Pippin awoke the next morning, cold and wet from the early summer dew, the top of the hill. He pushed himself up, looking down as the Smials became alive and swarming with hobbits. He realized that his parents were probably looking for him, his mother worried and his father, Paladin, furious. Paladin was always very hard on Pippin; he was the Thain's only son. Pippin's thoughts changed to Merry, and he remembered what had happened the night before. He took off, running down the hill and towards the Smials, causing a great commotion along the way.
Pippin finally reached Merry's door. He stood for a moment, trying to catch his breath and think of what he was going to say. He was raising his hang to knock when a thundering voice stopped him.
"Peregrin Took," boomed Paladin's strong voice. "I'll be having a word with you." His father's voice gave him no room for argument, and with one last longing look at the door he followed Paladin.
It was like it always was. His father pacing, looking at the ground, and his mother standing behind a little, her arms crossed, with her chin resting on one hand, looking worried and torn between supporting her son, or supporting her husband.
"Everyone was looking for you! We had no idea where you were! How could you do something so inconsiderate? And then to make it even worse, you come running through today, knocking people over and reeking havoc everywhere!" It was clear that Paladin was extremely upset. Pippin sat in the chair, as he always did, and looking at his feet, not able, or wanting, to get a word in edgewise. Paladin droned on angrily, and Pippin's mind wandered, until he heard something that struck his attention.
"I'll bet you were with Meriadoc, weren't you," Paladin demanded, more of a statement than a question.
"What?" Pippin stammered.
"Well, we all know his habits," Paladin said. Pippin began to sweat, wondering if he knew... "He causes more trouble than you do, Pippin. He's a bad influence. It would do the both of you well to have some sense knocked into him. I worry about you, Pip. I don't want you hanging around with some rascal like him. You should try and talk some good manners into him. If this happens again, we'll have to look into further punishment. Well, run along now," he finished. Pippin sat staring at him. That was it? No additional scolding? No punishment? He looked to his mother, who shrugged, looking as surprised as he did. Pippin watched Paladin walk briskly out of the room, and then took off, running back to Merry's room.
Pippin finally reached the door, once again panting and out of breath. He knocked once, and then a second time, still with no answer.
"Merry?" He pushed the door open and peered inside.
Merry was gone.
Pippin looked around frantically for any signs that maybe Merry was still here...just getting breakfast, or taking a walk maybe, but all of his things were gone, and the bed was neatly made. Not knowing what else to do, Pippin ran out of the Smials, looking down the road that lead back to Buckland. In the distance, he saw the tiny bobbing figure. Pippin took one last glance behind him, to make sure no nosy Tooks were on his trail, and he took off again, racing up the track, getting closer and closer to Merry.
When he was finally a few feet away, he didn't call out to Merry, but instead jumped onto him, tackling him down to the ground, determined that he wouldn't let Merry get away this time.
"Pippin! What are you doing?" Merry yelled, struggling to push Pippin off of him. "Come on Pip, let me go."
Pippin was surprised at his own strength; Merry had always been "the strong one," but Pippin's hold on Merry wasn't relenting.
"I...Merry, I have to tell you something," Pippin managed, in between strangled breaths.
"Well, what is it?" Merry stopped struggling momentarily to listen to Pippin. But Pippin didn't say anything. All the words he had thought of to tell Merry what was on his mind left him, and his throat suddenly seemed extremely dry. Merry began to struggle again, and Pippin decided it was his last chance. With one last breath, Pippin leaned down and kissed Merry.
When Pippin finally lifted his head up, he immediately sat up on his heels, and looked away from Merry. He picked a blade of grass from the side of the road and began to twirl it around his fingers. Neither of them spoke for a few moments, and Merry finally broke the silence.
"Are you going to explain that?"
Pippin cleared his throat, and was silent for a little while, but then answered slowly and deliberately.
"Paladin said you were a bad influence. I just thought I'd tell you," Pippin mumbled, blushing. Merry smiled, and pulled himself into a sitting position, Pippin still sitting on his legs.
