I do not own any of these characters or places or things. I am simply borrowing them from Tolkien, as many others here are. THEY ARE NOT MINE.
Please also do not make me, myself, & I , mad by suing us for any reason. We are innocent precious... Once again, for all of you conspirating lawyers out there, ME, MYSELF, & I DO NOT OWN ANY OF MASTER TOLKIEN'S CHARACTERS, PLACES, SETTINGS, PLOT, OR WORK. They ARE NOT mine. The only thing I own, or would own, in this chapter, is the pancakes, splinters, and the sugar air. And I supppose the plot since it isn't the plot of LoTR. So, in that case I'm just borrowing the characters and settings.
Now, please read& review. : )
There is no slash in this story, only fluff. Also, the dreams are not exactly what happened, but more what would have happened if other things hadn't happened. They might have happened though.
I used a bit of algebra to find out that our age of six is equivalant to the age eleven of hobbits.
Frodo smiled and brushed Pippin's curls out of his face.
"Merry's mad. Merry's mad at me." Pippin looked up to Frodo. "Merry's never going to talk to me again." His tears glistened and his lower lip stuck out in a child's pout, "Merry's leaving."
Frodo rested his head on Pippin's curly hair, he smiled wryly to himself, "No Pippin. Merry's not leaving, he's got no where else to go you silly Took. He's just trying to get you to think he's gone."
At this Pippin began to shake his head vigorously, "No. Merry looked mean at you. That means he means what he says when he looks mean, and he said he was leaving. And now he's gone."
"Pippin," Frodo smiled and whispered into Pippin's hair, "It's all right, he said he was going to the market, he'll be back soon enough."
"No. No." Pippin said, shaking his head silently, "I want Merry to come back. Merry gave me a mean look." Pippin wiped his eyes.
Frodo stared at the wall and whispered into Pippin's ear, "I'll tell you what, you tell me what Merry was about to do, and I'll get Merry to stop 'looking mean' at you."
"You can do that?" Pippin sniffed.
"Yes Pippin, after all, I am older than Merry. And he looks up to me. Now tell me what you two did."
"Will it hurt Merry more?"
"No. I promise neither I nor it will hurt Merry."
Pippin turned around and looked at Frodo, stared at him, "You promise Cousin Frodo?"
"Yes Cousin Pippin, goose. By your emerald eyes I swear I will not lie." Frodo smiled.
"Ok then." Pippin snuggled into Frodo and took a deep breath.
"I told Merry that Sam promised that we could make breakfast, and since Sam is a fickle pickle, if you didn't get up quickly he would make it! That wouldn't be good since I wanted to make pancakes! Merry told me to get a candle and close the windows. I went, got a candle, brought it back, closed the door, closed the windows, and gave the candle to Merry. Then Merry lit the candle. I didn't think it was a very good idea since I'm not supposed to light candles, but it was Merry, and Merry's older. So it was okay. Then, he asked me to hold your eyes open. I did that and then he brought the candle so it was right in front of your eyes. You started talking in your sleep about how you weren't afraid so I began giggling and almost let go of you. Then you blinked and sat up. since Merry was holding the candle in my eyes he--you---" Pippin paused.
"What is it Pippin?"
"We still need to make the pancakes and now Merry's gone."
Frodo smiled to himself and leaned back, he couldn't help but shake his head at the young hobbits thought process. No matter what he was talking about it always seemed to reroute back to Food or Merry.
"And Merry doesn't like me any more--" Pippin curled up.
"Pippin goose-I told you that--" Frodo looked down and gazed at Pippin whose eyes were swelling up with tears already again. "You don't need to cry--"
"But I don't want Merry to not like me anymore!"
"Pip. I told you I'd help so I will, and we'll find a way to stop Merry from looking mean at you. But, first I need to talk to you about two things."
"Hmm?" Pippin sniffed as he rubbed at his eyes, trying to force away the tears, but as consequence his eyes puffed out and turned red. Peregrin's entire face was already red, his nose was bright red from the constant sniffing that came in companionship with sobbing, plus his cheeks and ears were bright red from the sudden outpour of emotion.
