shirebound - Thanks a bunch!
Leah Beth - Heehee, thanks! I've noticed a lot of my fics make people go "awww". I'm hoping that's a good thing. :P
Aldarwen - I'm going to assume I have talent with the cute stuff. ;) Yeah, I wish I could've made it go a bit slower, but I'm glad you liked it anyway!
Artemis-chan - Thanks so much!!
Madeleine541 - Thank you so much! I'm amazed at how well my characterizations of the hobbits are received because I've really worried about how I'm writing them. I'm very glad you like it!
quatre - Actually, sometimes the dialogue just seems to write itself, especially with Faramir and Goldilocks. Thanks!!!
Wow, I can't believe I've gotten so many great reviews for this story! Thank you all so much! Sorry this next chapter took so long - Darth Real Life pulled a sneak attack on me, so I didn't have much time to write for most of my stories. Hope I manage to make up for it with this chapter.
A Little Change of Heart
Chapter 5 - Motherly Wisdom
*~*~*
The Great Smials, 1449 S.R.
*~*~*
Faramir weaved his way in and out of the commotion of the Great Smials until he reached an abandoned corridor and opened the door that lead to the rooms granted only to his family. After he had closed the door, he sighed deeply and leaned against it for a moment. When he had been younger, the excitment of the Great Smials of Tuckborough had invigorated him. Getting attention at Crickhollow had not been much of a trial, but at the Smials, one young hobbit had to fight to be noticed, a challenge that Faramir would often leap at. But now, at nineteen, Faramir found himself longing for the cozy, comfortable life at Crickhollow, with only himself, his parents, Merry and Estella, and their two children. Life with the Brandybucks had not exactly been quiet, with Merry and Pippin's tendency to break into song, as well as Estella's habit of playfully teasing everyone within earshot; but everything at Crickhollow had been complacent and familiar, something the high populace of the Smials was lacking. Faramir now found that his only moments of peace in Tuckborough were when he was alone with his parents, and all else was quiet.
He only hoped it wasn't a sign of maturity.
Faramir set the apple core he had been nibbling on down on the nearby table and looked around the main room for signs of his parents. Seeing none, he called out, "Mum?"
His mother's voice answered him from the master bedroom. "In here."
He followed her voice into his parents' bedroom, where he found Diamond Took sitting in a rocking chair beside the fireplace, knitting. Faramir sat down opposite his mother in the chair his father usually used. He was silent for a moment, content to simply watch his mother as he collected his thoughts.
It had been almost a year since Faramir had first noticed signs of his developing feelings for Goldilocks, and he had assumed those feelings would diminish as time wore on. Much to his dismay, the opposite had happened, and he was now frighteningly close to admitting to himself that he was indeed in love with his best friend. He now found himself in desperate need of advice, and in his eyes, no one knew about love better than his parents.
For Pippin and Diamond, the road to marriage had been plagued from the start. They were met with disapproval from both sets of parents, especially from the Long Cleeve side. Though they loved their daughter, they felt she would make an unsuitable bride for the future Thain. Diamond had suffered a severe illness as a child which had stunted her growth and left her quite frail. No one expected Diamond would be able to bear children after such an illness, especially when it recurred from time to time; but Pippin had been relentless, and the couple eventually earned their parents' blessings. But that would not be the end of their hardships - though Diamond had managed to safely deliver her first child, her second, unexpected pregnancy did not end so well. She suffered a miscarriage, and though Faramir had been too young to remember much of the event, he knew it had almost torn his parents apart. But they emerged from the tragedy stronger and more in love than before, and it was but one of the reasons Faramir believed his parents could answer almost any question regarding love.
Diamond seemed to sense her son's unease. "Something wrong, Faramir?" she asked in her soft voice.
Faramir shifted in his seat. "Er, sort of..." Seeing the expectant look his mother wore, he continued. "See, there's this..."
When his voiced trailed off, Diamond gave him a small smile and said, "A girl?"