"With a kiss. Did the Thain tell you that would be the best way?"
"Well, it got your attention, didn't it?"
"It did, Pip." They sat like that for a few more minutes, until Merry leaned in and returned Pippin's kiss, with a soft, warm one, that lasting for quite some time, and left a tingling feeling on Pippin's lips.
"My dad says hi," Merry said, making it a game. Pippin smiled and pushed Merry back down gently, bringing their lips together once again.
"Dad says to tell you that you left a messy room," Pippin said, playing along, in-between the lip locking.
"My dad says that isn't true," Merry retorted with another kiss. "And he wants to know if you'll come to Buckland with me," he continued. Pippin broke away, thinking about it as Merry kissed his neck. He shuddered with delight, and wondered what his family would think if he went to visit the Brandbucks. He gave Merry one last lingering kiss.
"My dad says that's fine."
Pippin had decided to go along with Merry, and then send word back to the Smials with someone that he would be staying there for a few days. In the letter he wrote to Paladin, he said his purpose was to "talk some sense into Merry." The real purpose, however, was far from that. Pippin was both excited and somewhat nervous of what was to come to the two of them. They had stayed in the middle of the road, kissing for quite some time. Pippin had never felt like that. His "rumbles in the hay" had consisted of sneaking one or two quick kisses with a few girls at parties, but nothing beyond that. Nothing like Merry. As the two walked along in silence, he couldn't help but wonder what would come next. He had never heard of two male hobbits being together, and he wasn't sure what anyone would think.
"Merry...what exactly does this mean?" Pippin asked him, not able to keep his thoughts to himself anymore.
"Hm?"
"What does it mean...what are we?" Pippin continued. Merry cleared his throat.
"Well, Pip...it just means that, well, you know," he said.
"No, I don't know," Pippin said in reply.
"Oh Pip." Merry sighed, and stopped walking to turn to him. "Let's just take this slow. We don't have to be anything," he took a breath and added, "Not if you don't want to," in quickly.
"Of course I want to...I just don't know what there is to be. What will the others say?"
"Well, that's just the thing Pippin. We won't be able to tell them for a little while. That's why we should just take things slow and keep quiet," Merry explained. He saw the look of dismay on Pippin's face. "Just think of it as an adventure, like the ones we always take. We have to sneak around and not let anyone know. It'll be our little secret." This made Pippin happier, and they walked on, content for the moment. "So we'll just tell everyone you're visiting, and no one will be able to know about the secret mission." He leaned over and kissed Pippin on the forehead. "Ok?"
Not knowing what the "secret mission" was, but not caring too much, Pippin agreed.
"It's getting dark, Pip. You want to camp here for the night?" Merry asked. He knew they could make it back before it got too dark, but he could tell that Pippin was getting tired. Pippin nodded, and Merry took his hand and led him off to the side of the road, where there was a small green clearing through some trees. "We can sleep here for the night. No one will be able to see us from the road," Merry said, gesturing through the trees. He sat down and then patted the spot next to him for Pippin to come over. Pippin sat and snuggled close to Merry, resting his head on Merry's shoulder. Merry turned and kissed him softly, then a little harder, pushing him gently to the ground, and kissing him harder and longer each time. He heard Pippin give out a small moan as Merry crawled on top of him, kissing and biting softly at his neck. Feeling confidant that Pippin was enjoying himself, Merry slowly let his hands graze over Pippin's chest. He felt Pippin shiver beneath him, as he reached up greedily to get deeper into the kiss. They stayed like this for a long time, and slowly Merry let his hands slide down Pippin's chest until they were playing on the waistline of his pants. Pippin had never felt so wonderful in his life, but when he felt Merry's hands reach his waist he began to wiggle uncomfortably. Merry got the message and sat up, still straddling Pippin.
"Too much?" he asked, grinning. Pippin nodded sheepishly, a red blush creeping into his already flushed face. "It's ok, I understand. How's this?" Merry asked, sliding his hands back up some and kissing Pippin's neck.
