Shire Summer.
A Meal fit for a Took.
T: And yes despite the fact that I did manage to watch the extended DVD all in a day this still got delayed. Why? I was back at work for a week but I'm on hols again for another week so I'll get this thing finished. Right that done I wish to state that at this moment LOTR is not mine, though by twelve today it should be if my s.w.a.t teem have gotten the right building…oh wait I have news…hmmm apparently I now own Harry Potter. Great. Angst, Slash and very m/p this chapter so if it bothers you then do not read, or you're only a f/s shipper then wait and your patience will be rewarded.
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Dawn of the next day saw Merry tucked within the library and surrounded by every cookbook he could find in the vast space. It was evident that he had been there most of the night; for he was still dressed in the soft red cotton trousers and short-sleeved top that made up his pyjamas and his curls were in great disarray. Yet the greatest suffering of the hours of pain staking research was his left hand, which was coated now in a thin film of blue ink that had either been flicked there by the tip of his quill or had transferred from the words themselves.
"You look like you are having fun." Came a comment to Merry's left. He jumped and shifted his head in time to see Frodo break into steady laughter.
"I thought I had warned you about sneaking up on me."
"You did, but you were far too easy a target to resist." Frodo replied, his eyes skimming over his Cousin's appearance again before he enquired,
"Did you even go to bed last night?"
"Yes, for about an hour and then I gave up trying to sleep and came in here." Merry replied, his eyes shifting back to his work.
"This is all in aid of Pip's banquette I take it?"
"Yes and I assure you that it has been a task and a half to find something for every course."
"How many are you having in total?"
"Eight, a small fare for a Hobbit, I know, but I do not wish to over stuff Pip, for when he is completely full he tends to sleep it off."
"And that explains why he's more often asleep than he is awake. Which course are you up to now?"
"Desert, indeed I have spent the last hour and a half looking for a desert and still I have nothing."
"Let me see what other courses you have chosen, then perhaps I can help you with desert." Frodo said. Merry silently handed over a large scrap of paper chocked full of crossings out and alternatives until in a very small script in the bottom corner was scribbled;
Starter.
Garlic mushrooms with a fresh yoghurt dip.
Fish.
Trout in Riesling
Poultry.
Turkey and watercress roulades.
Beef.
Peppered beef sauté
Lamb.
Spicy cinnamon lamb.
Vegetables.
Freshly picked vegetables with a garlic dip.
"Well it is evident that you have spent a long time researching this."
"More than you would believe, each and every course has been put together so that there is something of everything that Pip loves the best. Logically most of the main courses will need some sort of potato side dish, but I thought we could ask Sam nicely and then we would have an unforgettable meal."
"For us as well as your Took it seems. But it shall be worth it I am sure and with not only Sam's help but my own, the hardship should be cut in three."
"Meaning no offence, Frodo, but how can you aid us when the last I remember you hated to cook and had no natural talent for it."
"I still do not have natural gift or love for the art as far as savouries go, but with the art of constructing deserts and most pacifically the desert I think shall suit your meal perfectly, I believe I excel."
"Will you tell me what this desert is?"
"No. I think I shall allow you to be surprised by it."
"Very well, I shall look forward to finding out. Until then, though, I can at last leave this room and get myself dressed. For my last course will be the simple cheese board that we are all used to by now."
"Once you are dressed, Merry, you shall have a larger task before you I fear. For there is a room to set aside and decorate and time must be set aside for you to talk to Sam."
"I know and there is the other task of keeping Pip occupied by someone other than Sam."
"I thought you might need something of that sort and so I found out Uncle Saradoc last night before I retired to bed and sparked up a conversation. Amid the general discussions on books and the like I managed to suggest that it might do Pippin some good to see a little of Buckland with him. Learn about being a landholder so that he might find the change into being Thain smother than it might be."
"Dad of course would have taken the suggestion in and will be acting on it as soon as he might. Why would he not when you so appealed to his belief that Pip needs `straightening up`? You are a veritable genius, Frodo, indeed that brain of yours could be turned towards a few schemes lurking away in my mind."
