The music was loud and the energy was pulsing through every being in the room. Legolas, all to happy to join in Boromir's plan, was in the center of the dance floor, his blonde hair whipping around with the music. Every girl had his eye on him, including Eowyn, who was loving every moment, every beat, every second. She was free, and the music freed her. It was so loud; she couldn't remember the rest of her life. She couldn't remember to be reserved, to be cautious, to be careful. She just let her body move and let her eyes flirt with every boy and girl in the room. Between her and Legolas, they had the attention of everyone in the club. Legolas, as usual, loved being the center of attention, but especially of Eowyn's. It had been too long since he'd seen his best friend smile. It had been too long since they'd been able to let loose like this and simply enjoy each other.

Eventually the heat of all of the moving bodies around him made Legolas very thirsty, so he yelled to Eowyn over the pulsing music:

"I'm GOING to GET some WATER."

"WHAT?"

He mimed taking a drink of something, and she smiled and nodded in comprehension.

"GO AHEAD. I'M HAVING FUN."

Legolas smiled. "Good."

He made his way to the back of the room and up the stairs to a balcony where the restaurant portion of the club was located. There, at a table overlooking the dance floor, he found Boromir.

"Hey man, you gotta get out there. Why are you still up here?" Legolas asked, as he slid into a chair opposite Boromir and started drinking his Pepsi. "I thought I was gonna have to rescue Eowyn, not you."

"I'm happy up here," Boromir said, amused at Legolas' soda theft. "I'm not really the bump-and-grind type, if you can't tell."

"Really?" Legolas was making a funny, suggestive face at Boromir. "Hmm."

"What?"

"Nothing, nothing. You just seem… different tonight."

"Different like what?"

Legolas paused to evaluate. "You just seem a lot less stressed-out I guess. If I didn't know you any better, I would think you're having a good time." This last line was delivered with Legolas' trademark smirk.

Boromir didn't know how to respond. He was having a good time, he guessed. It just felt good to know that A was having a good time, for once. Plus, something about being in Legolas' company made breathing seem easier. He was so carefree; Boromir often liked to watch him on the dance floor and envy the ease with which he made friends and had fun. Boromir often wished he could be like that, but not too seriously. He was, after all, older, and a little less immature when it came to girls. Aha, perfect subject change.

"So, no girlfriends yet, huh? That brunette was making eyes at you when we came in," Boromir jabbed at Legolas, grinning. This joke was possibly completely overdone, but it always seemed to ring true. Legolas was a manwhore, in the silliest sense of the word.

"Oh, well, ya know. I have to pace myself," Legolas replied with a wink. But his voice didn't hold the same suave cadence it usually had when defending himself. His eyes were distracted, staring down at the sparkling blonde in the center of the dance floor. "Man, I haven't seen her like this in months."

Boromir hardly heard Legolas' words; he himself was distracted by Eowyn, happily surprised at her sudden looseness. They both sat in silence for a while, wondering to themselves the same things.

"You think…" Legolas began.

Boromir looked up, already knowing what Legolas was going to say. But he let him say it.

"You think Faramir's going to be mad about this?"

Boromir considered.

"Yes."

"That's so dumb! Why isn't she allowed to have some fun every now and then? Its not like he's taking her out anymore," Legolas' voice rang with an ancient grudge. Boromir had heard Legolas rant about this before; he had heard Arwen rant about this before; he had even heard Aragorn rant about this before. They all knew she was being treated like crap, and none of them could do anything about it, except complain to one another. She loved him, and they couldn't change that.

"Faramir doesn't mind her going 'out', really," Boromir replied, trying to defend his brother out of reflex. "Its… well, its you he'll probably be most mad about."

"Me? Oh jesus, you're not serious? After all this time?"

"Can you blame him? I mean, honestly, I don't understand why you don't like her. You like everyone else. You love women in general."

"Yeah…" Legolas smirked, but in a more bitter way than usual. "A's different though. I mean, we've known each other forever."

"Isn't that worse though?"

"Agh!" Legolas yelled in frustration. "People just don't get it! Just, geez, believe me, I'm not in love with her. Can't I be happy that she's happy and not be in love with her?"

"Whoa.. Okay, sorry. I was just trying to help you see it from Faramir's point of view."

Another silence between them – though it could hardly be called silence, with the raging techno music all around them. Legolas shifted in his seat, and then looked up at Boromir confused.

