Disclaimers: I do not own The Lord of the Rings. J.R.R. Tolkien does.

*.*.*

Happy Thanksgiving, 2018! :D Some of this fanfic draws from my own experiences with Thanksgiving. That said, enjoy. :)

*.*.*

Pippin Took breathed in the fresh scent of turkey basting over the stove. Ah! He loved cooking. And he loved it more, now that he was going to share this meal with his friends and family. And Diamond Took would be here, at the Great Smials, to share this holiday with him! Oh, what fun he would have today!

The doorbell rang. Pippin shouted for one of his family members to get the door. He looked up, the moment he heard cheery noises coming from the entrance hall. Someone was here to celebrate this festivity with him!

"Pippin!" Frodo cried joyously. He licked his chops, loving the smell of turkey. "Mmm. Tell me when the food's ready, Pippin!"

"Oh, I will!" Pippin said, getting a good, strong whiff of the turkey's delectable, meaty smell.

"All right, get out of the kitchen!" Pearl Took, Pippin's sister, kicked him out of the room. It was then that she and their two other sisters made their way into the kitchen to help finish cooking the food.

Pippin shrugged. It wasn't as if he didn't have anything else planned today. He looked up, greeting Diamond and allowed everyone to join him in the parlor for a few games… that is until Pippin's sisters brought an assortment of snacks to the parlor table.

"Enjoy! But save your empty stomachs for dinner," Pimpernel said, batting Frodo's hand before he took some celery sticks from the snack tray.

"Yes ma'am," Frodo said, watching Pimpernel leave the room. He whispered to Pippin, "Your sisters are scary. Are they always like this?"

"Just when they're cooking meals," Pippin cleared his throat.

"Well, let's hope they aren't working too hard," Merry said, standing up. "I'll gladly help them out!" He patted his stomach.

Frodo chuckled. "Oh yes! You'll help them out all right!" He said, sipping his glass of water and smelling the cooked, delicious food all the way from the kitchen.

"How are you?" Diamond asked Pippin, batting her eyelashes at him.

"I'm good, actually. Thank you," Pippin gulped. He whispered to Frodo, "I really want to leave now. Can I join you in the kitchen?"

"No!" Frodo whispered back. "We wait until the lasses want us in there. You know how it is around them."

"I'm starting to question that," Pippin said, nervously.

.

Minutes dragged by. Just about everyone in the parlor had enough snacks to hold them over until supper had passed. Frodo belched, right as Pearl returned, glowering at Frodo for his rudeness.

"Dinner's ready," Pearl said, slapping Frodo on the back of the head.

"Ow!" Frodo rubbed the back of his head, glaring at her. "Why did you do that?"

"Because you belched," Pearl complained.

"You looking for a second date, aren't you?" Frodo asked, waggling his eyebrows.

"No. But—oh, come on!" Pearl said, leading the group into the dining room.

"I'll be right back!" Pippin said, charging into the bathroom to wash his hands. Merry smiled, following him there to also wash his hands.

"You know, things were looking pretty cozy between your sister and Frodo," Merry said with a smirk.

"They're just friends. It's over between them!" Pippin said, finishing up washing his hands.

"I don't know. They seemed cozy to me," Merry said with a smile, washing and drying his hands.

"That's what I fear," Pippin said, following Merry out of the bathroom, just in time to help his sisters carry the dishes into the dining room.

.

This dining room was big enough to fit at least eight hobbits. The table was situated in the middle of the room with chairs spread out around the dining room table. A white cover had been placed over the table, with an assortment of autumn decorations, gathered around the table's floral centerpiece.

Once everyone was seated, and Frodo helped place the last dish on the table, with Pippin gathering everyone's drinks, the group of friends and family sat down to eat their delicious meal. Food was passed around. Everyone got what they wanted for dinner! But before anyone had the chance to dig into their delicious food, Pippin stood up, raising his glass for all to see and to hear him, too.

"I know this is an unexpected time for us to be gathered around a table, enjoying this delicious food. But I don't care. We're here to be thankful, to celebrate with friends and family. It's more than food. It's the love we have for each other that counts most today," Pippin nodded. "To friendship, family, and love!"

"To friendship, family, and love!" Everyone repeated, raising their mugs and their glasses, before drinking the liquid inside them in honor of this most splendid occasion.

Pippin sat down, allowing everyone to eat their food at last. Frodo looked around the table. Here he was with his ex-girlfriend Pearl Took, as well as his family and their friends. He didn't mind now that he and Pearl were friends again. It's just… this moment seemed more blissful by the minute.

It was the perfect way to end a most terrific day. He couldn't ask for better.

*.*.*

Thanks for reading. :)