Somehow, Faramir wasn't surprised by what she said. "Yes," he mumbled, feeling his cheeks grow warm.
Diamond chuckled softly. "My son finally has a girl problem. I don't know whether to feel excited or old."
Faramir couldn't help but smile. "Well, I don't think it's anything to be excited about."
"Old it is, then." She set aside the shirt she was knitting (she often had to make her husband's clothes) and looked up at her son again. "So tell me about this girl."
Faramir suddenly felt quite awkward. He didn't want to reveal who the girl was, but he never liked lying to his mother. In the end, he decided it would be best to only say what was absolutely necessary. "Well, I've known her for a long time, but it was only recently that I began to feel something... different for her."
Diamond nodded, as though that one statement had explained everything. "I see. You're confused about how this 'something different' could have entered into the situation."
Shifting in the chair again, Faramir asked timidly, "It-- it must be some kind of mistake though, right? I mean, love doesn't happen in a matter of days, does it?"
She shrugged and replied, "Love is different for everyone. It very well could hit you in a matter of days. Or perhaps it was something that was there all along, and you only now have begun to notice it."
Faramir chewed on the collar of his shirt, something he did when thinking about something he didn't really understand. After a moment, he looked at his mother and asked, "Is that what happened with you and Dad?"
Her eyes widened slightly at his question. "No, no it wasn't. We hadn't known each other for very long before we began courting. It was almost like... it was love at first sight, I think."
Pulling the corner of his collar that he had been chewing on out of his mouth, Faramir spoke in what he hoped was a casual voice. "I suppose you wouldn't know what to do about it, then?"
Diamond arched an eyebrow slightly. "Are you sure you don't want to tell her how you feel?"
"No!" he said quickly and without thinking. As his mother raised both eyebrows, Faramir blushed and said, "No, I can't tell her. I don't want to make things... strange between us."
Faramir thought he saw his mother's nose twitch, a common sign of annoyance from her. "In that case, I suppose the best thing would be to wait."
Furrowing his brows, Faramir replied, "Wait? For what?"
"A sign from her, a sign from someone else, a sign from your heart - anything that might let you know what you should do." Seeing the confused look he wore, she smiled gently. "You'll know when it happens, love. In the meantime, all you can do is continue to be yourself, and continue to be her friend."
He nodded slowly, digesting what she had just said and hoping he could put it into practice later on. Moments later, as the realization was dawning on Faramir that his mother had somehow known the girl he spoke of to be his friend, he heard the door to the main room open and close quickly, followed by the voice of his father.
"Diamond? Faramir?"
"In here, Pip," Diamond called out.
Pippin walked into the room, giving his son's hair an affectionate ruffle as he passed by, and went straight to his wife, bending down to kiss the top of her head. He then tilted her head back so he could kiss her firmly on the lips.
When they parted, Diamond smiled at him. "Bad day?"
"Terrible," he muttered, leaning in for another kiss.
Fighting back a smile, Faramir sighed dramatically. "Very well. I can tell when I'm not wanted."
His father called out to his retreating back, "Go make dinner."
Faramir laughed loudly as he closed the door behind him.
When Pippin had finished greeting his wife and was removing his scarf and jacket, Diamond spoke with barely-contained giddiness. "You're never going to believe what your son just asked me about."
Pippin turned to face her, his eyebrows raised. "Oh?"
Returning to the shirt she had been knitting, Diamond continued. "Apparently, Faramir has developed feelings for a certain girl."
Pippin's eyes widened and he smiled. "Really! Well, who's the lucky lass?"
Diamond's smile widened into a grin. "Oh, no one in particular."
*~*~*
*chases away the rabid plot bunny* No! I don't want to write a Pippin/Diamond story! Well, I kinda do, but that's beside the point!