"Wait, so, if you knew Faramir would be mad, why did you even invite me to come?"

Boromir hesitated. He had seen this question coming from a mile off. He looked at Legolas curiously, and eventually decided he would risk having this conversation.

"Because I didn't know if she'd come if it was just me."

Legolas was deeply amused at Boromir's embarrassment.

"Ha! Like hell she wouldn't have come. I think she's just been waiting for someone to steal her away like this."

Boromir gave Legolas a significant look.

"I'm not stealing her away."

"No, I mean, like getting her away from all of the shit that's been going on."

Boromir considered. "Maybe."

It took a few moments to convince himself, but he decided to share his thoughts. Legolas would hear him out.

"…It wasn't just that. I mean… I was afraid to take her out, just the two of us."

"Why?"

"Because she's my brother's girlfriend, that's why!"

Legolas suddenly understood what Boromir was trying to say. His eyes got wide and he couldn't stop a laugh from escaping his lips.

"What, like you could be…? Yeah right!" Legolas was cracking up now. "Boromir, I'm sorry to tell you this, but you are not badass enough to cheat with your brother's girlfriend. You are not even badass enough for people to accuse you of cheating with your brother's girlfriend. You are about as risky as letting her go out with another girl."

"Gee, thanks."

"You know what I mean!" Legolas was smiling. "You're a good guy, Boromir. We all know that. You're beyond reproach."

What was somebody supposed to reply to that? Boromir couldn't help but be frustrated. He should have felt good about his spotless reputation, but for some reason it just made him sick to his stomach.

Legolas was eyeing Boromir, seeing his face turn sour as he stared out yet again to the dance floor. There was a time for jokes, and a time for seriousness -- Legolas generally couldn't tell the difference between the two. Just smile and laugh it off – that was his philosophy. But as he looked intently at his friend, he could tell that Boromir wasn't up for a laugh. He had to say, he wasn't expecting to have this conversation tonight. For a while, he had had suspicions, but he hoped they were wrong. He had prayed they were wrong.

All easiness gone from his voice, he leaned across the table to Boromir.

"You gotta snap out of it, dude," he said, his eyes serious. "I don't know what you've got into your head, but as much as I like seeing you happy tonight, you need to find someone else to stare at."

Boromir turned to look at him, his temper rising.

"What, so you can stare at her instead?...And I'm not staring at her!"

"Boromir…" Legolas' voice got an edge to it. "I don't want to fight with you about this. I just don't think its smart to look down that road. You know that I have interests elsewhere -- It's time you did too."

Boromir's inward anger forced him to break eye contact. He was defeated. He silently pondered all of Legolas' words. Was he really looking down that road? No. He wasn't falling for Eowyn. He was just concerned. He was just scared for her, is all. If Legolas could care for her and not fall for her, than Boromir certainly could.

"I'm gonna go back out," Legolas finally said.

"Already?" said a female voice from behind him. The conversation must've lasted longer than it seemed; Eowyn was walking over with an energy drink in her hand and a smile on her face.

"A! Well, speak of the devil," said Legolas with a falsely sincere smile.

"You were talking about me?"

"Well, Boromir was anyway. What was that you were just saying? I could hardly hear you over the music."

Boromir looked aghast. Whatever kind of argument they may have been having, it hardly warranted this. Legolas was an asshole.

"Nothing important. Just that…er.. you look great tonight, A," Boromir stammered. Legolas was not happy with his response, but Eowyn looked pleased.

"Right so, I'll just let you take my place then," said Legolas quickly. "Don't want to let that brunette leave without knowing my name," he added with a wink at Eowyn, who gave him a raised eyebrow. He looked at Boromir warily. Please don't do anything stupid, his eyes clearly said.

After Legolas left, Eowyn collapsed into his seat.

"Its so loud out there! And its crazy! This is so much fun, thanks for inviting me to go with you guys," she said brightly, as she pulled her hair up into a messy bun. Mid-action, however, she froze.

"I am allowed to get my sweaty hair off my neck, right?"

Boromir grinned. "I suppose I'll let this on slip."

"Good, because it is SO hot in here." She took a long chug of her Rockstar. "So, how are you Boromir? Geez, I feel like we haven't really talked in ages. What's new?"

She is so energetic tonight. Boromir thought. It's like havin the old A back. Thank God for caffeine.

