Chapter Four
The night was quiet and peaceful around the four young hobbits when they stepped out of the door. When Melilot shut it behind them and all the noise coming from the dining hall faded away, it was almost silent. Somewhere, a bird croaked. The stars were dim and distant behind the thin curtain of clouds. It wasn't particularly cold; more like the best possible temperature to build snow castles. The past few hours had apparently brought both gentler weather and some more snow.
Pervinca took a deep breath of the night air, then danced a few steps on the new snow.
"Oh, the air is so fresh out here! And it's not cold anymore!"
Melilot caught her when the next step made Pervinca slip and lose her footing, sending her arms flailing wildly.
"Easy, easy!" Merry laughed, clearing some snow off the ground with his foot to reveal the ice underneath. "It's not so cold because it's been snowing, but earlier it was freezing, and there's ice everywhere. So watch your step, little cousin!"
Pervinca was quickly back on her feet and in control. She stomped over to Merry and crossed her arms over her chest.
"'Little cousin'? That's what I am now, 'little cousin'? Feh! Well, it certainly didn't take you long to adapt to being an adult. I don't remember ever hearing you call Melilot your 'little cousin'!"
She huffed, looking over her shoulder at Melilot, as if seeking confirmation.
"Begging your pardon, Miss Took, but you *are* the smallest one of us." Merry grinned.
"That's right!" Pippin cut in, returning from the nearest snowbank with a good handful of snow. "I'm taller than you already, Vinca, and in a few years, you'll be lucky if you can still reach to put a hat on my head!" He was forming a rather big snowball in his hands as he talked.
Merry laughed at the memory. Pippin was finally as tall as he had always said he would be, although Merry still slightly out-heighted him. What amused Merry was that he noticed Pippin was again standing on his toes, just like he had done as a little lad to appear taller. Maybe he was just so used to doing it that he didn't even notice it himself.
"You're a boy, after all", Merry said aloud to Pippin. "You are *supposed* to be taller than Vinca. I'd be surprised if you weren't, given how much you've stretched yourself since you were little."
He nudged Pippin's foot with his own, and Pippin immediately fell back down on his feet, then stuck out his tongue at Merry.
Melilot and Pervinca looked at each other as if they shared a secret, then started laughing.
"What?" Pippin demanded, crouching down for some more snow.
Melilot put both her hands behind her back, looked skywards and started along the path that led to the gardens, a mysterious smile on her face.
"Vinca? What is going on?" Pippin repeated, staring demandingly at his sister.
"Now, you're a boy, after all", Pervinca stated, imitating Merry's tone, and tapped her little brother's shoulder as she went past him to follow after Melilot. "You're not *supposed* to know!"
This led to more giggles from Melilot as she caught her best friend's arm and held it tightly in her grasp.
*
Pippin turned his eyes to Merry as they started walking after the two girls.
"Don't you think that comment was un-Vincalike?"
"She's teasing you. Isn't that obvious?"
"Well, yes, I know, but it just isn't *like* her to start talking about girls and boys and making such a fuss of it. She's always been practically a boy herself, or so my Mum says, at least."
Pippin's snowball had been padded to perfection and he threw it from one hand to another in a way that made Merry cautious.
"You just better watch out for that snowball", he warned with a lop-sided grin, "because if I find it on my neck the moment I turn around, you'll get a snowbath that'll clean you even behind your ears." He gave Pippin a look as strict and threatening as he could make, which Pippin of course countered with a look of complete and utter innocence. Nodding in confirmation, Merry turned and ran to catch up with Melilot and Pervinca.
Pippin bit his lip and fidgeted a little. The snowball, no matter how cold, burned his fingers. It would be unfair to hit anyone from behind... even though it *was* such a perfect opportunity. On the other hand, he hadn't *promised* anything... Flashing a wicked smile, he sent the ball flying through the air before any more second thoughts arose.
Merry let out a yelp, and the force of the blow sent him on his stomach on the snow. He raised his head, shook the snow off his face and jumped back up on his feet, with only one thought on his mind: Revenge!
