Pippin burrowed himself into the large easy chair and closed his eyes, hoping to get some sleep before choir. Legolas had had to elbow him awake three times during theory class, and, without a kip, Pippin didn't know how he was gonna last through choir, aural skills, AND chemistry.
<<This isn't gonna work,>> thought Pippin as he drifted in and out of sleep. Merry's idea to separate the beds was a sound one -- the last thing they wanted was for Grishnakh to become more suspicious. But sharing a single bed was clearly not the answer.
<<Merry can use earplugs to tune out my snoring,>> Pippin thought enviously, <<but there's nothing I can use to tune out his tossing and turning.>> Merry's restless sleep hadn't been much of a problem when Pippin had had space to retreat, but with the two of them crushed together on the small bed, every movement of Merry's had awoken him, resulting in Pippin getting little sleep all night.
So Pippin now dozed to the normal sounds of the music lounge, interrupted only occasionally by fellow students asking if he was okay. He considered going back to his own dorm room, since Merry had class now and he could have the bed to himself, but he decided it wasn't worth it. He was too tired to get up, and by the time he crossed campus, he'd just have to turn around and come back for choir anyway. So Pippin squeezed his eyes tight and did his best to tune out the conversations going on around him.
Eventually, though, through the haze of sleep, he heard a voice he recognized. "I was in Mirkwood all summer," Pippin heard Legolas say. "You have to let me know what's happened."
"A LOT has happened," a female voice said, and Pippin briefly opened his eyes to see Arwen sitting with Legolas on the couch. Pippin sleepily closed his eyes again, listening as Arwen continued, "You knew that Gilraen was getting married, didn't you?"
<<They have friends that are getting married?>> wondered Pippin. <<None of my friends are ready for that yet. But elves tend to be more mature, I guess.>>
"To Haldamir, right?" Legolas asked.
"Right. But the wedding was called off -- apparently Haldamir is really Gilraen's long lost brother."
Surprised at such a statement, Pippin opened his eyes briefly, curious to see Legolas's reaction.
"But how? Haldamir grew up in Port Carnesir, didn't he?"
Arwen shook her head as Pippin's eyes drifted shut again. "Haldamir was suffering from amnesia -- all of his memories of Port Carnesir were false."
"So what did Gilraen do?"
"Well, like an idiot she immediately went off and slept with Orophin."
"But I thought he was still seeing Linwe."
"No," Arwen said, "Linwe's dead."
Pippin's eyes popped open.
"Dead?!" Legolas said, clearly upset. "No! I really liked Linwe. I had no idea she was even sick."
"She wasn't -- she was killed by a mysterious intruder who broke into their house trying to steal her mother's jewels. Linwe just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time."
Pippin watched as Legolas tried to absorb the news. "I can't believe Linwe's gone."
Arwen patted Legolas on the knee. "It was a shock for me, too. But it'll be okay, I promise. Come over to the House tonight; I think I still have her memorial service on tape." She glanced at the wall clock. "Oh, it's almost eleven -- we've gotta get to choir."
Pippin watched as Arwen stood and began up the stairs, chatting cheerfully with some of their fellow choirmates. But Legolas still remained on the couch, clearly upset.
Pippin sleepily rolled out of the chair and crossed over to the couch, sitting down next to the elf
"I'm sorry about your friend," Pippin said quietly.
"Huh?" Legolas asked.
"Your friend Linwe," Pippin said. "I'm sorry to hear that she died."
Pippin didn't notice the smile starting to spread across the elf's face. "My friend Linwe?"
"I didn't mean to eavesdrop," Pippin explained, "but I heard Arwen tell you about her accident. I'm so sorry."
Pippin was surprised when Legolas started to laugh. "Linwe's not my friend," he said. "She's a character. On "As the Leaves Turn"." Pippin just stared at Legolas as he explained, "I wasn't able to watch the show all summer, so Arwen was just catching me up on what's happened."
"But...but you seemed so upset about Linwe," Pippin said.
"Of course," Legolas said. "She was one of the best characters on the show: raised by dwarves, she ran away and became a teenage prostitute, turning tricks to pay her way through law school."
Pippin's eyes were wide with wonder. "Wow! That does sound good. So when is this show on?"
"Unfortunately it's every day at eleven," Legolas said. He then leaned down to whisper into Pippin's ear, "But Arwen always tapes it, and we get together later at the TriChi House to watch it."
"Really?"
Legolas nodded. "You're welcome to join us, if you'd like. I'm sure Arwen wouldn't mind. My friend Aragorn sometimes comes, too; he pretends he's only there to see Arwen, but I know he's secretly addicted, too."
"Who wouldn't be? It sounds like fun." Pippin smiled. "Oh, and do you think I could bring my...." Pippin stopped himself. What WAS Merry? He'd never actually called him his "boyfriend" before, but "friend" seemed so...impersonal.
Legolas, however, didn't need him to finish. "You'd be welcome to bring anyone you'd like," he said diplomatically. "I'll let Arwen know that you'll be coming."
Pippin smiled before realizing that the music lounge was suddenly empty. Looking at the clock, he saw that it was already eleven. "We're late," he said, leaping up and bounding up the stairs, his energy renewed by his catnap and the prospect of a new activity he could share with Merry.
***
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