The Unlikely Ones
Chapter Five: Run Away
a Lord of the Rings fanfiction
by Van Donovan
joy@crackerboxpalace.com

Merry awoke expecting to have an arm casually thrown about his young lover and was both disappointed and surprised to find he was alone. Frodo had apparently woken up in the dead of the night and slipped out. It was for the better, because it would have been very bad for his parents to have come to wake them up and seen the two of them curled into each other with Merry half naked and Frodo fully, but Merry couldn't help but feel a little a little abandoned after being left unfulfilled himself last night and alone this morning. He reminded himself that Frodo was just a lad who needed guidance, but he still felt a bit hurt. He changed into clean clothes and gathered the last of his things into his pack as he headed out of Frodo's bedroom for the last time. Sam was in the kitchen making breakfast and Frodo was sitting at the table looking quite bleary eyed. It was just after sunup and the rest of the family was still sleeping.
Frodo brightened seeing Merry and gave him an impish grin which Merry tried to ignore lest Sam seem them making eyes at each other. He sat down and was fed a hearty good traveling breakfast while he listened to Sam tell Frodo exactly what was expected of him while he was away. The sorts of things he could and couldn't do and who he should be with and who not. Merry chuckled for most of Sam's warnings were ungrounded. Still, it was over before he was ready and Sam was seeing them out the door. The sky was molten grey and dark but no rain yet fell and he was glad for that. He thanked Sam again and the pair of them hoisted heavy packs on their backs and with a final wave at the foot of the path to Bag End they turned and set off down Bagshot Row in the direction of the Bucklands.
They walked in silence until the most of Hobbiton was behind them and they had little hope of being seen or heard before spotting someone approach. Merry felt light hearted despite his doubts of the morning and the lead sky above. Frodo chattering about birds and plants and the sorts of vegetables he was going to grow in the gardens of the Brandyhall and Merry privately wondered how he could be so happy in the morning. Around noon it began to drizzle ere they reached Bywater and they were informed that the pony Merry was expecting to ride the rest of the way back to Buckland had been moved to Frogmorton. Frodo waited outside in the rain while Merry had a fit with Old Man Codger who had been in charge of the pony. In the end Merry took Codger's pony, who was a frisky mare that did not like a new rider, and told him he could come get her when he returned to Frogmorton on his next visit.
So after lunch at an inn and drying their feet a little Merry put Frodo up on the pony before him them clamoured on behind him and they ambled on along the Great East Road. The pony did not like having double riders, nor did she like having to trot through the mud in the cold, but Merry, who was larger than any other hobbit she had ever borne, did a good job of keeping her in line. They made good time, stopping only one for a leg stretch and a bit to eat, but it was still sundown by the time they reached Frogmorton. Merry was glad to get rid of the mare and find his own pony. They were checked into one of the nicer rooms in the Black Kettle Inn, for Merry was well known and loved in these parts as the Master of Buckland. Most people enjoyed seeing Frodo and hearing tales of Hobbiton and the Gamgee's.
They ate dinner in the bar and retired early, both cold and wet from the rain and tired from the traveling. Frodo peeled off his cloak and shirt and dropped his pack on the floor with a thud and flung himself on the bed with a moan. "I'm so exhausted," he muttered, his voice muffled by the sheets. Merry smiled wearily at him on the bed and took off his own cloak and shirt and ran his hands through his hair but in a slower more calm method. He set his pack against the bed board and walked to the side of the bed, sitting on the edge and reaching a hand out to tousle Frodo's wet locks.
"What time did you sneak out last night?" He inquired, feeling safe enough to talk about 'them' the first since leaving Frodo's bedroom this morning.
"It was still dark," he muttered in response, "but dad got up not long after, so I just stayed up." He forced himself to his hands and rolled onto his side so he could see Merry's face. "I didn't mean to fall asleep like that."
Merry gave him a soft smile, for he was too tired to really care about how he had felt last night. "It's all right Frodo, I was tired too." He stifled a yawn, looking about the room blearily, then back to Frodo. "Just don't make a habit of it?"
Frodo chuckled and nodded, then pulled himself to his feet and crossed to his pack, righting it and rummaging through it. "If my pants are wet I'm gonna be really unhappy."
"What, not interested in sleeping in the nude again?" Merry teased.
Frodo gave him a sly smile back. "If you treat me the way you did last night tonight you'll have to carry me into Buckland, because I won't be getting out of that bed."
Merry laughed and got up to get a pair of dry pants out of his own pack. "I thought you young ones were supposed to have all the stamina."
