Pippin stared at his reflection in the mirror, frowning in concentration. "Over, around, through..." he murmured to himself, willing his fingers to work, but the knot slipped, and the tie hung loosely around his neck.
"Do you want me to do that for you, Pip?" Merry offered from the bed, where he lay reading a science-fiction novel.
"No, I've got it," Pippin answered, attempting once again to knot the tie. He grinned at his reflection as he realized that he finally had it, and tightened the knot as he drew it up to his collar. Then he noticed that the narrow end of the necktie extended at least six inches lower than the wide end.
Pippin yelled in frustration, pulling the tie over his head and throwing it across the room.
"Having problems?" Merry appeared behind him in the mirror, eyebrows raised in question.
"I can't do this!" Pippin exclaimed, clenching his hands into tight fists. "And we have to wear these STUPID ties, and I can't even dress myself!"
"Shh...it's okay." Merry's arms snaked around his waist, and he set his chin on Pippin's shoulder. "I'll help you." He turned his head to kiss Pippin on the cheek, then stepped away to retrieve the necktie from the floor.
"Honestly, Pip, I can't believe you still don't know how to tie a necktie. Haven't you been in orchestras and choirs practically your whole life? And how did you survive all this week -- I tied it for you a few days, but I was still in bed on the mornings of your 8 am classes."
"Legolas tied it for me," Pippin explained weakly.
Merry shook his head. "You'd think someone would have taught you by now."
"You'd think."
Merry's wry grin fell away at Pippin's sullen expression. "Oh, Pip, I'm sorry. Here, I'll show you, okay?" He held up the necktie, still loosely knotted. "You almost had it. I bet you would've done it with one more try."
Merry led Pippin back to the mirror, draping the tie over Pippin's neck. "Okay," he said, standing behind Pippin, "We've got the wide end on your right side, about six inches lower than the narrow side. See?"
"Yeah," Pippin replied blankly.
Merry hooked his chin over Pippin's shoulder so they were cheek-to-cheek and reached around Pippin to take the two ends of the necktie. "Put your hands on mine. We'll do this together."
Pippin gently placed his hands on Merry's, as Merry crossed one end of the tie over the other and brought it through the loop.
"Now we have a loop, see?"
Pippin nodded.
"Cross it over again and bring it up through the loop. Good!" Merry grinned at Pippin in the mirror, and was happy to see him smiling back. "Now you know this part. Bring it down through the loop -- good. And around. And up through the loop again."
"And slip it down through the knot," Pippin said, grinning in accomplishment at the perfect windsor knot. He turned around to face Merry, beaming. "I did it!"
Merry chuckled, to see Pippin so happy over such a trifle. "You sound surprised!" He tightened the knot and drew it up snug to Pippin's collar. "See? That wasn't so hard, was it?" He brushed lint from the front of Pippin's shirt.
"Today, my lad," Merry said, in a very good impersonation of Paladin Took's grand manner of speaking, "you come of age!"
Pippin laughed as he reached up to gently pull Merry's reading glasses from his face. They both smiled widely as he leaned in close for a lingering kiss. "Thanks, Mer," he said as they parted.
"You're very welcome, Pip." He punctuated his reply with another quick kiss.
Pippin glanced at the clock on the bedside table. "Ooh, it's getting late. You better get dressed, too."
Merry frowned, glancing down at his own outfit. He was wearing the jeans he'd had on all day, but he'd already changed into a fresh black t-shirt, which read, 'You laugh because I’m different, I laugh because you're all the same.' "I AM dressed," Merry said.
Pippin shook his head. "You can't wear THAT, Merry. It's a PARTY!" He set Merry's glasses carefully on the desk, then walked over to Merry's closet and started going through his clothes. "Let's see...."
Merry sat down on the bed, annoyed. "I agreed to go to the party, Pip -- I didn't agree to let you dress me up and parade me around like a monkey."
Pippin pulled out a t-shirt with a cartoon monkey on it. After considering it a moment, he shook his head. "I don't think it's fancy enough, Merry. I think a polo shirt would be better."
Merry shook his head, but he couldn't help but smile at Pippin's confusion. He was dreading this party, but he was the one who'd agreed to go, so he realized he had no one to blame but himself. <<Besides, maybe it won't be that bad,>> Merry reassured himself.
Pippin turned around, triumphantly holding up his own ruffled choir shirt. "You should wear THIS, Merry!"
