Disclaimer: I don't own the characters but the ideas of this story are mine and yes they came out of my own messed up head.
A/N: I don't know where this came from it just came to me one night while I was trying to HTML new stuff for the web page and it wouldn't leave me alone so we'll see where it goes. I know more or less where I want to go with it and where I'm going to end it, but we'll se how it ends up writing. Since when I write things they usually do not end up going the way I plan to take them. *laughs lightly* So yeah we'll see. This more or less follows the books.
Setting: During the stay in Lothlorien and after that till the breaking of the Fellowship when Frodo and Sam head off on their own and Boromir's death.
Denial
By: Jaya
Chapter 3 - Comfort of Warriors
It had been some days since they had departed the shelter of the Golden Wood, leaving it behind for the boats that carried them swiftly along the river. All except for Boromir had been reluctant to leave the shelter of the forest behind, though all had gone. There was a noticeable change in the Steward of Gondor, almost something that could be called akin to excitement or anticipation. Despite the grim circumstances of their journey and the dark shadow that loomed ever nearer, oft a smile could be found upon his countenance.
Even with the noticeable rift that had grown between Aragorn and Legolas. Though the two were civil with each other it was nothing more then that, and despite himself Boromir could not forget what he had seen that night in Lothlorien, nor the aftermath. The tears he had seen upon the Ranger's face the strange vulnerability that did not see to belong there. Yet somehow he longed to see it again; even as Aragorn pushed them on farther and faster each day. Nor could he forget the evening they had spent together, talking. Nothing more then that had happened but it had brought two men closer together, if not physically then emotionally and that was a start.
Boromir waited till the others were asleep, before raising walking over to where the other man was sitting watching the fire with an almost brooding expression on his face. He lay a hand on Aragorn's shoulder, waiting till he looked up, their eyes meeting. "May I have a worth with you?" He asked in a quiet voice.
Studying him for a moment, Aragorn finally nodded setting his pip down on his bed roll before raising and following the Steward of Gondor away from camp so that they would not wake the others, knowing quite well that Legolas especially was a light sleeper. Aragorn's eyes strayed to the peacefully face of the elf for a moment, seeing some of the strain that had been there the past few days lifted. He knew part of it was his fault, part of it was his doing but he could not find it in himself to do something about it. Legolas had pushed him away and in doing so something had changed, something he had not wanted to change but it had changed none the less. Then there was Boromir.
"Aragorn?" The Ranger shook off his thoughts turning away from camp to find Boromir watching him with a strange guarded expression that set him on edge even more so then he had been the past few days.
"What is it Boromir, speak." The man looked away from him, and when he didn't say anything, Aragorn reached out to put his hands on his shoulders. "Please Boromir what troubles you." There was a look of genuine carrying in his eyes now compared to the far away, brooding look that had been there earlier.
"Come.." Boromir said instead, brushing Aragorn's hands off his shoulders unable to stop the shivered reaction. "They will be fine for a bit of time, Legolas would wake just as soon as you would notice."
Aragorn hesitated for a moment, before relenting to his own curiosity and the look on Boromir's face. He'd come to care about the other man more then he had admitted to anyone even himself, in a way that he cared about Legolas, yet different. Aragorn didn't know how to put that difference into words but it was there, even more so as he followed Boromir through the woods farther from the boats, from the others, till only the sounds of the forest surrounded them. It was then that the Steward of Gondor came to a stop not turning to look at him for a moment.
"You're too tense Aragorn, too hard on the others. They won't say anything to you, not even Legolas will though he might if pushed farther. You can't blame your self for everything that happens, everything that is going to happen, you are only one man no matter how much you may want to be more then one place you can't be. We will all die out here, if we keep going at the pace we've been going and I don't think you are anymore ready to die then I am. Even though you have seen more and lived longer, except death perhaps yes, ready for it no." Boromir turned to look at him a searching gaze. "Will you let me help you Aragorn son of Arathorn. Can you give up your control if only for a little while, could you loose yourself in me?"
//I could loose myself in you Boromir, but would I be doing either of us a favor or would I just be hurting you as well as myself.// But for the moment Boromir didn't give him the chance to answer.
"I know you want the elf, aye and I can see why you do. Ne, do not be angered by my words, I know it is not merely lust I have.. seen it in your eyes Aragorn, sometimes you are more open then you know for one who knows what to look for. You love him, and I know this I am not asking of anything from you except for the time being, the present. What the futures holds the future will hold, and it will come when it comes. But the here and now, you will not help any of us by wearing yourself and everyone else ragged. You don't sleep at night, I see it nor do you rest when the rest of us do during the day, how much longer can even you go on like this? Blood of Kings you have but you are still only a man, you do have limits just like the rest of us."