"We do," he said simply, pulling out a dry pair of breeches with a grateful sigh, "but after an emotional ride like that, then having something akin to sex, not sleeping and then being dragged across the countryside on a finicky pony in the pouring rain with only soggy biscuits and peppered meat to eat I'm about at my wits end." He began to change. Merry laughed.
"My, my, well if I recall correctly it was you who wanted to come along."
Frodo tossed his wet pants aside and pulled on the dry ones. "I do want to come, but I also want to be alive enough to enjoy it."
Merry changed as well and couldn't argue much himself. He blew out the lanterns that were burning about and crossed to the bed where Frodo now sat. "Well I can't object to that." He bent to kiss Frodo's brow. "Let's get some rest then. Buckland is still a day away, and we'll have to ride harder tomorrow if we want to reach Brandyhall by nightfall." Frodo answered him with a groan, then scooted back on the bed and crawled under the covers. Merry wasn't far behind and they snuggled into each other and were asleep almost instantly.

Frodo didn't understand how Merry could wake up at dawn without a parents rousing him but nonetheless he had and was now gently shaking him awake as well. Frodo got up, dressed and on the pony before ever really awaking up. He felt Merry's arms around his middle as the hobbit held the reins before them and he smelt him but it wasn't until the sun was quite overhead about ten in the morning, that he really woke up. Merry stopped so they could break their fast and the stretching and food Frodo did helped clear his mind.
"Glad it's not raining today," he said as he took a swig from their water supply.
Merry faced the sun and nodded, enjoying the warmth. "Yes, but it is still cold." He looked to Frodo and sighed. "We should get moving on again, no time to dally."
Frodo groaned but obeyed, clamouring back onto the pony's back with Merry's help. "I'm so sore from riding," he lamented, rubbing his legs. "My whole back side aches."
Merry just chuckled and took one hand from the reins, holding them in his right hand, and put his left hand on Frodo's thigh. "I promise you a nice long massage when we get to Brandyhall," he said into Frodo's ear.
The Great East Road was fairly empty of travelers and past Frogmorton there were not too many large towns until. Once they reached the Brandywine Merry would worry about being seen as they traveled but for now he was content to let Frodo nest in his arms and steal light kisses from him as he dozed. They broke for lunch around two in the afternoon, dining on cold biscuits, ham, fruit and carrots. Frodo was quite resistant to getting back onto the pony when they were done. "Can't we camp here tonight and go the rest of the way in the morning? My legs are about to fall off."
Merry shook his head, laughing. "I suppose we're just lucky we're not walking, for all the complaining you do."
"Walking I can handle," he protested, rubbing his legs where he sat, looking up at Merry. "It's all this bouncing around with my legs straddled about a big ol' fat barrel that's doing me in."
"I wish I could say yes, Frodo," Merry said, walking over to him and sitting beside him, "but we don't even have enough food for dinner as it is. We're over half way there by now. So, just deal with it all a little longer, and we can sleep in my bed tonight and have a long soak in the tub in the morning."
Frodo leaned forward and flung his arms about Merry's neck, burying his face against the curve of his neck. Merry blinked but held him back. "I don't mean to complain so much Merry," he said softly. "I'm just a brat, I suppose."
Merry pulled back and looked at the boy in his arms with a soft smile. "You're not a brat, Frodo," he said, then kissed him lightly. He pulled back, aware that Frodo was about to pull the kiss into something deeper and as much as rolling on the grass with him was appealing, he really did want to get home. "Come on, get up." With a groan Frodo finally did and soon they were ambling along down the road again.
They traveled well for the rest of the day, Merry coaxing yet more speed from the pony as he began to see landmarks he recognized. By the time Frodo was complaining of hunger they had come to the Brandywine River. Here they crossed as the sun grew ever lower in the sky and Merry's hands held to the reins instead of resting on Frodo's leg. He was half tempted to get off the pony and walk beside the boy, to keep up appearances, but he was very tired and didn't want to lose time by walking. If anyone asked about Frodo he'd just tell them that they were pressed for time. He was the mayor here after all.
They arrived at the Buckland Gate and were admitted without a problem. He was given several fond 'hullos' by those who recognized him. Man who saw him and would normally give a greeting held their tongues for they knew of his recent loss and being to cheerful now seemed somehow cold. He kept his face expressionless as they rode on, not wanting to give away his joy to be home with Frodo. There was no mistake he missed and loved Estella and always would, but he loved Buckland too, and returning home to an empty house never had appealed to him. With Frodo, he wouldn't be alone anymore.
