Hey, People, This is Mild slash, (kissing ,hugging), if you don't like don't read.

^^^^ indicates a flash back

// Indicates thinking.

Funny Face

//I hate you, Merry! //

That was how it had all ended. A simple disagreement, had been blown out of proportion and had soon found the two young hobbits in a heated quarrel. One that had ended in a shouting match, with Merry finally storming off, and leaving Pippin alone on the grassy bank.

Pippin sat with his chin resting atop his knees, at the base of a large oak tree. The very same one they had, been picnicking under some time ago. The very one they had also..been fighting under...

^^^^^^^^^^^

// "Pippin you have got to be more serious.." Merry's voice echoed in his head.

"Why!...And since when are you the expert on being serious Merry !!" he snapped

You could have been hurt...look please ......I don't want to lose your friendship, Pip..I "

"You can't lose what you don't have Merry!!!" Pippin shouted. "I'm not your friend....I hate you!!

"What !!?" Merry looked as though he'd been slapped.

"I hate you, Merry !!" Pippin, repeated, his eyes flashing. //

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Pippin let a sob take him, wiping his eyes. What had they been fighting about again..?

He couldn't seem to remember. All he knew was that they had both been angry. And as usual he had said some pretty nasty things he was now regretting.

He turned his gaze over to the meadow, where his friend had stalked off, hoping that he may see him coming back. But he knew it was too much to hope for.

He remembered the look of utter amazement on his friends face as he shouted out that foul sentence. He had wished he could take it back, wished he hadn't said it a all, when he saw the hurt in Merry's deep aqua eyes. But most of all he wished he had said something...anything instead of allowing the choking silence that followed to continue until Merry had turned and walked away, with tears in his eyes.

Pippin felt miserable . "I really hurt you didn't I Merry..?" he cried into his sleeve.

After several minutes Pippin pulled himself up from the base of the tree and slowly made his way into the forest.

"Merry..!" he called out "Merry come back....I'm sorry...please come back.!" he search the forest high and low checking all of his friends favorite spots. But Merry was nowhere to be seen.

Pippin sat down just about ready to give up, when he thought of one last place, he was certain Merry would be .

"The field!!" He ran quickly to the nearby fields owned by a human farmer. The farmer was a mean sort, and he and Merry never went without the other , when they borrowed some carrots and other edibles.

"Merry...?... Merry are you here ?...." He whispered pushing though the tall corn stalks. "Merry..? . He hung his head, heavy hearted when he realized that he was just as alone here as he had been in the forest. He flopped down into the dirt, sniffing, and crying softly. He was so upset he failed to notice a large shadow creep up upon him until it blocked the sun around him.

"Huh...?.." He glanced up.

THWAK !!!!!

"Arggh!!" Pippin cried out, as the sharp prongs of a rake smashed deep into the ground next to his head, sending a shower of dirt into his face.

"So stealing from my garden again are you, you little thieve !!" The farmer's loud voice growled.

He glared down at the small hobbit, laying on his back, shaking terrified in the dust.

"Your getting careless halfling " the farmer laughed as tears started to brim Pippin's eyes.

He raised his rake once more intending to bring down upon the hobbits head.

Pippin's eyes widened, he was on his feet in a flash, racing through the garden, as fast as his legs would take him, the farmer in hot pursuit swinging his rake.

He, had almost made it out of the field when he tripped over a pumpkin vine and fell , tangling himself, in a gooseberry net.

"I've got you now !!" the Farmer laughed.

Pippin pulled at the net, but he was only succeeding in getting himself more tangled. The large brass buttons on his coat, had him hopelessly trapped. He let himself sink to the ground, his tears falling, he was trapped...or was he. Pippin look up to see the farmer, standing over him, his rake high in the air. Wriggling with all his might, he pulled out of his coat and vest and jumped back, as the rake came down upon the spot he'd been but a moment ago.

He turned running to the fence.

But the farmer was not about to let him go so easily.

"Get going you thieve !!" he cried swinging his rake up and over.

Pippin let out a squeal of terror as the rake slapped him, and sent him tumbling head over heels down out of the fields, and into a gully below.

The young hobbit didn't wait to see if he was being followed or not. He quickly got to his feet, and fled blindly to the safety of the forest.

"Unng.!!" He cried as he served past tree after tree. His terror had such a grip on him, he failed to notice how far he had run, or which direction.