"That...that's ok," Pippin managed to spit out. Merry found Pippin's mouth again, but soon after, he felt Pippin gently trying to press him away. "I'm tired, Merry," Pippin said. And with that, Merry gave him one last kiss on the cheek and curled up beside him, wondering what exactly he had gotten the two of them into.
Pippin finally reached Merry's door. He stood for a moment, trying to catch his breath and think of what he was going to say. He was raising his hang to knock when a thundering voice stopped him.
"Peregrin Took," boomed Paladin's strong voice. "I'll be having a word with you." His father's voice gave him no room for argument, and with one last longing look at the door he followed Paladin.
It was like it always was. His father pacing, looking at the ground, and his mother standing behind a little, her arms crossed, with her chin resting on one hand, looking worried and torn between supporting her son, or supporting her husband.
"Everyone was looking for you! We had no idea where you were! How could you do something so inconsiderate? And then to make it even worse, you come running through today, knocking people over and reeking havoc everywhere!" It was clear that Paladin was extremely upset. Pippin sat in the chair, as he always did, and looking at his feet, not able, or wanting, to get a word in edgewise. Paladin droned on angrily, and Pippin's mind wandered, until he heard something that struck his attention.
"I'll bet you were with Meriadoc, weren't you," Paladin demanded, more of a statement than a question.
"What?" Pippin stammered.
"Well, we all know his habits," Paladin said. Pippin began to sweat, wondering if he knew... "He causes more trouble than you do, Pippin. He's a bad influence. It would do the both of you well to have some sense knocked into him. I worry about you, Pip. I don't want you hanging around with some rascal like him. You should try and talk some good manners into him. If this happens again, we'll have to look into further punishment. Well, run along now," he finished. Pippin sat staring at him. That was it? No additional scolding? No punishment? He looked to his mother, who shrugged, looking as surprised as he did. Pippin watched Paladin walk briskly out of the room, and then took off, running back to Merry's room.
Pippin finally reached the door, once again panting and out of breath. He knocked once, and then a second time, still with no answer.
"Merry?" He pushed the door open and peered inside.
Merry was gone.
Pippin looked around frantically for any signs that maybe Merry was still here...just getting breakfast, or taking a walk maybe, but all of his things were gone, and the bed was neatly made. Not knowing what else to do, Pippin ran out of the Smials, looking down the road that lead back to Buckland. In the distance, he saw the tiny bobbing figure. Pippin took one last glance behind him, to make sure no nosy Tooks were on his trail, and he took off again, racing up the track, getting closer and closer to Merry.
When he was finally a few feet away, he didn't call out to Merry, but instead jumped onto him, tackling him down to the ground, determined that he wouldn't let Merry get away this time.
"Pippin! What are you doing?" Merry yelled, struggling to push Pippin off of him. "Come on Pip, let me go."
Pippin was surprised at his own strength; Merry had always been "the strong one," but Pippin's hold on Merry wasn't relenting.
"I...Merry, I have to tell you something," Pippin managed, in between strangled breaths.
"Well, what is it?" Merry stopped struggling momentarily to listen to Pippin. But Pippin didn't say anything. All the words he had thought of to tell Merry what was on his mind left him, and his throat suddenly seemed extremely dry. Merry began to struggle again, and Pippin decided it was his last chance. With one last breath, Pippin leaned down and kissed Merry.
When Pippin finally lifted his head up, he immediately sat up on his heels, and looked away from Merry. He picked a blade of grass from the side of the road and began to twirl it around his fingers. Neither of them spoke for a few moments, and Merry finally broke the silence.
"Are you going to explain that?"
Pippin cleared his throat, and was silent for a little while, but then answered slowly and deliberately.
"Paladin said you were a bad influence. I just thought I'd tell you," Pippin mumbled, blushing. Merry smiled, and pulled himself into a sitting position, Pippin still sitting on his legs.
"With a kiss. Did the Thain tell you that would be the best way?"
"Well, it got your attention, didn't it?"
"It did, Pip." They sat like that for a few more minutes, until Merry leaned in and returned Pippin's kiss, with a soft, warm one, that lasting for quite some time, and left a tingling feeling on Pippin's lips.
