A/N: Here's your fluff! Review!

Chapter Fifteen: Declaration

I couldn't sleep again.

Since this whole adventure had begun, I had found myself growing closer and closer to Faramir. I thought we were friends, at least. I dared even hope close friends. But now...now, he had stopped talking to me, and avoided me. Whenever we feasted together in the Golden Hall, I would catch him watching me with a look of pain in those wonderful gray eyes. Yet whenever I looked at him, he would turn abruptly away and begin talking to whoever was sitting next to him.

Boromir was going around snickering and refused to tell me anything at all. Arwen had no idea what was going on, and neither did Aragorn. Éomer knew something, but I could tell he didn't even have half the true story, so I didn't bother to ask him.

My confusion and half-despair only added to the insomnia caused by a longing that had sharpened to pain. Soon, I could no longer bear to stay in my chambers, and I went out to the wall again, taking my hair-clasp as always, and leaving my Rider pin behind. I didn't realize the symbolism of this choice until much later.

I regretted my decision as soon as I got up there. A shadow against the moon turned swiftly as I stepped onto the top of the wall, and I realized it was Faramir. My heart twisted so painfully that for a moment, I could neither speak nor move. It was too late then to go back. I knew he had seen me and I could not pretend I couldn't see him.

"My lady," he said softly. I suppressed tears; he no longer even called me by my name. "Insomnia?" I nodded, still unable to speak, and came to stand beside him. "I too find myself unable to sleep."

The pain I heard in his voice was too much. Even if he was hurting because he loved another woman, I would help him as much as I could, because I loved him. How could I deny him the chance to be happy? "My lord," I said, clenching my hands, "why is there such pain in your voice? Can I help?"

"There's nothing wrong. I..." Something seemed to overcome him and he swung around to face me. "No, there is something wrong, and I can be silent no longer. How much do you love my brother?"

That caught me completely flat-footed. Boromir? The one man in the universe I loved thought I was in love with Boromir? "I'm not," I said, too astonished to lie even if I wanted to. "I never was. He irritates me."

Faramir released a long sigh. "He will be disappointed. Not that you don't love him," he added hastily, "but that you haven't fallen prey to his charms." A wry smile twisted the corner of the Steward's mouth. "He seems to think no woman can resist him."

"He can just think again," I retorted, too tired to be polite. "I've already fallen prey to someone else's charms."

Faramir's shoulders, which had relaxed, tightened again. "Have you now. May I ask who?"

The pain was doubled now. And suddenly everything came crystal clear: the way he watched me, why he avoided me and spoke rarely when we were together, the jealousy and pain in his voice when he spoke of Boromir.

Faramir loved me.

He loved me. Me! For once, I wasn't speechless. "Why, you, of course," I replied, as seriously as I could.

His shoulders tightened more. "Stop teasing me."

"I am not teasing you!" All my pent-up emotions released themselves in a sudden flood of tears. I felt humiliated and embarrassed, to cry in front of him, but what could I do? "I love you, and I have since Sauron was defeated..." The disbelief on his face cut me to the heart. What if I had been wrong? "What do I have to do to convince you? Anything you want, I swear, just believe me!"

His face didn't change. I turned away, still crying. He didn't believe me. I had broken open my heart and told him everything, and he didn't believe me.

A gentle touch on the back of my head stopped me where I stood.

Slight tugging on my hair, then he stepped in front of me, his face full of wonder, holding my hair-clasp. "You kept this?"

I nodded. "I have worn it as often as I could. I thought...I felt as if you were still near me."

"You really love me?" The awe brought something else into focus: he had always been second-best. He feared that I would reject him as not good enough. My poor Faramir! Well, I would see to it that he knew he was not second-best to me.

"I really do." I swiped a hand across my eyes, knowing if I cried much longer, my nose would swell up and turn red, and that was hardly attractive.

"Oh...oh. I thought.."

"I think I know what you thought," I interrupted gently. "You've always been second-best...you thought I loved Boromir." He nodded, smiling reluctantly. I smiled in return. "Well, I don't."

"I still can't quite believe.." he began, then stopped, running a hand through his hair and giving me a surprisingly shy smile.

Well, if he still couldn't believe me...

I did the only thing I could do under the circumstances. I kissed him.

His arms slid gently around my waist, pulling me closer to him. I didn't pull away. Maybe I should have. Oh well. All I know is that I don't ever want Éomer to find out what we did next.