The time seemed to pick up now that he knew right where he was. The sun set before they got to Crickhollow but Merry pressed on. He had his own place there for when he wanted to travel or get out of Brandyhall, but he didn't want to stop there tonight. By the time Frodo was lamenting his desire for food the familiar dome of the Brandy Hill was coming into view. "Look Frodo, we're here," he said with a point towards the grassy knoll wherein was carved a very large and expensive looking hole. It was at least as big as Bag End, and considerably more fancy. The Brandybuck line had always been the masters of Buck Land, and Merry was no exception. Being the current master meant the hole was for him, single or not.
He pulled the pony to a halt outside the gates and leapt nimbly off. Frodo climbed down after him and soon they were leading the pony back to his stall. "This place is huge Merry!" Frodo exclaimed as he followed, looking around in amazement.
Merry just nodded and chuckled rubbing down the pony and feeding him oats and meal and plenty of water. "It's very nice for parties," he said and looked to Frodo who was busy eyeing the wood workings on the fence, "but it gets pretty lonely." He locked the gate with the pony and moved to Frodo. The younger hobbit finally looked up as Merry came closer, his eyes glittering in the moonlight.
"I'm so glad you didn't have to come back here alone," he said studying Merry's face with a gentle expression, "I mean, even if it wasn't me that you came back with. I'm just glad to know you won't be alone anymore."
Merry took his hand and kissed his fingers. "So am I."

They relaxed inside for a long time, both of them working to make dinner and taking a lot of joy out of feeding each other samples while it cooked. When they had finished they curled up together on the couch in front of the fireplace to eat. They talked very little, merely enjoying one another’s presence. After dinner Merry showed him around the hole a little. There were simply too many rooms and parlors to complete and see all in one night, but he covered most of it before leading him to his bedroom.
Merry's bedroom was not the largest of the bedrooms in the hole, but it was still larger than the room Sam and Rose shared back in Bag End. A full human King sized four-poster bed with a canopy stood in the middle of the room, dressed in fine navy blue and white spread, a present from the King of Elessar. The mattress came to Frodo's chest and there was a foot stool on the right side to get into it. Several paintings adored the walls, set in curved frames to accommodate the angle of the walls. A large fireplace was to the left with two plush chairs and a small love sofa before it, and a shaggy rug. The floor itself was just hard packed dirt, but swept clean until it did not track. There was a shelf of books on the other wall and a large round door leading into an adjoining bath room and closet.
Merry entered, loosening his belt as he did. He unbuttoned the sleeves to his shirt and turned around seeing Frodo still standing in the doorway. "What's this? Timid all of the sudden?" He smiled and walked back over to the lad. Frodo was regarding him with what seemed like apprehension. Merry's face turned serious at the expression Frodo gave him, and he was concerned. "What is it Frodo?"
"I," he began, his eyes darting around the room again. The bedspread had fancy pillows done with white lace that was obviously painstakingly hand-embroidered. There was a dresser against the wall he stood by baring a set of combs, brushes and what seemed like several little glass vials of perfume. One either side of the bed were two nightstands; one held a book, quill and inkwell; the one on the right side had an unfinished cross-stitching loom on it with half a set of garden flowers worked into it. Next to the loom was a silver figurine of a horse and two riders and beside that was the thing that brought it all home for him: a large painted portrait of Merry and Estella on their wedding day. "I don't know if I can do this," he whispered.
Merry crossed to him and enveloped him in his arms, a hand reaching to stroke the back of his head. The little things around that were Estella's had become second-nature to him, and in some ways they brought him both sadness and joy, but he could see now how Frodo would feel, coming into the bedroom that had been shared by Merry and his wife for ten years. The boy had fantasized about moving in with Merry and becoming something permanent in his life, but in those fantasies he had never taken into account the presence that Estella would have on them.
There was no doubt in his mind that Frodo and he would have to come to terms with their relationship and his own prior relationship with Estella. Frodo was a boy. He was only twenty-two and that was practically still a baby. In some parts of the Shire it was even illegal for someone over thirty-three to have sexual relations with someone under age, and where it was legal it was generally looked down upon unless the ages were relatively close. As he nuzzled Frodo's neck he was surprised at the way his own emotions had grown for him. Two weeks ago he would have never given Frodo the time of day in a sexual or romantic sense, and now he was murmuring into his ear how everything would be all right.
