Title: The Storm Will Only Know
By: Moonfairyhime
Pairing: Merry/Pippin, Merry/Estella, Merry/OC (My, Merry is a busy little hobbit)
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: No, I don't own them. Damn.
Summary: For Shirashade's inspiration challenge: take a quote from a random book and use it to inspire a story. I thought to finally change the tides a bit and have Merry be unfaithful to Pippin, instead of Pippin being unfaithful to Merry.
Warnings: Slash and angst
Feedback: Would be lovely.
Author's Note: If anyone can figure out how I came up with that title gets a cookie and a flyingtacklehuggle from me. I'll give two hints: I changed only one word and it's a country song.
Pippin knew that if Merry ever caught him outside in only his night clothes during a storm, Merry would scold him. But the loud booming thunder calmed him, made his inner turmoil feel less consuming when brought before a powerful storm.
As a flash of lightning lit up the sky, Pippin smiled to himself, thinking of all the times Merry had scolded him for being in the rain. Pippin knew that after a good scolding from his lover, Merry was always in the best mood for a little love.
Pippin also knew that Merry wouldn't be home to scold him tonight. He was sure that Merry was too busy with some hobbit lass to come home to Pippin. Last week it was Poppy Banks, Pippin's cousin. Two nights ago, it was Estella Bolger. Pippin remembered, albeit a bit bitterly, the smile on Merry's face when he returned to Crickhollow after bedding her.
Pippin had always found it ironic. Since he was eight years Merry's junior, everyone assumed that it would be he who ran from Merry. He would become angry at Merry for taking away his childhood, taking away his virginity.
Very few hobbits thought, or even remembered, that Merry was eight years Pippin's senior. No one ever expected that it would be Merry who would turn from Pippin.
Pippin would never confront Merry about this, as Merry tried so hard, almost heart-breakingly hard, to try to keep news of his infidelities from Pippin. If Pippin would ever ask why he seemed so happy in the morning, Merry would always reply that he had dreamt about Pippin.
It shattered Pippin's heart every time he lied to him.
But knowing in his head that he could not, would not, confront Merry didn't mean that it would keep his heart from wondering what he would say and how Merry would react. Maybe he would show Merry that he isn't as slow and dumb as most hobbits thought of him. Very few hobbits understood the mystery that was the Thain's son and heir. With a slight pang, Pippin thought of Frodo and Gandalf. Gandalf, although a bit rough around the edges, understood Pippin on a greater level. Pippin knew that Frodo, with his piercing blue eyes, saw more than just the Pip Pippin showed to the world. He knew the Pippin hidden underneath the smile and laughing fey green eyes.
Another favorite thought of his heart was that Merry would beg forgiveness and vow to never stray from Pippin's bed again. But Pippin's heart would never, ever think of the possibility of Merry leaving Pippin. That was something that Pippin could never dream of: a life without Merry. It was something he couldn't fathom, something he never wanted to think.
Pippin also didn't want to think about the reasons that Merry had started to seek comfort in another hobbit's arms. Maybe Merry had finally tired of having a younger, less experienced hobbit in his bed. Maybe he hungered for the touch of a lass. Maybe he finally realized that a life with Pippin just could not happen; no matter how many forevers they had promised. Pippin had often wondered if Merry would ever hunger for the life of a family man, with someone he could call his wife and not just his lover. Pippin knew that Merry utterly adored children, and he also knew that he could never give Merry the children he so dearly wished.
All that Pippin really knew was that he loved Merry with all of his heart and he couldn't imagine a life without Merry.
As the rain began to fall, Pippin fell to the ground, sobbing just as hard as the rain was pouring.
Hope you liked it. I may do a sequeal... Please leave a review!
Peace, Love, and the Moon!
Moonfairyhime