"Arrggh..!" he cried after jumping over a log only to find he'd run out of land.

The young hobbit was once again sent falling end over end down a muddy river bank and into the cold waters of the river.

"Cough...gah...cugh....help....hel...cough " Pippin cried out choking and sputtering as he attempted to stay a float as best he could. He felt his head go under and in a fit of panic, opened his mouth to yell, sucking in a huge lung full of water.

"Help..cough...cough.." he gurgled.

He was barley conscious when he felt something strong under him lift his body up.

"Huh..cough...unn" he opened heavy eyes realizing that someone was helping him. "Who..?"

He knew it wasn't himself...

He let his eyes wander to the face of his savior.

Mer....Merry...?" He gasped. "How...I thought hobbits couldn't swim..cough.."

"Ey' and that's pretty near true.." Merry panted, as he floundered and splashed ungracefully towards the bank. He knew his technic could be called anything but swimming. Merry chuckled to himself, he could almost hear Legolas tell him that he wasn't swimming, but rather drowning with style.

He felt Pippin relax on his back and lay his chin into the small of his shoulder. Being carful not the knock his friend off he kicked out for the bank. Once there he pulled himself and Pippin up the bank side, dropping in a heap at the foot of a tree.

"Huh...huh...are..huh...y....you...ok...huh...huh. un..un...Pip?" Merry managed to wheeze.

Next to him, the young hobbit was silent.

"Pip..are you ok?.." he asked again, putting a hand on his friends shoulder. "Pippin?"

Pippins eyes were wide as saucers as he stared out over the river. He sniffed loudly hugging himself tightly as he sat shivering in the grass.

"Hey Pippin.." Merry whispered softly, taking a seat beside him. He began to rub his back comfortingly "What's wrong...?"

Pippin let out a small whimper.

Merry, gently pushed back Pippin's curls, his hand stroking down his face. He cupped his fingers around Pippin's chin turning him to meet his own eyes.

He was met with a look of such pitiful sadness, it was all he could do not to come to tears himself.

" Talk to me Pip.." he said.

"OH Merry !!." Pippin cried, burying his head into Meridoc's collar, as his emotions poured out. "I'm sorry...I'm so...sorry.."

"Shhhh...easy Pip." Merry soothed, patting the sobbing head of wet curls on his shoulder. He brought his hand down his back and started up his shoulders when Pippin gave a cry of pain, and pulled back.

"Pippin..?..did I hurt you..?" Merry asked. Looking down at his hand he saw his finger tips flecked with blood.

"Pippin !...your bleeding!.."he gasped. Lightly touching the wound on Pip's shoulder.

"I...went .looking..for..y...you...in...fields. " Pippin sobbed brokenly " The...f...farmer.h..h.hit me..with his rake."

Merry's eyes widened as he listened. "Oh Pippin.."he whispered. pulling him back into a hug. He could feel the small hobbit shivering in his embrace. "You're soaked to the bone" he noted "and..." he brought a finger down Pippin's nose "Covered in mud"

Pippin gave a sad smile.

"Come on, I'll build us a fire." Merry said coaxing Pip to his feet.

***********

Pippin watched as his friend kneeled over the smoking embers, blowing steadily. Soon a plume of flame shot up , and Merry turned to him, giving a thumbs up, before adding more wood and sitting back down beside him.

"...you gotta stay warm.." Merry said as he pulled the blanket up and over their shoulders, wondering what had happened to Pippin's coat and vest.

"Here, let me take a look at your arm." Pippin nodded pulling the blanket back from his shoulder.

// Why are you being so kind to me Merry....I don't deserve you..// he thought sadly.

"Oh Pip,..he got you good.." Merry swore under his breath. "Hold still , I need to clean it up ....it may sting a little ....but. I promise I won't hurt you.

Pippin had to resist the urge to laugh harshly.

// of course you won't hurt me..you've never hurt me...I'm the one who seems to do all the hurting...//

Pippin squeezed his eyes shut tightly, as Merry began to dab the wound clean.

//.... Oh..I don't deserve your friendship.......//

"Merry...?" Pippin asked in a small voice.

"Hmm?" Merry turned to him.

"I'm sorry....." Pippin mumbled.

"I know Pip.....I am too" he whispered, as he looked a the forest floor with a sudden interest.

