Disclaimer: I don't own the characters.
Author's note: This is a little late because FF.net was down when I originally wanted to post it. This is also my first LotR fic. Have fun.



The hairs on Merry's and Pippin's necks tingled as the wrath of Elessar burned behind them.
"What exactly do you two think you are doing?"
Pippin put his fork down. "Well, Strider, we were, eh, having a bit of an afternoon snack and all, you see-"
"While I have been toiling endlessly and trying not to get caught at it!"
Merry took no heed of Aragorn's exasperated words. Instead, he hopped down from his chair and attended to wiping off his hands. When he was thoroughly done, he looked up at Aragorn who was slowly becoming a bit impatient.
Merry grinned and folded his arms across his chest, "And where do you think you would be at this moment without the two of us?"
Aragorn muttered something to himself.
"Because, Aragorn, thanks to our stealthy little Hobbit selves, you were able to get done whatever it was that you wanted to get done."
Aragorn sighed.
"After all," Merry continued, "Who got you that wrapping? The only stuff to be found in Rivendell, I might add..."
"And," Pippin added, "Who distracted Elrond several times so that you would not get caught, eh?"
Aragorn tried desperately not to smile. "Well, my two dear Hobbits, I am for ever indebted to you for your assistance... However, there is still one more task that I need you for, if you are willing to be of service once again."
He knelt down and whispered a few words to the two. They nodded and Aragorn soon found himself alone. He cleared their plates from Elrond's table and sat down and spoke to none but himself.
"The morn will tell of their success, if they do succeed. Alas, I have faith."
---------
Elrond had been unusually delayed and now paced in a secluded room, deep in thought.
"Hmm..." He mused aloud and stopped, turning his head to look back at the large, oddly-wrapped gift that sat in the middle of the floor.
He had not opened it yet; he had pondered for some time who it might be from and why it had come. But no answers came to him.
He finally yielded and fingered the envelope that bore his name and lay atop the bulky mass. He carefully broke the wax seal and enclosed inside was a folded paper with a simple star design on the front. He opened the paper and found written a few Elvish words inked by some less-than-perfect hand. Elrond smiled and looked at the paper a few more times before setting it on his desk and looking back in wonder at the mysterious present sitting in the middle of his private study.
In the Common Speech, the card read, thus:
"Happy Father's Day
To Elrond, My Father"
And below, it was signed by Aragorn son of Arathorn.