Title: Comfort 
Author: AndreaLyn, AndreaLyn333@yahoo.com 
Pairing: Merry/Pippin, implied Sam/Frodo 
Rating: G 
Summary: Pippin finds comfort in Merry. 
Disclaimer: These characters do not belong to me; I’m just borrowing. 
Authors Note: My first LotR fic; based on the movie canon; Fellowship of 
the Ring spoilers 

I don’t want to be here anymore. Merry’s arms are clutching me and all I 
can think about is going home to the Shire, and sitting with Frodo and 
Merry in Bag End. Merry might touch my fingers, just so…like he always 
used to when we were alone. But instead, we’re outside the mines of 
Moria, and I caused Gandalf to fall into the shadow. 

I don’t want to be here.

I want to be back home, where Merry would drag me into Farmer 
Maggot’s field where he would steal a carrot or two, a head of cabbage, 
and I’d steal kisses from him. I miss that. We can’t do that on this quest.

Gandalf’s death is my fault.

I don’t care how much I cry now; Merry is here, and he’s holding me, and 
that means everything will be better, right? I don’t know anymore. I know 
that I feel Merry’s fingers soothing me, and I hear that he’s crying too. 
Strider is yelling something out, but I don’t want to hear it. 

My fault.

Oh, Merry…why can’t we go home? I want to go back to the Shire. 
Someone’s pulling me up, and we’re being forced to walk. A little sniffle, 
and a comforting nod from Merry and we’re on the run again. I still feel 
tears on my cheeks as we run towards the woods. Lothlorien, or so Strider 
says.

It’s my fault.

I’ve stopped crying by the time we reach the woods that Gimli swears are 
so magical. And I feel so young. I mean, I am the youngest one here, but I 
didn’t really feel it before. But, I feel it now. I just want Merry to wrap me 
in his arms, and rock me, and tell me that everything is going to be okay, 
and everyone is going to be safe.

I don’t want to hear it from that elf queen; I want to hear it from you 
Merry. Please tell me everything will be all right…that we’ll get back to 
the Shire, and back to the way we were. Please say those words Merry. 

I ask aloud.

You tell me, “I don’t know, Pip. Maybe one day,” and ruffle my hair a 
touch before rolling over to go to sleep. That’s not what I want to hear, 
Merry. Please, just lie to me if you have to. I shake him awake, and he 
gives a little moan as he turns over and faces me.

“What is it, Pip?”

“Please tell me everything will be okay.” I whisper to him, and this time, 
he must have seen something in my face, because he’s pulling me close to 
his chest, and holding me tight again. 

He rocks me.

We sway back and forth under the eerie light of the forest, and he 
whispers soothing words into my ear about how we’ll go back to the Shire, 
and things’ll be just like they used to. Then, he kisses me softly, just like 
he used to. 

No one sees.

They’re all asleep by now, except for Boromir who is off by the fountain, 
and Frodo, who wandered off after the elf queen not long ago. I can’t 
describe what Merry’s kisses do to me, and this one is no different. I only 
give a tiny little whimper of pleasure to let Merry know that I love what 
he’s done for me.

He gives me comfort.

Deep down, I still feel like I’m the one who’s responsible for Gandalf’s 
death, and deep down, I know there’s only a small chance things’ll go 
back to the way they were, but I’m thinking about them less now. I’m 
wrapped in Merry’s arms, and he’s holding me the way I want to be held. 

I’m young.

I think that sometimes, they forget this. But Merry knows; Merry doesn’t 
forget. He holds me, because he knows I need it. I snuggle deeper into his 
embrace, and listen to his heart as he drifts off to sleep.

I’m not far behind.

Tomorrow will come, and the quest will go on. I’ll have to deal with the 
same feelings that I’ve been feeling all day. Frodo will still struggle in his 
fight against the power of the ring, and Sam will have to deal with 
watching his love struggle with it. Strider will lead us, and struggle with 
his position. Boromir will struggle against the call of the ring. Legolas and 
Gimli will bicker and struggle to make their way forward. If Merry ever 
falters or struggles, I don’t know. He keeps it well hidden from me. 
Tomorrow, we have hardships.

Tonight, I have comfort.

THE END