Merry sighed. <<Or maybe it WILL be that bad,>> he thought as he reluctantly took the shirt from his roommate's eager hands.
***
"A little to the left."
Merry undid the tape and moved the streamer.
"No, your OTHER left," Pippin teased.
"You mean YOUR other left," Merry grumbled, moving the streamer to his right. "How's that?"
"It's perfect!" Pippin said. "Now let's go do the streamers in the front hallway."
Merry reluctantly climbed down the ladder and followed Pippin. <<It's bad enough to have to GO to this stupid party -- I can't believe I have to hang STREAMERS!>> He glanced down at the polo shirt he now wore. <<But at least I talked him out of the tuxedo shirt.>>
Pippin suddenly tripped in the entryway, slamming into the doorframe.
"Are you okay, Pip?" Merry asked worriedly as Pippin rubbed his shoulder.
Pippin nodded. "I will be in a few hours, when I can take off these shoes once and for all!" He grinned at Merry. "And I CAN get another foot rub tonight, right?"
But right then one of the frat boys walked in, so Merry kept his answer to himself.
"The main hall looks GREAT, Took," the hobbit said.
Pippin grinned. "We're just about to put streamers in here, too," he said eagerly.
"That'll be good," the hobbit said, heading out. "Then you'll need to go help the other pledges in the kitchen."
Pippin turned to Merry after the hobbit had left. "Did you hear that, Merry? Fosco liked my streamers!"
****
Merry swallowed the last of his ale and leaned back against the wall to watch the party, which was now in full swing. Fatty Bolger's band, Thee Todestewls, played an upbeat tune, and the dance floor was packed. Merry had to admit that the band was quite good. He found himself tapping his foot to the bouncing beat, even as he grinned at Fatty's indecipherable warbled lyrics.
<<Looks like Fatty's even got himself a few groupies,>> Merry observed with amusement. Several scantily-clad hobbit lasses clamored for the attention of the band, as they shimmied and shook at the front of the dancing throng.
At the periphery of the party, the pledges scurried about, unmistakable in their sweater vests, neckties and penny loafer shoes. They emerged from the kitchen carting trays full of food and mugs of rich brown ale.
Merry noted with disgust that the Eta Pi brothers seemed to delight in scrutinizing the pledges, even as they "held court" at their party. A moment didn't seem to go by when Merry didn't hear one of the brothers blaming a pledge for the staleness of the chips or the foaminess of the ale. Merry bristled as he watched the pledges take continual abuse from their "elders" without complaint.
<<Why does Pippin want to do this?>> he thought, realizing that he hadn't seen Pippin in nearly an hour.
As if on cue, Pippin emerged from the kitchen, bearing a heavily-laden tray of snacks in each hand. Pippin caught Merry's eye, offering a playful wink and a cheerful smile that almost made Merry forget all about his disdain for Eta Pi. Merry smiled in return.
Setting the trays down on the banquet table, Pippin took two steps towards Merry. Suddenly, he stopped in mid-step, turning to speak to another pledge, then raced back into the kitchen.
"It figures," Merry sighed.
"Excuse me. Pardon me."
A small pledge with dark curls brushed past Merry, his arms full of empty earthenware ale steins.
"Oh, sorry," Merry said, quickly stepping out of the pledge's way. "Do you want some help with that?"
The lad balanced the steins precariously on one arm while he reached to pick up another one from the table. "No, I'm fine. I've got it."
"Are you sure? Because I could--"
Merry saw him stumble in slow motion, but was helpless to prevent it.
CRASH!
All activities in the hall came to a screeching halt, and all heads turned to the small hobbit standing amidst a mountain of broken crockery.
"--help you," Merry finished weakly.
The partygoers returned to their activities, already bored with the spectacle. Three Eta Pi brothers appeared on the scene, smirking cruelly. Merry recognized one of them as Fosco, the hobbit who had complimented Pippin's streamers.
"Oi! Mugwort! Can't you do anything right?" Fosco demanded, pointing a finger at the cowering pledge. "We trust you with one job, ONE measly stupid job, because you're too stupid to do anything else! And you muck it all up!"
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," the lad offered weakly, staring at the floor.
"Hey! You will LOOK at Brother Burrows when he's talking to you!" one of the other Eta Pi brothers chimed in. "And you will speak only when we TELL you to speak!"
The pledge looked up nervously. "I'm sorry, Brother Hilldweller, I'm s--"
"Hey!" Hilldweller shoved the lad. "Didn't you hear what I SAID, worm?"
