Title: Late Elevenses
Author: Rebecca Mitchell (b5rebecca@juno.com)
Paining: Sam/Frodo, Merry/Pippin
Disclaimer: Lord of the Rings was written by JRR Tolkien. This story is
for fan enjoyment only and is not intended to infringe on anyone's
copyright.
Categories: Romance. AU.
Story Notes: When my lunch was stolen on Friday I wrote a Merry/Pippin
story, "Stolen Second Breakfast". The second Friday someone stole my
lunch, I wrote a sequel "Stolen Elevenses". The cherry references were
inspired by "Fairer Than Most" by Adrienne.

	"Mr. Frodo! Mr. Frodo!" Samwise Gamgee called. "Someone stole our second
breakfast."
	Hearing Sam's yell, Frodo stumbled out of bed. He had heard Sam get up
and knew that he should join him, but he had not been able to make
himself open his eyes and wake up. The previous day had been exhausting.
He and Sam had not gone to bed until very late.
	He was enjoying his vacation at his cousins'. It had taken little
persuasion to convince them to also invite Sam. Sam's gardening skills
were legendary and his cooking was almost as good. They had servants, but
none were as talented as Sam.
	He wondered if Merry had been instrumental in ensuring Sam's invite.
Merry knew about the changed relationship between Frodo and Sam and
approved. Merry's own relationship with Pippin had changed recently.
	Frodo was not sure how he felt about Merry's relationship with Pippin,
but one look at the joy in Merry's eyes when he talked about Pippin was
enough to convince him that it was right. He was so used to his cousin's
jokes and humor that it felt strange to see him so serious about someone.
	Not that Merry and Pippin stopped playing their jokes and stealing food
from half the Shire. In fact, sometimes Frodo thought that they had
gotten worse. But there was a comfort, a peace, that had descended over
the two hobbits, especially Merry, that was beautiful.
	Almost as beautiful as the way Sam made him feel. He was not sure when
his feelings had changed. For years Sam was more like a younger brother
following him around and, because of age and status, desperate for his
approval. It was not until Bilbo left and Frodo came of age, leaving
Baggins End to Frodo, that he started to see Sam in a more adult light.
	The difference in ages was the biggest problem. The differences in
status were awkward, but Frodo was already considered queer by hobbit
standards. Most would have just added his changed relationship with Sam
to their long list of his oddities.
	Stumbling into the kitchen, Frodo saw Sam standing in front of the
pantry with an indignant look on his face.
	"Mr. Frodo, I remember putting away leftovers for second breakfast. I
got up from the table while you were talking to Merry and started
carrying the plates to the kitchen. I washed the glasses and silverware
first. Then I started clearing the food off of the plates. Merry and
Pippin finished their first breakfasts, but there was still some fruit
left in the serving bowl and some cream. Even the mushrooms and carrots
that I brought in last night are gone. I am sorry," Sam took his duties
seriously and not being able to provide Frodo with a good meal was one of
his worst nightmares. Frodo was already far too thin. His thinness was
the source of many nasty comments in the Shire, comments that Sam took as
a personal affront against him. In Sam's mind Frodo was nearly perfect
and Frodo's imperfections were due to Sam's shortcomings than any fault
of his dear Mr. Frodo.
	"I believe you, Sam. With all of us here it is not surprising that food
is disappearing. I wouldn't put it past the young ones not to grab a
little extra for themselves. I did myself when I was a tweenager," Frodo
said with a near smile. Like Sam he was hungry, but he did not take the
missing food personally.
	"I even put it in the back of the pantry behind the ale. None of the
younger ones should have seen it!" Sam argued.
	"Then maybe Merry and Pippin ate it," Frodo said. "I would not put it
past them. Nothing gets between Pippin and food when he is hungry."
	"He is always hungry," Sam grumbled having been the one to cook for the
hungry young hobbit on several occasions.
	"I thought that you liked hungry hobbits," Frodo said with a smile,
deciding that Sam's indignation was actually quite touching. He knew that
Sam's concern was not for his own hunger, but for Frodo's.
	"Pippin eats all the time. It is your hunger that concerns me. You start
reading or writing and forget to eat," Sam explained. "I do not know what
you would do without me to take care of you."
	'Do not even speak such thoughts,' Frodo thought, but his response had a
hint of bitterness, "I would waste away, a disgrace of a hobbit. That is
what they say about me in the Shire."
	Sam's expression turned from indignation to a pain so intense that Frodo
looked away.
	"No. You are a perfect hobbit," Sam protested. "You are not a disgrace!
If anyone said such things about you they would have to answer to your
Sam. Do not even say such things! You are not too thin. And if you are,
you are still handsome."
	Frodo cringed as he saw Sam's eyes fill with tears. Closing the gap
between them, he pulled Sam to him. Sam's rested his head on Frodo's
shoulder, his tears seeping through Frodo's cloak.
