As the evening drew on, Frodo woke up again, and he found he no longer felt in need of rest or sleep, but had a mind for food and drink, and probably for singing and story-telling afterwards...
-- The Lord of the Rings, Book II Ch. 1 "Many Meetings" p. 226.


But first thing was first. Frodo needed a bath, and wondered what kind of baths were to be found in the House of Elrond. Likely something much nicer than his simple tub at Bag End. But then again, thinking of some of the times he and Sam had shared in that tub...

Frodo felt himself heat at the mental images of Sam and bathtubs, and began examining his room to distract himself. He found that a green robe of the softest silk had been laid out for him, along with several big fluffy towels. Someone clearly knew what he would want before anything else.

"Sam," he whispered with a smile.

Just then Sam burst through the door. "Mr. Frodo! Bless you, you're awake!"

He ran to Frodo and shyly took his left hand, stroking it gently and then turning away with a blush. Frodo placed a finger under Sam's chin and turned the beloved face back toward him. There were few things more endearing to him than Sam being shy, but this seemed a bit odd. It had been several years since Sam had been shy or embarrassed when the two were alone together...unless Sam felt he had done something wrong.

"Why so shy, Sam? I'm right as rain. And I know that you have had much to do with it. Gandalf said you hardly left my side."

"But that's just it, Mr. Frodo. All those days I couldn't leave your side. Not for a moment. They tried to make me take a rest or a bath, but I was so afraid...so afraid that you'd wake up and not find your Sam there and think I'd gone and left you. And then I go and fall asleep and miss you just when you needed me the most. I don't see hows I can forgive myself that."

Sam looked miserable and close to tears, and Frodo knew only one thing which would fix it, so he threw his arms around him and hugged him as tight as his still weak body could manage. "Oh, Sam. I knew you were there. Every moment. I don't think I could have come back if you had not been there. So stop this silliness and kiss me."

Sam hesitated only an instant before hugging Frodo in return and planting kisses all over his face, whispering, "I thought I'd lost you, Frodo."

"Never, Sam. How can you lose me when you never let me out of your sight? But enough of this. There is a feast to get ready for and elves to see and stories to hear, and if you don't mind me saying so, we both are quite in need of a bath before any feasting...or other activities."

Sam stepped back and grinned, "Well, I did bathe you a few times while you were sleeping, Mr. Frodo."

"And didn't take a moment to rest or take care of yourself. Oh, Sam, what am I going to do with you."

Sam's grin suddenly turned wicked, "I guess you'll have to scrub my back."

---

The sound of Sam's chatter echoed through the corridors as they made their way to the fabled pools of Imladris.

"Merry and Pippin says the baths are a wonder to behold. The water is heated underground, and then they has these pipes, sir, pipes that bring the water in to baths as big a swimming hole, and the water is always moving, it never gets cold and it always stays fresh...OH"

No description could prepare Frodo or Sam for what they saw as they entered the vast chamber. Its domed ceiling was covered in a mosaic of tiles, depicting Ulmo rising out of the sea to instruct Tuor. And there were pools of every different shape and size, all steaming and frothing with foam as the water flowed through them. Some pools were clearly meant for large groups, but nestled within alcoves were smaller pools for private bathing.

The room felt somehow solemn and stately. Not the kind of place for normal hobbit bath-time frolicking. So when the two hobbits heard giggling and splashes coming from one of the alcoves, they immediately knew they weren't hearing elves.

"Oi, Merry, stop that, yer ticklin' me!" "That's what I'm trying to do, you silly Took."

Sam began grumbling about not having any privacy and couldn't those two have picked a different time for a bath, but Frodo only grinned and made his way to the noisy alcove where he found Merry and Pippin in one of the smaller pools (though large enough for at least 5 hobbits).

"Hullo, cousins"

"Frodo!" squealed Pippin, "You're awake! Merry, Merry, Frodo is awake!"

"I can see that Pippin," Merry grumbled, while at the same time scrambling out of the pool to swamp Frodo in a soggy hug, followed by an (if possible) even soggier hug from Pippin.

