disclaimer: I don't own anything in this story, it's a non-profit effort to let people enjoy the yummy Boromir of Gondor and Peregrin Took.

thanks to [kitsune, master dingleberry, Morgaine, Lil Loki Puck, Flame Angel Lee Maxwell, MagiQueen, MarigoldG, LuckyClover, Tigerlily Sackville-Baggins,  and michett ] for all of your wondeful reviews! Very encouraging !

note: this is a two-parter because I think it could use some suspense about now. The second part will be up shortly, I promise !  So be my guest and enjoy the fic!

Cheap Shots and Elven Locks

Pippin plopped down onto a smooth surfaced rock, trying to ignore Gandalf's attempts to open the doors of Moria. The old man's voice could get very aggravating sometimes ( and not just because it was constantly telling him to sit down, or be quiet, or that he was a rare breed of imbecile ) and this was one of those times.

The night air was cool, and he settled back onto his palms and scrunched his nose to try to block the foul smell of the pond. The sound of soft footprints padded beside him, and he turned to see a leg clad in green inches from his face. He looked up to see Legolas standing next to him, looking nervous and gazing over the pond. He pinched some of the material of the Elf's pants and tugged.

"Yes, Master Peregrin?" Legolas responded in a quiet voice, so he would not disturb Gandalf's concentration. Pippin asked,

"Did you bring any beer on this journey?"

Legolas' otherwise smooth brow creased in a bit of a frown and his lips quirked to form a smile as he looked back to the pond. "Elves take no liking to the foul taste and effects of liquor." He grimaced, and Pippin could not tell if it was the smell of the water or the thought of beer that made him do so. He pinched his nose and pulled himself to his feet, standing on the rock he had sat on and looking around for anyone in the Fellowship that was not sleeping from boredom as Gandalf chanted on.

He wanted to talk to Boromir but it seemed the Captain of Gondor was in a heated discussion with the King of Gondor and Pippin decided not to bother them. He plopped down next to Frodo, who offered him a smile but said nothing. Aragorn and Boromir's voices floated down from their place on the higher rocks of the gates of Moria, and the young Took tried to drown the sound out but soon learned he could not. He wondered if the rest of the Fellowship heard them.

"I refuse to take a single step into those mines." Boromir's low but angry voice snapped. "There is nothing but danger and evil in there. The Gap of Rohan – "

"The Gap of Rohan is no longer an option, Boromir." Aragorn cut him off with a calm voice, and Pippin winced. He could feel the cold anger in the night air. "Saruman is watching that route. We, you and I, have no choice but to follow Gandalf into the Mines of Moria."

"I refuse."

"You cannot." Aragorn repeated, and his eyes moved to where Boromir's hand rested near the hilt of his sword. His fist was clenched, and the Ranger saw that Boromir was having trouble convincing himself that decapitating his King was a bad idea. "Boromir.."

'"Who is going to force me? You? Isildur's heir is going to force me to follow him into death's door?" Boromir's voice had quieted but volume had been replaced with sheer bitterness. It was obvious, and had been ever since they left Rivendell (and ever since that little sword fight), that Boromir did not trust the Ranger and further more did not appreciate being informed that his king was a Ranger.

"Then you will leave the Fellowship now and head for Minas Tirith alone?" Aragorn inquired pointedly, and only received muffled curses from Boromir. He risked putting a hand on the Captain's shoulder and forced him to look into his eyes. "We need you as much as you need us. Consider that, Boromir."

Boromir, being roughly fifty years younger and fifty times as arrogant and proud as Aragorn, growled something the Ranger would rather not repeat and jerked away, moving down the rocks to where the rest of the Fellowship stood. He stalked past Pippin, and the Hobbit watched him settle down in his own corner by the lower rocks. Pippin turned to Frodo and whispered,

"This seems like a bad time to talk to Boromir."

"Please don't anger him further, Pip." Frodo whispered back. "He has a lot on his mind right now. Go talk to Strider." Pippin, for once, heeded his cousin's advice and trotted up to where Aragorn sat on one of the smoother rocks. Legolas had joined him, but the two did not seem engaged in conversation.

"Hello Strider. Hello again, Legolas." he piped, rather loudly, and both Man and Elf placed a finger to their lips and shushed him. "Sorry…what are you doing up here?"

"Discussing arrogant Stewards and ill-mannered Hobbits." Legolas replied in a smooth tone with a smile, and Pippin glared at the Elf. The Prince of Mirkwood laughed lightly and quietly, which was a pleasant sound to any being except an insulted Hobbit. "I am sorry if I have offended you, Pippin." The Elf apologized with remains of laughter ringing off his voice. "Will you give us the pleasure of your company?"

Pippin nodded and took a seat between the two, but his eyes went to the long blond hair that spilled behind Legolas' shoulders. "I never noticed how long your hair is, Legolas." Pippin said casually, as if he were plainly trying to make conversation when in reality he was hearing the clink of silver and gold coins falling into his hands. Mr. Winkned, back home in the Shire, had always talked of wanting Elven hair as a trophy and how any Hobbit brave enough to wander far enough to get it would be paid well.

Mr. Winkned had everything from Dwarf ax-heads to a chunk of Gandalf's staff (sold to him by Bilbo, of course) and the only thing he lacked was Elf hair. Pippin felt his little mouth water with greed. Legolas did not seem to notice and was discussing the encounter with the wolves with Aragorn. Pippin pondered a moment realized he would need Boromir's help.