Pervinca had already grabbed a handful of snow. "Back at you!" she cried, and then it was Pippin's turn to yelp as a dozen smaller snowballs were hurled at his direction. His sister might not be as accurate as he, but she was a whole lot quicker. Pippin dashed to the nearest snowbank and jumped over to the other side where he would be safe from the assault. As he leapt, however, one of the snowballs knocked his woolly hat off. Soon only the snowy, hazel crown of his head could be seen as he quickly started responding in kind, safe behind his snow barrier.
In the meantime, Merry had thrown a snowball towards Pippin but hit Melilot instead, sending her giggling and not half mad on the ground. Pervinca had replied to this with a war cry and soon the air was filled with hurled snow and cheerful voices. Melilot caught at least two of Pippin's snowballs that were aimed at Pervinca, for it was near impossible to tell the two hobbitgirls apart when they were almost covered in snow. As a matter of fact, the only thing that separated them from Merry and Pippin at the moment were their skirts.
Pervinca had long tried to aim a good shot at her brother, who was near impossible to hit because of the snowbank, and when she finally succeeded, she jumped up and down victoriously.
"Ha! Finally got y--UMPH!"
"Sorry!" Merry laughed. He had actually aimed at Melilot, but Pervinca had jumped in the way and got a faceful of snow. She dove to catch some snow from the ground, and then grinned wickedly from behind her curls, now even more messy than usual.
"It seems, dear brother", she said, loudly enough for Pippin to hear, "that we will have to teach these Brandybucks how to aim!"
Melilot raised her head and looked at Merry, blinking, and in a second, a new alliance had been formed as Pervinca hurled a revenging snowball at Merry, and Pippin joined in.
The snow war continued, but it soon turned to station war as Pippin was unbeatable behind the snowbank, and Melilot, no matter how accurate her throws were, had to back away. Merry concluded that something needed to be done, and while he dodged one of Pervinca's huge snowballs, he ducked to the ground next to Melilot to tell her his plan.
"Keep Vinca busy, and I will try to climb that snowbank. We stand no chance against them if we can't get Pippin down."
"Right." Melilot gave him four snowballs she had just made and patted his shoulder briskly. "Off you go then! And make sure you give that sneaky young Took what he deserves!"
Merry winked, and whisked off. Of course he ended up in immediate crossfire when he got nearer to the snowbank, but Melilot managed to distract Pervinca well enough, so Merry only had to endure Pippin's attacks. It took a few attempts to climb up the bank, especially when Pippin realised what he was trying to do, but once Merry finally managed it, it was more than easy to get his revenge. Pippin could only shield himself with his hands to keep the snow off his laughing face.
Merry laughed also, victoriously, but the situation changed suddenly when Pervinca's well-aimed snowball threw him out of balance. Merry tumbled down, almost buried in the snow. The ground behind the bank had not been cleared out like the path, and the snow reached his hip. He ended up on his back, trying to get his breath, which had been knocked out quite successfully.
"Yay!" Pervinca cheered somewhere behind all the slowly melting whiteness that surrounded Merry, "Long live the Tooks!"
Merry raised his head and shook it vigorously, sending sloshed bits of snow in every possible direction. He had just drawn his first good breath of air when he was knocked back down by an armful of snow and a hysterically giggling Pippin. Merry coughed and made an attempt to get up, but Pippin had his hands on both sides of his head which prevented Merry from getting anywhere, and as soon as Merry had got the snow off his eyes, he saw that his younger cousin was smirking.
"A snowbath, cousin?" Pippin started, a little bit out of breath, ever so arrogant and pleased with himself. "By all means, go ahead and try!"
"You better believe it..." Merry tried to get up enough to brace himself on his elbows. "Because once I've gathered my wits... and a convenient amount of snow..." He raised his other knee to further help his attempts to get up and get the young Took off him. "...You'll get a scrubbing of a lifetime!"
With that, he tried to push Pippin off, which resulted in a bit of a tussle since Pippin stubbornly resisted, although Merry was stronger.