Merry couldn't stand any more of this. He stepped between the Eta Pi brothers and the pledge. "Look, he said he was sorry, all right? Just leave him alone."
Fosco's eye narrowed. "Why don't you go shag a sheep, Bucklander." His words practically dripped with contempt.
Merry felt a surge of anger well up inside him. He clenched his fists at his sides. "Say that again."
Fosco opened his mouth to retort when suddenly, Pippin was standing between them, a broom and dustpan in his hands.
"Here you are, Nob," Pippin said cheerfully, handing the dustpan and broom to the small, dark-haired pledge. "Let's get this cleaned up and then you can go help me in the kitchen, all right?"
As Nob began carefully cleaning up the broken steins, Pippin turned to the still-scowling Eta Pi brothers.
"Fosco, Bungo, Bob," he said, nodding to each of them in turn, "we've just tapped a keg of that dark ale you like so much. If you stop by the kitchen, Robin's saving three mugs especially for you. Don't you spend another moment worrying about this mess. We'll have it cleaned up in no time." He smiled winsomely. "Now, off to the kitchen!"
The three burly lads murmured their assent as Pippin shooed them away, and they quickly departed for the kitchen.
"I'll help you in just a moment," Pippin said to Nob, touching the lad lightly on the shoulder.
Pippin approached Merry, smiling broadly. "Hi Mer! Having fun?"
"I don't know if fun is the right word," Merry said warily, watching as Fosco and his friends made their way across the crowded dance floor to the kitchen.
"I'm REALLY sorry," Pippin said, leaning in close so he could talk to Merry without having to shout over the din. "The kitchen was an absolute madhouse! You'd think they’ve never had a large party here before. Com-PLETE-ly disorganized, and all the pledges were just standing around staring."
Pippin glanced quickly back to the kitchen door, where a continual stream of pledges was now emerging, each lad carrying trays of food and mugs of ale. Pippin grinned as he turned back to Merry. "But I think I've set them straight, don't you?"
"YOU did that?" Merry asked, marveling at the drive and determination of the pledges as they worked the party.
Pippin nodded enthusiastically. "Uh huh. Now we're a well-oiled machine."
"Pip, you're amazing." Merry smiled proudly.
"I do my best," Pippin said modestly, unable to hide a delighted smile.
"Um...Pippin?" Nob called from the floor, where he was struggling with the broom and dustpan. "A little help?"
"Be there in just a minute!" Pippin called back.
"What can I say, they can't get along without me," Pippin said to Merry with a shrug. "Well, duty calls. I just need to help Nob with that mess, then a few more things in the kitchen." He leaned in very close to whisper, "But after we serve dessert, I'm all yours."
Merry crinkled his forehead as he remembered something. "Weren't you gonna play with Fatty's band tonight?"
Pippin's eyes sparkled with excitement. "I almost forgot! I better go find Fatty!" And he rushed off, leaving Nob alone with the mess on the floor.
"Here, let me help," Merry offered, grabbing the dustpan and helping Nob sweep the broken steins from the floor.
"Thanks!" Nob smiled appreciatively before awkwardly stumbling off towards the kitchen in his torturous shoes.
<<I bet HE'LL be glad when this night is over,>> Merry thought as he returned to his spot against the wall.
Peering through the crowd, Merry could see Pippin speaking to Fatty by the drumset. He knew Pippin was eager to play at this party, and Merry loved to see him so enthused. His smile mirrored Pippin's own wide grin, as he watched Pippin talk animatedly with Fatty.
<<Eta Pi is lucky to have Pippin,>> Merry thought, as he accepted a fresh mug of ale from an Eta Pi pledge. <<Aunt Eg should see this. She'd be so proud.>>
Pippin's distinctive laughter rang out from across the room. Merry looked up and met Pippin's eyes briefly. Pippin flashed him a dazzling smile, before turning back to ask Fatty a question.
<<Hell, *I'm* proud of him,>> he thought, taking a long sip of his ale. <<This party isn't so much an Eta Pi party as it is a Pippin Took party. But *I* won't have to help clean up after this one.>>
Merry smiled to himself. <<Admit it, Brandybuck, you were wrong. Pippin belongs here. And they need him. You're just going to have to accept that you're sharing him.>> And, Merry realized, he didn't mind that so much anymore.
Merry suddenly stumbled forward as someone crashed into his shoulder.
"Excuse you!" Merry grumbled as he turned, expecting to find some drunken frat brother.