He scampered down the rocks and ran past Merry (lately he had been reluctant to ask anything of his fellow Hobbits), who looked up but just as quickly turned back to his conversation with Sam. The Hobbit's feet sank into the mud by the bank, and he repressed a yelp. Gandalf would not like yet more trouble from this Took!

With a sickening sucking sound, he pulled his feet from the mud and walked so he was standing before Boromir. The tall man was seated heavily with his knees drawn only a little distance from his chest with his elbows resting on them. He did not seem to see Pippin; his head was turned to the side and he appeared to be staring at the rock, his bearded chin tucked and his grey eyes distant. Pippin had to kick him in the shin to get his attention.

Boromir's eyes snapped up to meet the Hobbit's and for a moment it looked like he was prepared to attack. Then he relaxed and inquired in a huffy voice, "What do you want?"

"You're mad at Strider, aren't you?"

Boromir raised an eyebrow and replied suspiciously, "I am not going to challenge him to another duel, if that is what you are thinking, Peregrin Took."

"No, I wasn't going to suggest it." Pippin replied, looking at the ground and shuffling his feet. "But…"

"But what?!" Boromir snapped loudly, bringing the old Wizard's eye on the two of them. Gandalf frowned.

"Boromir, keep your voice down! You'll wake the dead!" he bellowed from his place by the doors. "I am trying to concentrate!"

"My apologies, sir," Boromir replied, and waited until the Wizard had his back turned again and continued to mutter at the doors. Boromir turned back to Pippin. "But what?" he repeated in the same agitated tone, but a quieter version of it.

"I was going to say that Legolas called you arrogant." Pippin informed his new friend, leaving out the fact that he had been referred to as an 'ill-mannered' Hobbit. Instead of raging like a beast and drawing his sword and declaring Legolas a dead-Elf as he expected, Boromir just shrugged his broad shoulders.

"I am arrogant sometimes."

Pippin, shocked at the lack of anger, tried again. He was desperate to form anger between the Man and the Elf. "He also called you an heir of a steward."

"I am that as well, Peregrin." his brow raised higher. "Where are you going with this?"

"He said you were ugly."

"No, he didn't."

"You don't know that." Pippin challenged, planting his small hands on his small hips. "You weren't there."

"I know Legolas, and I know that he cares not for petty insults." Boromir retorted, folding his arms and looking straight back at the Hobbit. "Is there something particular you want from me or him, may I ask?" he had momentarily forgotten his anger toward Aragorn and was now curious.

"I…well, yes."

"Then tell me." Pippin thought a moment, and then leaned in close, whispering what he wanted into Boromir's ear. Boromir let his raised eyebrow drop into a frown. "A lock of his hair?"

"Shh! Elves have good hearing!"

"Why do you not go and ask for it?"

"He would say no!" Pippin replied. "Help me get it! Please, Boromir…?"

The future Steward of Gondor pulled himself to his feet, and Pippin thought in the back of his mind that he did it on purpose just to remind the Halfling just why his kind were referred to as 'Halflings'. He pursed his lips and inhaled sharply through his nose, planting his large hands on his hips just as Pippin had.

"How am I supposed to do that? Hold him down?"

"You are strong enough, Captain." Pippin used his title in almost a mocking tone. Boromir looked at the Hobbit as though he had just mentioned the moon was green.

"I suppose I am, but what would the rest of the Fellowship think when they see me assaulting the Prince of Mirkwood." he replied in an even whisper, so Gandalf and no-one else would hear him. "Aragorn, the future king," the word came bitterly from his lips, as though it were a poison. "..Would certainly have his sword at my throat."

"Well maybe you could distract him while I took it." Pippin suggested. He gripped the knees of Boromir's pants and whined, "It would work!"

"No, it would not."

"It would so!"

"It wouldn't work!" Boromir growled, a little louder than he wanted to. Once again, Gandalf turned to glare at him.

"What are you two arguing about?"

"Nothing.." the two of them replied guiltily, not meeting Gandalf's eyes.

"Well if it's 'nothing' then be quiet!"  When Gandalf turned again, Pippin grabbed Boromir's hand and began to pull him to where Legolas and Aragorn were still seated and talking quietly amongst themselves. Before approaching, Pippin took it upon himself to feel around Boromir's waist and remove his knife (earning indignant protests from Boromir, of course).

"You can pretend to apologize." Pippin whispered, and Boromir rolled his eyes but promised to obey. The two of them walked up to the Ranger and the Elf.

"Hello again, Strider!" piped the Hobbit, and Aragorn smiled and lifted a hand to the Hobbit.

"Hello again, Pippin." he saw the way Pippin gripped Boromir's hand, and the look on Boromir's face. He did not want to confront Boromir just yet on their earlier disagreement, but felt he had no choice now. To his future Steward he nodded his head. "Boromir."

"Aragorn." Boromir stated rather dryly, and rudely. He did not bother to hide his disinterest and disdain toward the Ranger.

"Boromir has come to apologize for his cruel words earlier." Pippin spoke up, and Aragorn raised his brows at the Hobbit. Boromir gave the Hobbit an agitated nudge.

"They were not cruel, Halfling."

"No they were not." Aragorn agreed, offering Boromir a seat. The other man hesitated, then sat on one of the rocks, making sure he was right across from Legolas. The Elf's large green eyes were on him and the more the Elf gazed at him the sillier Boromir felt for aiding this Hobbit. Aragorn continued, "I understand your reason for not wanting to enter the Mines, Boromir, but we have not the choice."

"There cannot be anymore peril going through the Gap of Rohan than there is in Moria." his response held venom and he momentarily forgot his purpose for being there.

But now Pippin was directly behind Legolas, and still the Elf seemed not to notice.