"No, I won't!" the young Took exclaimed, falling unexpectedly against Merry's chest when Merry noticed his other hand had been gathering up snow from the ground and took a good hold of the wrist, which made Pippin lose his support.
"The only one getting a scrubbing is you!" he laughed against Merry's coat.
Merry looked down, still holding Pippin's other wrist firmly in his grasp. Pippin raised his head and grinned at him, a wild glint in his eyes that Merry knew would not vanish until the prank was finished completely.
*Stubborn little Took...* he found himself thinking, not knowing whether to smile at the thought or cringe, since he did not particularly like the idea of getting a snowbath from his younger cousin and it was obvious Pippin wouldn't give up trying to do exactly that. He was in a bit of an uncompromising position at the moment, which Pippin seemingly was enjoying wholeheartedly.
*You think you've won, do you? We'll just see about *that*.*
Using the hand in his grasp, Merry tried once again to push Pippin on his side and off him, this time a bit more forcefully than he usually handled his cousin. He forced Pippin's hand behind his back, thus making Pippin pull back enough to get up almost to a sitting position, but then he quickly supported himself on his other hand and pulled free from Merry's grasp, his body squirming against Merry's. This made a gasp escape from Merry's lips. It surprised even himself, and he stared wide-eyed at Pippin, who was happily unaware of anything strange happening, but instead raised on his knees and grinned wickedly down at Merry.
*Oh... like cold shivers dancing up my spine... except that I'm not cold at all!* Merry's mind raced, and for a moment, he just lay there, braced on his elbows, facing Pippin, paralyzed. *It was you - it happened because of the way you *moved*, and I - oh, you wicked, wicked little Took with your cunning eyes!*
"Merry?" Pippin blinked, the grin on his face slowly fading away. "Merry? Y-you didn't really hurt yourself or anything?" When Merry didn't answer, Pippin's brow knitted and he sat up completely, straddling Merry's thigh. "Cousin, you look like you've - OH!"
And what Merry exactly had looked like was lost in a flurry of snow as Merry quickly used the situation to his advantage and hurled Pippin on his back on the snow, his hands flying to gather as much snow as he could before Pippin could scramble up. Pippin was now laughing again, the sound muffled by the snow that was dumped over him. Merry had given him a good many snowbaths before, but never with such set determination, and he could only squirm and yelp and laugh when snow was stuffed down his collar, and down his sleeves, and anywhere else it could fit. Pippin could feel the melting snow trickle down his chest and belly, tickling him and making him laugh even more.
"Merry, please!" he gasped, out of breath due to sheer hysterical laughter, "No more, no more snow! Please, let me up!"
"Not just yet", Merry bit out, rubbing some snow in his hair. "You're in need of a good scrubbing, I warrant, and besides, you'll have to ask me *very* nicely, after that snowball you threw!"
Pippin's cheeks were wet, and he didn't know if it was his eyes watering because of so much laughing or the melting snow. He looked up into Merry's eyes as Merry paused to catch his breath and give Pippin a chance to catch his.
"Please, Merry? Pretty please? I'm sorry about the snowball, I really am! Will you please let me up now? Because if I laugh anymore, I think I'm going to pop! I guarantee you, I've been wholly and thoroughly scrubbed!" He let out a small burst of laughter, all he could manage to do.
Merry tilted his head to one side and appeared to be pondering Pippin's words, but was actually just spotting a handful of details he had never before paid much attention to. He had no word for his feelings at the moment, nor for describing what Pippin looked like with his eyes swimming with joy and that smile playing on his lips that always got him an extra helping of dessert without ever having to ask for it. It struck Merry as odd that he would now start paying attention to details that had always been there. It seemed like he was discovering something totally new and exciting. This was *Pippin*, his best friend since forever! He knew Pippin through and through, and yet... it now seemed that there was something he had never noticed all the years they had been fellow pranksters and close friends. Something... a strange yearning that he realised had been there, fluttering in his chest, for quite a while, only now daring to surface. Merry couldn't resist its quiet but determined call.
