~* A/N: I do not own any Lord of the Rings characters. Merry and
Pippin are the property of J.R.R. Tolkien and nobody else. *~
~*Bedtime*~
"Merry, why do you love me?" the small voice rang through the room.
Merry looked up from where he was undoing his red vest. "Let me finish getting changed, and then I'll tell you, I promise."
Pippin nodded agreeably and watched in silence as Merry removed his vest, shirt, and trousers, exchanging them for a long nightshirt. Finally, Merry was ready and climbed into bed beside the little lad.
"Let's see," Merry began. "I love you because of the way you look."
"The way I look?" Pippin repeated.
"Yes, lad. The way you look. I love your beautiful copper-colored curls, your emerald eyes, and your soft skin. But most of all, Pip, I love your smile."
"Tell me more," Pippin begged. "Please?"
Merry nodded and went on, "I love you because of the way you sound. When you talk, when you cry, even when you scream during a nightmare. The thing I love most about the way you sound is your laugh; the way it sounds like wind-chimes."
Pippin snuggled against Merry's warm body, his head on Merry's shoulder, and arms wrapped about his older cousin's waist. Merry pulled the warm covers around their bodies and smooched the little lad's cheek. This only made Pippin curl closer into Merry. Merry's heart felt as if it would explode when he heard Pippin murmur his name with a contented sigh.
"Shall I continue?" Merry asked.
"Oh, yes, please!" Pippin exclaimed.
"All right, then," Merry said. "I love you because you because of the way you feel. When you cuddle up to me, like now, when you need comfort, or when we're playing. Your skin is soft like silk, yet warm like velvet."
"Is there more, Merry-love?" Pippin asked hopefully.
Merry nodded silently and continued, "Last, but not least, lad, I love you because of the way you smell. You always have this good scent on you. The aroma is that of apples, cinnamon, and fresh air."
"Oh, Merry," Pippin murmured. "I love you so much that my heart might burst with all the love I am feeling right now. I don't know what in Middle- Earth I would do without my Merry."
"Nor do I without my precious Pippin-love," Merry replied softly. "But come, lad. It's time to go to sleep, and you must be very sleepy by now. I know I am."
Together, the two hobbit-lads snuggled, wrapped in each other's arms and a mass of warm blankets. The moon shone her light through the window as Merry and Pippin dropped off to sleep.
~*Bedtime*~
"Merry, why do you love me?" the small voice rang through the room.
Merry looked up from where he was undoing his red vest. "Let me finish getting changed, and then I'll tell you, I promise."
Pippin nodded agreeably and watched in silence as Merry removed his vest, shirt, and trousers, exchanging them for a long nightshirt. Finally, Merry was ready and climbed into bed beside the little lad.
"Let's see," Merry began. "I love you because of the way you look."
"The way I look?" Pippin repeated.
"Yes, lad. The way you look. I love your beautiful copper-colored curls, your emerald eyes, and your soft skin. But most of all, Pip, I love your smile."
"Tell me more," Pippin begged. "Please?"
Merry nodded and went on, "I love you because of the way you sound. When you talk, when you cry, even when you scream during a nightmare. The thing I love most about the way you sound is your laugh; the way it sounds like wind-chimes."
Pippin snuggled against Merry's warm body, his head on Merry's shoulder, and arms wrapped about his older cousin's waist. Merry pulled the warm covers around their bodies and smooched the little lad's cheek. This only made Pippin curl closer into Merry. Merry's heart felt as if it would explode when he heard Pippin murmur his name with a contented sigh.
"Shall I continue?" Merry asked.
"Oh, yes, please!" Pippin exclaimed.
"All right, then," Merry said. "I love you because you because of the way you feel. When you cuddle up to me, like now, when you need comfort, or when we're playing. Your skin is soft like silk, yet warm like velvet."
"Is there more, Merry-love?" Pippin asked hopefully.
Merry nodded silently and continued, "Last, but not least, lad, I love you because of the way you smell. You always have this good scent on you. The aroma is that of apples, cinnamon, and fresh air."
"Oh, Merry," Pippin murmured. "I love you so much that my heart might burst with all the love I am feeling right now. I don't know what in Middle- Earth I would do without my Merry."
"Nor do I without my precious Pippin-love," Merry replied softly. "But come, lad. It's time to go to sleep, and you must be very sleepy by now. I know I am."
Together, the two hobbit-lads snuggled, wrapped in each other's arms and a mass of warm blankets. The moon shone her light through the window as Merry and Pippin dropped off to sleep.