	"I love you," Frodo whispered. "I love you, Sam. Don't cry for me. I do
not care what they say in the Shire. I do not care what they think of me.
I only care what you think of me. As long as you love me, that is all
that matters. If you think me handsome, the others can speak as they
wish."
	"But you are handsome. They know that. They are just jealous," Sam said
stubbornly.
	Frodo found himself overwhelmed by the love radiating from Sam. He had
never figured out what he had done to deserve such loyalty and love.
Whenever he looked upon Sam, he knew that he was the luckiest hobbit
alive.
	"Shh," Frodo ran his hand through Sam's hair. "I know that you are only
trying to care for me. Now let me care for you."
	Frodo pulled back for a second. He ran his finger along Sam's face
brushing the tears away.
	"You have the most charming innocence. You do not know how handsome you
are," Frodo whispered.
	Sam felt his skin grow warm where Frodo's fingers brushed against his
skin.
	"I am just a servant," Sam said.
	"Never say that," Frodo admonished him. "If you were just a servant I
would be a horrible hobbit taking advantage of a young, desirable hobbit
in my service. Am I?"
	Sam's eyes teared again. "No. Of course not, Mr. Frodo. You could never
take advantage of anyone. It is I-"
	"What is it, Sam?" Frodo asked gently. "This is about more than a stolen
second breakfast. What has upset you so?"
	"It is nothing, Mr. Frodo," Sam protested. "It is not important."
	"If it has upset you so, it is important," Frodo protested.
	Frodo took Sam's hand in his own and placed it over his own heart. "It
hurts me to see you in pain. Whatever it is, you can tell me. Nothing you
could say would change my feelings for you."
	"I heard them talking last night. They suspect- they suspect about us.
They say that it is wrong. That it is wrong for you to care about me.
That you should find someone worthy of you," Sam admitted.
	"I have found someone worthy of me," Frodo said. "You. I love you. I
love the way your hair falls in your face when you are gardening. I love
your smile and the way you look at me when you think that I am not
looking. I love the way you fit in my arms."
	"But-" Sam started.
	Frodo decided that words were not working and kissed Sam on the lips
hoping that his actions would be more convincing.
	Sam found himself reacting to the kiss.
	'That is better,' Frodo thought, enjoying the kiss as much as Sam did.
	Finally Sam pulled himself together and forced himself to step out of
Frodo's embrace. "But I do need to see about Elevenses since it is past
second breakfast."
	"Mushrooms are not what I am hungry for," Frodo said, looking over Sam's
body with an expression that caused Sam to shiver.
	"What are you hungry for, Mr. Frodo?" Sam asked wondering at how Frodo
always managed to elicit such diverse emotions from him. He was still
upset about the comments and the missing second breakfast, but Frodo was
looking at him with an expression that made everything else seem
unimportant.
	"You," Frodo said advancing on Sam with a gleam in his eyes.
	Sam opened his mouth, but no sound came out.
	Deciding that Sam's mouth could be used for things other than talking,
Frodo kissed Sam squarely on the mouth. Sam moaned and opened his mouth
wider allowing Frodo to slip his tongue in. The kiss was long and sweet,
but eventually they were forced to pull apart. Both were breathing
heavily. They looked into each other's eyes, desire and love shining
clearly.
	"Bedroom," Frodo said. "Someone could walk in on us anytime."
	Sam nodded, but refused to let go of Frodo. They hurried to the bedroom,
hands clasped together, desperately hoping that nobody would see them. In
their current state not even the younger hobbits could miss the tension
between them. The pantry was not far from their room, but both were so
anxious to get inside the bedroom that they walked much faster than was
considered proper for hobbits to walk indoors. Frodo fumbled with the
doorknob, so distracted that his hands were shaking.
	Frodo pulled Sam into the bedroom. The bed was still a mess, but in the
center of it was a can of cherries.
	Frodo smiled. "Merry."
	"Huh?" Sam asked too focused on Frodo to concentrate on anything else.
	"The cherries on the bed. Merry must have left them. He and Pippin were
probably the ones who stole our second breakfast. But I do not have the
heart to be angry with them. They meant no harm and in their own way they
are paying us back," Frodo smiled. "Merry knows that I have always loved
cherries."
	"And how does he know that?" Sam asked a bit suspiciously.
	"I stole some cherries when I was in my tweens and blamed it on Pippin,"
Frodo admitted causing Sam to laugh. "Everyone believed me except Merry.
He said that everyone picked on Pippin and that he was having none of it.
Even then, I think they loved each other."
	"I have loved you for as long as I can remember," Sam said honestly.
	Frodo smiled softly. "And now you have me."
	"As you have me," Sam said. "Although it is hardly a fair trade in your
case."
	"It is more than fair," Frodo smiled. "And I intend to show you exactly
how fair it is as soon as I get this can of cherries open."


THE END
Rebecca Mitchell (b5rebecca@juno.com)
http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Lair/7612/index.html