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Title: Heartbound.
Chapter Four
Author: dark
Email: dark.malignity@gmail.com
Pairing: Boromir/ Elladan, Boromir/ Elrohir.
Rating: PG
Summary: Boromir's appearance in Imladris complicates the twins'
lives, especially when he cannot tell the identical twins apart. AU,
pre-fellowship.
Warning: Slash (male/ male pairings)

Disclaimer: All Elfies and places (and the one Man) belong to Tolkien.
I am merely borrowing them for my own (and others') amusement. = D
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Chapter four.

Boromir wandered down the quiet pathways that snaked its way through
the hidden valleys, brooding over his ill luck. How was he to have
known any better? By the Gods, the two of them were completely
identical in features. How was he to have known it had been Elrohir
masquerading as his lover?

But by all the Gods of his people, what could Elrohir have been
thinking? From all the inhabitant's accounts of him, and from
Boromir's own experience of the elf, Elrohir was definitely not the
sort who would… flirt? The Man shuddered. Even the word sounded wrong
when used to describe Elrohir. No, that elf that he had held earlier
that night was certainly not the elf that Boromir knew him to be.
Elrohir would never do something like that. Elrohir was above that.

Boromir sighed and closed his eyes. There was something about the elf
though, that night. Holding him, kissing him, touching him… it was
like nothing Boromir had ever felt before. How odd. He could have
sworn that it felt different somehow, more… more…

…right?

Was that it? That it felt more 'right'? Oh, but how his head throbbed
when he thought about it! It was so confusing. But the kiss… Boromir
shuddered and raised his fingers to his lips, remembering the feel of
Elrohir's mouth on his. Oh by the Gods… by the Gods… even the memory
of it could undo him.

How could he possibly explain that to his lover? Elladan would believe
his honest mistake in kissing the wrong twin and forgive him that
much, but to tell the elf that even now he could almost feel Elrohr's
soft breath against his skin was a different thing altogether. How
could he tell him that the very memory of it was enough to make him
swoon. How could he explain that it was more than just the fact that
Elrohir was a good kisser-- his lover was an even better kisser than
Elrohir was-- and yet, there was something else there, something
deeper. There were… sparks. Like when a sword is forged. A forging.
But of what?

"The forging of a connection," a voice whispered in his head, and
Boromir had to agree. He had felt something when the two of them
kissed. He had felt the startings of a common bond.

The Man was so lost in his thoughts that he was startled by the sound
of a polite cough, and spinning round, he saw the brothers standing
behind him, both with somber looks on their faces, although there was
a stubborn defiance in his lover's gaze that not even the darkness of
night could conceal. Immediately the Man bowed deep, forcing the twins
to do the same and in his own subtle way, setting the tone of
formality for their encounter. He did not need to say that he did not
wish to discuss personal matters with the twins. He did not have to.
For now, he was no longer himself but Lord Boromir, a messenger and
dignitary from Gondor while the two were the Peredhil Sons and thus
representative of the House of Imladris.

All this Elrohir knew and internalized, steeling his mind for a polite
and brief meeting, but his brother was not so easily deterred.

"Oh, stop it Boro," he snapped, causing the other two to blink in
shock. "We did not come to seek you out in the dead of the night just
to mince about and exchange pleasantries."

"Forgive me, Lord Elladan--"

"--and don't you 'Lord Elladan' me ," he glared. "Not here. Not now.
Be serious, Boromir. My brother has something to tell you," he
finished, and crudely pushed Elrohir to the front.

Elrohir gasped in horror. He had known his twin would make it
impossible for him to hide, but never in his dreams did he think
Elladan would abandon him to speak this way. Frightened and
disoriented, Elrohir turned to his brother in alarm, and Elladan
smiled at his brother's blind faith in him. "Do not fret too much,
Roh," he said, squeezing his twin's hand reassuringly. "Tell him.
Speak from your heart," he urged and giving him a quick peck on the
cheek before slipping away and out of sight.