"My dad says hi," Merry said, making it a game. Pippin smiled and pushed Merry back down gently, bringing their lips together once again.
"Dad says to tell you that you left a messy room," Pippin said, playing along, in-between the lip locking.
"My dad says that isn't true," Merry retorted with another kiss. "And he wants to know if you'll come to Buckland with me," he continued. Pippin broke away, thinking about it as Merry kissed his neck. He shuddered with delight, and wondered what his family would think if he went to visit the Brandbucks. He gave Merry one last lingering kiss.
"My dad says that's fine."
Pippin had decided to go along with Merry, and then send word back to the Smials with someone that he would be staying there for a few days. In the letter he wrote to Paladin, he said his purpose was to "talk some sense into Merry." The real purpose, however, was far from that. Pippin was both excited and somewhat nervous of what was to come to the two of them. They had stayed in the middle of the road, kissing for quite some time. Pippin had never felt like that. His "rumbles in the hay" had consisted of sneaking one or two quick kisses with a few girls at parties, but nothing beyond that. Nothing like Merry. As the two walked along in silence, he couldn't help but wonder what would come next. He had never heard of two male hobbits being together, and he wasn't sure what anyone would think.
"Merry...what exactly does this mean?" Pippin asked him, not able to keep his thoughts to himself anymore.
"Hm?"
"What does it mean...what are we?" Pippin continued. Merry cleared his throat.
"Well, Pip...it just means that, well, you know," he said.
"No, I don't know," Pippin said in reply.
"Oh Pip." Merry sighed, and stopped walking to turn to him. "Let's just take this slow. We don't have to be anything," he took a breath and added, "Not if you don't want to," in quickly.
"Of course I want to...I just don't know what there is to be. What will the others say?"
"Well, that's just the thing Pippin. We won't be able to tell them for a little while. That's why we should just take things slow and keep quiet," Merry explained. He saw the look of dismay on Pippin's face. "Just think of it as an adventure, like the ones we always take. We have to sneak around and not let anyone know. It'll be our little secret." This made Pippin happier, and they walked on, content for the moment. "So we'll just tell everyone you're visiting, and no one will be able to know about the secret mission." He leaned over and kissed Pippin on the forehead. "Ok?"
Not knowing what the "secret mission" was, but not caring too much, Pippin agreed.
"It's getting dark, Pip. You want to camp here for the night?" Merry asked. He knew they could make it back before it got too dark, but he could tell that Pippin was getting tired. Pippin nodded, and Merry took his hand and led him off to the side of the road, where there was a small green clearing through some trees. "We can sleep here for the night. No one will be able to see us from the road," Merry said, gesturing through the trees. He sat down and then patted the spot next to him for Pippin to come over. Pippin sat and snuggled close to Merry, resting his head on Merry's shoulder. Merry turned and kissed him softly, then a little harder, pushing him gently to the ground, and kissing him harder and longer each time. He heard Pippin give out a small moan as Merry crawled on top of him, kissing and biting softly at his neck. Feeling confidant that Pippin was enjoying himself, Merry slowly let his hands graze over Pippin's chest. He felt Pippin shiver beneath him, as he reached up greedily to get deeper into the kiss. They stayed like this for a long time, and slowly Merry let his hands slide down Pippin's chest until they were playing on the waistline of his pants. Pippin had never felt so wonderful in his life, but when he felt Merry's hands reach his waist he began to wiggle uncomfortably. Merry got the message and sat up, still straddling Pippin.
"Too much?" he asked, grinning. Pippin nodded sheepishly, a red blush creeping into his already flushed face. "It's ok, I understand. How's this?" Merry asked, sliding his hands back up some and kissing Pippin's neck.
"That...that's ok," Pippin managed to spit out. Merry found Pippin's mouth again, but soon after, he felt Pippin gently trying to press him away. "I'm tired, Merry," Pippin said. And with that, Merry gave him one last kiss on the cheek and curled up beside him, wondering what exactly he had gotten the two of them into.
