Author's Note: Wow, I haven't updated in forever! I've been a busy girl with my Original Fiction again. Well, not that you care about that, so here you go!
Pippin's First Love, Chapter Ten
Diamond watched wearily as she felt Nob shift to her left. She held his hands to his sides and waited for him to move again. The hard wood floor of their new farmhouse was uncomfortable, but Diamond wasn't about to let Nob go get drunk at the pub his first night there. She fingered the ring she'd now placed on her finger, no one was going to tell her otherwise. She smiled, feeling like Pippin was in the room, smiling at her and just existing. She shook her head briskly, letting her smile drift off her face as Nob tried to roll away from her. She kicked him gently.
"Go to sleep, Nob." she said dangerously. He groaned and settled down again, falling into a light doze. Diamond felt the wave of uneasiness sweep over her, her heart stopped pounding, she fell asleep.
Pippin walked out of his hole, looking around the sunny road angrily. He kicked a rock in the road and curled his lip, he didn't want anything happy going on today. Merry had left, and now Diamond was gone. He felt like screaming at the world, like hurting something. He looked at the rubbish pile in the corner of his mother's garden, a broken mirror lay on the pile. He picked up a piece and looked at it wonderingly. He carefully pulled the sharp edge across this arm, watching a trail of blood follow. He cut another through it, enjoying the pain that let him forget about Diamond. He cut a diagnal and let his arm bleed. He bandaged it with a torn piece of his shirt, then he pocketed the mirror, in case he needed it. He didn't care what his parents would say, he didn't need that crap now.
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"One whole year, and we haven't had a harvest?" Diamond panted, bent over her hoe. "What's with that?" she scowled at Nob. His eyes darted around the field, looking for more weeds.
"Nasty things out and about, no one's up to traveling." he shrugged. Diamond struggled not to roll her eyes as Nob seriously returned to his work. It had been six years since they'd moved away, five since she'd seen Pippin last. And he'd been acting mighty strange when she saw him. Happy to see her, but fragile and clingy.
"Am I still allowed to leave for Hobbiton this weekend with Mirabella and Rosa?" Diamond didn't press her luck. Nob wiped his brow and frowned.
"I suppose. Where else are we to get pipe weed?" he smiled. Diamond's heart fluttered in delight at her departure.
"We leave tomorrow then?" she clarified. Nob nodded sullenly, pulling his hoe through the dirt.
"S'pose." he muttered. Diamond knew that reproachful sound anywhere.
"I'm twenty-five now, I'll take care of my self." she assured him. Nob looked up and smiled, stopping his weeding for an instant.
"It's getting hard on everyone, though. You're starting to look more 'n' more like Ma, and Matteus doesn't have pleasant memories to lean on with that." Nob reminded Diamond. Diamond didn't like the fact that everyone constantly told her she looked exactly like her mother, it was...odd. Nob threw her one more "you're growing up too fast" look before heading in for a break.
Diamond left early the next morning with her two younger sisters, Mirabella and Rosa for Hobbiton. Upon nearing the Brandywine, Diamond considered stopping to look for Merry, but decided against it when Mrs. Brandybuck chased a young lass out of her potato garden with a rake. The journey back to Hobbiton was at least ten times longer than the one there, but that was philosophically because Diamond anticipated returning, whereas leaving had been terrible and drawn out.
"Are we there yet?" Mirabella whined. Diamond sighed and looked at Rosa, sprawled out in the small cart behind the pony harness, fast asleep.
"Yes, that's why we're still moving." Diamond remarked sarcastically. Mirabella scowled and looked around at the suburb of Hobbiton lazily.
"Isn't that your boyfriend?" Rosa asked suddenly, pointing to a young boy, running from an old man with a shovel with an armful of corn. Diamond squinted to clear her vision and better see the lad's face. Her heart sank bitterly into her stomach.
"No." she insisted, turning her vision to the road again. Mirabella smiled and began to bounce slightly in her seat in the hay of the cart.
"Diamond's gonna get married!" she chanted. Diamond blushed and shushed her annoying sisters as they passed the Baggins' property.
"Be still! We're here. Nob expects us back by Thursday, so let's make this quick." Diamond insisted, unhitching the back of their cart. Mirabella and Rosa leaped out, strechting their legs and observing the busy marketplace.
"DIAMOND!" Rosie called, pushing her way through the crowd rudely. Diamond squealed in happiness and hugged her friend.
"Bless your heart!" Diamond smiled and looked at Rosie with a light heart.
"I know someone that needs your attention, now!" Rosie's face turned serious. Diamond furrowed her brow and looked impatiently at the marketplace.
"What-the girls!" she seized her sisters' hands and allowed Rosie to pull her to the Took's hole.
"Pippin's very sick. Come, see!" Rosie knocked on the door. Diamond's breath slowed, her heart beated dully as the dim door was pulled open and Paladin Took stared blearily at Diamond.
"Who're you?" he asked thickly. Diamond recoiled, he was drunk.
