Authors note: Thanks to my reviewers, all your comments mean a lot to me!
Hilary, I try to update regularly, but because of school commitments (and
evil German homework) I'm sometimes delayed. I try to update at least once
a week, more if I have time. Obelia medusa, I think that Daisy went off
with Frodo because she was secretly flattered that he had asked her, and it
pushed her errands out of her head. She didn't protest because I wanted her
sudden start to come more out of the blue, because her previous plans had
been forgotten by the shock and distraction of meeting Frodo. Hope that
made sense! Thank you for your comment. Mojo, don't worry. things may get
sweeter yet ;) Anya, I love Frodo fics, and I'm flattered that you consider
mine to be one of your favourites.
Chapter Six
In the end I got the fabric to it's rightful place, but I lost money on the ones that were soiled with dirt. After I had run my errands I hurried back up the lane with my empty basket with my head bowed. I didn't look up at Bag End once. I stayed indoors all that day, not wanting to have to face anyone, least of all Frodo. The happenings of this morning had confused and muddled me. I was a mess and kept on playing the scene over again and again in my mind, the horrible feeling in my stomach becoming worse as I dwelled on what I had done. We had almost kissed, but now I knew we never would. I had messed it up and now Frodo would certainly be convinced that he could do without me. I avoided him religiously; I no longer took up Sam's food and made excuses not to run errands up that way. Everyone could sense that something was wrong but I would say nothing. I never would, not to anyone. I was ashamed, and deserved to be. I managed to stay away from Frodo for over two months, or maybe it was the other way around. My reaction had shocked him and he was probably as confused as I was. Perhaps he was avoiding me.
One Monday morning in late February there was a knock at our door. I was the only one in (I was spending a lot of time at home these days) so I went and opened it. Standing on our doorstep was Frodo, the last person I had expected. I breathed in sharply when I saw him standing with a humble expression on his face and my heart began to thump uncomfortably hard in my chest as it was sometimes custom to do. For a second Frodo opened his mouth silently and if I had not been so surprised I might have laughed, for he looked rather comical. Then he took a breath, and spoke.
"I'd like to talk with you, Daisy. I don't think it's right that we avoid each other like this. Would you come for a walk?" His eyes were almost beseeching me, and how could I refuse? Perhaps I secretly wanted to talk to him about what happened as well.
"Let me get my cloak," I said, and hurried indoors to grab my old brown cloak from the hook in the hall. I tied it over my shoulders and followed Frodo down the lane. We walked side by side in silence. I don't think either of us wanted to say anything until we were completely alone. We walked a little way up the Water until we were out of Hobbiton, and we sat down on a grassy bank under a large oak tree. The water was trickling by merrily, and the grass was comfortable but there was a chill in the air for it was not yet Spring. I drew my cloak around my shoulders.
"I'm sorry," Frodo said, realising that I was cold. "I shouldn't have brought you outside."
"No," I replied, rubbing my arms. "I'm fine."
"Here," he said. "Take mine. I don't need it." He untied his cloak and gently pulled it around my shoulders. I smiled in thanks. Silence again, nothing but the wind rustling past the trees and the water flowing endlessly past us.
"What happened?" he asked quietly. He was staring at the floor and his face looked rather hurt, a hint of sadness played about his eyes. I sensed that we didn't need to beat around the bush about the events in Bag End kitchen. I also knew that it was my place to explain and apologise, for I was in the wrong and I hated myself for it.
"I don't know." I answered softly, unsure of what to say. It was so hard to explain to him how I felt. Then the words began to come. "I was confused, I was rude, I was...I was wrong."
Frodo turned to look at me. "Wrong?"
"I shouldn't have done what I did..." The words trailed off. It was no good. I would have to tell him the truth. Everything, it would help him understand.
I took a deep breath. "I like you a lot. I don't know why I ran away like I did, I was stupid." Now I was babbling uncomfortably. "But you've got to know that I like you and..."
I didn't have the chance to say anymore, for Frodo kissed me. He leant over and softly placed his lips upon mine. For a moment I was so surprised I almost pulled back, but then I shut my eyes and leant forward. I could feel his lips, warm and gentle. Then he pulled away, and turned his head from mine.
"I...I..." his voice trailed off. Maybe he felt that he had to apologise for kissing me so suddenly. I didn't want him to. Everything seemed to be falling into place.
"Don't," I whispered. Then I put my hand carefully on his face and leant forwards, kissing him back. This time the kiss lasted longer. I could smell his skin and his hair and feel his lips on mine. All that I could think of was Frodo, my world was his and we were together. I looped my arm slowly around his neck and I felt his hand on my waist. We moved together and the kiss deepened. I can honestly say that I did not want it to end. All the worry I had been feeling gradually melted away.
We pulled apart, and gazed into each other's eyes, our noses barely inches apart. Then I could contain it no longer and let laughter spring out from my lips, happy, joyous, relieved laughter. A bemused smile crossed Frodo's lips, and I flung my arms around his shoulders. I can honestly say I had never been so forward in my whole life, but it felt good.