Err, anyway... I kind of changed gears there; everyone seemed to like the way I wrote the Gamgee family, so I thought I'd take a stab at writing the Took side. Hope you enjoyed. :)
Leah Beth - Heehee, thanks! I've noticed a lot of my fics make people go "awww". I'm hoping that's a good thing. :P
Aldarwen - I'm going to assume I have talent with the cute stuff. ;) Yeah, I wish I could've made it go a bit slower, but I'm glad you liked it anyway!
Artemis-chan - Thanks so much!!
Madeleine541 - Thank you so much! I'm amazed at how well my characterizations of the hobbits are received because I've really worried about how I'm writing them. I'm very glad you like it!
quatre - Actually, sometimes the dialogue just seems to write itself, especially with Faramir and Goldilocks. Thanks!!!
Wow, I can't believe I've gotten so many great reviews for this story! Thank you all so much! Sorry this next chapter took so long - Darth Real Life pulled a sneak attack on me, so I didn't have much time to write for most of my stories. Hope I manage to make up for it with this chapter.
A Little Change of Heart
Chapter 5 - Motherly Wisdom
*~*~*
The Great Smials, 1449 S.R.
*~*~*
Faramir weaved his way in and out of the commotion of the Great Smials until he reached an abandoned corridor and opened the door that lead to the rooms granted only to his family. After he had closed the door, he sighed deeply and leaned against it for a moment. When he had been younger, the excitment of the Great Smials of Tuckborough had invigorated him. Getting attention at Crickhollow had not been much of a trial, but at the Smials, one young hobbit had to fight to be noticed, a challenge that Faramir would often leap at. But now, at nineteen, Faramir found himself longing for the cozy, comfortable life at Crickhollow, with only himself, his parents, Merry and Estella, and their two children. Life with the Brandybucks had not exactly been quiet, with Merry and Pippin's tendency to break into song, as well as Estella's habit of playfully teasing everyone within earshot; but everything at Crickhollow had been complacent and familiar, something the high populace of the Smials was lacking. Faramir now found that his only moments of peace in Tuckborough were when he was alone with his parents, and all else was quiet.
He only hoped it wasn't a sign of maturity.
Faramir set the apple core he had been nibbling on down on the nearby table and looked around the main room for signs of his parents. Seeing none, he called out, "Mum?"
His mother's voice answered him from the master bedroom. "In here."
He followed her voice into his parents' bedroom, where he found Diamond Took sitting in a rocking chair beside the fireplace, knitting. Faramir sat down opposite his mother in the chair his father usually used. He was silent for a moment, content to simply watch his mother as he collected his thoughts.
It had been almost a year since Faramir had first noticed signs of his developing feelings for Goldilocks, and he had assumed those feelings would diminish as time wore on. Much to his dismay, the opposite had happened, and he was now frighteningly close to admitting to himself that he was indeed in love with his best friend. He now found himself in desperate need of advice, and in his eyes, no one knew about love better than his parents.
For Pippin and Diamond, the road to marriage had been plagued from the start. They were met with disapproval from both sets of parents, especially from the Long Cleeve side. Though they loved their daughter, they felt she would make an unsuitable bride for the future Thain. Diamond had suffered a severe illness as a child which had stunted her growth and left her quite frail. No one expected Diamond would be able to bear children after such an illness, especially when it recurred from time to time; but Pippin had been relentless, and the couple eventually earned their parents' blessings. But that would not be the end of their hardships - though Diamond had managed to safely deliver her first child, her second, unexpected pregnancy did not end so well. She suffered a miscarriage, and though Faramir had been too young to remember much of the event, he knew it had almost torn his parents apart. But they emerged from the tragedy stronger and more in love than before, and it was but one of the reasons Faramir believed his parents could answer almost any question regarding love.
Diamond seemed to sense her son's unease. "Something wrong, Faramir?" she asked in her soft voice.
Faramir shifted in his seat. "Er, sort of..." Seeing the expectant look his mother wore, he continued. "See, there's this..."
When his voiced trailed off, Diamond gave him a small smile and said, "A girl?"
