Let Me Be

By Robin Gurl

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Merry knocked on Pippin's door, "Hey come on.....open up...."

No one answered, it worried Merry and he knocked harder. He looked into the windows all the lights were off.

Pippin sat in the far back corner. Tears were streaming down his cheeks.

"You like him?!?! Peregrin if your father finds out he'll let you have it..."

"But why? Aren't I allowed to love who I want?"

"It's just not right. Two hobbit lads do not fall in love with each other. I will not have it." Pippin's mother shouted.

Pippin sighed. He felt his mother carrass his cheek. "I love you. But this is not right." She kissed him on the cheek. "I'm going to go to a dinner party with your father. Stay here and think..."

Merry grabbed the lantern that he had brought and put it to the window.

He looked in and saw a curled up figure. Afraid Pippin had been beat again by his father Merry broke the large window with a rcok then he climbed in. "PIP?"

Pippin looked up to see the one he did't want to see at the moment.. "Let me be.."

"You're crying...love what's wrong?" Merry moved to comfort his love but Pippin moved away, "Alright.." Merry sighed, "Let it out.."

"I'm not allowed to love you anymore."

Merry's eye brows went to the top of his forehead, "Why not?"

"My mom said it wasn't right and if we did then my da would hate me and whip us both."

Merry rocked back on his heels, "I don't care what they say...they can whip me.." Merry chuckled lightly, "Won't be the first time or the last."

Pippin was confused, "You don't care?"

Merry crept closer, this time Pippin didn't move away, he poked Pippin's nose playfully with one finger, "Of course not. My family said the same thing. They finally figured out that I wasn't going to change."

"But...."

"But nothing you silly Took." Merry pulled Pippin close despite a tiny shout from Pippin. "Answer me this.."

Pippin nodded calming down. He knew his parent's would hate this but he felt so comfortable and safe in Merry's arms. "Alright..."

"Do you love me?"

The question was so simple that Pippin waited a second for a catch. After seeing there wasn't any catch he nodded, "Of course.." His eyes watered, "I love you..."

Merry kissed the younger hobbit on the forehead, "Then don't worry about anything else."

"But what about Ma and Da?"

"Don't worry about them. I'll be there no matter what."

Pippin realized how dumb he had been. "Oi, I feel so stupid."

"Not really...just misunderstood."

Pippin looked to the window, he saw it broken, "Why did you break the window?"

Merry hugged Pippin closer, "You scared me more than you'll ever know."

"Why?"

"You weren't answering me...I knocked a thousand times. Then when I saw you lieing there in the corner I feared you had gotten beat by your Da again." Merry kissed Pippin's curls. He had been so scared, that this time he had been to late. "You ever..." Merry's eyes mostioned, "EVER do that again and....I'll..."

"You'll what?" Pippin asked. He thought he felt water come down from Merry. Was Merry crying? Did he scare him that badly?

"I'll...tickle you..." Merry's hands lightly touched his lovers waist making him giggle.

"Peregrin, is everything alright?" Pippin's mother ran in followed by Paladin. "The window it's broken..."

"I'm sorry Aunty. Pippin wasn't moving, I was afraid he had gotten hurt." Merry said letting Pippin go.

"You stay away from my son.." Paladin screamed.

Merry glared standing up, "You use to want me to be here..."

"Yes," Paladin sneered, "That was until you turned the other way."

Merry felt anger boil inside of him, "Just because I love differently doesn't mean I can't be treated like a human."

Pippin stood up hiding himself in Merry's arms. Merry rocked him slighty.

"I love him and he loves me." Merry finally said.

"Peregrin please tell me you don't..."

Pippin was so confused. He didn't want to be disowned by his family, though a life with out Merry holding him, loving him, and all the other stuff seemed impossible..

Merry sighed seeing how confused and torn Pippin was, "Pip either way I'll still be your friend and cousin."

Pippin nodded, he knew that. "Ma, I love him. I am that way. I'm sorry if that disappoints you but that's how I am. I find so much more comfort in Merry than I have in any of the hobbit lasses. I don't want you to disown me but a life with out Merry seems impossible.." He buried his face in Merry's shoulder, hot tears ran down his cheeks.

Merry heard quiet sobs, it was obvious that going against parent's judgements was hard for his love.