"M-Merry?" Pippin inquired, in a low voice, slowly becoming aware of Merry's strange mood. The look in Merry's eyes frightened him somewhat; it was close to the look he got when he was angry, which wasn't often, but somehow Pippin understood that this was something even rarer. It was a mixture of bewilderment and hunger, with a touch of sadness and longing that captured Pippin's eyes and heart although he didn't know why.
Merry licked his upper lip, nervously, then bit it, trying to restrain himself. This was Pippin, sweet young Pippin, who wouldn't, *couldn't* understand how tempting he was, lying there, his brow knit into an adorable little frown of concern. Merry was drawn closer and closer by some force or power he couldn't fight, and he didn't realise what was happening until it was too late. Pippin's lips were right there, slightly parted, as a shocked gasp escaped from them and disappeared into Merry's mouth. Little shivers danced down Merry's spine at the feeling of having those moist lips pressed against his, and he couldn't help the little groan. Yes, this was what he had been missing; this and perhaps a little more...
He hadn't the time to wonder what that 'little more' could be before he was forcibly pushed on his side and Pippin jerked his mouth free from his. The Took's eyes were wild and he was shaking.
"Merry!" he burst out, "what are you *doing*?"
The harsh voice brought Merry back to the here and now. What in the whole Shire had made him do something as stupid as that? He had kissed Pippin, his best friend and cousin! Merry's cheeks burned as he quickly jumped up on his feet, avoiding Pippin's eyes and making an attempt to shake off some of the snow that was clutching on his clothes and currently soaking through them. Pippin scrambled up, his usual nimble feet seeming to fail him.
"Merry? You heard me. What was that about? I'm not some hobbit lass from Buckland, how come you - how come we---"
But Merry didn't have answers for him. He didn't even have them for himself. He shook his head, muttering, "Nothing, it was just a bit of a joke", and quickly started to climb the snowbank, to get his back at Pippin and not feel those questioning eyes seeking his. Pippin was by no means satisfied, but he knew Merry well enough to know that this was how Merry acted when he had been hurt, so he bit his lip and asked no further questions.
"There you are!"
Pervinca's voice made Pippin's head snap up and he encountered his sister's laughing eyes. Pervinca had her hands on her hips and she looked extremely satisfied with herself, although she was snowy all over and her head was a sad mess of wet tangles. Melilot came from behind her, wiping the sloshed snow from the hem of her skirt.
"I was afraid you had got more punishment than you very well deserved, little brother", Vinca said, reaching out to muss Pippin's hair. "We've already had our own snow war, and ended it in happy terms. What were you scheming here this long?"
Merry opened his mouth to answer, found his mind blank and closed his mouth again.
"Another prank to pull, take my word for it, Vinca." Melilot smiled, wiping some snow from Pervinca's brow. The two shared a knowing smile and then Melilot turned to grab Merry's hand.
"We did well, didn't we, cousin, although I suppose no winner can be declared."
"Ha!" scoffed Pippin, jumping down from the bank to the path. "Just a way to avoid admitting that my sister and I were undoubtedly the victorious team."
"I wouldn't think so big of myself after just getting a thorough snowbath!" Merry chided, following him. The light-hearted chatter was easy to adapt to again. It even gave him some more confidence that things hadn't changed as much as he feared they had.
"O-ho!" Pervinca laughed, patting Pippin on the back. "Did you now? Well, you were warned, weren't you?"
Pippin looked a little confused, and his gaze moved from Pervinca to Merry and then back again. To Merry's surprise and amusement, Pippin was blushing faintly.
Melilot came to put her hands on Merry and Pippin's shoulders.
"Now, I believe our walk has lasted long enough. Let's get inside before we all catch our deaths out here, soaked as we are."
Sniffling and chattering, the four hobbits made their way back to the house, where they would surely be scolded for their damp and shivering state, but where also waited the warmth and cosiness of Melilot's new room. And, of course, a healthy amount of food for a late supper by the fire.
