Further In Further Up
By Robin Gurl
Chapter 1
Merry watched his younger cousin move. He was young, so young and yet he was traveling with him to Rivendale. He had a feeling that Pippin was scared. But how to get it out of him. He loved his cousin dearly and didn't want to see him hurting.
"Mr. Merry are you alright?"
Merry looked over to the sound of the voice and saw Sam's concerned face staring back at him. "Oh, I'm fine Sam."
"You didn't look fine, if you don't mind me saying Sir, you looked worried." Sam had noticed for the second or third time Merry glance over at Pippin.
"Oh Sam, I'm just worried about Pippin." Merry sighed knowing it would be a lot easier if someone other than himself knew. "He's been so quiet lately and that worries me."
"I feel the same way 'bout Mr. Frodo. Though Frodo was always quiet." Sam admitted quietly.
"Yes, but he'll tell you things. And you two also love each other. You two are more than friends. Pippin and I are just cousins."
"Pippin loves you."
"Yes, but not the way you and Frodo do.." Merry continued walking but stayed out of Frodo and Pippin's hearing range. "Sam how does it feel when you love someone?"
"Excuse me? I don't understand Mr. Merry."
"How did it feel when you first loved Frodo."
Sam smiled, "It felt wonderful, but I was also scared, mind you at that time I wasn't sure if Mister Frodo was that way, so I was scared of rejection." As Sam continued to remember that wonderful moment in his life something clicked. Did Merry love Pippin that way? Before he could ask he heard Pippin yipe about something.
Merry was over at his cousin's side in a flash, "Pip?"
The youngest hobbit looked up fearful. He saw Strider and his cousin staring worriedly at him. "I saw something it was black but not a black rider and had yellow eyes. It stared at me as I walked then it pounced towards me."
Strider didn't believe one word. "There is nothing out here."
Pippin's face looked like he'd been rejected as Strider chastised him for being foolish. Merry noticed and gave Strider a warning glance.
"Is Pippin alright?" Frodo peaked in the huddle, his big blue eyes searched the three faces for anything wrong.
"Yes, you Hobbits are scared of everything. You need to learn to be brave."
All four hobbits felt insulted at Strider's outburst. Sam fumed silently, while Frodo just glared. Merry was mad at Strider, "How do you know it's not true when you didn't see it?"
Strider didn't answer and continued walking, "If we do not hurry the Black Riders will catch up to us."
Pippin allowed Merry to help him back up. "It's alright Pip, what ever you saw is probably gone. Ignore Strider, he knows nothing about hobbits."
That night at the camp everyone was asleep except for Pippin. He was sitting alone thinking. Insults from other people kept flowing through his head.
Fool of a Took.
All hobbits are scared of everything you need to learn to be brave.
"How can I be brave when I'm one of the smallest beings on Middle Earth?"
"Pippin?"
Blue eyes searched for who called him he saw no one, "Who called."
Merry was never really asleep. He had heard everything that Pippin had said. "Pippin?" He stood up grabbing his blanket and walked over to his cousin. He sat down putting the blanket around both of them. "Are you scared?"
"No." Came Pippin's quiet reply. There was no way that he was going to show that he was scared. Not in front of Merry, if he did then surely Merry would laugh at him.
"It's ok to be scared. Come on Pippin let it out." Merry said soothingly. "I'm worried about you Pippin. You're scaring me and I'm scared."
Pippin broke, he fell back into Merry's arms. His happy mask falling away leaving a scared hobbit lad whom hadn't even come of age. Pippin was scared, so scared. He missed his parents, and siblings. The people who didn't think he was just a fool. "Everyone is right, I'm just a Fool of a Took.."
It hurt Merry so much to hear his cousin cry, "Pip, don't cry. You aren't just a Fool of a Took. I don't think that Strider knows you that well.." ::He also doesn't know how young you are. Only Frodo and I do. Sam doesn't even know.::
After a few moments of being rocked back and forth Pippin let out a hoarse whisper, "Merry, I don't know if I can do this.."
"Do what Pip?"
"Help Frodo. I want to but I can't.."
"Pippin you can do it. I'll help you. Haven't I always been there for you?" He felt Pippin nod. "Then let me be there for you now. I hate to see you hurting. You're normally so happy and carefree and I use to be jealous. Everyone always wants you to be more serious in life.. But I've seen that Pippin and to tell you the truth I don't like it."
