Summary: Boromir has to spend the two months before the Quest preparing himself as he tries to hide his relationship with Legolas from everyone else.

A/N: poor, poor Boromir... Do I torture him enough? ^_^ Anyway, this chapter is a bit nicer to him than some of the others. Oh, and it doesn't say a lot about his actual training, 'cause it didn't interest me enough to right it. He just explains what he does in his free time.

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A laugh.

"Oh, shut up."

Another laugh, softer this time.

"If I got caught, you would have to," I replied and watched him perch himself carefully on the side of my bed.

He smiled.

"Oh, Boromir. You're so cynical."

"No, I'm not, I'm pessimistic."

"There's a difference?"

"To me there is."

He sighed. "Mortals certainly are strange beings."

I coughed purposefully.

"What?"

"You're the one sleeping with one."

"I said you and your people were strange, I never said I didn't like you."

I smiled. "And your people aren't strange?"

"Strange?" Legolas scoffed.

I sat up and took his hand. "But I never said I don't love you."

*

A day full of avoiding my father and everyone else, and realizing how little time I had left with Legolas - alone, that is - filled my time that day, the first of our two-month wait.

I knew we'd have to do some sort of training, but until then, Legolas and I were free to play as we wanted. Provided we weren't caught.

*

A day or two later, Legolas was still sleeping when I woke up, so I dressed quietly and slipped out of my room, making my way down the hallway.

Surprisingly, I'd woken up somewhat early and beat my father to the table for breakfast.

Sliding into my chair, Aragorn glanced up at me from his place down the table. The Lady Arwen smiled, and I returned it.

A few minutes later, my father walked into the room and saw me looking around the room.

Frowning, he sat down in his chair, purposefully making noise to get my attention.

"Morning, Father," I greeted.

"Morning," he grumbled. He glanced around the room. His glare was probably enough to make Arwen upset. But she had already looked away and focused herself into a conversation with Aragorn by the time his scornful gaze reached her. I'm beginning to wonder if anyone at all actually enjoys spending time with my father.

"Something wrong?" I humored him.

Leaning close, he whispered. "I saw that one blonde Elf leaving your room. You know, the one that is always talking to you? What would he be doing in there?"

"Maybe he got lost and thought it was his room," I shrugged, playing innocent. I'd also gotten better at lying, I'd found out.

Frown. "I wouldn't trust him. You watch your back."

"I will," I nodded.

*

I had my first real run-in with the Hobbits later that day, just after noon-meal. I was wandering in one of the long halls when two of them - I wouldn't know which was which without asking them because they all look alike to me - were sitting in front of a closed door, talking softly with each other.

I nodded to them, and they glanced up at me.

"Hello," the one on the left said.

"Hello," I replied, pausing in my step. "What are you two doing, just sitting there?"

"Sam and Mister Frodo are outside and we didn't want to go outside, so we're just sitting in front of our room. And talking to people who walk by," the one on the right - the smaller one - told me and smiled.

"Mind if I join you here?" I asked.

They nodded. "Have a seat," the smaller one said.

"So there's Sam, Mister Frodo... What are your names?" I asked them.

"I'm Peregrin Took. Pippin," the little one smiled again.

"And I'm Merry - Meriadoc Brandybuck," the other Hobbit spoke a bit slower and more clearly than Pippin; almost more adult-like.

"I'm Boromir, from Gondor."

"We're from the Shire!" Pippin grinned.

"The Shire?"

He nodded.

"Isn't that a long ways away?"

"Yes," Pippin sighed.

"What are Hobbits doing here? Is it only because Frodo is the RingBearer?"

Merry thought for a minute, Pippin looking at him, obviously waiting for an answer. Finally, he spoke quieter than he had before.

"I think so," Merry finally said. "I don't think Gandalf told us everything."

"And he's probably not going to," Pippin added, almost sadly.

I nodded slowly, thinking about what they said.

"What are you doing here?" Pippin asked, his sadness gone, as quick as a small child forgets.

I stopped myself from rolling my eyes. "Oh, I'm here to help save Gondor, and everyone else."