Instead it was a lass. And there was no mistaking that fact, for she had done everything in her power to emphasize her femininity, from her low-cut, tightly-laced bodice, to a very short mini-skirt.
"Say, you're friends with Pippin, aren't you?" she asked in a slurred voice as she clung to Merry to avoid tipping over.
<<Great. This is just what I need tonight,>> Merry thought to himself with annoyance. <<More lasses chasing after my friends.>>
"I saw you talkin' to 'im," the girl continued. "Pippin, I mean. 'Cause I've been watchin' YOU. An' you know what?"
"What?" Merry asked automatically, not really wanting to know the answer.
Leaning over to whisper confidentially in his ear, she practically yelled, "You're HOT!"
<<It's worse than I thought,>> Merry realized as he rubbed his ringing ear. <<It's a lass chasing after ME!>>
"Uh...thanks?" Merry said warily, looking for a means of escape.
"So who are you?" the girl asked. "I mean, what's your name?"
Merry considered giving a fake name, but he figured this girl wouldn't even remember her OWN name in the morning. "I'm Merry," he said simply. "And you are...?"
"Really drunk!" she said, slapping Merry's arm and dissolving into a raucous laugh that sounded amazingly horse-like.
"Yeah, I couldn't figure that out," Merry said dryly, desperately searching the crowd for Pippin.
The girl's hand had traveled down Merry's arm and now started rubbing his stomach. "You've got a little belly!" she exclaimed. "I LIKE bellies. Bellies are SEXY."
<<Thank the Valar, here comes Pippin to rescue me!>> Merry thought, catching sight of Pippin walking towards him. Merry politely removed the lass's hands from his belly.
But Pippin didn't even seem to notice the girl, or the fact that her hands were now rubbing his boyfriend's chest.
"Fatty wants me on in five!" Pippin called excitedly to Merry as he hurried by. "I gotta go tune!"
"But...!" Merry called after him, but he had already disappeared in the crowd. Merry stared forlornly through the party to where Pippin had vanished, wishing he could be there with him, wishing he could be ANYWHERE but with this octopus.
Yet her arms had stopped moving for a moment, and when Merry finally turned his attention back to the lass, she was staring distractedly down at his feet. Finally, after much concentration, she smiled and looked back up at Merry's face.
"You're not wearing shhhhhoes," she slurred in a sing-song manner.
"I don't OWN any shoes," Merry said.
The girl whinnied again before asking, "You're not a pledge then?"
"Most definitely not." No matter how far gone this girl was, Merry definitely wanted to make THAT clear.
"Oh goodie...I LIKE older boys." She snuggled up to him and began running her toes through the hair on the top of his foot.
Merry's inital response was to yank his foot away, but he realized that his feet were the only thing keeping either of them upright, and he didn't fancy tumbling to the floor with her -- who knew where her hands might end up then!
Instead, he tried pushing her away slowly, saying, "Actually, I'm not affiliated with Eta Pi AT ALL. Maybe you'd like to find some Eta Pi brother and..."
But the girl didn't seem to be listening. And she seemed to be moving in even closer. "C'mon Merry." She laughed in his ear before saying, "I bet *I* know what'll make you merry."
"I bet you don't," Merry said as he felt her arms snaking around his shoulders, her toes still playing footsie.
"C'mon, let's go find the make-out room."
Merry grabbed the hand that had returned to rubbing his belly and forcefully pushed it away. "Look, whatever-your-name-is, I'm simply not--"
"Merry, THERE you are! I've been looking EVERYWHERE for you."
Merry was so distracted by the drunk lass's wandering hands that his mind barely registered the source of the interruption before he suddenly found Estella Bolger's lips pressed against his.
Merry pulled away almost instantly, completely caught off-guard by the unexpected kiss.
"Stel..." he stammered, "I...."
Estella winked at him. "Who's your new friend?" she asked innocently.
Merry blinked, confused by the strange situation in which he now found himself. "Uh...this is..."
"Zinnia," the drunk girl interjected, wrapping herself possessively around Merry. "Who're you, his girlfriend or sumpin'?" She brayed loudly.
Estella smiled sweetly. "As far as you're concerned, yes." She calmly detangled Zinnia's limbs from Merry's body, linking her own arm in Merry's.
"Come along, DEAR," Estella said loudly, leading Merry away. "There's someone I want you to meet."
"Later, Zinnia," she said over her shoulder, chuckling as the other girl seethed.