Pippin's mom put a hand to her mouth. Merry couldn't tell if it was from shock or anger.

Paladin snarled, "You are a bad influence Meridoc. Let go of my son." If Peregrin wouldn't get it out his system on his own then he'd beat it out of him.

Merry knew that look in Uncle Paladin's eye. "You wouldn't do that inf ront of your wife."

"Do what Meridoc?"

"You husband beats Pip for just about anything." Merry put himself between Pippin and Uncle Paladin. He gently squeezed Pippin's hand.

"Is that true Paladin?"

Paladin gave his wife the answer when he pushed Merry out of the way, "I'll be the queer out of you."

"Paladin no!!" Pippin's mom ran over to Merry helping him up. "Merry help me..help us.."

Merry frowned, "I'm not strong enough on my own...I've tried before. It only resulted in Pippin getting hurt worse."

"You must do something...stop hurting my baby..PALADIN STOP!"

Outside Frodo, Sam, the Gaffer, and Biblo were walking home. Frodo stopped, "Wait..I hear something.."

"It sounds like screaming." The Gaffer exclaimed.

All four ran to the sound of the noise. When they opened the door they saw Merry and Pippin's mom pinned under the table. Paladin had Pippin against the wall and he was kicking and hitting him.

"PALADIN STOP IT!!" The Gaffer ran over and knocked Paladin away.

Frodo and Bilbo moved the table. As soon as Merry was free he ran over to Sam who was holding Pippin. "I'm sorry Pip, I wasn't strong enough."

Pippin clung to Merry crying, "I love you...even if they don't love me.."

Pippin's mother carrassed her son's cheek, "Oh baby. I'll love you no matter what. I was against it at first but now I see you truely do love him." She turned to Merry. "Take him away from Here...please.."

Merry stood nodding. Bilbo and the Gaffer had tied Paladin up with some rope they had found.

"Come on we can take him to Bag End."

"Love him Merry, give him everything we couldn't." Pippin's mum kissed Pippin on the cheek then allowed Merry to take him.

Pippin was half consious. He didn't understand what was going on. He just clung to Merry, as his friend and lover carried him out of his house.

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That morning Pippin woke up in a bed. He looked around the room, it looked familiar but how? Then pain hit him. Pippin let out a painful cry as his chest burned.

"Mister Pippin? Sir, you alright?" Sam came running up, he was the only one up at the moment.

"Sam? What am I doing here?"

"You don't remember?"

Pippin shook his head, "No...please...tell me...why does my body hurt?" When Sam didn't answer Pippin sighed, "Da got ahold of me again didn't he?"

Sam nodded, "I'm agraid so.."

"Did he hurt Merry?" Pippin painfully grabbed Sam's vest, "Tell me.."

Sam pried the small hands off his vest. "Pippin calm down. Merry is alright..he's in one of the other rooms sleeping. We moved him last night so he would sleep."

"I..I don't feel good...everything hurts..."

"Lie back down. You won't hurt as much." Sam gently helped Pippin back on the ned. "I'll bring some breakfast up soon sir."

Then Sam left, leaving Pippin alone again. Something about last night kept tugging at is mind. But he couldn't figure out what it was. Pippin felt cold. He wished Merry was here.

"Pip?"

That voice. Pippin looked up smiling, "MERRY!"

The Blonde hobbit nodded as he yawned, "Feeling better?" Merry sat on the edge of Pippin's bed.

"I don't remember what happened.." Pippin replied softly. He got up and snuggled close. "Da didn't hurt you did he?"

"No Pip.." Merry put an arm around him, "He didn't...I'm glad you don't remember you don't need to..I'll just say this, your mother told me to take you and love you like they couldn't. And I'm going to do just that."

"Can...I...um.." Pippin blushed, he figured it was time, "Can I kiss you?"

Merry answered him by placing his lips on Pippin's. He felt Pippin lurch closer and put his arms around Merry's neck.

The moment was so perfect. So many nights Merry had dreamed of this. Now he could love Pippin the way he wanted.

Pippin broke away breathing hard. Then he smiled burying himself in Merry's chest.

Merry smiled warmly stroking Pippin's curls gently. "It's alright Pip. I'm here."

"I love you Merry never leave me..."

"I won't...I won't"

They held each other through out the night promising never to leave each other's side. And the words "Let me be" never escaped Pippin's lips again

END

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