Sam scowled at the sight of the two young, NAKED, hobbits hugging his Frodo and cleared his throat meaningfully. "Here now, don't you go soaking Mr. Frodo's robe. And be careful! He only just woke up and he's still weak...."

"Oh, Sam, I'm fine. Come on! Let's get in the bath. It looks perfectly splendid."

"Yes, join us. We just were scrubbing each other's backs and we can give yours and Frodo's a scrub as well, Sam," Pippin coyly offered with a wink, climbing back into the steaming pool.

"I know what you was scrubbing, if you don't mind me saying so, Master Pippin, and it weren't no back either. So don't you even be coming near me...OR Mr. Frodo. That's my job."

"Then come and do your job, Sam!" said Frodo with a laugh, having already shed his robe and slipped into the pool with a splash.

Sam felt himself blush from the tips of his toes to the roots of his curly hair. It wasn't that he hadn't bathed with other hobbits before. He had shared plenty of baths with his brothers and sisters and cousins growing up. But since he had starting sharing his baths with Mr. Frodo, bath-time had come to mean something entirely different and private to him, and sharing pool with that Brandybuck and Took when all he wanted was to get Frodo alone (and his body already betraying this in a horribly obvious manner)....he just wasn't up for the teasing he would receive from those two.

"Sam?"

Frodo's voice was beginning to sound concerned, which Sam could not abide.

"Oh, I'm coming. Just make those cousins of yours turn their heads while I get these clothes off."

"What, Sam? It's not like we haven't seen naked hobbit before," Merry cried in mock indignation.

"Turn yer heads," Sam growled, and the two complied after a stern look from Frodo.

Sam hung their towels from convenient hooks, and quickly dispatched with his trousers and shirt, folding them neatly and placing them on a wooden bench on the wall of the alcove. He then absent-mindedly began to fold the wet robe Frodo had discarded on the ground.

"Sam!" Frodo called impatiently.

"Coming, sir," he replied, turning to see Frodo smiling broadly at him with Merry and Pippin obediently facing the wall.

Sam awkwardly climbed into the water and let out a long sigh, feeling the tension ease from his body. It was heavenly, no doubt. Frodo slid over to him, placing an arm around his stout waist and laying his head on Sam's shoulder, just as Pippin and Merry turned back around. Merry opened his mouth for some witty comment, but closed it just as fast, finding that all he could do was smile at the sight of Frodo, bright-eyed, awake at last, and cuddling with the hobbit who had cared for him day and night.

"I am glad you are back with us, cousin," Merry commented when his eyes dried and he found his voice again, "Sam wouldn't join us even once for these splendid baths while you were sick, and I was worried he was going to stink up the whole valley and give us hobbits a bad reputation."

"Like I would want to be in a bath alone with the two of you," Sam complained lightly, splashing at Merry across the pool.

His mood had lifted considerably with the steaming warmth of the water flowing around him and Frodo's arm tucked around his waist. He reached for a large sponge he had spied on the side of the pool, along with a bottle of Elvish bathing salts that smelled of strawberries and made a delightful foaming lather when wet. Frodo practically purred as Sam began scrubbing his back.

Sam continued his loving ministrations, humming softly to himself, nearly forgetting about the other two across the pool until Pippin's raised his voice in an overly loud and somewhat raunchy hobbit bath song.

"Spare us, Pippin!" Merry cried out, dunking Pippin's head under the water. "He's been singing badly all afternoon on purpose just to annoy me!"

Pippin came back to the surface, spluttering, "Well, it was entirely too quiet in here, so if you don't want me to sing, then you had best sing a bath song yourself, Merry."

"I have a better idea. Frodo, you sing us something. It's been too long since we've heard that voice of yours. In fact, I think it was Bree."

"And that really helped matters," Frodo responded, chuckling. "But, for the sake of our ears, I guess I must," he added, turning to Sam with a huge grin that under any other circumstance would have made the younger hobbit melt. But instead Sam froze, his eyes wide.