Merry let Estella lead him from the room, not exactly sure what had just happened, but grateful to be rescued from Zinnia's drunken clutches all the same.
"What a piece of work!" Estella said once they were out of earshot. "No girl is allowed to touch my Merry like that." She turned and grinned at him. "Sorry if I startled you, Mer, but it looked like extreme measures were necessary. Don't worry! I'm sure Pippin would approve of any means I used to rescue you, since he wasn't around to do it himself."
"He WAS around," Merry remembered.
"And HE didn't do anything about it?" Estella shook her head. "What kind of boyfriend is he?"
Merry gasped and looked around uncomfortably, wondering who might've heard. But Estella had managed to lead them away from the crowd and down an empty back hallway. No one was around who could have heard the flip remark.
<<Or if anyone did hear, they're too busy making out to care,>> Merry noted, as he saw a couple necking in the darkened doorway of a bedroom. Still, he couldn't just let Estella get away with saying stuff like that.
"Discretion, Stel. Maybe you've heard of it?" he half-teased as they started up the stairs.
Estella gasped, suddenly realizing what she had said. "Oh, sorry!" she said, blushing. "But...I don't think anyone at this party is sober enough to care. As near as I can tell, the Eta Pis seem like a bunch of drunken louts."
Merry squinted in confusion. "Then what are YOU doing here?"
"Helping my favorite drunken lout, of course."
When Merry still looked lost, she explained, "Freddy needed me to help his band with their equipment tonight, so now I'm stuck here until they're done." She sighed. "Shame on me for having a van and nothing better to do tonight."
Merry grinned wickedly. "You're a roadie!"
Estella rolled her eyes. "And for a band that can't even spell their own name. See how low I've sunk?"
Merry laughed. "Lucky for me, then. You can keep me company."
"What're YOU doing here, anyway?" Estella asked. "I thought you hated Eta Pi."
Merry sighed. "I do. But you know how persuasive Pippin can be."
Estella laughed. "You big softy. What'd he do, bat his eyelashes at you?"
"Shut uuuuuuup!" Merry protested as a blush colored his cheeks.
"Ahahahahaha, I knew it! That boy totally has you wrapped around his finger. Next thing you know, you'll be pledging Eta Pi, too."
"Don't even JOKE about that!" Merry laughed. "I'm only here because Pippin asked me to come. And because I want to see him play."
At Estella's doubtful look, he added, "Stel, please. This is hardly my idea of fun! I've barely even seen Pip since we arrived."
"And here I thought you enjoyed drinking mediocre ale and getting pawed by drunken frat rats," Estella teased.
"As much as you do, I suppose," Merry replied. "But *I'm* not on the market and YOU are. Maybe you'll find a cute drunken lout to hook up with," he teased.
Merry gasped at the blush spreading across Estella's face. "You DID find a cute one, didn't you?"
Estella wouldn't meet his eyes, her face still red. "I certainly didn't find him HERE!" she protested.
Merry's eyes opened wide as he grinned impishly. "Stel, you HAVE to tell me all about it. I want details, girl!"
Estella pulled him into an empty bedroom and slammed the door shut behind them. "Meriadoc Brandybuck, you have to PROMISE you won't tell ANYONE."
"Oh, so you mean I shouldn't just blab it here at this party without even thinking like you just did to me?" Merry teased.
Estella grabbed his arm frantically as they sat down on the bed. "I'm serious, Merry! You have to keep it a secret. You can't tell ANYONE, not even Pippin!"
Merry's smile faded at the frantic tone in her voice. "What is it, Stel?" he asked, suddenly worried for his friend.
When she didn't answer right away, he asked, "You're not...you're not pregnant or anything, are you?"
Estella laughed heartily. "Mer, you have NOTHING to worry about. No Brandybuck babies here." She patted her belly, chuckling.
Merry rolled his eyes. "You ninny. I'm not worried about ME, I'm worried about YOU. What's so serious that I can't share it with Pip?"
Estella took a deep breath before meeting his eyes. "I'm in love."
Merry laughed, relieved that nothing was wrong.
"Don't laugh!" Estella said. "I'm hopeless and I don't know what to do." She sighed.
"You can start by telling me who has captured the heart of the lovely maiden fair."
Before she could answer, the door flew open and a couple barged in, too wrapped up in each other to even notice there was someone else in the room.
"Hey!" Merry called to get the couple's attention.
When their lips momentarily parted, Estella said, "This room's occupied." She stood, quickly shooing them from the room.