***
The night was quiet and peaceful around the four young hobbits when they stepped out of the door. When Melilot shut it behind them and all the noise coming from the dining hall faded away, it was almost silent. Somewhere, a bird croaked. The stars were dim and distant behind the thin curtain of clouds. It wasn't particularly cold; more like the best possible temperature to build snow castles. The past few hours had apparently brought both gentler weather and some more snow.
Pervinca took a deep breath of the night air, then danced a few steps on the new snow.
"Oh, the air is so fresh out here! And it's not cold anymore!"
Melilot caught her when the next step made Pervinca slip and lose her footing, sending her arms flailing wildly.
"Easy, easy!" Merry laughed, clearing some snow off the ground with his foot to reveal the ice underneath. "It's not so cold because it's been snowing, but earlier it was freezing, and there's ice everywhere. So watch your step, little cousin!"
Pervinca was quickly back on her feet and in control. She stomped over to Merry and crossed her arms over her chest.
"'Little cousin'? That's what I am now, 'little cousin'? Feh! Well, it certainly didn't take you long to adapt to being an adult. I don't remember ever hearing you call Melilot your 'little cousin'!"
She huffed, looking over her shoulder at Melilot, as if seeking confirmation.
"Begging your pardon, Miss Took, but you *are* the smallest one of us." Merry grinned.
"That's right!" Pippin cut in, returning from the nearest snowbank with a good handful of snow. "I'm taller than you already, Vinca, and in a few years, you'll be lucky if you can still reach to put a hat on my head!" He was forming a rather big snowball in his hands as he talked.
Merry laughed at the memory. Pippin was finally as tall as he had always said he would be, although Merry still slightly out-heighted him. What amused Merry was that he noticed Pippin was again standing on his toes, just like he had done as a little lad to appear taller. Maybe he was just so used to doing it that he didn't even notice it himself.
"You're a boy, after all", Merry said aloud to Pippin. "You are *supposed* to be taller than Vinca. I'd be surprised if you weren't, given how much you've stretched yourself since you were little."
He nudged Pippin's foot with his own, and Pippin immediately fell back down on his feet, then stuck out his tongue at Merry.
Melilot and Pervinca looked at each other as if they shared a secret, then started laughing.
"What?" Pippin demanded, crouching down for some more snow.
Melilot put both her hands behind her back, looked skywards and started along the path that led to the gardens, a mysterious smile on her face.
"Vinca? What is going on?" Pippin repeated, staring demandingly at his sister.
"Now, you're a boy, after all", Pervinca stated, imitating Merry's tone, and tapped her little brother's shoulder as she went past him to follow after Melilot. "You're not *supposed* to know!"
This led to more giggles from Melilot as she caught her best friend's arm and held it tightly in her grasp.
*
Pippin turned his eyes to Merry as they started walking after the two girls.
"Don't you think that comment was un-Vincalike?"
"She's teasing you. Isn't that obvious?"
"Well, yes, I know, but it just isn't *like* her to start talking about girls and boys and making such a fuss of it. She's always been practically a boy herself, or so my Mum says, at least."
Pippin's snowball had been padded to perfection and he threw it from one hand to another in a way that made Merry cautious.
"You just better watch out for that snowball", he warned with a lop-sided grin, "because if I find it on my neck the moment I turn around, you'll get a snowbath that'll clean you even behind your ears." He gave Pippin a look as strict and threatening as he could make, which Pippin of course countered with a look of complete and utter innocence. Nodding in confirmation, Merry turned and ran to catch up with Melilot and Pervinca.
Pippin bit his lip and fidgeted a little. The snowball, no matter how cold, burned his fingers. It would be unfair to hit anyone from behind... even though it *was* such a perfect opportunity. On the other hand, he hadn't *promised* anything... Flashing a wicked smile, he sent the ball flying through the air before any more second thoughts arose.
Merry let out a yelp, and the force of the blow sent him on his stomach on the snow. He raised his head, shook the snow off his face and jumped back up on his feet, with only one thought on his mind: Revenge!
