Disclaimer: The only thing I own here is the plot. The rest belongs to J.R.R. Toilken.

Warning: Gay kissing and hopelessly pathetic writing.

"Eat, drink, and be Merry!" A raucous voice bounced around the already smoky

and vibrant room. Merry winced and slowly turned his head. His friends – well, nearly everyone in Hobbiton, actually – had taken it upon themselves to throw him a huge

birthday party and, apparently, tell lame jokes. Never mind that all I wanted to do was to sit down with Pippin and recall our adventures with The Ring, he thought sourly.

"Pip, do you mind?"

"Mind what?" he asked innocently, though the effect was ruined slightly by the growing smirk on his face. Merry rolled his eyes.

"Do you mind that you're yelling and dancing and feasting in my home without me, the birthday boy, might I add – no, that wasn't an invitation, thank you – when you know perfectly well that all I want to do is have a civilized discussion?" Pippin frowned and stuck out his lower lip in a pout.

"But, Merry! The party's for you!" he said. "And you used to love lively crowds," he added in afterthought.

"The fellowship changed me. So did the war. I just – I – I don't know, now I've realized that it's not all about me, that I've had enough parties, and now I just want to be the old man that I am." Pippin blinked back some tears. He didn't like change. He wanted the old Merry back.

"Fine," he snapped. Oops. That came out a bit harsher than I intended it to. Pippin shoved the thought back ferociously. "I'll just go." He made to stand up, but Merry reached out and grabbed his wrist.

"O.K.," he whispered. "But I have something to show you first." Pippin just shrugged irritably and followed Merry out the back door. It was considerably quieter in the garden.

"What did you want to show me?" asked Pippin, as his irritability ebbed away and was replaced by curiosity.

"Just this."

"Just wha - ?" His sentence was muffled as Merry covered Pippin's lips with his own. He hesitantly stepped backwards and looked up at Pippin.

"Hey!"

Bracing himself, he said, "Yes?"

"Why'd you stop?" Merry grinned and rushed forward to close the gap between them again. A few moments later, they broke apart.

"So, Merry. Do you still want to sit and have a 'civilized discussion?'"

"Nah. We'll have more time for that later." They both smiled. I guess eating, drinking, and being Merry isn't that bad after all.

The End

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