"Why don't you lock it?" Merry asked as she shut the door.
"There's no lock," Estella sighed and returned to Merry's side. "I guess we'll just have to expect interruptions."
"But I don't want interruptions," Merry said, eagerly taking Estella's hand. "I want juicy details. C'mon, spill."
Estella looked down, embarrassed.
Merry squeezed her hand encouragingly. "C'mon, Stel, it can't be that bad. After all, I told you all about me and Pip and --"
The door burst open again. Merry barked, "We were here first!" which was sufficient to scare the kissing couple away.
Once the door was shut again, Merry took a deep breath, willing the blush to leave his cheeks.
"Don't worry," Estella said, patting his hand comfortingly. "I'm sure they didn't hear anything."
"And neither have I," teased Merry, reassured. "Now tell me all about the lucky lad. Or is it a lass?"
Estella shook her head. "No, no, he's definitely male." A dreamy smile spread across her face. "He's on the crew team with me...."
"But I thought you were the only hobbit on the --" Merry trailed off at Estella's deepening blush.
"You're interested in a human?" he asked in shocked disbelief. "Seriously?"
Estella nodded sheepishly.
"Ooh, kinky! I didn't know about your Big Folk fetish! Is this a new thing, Stel, or have you always had your eyes on the big boys?" he teased.
She shushed him loudly, mortified.
"Stel, no one's going to hear," he chuckled, "as you keep reminding me. So tell me, who's the man who thinks he's good enough for my Estella?"
She sighed. "It's not like that at all. I don't think he even knows I'm alive."
"How could he NOT know? You're the coxswain. You spend hours every morning screaming at him."
"Merrrrrry!" she punched him playfully in the arm.
"C'mon, Stel," he wheedled. "You're not gonna make me guess, are you?"
Estella chewed her lower lip, trying to decide if Merry was a trustworthy confidant after all.
"You're stalling," Merry said.
"And you're annoying."
"Stellllllll!"
She remained silent.
"If you're not going to spill his name, at least tell me what he's like."
A wide grin spread over Estella's face. "Oh, Merry, he's so sweet! And handsome, too! The first day of practice he totally welcomed me as if I was a real member of the team and not just the lowly coxswain. But that was NOTHING compared to the rest of the week. "
Merry was intrigued. "Why? What'd he do?"
"He made his brother join the team."
Merry waited for her to continue, but she merely sat on the bed next to him, staring dreamily into space. Finally, Merry grew too impatient to wait. "So? What's his brother have to do with anything?"
Estella sighed, lost in thought. "EVERYTHING. He's so sweet to his brother, going out of his way to extend him a helping hand. He's like everything a big brother SHOULD be -- protective, supportive, totally encouraging. I mean, I love Freddy, but he'd not what I'd call the "ideal" big brother -- mainly I just want to kill him most of the time. But Boromir is so--"
Merry's eyes opened wide with shock. "You like Boromir?"
"Shhhh!" Estella hissed, clamping her hand over his mouth. Firmly back in reality, she shook her head, mumbling, "Shit. I didn't mean to tell you his name."
"But Boromir IS nice," Merry said, nodding. "I totally approve."
"You KNOW him?" Estella asked, surprised.
"Sure. He's Pippin's and my lab partner in Chem."
Estella turned pale and she gripped Merry's arm tightly. "Then you CAN'T tell him."
Merry laughed dismissively. "Stel, of COURSE I won't tell Boromir that you like him."
"No! I mean Pippin. It's bad enough that you know, but if Pippin...." She grabbed both of Merry's hands, squeezing them tightly. "Pippin can't find out."
"I can't find out what?"
Merry and Estella both jumped at the voice and turned to find Pippin standing in the doorway.
"Pippin!" Estella said, a bit too enthusiastically. "It's so great to see you!" She dropped Merry's hands and stood quickly. "We were just talking about...."
"Your birthday," Merry finished.
"Yes, yes, your birthday!" Estella laughed nervously, worried that Pippin might have heard her secret.
"My birthday was two months ago," Pippin said skeptically.
"Yes, I know, I know. We were talking about plans for NEXT year." She glared quickly at Merry. "Right, Mer?"
"Um. Right?" Merry said meekly.
"Right then. I'll leave you two alone. I bet Freddy's looking for me right about now, anyway. See you later, Merry!"
With a final warning glance to Merry, she rushed past Pippin and hastily made her exit.