"I'm Diamond," she gulped. "Of Long Cleeve." she tossed her head back to look the older hobbit in the eye. Hope flooded the intoxicated man's eyes.
"Don't just stand there, cure my boy!" he pulled her in and led her down the hallway to Pippin's door. Nervously rubbing her britches wrinkles, Diamond knocked softly and pushed the door open. Merry sat on the edge of Pippin's bed, Pippin curled at the foot of it.
"Pip, what's going on? Give me the mirror, no-" Merry held his hand in Pippin's nose, open palmed. Pippin hesitantly put a broken segment of mirror in Merry's palm, giving Diamond a split second view of his scarred and bloody arms. She gasped, Merry looked up at her.
"Diamond!" Merry cried, hope filtered into his eyes just like Paladin. Diamond pointed a shaking finger to Pippin's arm.
"What's going on?" she asked. Merry held the broken mirror segment sadly.
"I don't know what crossed his mind, but when he got depressed, he cut his arm to forget about...you." Merry said quietly. Diamond sat down lightly next to Pippin and ran a finger over his arm. Pippin's head leapt out of his arms, his bloodshot eyes scanned her face.
"Merry...did an angel fall out of the sky?" he asked. Merry smiled and put a hand on Diamond's shoulder.
"Depends on who's lookin'." he assured Pippin. Diamond shooed Merry out of the small room and cradled Pippin's arm.
"What in the Shire were you thinking? Look at this!" she brandished his arm to his face. Pippin looked contentedly into Diamond's eyes.
"It is you!" he said. Diamond smiled and was about to speak again when he seized her hand and coughed up blood onto a rag. "I do believe I've seen that ring before." he smiled. Diamond touched the edge of his face.
"Dear, dear Pippin. What did you catch? Pneumonia?" she asked reproachfully. Pippin shook his head and coughed again, pulling his emaciated form to his feet.
"No one knows what it is. Dr. Hallero gave it a real long name, along with Autumn Blaze Syndrome." Pippin waved his hand with a roll of his eyes. Diamond felt her throat seize up.
"Was it 'Manic-depression Autumn Blaze Syndrome?'" she asked. Pippin pointed and smiled.
"That was it!" he grinned. "I bet you got that from a book!" Diamond blinked slowly.
"Yes. Pippin," she couldn't help but feel the least bit worried. "What was the doctor's advice?" she asked. Pippin shrugged.
"Do things 'that stimulate fond memories' and 'surround yourself with people that make you happy.'" he scowled. Diamond took a hold of his hand and smiled.
"Is that why Merry is here?" she asked. He shrugged and nodded.
"That's why I'm glad you're here." he said happily.
Pippin's First Love, Chapter Ten
Diamond watched wearily as she felt Nob shift to her left. She held his hands to his sides and waited for him to move again. The hard wood floor of their new farmhouse was uncomfortable, but Diamond wasn't about to let Nob go get drunk at the pub his first night there. She fingered the ring she'd now placed on her finger, no one was going to tell her otherwise. She smiled, feeling like Pippin was in the room, smiling at her and just existing. She shook her head briskly, letting her smile drift off her face as Nob tried to roll away from her. She kicked him gently.
"Go to sleep, Nob." she said dangerously. He groaned and settled down again, falling into a light doze. Diamond felt the wave of uneasiness sweep over her, her heart stopped pounding, she fell asleep.
Pippin walked out of his hole, looking around the sunny road angrily. He kicked a rock in the road and curled his lip, he didn't want anything happy going on today. Merry had left, and now Diamond was gone. He felt like screaming at the world, like hurting something. He looked at the rubbish pile in the corner of his mother's garden, a broken mirror lay on the pile. He picked up a piece and looked at it wonderingly. He carefully pulled the sharp edge across this arm, watching a trail of blood follow. He cut another through it, enjoying the pain that let him forget about Diamond. He cut a diagnal and let his arm bleed. He bandaged it with a torn piece of his shirt, then he pocketed the mirror, in case he needed it. He didn't care what his parents would say, he didn't need that crap now.
**************************************************************************************************************************
"One whole year, and we haven't had a harvest?" Diamond panted, bent over her hoe. "What's with that?" she scowled at Nob. His eyes darted around the field, looking for more weeds.
"Nasty things out and about, no one's up to traveling." he shrugged. Diamond struggled not to roll her eyes as Nob seriously returned to his work. It had been six years since they'd moved away, five since she'd seen Pippin last. And he'd been acting mighty strange when she saw him. Happy to see her, but fragile and clingy.
"Am I still allowed to leave for Hobbiton this weekend with Mirabella and Rosa?" Diamond didn't press her luck. Nob wiped his brow and frowned.
"I suppose. Where else are we to get pipe weed?" he smiled. Diamond's heart fluttered in delight at her departure.
"We leave tomorrow then?" she clarified. Nob nodded sullenly, pulling his hoe through the dirt.
"S'pose." he muttered. Diamond knew that reproachful sound anywhere.
"I'm twenty-five now, I'll take care of my self." she assured him. Nob looked up and smiled, stopping his weeding for an instant.