Pippin grinned. "I'm saving everyone in the Shire!"

I smiled back. It was hard to not have a good feeling around Hobbits. All these creatures have a happy air around them.

*

"How do you think Hobbits... You know...?"

Could a pretty Elf's face look any more surprised? "What in the name of Valar are you talking about?"

I shrugged. "I was talking to a couple of the Hobbits today, and..."

"And?" Legolas smiled suggestively.

"No! Nothing like that!"

He just smiled, tossing his blonde hair over his shoulders.

"If anyone has a thing for the Short People, it's probably Gimli," I snorted. "They look most like him."

Legolas glanced up at me from where he sat cross-legged on his bed, braiding long pieces of thick grass, weaving them together to form some kind of small rope. "You shouldn't be so judgmental... I think Hobbits look better than Dwarves. Much cuter."

I raised an eyebrow, a half-grin on my face. "Do you like 'em short, Legolas?"

"No..." Sitting up straight, he tied a knot in his rope. Narrowing his eyes, he thought for a moment, then realized what I meant. "No!"

I laughed, sitting on the bed behind him, placing an arm around his shoulder and kissing his neck.

"You shouldn't try to confuse me like that!"

"Oh, so I should say everything flat out? No guessing games, no little hints?" I pulled away and he looked over his shoulder at me, his hands still twisting with his grass rope.

"Only about some things. There are certain things I'd rather not hear you say."

"Like what?"

"I'm not saying any of them."

"Why not?" I pouted teasingly.

"Because... I'm not," he blushed.

"But you'll think them."

"Think what?"

"Do you want to hear me say it?"

He flipped his blonde hair over his shoulder at me as he turned back around. "Not particularly."

I grinned, stretching out on his bed and lying down on it. "I think your bed is better than mine."

"Only because we always use yours."

I laughed softly. "Use mine for what?"

I'm sure he blushed - I could hear it in the tone of his voice, even though he tried to hide it. "For loving."

I hid another laugh. It was usually quite humorous to hear him talk like this. Especially since he almost never spoke - not in public, anyway - and when he did it was usually about something serious or important.

"I like how you phrased it."

"Thank you."

There was a pause and I leaned my head back so I could look out the window. There was no glass in the window, just thick curtains that were pushed back, away from it, to let the light in. Legolas always let lots of light in his room, scarcely ever drawing the curtains shut. I don't know if it was personal preference or what, but he almost never used candlelight. Always sunlight, starlight or moonlight. He preferred to walk around in the dark rather than use fire to guide his way.

One time I asked him if he ever walked into a wall, and he smacked my shoulder. I just laughed at him, because that made me think he did.

Outside of the glass-free window, there was an incredibly beautiful view - as there was from every window of the House - of the valley of Rivendell. Trees, streams, small Elvish buildings nestled in among all of that and more.

"Do you miss your home?"

"Hm?"

"Do you miss Mirkwood?"

"I haven't been away long enough to miss it."

"Are you going to? When we're on the Quest?"

A pause. "I might."

"Have you ever missed it?"

"Once or twice."

"Is that because you were away from it for a long time?"

"Once."

"What about the other time?"

"The other time... I was going to leave it for a long time, and I missed it just thinking about it."

I wonder... "Why were you going to leave Mirkwood for a long time?"

"To- to be with someone," Legolas spoke quieter and slower now, but you wouldn't know unless you knew how he speaks.

"...Who?"

I felt a hand rest on my stomach, gentle fingers run over the fabric of my shirt.

*

There were many things Legolas and I talked about through the night - the mysteries of Hobbits and Dwarves, the beauty of Elves, the ways of Humans...

Finally, we began talking about each other.

"Boromir..."

"Legolas."

"There's something I've been meaning to tell you..."

By now we were both sitting cross-legged on his bed, facing towards each other, our faces nearly touching, lips brushing against each other's every so often. The sun had gone down a long time ago, and now only a weak moonbeam penetrated through the clouds and into the room.

"What is it?" I whispered, and his hand grabbed mine gently, slowly.