Somehow, Faramir wasn't surprised by what she said. "Yes," he mumbled, feeling his cheeks grow warm.
Diamond chuckled softly. "My son finally has a girl problem. I don't know whether to feel excited or old."
Faramir couldn't help but smile. "Well, I don't think it's anything to be excited about."
"Old it is, then." She set aside the shirt she was knitting (she often had to make her husband's clothes) and looked up at her son again. "So tell me about this girl."
Faramir suddenly felt quite awkward. He didn't want to reveal who the girl was, but he never liked lying to his mother. In the end, he decided it would be best to only say what was absolutely necessary. "Well, I've known her for a long time, but it was only recently that I began to feel something... different for her."
Diamond nodded, as though that one statement had explained everything. "I see. You're confused about how this 'something different' could have entered into the situation."
Shifting in the chair again, Faramir asked timidly, "It-- it must be some kind of mistake though, right? I mean, love doesn't happen in a matter of days, does it?"
She shrugged and replied, "Love is different for everyone. It very well could hit you in a matter of days. Or perhaps it was something that was there all along, and you only now have begun to notice it."
Faramir chewed on the collar of his shirt, something he did when thinking about something he didn't really understand. After a moment, he looked at his mother and asked, "Is that what happened with you and Dad?"
Her eyes widened slightly at his question. "No, no it wasn't. We hadn't known each other for very long before we began courting. It was almost like... it was love at first sight, I think."
Pulling the corner of his collar that he had been chewing on out of his mouth, Faramir spoke in what he hoped was a casual voice. "I suppose you wouldn't know what to do about it, then?"
Diamond arched an eyebrow slightly. "Are you sure you don't want to tell her how you feel?"
"No!" he said quickly and without thinking. As his mother raised both eyebrows, Faramir blushed and said, "No, I can't tell her. I don't want to make things... strange between us."
Faramir thought he saw his mother's nose twitch, a common sign of annoyance from her. "In that case, I suppose the best thing would be to wait."
Furrowing his brows, Faramir replied, "Wait? For what?"
"A sign from her, a sign from someone else, a sign from your heart - anything that might let you know what you should do." Seeing the confused look he wore, she smiled gently. "You'll know when it happens, love. In the meantime, all you can do is continue to be yourself, and continue to be her friend."
He nodded slowly, digesting what she had just said and hoping he could put it into practice later on. Moments later, as the realization was dawning on Faramir that his mother had somehow known the girl he spoke of to be his friend, he heard the door to the main room open and close quickly, followed by the voice of his father.
"Diamond? Faramir?"
"In here, Pip," Diamond called out.
Pippin walked into the room, giving his son's hair an affectionate ruffle as he passed by, and went straight to his wife, bending down to kiss the top of her head. He then tilted her head back so he could kiss her firmly on the lips.
When they parted, Diamond smiled at him. "Bad day?"
"Terrible," he muttered, leaning in for another kiss.
Fighting back a smile, Faramir sighed dramatically. "Very well. I can tell when I'm not wanted."
His father called out to his retreating back, "Go make dinner."
Faramir laughed loudly as he closed the door behind him.
When Pippin had finished greeting his wife and was removing his scarf and jacket, Diamond spoke with barely-contained giddiness. "You're never going to believe what your son just asked me about."
Pippin turned to face her, his eyebrows raised. "Oh?"
Returning to the shirt she had been knitting, Diamond continued. "Apparently, Faramir has developed feelings for a certain girl."
Pippin's eyes widened and he smiled. "Really! Well, who's the lucky lass?"
Diamond's smile widened into a grin. "Oh, no one in particular."
*~*~*
*chases away the rabid plot bunny* No! I don't want to write a Pippin/Diamond story! Well, I kinda do, but that's beside the point!
Err, anyway... I kind of changed gears there; everyone seemed to like the way I wrote the Gamgee family, so I thought I'd take a stab at writing the Took side. Hope you enjoyed. :)
