“Rrrmph.” Pippin lay back on the cot with nowhere near the violence he felt the situation deemed. Although his ribs were healing well, it still hurt to move too hard or too quickly, so he settled for lying back and letting his expression tell his exasperation.

Merry too was looking like he was at the end of his rope, arms crossed and glaring down at the Took. “What’s wrong now? Surely you’re not already hungry?”

Pippin pouted, and glared at the foot of the cot, although he knew he really was too old for such childishness. “No. Tired.”

Merry sighed and pulled up a chair. “Pippin, how can you be tired? You slept the whole night away, and had a nap after second breakfast! You haven’t been this cranky since you were a teen.”

Pippin tried to burrow more deeply into the cot, wrapping his arms around his chest as best he could. “Not tired like that, Merry. I’m tired of being hurt, and stuck in this bed! I haven’t even seen Frodo and Sam yet, and I know they’re here and healing but I want to see for myself! I’m tired, and bored, and I miss you at night, Merry, and I’m so tired of hurting every time I do anything other than lie here and listen.”

Merry’s heart softened at the words. His face relaxed into a sad smile as he reached out for Pippin’s good hand. He was whining, yes, but he had good reason-the young hobbit was never a good patient, and it must be twice as hard now to be trapped in this tent, even with Merry's constant presence, and visits from other members of the Fellowship.

“I’m sorry, dear heart. I miss you too, but you’re not well enough for us to share a bed without causing you pain, let alone for you to venture out. Soon, though, Pippin.” Pippin still pouted, but he squeezed Merry’s hand back, and let his face relax as he sighed. Watching sage-green eyes blink back tears, of pain or frustration or both, Merry needed to do something to ease the time, even if he couldn’t help much with healing or pain.

Merry leaned over to kiss Pippin gently on the cheek, lips ghosting over a healing bruise, and he gently rearranged them on the cot, so Pippin lay back against his chest, sitting between Merry’s legs. He relaxed back, and Merry could almost feel the tension drain from Pippin’s body. Touch had become so much more important between them, while Merry had healed from his encounter with the Wraith-King, and now Pippin recovered from battle. Merry lay back, making sure they were both comfortable, and nuzzled Pippin a little in his neck, making him giggle and pull away. He smiled at that, and began to finger-comb the short curls that had just begun to grow back after Pippin’s hair had been cut off nearly to the scalp, to aid in finding and treating the deep gashes made by his helm.

“I’ll make it up to you, I promise,” he whispered into Pippin’s ear. “When all of this is over, I’ll take you away with me for a little bit, and love you so well, you’ll forget all this pain. I promise, Pippin, I promise this will end soon, and I’ll make up for all the time we have to spend apart now.

Pippin squeezed Merry’s hand in his good one, and Merry saw he couldn’t hold back a few tears. That, he decided, would Not Do. Blowing a little raspberry into Pippin’s neck made the younger hobbit giggle again, and twist to bump noses with Merry. Kissing gently, Merry trailed from soft lips to a sweetly pointed ear, pausing there to whisper. “I’ll make you scream my name in ecstasy, and memorize your body with my hands and lips and tongue. Your life, your existence, will only be pleasure. And I’ll cry your name out when I come, and tell you I love you, and then you’ll do that thing with your tongue, and I won’t even be able to cry out.”

Pippin started to buck his hips at the softly growled words, but a grunt of pain stopped the motion. Merry, looking Pippin over, decided he’d have to take this down a notch or two, if he wanted it to last, and not to harm the precious one in his arms. Breathing deeply, he felt Pippin sync with him, and continued to finger-comb his short hair. Pippin had gotten a glimpse of it in a shiny tray and made a face, but Merry decided he was beautiful with short hair. And long hair. And any way, really, even shorn and covered in bandages and bruises, Merry thought he was beautiful, and he breathed this in Pippin’s ear.

Pippin smiled at that, blushing a little. “Merry," he murmured, "tell me about after. Tell me about what we’ll do when we get back to the Shire?” Pippin’s head had dropped back, still smiling, eyes closed. Merry obliged, telling his tale between kissing Pippin’s face.