It would prove difficult in the future to deal with in some regards, because there were many things that needed to be dealt with to bury his ghosts. "Maybe we should sleep in another room tonight, then?" he whispered softly and felt his breath cut in his throat as Frodo nodded. Apparently sleeping on Estella's side of the bed was just too much for him to handle right now, and Merry understood. "It's all right, Frodo." He said and the two of them went down the hall to the first guestroom. It was moderately sized with a bed that would comfortably sleep two, a nightstand and a small desk by the window. Merry led Frodo to the bed and let him sit while he went to get their packs from where he'd stored them in the hall.
When he returned Frodo was rubbing his eyes, looking incredibly tired. "I'm sorry about that, Merry. It's just . . . I mean, I knew Estella. She was always so nice when she came to visit us, always making cookies and treats." His hands ran over the quilt as he remembered. "The little ones always really loved her. I was always covered in mud from the gardens and she'd never give me as big of hugs as the others for fear I'd get her dirty I think." Merry laughed at the truth, but it was light. Frodo's eyes found Merry's face and he studied him from where he sat. "You always came together, and stayed together, but I never really thought you were together. Not like mom and dad. Aunt Estella seemed so . . . stuffy. You'd always come and play in the dirt with me and Merry and Pip while she would stand in the kitchen and watch us from the window. She was always the first to fuss over us tracking mud into the house, too." He leaned back, supporting himself with his hands as he thought. "I liked her well enough, because she was great when I was clean, but I never liked her as much as I liked you."
Merry snorted at the comment. "That much is obvious." He set their packs down by the bed, not willing to unpack them tonight, for he planned to be sleeping in his own bed tomorrow. "Estella was always a little well-to-do. I mean, her family wasn't very wealthy but when you marry the Master of Buckland you learn to do nicely. She'd always wanted to be higher class than she was, and becoming my wife gave her such an excuse. She executed it wonderfully and was quite the hostess in her days." He smiled ruefully as he pictured her in his head in a frilly sky-blue gown with her hair done up in a canopy of curls. "I always enjoyed her company, but she never was too fond of children." He shrugged as he thought back. "We both figured we'd have time to have kids later, and we got enough of the taste of what they'd be like with your family. Estella was ever so fond of parties and dancing and she didn't want to have to suspend her social life to take care of babies.
"I guess it's too late, now," he said and moved to sit beside Frodo on the bed. It was almost like a father-son conversation, for there was no doubt that Frodo could be Merry's son, as their age difference was easily big enough to accommodate that. Merry looked to Frodo for a moment, his eyes seeking out the depths of the boys. "You're not a replacement for my wife, Frodo," he said his tone light but serious. "I'm not agreeing to, to . . . well us because I'm so lonely I can't stand it. If I just wanted physical comfort, there are a million women out there who would land me in a lot less trouble if I was found out to be seeing them than you." He turned in his seat to face Frodo easier and searched his face as if looking for the right words.
"I'm not 'over' Estella. I may never be," he shrugged, "she was my wife and I did and do love her. I think you know that." Frodo nodded faintly, listening and looking back at Merry. Merry relaxed a little and continued. "I'm not sure how or why you . . . fell for me. I know I never encouraged such a thing, but the fact is you did, and through your kindness, openness and overall stubbornness," he smiled jokingly, "you've snagged a little bit of my heart. I'm willing to try to be more to you than just an uncle or a friend, or even someone to have sex with. I'm willing to try and let that little bit of heart grow into a whole lot. I can't quite explain why but I am.
"That means loving you and being loved, and with that it means coming to term with my past and your future." He raised a hand to stroke Frodo's fair cheek. "There will be hard times I'm sure, for both of us. The least of our problems will be hand-made pillows and fond memories of my wife." Frodo smiled a little, showing his bright teeth. "So if I can put my fears aside about her, do you think you can too? Sleeping in the bed she and I shared for so long will be strange no doubt, but it's just a bed." His fingers brushed over Frodo's fine jaw line. "We'll sleep here tonight, but tomorrow I expect you to come to terms with Estella as I have, and join me in my bed in my bedroom. Can you do that?"
Frodo swallowed hard and nodded, too full of emotions to actually answer him. Merry nodded back and smiled, cupping Frodo's chin in his hand and kissing him lightly. "Now, if either of us expects to get any work done tomorrow, we should get to sleep."
That helped Frodo get his voice back and he nodded. "No need to tell me that twice." With that he pulled the covers back on the bed and crawled under. Merry followed suit, and the two of them snuggled into each other and were swiftly carried off to sleep.