Pervinca had already grabbed a handful of snow. "Back at you!" she cried, and then it was Pippin's turn to yelp as a dozen smaller snowballs were hurled at his direction. His sister might not be as accurate as he, but she was a whole lot quicker. Pippin dashed to the nearest snowbank and jumped over to the other side where he would be safe from the assault. As he leapt, however, one of the snowballs knocked his woolly hat off. Soon only the snowy, hazel crown of his head could be seen as he quickly started responding in kind, safe behind his snow barrier.
In the meantime, Merry had thrown a snowball towards Pippin but hit Melilot instead, sending her giggling and not half mad on the ground. Pervinca had replied to this with a war cry and soon the air was filled with hurled snow and cheerful voices. Melilot caught at least two of Pippin's snowballs that were aimed at Pervinca, for it was near impossible to tell the two hobbitgirls apart when they were almost covered in snow. As a matter of fact, the only thing that separated them from Merry and Pippin at the moment were their skirts.
Pervinca had long tried to aim a good shot at her brother, who was near impossible to hit because of the snowbank, and when she finally succeeded, she jumped up and down victoriously.
"Ha! Finally got y--UMPH!"
"Sorry!" Merry laughed. He had actually aimed at Melilot, but Pervinca had jumped in the way and got a faceful of snow. She dove to catch some snow from the ground, and then grinned wickedly from behind her curls, now even more messy than usual.
"It seems, dear brother", she said, loudly enough for Pippin to hear, "that we will have to teach these Brandybucks how to aim!"
Melilot raised her head and looked at Merry, blinking, and in a second, a new alliance had been formed as Pervinca hurled a revenging snowball at Merry, and Pippin joined in.
The snow war continued, but it soon turned to station war as Pippin was unbeatable behind the snowbank, and Melilot, no matter how accurate her throws were, had to back away. Merry concluded that something needed to be done, and while he dodged one of Pervinca's huge snowballs, he ducked to the ground next to Melilot to tell her his plan.
"Keep Vinca busy, and I will try to climb that snowbank. We stand no chance against them if we can't get Pippin down."
"Right." Melilot gave him four snowballs she had just made and patted his shoulder briskly. "Off you go then! And make sure you give that sneaky young Took what he deserves!"
Merry winked, and whisked off. Of course he ended up in immediate crossfire when he got nearer to the snowbank, but Melilot managed to distract Pervinca well enough, so Merry only had to endure Pippin's attacks. It took a few attempts to climb up the bank, especially when Pippin realised what he was trying to do, but once Merry finally managed it, it was more than easy to get his revenge. Pippin could only shield himself with his hands to keep the snow off his laughing face.
Merry laughed also, victoriously, but the situation changed suddenly when Pervinca's well-aimed snowball threw him out of balance. Merry tumbled down, almost buried in the snow. The ground behind the bank had not been cleared out like the path, and the snow reached his hip. He ended up on his back, trying to get his breath, which had been knocked out quite successfully.
"Yay!" Pervinca cheered somewhere behind all the slowly melting whiteness that surrounded Merry, "Long live the Tooks!"
Merry raised his head and shook it vigorously, sending sloshed bits of snow in every possible direction. He had just drawn his first good breath of air when he was knocked back down by an armful of snow and a hysterically giggling Pippin. Merry coughed and made an attempt to get up, but Pippin had his hands on both sides of his head which prevented Merry from getting anywhere, and as soon as Merry had got the snow off his eyes, he saw that his younger cousin was smirking.
"A snowbath, cousin?" Pippin started, a little bit out of breath, ever so arrogant and pleased with himself. "By all means, go ahead and try!"
"You better believe it..." Merry tried to get up enough to brace himself on his elbows. "Because once I've gathered my wits... and a convenient amount of snow..." He raised his other knee to further help his attempts to get up and get the young Took off him. "...You'll get a scrubbing of a lifetime!"
With that, he tried to push Pippin off, which resulted in a bit of a tussle since Pippin stubbornly resisted, although Merry was stronger.