"No, Mr. Frodo. Not that song! Please."

"Oh, Sam, it is the best bath song I know. AND it's your favorite. You were just humming it a second ago."

"Not in front of those two! And not where the elves might hear!"

"Well, now you simply must sing it, Frodo," Merry commented wryly.

"Please, Sam?" Frodo began to flutter his long eyelashes and stare at him with the big blue eyes Sam had feared he would never see again.

Sam opened his mouth in protest, but then shut it again and meekly shook his head. "Mr. Frodo, no," he softly complained, knowing that it would do no good.

"Samwise Gamgee, yes," Frodo teased, using the voice he used only when he was in an exceptionally fine mood.

"Oh, alright. But only because you've been sick." He couldn't say no to Frodo. Not even when it meant humiliation at the hands of a certain Brandybuck and Took.

"It all started a few years ago," Frodo began as Sam felt himself turning a brilliant shade of red. "Sam drew my bath every evening, and I thought there was nothing more heavenly than the warm sudsy water and nice fluffy towels he had warmed by the fire. That is, until the first time Sam offered to scrub my back with a nifty scrub brush he had made. Bathtime became my very favorite part of the whole day. Pretty soon I was asking for baths twice a day. And then came the day when I asked Sam if he wanted to join me in the bath, and I discovered that there was something else that made bathtime so fun, and that if you touch Sam in just the right way, he squeaks! So I made up this song, just for my Sam. And he loves it! He makes me sing it every time we take a bath."

Sam groaned and put his head in his hands, waiting for the inevitable.

Oh, Samwise Gamgee, you're the one.
You make bathtime lots of fun.
Samwise Gamgee I'm awfully fond of you.
Bo bo bo bee do.

Samwise Gamgee, joy of joys
When I squeeze you, you make noise
Samwise Gamgee you're my very best friend its true.

Merry and Pippin were howling with laughter as Frodo gave Sam a big squeeze, and Sam, despite himself, squeaked. By this time, Frodo was on a roll, and Sam knew it wouldn't stop.

Oh, every day when I make my way to the tubby,
I find my favorite hobbit who's
cute and chubby and cuddly.
Sammy Sam Sammy

Samwise Gamgee, you're so fine.
And I'm lucky that you're mine.
Samwise Gamgee I'm awfully fond of you.

Sam seriously considered drowning himself as Merry and Pippin cheered Frodo on and began humming backup music and imitating Sam's squeaks. Frodo grabbed the sponge and started what normally would have been Sam's favorite part of the whole song.

"Hey Samwise Gamgee, would you like me to scrub your back with this nifty little scrub brush?" To which Merry and Pippin squeaked "Yes!" all the while humming the tune as Frodo spoke.

"You would?" (more squeaks from Merry and Pippin) "Ok. How's this?" (multiple squeaks and giggles). "Hey, you want me to scrub behind your ears?" (multiple squeaks) "Ooo, I see, those ears are mighty sensitive, aren't they? Especially when I nibble on them" (giggles and squeaks).

"So how 'bout your tummy?" (squeaks) "Scrub his tubby Sammy tummy." (multiple squeaks). "Ooh, he's ticklish." (many squeaks and giggles). "What? Lower Sam? Where do you want me to scrub?"

"FRODO!" Sam shrieked.

Oh, every day when I make my way to the tubby
I find my favorite hobbit who's
cute and chubby and cuddly
Sammie Sam Sammy

Samwise Gamgee, you're so fine
I'm so lucky that you're mine
Samwise Gamgee, I'd like a whole pond of
Samwise Gamgee I'm awfully foooooooooooond oooooooooof yoooooouuuuuuuu.

Even as Frodo's voice and Merry and Pippins howling laughter echoed through the chamber, Sam was horrified to become aware of another presence at the entrance to the alcove.

"Pardon me," asked an impossibly elegant blue-eyed elf with silver-blond hair streaming down his back, "I've never before met a Perian. Does your kind always enjoy such mirth whilst you bathe?"