"I..said...horrible things..." he sobbed. His lip began to quiver, as he continued to cry. Soon he was sobbing so loudly Merry had to stop.

"Pippin...there, there..." Merry patted his arm.

"He scared me.."Pippin blurted out. "I ran...and...fell in..t...the river...I...I...c..c.c.couldn't find you...I was scared Merry..I...thought I was gonna die... I un...sniff..." Pippin buried face back under Merry's collar crying softly.

Merry help him close, letting the young hobbits tears drench his collar once more.

"I was scared too..Pippin," he said. "I thought I might lose you....it.... scared me .."

"Really..?" Pippin asked in a tiny voice.

"Really" Merry, nodded, letting his arms rest around Pippin's slim waist. He leaned close to Pippin's ear and whispered softly.

"Funny Face I love you....Funny Face I need you.....My whole world's wrapped up in you.."

Pippin wiped his eyes looking up into his friends soft eyes. Merry was calling him by an old childhood nickname. It was rather sweet.

"M...Merry..I'm...h...having a bad day..." he sighed.

"Ha ha.." Merry chuckled quietly " I would have to agree.." He tilted Pippins head up kissing the salty sadness from his cheeks. " Funny Face....I love you"

Pippin sighed snuggling down under the blanket in Merry's strong grasp. He felt his heart give a little tug. He was safe once more. Merry was here for him...he always had been.

// You're always beside me Merry, even when the road I walk is all uphill

or when the colours in my rainbow turn blue.//

"Shhh Now Pip...I here..I'm right here" Merry assured him.

// You kiss the tears away, you smile at me and say...//

"Funny Face, Funny Face...I love you.." Merry sang, rocking gently back and forth "Funny Face I love you, Funny Face I need you..."

Pippin let his eyes close as he was swayed back and forth.

// These are the sweetest words I've ever heard //

"Funny face don't leave me....Funny Face believe me..." Merry, brought his lips to Pippins ear "..my whole worlds wrapped up in you."

Pippin Smiled "oh Merry, that was wonderful, you shouldn't have.."

"Shhh" Merry insisted.

"No...I ...I'm sorry...I'm sorry I said......that....that I told you.....that I hated you.." Pippin hung his head. "I sory...Mer..I..sory.." his great distress causing his accent to thicken. "I lub you...Mery....so...sorrryy" he hugged his friends neck, as Merry tried to figure out the garbled message he'd just receive.

His eyes softened after a moment.

"I know you didn't mean it..Pip.."

"Do...do you forgive me...?" Pippin asked looking up at him with wide eyes.

"Of course I do....now come here" Merry scolded softly, holding his arms open, and pulling him back into his embrace.

They sat there quietly, until Pippin spoke "I wish we hadn't had that fight Merry,"

"Hmmm..." merry nodded.

"We lost the whole day...being alone...when we could have been together..."

"Yes...I know.."

"And....we left our Picnic...unfinished" Pippin gave a dramatic sigh.

"Well we can't replace the time we lost, but" Merry grinned getting up he reached behind a nearby tree pulling out a large basket. " We can enjoy the picnic...and each other's company...now"

"Oh Merry, You brought the Basket....why...?"

"I didn't want to stay enemies Pip, I brought the basket with me when I went looking for you." Merry shrugged.

"I. Really am I fool of a Took..." Pippin sighed.

"Sometimes I think we all are...Pip"Merry assured him "Now shall we dine.."

Pippin nodded watching as Merry laid out the cloth and sat the various items out for them.

// oh Merry I love you so much...Your so kind even when I hurt your feelings as I sometimes do...an I say those mean things that we know are not true. //

"Come on Pip," Merry, laughed sitting next to him, and handing him a plate.

Pippin looked up into those gentle aqua eyes, and saw no trace of hurt there only happiness.

"Thank you Merry" he whispered.

// Thank you for being my friend. You forgive my childish way...you hold me close and say //

Funny Face....Funny Face....I love you" Merry said kissing Pippin's nose.

Pippin took his plate sighing in contentment, as he looked up at the stars in the dark sky. He was with the one he loved, and they were both together again.

He turned and smiled at Merry, saying his goodnight before creeping under the blanket covers for the night. It was amazing how a few words could mean so much, his to Merry, and Merry's to him. He smiled as those few simple words came back to him in his dreams.

"Funny Face......I love you"

End....