"No, I won't!" the young Took exclaimed, falling unexpectedly against Merry's chest when Merry noticed his other hand had been gathering up snow from the ground and took a good hold of the wrist, which made Pippin lose his support.
"The only one getting a scrubbing is you!" he laughed against Merry's coat.
Merry looked down, still holding Pippin's other wrist firmly in his grasp. Pippin raised his head and grinned at him, a wild glint in his eyes that Merry knew would not vanish until the prank was finished completely.
*Stubborn little Took...* he found himself thinking, not knowing whether to smile at the thought or cringe, since he did not particularly like the idea of getting a snowbath from his younger cousin and it was obvious Pippin wouldn't give up trying to do exactly that. He was in a bit of an uncompromising position at the moment, which Pippin seemingly was enjoying wholeheartedly.
*You think you've won, do you? We'll just see about *that*.*
Using the hand in his grasp, Merry tried once again to push Pippin on his side and off him, this time a bit more forcefully than he usually handled his cousin. He forced Pippin's hand behind his back, thus making Pippin pull back enough to get up almost to a sitting position, but then he quickly supported himself on his other hand and pulled free from Merry's grasp, his body squirming against Merry's. This made a gasp escape from Merry's lips. It surprised even himself, and he stared wide-eyed at Pippin, who was happily unaware of anything strange happening, but instead raised on his knees and grinned wickedly down at Merry.
*Oh... like cold shivers dancing up my spine... except that I'm not cold at all!* Merry's mind raced, and for a moment, he just lay there, braced on his elbows, facing Pippin, paralyzed. *It was you - it happened because of the way you *moved*, and I - oh, you wicked, wicked little Took with your cunning eyes!*
"Merry?" Pippin blinked, the grin on his face slowly fading away. "Merry? Y-you didn't really hurt yourself or anything?" When Merry didn't answer, Pippin's brow knitted and he sat up completely, straddling Merry's thigh. "Cousin, you look like you've - OH!"
And what Merry exactly had looked like was lost in a flurry of snow as Merry quickly used the situation to his advantage and hurled Pippin on his back on the snow, his hands flying to gather as much snow as he could before Pippin could scramble up. Pippin was now laughing again, the sound muffled by the snow that was dumped over him. Merry had given him a good many snowbaths before, but never with such set determination, and he could only squirm and yelp and laugh when snow was stuffed down his collar, and down his sleeves, and anywhere else it could fit. Pippin could feel the melting snow trickle down his chest and belly, tickling him and making him laugh even more.
"Merry, please!" he gasped, out of breath due to sheer hysterical laughter, "No more, no more snow! Please, let me up!"
"Not just yet", Merry bit out, rubbing some snow in his hair. "You're in need of a good scrubbing, I warrant, and besides, you'll have to ask me *very* nicely, after that snowball you threw!"
Pippin's cheeks were wet, and he didn't know if it was his eyes watering because of so much laughing or the melting snow. He looked up into Merry's eyes as Merry paused to catch his breath and give Pippin a chance to catch his.
"Please, Merry? Pretty please? I'm sorry about the snowball, I really am! Will you please let me up now? Because if I laugh anymore, I think I'm going to pop! I guarantee you, I've been wholly and thoroughly scrubbed!" He let out a small burst of laughter, all he could manage to do.
Merry tilted his head to one side and appeared to be pondering Pippin's words, but was actually just spotting a handful of details he had never before paid much attention to. He had no word for his feelings at the moment, nor for describing what Pippin looked like with his eyes swimming with joy and that smile playing on his lips that always got him an extra helping of dessert without ever having to ask for it. It struck Merry as odd that he would now start paying attention to details that had always been there. It seemed like he was discovering something totally new and exciting. This was *Pippin*, his best friend since forever! He knew Pippin through and through, and yet... it now seemed that there was something he had never noticed all the years they had been fellow pranksters and close friends. Something... a strange yearning that he realised had been there, fluttering in his chest, for quite a while, only now daring to surface. Merry couldn't resist its quiet but determined call.