"Pip," Merry smiled hopefully as he rose to greet Pippin with a peck on the cheek, "You'll be playing in a few minutes, right? I don't want to miss it."
"I just finished my set," Pippin said dejectedly. "You didn't see any of it?"
The look on Pippin's face was like a punch in the gut to Merry. "Oh, Pip. Oh no. No, I'm sorry. I guess I missed it." He glanced down at his watch. "I didn't realize Estella and I had been away that long."
"Merry...I..." Pippin began but was interrupted by a hobbit lass bursting through the door.
"Pippin!" she shouted, "There you are! I've been looking for you. The people demand an encore. Come on!" She grabbed his hand and dragged him out of the room.
Merry leapt after them, patting Pippin excitedly on the shoulder as they hurried down the stairs. "This is perfect, Pip -- now I'll get to hear you. And I'm sure you'll be great. Break a leg...or a bow...or whatever it is a fiddler breaks."
Pippin nodded distractedly before getting lost in the crowd.
And although Merry had done his best to avoid the throng of party-goers all night, he now pushed his way through the crowded dance floor so he could get a spot directly in front of the band. He was so relieved that he was going to get this chance to redeem himself. Seeing Pippin's disappointed face had broken Merry's heart, but now that Pippin was going to play again -- with Merry front and centre in the crowd -- everything was going be all right. And this was the reason he'd wanted to come to the party in the first place, so he was glad that he hadn't completely missed it.
As Pippin joined the band and quickly re-tuned his fiddle, Merry caught his eye and smiled proudly. The crowd had asked for an encore, so that meant that Pippin had been good. Not that Merry doubted it -- Pippin had often played at their high school parties back in the Shire -- but it made Merry happy to know that other people appreciated Pippin's talent too.
The crowd cheered as Thee Todestewls started into their first number, and the noise made Merry want to burst with pride. <<That's my boyfriend they're cheering,>> he thought to himself smugly, even if no one in the crowd knew it.
No one, that is, except for Estella.
"So?" she hollered in his ear, startling him. "Did you tell him?"
"What?!" He turned to Estella, annoyed. "Am I a fool?! I promised I wouldn't."
"I know. But I ALSO know that Pippin wasn't buying our whole 'birthday' story, and I thought that he might've talked to you after I'd left, BEGGING you to tell him my secret, batting his eyelashes...."
Merry laughed and playfully punched Estella on the arm. "I'm not THAT bad," he insisted, his gaze returning to Pippin, who was playing a particularly fast passage, much to the audience's enjoyment.
The passage ended and the crowd cheered, and Merry's chest again swelled with pride. As the audience noises died down again, he began to hear Estella chuckling softly next to him.
When he turned to her, she patted him reassuringly on the shoulder, saying, "Admit it, darling -- you ARE that bad. But I think it's sweet. You guys are perfect for each other."
Merry blushed, not with embarrassment that someone might've heard but at the sentiment itself. "Really? You think so?"
Estella nodded and gave him a quick peck on the cheek. "And I couldn't be happier for you two." She sighed melodramatically. "Now, if only MY love life would work out!"
Merry laughed. "Well, who knows? Maybe things will work out between you and--" The daggers she was shooting from her eyes made him finish with a vague, "--whoever."
"Yeah -- in my DREAMS!"
"It could work. Maybe he LIKES loud women who enjoy bossing others around."
Estella laughed and playfully punched Merry, who put a brotherly arm around her.
"I'm sure everything will work out for you, Stel," he said as his eyes wandered back towards the stage.
Estella laughed again. "You're pathetic, you know that? And you're gonna cave to him before you even fall asleep tonight, aren't you?" Merry turned to her and she added, "Try not to! But if you do, make sure he knows not to tell anyone else. Okay?"
Merry nodded distractedly as he watched Pippin bow away on his fiddle.
****
"You were INCREDIBLE, Pip," Merry said, drying the last stein and placing it in the cupboard. "And I'm not just saying that as your...roommate," he ended lamely. Although all the other pledges were long gone, he worried that there might be a frat brother lingering near the kitchen who might hear.
But Pippin was looking around distractedly. "Do you see any more?"
"Pippin, we've searched the House three times -- we've got all the steins. And any we DIDN'T get can be washed by the brothers tomorrow." Glancing at his watch, he corrected, "I mean later today. C'mon, it's late -- let's get out of here. You must be exhausted."
Pippin yawned widely.
