They stopped that night at the Polwygle Inn. Famished after the day's long hike, they ate a hearty dinner, then ventured into the common room for a couple of half-pints of ale. A few hobbits they knew were present, and Frodo had to face questions about Bilbo's birthday party and abrupt disappearance, but Frogmorton's curio-sity was not so avid as Hobbiton's; the matter was dropped once young Mr. Baggins made it clear that he was not inclined to talk, and the rest of the evening passed pleasantly. After a second round of ales, the two visitors joined in the local merriment, and even sang along to the same old songs that were familiar favorites from one end of the Shire to the other.
It was late when Merry and Frodo went to their room. As they prepared for bed, Frodo paused in the midst of unbuttoning his shirt to consider his cousin. His lips curved into a smile. "Let's not wait `til we get to Crickhollow."
Merry, unwarily working on his own waistcoat buttons, was taken completely by surprise when Frodo pounced, catching him about the waist and sending them both tumbling onto the nearer bed. The next thing he knew, he lay sprawled flat on his back with Frodo perched atop him, but he recovered his senses enough to respond to the kiss that followed--a kiss much more passionate than any-thing Frodo had ever given him before.
"If I'd known a mug or two of ale was all it took to bring you `round," he said with a gasp when they stopped, "I would've taken you with me to the Green Dragon days ago."
Frodo laughed. "I'm not drunk. I've just been thinking things over, and I've decided it's time." He slipped his fingers under one of Merry's braces to snap it, then crouched down for another kiss. "You've done it before, haven't you?"
"No, I haven't. I've been saving myself for marriage."
This made Frodo laugh again. "Honestly?"
"Not exactly," Merry admitted, "but I haven't done more than play around. What about you, you and your Sam?"
Frodo shook his head. "We never even went as far as you and I have." Then the corner of his mouth turned down and his eyes grew solemn. "You're always playing around, Merry. You make jokes in answer to everything. Aren't you ever serious?"
"Not if I can help it."
"Don't you feel anything sincerely in your heart?
"Of course I do! You know how I feel about you, but don't let's get all mushy about it." Merry didn't like the way this conver-sation seemed to be heading. Frodo wasn't going to get serious about him now, was he? He hoped not. What he needed was a distraction.
He bucked suddenly to throw Frodo off, then dove at him, fingers out. They rolled across the mattress, Merry tickling gleefully and Frodo shouting with laughter. Between more kisses, both of them struggled to shrug off their braces and undo the rest of their buttons, until Merry pinned his cousin beneath him, half-dressed and out of breath.
Frodo beamed up at him expectantly. "So, is this how you want to do it, Merry? You'd rather be on top?"
"I'm not particular. Whatever you'd like. We've got all night. We'll take turns." Merry ran one hand down Frodo's bare chest, and Frodo covered it with his own.
"Fair enough," he answered. "You can go first."
His hand remained over Merry's as it moved slowly downward to the waistband of his trousers; they were already unfastened, and Merry had only to tug down, then lowered his head. His mouth sought, found, and closed over its target.
Frodo gasped aloud and arched his back. "Merry!" His fingers gripped Merry's hair, gently at first, then more tightly as he began to writhe in increasing excitement, until Merry was afraid that he would yank out a handful by the roots. Fortunately, he was able to bring Frodo to a climax before he had to stop and say, "Ow!"
Afterwards, as he lay with his head on Frodo's belly, he asked, "How was that for a start?"
"Wonderful," Frodo answered, fingers still toying languidly with Merry's hair. "You've done that before?"
"Plenty of times." By all accounts, he was pretty good at it. "It's your turn next-"
"Merry..?"
Merry lifted his head to meet luminous blue eyes regarding him with that solemn look.
"Why not be mushy?" Frodo resumed their conversation. "I can't think of a better time for it. You do care for me--I know you do. You cared enough to stay with me when I was lonely. It matters to you what I think. Why are you afraid to say so?"
Merry sighed. In spite of his best efforts, Frodo hadn't been distracted. Well, what did he expect? A hobbit who read as much as Frodo did was always going to think too much and want to talk things over!
"Are you like this with all the boys you play with?"
"Every one of `em was a close friend, as dear to me as you are," Merry answered, "but what's the use of falling in love with boys?" He moved off Frodo and lay down so that they were side by side, facing each other. "You said yourself: one of these days, we'll grow up, be respectable, and marry nice, suitable girls. It's no good if I care more for you, or Pip, or somebody else I can't ever marry than I do for my wife, whoever she turns out to be. That's not fair to anyone. It's better not to be silly about it, better than moping the way you do over Sam now he's sweet on Rosie."
He expected Frodo to react indignantly to this little jab, but Frodo only said, "We don't have to marry, not if we don't want to. Uncle Bilbo never did, and I don't believe I will either."
"Then you'll end up alone, just as he did. Besides, it doesn't matter so much if you do or don't. You aren't the only son of the Master of the Hall, and don't have the whole heritage of the Brandybucks depending on you to produce an heir. I haven't even come of age yet, and Father's started in on reminding me of my duty to the family." Then Merry relented; he hadn't meant to be serious at all, and here he had ended up saying far more than he should have. "I'm sorry, Frodo. I don't want to quarrel with you. We were having fun. I thought that's what you wanted. Why can't we just have fun without calling it true love forever or some such rubbish? You're not in love with me, are you?"
"No, I'm not," Frodo answered honestly.
"Then we're even, so let's stop all this nonsense. We're friends, good friends who want to have a good time together. Now, will I have to take you back to the taproom for another mug to get you fired up again, or are we finished for tonight?"
"No..." Frodo's eyes flickered over his face, then he smiled. "We aren't finished yet. You're right, Merry. What's the point of being naughty if we can't have fun?"
Site Info
We are the home of 1292 authors from among our 2553 members. There have been 2904 reviews written about our 3820 stories consisting of 10734 chapters and 29400445 words. A special welcome to our newest member, Lerina.Categories
Skin Change
Donate
Help us keep one of the oldest running LotR archives available to all. Even the smallest donation helps!
Many thanks to our previous donors!
Many thanks to our previous donors!