"First off, if Merry, or anyone else ever asks you to do something with them, that you wouldn't normally do again, I want you to refuse. Even if someone is older than you that doesn't mean that they have the experience, permission, or right to do whatever that is. If they keep bothering you, I want you to come and fetch me, or a grown hobbit. Is that understood Peregrin Took?"
Pippin paused, the color was beginning to fade from his cheeks as he thought about something else. The small hobbit began nervously playing with his hands, a trait he had learned from Merry, and then biting his lip, a trait he had learned from the Thain. Peregrin seemed to be glaring past him lost in thought, probably enduring a private brawl in his head. Finally, he blinked, looked at Frodo in the eyes, and while still biting his lip, began to nod.
"Pippin! Before you agree I would have you know that it includes all lifting, borrowing, lighting, stealing, lying, tricking, hiding, fighting, waking, sneaking, corrupting, contaminating, creeping, away running, breaking, and whatever else might pop into Meriadoc Brandybuck's head that neither his nor your father wouldn't approve of."
Pippin squinted at him for a moment, and then let go of his lip, and revealed a sparkling smile. He nodded vehemently. "Of course Frodo! I will not do anything you said!"
Frodo paused and eyed him for a moment, the smile that Pippin was baring resembled Merry's own cheeky grin too much to be trusted. The very grin that he, himself, had so many times received before being tricked into some devious plan of Merry's, whether it recruited Frodo's help or not. But then again, this was Pippin, the very same Pippin that hadn't realized when Merry told him to race it meant that very same instant. "Next thing, should we make blue berry, boysenberry, or plain pancakes?" With this the slyness in Pippin's smile slipped away to reveal its normal innocence and excitement.
"How about all of them Frodo?!?! Sam wasn't going to let us make breakfast and so I had to fight him for it, I think we should make it a berry breakfast!"
"And how would we do that young Mr. Peregrin?" Frodo stifled a laugh.
"What?"
"Pippin, it's impossible to make blue berry, boysenberry and plain all in the same pancake."
"Well we'll be the first! And I'll get some rasberries and strawberries and nutberries-- and we'll add them all up to get one big delicious berry pancake!"
"Pippin. Plain means without anything in it. And--nutberries?"
Pippin watched Frodo curiously, and broke into a fit of giggles. "Frodo. It's impossible to make pancakes without anything!" The young hobbit hopped off Frodo's lap, and upon landing on the ground swiveled on his feet. Whipping around to face Frodo, and then reaching up and grabbing the elder hobbits hand. "Your silly Frodo. Come on!" Then Pippin confidently pulled at Frodo's hand, and Frodo obediently stood up, letting Pippin lead him out of the room and to the kitchen on the way, Pippin began rambling about every possible topic there was to talk about in a matter of minutes. Frodo let his mind soar and nod understandingly to each word that Pippin said. He knew it was impossible to follow through with his promise to Peregrin and get his point across to Merry. He sighed and glanced down at Pippin, forgetting about his worries in order to listen to the hobbit's chatter. "How can you not know what nutberries are?! Me and Merry made them. You see they're---" He glanced up at Frodo,"Frodo....you won't tell anyone will you?"
Frodo smiled and shook his head, "No, goose. I promise I won't."
Pippin began skipping for the kitchen and released Frodo's hand. "Come on Frodoo! You're too slow!! We're never going to make them in time! Sam will wake up and he'll--" Pippin was yelling this just as he passed Sam's room. He paused for a moment and slowly opened the door, creeping into the room. "Go back to sleep Sam." The young hobbit whined.
"But Mister Pippin! I just woke up--"
"Please Sam?" Pippin pouted.
"Fine then--but only for one more hour." Sam yawned. Instantly, the young hobbit's silhouetted figure in the door frame changed from slouching to his normal energetic stance. He ran out the door and slammed it behind him, unaware that he was waking Sam up even more. Then, he began rushing for the kitchen and in moment's dissapeared. Frodo walked up to the door and pushed it open gently.
"I'm sorry bout that Sam. Just try and get some sleep. It'll do you good."
"Thank you Mister Frodo--"
"FRODO!!" As his name was called to him he sighed and followed it obediently. When he reached Pippin who was happily scurrying around the kitchen, already with his pockets obviously bursting with stolen pastries, Frodo reached out, wrapped one arm around Pippin and placed the other hand over Peregrin's mouth.