"I'm..good, I guess," Boromir answered. "School's alright, kinda crazy with graduation coming up and everything."

"Yeah I don't envy you," Eowyn sighed. "Being a senior must be fun though."

"Its got its ups and downs," Boromir answered truthfully. "But I guess that's just how it go –"

"Hey, wait….do you still have that crazy crush on Arwen?" Eowyn grinned evilly.

Whoa. Boromir wasn't expecting that. Eowyn was always the kind to jump to the chase though.

"Ah…so that's what you really want to talk about," Boromir hedged, a grin spreading on his face. "That was a while back, A."

"Yeah but, the last time we actually talked, you were really crushin on her."

"Wow, has it really been that long?"

"4 months is a long time ago? Wow, how many girls have there been since, Mr. Gondor?"

Boromir laughed at how much Eowyn was enjoying her interrogation. When his laughter died though, he couldn't find words to say. Her dress really matched her blue eyes.

"So no Arwen then, I'm guessing?" Eowyn continued.

"No Arwen. That was a bad idea…I mean, Aragorn is my best friend and all. I wouldn't be surprised if they're the first to get married after graduation."

"Ha, me neither. They are kind-of disgustingly in love, at times. So, any new girls?"

Geez. Give me some air to breathe. This is not a good choice of conversation.

"Well, I…" he couldn't find the guts to finish the sentence. He didn't want to lie, but he didn't want the truth to be true. He didn't want to admit to himself that he always fell for girls who were taken.

"..Boys?" she pressed on, with her eyebrows raised.

"No! No no no no no," he answered frantically. "No."

"Right so, I'll take that as a no then," she said teasingly.

Boromir looked up at her through his messy bangs. She was gorgeous. Not only that, but she was happy. He had made her happy, by bringing her here. Maybe there was a way to do this right. Maybe he could enjoy her company, and not cross the line. Maybe he could fall in love with his brother's girlfriend, and never tell a soul.

That was a stupid thought, but her eyes were gleaming, and her perfume was radiating through the air, and she was looking at him like he was her hero. He couldn't pass up the chance, the hope, the faint possibility that he could be happy tonight, with her.

He's doing it again, she thought to herself. He's waiting for me to break. He waiting for the moment that I remember my life and burst into tears.

"Boromir….I'm okay," she said softly, misinterpreting his silence. "I really am. I know I'm messed up, but I'm getting better--"

"Don't talk about it," he said urgently, looking down at the table. "I can tell you're feeling better tonight. You don't have to…" He allowed his eyes to meet hers. "You never have to try and prove yourself to me."

Eowyn smiled, slightly embarrassed by his sudden emotion. "I know, and you have no idea how grateful I am for that." She reached out to squeeze his hand across the table.

The second her skin brushed his, he frantically stood up and backed away, knocking his chair to the floor. People around looked over at them.

"What're you doing?" he yelled at her, eyes wide.

"Doing? I'm not doing anything," she said, completely caught off-guard by his moment of freak-out. "I was just saying thanks!"

Boromir was in fight-or-flight mode. He didn't want to explain himself to her, for fear of what he would say. Instead, he bolted. Stupid stupid stupid, Boromir. What were you thinking? She's Faramir's girlfriend! She's not yours to take out! She's not yours to think about! …But even as he said these words to himself, he couldn't help but think about the electric shock that went through him when her soft, warm skin touched the tips of his fingers…

Eowyn sat mortified in the middle of the restaurant. Legolas had seen the action from across the room and came over.

"What happened?" he asked, terrified.

"I…I have no idea," she replied honestly. "I just touched him."

"…Shit."

"What, what's wrong? Did I do something wrong?"

"Its nothing, Boromir's just…..gah,this is worse than I thought. I'm sorry, I need to go track him down."

"No, not until you tell me what the heck that was about," she said, blocking him from leaving.

"You don't want to know, A," he snapped.

Eowyn looked him up and down, and then looked around to make sure no one was listening. "Is this about you two?" she asked under her breath.

"What?" Legolas' stomach felt like it fell through the floor. "A, don't even -- don't you even talk – your not allowed to just ask me about –" Unknowingly, she had hit him right at his breaking point. Legolas felt like he had run out of breath. "It's not like that. He's…"

He was loosing his resolve. In that second, it had hit him full on for the first time. Full of a despair, he fixed Eowyn with a hard look.

"He's obviously in love with someone else."