I laced my fingers through his playfully, waiting for him to speak.

"I've been... For a long time now..."

Legolas paused, getting something to the extent of nervous, but not quite.

I glanced into his eyes, partly hidden from his long hair falling in the way. Reaching one hand up, I pushed his hair back, over his shoulder.

"I... love you."

I stopped short, breath caught in my throat, hand still touching his arm.

"I love you, Boromir," he said more confidently.

I blushed, smiling. "I love you too, Legolas."

*

I almost danced down the corridor to the... the big room where... we eat... Damn! I've forgotten what it's called. But what do I care? I'm in love!

Legolas and I whispered romantic nothings to each other until the sun rose, but I'm not even tired. And if I am, I'm far too happy to care!

"Good morning, father," I slid into my seat next to him.

"Good morning. So, happy to be rid of me, huh?" he half-grinned at me.

"What are you talking about?"

"You don't think I'm staying to wait for you here, in Rivendell, do you? No, I'm heading back home today."

To be honest, I hadn't thought about it. "Oh... When are you leaving?"

"This afternoon."

"I'll say good bye then."

I saw Legolas enter the room; we'd agreed to keep our relationship a secret - again - so we would enter and exit rooms at different times, and tried to not be seen alone together.

It would be difficult, but worth it.

*

"Good bye, father. I'll see you upon my return," I watched him get on his horse.

"Good bye, Boromir. Best of luck to you," he replied gruffly.

"Send my love to Faramir and the others," I told him.

He nodded then motioned for his guards to start out, back home to Gondor.

I watched him ride off, my spirits dampened.

After everyone else had left and gone back inside, I continued to watch him ride away with his guards. Even after he was a disappeared dot, I still watched.

He gets to go home, and I have to risk my life on some cockamamie mission to help some fat, short person throw away a piece of gold?

Ironic? Doubtful. Unfair? Certainly.

"But, I want to go home..." It hit me just how much I was going to miss the White City, even if just for the first little while. I'd never truly been on my own; I'd always had someone there, even if it was just a guard from the palace to keep me company.

But now I was completely alone. Just Boromir. No Prince Boromir with his royal guard at his side, watching over him.

Standing with my hands at my sides, my hair ruffled in my face at the breeze. It was a beautiful day out but I didn't notice. I was frustrated now, sighing.

"Now that's the Boromir I remember."

I turned around. Legolas stood still, hands at his sides, the trace of a smile playing on his lips. I frowned.

"Don't worry. You just have to get used to having no one around."

I shrugged, and let my head tilt to one side.

He smiled and held out a hand. "Come on. You've been staring for over an hour. Let's go for a walk."

*

I allowed Legolas to drag me through the gardens for a few hours, swinging my hand and chatting now and then.

He did a great job on cheering me up, making sure I smiled every once in a while. Soon enough, I forgot my troubles - even if it was just for now.

Whenever we came close to crossing paths with someone, we'd walk a few feet apart, but close enough so we could pretend to be grossly involved in some deep, meaningful conversation.

When they were gone, we'd snicker at our own foolishness. Silly us. We were probably going to get caught holding hands eventually.

"As long as it's not Elrond... Or Aragorn!" I laughed.

"Or what about the Dwarf?" Legolas jumped in.

"Wouldn't that be a laugh? The two races he hates most, holding hands and whispering! He'd probably think we're plotting against him!"

Legolas snickered. "Well, here he comes now... What do you say?"

My eyes darted around. "Are you serious?"

Sure enough, Gimli was grunting his way up the path, back to the House.

I pushed Legolas a couple inches away from me, and we tossed a couple of tight-lipped smiles at Gimli as he walked by. He simply replied with a harsh grunt.

As soon as he was out of sight and earshot, Legolas giggled.

"What's so funny?"

Legolas smiled and lifted his hand. I was still holding onto it.

"Oh, no!" I cried. "What if he saw? What if he says something? What if-"

The Elf laughed. "Don't worry. You worry too much. Even for a mortal."

"But-"

"He didn't see. Your hands were behind you; he was in front. So quit worrying."