"Shush Pippin! I'll make pancakes with you as long as you are quiet. Uncle Bilbo's back today and--" As soon as Frodo uttered the word Bilbo, Pippin began chattering underneath his hand. Then, as the chatting ceased, Frodo felt something slimy slip along his hand. He quickly let go of Pippin so that he could wipe his hand off on his shirt. Pippin simply grinned at Frodo, not struggling to get free of his other arm, but happy at the game he had won. Pippin's life was a game, always had been--
"Peregrin Took you might have just won a battle but you haven't yet won the war." Frodo whispered and before Pippin could retaliate he wrapped his free arm around Pippin and swang him around. Pippin's giggles dragged through the air behind him, reluctant to race in order to keep up. Finally, Frodo stopped and placed Pippin atop the counter where Pippin willingly sat kicking his legs in the air.
"Now Mister Thain's son Pippin. How do you suppose we make pancakes?" Frodo grinned at the small hobbit. Pippin reached into his pocket, took out a scone and stuffed it in his mouth, chewing rapidly and swallowing quickly. Then, he grinned with a little scone piece stuck to his tooth, taking a deep breath before he began the plunge.
Merry creeped up to the front yard of Bag End and looked around. His plan was simple, sneak back in when no one was looking and either lock himself into a room or spy on his two dear cousins for a while. He was still fuming from the very idea that Pippin would give away the secret trick of waking Mr. Frodo Baggins up. Actually, he was more scared than angry. Never once had Meriadoc Brandybuck got caught in any prank or thievery, and if he did he stuttered his way out on an excuse. But the few times he had almost been caught, Pippin hadn't been with him to spoil the prank. Merry slowly walked to the side of Bag End, ducking past the windows, and came upon one flower pot amidst all of the roses. He casually lifted it up and placed it to the side. There, in the embedded dirt, lay a bronze key, the only other key to Bag End than the one that Bilbo possessed. Merry picked it up and flicked it in the air, splattering the dirt on his surroundings. Then, after replacing the pot to its original spot he crept back to the round door of Bag End. He paused for just a moment. Suppose he were to just walk in and explain to Pip that he didn't want him to tell anyone of the pranks. It never would work out that easily. Everything and anything that ever happened that involved not only Pippin and Merry, but also Frodo would always be complicated. It always had been. Merry slipped the key into the lock and turned it swiftly so that the soft unbolting of the lock wouldn't be heard by Bag End's residents.
Merry creaked open the door, turned his back to the insides and pulled the door closed after him. Placing the key back in the lock and turning it once again so that now he was covering up evidence that he had ever snuck in. It wasn't until he turned around and stepped forward that he noticed that all the air around him carried a white cloud on it. Merry sniffed at it for a moment. Sugar. Then it happened, he couldn't have expected it not to happen seeing as he did breath in sugar that was the consistency of dust. He took in a deep breath. He couldn't sneeze. Everyone would know that he was there. He couldn't. His nose itched and he took in another deep breath. The sugar was so thick that he couldn't see more than a few inches in front of him. At the last second, his sneeze reverberated through Bag End. Merry recoiled from his sneeze, backing up so that he ran into the door to Bag End. He looked around and stepped into the haze once more. There were no signs of life in Bag End. Maybe everyone had left, maybe they had all gone back to sleep, maybe he had exaggerated the sound of his sneeze in his imagination. Merry took another step forward, hooking his thumbs in his pockets. Maybe he could still get away with sneaking into his room and locking himself in. Carefully Merry reached out his foot and took another step forward, checking to see if his foot hit anything before he moved forward another step.
"Guess I got away with that." Merry grinned to himself and stepped forward again, eager to continue but taking careful notice not to breathe in too much of the sugar. That's when he felt it. Almost as soon as Merry dropped his arm to his side, a small hand weasled its way into his, and then clasped it tightly. Merry looked down to his side sternly as the hand grabbed his, as if it was afraid of him pulling away. Below him stood Peregrin Took. The elder cousin took a deep breath, about to tell Pippin off when the young hobbit interrupted.
"Merry! I'm sorry! Very sorry! Didn't mean to hurt you! I don't like it when you look mean at me. I don't want you to be angry. Please stop being angry and looking mean at me." Pippin's sincere voice begged through the white haze.