"See what I mean? And I can't believe you still have those shoes on! How many hours straight is that now?" He elbowed Pippin playfully, teasing, "You're turning into a right human!"
Pippin blinked and looked down at his feet. "Oh. I had forgotten I was even wearing them."
Merry laughed. "You ARE tired, aren't you? Well, first things first. Let's get those bloody torture devices off your feet, so you can enjoy the grass between your toes while we walk home."
****
"First thing we're gonna do tomorrow," Merry said with a wicked cackle, "is BURN these blasted things." He kicked Pippin's penny loafers to the side of the room, along with the pile of dirty Eta Pi pledge clothes that Pippin had quickly discarded for clean boxers and a t-shirt when they arrived home.
Pippin frowned. "I don't know, Merry. What if Eta Pi wants me to wear them again?"
"Pip, I seriously doubt that," Merry said confidently. "I don't think they're EVER going to force you to wear those horrible shoes again. You really impressed them, Pip."
"No I didn't."
"Yes, you did."
Merry sat next to Pippin on the bed. Now confident in the privacy of their dorm room, he cupped Pippin's face between his hands, kissing him gently on the lips. He smiled as he pulled away. "You didn't see what I saw. They loved you. More than that, they NEEDED you. Do you realize, Pip, what a MESS that party would have been without you? That was YOUR party. You owned it. And the Eta Pis know that. And I'm so proud of you."
Pippin pulled away suddenly, his forehead wrinkled in confusion. "Proud?"
"Mmm-hmm," Merry said, leaning in close to kiss Pippin again. "Proud. Eta Pi is lucky to have you."
"But I thought you were dead-set AGAINST me pledging Eta Pi."
Merry shrugged. "What can I say, Pippin? I was wrong. Seeing you at the party, seeing how well you got things organized, and seeing you play with the band...I realized that you belonged there. Yeah, I'm not exactly crazy about some of the Brothers, but I think the frat is a good match for you." He smiled at Pippin hopefully. "Will you forgive me for being such an ass about it before?"
Pippin stared at Merry, his expression skeptical.
"Pip?"
Pippin sighed and nodded. "Of course I forgive you."
Merry grinned. "I'm glad. Because I think I owe a certain sexy rock star lots of favors. For starters, how about that foot rub?"
Pippin shook his head. "That's okay, Merry. I don't really need one."
"Are you sure? Your feet must be aching!"
Pippin shook his head again.
"All right," Merry said, "Then is there anything else I can do for you?"
"Merry, I'm fine," he insisted.
"I KNOW that," Merry purred, leaning down to kiss the spot on Pippin's neck that always made him shiver. "But is there anything you want?" He looked back up at Pippin, grinning lasciviously. "Anything I can give you?"
Merry returned his attention to Pippin's neck, kissing and nibbling his way up to Pippin's ear. "Because I'm still buzzing from all that Eta Pi ale," he whispered, "and totally hot for this sexy fiddle player I saw tonight. Do you suppose he gives private concerts?"
Pippin sighed. "Merry, if you don't mind, I'm really exhausted. I just want to get some sleep."
Merry pulled back to look Pippin in the eyes, hoping the disappointment didn't show on his face. Pippin DID look weary, and most definitely NOT in the mood. "Sure, Pip. We could probably both use the rest."
He snuggled with Pippin under the covers until they were spooning comfortably. Merry wrapped an arm around Pippin's waist, feeling Pippin's warmth against his chest, hearing the rise and fall of Pippin's breath.
"Pip?" he asked tentatively after a few moments.
"Hmm?" came the sleepy reply.
"I meant what I said earlier. You WERE incredible. And I am very proud of you."
"Thanks," Pippin mumbled drowsily.
"And I love you."
Pippin turned to face Merry. "I love you, too," he whispered, his voice wavering.
Merry reached out in the darkness, meaning to gently caress Pippin's cheek. Instead, he accidentally poked Pippin in the eye. Pippin recoiled immediately, crying out in pain.
"I'm so sorry, Pippin!" Merry exclaimed. "I didn't mean to hurt you! Are you all right?"
"Yeah, I'm all right," Pippin grumbled, rubbing at the injured eye.
"Are you sure?" Merry asked, worried. His eyes had now adjusted to the darkness, and he reached out tentatively to rub Pippin's shoulder.
"I'm sure," Pippin replied. "Good night, Merry." He leaned forward to give Merry a quick kiss and then turned back to face the other direction.
"Good night, Pip," Merry said to Pippin's back.
***
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