Faramir Fiction Archive

Daily brotherly love (G)

Written by Laivindur

23 May 2013 | 3387 words | Work in Progress

Title: Daily brotherly love
Author: Laivindur
Rating: G
Pairing(s): Faramir

Faramir is ordered to play a strategic board game with his older brother to make him more of a thinker than the rash doer.
Added: Chapter 4

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Chapter two.

“This is just too dull, Faramir,” Boromir sighed and leant back on the chair after having leant forward concentrating intently at the game.

Faramir was still patient after the first hour and had been keeping his posture through the entire game, but now he had to strighten up after he had leant back as Boromir had used a lot of time thinking and pondering at his next move. They had lost equal amount of pieces, but Faramir was pressing him to a corner.
“You use too much time caring for only a few characters. You have to see the entire game.”
“I do see the entire game, it’s right in front of me!”

Faramir tried not to smile at his annoyed older brother.

“What I mean is that you only focus on defending and using your strongest and most important characters. You have lost almost all your pawns, but they can be crucial to your strategic victory. You have not been using them carefully. Just because they’re smaller and have lesser abilities doesn’t make them useless.”

The older brother felt stupid and once again had to look at his little one for a few more seconds as he seemed to grow right in front of him. With his back at the chair and arms crossed, he frowned at the game. He was surprised and confused at the same time. Surprised at his little brother, and confused as he wanted to, but could’t tell him off.
He hated to feel trapped by someone else, but then he looked at Faramir. He was patiently waiting for him and rested his eyes on the board game, probably having foreseen all possible moves and strategies. As the grey eyes between the auburn hair met his, he had the same expectant glare as their father, though gentler.

“You wanna try again?” Faramir suggested.

“I haven’t lost yet,” Boromir exclaimed.

As Faramir shot his gaze back at the game and…did he slide down in his chair a few inches? Boromir felt sorry and wanted to apologize for his outburst, but his pride made him move one of his pawns irrationally.

Faramir stared at the move with narrow lips while Boromir waited for a lecture, a comment or a face to confirm his suspected idiotic move.

The little brother kept moving his lips skeptically while staring at the black pawn who had just opened up a victory for him. He swallowed and did not want to win. He wanted to tell their father about Boromir winning, not about how grumpy and careless he’d acted both in and after the game.

Boromir sat looking at the game and Faramir in turn, he had never seen Faramir this still throughout the entire evening.
“What?” Boromir shrugged and spoke defencively. “Was it that bad? I thought you meant me to move the pawn?” And when Faramir finally dared to meet his brother’s eyes, Boromir knew the loss and the huge stupidity at it. “Argh, damn it. What am i to do?! This drives me mad! You cannot expect me to become a better warrior by this!”

“You’ll be a better captain. And this isn’t a behaviour of a captain, brother. You really need this practise. Not only to strenghten your strategic mind, but also your discipline and patience.”

Boromir had enough of being lectured by his little brother and rose in frustration, “Stupid,” he mumbled and moved to the space of the room.

After looking over the board one last time, Faramir spoke to his brother again.
“You did lose,” and he rose to move closer to Boromir. “But as you once told me one need practise and time to become…in this case not stronger, but…better…at whatever you strive for.”

Boromir turned to him with a smile. “What happened to you, little one? Suddenly you look like a miniature of father. Only…”
Faramir frowned as his brother measured him with wonder, then he had to stop himself from stepping back as Boromir’s arms embraced him carefully.

His cheeks grew hot and he didn’t get time to enjoy the hug before it was over. Boromir smiled at the flushed little brother.
“You show good spirit when hugging your opponent,” Faramir stated as a divertion.

Boromir laughed. “Now I see the little brother I remember!”

“What? What do you mean? Just suddenly?”
“You’re blushing!” Boromir laughed a bit more, “are you not used to fysical contact? Is it that long since I’ve…”
The smile wore off and he just looked at the nervous and embarrassed young man. “Could he have been that lonely?” Boromir thought.

“No…I-” Faramir had troubles looking at the taller man’s eyes,
“I just haven’t-” he turned away and walked over to the table to sort the board. “You’re right, I haven’t had much of that, so the body reacts in quite an irrat-”

Boromir laughed once again and walked over to Faramir while talking. “I see you still try to make up logical excuses, little one. You’re so cute when you do that. Seldom you get out of trouble that way when it’s visible how nervous and-”

When Faramir turned and met his brother’s frame, something happened. None of them knew what. Faramir blamed the tension of the whole role switching, but Boromir frowned as something inside him stirred at the thought of…something he didn’t want to admit. He left in a calm matter as this had shocked him and he had to hide it. Faramir felt the usual loneliness, but smiled as he perhaps had taught his brother something.

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