Pippin nodded tiredly, "I couldn't be serious, I tried."
"I don't want you to be. Just be your self.." Merry sighed knowing that Pippin needed someone who loved him, "Pippin, I love you, more than a friend.."
"I know Merry, I had a feeling you did. I was scared at first but now I'm glad.." Pippin smiled in the darkness. He felt so tired. Pippin let out a small groan.
"What' wrong Pip?"
"Hmmm..mmmm..tired."
"Well sleep then."
Pippin took longer this time to answer. "If I do you'll leave me."
Merry pulled his cousin close, "No I won't. I'll stay right here."
"Promise?"
"Yes Pip I promise." Merry closed his eyes lying down. He pulled Pippin down beside him. The blonde haired hobbit felt his lover move closer and snuggle. ::I never want to leave you again...I'll be by your side as long as you'll have me.::
"I love you Merry.."
While everyone slept two black figures looked on. One of them smiled as the other whispered a spell. After it was done they both left, hiding in the woods waiting for the morning.
The next morning it had somehow snowed. Sam sat up shivering. "Mister Frodo?" He moved over to his sleeping lover. Sam noticed that Frodo was warm. Not sick warm yet just warm and that was a good thing. "Strider..?"
"Yes Sam?" Strider was worried snow was very rare in this part of Middle Earth, Infact it never snowed.
"You didn't say it was going to snow last night." Sam covered Frodo up some more in hopes he wouldn't catch a cold.
Merry awoke a couple of hours later. His face felt the biting cold air as he sat up. "Woah!" As he spoke his voice made temporary smoke in the air. Merry looked down and smiled. Pippin looked so young and cute when he was sleeping.
As if Pippin knew he was being watched he opened his eyes. The young hobbit looked around sleepily then sat up. He almost wished he hadn't. Freezing air chilled his small body almost instantly.
"Pip keep yer blanket around you before you catch cold love." Merry covered Pippin up then put his arms around Pippin's small waist pulling him into his lap. ::This gives him a little more body heat.::
Pippin didn't say a word and buried himself deeper into his lovers embrace. He was cold, so cold not to mention still extremely tired. He felt himself drift back to sleep using Merry's chest as pillow. "Pippin are you ok?"
Merry looked forward and Frodo sitting in front of them. He to was wrapped tightly in a blanket. "Pippin?" Frodo reached out one of his arms and put a hand to Pippin's forehead. It was warm to warm.
"Frodo what's wrong?"
"He feels warm, fever warm." Frodo had never seen the youngest Hobbit ill. Infact when he was little he always thought Pippin was immune to everything.
Merry put a hand to Pippin's forehead knowing right then that Pippin had a fever. "Pippin!!" He cousin didn't move. "Pip come on wake up."
Merry's shouts brought Sam and Strider over. "Mr. Merry what's wrong?"
Frodo stood up and ran. Sam watched his lover tear a piece of his cloak off. He poured some of their drinking water on it and soaked the cloth.
"Frodo what are you doing? That was good drinking water." Strider scolded.
"Someone needs it more than we do." Frodo barked. He was getting perturbed at the ranger. "Here Merry."
Merry took the wet cloth and placed it on Pippin's burning forehead. "Hang in there Pip!"
Strider stood up, "Get packed we need to keep moving. Our next stop is the great watchtower of Nahazu Frodo sighed knowing Strider was right. "We'll put Pip on the horses back."
"There is no room Master Baggins. The horse is already full." Strider shot out.
"Then we'll put some on our backs." Frodo replied harshly. "He can't walk. I will not have it."
"You can not carry anymore. None of you can."
Pippin's ears were burning from hearing them fight about him. "STOP IT!!" He shouted out hoarsely. "Don't fight over me. I'll just walk."
"Pippin?"
"Mr. Took?" Sam exclaimed, "Are you sure?"
Pippin nodded even though he felt terrible. He hated when people fought over him. "Just help me up and I'll be fine.."Merry sighed and helped his cousin up, "If you even look like you're going to collapse we're going to put you on that horse."
"Ok." Pippin swayed slightly before getting his balance back. "Well lets get going."
End Chapter 1
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Few little hints from the story. After you read them go and back and read the story. Think of Pippin's face when Gandalf lit in to him in the Mines of Moria for knocking that thing into the well for that part where Strider gets mad at him for being 'scared'
And for the watchtower, I couldn't remember or make out the name to well.
