Elektra121- May I make a most sincere apology? Bad enough that I originally thought I’d missed your lovely comment and not seen it until 6 months later…and then I realised that you posted it in January 2011…shame on me, really, I’m so sorry that I somehow overlooked your kind words, I really hope you don’t think me horribly ignorant or uncaring because I really really do care and appreciate when someone takes time out of their day to leave me a comment. I feel terrible! Thank you so much for letting me know you enjoyed this story, I’m so glad the style and metaphors in particular worked for you, I must admit that even now (oh dear, over a year later) I still count one or two of the lines in this story as my personal favourite little sections (I in no way hold any claim to be a writer of any talent whatsoever but I was proud of the line “…he is reminded of nights spent in the wild, lying on grass with hot ash-fragrance in his lungs and muggy, lightning-thick air rushing over his body.“ If I’ve ever written anything of any merit I think that one line might be it!) Thank you so much again, and please, again accept my heartfelt apologies for the disgracefully tardy reply to your kind words :)

Geale: !!! Aaaah! I’ve missed you! :) It was such a lovely surprise to see your name at the top of the comment email! I do hope you’re well, and I’m so sorry to hear you’ve been having a rough time lately; I really do hope everything works itself out and that you are happy and healthy also. To hear that my little story brightened your day brightens my day, really it does. I’m so glad you enjoyed it, I know it’s over a year old (as I mention to poor Elektra who has had to wait all that time for me to realise that she has left me a comment, I’m so ashamed) but I remember very well how much I enjoyed writing this and generally having a lot of fun with all those metaphors (although, as with anything a little older one does begin to see things that they might have phrased differently and such like, but I won’t bore you with a list of corrections! Though I did spy a typo and I’m itching to correct it :P)

Once again you humble me with your comment! I too liked the idea of the story beginning in the mists of rumour (you know me and my obsession with reactions): maybe they were kissing in public, maybe they weren’t, but I think there’s some sketchy sort of gossip forming around their relationship regardless, and when the imagination runs wild one might see things in the shadows that that they want to see rather than what is actually there. I think, when such rumour circulates, one actively looks for signs to confirm it as fact, and twists what they see (perhaps unintentionally) into evidence; a perfectly innocent midnight stroll becomes a liaison beneath the ivy :P Or, conversely, depending on the opinions of the beholder, what is in fact a stolen kiss becomes a young courting couple, because that is what they might expect to see. Either way, I think the shrouds of imaginative rumour are always something very interesting to probe into and play with and I’m really happy that it worked for you.

Haha, yes, I think perhaps Aragorn doesn’t really give a hoot for proper conduct in the healing wards (or perhaps he knew that Faramir was out of the shadows, and so a little pipeweed mingling with the soothing scents of the other herbs in the room wouldn’t do any harm)! The whole Aragorn/Faramir-healing-houses scene (in all its many iterations) is also something I love to explore, there’s a great deal of mysticism I think to be used there…Aragorn indeed saves Faramir’s life, but what of Faramir? He awakes, ready to serve his king, but why not feel something deeper within his chest? I think perhaps some part of Aragorn’s ‘magic’ I suppose (and I use that term loosely) causes Faramir not only to come back to the waking world but feel a deep bond with his king, one of friendship and in this case, something far more magnetic. I just liked the idea of them both just being all ‘well, I kind of love you already’ pretty much from the get-go.

I tried to put a bit of a double-meaning in the ‘…to love himself…‘ line and you’ve pretty much nailed it; through Aragorn Faramir comes to love himself, to heal fully inside and out, to be happy and whole, and I also meant as a sort of poetic echo really that to love another man was to love himself in image, really, because they are, firstly, and obviously, both men, and secondly they are very similar characters that compliment each other so well. So, perhaps it could be seen as Faramir loving another version of himself, or a different aspect, but he is also (as you point out) becoming whole again by way of being able to want someone purely for the physical aspect as well, that he feels well enough in all ways to give in to those urges. After everything, Faramir is still his own person, noble, yes, kind, yes, wise and stalwart and loyal and all of these things but he has a sense of humour, and not one that I think is particularly shy (quiet, perhaps :P And I think here, if it makes any sense at all, that his insecurity is different from any shyness; i.e. he will get over the former in time and the latter I don’t think he really possesses in this tale, he’s just the way he is. That probably made no sense at all!) I like the idea of them both being able to be at easy with one another, have a silly conversation, or poke fun at the other, or just talk as friends and lovers without all the formality.

