Requested by wonderful skyfaei! Thanks so much and I hope you like!

Type: one-shot

Pairing: Faramir x female reader

Hope you like!

Faramir was deeply in love with his best friend- and not a soul but he knew. Or so he thought.

Léowell was his closest pal, his chief confidant, partner in crime since they were very little. His father, the steward of Gondor, had hired both mother and daughter as servants in his palace many years ago. Léowell was ten and Faramir eight at the time of their first meeting. She was carrying a small barrel of damp clothes to be hung in the drying room around the corner when Faramir came scampering up the stairs behind her and crashed directly into her side. They each fell over with yelps and the barrel crashed to the ground. He stumbled to his feet, apologizing as eloquently as an eight-year-old royal could, and offered her a hand up. She snubbed his offer of assistance and stood up on her own, asking stiffly where he was running to so quickly. He hesitated and she voiced her presumption of his being in trouble, which he reluctantly admitted was correct. A shout in a deep voice echoed up the stairwell, sounding rather peeved, and young Faramir tensed up, looking ready to flee again, but Léowell stopped him.

"Hide behind that huge table," she instructed, pointing to a highly-decorated oak table leaned against the wall. It was to be moved into the dining hall later in the day, but for then, it made a perfect hiding spot. The young steward's son shook his head and crossed his arms, but as she frowned at him and the footsteps up the stairs grew quicker and louder, he relented and dove into the shadows beneath the leaning table. He was not a moment too soon, his father turning about the stairwell just in time to see Léowell heft her barrel onto her hip and start again on her way. He stopped her and questioned if she had seen Faramir anywhere as of now. She nodded, her eyes wide and reverent, appealing to the steward's sense of power. The young girl exaggerated her appearance of innocence and replied calmly that the young boy had fled down the corridor just behind her with no greeting to her but a smile. Denethor II huffed with annoyance and speed-walked away from her, grumbling to himself as he went to pursue his son. The young Faramir crawled out from under the table with a wide smile, ready to thank Léowell, but she was already gone with her barrel of clothes. He scratched his head and hurried down the staircase, aiming to hide in the stables until suppertime. 

That evening, Léowell was one of the servers for supper, and they shared a subtle smile as she heaped strips of braised pork onto his plate. That evening, Faramir told his older brother Boromir all about the servant girl who had helped him escape their father's wrath earlier. The older son of the steward of Gondor was quite impressed and requested to his brother that if he should cross paths with this girl again, to bring her to him so he could meet her too. And so, a week later, Faramir managed to catch Léowell on her way to the market. It was a Sunday and she had no work for the day, other than to fetch capers and a basket of pickled carrots from the market. He bade her wait a moment and hurriedly tracked down Boromir, and so the three of them set off down the winding path from the palace to the bustling white city below. 

A strong friendship grew between the three and as the years passed, she grew into a lovely young lady and the brothers into handsome young men. One fine morning, the trio went on a stroll through the hills just outside of the city. As Léowell danced in the breeze, seeming without a care in the world, her scarf, a birthday gift from her mother a few days ago, fluttered around her shoulders. The grasses weaved beneath her feet and Boromir confided in his younger brother that he had grown some small affections for their beautiful childhood friend. Aged eighteen now, Faramir only nodded and accepted the information calmly, although inside his heart burned with annoyance and desire. From what his brother said, he only had what most called a 'crush' on Léowell, and Faramir desperately hoped Boromir's simple puppy love would fade soon; the younger steward's son had, in fact, fallen in love with her, and he knew his feelings were true and ever so much stronger than his brother's.

Three more years passed and Boromir announced at supper one evening, where the only ones dining were himself, Faramir, and their father, that he had asked Léowell for permission to court her- and she had accepted. "She was blushing and shaking, she was in such joy," Boromir boasted happily as Faramir clenched the butter knife he held just then tighter in his grip. Denethor II was not pleased by this announcement either, to Faramir's grateful surprise, and he shook his head and commanded that 'no heir to the throne of mine will be allowed to court a commoner like her'. Boromir protested, however not too fiercely, and soon enough he relented to his father's demands. He turned to his brother and said calmly, "Well, what about Faramir? It's obvious he's had feelings for her for a while. And he's not the heir." Denethor II turned to his second-born son and asked, a grave expression on his face, "Is this true? Have you fallen for the servant girl?" Faramir's face flushed with emotion and he carefully set the butter knife down on the table before he replied.