"Then perhaps it is for the best that I am only here for a few weeks, or your influence could run off onto me and undo all of Bilbo's hard work."
"True enough. If we rendezvous in the kitchens in a half hour that will give me time to change and you time to find Sam."
*
Three hours later and a small section of the kitchens had been cornered off and dedicated to the preparation of the feast.
There was an aura of work settled over the three Hobbits, Merry busily slicing up strips of beef, Sam quietly boiling of potatoes and Frodo stood to one side of him giving assistance when needed. Merry found himself lifting his head every now and again to watch the pair. Frodo was lent slightly towards the gardener, a light sparked low in his eyes that was purely contentment and devotion. At one point when his eyes drifted over the pair had reached together for one item and as their hands touched they froze in place. The moment drew out, neither moving away but neither closing the space. Merry found himself tempted to just push one or the other just slightly, but knew if he did as such then all chance of the pair finding their own imperative would be lost and they might always need aid to keep their relationship alive.
He remained impassive therefore and a moment later Frodo broke the contact and blushing he apologised and turned away for a moment. Had he held his place a moment longer he would have perceived, as Merry did, a great disappointment muting the fire of Sam's eyes.
After that Merry's attention stayed firmly on his area of preparation, though his mind wondered for a moment if Frodo could in fact find courage enough to stay his plan or whether his fear would make him veer away and remain silent forever.
*
The last light of the day was filtering out of the sky when Merry made his final checks. Everything seemed to be in order, food, venue, decoration, Pip…Suddenly the smile that had been inching onto Merry's lips froze and his mind tried to recall if they had formed a plan of how to get Pip into the room.
He stared blankly at the tiny sparks of candlelight and twiddled subconsciously with the buttons of his new waistcoat. It had been a risk to so light the tiny space in such a way and to dress in such a fashion, for it would be quickly evident that this small meal was more than it seemed. But the logic had been that as the whole evening was based within risk, candles and Lilly's fine tailoring were the best thing for the occasion.
A Knock on the door started him out of his thoughts and as he crossed to open it he recalled that yes, there had been plan to get Pip here.
And it was the Took that greeted him as he swung the door inward, his eyes covered over with a small swatch of cloth and his slight form dressed in his best outfit. Indeed so well did the young Hobbit look in the mix of black and silver fabrics that Merry almost forgot that Sam was just behind the Took until he cleared his throat and passed Pippin's hand into Merry's.
Pip shifted, aware of the change in guides just by touch alone, yet he retained his silence, not wishing, Merry supposed, to break the atmosphere. He sat the Took at the head of the table and took his place at his left, breathing deeply as the reality of the moment caught him. Once Sam had placed the first course before him He leaned into the Took and removed the makeshift blindfold.
Pippin blinked as he adjusted himself to the change in light and then his eyes took in the space in an almost leisurely fashion, halting only when they found Merry.
"This is nice. What is the occasion?" He enquired, confusion evident both in his voice and his eyes.
"There is no real occasion. I wished to say sorry, Pip and I wanted a few moments with you alone."
"You realise, of course, that you might simply have asked for a moment alone and apologised at any point yesterday. But you have to make a scheme of everything do you not?"
"Apparently so." Merry mumbled to himself. He settled himself into his chair, his feet connecting for a moment with the package hidden beneath the table and he smiled. Dipping to retrieve the gift he waited for Pippin to finish the mushroom he had popped into his mouth.
"What have you there?"
"It is a little something that I saw and thought of you." Merry replied as he passed the parcel over. Distracted from the starter now by the promise of some manthom or another. A few moments later and the tattered remains of the package were strewn about the floor and he was wrapping the new scarf (Woven by Lilly's skilled hands and of a shade close to that of Merry's favourite waistcoat) about his neck.
"It is wonderful, Merry." The Took said, looking younger now that the scarf adorned him.
"I thought you could keep it as reminder of me, so that you know I am right by you even when you can not find me." And he wanted then to say everything, to let the words go and live in risk. But the timing was wrong, this he knew all too well, for to speak now would make the evening void and bring pain to him should things go ill, yet lingering ment that the words might never come and that he would be where Frodo was now, teetering always on a the line and never daring to cross.