Timidly, Elrohir raised his eyes to meet Boromir's, then blushed
furiously at the Man's pitiful attempts to hide his awkwardness. To
his fine elven eyes, the Man's smile looked painfully forced.

"Tis a fine night, little Elf," the visitor said in a cheery voice,
desperately trying to ease the tension.

"Yes it is," Elrohir responded, playing along.

Buying time to compose himself for his confession.

"My lord, Boromir," he burst out, unable to suppress the dizzying
effects of his secret any longer. "My lord, Boromir, I aologise. I
should not have acted the way I did earlier on. I had no right to. It
was deceit, and I am sorry, I apologise, I should not have deceived
you, my lord. It was wrong."

"Hush," Boromir whispered gently. "I do not feel wronged, Roh," he
smiled, and this time, the Elf could see that the smile was for real.
"Besides, from the look of both of your faces, I believe your brother
has surely given you enough of a tongue-lashing already," he chuckled.

Elrohir hung his head in shame. "Why are you so nice to me?" he
whimpered. "I cheated you. I did you wrong. I betrayed your trust--"

"Elrohir--"

"--no Boromir, you still do not understand. My deceit runs deeper than
that. I…" he trailed off, unable to continue. "Boromir, I…" he tried
again. "I… pretended to be your friend," he choked.

"What do you mean, Roh," he said, stepping forward and resting a
placating hand on the elf's shoulder. "You are not a deceiver. Not
from what I've been told. They tell me you are kind and honest, an elf
of integrity, a truly honorable young lord."

"But I am not. I pretended to be your friend to get closer to you. I
was not sincere, my lord. I ask your forgiveness."

"And I forgive you readily, fair one. But please, tell me, why did you
do what you claim to have done, Roh?"

Elrohir bit his lip and hung his head, but then recovering himself,
looked pleadingly at Boromir. "Can you not tell," he whispered, not
bothering to hide the blind adulation in his eyes as he gazed upon the
Man. "Do you not already know… my lord, Boromir?"

There was something different about the way he said his name,
something extra in the possessive 'my' that made Boromir gasp in
surprise. "Elrohir!" the man whispered, blinking in disbelief. "Are
you…" he trailed off as his mind searched desperately for an
appropriate term, "seducing me?"

Elrohir whimpered and closed his eyes, bracing himself for a rejection.

"Hush," Boromir whispered again, only this time… this time… Elrohir's
heart lept in anticipation. And though a part of him still anticipated
a heartbreak, all doubts instantly fled his mind the moment he felt
Boromir's warm lips upon his.

It was so sudden that the elf drew back in shock. "Boromir!" he
gasped, pulling away.

At Elrohir's reaction, Boromir grew alarmed. "I'm sorry!" he
spluttered. "I misunderstood your intentions. I had thought… I
misunderstood. I'm so sorry! By the Gods, I am such a--"

"No," Elrohir admitted meekly, then swallowed hard. "You did not."

"Then you…?" Boromir trailed off, rendered uncertain himself by the
elf's self-consciousness.

"Yes…" he whispered.

"But why..?" the Man asked again, questioning the elf's alarm at the kiss.

Elrohir shrugged, then licked his lips nervously. "I suppose I was…
well… surprised?" he blushed again. "Why did you do that? You *are* my
brother's lover, Boromir. How can you switch allegiance so quickly, my
lord?"

"What you really ask is whether or not I love you, am I right?"
Boromir flashed him a small smile. "Is that not what you mean by
framing that question?" he chucked. Elrohir blushed further,
confirming Boromir's guess. "I suppose I am too fond of you for my own
good. And you do remind me of my little brother. Although I must admit
that it would take some time to get used to the idea of thinking of
you as a… a… a…"

"A potential lover?" Elrohir piped up hopefully. Boromir laughed.

"Is that a proposition?" he teased the blushing Elf.

"Well," Elrohir said, embarrassed. "Do you wish it to be?" he asked.

"Yes," Boromir said. "I do wish it. I wish it very much."