“We’ll be at Crickhollow, for a little while. We’ll be saying goodbye to Sam and Frodo; they were visiting for the day, but they want to get back to Hobbiton. It’s early evening, and the sun is just setting, and the sky is that rich blue color you love.” Lips barely touched dark bruises around Pippin’s eyes, blessing them. “We’ll go inside, to our bedroom, and I’ll want to light a fire because it’s getting chilly, but you won’t let me. Instead, you’ll pull me to you, and whisper that you’ll warm me up just fine, Meriadoc Brandybuck, and even though I’ll be laughing, the way your voice drops will make me hard.”

Merry paused a little to let everything sink in, and for Pippin’s breathing to return to some semblance of normalcy. And his own, he realized with a little smile. Merry began the next part of his tale by gently lifting Pippin’s bandaged sword-arm, kissing the broken hand, wrist and arm, willing them to heal faster. Holding the abused limb carefully in both hands, Merry continued.

“Your hands will be shaking a little, but you’ll still help me undress, and I’ll help you, and I’ll pull you down to lie on top of me on our bed and it’ll be so soft, but not nearly so soft and sweet as you. I’ll kiss you, then, and kiss you until you’re breathless, and you won’t remember any of this pain, here, anymore. All you’ll know is you and me and a big, warm bed and that’s all I’ll know too. And I’ll sweep my hands all over your body,” Merry demonstrated by laying Pippin’s arm down and ghosting his hands over the slim body, sitting up and reaching down to caress as far as he could, dancing his fingers over the braced and bandaged knee. Pippin bent over now, and let his breath out in a long sigh, that ended in a little moan. Merry quickly resettled them, lying back but keeping one eye on Pippin’s injuries-and the other on the obvious effect he was having.

“And I’ll memorize you for the thousandth time, and fall in love for the ten thousandth. And you’ll cry out, and arch your back, and there’ll be nothing I can do but lay you down, and turn so my head is lying on your legs, and you need only to turn your head to kiss my thighs, and maybe you'll find that sweet spot just behind my cock with your clever tongue. And you’ll be so hard, and so beautiful, love, that I’ll take you whole into my mouth. I’ll suck a little, and make you moan in that beautiful way you do, and then you’ll make me moan, when you nearly swallow my hardness. And your tongue, oh Pippin, it will do such amazing things. And as much as it hurts, I’ll have to soon let go of you because I’ll be ready to come. And you, my beloved, you’ll bring me to perfect joy, and I’ll cry your name out when I come, and sigh happily, and you’ll kiss my thighs and my legs and my belly.”

Pippin moaned a little louder, this time, and Merry felt his grip tighten around his hands, not even realizing when Pippin had grasped them again. Giving them a few moments to gather themselves, Merry decided what would come next. Splaying his fingers over what they at first feared was a broken hip, but instead was just very badly bruised and battered, Merry turned his head to whisper again into Pippin’s ear.

“But you won’t be done with yet, my love. I’ll turn again so that I’m lying all over your legs, and can look up and see you. Then I’ll gently tease your legs apart, and kiss the insides of your thighs. I’ll stroke my fingers down your hardness, and over and behind your balls, into that secret place between your legs. My fingers will dance there, and you’ll scream with the joy of it, because you’re beautiful like that. I’ll start rubbing a little, then, and maybe I’ll lick you, wherever I can reach. And you’ll moan, so sweetly-“

And then Pippin couldn’t stand it anymore, eyes closed, lost in the fantasy-someday-reality his Merry had constructed, and softly crying out, he came right there, on the the cot, in his lover’s arms.

Merry held him as tightly as he dared, sprinkling kisses like raindrops everywhere he could reach, while Pippin relaxed back into his arms. Giving a shaky laugh, Pippin turned his head to talk to Merry.

“Merry-mine, if this is what happens when I’m tired and whiny, I may strive to act like a child for the rest of time.” They shared a grin, and Merry pinched lightly, for his impudence. “Sit up for a moment, love, and I’ll go find something to clean you off with.”

Extricating himself, Merry stood by the cot for a little bit, taking in the view before him, and particularly the stain on Pippin’s nightshirt.

“I am good,” Merry declared, and left a laughing-again Pippin in his wake as he went to find a rag and some warm water.

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