Not your typical romance, this is a story about two people who know one another all too well and understand one another not at all and share an almost love/hate relationship replete with passionate conflict and caring. It’s a Years of the Trees story of Fëanor and Fingolfin as very young men, written to satisfy this particular prompt: “Pairing: Fëanor/Fingolfin. I prefer dark, angsty stories, but can appreciate humor on the side. Whether you give me a pre-darkening of Valinor or a re-born life in Valinor or something from the First Age, it doesn't matter, but I love seeing elves with flaws, so please no utopian, unrealistic worlds." I have done my best to respond to the request. The protagonists are self-absorbed at times but not evil and both did too many wonderful things to have lived in a constant depressive state. I cannot help crossing into my own personal canon with characters I have thought as much about as these two.

Thank you for the prompt. You made me like them together like this. I’ve enjoyed writing this. I want to extend the warmest thanks to my super skillful and perceptive Betas Ignoblebard and Lilith Lessfair who so generously combed through it at least a couple of times each.

Written for Encairion, Ardor in August 2012

In the darkness of the Mines of Moria, where Men can barely see each other, Boromir falls in love.

Written for j_flattermann, Ardor in August 2012.