looked out the window. "I do not think he will forgive me so easily."

"And that, Brother, is where you underestimate the size of Harry's heart. Go to him," Faramir urged as he pushed him towards the door.

Boromir nodded to Faramir in thanks before he went outside, following the trail through the tall grass to where he knew Harry would be.

Boromir emerged by the riverbank to see Harry sitting atop one of the rocks there, gazing out across the water. Even as he approached, Harry didn't move.

Rounding the rock, Boromir knelt down on the rocky shore so he was eye to eye with Harry. Gently, he reached out and took Harry's hands within his own, silently pleading that he would not pull away.

Harry didn't.

Boromir squeezed the hands held within his own gently. "I am sorry for the things I said back in the farmhouse. I do not think you incapable or unable to protect yourself. I know you, I know how powerful you are, let alone with the aid of your magic."

Boromir took a moment to breath. He didn't want his emotions to take control of him again and make this worse.

"I was afraid, for myself more than you," Boromir said softly, "afraid that I would not be able to do anything to aid you if something went wrong. If I could not reach you across the border then you would be lost to me. I could not bear to even think of something so terrible happening."

Harry squeezed Boromir's hands back. "I'm sorry too, I didn't mean to raise my voice like that. I was just so frustrated - you were treating me like I was weak and fragile."

Boromir shook his head, "never Harry. I know you are not in need of saving or guarding but I just want to stand by your side through everything. Is that such a terrible thing?"

Harry looked at Boromir, seeing the sincerity in those grey eyes. He tugged at the hands that held him till Boromir fell forward and he was able to rest his head against the broad shoulder.

"No, that is not a terrible thing at all," Harry whispered.

Boromir let Harry's hands go as he wrapped his arms around his slighter frame. "I would die for you, Harry."

Harry wrapped his arms around Boromir's neck, burrowing himself down. He couldn't even bring himself to respond but he felt the arms around him tighten and he knew that Boromir understood.

Those words would mean more than any whispered sentiments of love.

In a world as dark as Middle Earth was becoming, to Harry, those soft words meant everything.