Frodo tapped the corner of the table with his fingers. Footsteps hurried
along the corridors of Bag End and the door flung open.
"Would you like a cup of tea before going to bed, Mr Frodo?"
"No. Thank you."
"Oh. Well, I'll put the kettle upon the fire. It'll stay hot for a while… if you change your mind. We're going to bed soon. Good night, Mr Frodo."
Hem swished against the door and Rosie run back to the kitchen cups clattering.
* * *
"Mr Frodo, wake up!"
Frodo opened his lids slowly. Sam was squeezing Frodo's shoulder. Confused Frodo stared for a moment the red sky of Mordor before shutting his eyes again.
"You were having a nightmare! Oh, it was horrible. I had to wake you, forgive me Mr Frodo."
"Shush…"
Frodo rubbed Sam's arm.
"Sam, it's cold."
Frodo's jaws were clattering. He wrapped his arm around Sam's back.
"Soon you have no reason to freeze."
Sam pulled Frodo nearer. Frodo pressed his lips against Sam's forehead.
"Keep your eyes closed."
Sam's warm hands were everywhere.
Frodo dug his fingers into Sam's hair and fell asleep.
* * *
Frodo supported himself by holding the table with his fingertips.
The door opened slightly and closed again.
"I was wondering if you needed something before resting yourself, Mr Frodo."
Frodo's knees let down. He slid agaist wall and fell to the floor.
"Frodo!"
Sam dashed to shaking Frodo. He carefully lifted Frodo's chin.
"You are crying Mr Frodo…?"
Sam threw a glance towards the door.
"You haven't cried since… since Mordor…"
Sam swallowed his words and squeezed Frodo against his chest.
"Sam…"
"Shush… just cry."
"Sam."
Frodo touched Sam's shoulder with his lips.
"Close your eyes."
Frodo kissed Sam's neck.
"No, Mr Frodo."
Frodo wrapped his arms around Sam.
"Keep…"
A drop of water fell to Frodo's neck.
"… your eyes…"
"I beg you, please stop."
"Closed."
Frodo pressed his mouth to other hobbit's lips and pushed him to the floor.
"The night in Mordor. You never gave me an opportunity to repay it for you."
Frodo's mouth touched Sam's ear.
"You had not to… you don't have to, Mr Frodo. Please, you don't have to."
Frodo slid his hand along Sam's chest.
"Keep your eyes closed."
Sam shut his eyelids.
Frodo gulped. He settled his head on Sam's belly and continued the journey with his hand.
"Frodo…"
Sam's hand squeezed Frodo's hair.
Frodo listened the incresing beating of Sam's heart. Frodo's cheeks had dried.
"Frodo…"
Sam's voice vanished to his sobs.
"Sam."
Sam took a deep breath and relaxed. His hand was still clutching Frodo's hair.
Frodo rose quickly to his knees and stood up. He walked to the door.
"I'm leaving. Alone."
The creaking of the closing door echoed with footsteps in the corridor.
"Would you like a cup of tea before going to bed, Mr Frodo?"
"No. Thank you."
"Oh. Well, I'll put the kettle upon the fire. It'll stay hot for a while… if you change your mind. We're going to bed soon. Good night, Mr Frodo."
Hem swished against the door and Rosie run back to the kitchen cups clattering.
* * *
"Mr Frodo, wake up!"
Frodo opened his lids slowly. Sam was squeezing Frodo's shoulder. Confused Frodo stared for a moment the red sky of Mordor before shutting his eyes again.
"You were having a nightmare! Oh, it was horrible. I had to wake you, forgive me Mr Frodo."
"Shush…"
Frodo rubbed Sam's arm.
"Sam, it's cold."
Frodo's jaws were clattering. He wrapped his arm around Sam's back.
"Soon you have no reason to freeze."
Sam pulled Frodo nearer. Frodo pressed his lips against Sam's forehead.
"Keep your eyes closed."
Sam's warm hands were everywhere.
Frodo dug his fingers into Sam's hair and fell asleep.
* * *
Frodo supported himself by holding the table with his fingertips.
The door opened slightly and closed again.
"I was wondering if you needed something before resting yourself, Mr Frodo."
Frodo's knees let down. He slid agaist wall and fell to the floor.
"Frodo!"
Sam dashed to shaking Frodo. He carefully lifted Frodo's chin.
"You are crying Mr Frodo…?"
Sam threw a glance towards the door.
"You haven't cried since… since Mordor…"
Sam swallowed his words and squeezed Frodo against his chest.
"Sam…"
"Shush… just cry."
"Sam."
Frodo touched Sam's shoulder with his lips.
"Close your eyes."
Frodo kissed Sam's neck.
"No, Mr Frodo."
Frodo wrapped his arms around Sam.
"Keep…"
A drop of water fell to Frodo's neck.
"… your eyes…"
"I beg you, please stop."
"Closed."
Frodo pressed his mouth to other hobbit's lips and pushed him to the floor.
"The night in Mordor. You never gave me an opportunity to repay it for you."
Frodo's mouth touched Sam's ear.
"You had not to… you don't have to, Mr Frodo. Please, you don't have to."
Frodo slid his hand along Sam's chest.
"Keep your eyes closed."
Sam shut his eyelids.
Frodo gulped. He settled his head on Sam's belly and continued the journey with his hand.
"Frodo…"
Sam's hand squeezed Frodo's hair.
Frodo listened the incresing beating of Sam's heart. Frodo's cheeks had dried.
"Frodo…"
Sam's voice vanished to his sobs.
"Sam."
Sam took a deep breath and relaxed. His hand was still clutching Frodo's hair.
Frodo rose quickly to his knees and stood up. He walked to the door.
"I'm leaving. Alone."
The creaking of the closing door echoed with footsteps in the corridor.