"Yes, father, it is true. I'm afraid I cannot control where my heart lies. And even if I could- I would choose Léowell. She is everything I could ever want, a wonderful friend, one with a grand sense of humor, such a compassionate soul. If she could ever love me in return, I would not waste a moment in asking her to be my companion for life." Denethor II leaned back in his tall chair, thinking with a stony expression on his face. Boromir shot his brother a wide grin, but Faramir just narrowed his eyes at him. What chaos in the family he'd caused tonight! The silence grew unbearable for Faramir and he abruptly stood up, leaving the dining hall at a quick pace. He had just left through the heavy pine doors when his father called for him to come back, but he ignored the command. He turned the corner- and just there stood Léowell. She was facing away from him, gazing out a window and clearly pretending like she hadn't been eavesdropping.

"Léowell?" She didn't turn, but he could see part of her face and his heart gave a little leap when her cheeks flushed at his voice. "I believe your father just called for you," she said softly and he stepped back, at a loss for words. "Erm..." She finally turned her head and offered him a shy smile. "How- how much did you hear?" he managed to ask after a moment. Her cheeks went from a pale rose to a deeper shade of crimson as she licked her bottom lip, thinking quickly on how to reply. "I- well, I-" She sighed and admitted, "I am sorry, but I heard my name as I passed by the doors. I was curious and so listened for a minute, and I heard Boromir discussing his proposal to me earlier this afternoon-" "The one you accepted." Faramir's voice went flat and his expression hardened. Léowell's eyes widened and she reached for him, but he drew away and she too took a step back, expression hurt, then defiant. "What could I do? The steward's firstborn son, asking to court me? If I had said no, my mother would have disowned me!" 

Faramir grumbled and turned to walk down the other way of the hall, but she lunged forward and grabbed his arm. He stopped and looked back, against his better judgment, and she pleaded with him, "Please don't go- I didn't know what to do, I made a mistake-" "And why do you say that?" he interrupted, catching her meaning, and she blushed even deeper, biting her top lip nervously. "I- I said yes to the wrong person," she admitted, her hand still clasping his arm just below the elbow. He turned around fully again to face her. Neither of them noticed how the door behind Faramir slowly opened and Boromir poked his head out, watching with a small frown. "And who might be the right person?" Léowell gave a sharp sigh and gazed directly into his eyes with a look that made his heart speed up. "I suppose it's about time you knew. I- I've always fancied you more than a friend, Faramir. I know Boromir has had something of a, erm, 'crush' on me for a while, but- but the only one I've ever had feelings like this for is you."

"Ahem." Faramir whirled around, his hands coming to rest protectively on Léowell's waist. She coughed and he quickly dropped them, murmuring an apology as they stood tensely, looking at the cougher- Boromir. He stared at them for a long moment, something processing in his mind before his frown turned into a small smile. "What you two have is something I could never take away," he said softly, and Faramir and Léowell both relaxed. "I've spoken with Father, and he's said he's alright with you two courting. You are lucky, brother." Boromir gave him a respectful nod. "Treat her well or you will have me to deal with." Léowell gave a small chuckle beside Faramir and replied in a teasing tone, "He would have to deal with me first." Faramir felt his heart soar at the realization that, finally, everything was falling into place. His father allowed it. Boromir was willing to step away. And she loved him- wait...

"Do you-" "I love you." The question hadn't even come halfway out of his mouth before she interrupted with those three words and then, immediately after, a tender kiss. Boromir gave a teasing whistle and slipped back into the dining hall, no doubt going to tell Denethor II all about the new couple, but Faramir and Léowell ignored him. He leaned into the kiss and she responded with a bit more force as her hands snaked around his neck and his arms wrapped around her waist. They broke apart all too soon for want of air, though the smiles they shared were enough to replace the kiss while they caught their breaths. They shared a few more kisses, each a little stronger, before the door of the dining hall creaked open and someone stepped out, his eyes widening at the pair's embrace and, erm, passionate public display of affection. Boromir shook his head with a small smile at them as his father glowered beside him.

"FarAMIR JUST WHAT DO YOU-"