He shook the thought from his mind for the moment and concentrated himself in watching Pip eat in the candlelight.
*
There was only Frodo's desert and the cheese left now before the evening was over and all chance for risk and change would be lost with it. Yet Merry was too lost in the simple comfort of the evening now to concern himself with that loss. For this was the first time since he had realised his feelings that he had allowed himself to relax in Pippin's company and just simply enjoy the warmth and closeness of their friendship.
At last though, the unsaid words pulled at that comfort until the pair descended into their own private thoughts. This silence was broken by Frodo's entrance into the room, two ceramic bowls balanced within his hands and a pained look of concentration on his face. He walked the space between himself and the room as slowly as he might and once he had set his fare on the table gave Merry a questioning glance. Sparked into action then by that simple action he flashed Frodo a smile and with a sweep of his hands indicated to his Cousin that he wanted his privacy back.
When he was again alone with Pip he lent to divide what, on appearance, was nothing more than apple pie and ice cream. Yet with his first bite he knew that Frodo had not been giving himself undue praise, for the lid of the pie had been carefully dusted with icing sugar so that it might caramelise in the oven and thus add crunch and sweetness to the mix. The filling itself was dotted with the occasional raisin, found only as a sudden hot sweetness in the mouth. The ice cream was smooth and creamy and flavoured with enough cinnamon to add spice and depth to the whole dish.
As he reached for his third portion he felt Pippin's eyes on him as a bright heat and turning he was greeted not with the normal green spark of Pip's pupils but a mix of shadow and light caused by the candles.
"Merry?" He enquired after a moment of silence.
"Yes Pip?"
"Can you tell me now?"
"Tell you what?"
"Whatever it is that you have set this thing up for. I could almost believe that is as you say just for apology, but if that is true then it is a little excessive even by your standards. Thus I think there is more to it and I would care to know what it is,"
"It is nothing, Pip…"He stopped himself then and after a moments consideration shook his head and said, "No, that is not true. I want to tell you something, Pip, which will change things between us even though in a way I wish it would not.
"Now it comes to it I find all the fancy words I had plotted out in my mind have faded away and so I shall try for just the simple truth. You accused me of pushing you away last night, Pip, and that is true. As to why I can say only that each day I see you now I yearn to touch you…to taste you…and it kills me a little each time that I cannot.
"Peregrine Took. Pip. I love you." And with that said he found that all other words left him and his joy faded suddenly in the sudden blankness of Pippin's eyes. To Merry that blackness was rejection and he closed his eyes against it, wishing that nothing had been said, wishing that he could place the light back into Pippin's eyes.
"Open your eyes, Merry." And there was something in the note of Pippin's voice then that snapped his eyes open against his wishes, for he still believed that that absence and rejection would greet him.
Yet all that he saw was heat and care and almost in a dream he moved forward then, his lips seeking and finding Pippin's.
When eventually they had had their fill of touch and taste, they broke away from one another and gaining back his breath Pippin enquired,
"Did you think I would turn you away?"
"Yes."
"But why, Merry?"
"Because every time I looked into your eyes I saw nothing other that what I had always seen."
"Fool Brandybuck," Pippin remarked. Stretching a hand to caress Merry's face he broke suddenly into a peal of laughter so high, so bright and so typically Pippin that Merry ceased him into another kiss. Pippin pushed away after a moment and ceasing Merry's face again said, "You saw the same thing, Merry, because I have always loved you. Always. You should have thought of that before you put so much effort into this scheme, but then again if you had done that you would not be Merry would you?"
"You are a minx."
"Of course I am. But that is why you care is it not?" He enquired.
"Oh yes." Merry replied as he pulled Pippin into another kiss.
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T: Ta dah! Not that anyone is actually reading this fic but the final chapter is also up so go and read it before you R+R as it kind of goes with this one…kind of.
A little hint about my next story which (I think) will be my best, it is a `what if` centred around a very important point in the book cannon…he to learn more you'll have to wait until I post it either here on fanfic.net or on quill and ink.