I read the books once, and didn't particularly enjoy them (I know, I know, I'm heathen).

It took me a long time to read the books, not until college. When I started reading them I was so crushed it wasn't a continuation of Bilbo's story that I threw them aside in disgust. I was quite fond of The Hobbit.

I adore the diction in this story. The way you can go between excessively formal diction, illustrating Estel's hyperbolic attempt to prove himself a man, before degrading to simpler words. I don't know if it was conscious or not, but it's done really well. you can see it really well in paragraph five, where Estel "stuck his tongue out," but, when the moment passed and he regained control, Elrohir "returned the gesture." So, yeah, I thought that was really well done.

*G* Yes, it was conscious, and I'm glad it came through like I intended it. :)

You never mention any specific one that he would be speaking to, and the him, therefore, makes no sense. Which brother is he talking to, or should it be a they?

Yep, it was supposed to be 'they'. Noted and changed, thank you. :)