ADVENT: Switch (Boromir, Faramir [non-slash])
Title: Switch
Advent No.6
Prompt: Boromir, Faramir; Presents
Requested by: yamx
Notes: First LotR fic in MANY years, so please bear that in mind. Also, no beta so all mistakes are mine.
Disclaimer: Not mine! Just playing with them. I make no money from this and mean only to help spread christmassy joy. Don't sue, or Santa will leave you coal!
~~~~
As far back as both brothers can remember, when Yule comes Boromir always gets the best gift just as he’s given the very best of everything (weapons, love, attention...) and Faramir gets the afterthought gift (shirt, socks, a runt puppy...). They’re both fairly sure that it’s actually their father’s advisors that buy Faramir’s gifts, and so they both behave well for them whenever one of them takes it upon themselves to teach. Because young Boromir loves his baby brother very much he sees how disappointed he gets every year, despite knowing what’s coming. He wants his brother to be happy at Yule, even just once, so he starts planning.
He asks Faramir what he’d most want for a Yule gift if he could have anything in the world. Because Faramir is a clever boy, he knows better than to ask for what he really wants (his father’s love and pride) because no one could possibly get that for him. He has to earn it himself, so instead he answers,
“A story book.”
“A story book? Really?” Boromir doesn’t understand the appeal of stories, and never has, but his brother’s eager nodding is all he needs to convince him that Faramir sees something special in them.
“Yeah! One with pictures, like the big old ones they have in the library they won’t let us near!”
Boromir tucks the information away and goes about his secret planning as secretly and quietly as possible. He doesn’t want Father finding out because then Faramir might be in trouble and then they’d both have a sad Yule. He persuades his Father that he really wants a really good story book for his gift, and talks the advisors into getting Faramir something the same size as the book his Father has commissioned. They agree happily, because even at that age the people loved Faramir and Boromir. Finally he persuades one of the guards on the main hall to switch the brother’s gifts the night before, and leaves with a bounce in his step.
+
On Yule morn Boromir worries that the guard got it wrong, or else forgot completely, or that Father got him something different and Faramir wouldn’t get his stories. He’s so busy worrying that he’s frowning as they gather around the tree and Father looks at him askance. A smile is quickly put in place as he reaches for the large package marked with his name, and he urges Faramir to do the same. The boys rip into the presents eagerly, Faramir excited by the possibility of getting something just as good as his brother by the size of the parcel gets there first. Boromir pauses to watch the look of utter joy and excitement take over his baby brother’s face for the first time he can remember since they were very small indeed, and feels proud of himself for making him so happy. He doesn’t even mind that Faramir shoots to his feet and launches himself at Father who’s looking enraged and confused.
In the end he adores the gift the advisors got even more than anything his father could have picked out for him, and isn’t shy about showing his pleasure at receiving the journal. He’d never have picked it for himself, but he thought he’d enjoy doing something different from all the fighting things Father made him do. He could write all about his plan and then show it to Faramir later when they were both grownups and had their own families!
+
Denethor never did find out how the gift he’d meant for Boromir had ended up in Faramir’s hands, and with both boys delighted by their gifts he eventually just called it a mistake. It never occurred to him that he’d been tricked by a ten year old.
Advent No.6
Prompt: Boromir, Faramir; Presents
Requested by: yamx
Notes: First LotR fic in MANY years, so please bear that in mind. Also, no beta so all mistakes are mine.
Disclaimer: Not mine! Just playing with them. I make no money from this and mean only to help spread christmassy joy. Don't sue, or Santa will leave you coal!
~~~~
As far back as both brothers can remember, when Yule comes Boromir always gets the best gift just as he’s given the very best of everything (weapons, love, attention...) and Faramir gets the afterthought gift (shirt, socks, a runt puppy...). They’re both fairly sure that it’s actually their father’s advisors that buy Faramir’s gifts, and so they both behave well for them whenever one of them takes it upon themselves to teach. Because young Boromir loves his baby brother very much he sees how disappointed he gets every year, despite knowing what’s coming. He wants his brother to be happy at Yule, even just once, so he starts planning.
He asks Faramir what he’d most want for a Yule gift if he could have anything in the world. Because Faramir is a clever boy, he knows better than to ask for what he really wants (his father’s love and pride) because no one could possibly get that for him. He has to earn it himself, so instead he answers,
“A story book.”
“A story book? Really?” Boromir doesn’t understand the appeal of stories, and never has, but his brother’s eager nodding is all he needs to convince him that Faramir sees something special in them.
“Yeah! One with pictures, like the big old ones they have in the library they won’t let us near!”
Boromir tucks the information away and goes about his secret planning as secretly and quietly as possible. He doesn’t want Father finding out because then Faramir might be in trouble and then they’d both have a sad Yule. He persuades his Father that he really wants a really good story book for his gift, and talks the advisors into getting Faramir something the same size as the book his Father has commissioned. They agree happily, because even at that age the people loved Faramir and Boromir. Finally he persuades one of the guards on the main hall to switch the brother’s gifts the night before, and leaves with a bounce in his step.
+
On Yule morn Boromir worries that the guard got it wrong, or else forgot completely, or that Father got him something different and Faramir wouldn’t get his stories. He’s so busy worrying that he’s frowning as they gather around the tree and Father looks at him askance. A smile is quickly put in place as he reaches for the large package marked with his name, and he urges Faramir to do the same. The boys rip into the presents eagerly, Faramir excited by the possibility of getting something just as good as his brother by the size of the parcel gets there first. Boromir pauses to watch the look of utter joy and excitement take over his baby brother’s face for the first time he can remember since they were very small indeed, and feels proud of himself for making him so happy. He doesn’t even mind that Faramir shoots to his feet and launches himself at Father who’s looking enraged and confused.
In the end he adores the gift the advisors got even more than anything his father could have picked out for him, and isn’t shy about showing his pleasure at receiving the journal. He’d never have picked it for himself, but he thought he’d enjoy doing something different from all the fighting things Father made him do. He could write all about his plan and then show it to Faramir later when they were both grownups and had their own families!
+
Denethor never did find out how the gift he’d meant for Boromir had ended up in Faramir’s hands, and with both boys delighted by their gifts he eventually just called it a mistake. It never occurred to him that he’d been tricked by a ten year old.