The Rose Bush (no slash)
Snip, snip, snip. Garden sheers snipped the rose bush, it's thorny stems falling to the ground. Young Samwise Gamgee bit his lip in concentration. "I must do this right," he thought. "I can't ruin my first big job!"
Sam recalled his Gaffer's orders. "Prune it carefully mi-lad. Mr. Bilbo is very particular 'bout his bush's bein' the right shape." This led Sam to remind himself again: "Don't mess up!"
Sam's father, Hamfast Gaffer, worked for Mr. Bilbo, the master of Bag End, as a gardener. For Sam, being the youngest child was very hard. He had struggled to make a name for himself. And he knew he could with this bush. He could hear it now: "Did you hear 'bout the rose bushes Sam pruned? He really did them justice. I'd like to hire him for my garden!"
But suddenly, something collided into his side, shattering his thoughts and throwing him to the ground. But in the process, made him cut a huge chunk out of the bush. With a cry of terror, Sam leapt up to examine the damage: unfixable. Anger shook him. He got up and lividly stomped to where the other hobbit boy sat, a guilty smirk across his face. The boy was older than Sam, but much smaller. Playful blue eyes sparkled behind his hair, which fell on the boys brow in black curls. His skin was pale, and his frame looked as though Sam could snap him in two.
" You… you…. you ninny hammer! Are you blind? Did you not see me there? Stupid boy!" Sam gasped at his own words, then turned an fled, leaving a very shocked and pale boy behind.
" Samwise Gamgee you fool!" Cried Ham Gaffer. " That's Frodo Baggins! Bilbo's nephew!"
Sam's heart sunk. He had never meant to be mean in the first place, but especially to Bilbo's newly orphaned nephew. Frodo had moved in with his uncle when his parents had died in a boating accident. The new hobbit had a mist of rumors floating about him. The poor boy was shunned and scorned. " I'm sorry, sir," Sam apologized. " What do you wish me to do?"
" What do I wish you to do? Ha!" Ham laughed sarcastically. " I wish you to come with me right now." He pulled Sam out the door.
"Where are we going?" asked Sam.
"To apologize to Mr. Frodo. And you are to treat him with respect, y'hear?"
" Hamfast! Samwise! Come in! Come in! I just put the kettle on the fire for tea. Oh Ham, before we sit down, I wanted to show you a new design for the garden. Sam, sit with my nephew, Frodo. I believe you two have some talking to do." Bilbo gave Sam a knowing look. He blushed and sat down timidly at the table.
" Um… Mr. Frodo sir, I'm sorry 'bout those things I said earlier. I didn't really mean 'em. I mean, I was angry, an' my Gaffer says that words spoken when your angry n' all are never how you really feel, an' I was just disappointed 'bout the bush n'all…"
" It's alright!" the hobbit chuckled. " I should have watched were I was running. I'm Frodo, and I'm new here. Although, you probably already new that." He said with a grin. Sam was amazed at Frodo's lighthearted-ness after what had happened. " Oh, and by the way," added Frodo, " My uncle rather likes the shape of his new bush. He would like you to come back every week to work under your father."
Sam's heart leapt with joy. " Thank you, Mr. Frodo sir!" he cried. Frodo's head cocked at the "Mr.", but ignored it there after.
" Oh Sam, Bag End creek has been flowing pretty well lately, do you want to play in it with me?" Sam nodded enthusiastically. He had a feeling this was going to be a great friendship.