Then we lay back on the bank, watching the clouds pass in the cold blue sky. He moved his arm around my shoulder and I settled myself in the crook of his arm. I felt so comfortable, and I lay still, enjoying the simple feeling of someone beside me. In those moments I was truly happy, but now I only wish there could have been more of them.
*-*
Chapter Six
In the end I got the fabric to it's rightful place, but I lost money on the ones that were soiled with dirt. After I had run my errands I hurried back up the lane with my empty basket with my head bowed. I didn't look up at Bag End once. I stayed indoors all that day, not wanting to have to face anyone, least of all Frodo. The happenings of this morning had confused and muddled me. I was a mess and kept on playing the scene over again and again in my mind, the horrible feeling in my stomach becoming worse as I dwelled on what I had done. We had almost kissed, but now I knew we never would. I had messed it up and now Frodo would certainly be convinced that he could do without me. I avoided him religiously; I no longer took up Sam's food and made excuses not to run errands up that way. Everyone could sense that something was wrong but I would say nothing. I never would, not to anyone. I was ashamed, and deserved to be. I managed to stay away from Frodo for over two months, or maybe it was the other way around. My reaction had shocked him and he was probably as confused as I was. Perhaps he was avoiding me.
One Monday morning in late February there was a knock at our door. I was the only one in (I was spending a lot of time at home these days) so I went and opened it. Standing on our doorstep was Frodo, the last person I had expected. I breathed in sharply when I saw him standing with a humble expression on his face and my heart began to thump uncomfortably hard in my chest as it was sometimes custom to do. For a second Frodo opened his mouth silently and if I had not been so surprised I might have laughed, for he looked rather comical. Then he took a breath, and spoke.
"I'd like to talk with you, Daisy. I don't think it's right that we avoid each other like this. Would you come for a walk?" His eyes were almost beseeching me, and how could I refuse? Perhaps I secretly wanted to talk to him about what happened as well.
"Let me get my cloak," I said, and hurried indoors to grab my old brown cloak from the hook in the hall. I tied it over my shoulders and followed Frodo down the lane. We walked side by side in silence. I don't think either of us wanted to say anything until we were completely alone. We walked a little way up the Water until we were out of Hobbiton, and we sat down on a grassy bank under a large oak tree. The water was trickling by merrily, and the grass was comfortable but there was a chill in the air for it was not yet Spring. I drew my cloak around my shoulders.
"I'm sorry," Frodo said, realising that I was cold. "I shouldn't have brought you outside."
"No," I replied, rubbing my arms. "I'm fine."
"Here," he said. "Take mine. I don't need it." He untied his cloak and gently pulled it around my shoulders. I smiled in thanks. Silence again, nothing but the wind rustling past the trees and the water flowing endlessly past us.
"What happened?" he asked quietly. He was staring at the floor and his face looked rather hurt, a hint of sadness played about his eyes. I sensed that we didn't need to beat around the bush about the events in Bag End kitchen. I also knew that it was my place to explain and apologise, for I was in the wrong and I hated myself for it.
"I don't know." I answered softly, unsure of what to say. It was so hard to explain to him how I felt. Then the words began to come. "I was confused, I was rude, I was...I was wrong."
Frodo turned to look at me. "Wrong?"
"I shouldn't have done what I did..." The words trailed off. It was no good. I would have to tell him the truth. Everything, it would help him understand.
I took a deep breath. "I like you a lot. I don't know why I ran away like I did, I was stupid." Now I was babbling uncomfortably. "But you've got to know that I like you and..."
I didn't have the chance to say anymore, for Frodo kissed me. He leant over and softly placed his lips upon mine. For a moment I was so surprised I almost pulled back, but then I shut my eyes and leant forward. I could feel his lips, warm and gentle. Then he pulled away, and turned his head from mine.
"I...I..." his voice trailed off. Maybe he felt that he had to apologise for kissing me so suddenly. I didn't want him to. Everything seemed to be falling into place.
"Don't," I whispered. Then I put my hand carefully on his face and leant forwards, kissing him back. This time the kiss lasted longer. I could smell his skin and his hair and feel his lips on mine. All that I could think of was Frodo, my world was his and we were together. I looped my arm slowly around his neck and I felt his hand on my waist. We moved together and the kiss deepened. I can honestly say that I did not want it to end. All the worry I had been feeling gradually melted away.
We pulled apart, and gazed into each other's eyes, our noses barely inches apart. Then I could contain it no longer and let laughter spring out from my lips, happy, joyous, relieved laughter. A bemused smile crossed Frodo's lips, and I flung my arms around his shoulders. I can honestly say I had never been so forward in my whole life, but it felt good.
Then we lay back on the bank, watching the clouds pass in the cold blue sky. He moved his arm around my shoulder and I settled myself in the crook of his arm. I felt so comfortable, and I lay still, enjoying the simple feeling of someone beside me. In those moments I was truly happy, but now I only wish there could have been more of them.
*-*