"Pippin, the woods really are lovely… but we've been wandering in circles for hours… and it's starting to get dark." Merry called ahead to the other hobbit. They had indeed been hiking through the forest for hours. And, at first, it had been magical. Pippin held his hand as they both stumbled giddily through the underbrush. And Merry had stared up at the trees in wonderment as thin rays of sunshine penetrated the foliage and gave an ethereal, flickering quality to the light. But, as the hours dragged on, Pippin had dropped his hand and began to wander ahead. He began to become aggravated with himself, apparently because he could find a particular place in the woods. Suddenly, Merry heard a cry and a loud thud straight ahead. "Pippin? Pippin!" he shouted. When no answer came, Merry lunged forward through a dense patch of underbrush and fell… right next to Pippin, who lay giggling in the grass!
"Sorry Merry! But the good news is that we're here!" Pippin giggled. Although aggravated, Merry's admonishments were stuck in his throat as he took in their surroundings.
They had finally stumbled into the thicket that Pippin had discovered earlier. Pippin just stared at Merry as his friend took in the magic of their surroundings. Utter perfection for utter perfection… The glade that had seemed so beautiful just that morning, now paled in comparison to the beauty beside him. Indeed they were so close that Pippin could feel the heat that radiated from Merry's body.
Merry was watching the fireflies as they slowly appeared, as if from nowhere. Their flickering and wavering light was mesmerizing. He watched as a delicate dance began to unfold from their seemingly erratic movements. He was broken from his trance with a start when he heard a chuckle right next to his ear. Merry gasped when he turned and saw Pippin's face just inches from his own. "What" he whispered in an awed voice.
"You have a bit of dirt…" Pippin said as he reached forward slowly with his hand to brush the sediment from Merry's forehead. As Pippin drew his fingers over Merry's skin, his eyes never wavered, never moved from the other's. Merry trembled beneath his hand as he traced a line from his temple to his chin. There Pippin stopped to cup his cheek, and as with the movement of Pippin's hand, Merry's breath stopped. His thumb gently brushed the silken skin of Merry's cheek as his breath returned to him in shuddering gasps. Pippin's mind wondered at the softness of the creature before him.
"Pippin…" Merry whispered softly just before their lips met. Such a kiss, Merry had never known. In sweetness and tenderness alone, it blew his mind. They each pulled away after a short time. Merry could feel a blush begin to color his cheeks. "You've no idea how long I have wanted to do that…" he whispered nervously.
Pippin started at this in surprise before giggling and adding, "I have fought temptation all day and thought I should be mad from just those few hours!" They both laughed together and fell into place in each other's arms. Pippin nuzzled his nose into the space between Merry's jaw line and collarbone and inhaled deeply. Merry giggled furiously as Pippin placed gentle kisses to the underside of his throat.
"Pippin that tickles," he exclaimed.
"Then I should like very much to find out where else you are ticklish… if only to hear you giggle like that," Pippin said. They both blushed bright pink and laughed at their combined embarrassment before snuggling further into each other's embrace.
