The days and months following were filled with making up for the year lost between them. They spent time with Merry and Sam and Frodo, but mostly with just themselves. They argued, which was their favorite pastime. They argued about Bilbo's disappearance, about rumors that had spread about various topics, even about whether or not they should set Angelica Goodbody up with Merry. Usually, the arguments ended in a standoff. Both were incredibly stubborn, especially Pippin, and neither was willing to accept defeat. Yes, more whispers were caused. The rumor and murmur of affiancment was as rampant as a wild fire. Diamond shook her head at all these rumors; Pippin thought about them. Diamond began to think too. Considering it seemed to cause a great burden to be put on her mind, so she didn't think about it too much. It was such a strange thought, she and Pippin together. Pippin was everything like a brother, yet anything but a brother. She eventually grew frustrated. She wasn't even of age yet, and neither was he. Why think about that now? She still had time to enjoy with Pippin. She would shove everything to the back of her mind, and simply free herself by galumphing off somewhere with Pip. Days would pass, Months, Seasons. All of it in bliss. She never did return to her writing. She had left her book in the glade many months ago, in a hole, covered by a rock. When she and Pippin had been younger, they had made that small sort of hiding place. They stored any "treasure" that they had found. Whether it be a small, shiny comb that Pippin had stolen off of Pervinca's dresser, or a tiny, perfectly round cobblestone that Diamond had found on the side of the road, it was considered valuable. Now, it was solely the resting place for her book. They were, in fact, in the glade right now, resting, eating a few apples that they had successfully lifted. Pippin leaned back against a tree trunk, watching Diamond. He set his hand down on a rock, but it slid, revealing the small hiding place. Pippin looked, and plucked the book out of the soft ground. It was still intact, though the cover was badly water damaged. As he thumbed through the pages, Diamond came over to look at the book with him. The words on the pages were still clear, as if they had been written only a few days ago.
"Why don't you write anymore?" he inquired as he continued to flip pages.
Diamond shook her head.
"No time anymore. My creativity has run thin."
Pippin closed the book and carefully put it back in its spot. They both stood up; Diamond wiping her dress off and Pippin tossing away an apple core. He turned to leave, then noticed that Diamond was staring off through the trees wistfully, almost longingly.
"Di?"

This broke whatever concentration she had and she looked over to him. Almost out of habit, she fluttered her eyelashes a little. Pippin attempted to lean against a tree but missed. Diamond couldn't help but laugh at the site of Pip, in a tangled mess on the ground, his look of half shock incredibly comical. She rushed over to him, a look of sympathy on her face. Pip smiled inwardly and groaned a little just to seem more helpless. Diamond saw through this act as well. Upon reaching him, she kicked him playfully and ran off laughing. Pip's half shocked look turned into a full shocked look and he soon ran after her as well, cursing that he was starting to run out of acts she couldn't see through.

Pippin ran on and on, but Di kept outwitting him, and he couldn't catch up. He soon stopped, panting, and gave up trying to catch her. He began a casual stroll down the lane, thinking about nothing, seeing what there was to see. It was in this state that Frodo caught him just outside of Bag End, and Pippin was reluctantly recruited in helping pack up Bag End, and ship it off to Crickhollow, where Frodo was moving. Everyone was a bit sad that Frodo was moving out of Bag End, but it was comforting to know that he wasn't moving too far from Hobbiton. The day after everything had been sent off, Pippin noticed that Frodo seemed incredibly anxious. He would often stroll out to the main road coming into Hobbiton and look for something, or maybe, someone. Whoever that someone was, they didn't seem to be arriving any time soon, if at all.

The next day was Frodo's birthday, also the anniversary of Bilbo's disappearance. The party, if it could be called one, was quite small. Frodo had a small farewell dinner, to which he only invited Merry, Pip, and two other hobbits that had helped him move. Pippin refused to be solemn during this event, even though Frodo was leaving. The three talked for a long time around the table, reminiscing of days gone by when they were much younger, joking with each other about present events, and planning future ones. Pippin had volunteered himself to go with Frodo, helping him move the last few things that were still left. He thought it would be nice to travel with Frodo one last time before Frodo moved and he planned on being home soon after. The

room was almost bare, except the tables and chairs. Even though Bag End would soon belong to the Sackville-Baggines, it was still home tonight.

"Whatever happens to the rest of my stuff, when the Sackville-Bagginses get their claws on it, at any rate I have found a good home for this!" exclaimed Frodo merrily, and he drained his glass. Merry laughed and took a swig of his own ale, turning to Frodo.
"Speaking of homes, when you get to Crickhollow, are you planning on.....settling down at all?"
The other hobbits at the table all guffawed and those nearest Frodo nudged him and playfully shoved him. Frodo turned a lovely shade of fuchsia. Pippin hit the table and grinned broadly at Frodo.
"Come on Frodo, we know you've been making eyes at Lila Sandydowns!"
This wasn't necessarily true, but it wasn't necessarily false either. Frodo merely turned even redder.
"Of course I'm not!"
Everyone chortled some more and took deep swigs of their ale and wine. Merry then decided that it was time to move to Pippin.
"What about you Pippin?"
Pippin tried desperately not to blush.
"What about me?"
"Oh come on, you know what I'm talking about. No one in Hobbiton isn't talking about you and Diamond. It's even starting to reach Brandy Hall!"
Pippin blushed all the way to the points of his ears. He knew that if he said anything that was on his mind, he would only embarrass himself. Merry only laughed and pushed him lightheartedly.
"When are you gonna pop the question? When?!?!?"
"Yeah, when?"
"You've got to!"
"Vera í are!"
Pippin sort of scrunched up into his shirt collar, trying to disappear. He gave a bit of an impression of a turtle pulling its head into its shell. He peered intently into his mug of ale.
"Who says I'm going to ask at all?" he mumbled.
Dead silence permeated the room until Frodo broke it.
"But Pippin....why not?"
Pippin had no answer.

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