The Quest for the Birthday Present

by fantasychica37

On the Blessed Isle, Gandalf decides that he's sick of being the only one giving Bilbo and Frodo presents on their birthday as opposed to his- so he, a Maia created before time, decides to figure out when his birthday is! Featuring all fourteen Valar, devotees of shiny things, and contention over the ownership of Shadowfax. K for Fëanor in later chapters.

1. Chapter 1

"Many happy returns, Frodo and Bilbo!" Gandalf cheered with the other Elves, who surprisingly seemed to be quite enjoying what was for many of them their first cup of ale in their long lives. It was the Hobbits' first birthday in Valinor, and they had thrown an enormous party hobbit-style, complete with multiple meals, Gandalf's fireworks, and giving out presents to all their guests, insisting that they give the hobbits gifts on their own birthdays.

The only notable exception to this was Gandalf, who, being an Ainu made before the world was created, had no birthday. So there he was, awkwardly navigating the row of tables (and being a Maia, he towered over even the tallest Elves when they were standing up), the only one giving the guests of honor birthday presents. It had never bothered him much before- he had only ever given them birthday gifts once, during Bilbo's 111th birthday party, as he had spent every other birthday of theirs traipsing around Middle-earth saving some realm or other, but now when he was living a stationary, peaceful life again (that is, as much as any Maia of Manwë's life could be) and would be celebrating Bilbo's and Frodo's birthday with them for the rest of their lives, he felt guilty at violating such an important hobbit custom, especially when he was the only one in Aman who really knew and cared about hobbit customs.

Gandalf realized that this was the first time in an Age that he had complained about a problem (even if only silently) without trying to do anything about it. Why not, he thought. Vairë still has all her old tapestries on hand...

And so he spent the rest of the gift-giving scribbling complicated arithmetic problems on his napkin, trying to figure out how many years had passed since the Valar began recording time. (He had to do the calculations for the First Age on a big spot of jam made from the strawberries the Bagginses grew in their garden, which Gandalf thought was deeply ironic.)

When the party was over, Gandalf galloped away on Shadowfax and began another Quest- to find out when he came into being!

Coming up next: Gandalf visits the Halls of Mandos to examine tapestries and do some calculations- and finds many, many people there...