"M-Merry?" Pippin inquired, in a low voice, slowly becoming aware of Merry's strange mood. The look in Merry's eyes frightened him somewhat; it was close to the look he got when he was angry, which wasn't often, but somehow Pippin understood that this was something even rarer. It was a mixture of bewilderment and hunger, with a touch of sadness and longing that captured Pippin's eyes and heart although he didn't know why.
Merry licked his upper lip, nervously, then bit it, trying to restrain himself. This was Pippin, sweet young Pippin, who wouldn't, *couldn't* understand how tempting he was, lying there, his brow knit into an adorable little frown of concern. Merry was drawn closer and closer by some force or power he couldn't fight, and he didn't realise what was happening until it was too late. Pippin's lips were right there, slightly parted, as a shocked gasp escaped from them and disappeared into Merry's mouth. Little shivers danced down Merry's spine at the feeling of having those moist lips pressed against his, and he couldn't help the little groan. Yes, this was what he had been missing; this and perhaps a little more...
He hadn't the time to wonder what that 'little more' could be before he was forcibly pushed on his side and Pippin jerked his mouth free from his. The Took's eyes were wild and he was shaking.
"Merry!" he burst out, "what are you *doing*?"
The harsh voice brought Merry back to the here and now. What in the whole Shire had made him do something as stupid as that? He had kissed Pippin, his best friend and cousin! Merry's cheeks burned as he quickly jumped up on his feet, avoiding Pippin's eyes and making an attempt to shake off some of the snow that was clutching on his clothes and currently soaking through them. Pippin scrambled up, his usual nimble feet seeming to fail him.
"Merry? You heard me. What was that about? I'm not some hobbit lass from Buckland, how come you - how come we---"
But Merry didn't have answers for him. He didn't even have them for himself. He shook his head, muttering, "Nothing, it was just a bit of a joke", and quickly started to climb the snowbank, to get his back at Pippin and not feel those questioning eyes seeking his. Pippin was by no means satisfied, but he knew Merry well enough to know that this was how Merry acted when he had been hurt, so he bit his lip and asked no further questions.
"There you are!"
Pervinca's voice made Pippin's head snap up and he encountered his sister's laughing eyes. Pervinca had her hands on her hips and she looked extremely satisfied with herself, although she was snowy all over and her head was a sad mess of wet tangles. Melilot came from behind her, wiping the sloshed snow from the hem of her skirt.
"I was afraid you had got more punishment than you very well deserved, little brother", Vinca said, reaching out to muss Pippin's hair. "We've already had our own snow war, and ended it in happy terms. What were you scheming here this long?"
Merry opened his mouth to answer, found his mind blank and closed his mouth again.
"Another prank to pull, take my word for it, Vinca." Melilot smiled, wiping some snow from Pervinca's brow. The two shared a knowing smile and then Melilot turned to grab Merry's hand.
"We did well, didn't we, cousin, although I suppose no winner can be declared."
"Ha!" scoffed Pippin, jumping down from the bank to the path. "Just a way to avoid admitting that my sister and I were undoubtedly the victorious team."
"I wouldn't think so big of myself after just getting a thorough snowbath!" Merry chided, following him. The light-hearted chatter was easy to adapt to again. It even gave him some more confidence that things hadn't changed as much as he feared they had.
"O-ho!" Pervinca laughed, patting Pippin on the back. "Did you now? Well, you were warned, weren't you?"
Pippin looked a little confused, and his gaze moved from Pervinca to Merry and then back again. To Merry's surprise and amusement, Pippin was blushing faintly.
Melilot came to put her hands on Merry and Pippin's shoulders.
"Now, I believe our walk has lasted long enough. Let's get inside before we all catch our deaths out here, soaked as we are."
Sniffling and chattering, the four hobbits made their way back to the house, where they would surely be scolded for their damp and shivering state, but where also waited the warmth and cosiness of Melilot's new room. And, of course, a healthy amount of food for a late supper by the fire.
***