"It's okay Pip. I never could stay mad at you for long." Merry kneeled down and could see the vague shape of Pippin right in front of him. Merry fanned the hair so the haze dissapeared temporarily while continuing to tightly hold onto Pip's hand.
Pippin was standing there. Just standing there. His hair was powdered white in certain clumps, he had sugar all over his face, his clothes were all turned chalk white, but Pippin's usual sly smile was missing.
"No more looking mean?" Pippin tilted his head to the side curiously. Merry shook his head and smiled.
"No more looking mean." Instantly, Pippin wrenched his hand free from Merry's grasp, lept up, and wrapped his arms around Merry's neck. Only... Pippin was carrying a bag of something in the hand that had been free of Merry's grasp, so when he leaped on Merry the bag hit his back with a thudand winded Merry. Did the air just become thicker? It couldn't have. It was just my imagination.
"Oof." Merry wrestled Pippin off, and this time when he fanned the air away from Pippin's face, in the eyes surrounded by white sugar he could see pure adoration and love. A sparkling smile now broke through the sugar encrusted Pippin's face. "Pip," Merry grinned, catching on to the fact that some of Pippin's Tookish Insanity was at work. "What's in that bag you've got?"
Pippin grinned ear to ear at this. "Frodo and I were playing tag, so I figured that it would be best to make it so he couldn't see. That way he couldn't catch me!"
"Pippin." Merry took on an austere tone, but mentally thanked the Took for the haze so that the young hobbit couldn't see the large grin on his face.
"It's the bag of sugar that Frodo and I were planning on using to make pancakes." Merry grinned broadly and stood up, first, fluffing Pippin's hair with his hand playfully so that the sugar came out, and then taking Pippin's hand again. Pippin put the bag of sugar down in the middle of the hallway and continued on, hanging on Merry's hand.
"Good thinking Pippin. I'm sure Cousin Frodo's given up going anywhere in this haze yet, so why don't we just go apologize to him."
"Iun wanna!"
"Pippin." Merry whispered, "If you don't then we won't get to stay here any more."
"Fine. Lets go apall'gize. But you first!"
"Aye, Pippin. I'll go first. And for what?"
"Iunno. You must've done something, Merry." At that, Merry grinned and led the way to the kitchen, pulling Pippin behind him so that the small hobbit wouldn't run into any walls. The problem about this, was that every time he did, Pippin would rush out to get in front of him and knock something over. After the third time, Merry let go of Pippins hand as soon as the small hobbit was in front of him, reached down, and picked him up and rested him on his hip.
"Pip, goose, if you want to break some fine china you'll have to wait until your back in your own home. Cousin Frodo has probably already had enough of you dirtying up his house."
As they got closer to the kitchen the air felt fresher and there was less sugar in the air. Merry paused and glanced at Pippin. Pippin had done his head tilt again, and his eyes were wide. "Did I do something bad?"
"No Pippin. Everything you did was perfectly fine and wonderful. You can ownly expect a Took to mess up Bag End in one way or another, and you've messed it up in many ways dear Peregrin."
At this Pippin grinned and snuggled onto Merry's coat, sighing heavily, he nodded thoughtfully, and a moment later, when Merry looked down, he discovered Pippin fast asleep on his shoulder. Slowly breathing in and out at a rhytmatic pace so that his breath warmed Merry's neck.
"You go to sleep Pip. No need to worry about anything, you've never done anything wrong." Merry whispered fondly to the young hobbit and then came to the door to the kitchen. The sugar in the kitchen was only barely visible, and every window or door that could be found was opened as wide as it would go. Merry grinned as soon as he saw Frodo slouched back on a chair with his hands over his face, slowly shaking his head. Merry crept up to him slowly and poked him tentatively on the shoulder.
"Frodo." He whispered. Instantly Frodo leaped up, looked around, met Merry's gaze, and glared.
"Meriad-" As Frodo began to yell Merry shielded Pippin and put his finger to his lips.
"Shhh. Pip is asleep." Frodo glanced at Pippin and then collapsed back into the chair, and placed his head once again in his hands, slowly massaging his temples.
"How do you tame that little monster anyways?"