I glanced down at our hands. Our fingers were interlaced, his delicate fingers woven through my tanned ones. A union. A relationship. A bond. A...

*

"'Lover-boy?' Did I just hear you correctly?"

""Well..." Legolas smiled, and nearly blushed. "You called me that before."

"I did? When?"

"Some days ago. I don't quite remember."

"Why would I call you that?"

He shrugged, and continued braiding more grass together. This time the grass was thicker and had a more yellow color to it, and was much coarser than the green kind he'd been weaving before.

I eyed him curiously, sitting on a grassy spot under a tree in the garden nearest the outside gates, a main wall of the castle.

"What are you making with all that grass?"

He didn't bother looking up. "Don't ask."

"Why? Don't you even know?" I joked.

He smiled, his hands still weaving the grass carefully, as always. "I know."

Shrugging, I knew he was always mysterious when he wanted to be.

Sighing, I sat down a few feet away, my back to a different tree, and opened a book from Elrond's library.

Flipping past the pages I'd already read, I found where I was and began to read.

*

"Boromir, Legolas," a voice interrupted my reading.

I glanced up, startled. I'd been so involved in my book that I didn't hear anyone approaching.

Not that I would have, anyway. This particular Elf was quieter than the rest.

Legolas had already jumped to his feet, clutching his weaves in one hand.

"Elrohir," he nodded, smiling.

"Hello, Baby Prince," Elrohir smiled back.

Legolas blushed furiously, his eyes darting over to me and back to Elrohir.

I had stood up by now and nodded to my friend.

Elrohir grinned at me.

"Isn't the Baby Prince all grown up and pretty now?" Elrond's son asked me, throwing an arm playfully around Legolas' shoulder, one hand playing with his long blonde hair.

Legolas' face stayed red, and he gently shoved Elrohir away, muttering a few Elvish words at him.

Elrohir laughed. "Even your curses are little!"

I smiled at the two of them - both so beautiful in such an ugly world.

Elrohir spoke to Legolas in Elvish for a moment, then they glanced at me quickly, although Legolas was more discreet about it.

Blushing still, the blonde Elf sat back down, fumbling with the grass.

"He knows I know," Elrohir said, smiling, putting an arm around my shoulders now.

I blushed, holding the book in one hand.

"Oh, you know I won't tell anyone. Especially not that brother of mine," he let out a sigh, although it was more for effect.

"But let's leave him to his own devices, and go talk. I haven't seen you lately, Gondor Prince, and you're leaving in a moon," Elrohir pushed my back with one hand, and we started away from Legolas, towards the House.

*

Elrohir and I spent the rest of the day talking. Not about anything in particular, just... things.

That's what I enjoyed about him so much. He was not afraid to interrupt someone to point out some trivial little thing. Some might have sneered at his carefree-ness, but it didn't bother either one of us.

And as the days wore on, I found myself coming to visit him when I felt I was too stressed from training, from worrying, from everything.

When there were only about two weeks until we left, we were sitting in the library, sunset fast approaching.

Neither of us had lit a single candle, and I don't think we intended to. Maybe it was something I picked up from the Elves, but I found myself using 'false light' less and less.

I was sitting casually on the couch under the window - the big one that overlooked the courtyard of the House - and Elrohir was moving around the room slowly, standing for a short while when and where he felt like it.

As he was glancing over a short stack of books sitting on a shelf, he asked me about Legolas.

I didn't answer at first, not because I didn't have anything to say, or that I didn't want to tell him. It's because he asked how long we were going to be together.

It was a very depressing question to me, and I had to think about it for a moment or two.

"...Until I die, I suppose."

Elrohir turned around and faced me.

"If he wants to stay with me for that long," my voice quivered on such a sensitive topic, and I spoke quieter.

He cocked his head to one side, looking at me from dark, expressionless eyes.

"And if it works out between us, of course... I would stay with him until my last breath," I was almost whispering now.

"And he knows it," Elrohir smiled softly.

I nodded. "We both know it."

Elrohir turned his back to me again, examining the books.