"It's getting hard on everyone, though. You're starting to look more 'n' more like Ma, and Matteus doesn't have pleasant memories to lean on with that." Nob reminded Diamond. Diamond didn't like the fact that everyone constantly told her she looked exactly like her mother, it was...odd. Nob threw her one more "you're growing up too fast" look before heading in for a break.
Diamond left early the next morning with her two younger sisters, Mirabella and Rosa for Hobbiton. Upon nearing the Brandywine, Diamond considered stopping to look for Merry, but decided against it when Mrs. Brandybuck chased a young lass out of her potato garden with a rake. The journey back to Hobbiton was at least ten times longer than the one there, but that was philosophically because Diamond anticipated returning, whereas leaving had been terrible and drawn out.
"Are we there yet?" Mirabella whined. Diamond sighed and looked at Rosa, sprawled out in the small cart behind the pony harness, fast asleep.
"Yes, that's why we're still moving." Diamond remarked sarcastically. Mirabella scowled and looked around at the suburb of Hobbiton lazily.
"Isn't that your boyfriend?" Rosa asked suddenly, pointing to a young boy, running from an old man with a shovel with an armful of corn. Diamond squinted to clear her vision and better see the lad's face. Her heart sank bitterly into her stomach.
"No." she insisted, turning her vision to the road again. Mirabella smiled and began to bounce slightly in her seat in the hay of the cart.
"Diamond's gonna get married!" she chanted. Diamond blushed and shushed her annoying sisters as they passed the Baggins' property.
"Be still! We're here. Nob expects us back by Thursday, so let's make this quick." Diamond insisted, unhitching the back of their cart. Mirabella and Rosa leaped out, strechting their legs and observing the busy marketplace.
"DIAMOND!" Rosie called, pushing her way through the crowd rudely. Diamond squealed in happiness and hugged her friend.
"Bless your heart!" Diamond smiled and looked at Rosie with a light heart.
"I know someone that needs your attention, now!" Rosie's face turned serious. Diamond furrowed her brow and looked impatiently at the marketplace.
"What-the girls!" she seized her sisters' hands and allowed Rosie to pull her to the Took's hole.
"Pippin's very sick. Come, see!" Rosie knocked on the door. Diamond's breath slowed, her heart beated dully as the dim door was pulled open and Paladin Took stared blearily at Diamond.
"Who're you?" he asked thickly. Diamond recoiled, he was drunk.
"I'm Diamond," she gulped. "Of Long Cleeve." she tossed her head back to look the older hobbit in the eye. Hope flooded the intoxicated man's eyes.
"Don't just stand there, cure my boy!" he pulled her in and led her down the hallway to Pippin's door. Nervously rubbing her britches wrinkles, Diamond knocked softly and pushed the door open. Merry sat on the edge of Pippin's bed, Pippin curled at the foot of it.
"Pip, what's going on? Give me the mirror, no-" Merry held his hand in Pippin's nose, open palmed. Pippin hesitantly put a broken segment of mirror in Merry's palm, giving Diamond a split second view of his scarred and bloody arms. She gasped, Merry looked up at her.
"Diamond!" Merry cried, hope filtered into his eyes just like Paladin. Diamond pointed a shaking finger to Pippin's arm.
"What's going on?" she asked. Merry held the broken mirror segment sadly.
"I don't know what crossed his mind, but when he got depressed, he cut his arm to forget about...you." Merry said quietly. Diamond sat down lightly next to Pippin and ran a finger over his arm. Pippin's head leapt out of his arms, his bloodshot eyes scanned her face.
"Merry...did an angel fall out of the sky?" he asked. Merry smiled and put a hand on Diamond's shoulder.
"Depends on who's lookin'." he assured Pippin. Diamond shooed Merry out of the small room and cradled Pippin's arm.
"What in the Shire were you thinking? Look at this!" she brandished his arm to his face. Pippin looked contentedly into Diamond's eyes.
"It is you!" he said. Diamond smiled and was about to speak again when he seized her hand and coughed up blood onto a rag. "I do believe I've seen that ring before." he smiled. Diamond touched the edge of his face.
"Dear, dear Pippin. What did you catch? Pneumonia?" she asked reproachfully. Pippin shook his head and coughed again, pulling his emaciated form to his feet.
"No one knows what it is. Dr. Hallero gave it a real long name, along with Autumn Blaze Syndrome." Pippin waved his hand with a roll of his eyes. Diamond felt her throat seize up.
"Was it 'Manic-depression Autumn Blaze Syndrome?'" she asked. Pippin pointed and smiled.
"That was it!" he grinned. "I bet you got that from a book!" Diamond blinked slowly.
"Yes. Pippin," she couldn't help but feel the least bit worried. "What was the doctor's advice?" she asked. Pippin shrugged.
"Do things 'that stimulate fond memories' and 'surround yourself with people that make you happy.'" he scowled. Diamond took a hold of his hand and smiled.
"Is that why Merry is here?" she asked. He shrugged and nodded.
"That's why I'm glad you're here." he said happily.