"Monster?! Who? Pip?! Nah... Pippin is my sweet little angel." Merry whispered, looking at the sleeping Pippin on his shoulder while brushing back the small hobbit's unruly curls.
"Angel?!" Frodo quietly scoffed. "Angel? Merry, dear young cousin, you must be kidding me. That little devil just about ruined the house. I asked him to get the sugar, so he did, but when he brought it over I attempted to take it, and in an instant he was running around the house fluffing the bag so that all the sugar got into the air. All this time I've had the windows and doors open and I still haven't even gotten all the sugar out of the kitchen." Frodo grimaced.
"It'll clear out eventually Frodo. You can't honestly blame him though."
Frodo dropped his hands to his side and looked at Merry, "I do blame him Merry. I honestly do, but then again," Frodo gestured to Pippin, "But I don't have the oppurtunity to blame him for long. He's just to innocent for that." Merry sat down in a seat beside Frodo and readjusted Pippin, then he turned to face Frodo.
"Oh yes, Frodo, Pippin apologizes for breaking your fine china and spilling sugar all over your house."
"We were planning on making pancakes, I thought maybe if we gave them to you they would butter you up, but it seems that Pippin's gotten quite good at doing that on his own."
"Aye. He has. And I, you and you, Bilbo and Sam." Merry grinned as he picked up Pippin and placed him in his lap. Frodo paused for just a moment and then looked at Merry awkwardly.
"Merry--what are---nutberries?"
Merry grinned wryly, "A pure stroke of genius on Pippin's part."
First of all, thank you all for enduring this long wait, thank you for reviewing, I love it when ppl review b/c its the one way I can see if anyone has read my stories and if I should continue or not. Thank you for reading!!! Please review!
Elven Destiny: Thankies!! I've just been catching up and studying for finals for the past...well...long time.... That is, if you even remember this story existed it's been such a long time...hmm...
LilPip: HURRAH!! I'm glad you were excited and I hope you found out bout this chappy too one way or another. I really am a hypocrite cuz I hate it when I find a story and the author doesn't update it immediately, and then look what I've done! Made you all forget since its been such a long time!
Moonfairyhime: Wonderul! Glad it is! Thankies!
MysteriousJedi: W00T for Star wars!! HAha...sorry.. Hope you understood how they woke Frodo up... I'll describe it in blunt terms since I write in a very vague manner that I tend to be the only one to understand. They closed off any light, and Pippin held open Frodo's eyes while Merry put the candle light right in front of him. That's why when he saw Galadrie-ahem the elven lady she was too bright to look at, that was his brain linking RL to Dream World. :-P Thanks for reviewing!
Piptook: THANK YOU!! THANK YOU!!! is very fond of you cuz you reminded me by reviewing that I still had a story that needed to be updated hopes you got to read this chapter He's not physically hurting, just emotionally cuz he feels betrayed by Merry.
RobinGurl: Yay! bounces is glad you liked da story Thankie!!! And there's nothing wrong with self advertising ;) some ppl ahemmeahem don't know how to very well and so don't, its a precious talent to have! That would be cool.... having a film made out of my story ahem thankies! hugs you back Yay! Someone printed out my story! is ecstatic that you liked the story and that anyone liked the story and that--
Shirebound: Shirebound....dear dear shirebound. hugs you since wouldn't have gotten into lj if it wasnt for you and wouldnt have continued to write stories Yes. Very scary dreams. And I have more in store, they're vaguely based on what could happen in the future if so and so or so and so did or did not happen. Don't worry bout it. Thankie for replying! And I know I should get a beta...but the moment I finish a chappie I want to post it!!! Gah! How did you ever alphabetize all your responses to reviews?!!?
UnhobbitHobbit:Okay. attempts to stop worrying Yes.... I've been traumatized by spiders again. I'm trying to get over it though. Yup!! I loved doing that, but it was a kind of distant tie in with shelob. I personally believe that young children always have a reason to be scared, even if the reason was real or not. Thats b/c....well....:) I've had my experiences from when I was younger and kids I babysit. Of course Pippin was brave!!! This is Peregrin Took that we are talking about you know. :-P Yes....Merry was hot headed but he cooled down in this chappy. And no, not glass, just a sliver of wood from the floor. Very creative on my partcoughnotcough.