"Why would you ask me something like that?"

"I was curious..."

"About what?"

"...to see if you really loved him."

I blushed, and I knew I did. I was a warrior, not one supposed to be dabbling in courting or affairs, and certainly not falling in love. But being with Legolas softened me. Although, I cannot complain, for it has surely been worth it.

Elrohir tossed a glance at me over his shoulder.

"Of course I love him."

"I know you do."

I paused. "He loves me... right?"

"Don't worry so much. You're starting to sound like Arwen," he turned around once more, smiling in a joking manner. Speaking in a high-pitched voice, he said, "Do you think he loves me? Am I good enough for him? Something... Do you think I'm beautiful enough for him?"

I smiled.

Elrohir rolled his eyes. "You're very lucky you don't have sisters, Boromir. They simply drive you mad!"

I let out a small laugh, knowing he cared for his sister deeply, and did not truly mean what he said.

Shrugging, he reached behind him and selected a book off the stack at random, glanced over the cover, then opened it and flipped through the pages.

Sitting down next to me, he stared ahead, thinking, then faced me, tapping me on the knee to get my attention.

"Do you know how lonely Legolas is?"

I frowned, shaking my head. "What do you mean?"

"Legolas has only been in love once, and it broke his heart. It was hard on him. I know you know what that is like."

I nodded.

"Is that why you do not want to lose him?"

I looked away. "I'm not clinging to him, Elrohir. I-"

"That's not what I'm saying at all."

"Then explain yourself."

"Is it that because you do not want to be lonely either, you try even harder with him because you do not want that to happen again? Is that why you do your best to make things work out between you two?"

Looking him in the eye, I knew he was not judging, and he wouldn't care what my answer was. "Yes, I suppose."

"You suppose?"

"Well... Yes, I do suppose. If I lost him as well, I don't think I'd be able to love again. After all, it was him that made me love a second time - and a third."

Elrohir smiled. "I think that's why he tried to impress you - he loves you so much and doesn't want to lose you."

I nodded.

"Who... Who did he love before?"

Elrohir's face became unreadable. "I..." Sighing, he leaned back, glancing around the room as if looking at people there. "The Evenstar."

"Ar- Arwen?" I whispered, shocked.

He nodded.

"I... He never mentioned her."

"No, I didn't think he would have. He had a secret affair with her a long time ago. They both came to me for advice, because I was the only that knew about them."

"How did you know?"

He rubbed his eyes as if tired. "They used to pass messages to one another on scraps of paper, very discreetly. It was almost like a child passing on some secret words to another child... I found some of their notes..."

I looked away from him, down to the book in his lap, then book sitting beside me. Looking around the room at the walls and the decor.

"Why wouldn't he say anything about her?"

"He doesn't want anyone to know. He probably didn't want you to know, either."

"Then why did you tell me?"

"You asked." Said very straightforwardly.

"Why doesn't he want anyone to know?"

Elrohir waited until I looked at him again. "Because it was secret. They didn't want anyone to know about it then, they don't want anyone to know about it now. That's how they are - secretive... Sometimes too secretive."

"...Did Arwen leave Legolas for Aragorn?"

Elrohir opened the book and closed it. "Yes and no."

"Yes and no?"

"They were having a tough time at about the same time Arwen met Aragorn. Because he didn't know she was courting anyone... He tried to impress her, to be with her. Tha-"

"I don't want to hear anymore."

Elrohir held the book firmly in his hands. "Are you all right, Boromir? I know you might not have wanted to hear about all this, but you asked..."

"Yes, I know. I'm not upset that you told me or anything, I-" Standing up, I looked out the window, surprised to see that we were so lost in our talk that the sun was nearly down.

Elrohir stood as well, holding the book in one hand. "Don't worry too much, Gondor Prince."

He held out a hand for my book and I gave it too him.

"Get some sleep," he leaned over and kissed my forehead, then left the library.

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A/N: Isn't Elrohir such a sweetie? ;D Anyway, please review (only nice things, though! Or Gimli might come grunting up your path! *dun dun dun!*) Thanks!