I’m so, so glad you enjoyed this, and it’s so completely lovely to hear from you. (No word of a lie, I was rereading a few chapters of Mist the other day for inspiration (writers’ block)…I’ve said it before but it’s the honest truth, I don’t think that story will ever lose its magic for me, it’s quite simply something else and really when I write I’m trying to capture that ‘otherness’ and that perfect mood each time but I don’t think I’ll ever succeed. (Mist was, after all, the story that started me off writing fic in the first place so I will always be in your debt!)) Speak to you soon, and thank you again for such in-depth and honouring words as always :)

Don’t mind me, just launching my catching-up-very-slowly-project. And this is a sort of live reaction reply because I…

…I made it successfully all the way through the first paragraph and half of the second one before I had to emit some kind of sound. Something like a blend of “awww” and “oooh” and a perfect fangirl sigh. I adore the idea of using gossip as a foundation of a story and that suggestion of it being two men, or even a woman, standing so close in the shadows so perfectly captures human nature and behaviour: we are so ready to see and believe what we think we should see and believe that that is what becomes our understanding of matters. We create our own reality and then we base our perceptions of everything else on that reality and then… along comes someone with a different story to tell and so – here we are. Amidst whispers and guesses…

Haha, Aragorn! Smoking in Faramir’s healing chambers… —shakes head— And Faramir wanted him from the very moment he laid eyes on him! Well, of course he did. Who wouldn’t? Love the image of Faramir’s hand sliding to his neck so intuitively upon awakening.

Oh. Ooooh. My. To love another man “…was to love himself…”. That is absolutely lovely. For a character like Faramir, who was so broken in spirit, to find love for his own person in the man he loves so deeply is… gorgeous. But also, it came almost as a relief, when I read it, that Faramir loves Aragorn in a physical way too. It seems to me sometimes that Faramir is in so much need of healing that even the sexual aspects of a relationship are used (within that relationship) to rebuild him, to boost his confidence and whatnot. Therefore it is nice at times to have him freely admit to simply wanting someone else, with no thought for spiritual or emotional healing whatsoever.

Now, the lovemaking scene. Truthfully, I never wanted it to end. There is a special, sort of warm and fuzzy, energy surging through this one, I think. It wraps around you and melts your heart. They are amazing together, these boys. And then, of course, I liked Faramir’s ”Oh, you know what I mean.” I do appreciate this take on him: he might be unsure and insecure but there is a spark of confidence and humour just beneath the surface. It’s healthy, and healthy is mostly a good thing ;)

In the end, all I can do is to smile blissfully. This is so sweet and beautiful, and it truly went straight to my heart.

I hope you are well and happy! The past months have been a bit of a tough deal for me but by August I reckon things will settle down a little. I must say, though, that this story brightened my day immensely. So thank you.

You would have my thoughts on the style of this story?
Well, it is wonderfully written! I very much liked your metaphores, the atmosphere, how you show feelings and thoughts – and the dealing with rumours are a good idea to make the story not solely PWP (even though I would absolutely NOT have minded!).

Thank you for this story!

Oh my, I’m so completely flattered by your kind words; I think I forgot to breathe when reading your comment! :) Thank you so, so much for your thoughts on the style- I’ve really been trying to improve on the descriptive and metaphorical aspects of my writing and to receive such lovely feedback has really made my day!
I myself am not really bothered about OTPs or anything but this pairing really is my favourite (as you may guess from my other stories ;))-I find these two a delight to write together. I am, after all, a sucker for romance :P
I always say this but I really am so very glad you liked it, it really is an honour to me that someone else finds enjoyment in my stories; thank you!!

It’s been a long time since I’ve read any F/A fic, and I have to say, this story reminds me of why I love the pairing so much.

Your writing is sheer poetry. You capture emotion in metaphor beautifully, and color their emotions so vividly. I forgot to breathe reading some passages.

Looking forward to reading more stories by you in the future.