Disclaimer: not mine, don't sue

Author's note: first of all, *wow*… and *sigh* it's not a thrilled wow, it's more like an astonished wow over the "argument" between fetish and Maia … Maia! *hugs* I'm really, really touched by how nice you are to defend my writing, considering that the only thing you know about me is that I write angsty Aragorn/ Legolas slash… thank you for being so sweet! *beams*

… *heh* fetish, isn't hot boys getting it on yummy enough to not require further explanation about why girls (mostly) love slash? *grin* and Legolas is definitely more gorgeous than Arwen and Eowyn combined! ::drools:: Thanks for saying I have potential… haha… I will try to improve my indulgent writing… okay, the thing is, I started writing lotr solely because I fell in lust with movie Legolas *dreamy sigh* and all I want to do is basically rave about him and have everybody fall in love with him in the fic… so pardon the lack of exciting events happening… haha… I write for fun and I hope people smile (or have any other expressions!) when they read my fics…

Thanx to …. , tenshiamanda (ooh! Good hit! Lol) ,Goddess of Death (great ass-kissing! *heh*), NiennaVala, Amia and Devilicious (Legolas thanks you for the love! Hee) for the sweet reviews!

Dedicated to Maia for being so impossibly nice to me… I'm so touched! ^_^

Enveloping Legolas in his arms, Faramir reverently breathed in the soft fragrance emanating from the elf.

The slight form in his arms was so still, so frozen that Faramir was afraid to tighten his embrace, as if fearing the fragile elf would shatter.

Then, with a deep, sorrowful sigh that seemed to encompass all the agony inside him, Legolas collapsed into Faramir's arms, clinging with a hopeless desperation onto something real, something tangible.

Stroking Legolas's silky hair gently, Faramir murmured soothingly, "It's all right. It's not your fault."

Repeating the words in an endless refrain, he felt his own heart constrict in pain for the elf. Faramir had no earthly reason why he was so impossibly drawn to the elf, why he would rather suffer a grievous injury than see him suffering like this, why he had this burning resolution to make the elf his.

Was love supposed to be this ruthless, this painful? Was love supposed to eliminate all obstacles without mercy or thought?

Faramir shook himself slightly, his lips turning into a grimace at his traitorous and spineless thoughts. He needed to stay focused if he was to achieve what he wanted and he knew what he wanted above all.

Legolas.

**********

"Aragorn!" Theoden greeted the ranger with a hasty call, beckoning to him.

"What is the problem?" Aragorn asked briskly, a faint worry still rubbing anxiously at the edge of his mind about how his lover was coping.

"We need to decide whether to rebuild our defenses here or travel to the site Eomer has found." Theoden replied tersely, rubbing his eyes tiredly from the lack of sleep and many worries plaguing his mind.

Nodding in understanding, Aragorn moved closer to the ancient oak table where every inch was covered with sprawling maps and battle plans.

"Lady Eowyn," Aragorn greeted her politely as she raised her head from studying the maps to look at him.

Flashing a brief smile at Aragorn, Eowyn lowered her head again, frowning at the unavoidable quickening in her heart rate.

As Aragorn moved next to her and bent his head towards hers in an attempt to map out a strategy, she had to deliberately calm down her breathing.

Reaching out to examine a piece of map more carefully, Aragorn's hand innocuously brushed against Eowyn and she had to stifle a gasp.

He is not available! Eowyn's mind screamed at her, chiding her for her immature behavior that was completely unbecoming of a shield maiden of Rohan.

To pine after an object that belongs to someone else, that is something I would never lower myself to. Eowyn reprimanded herself mentally.

Stealing a quick glance at Aragorn, Eowyn felt her heart ache undeniably. Now if only I can convince myself of that.

Striving to keep her behavior as natural as possible, Eowyn struggled to overcome the malicious voice in her mind that was urging her to join with Faramir in breaking up Aragorn and Legolas.

She was so caught up in her internal turmoil that she was barely aware of what they were discussing, only mechanically injecting comments at intervals when she realized that Theoden and Aragorn were gazing at her, patiently waiting for her input.

Without realizing the amount of time that had flew by, she immediately felt a sense of loss as Aragorn took his leave and retired back to his chambers.

Staring forlornly after him, she was startled to hear a kind voice consoling her, "My dear, some things can never be."

Whirling round to gaze at Theoden who had a knowing look in his eyes, Eowyn averted her eyes.

And some things can be made to happen. The malicious voice in her mind hissed.