Aragorn was silent for a long time, Boromir's words had stung, though he could see the truth in them the burdens of the company still weighted heavily upon his shoulders. Finally he sighed, looking up to find Boromir watching him with that same searching look upon his face that he had seen before. "Boromir I..."
"Only for a little while Aragorn let me carry the burden I can see in your eyes, just for a little time this night and perhaps other nights. Let me take it from you." Boromir took a step towards him, reaching out to rest a hand on Aragorn's shoulder. "Please Aragorn."
//Why... Why Boromir did it have to be you?// A little bit to his own surprise Aragorn found himself nodding yes to Boromir, as he was drawn into the other man's arms. A fierce hug.
Bringing his hands up to unclasp Aragorn's cloak pushing it from his shoulders and letting it fall to the ground, Boromir slowly ran his hands down the man's arms and back up. All the while never take his eyes from Aragorn's, slowly working the lacings on his shirt, rough finger tips running along skin. Aragorn shivered, suddenly finding himself pushed roughly up against the tree, pinned there by Boromir's body, the kiss that issued hot and demanding as Boromir explored his mouth. Almost unconsciously bodies grinding together, passion building from embers into a roaring bon fire.
Breaking the kiss for air, Boromir grinned at the look he saw in Aragorn's eyes, "Do you want me Aragorn?" He breathed. "You can feel me can't you." He pressed his heated body to Aragorn's feeling the reaction and obvious arousal of the other man as well. "Tell me you want me Aragorn."
A soft groan, "I want you Boromir." Came the quiet response, huskily spoken.
"Good." hooking a foot around Aragorn's leg, pushing him back away from the tree letting the two of them fall to the ground. Boromir on top, pinning the would be King to the ground. Aragorn's breath caught softly, as he looked up at Boromir, reaching a hand up to slide it behind the man's neck pulling their lips together for a heated kiss. Tongues sliding across each other in an erotic dance of their own, both of them fighting for dominance this time, taking and giving in turn.
Finally the kiss broke, and for a long few moments neither of them moved eyes locked as lips had been. The simple look sharing more then their words could, the flush of skin, the hungry look in Boromir's eyes and the understanding in Aragorn's. Slowly tongue drawn across rather bruised lips, it was Aragorn who spoke this time. "I want to undress you Boromir." He said in a voice akin to a whisper, as his hands ran roughly down Boromir's back feeling firm shoulders beneath his tunic.
There was an almost inaudible hitch in Boromir's voice, as he leaned forward to kiss Aragorn with a gentle passion this time, before rasing from his body. "Then by all means undress me Aragorn." He said holding Aragorn's gaze once more, offering him a hand.
Accepting the hand and letting Boromir draw him to his feet, feeling strange vulnerable before the man, in a way he'd never felt before. Pushing the thoughts to the back of his mind, reaching up to slowly run his fingers down Boromir's chest this time, feeling him through the fabric of his clothing, hearing the soft catch in his breath. Fingers purposefully moving up beneath his tunic teasingly for a few moments, before sliding out, this time coming to rest on the lacings of the tunic. Soon it slide away, falling to the ground followed by the light shirt beneath it, leaving Boromir bare chested in the shadows of the forest.
The two men so alike and so different, stepping back Aragorn studied Boromir for a moment, receiving the same treatment in turn. Each seeing the other in a rather different light, from bare chests, to flushed skin and the obvious need in other places. Then eyes caught once more, and before either realized, lips met in heated kisses, as hands quickly almost frantically worked to remove the rest of the impeding clothing, till skin pressed hungrily against skin.
So it came to pass that Aragorn and Boromir met in mutual need that had once been friendship to something more then that. When the chance came upon them, Boromir would draw him off into the forest to some secluded place not to far away from the others if trouble were to arise. But if there was too much forbidding it would be forgone for the night and both would wrap themselves in their blankets reluctantly alone. Though their meetings did not go unnoticed by everyone in the group. The Hobbits often too tired to notice after the days traveling, Legolas however was not so fortunate not needing as much sleep as the others by virtue of his race. He knew of the truce that had come between the two men, and it hurt more then he liked to admit. Legolas had never thought that one mere mortal could become so close to him as he had let Aragorn come. But he had, even though he had pushed the man away, he still believed it was the right thing, slowly he became more withdrawn from the group, only with Gimili was he more of his old self. Not all of it was due to the new development between Aragorn and Boromir, part of it was that fear of the future the unknowing, and the painful reminder of their own mortality that Gandlaf's death had provided for them all.
