Pippin clapped his hands over his mouth to stifle a giggle. "The ruffles are really you, Frodo," he said gleefully. Frodo managed to get the pink frilly fabric out of his way long enough to glare, which only made Pippin giggle harder. Sam glanced briefly up from his tape measure, then looked back down.

"It's on your account Mr. Frodo's doin' this. Shouldn't mock the kindness that's doin' you a favour."
Pippin frowned comically at the rebuke and Frodo, still unable to speak through the ruffled collar, patted Sam's blond head. Sam blushed.

"How come Mr. Merry's not with you?" Sam asked.

"Well, I needed someone I could trust to keep Pervinca occupied, so I asked Merry, and - "

"You wanted someone trustworthy? And you asked Merry?" This came from Frodo, who had finally managed to wrestle down the frilly pink collar of the dress he had somehow been roped into wearing.

Pippin frowned. "Merry would never let me down. If anyone can keep Pervinca away, it's him."

"He's got a point there, Mr. Frodo," Sam said through the pins in his mouth.

"Yes, I suppose he does," Frodo answered dryly. "When is Pervinca's birthday, anyway?"

"Next week, which is why I'm in such a hurry to make this dress for her - "

"Who's makin' what for who?" Sam interjected.
"Well, you know I can't sew, that's women's work! Er...sorry, Sam."

"The least you could do is wear this thing yourself, Pip," Frodo said.

"But Pervinca's taller than me!" Pippin whined. "Besides, you've got her delicate little figure."

Pippin danced backwards just quickly enough to avoid being skewered by a straight pin that Frodo had pulled from the sleeve of the dress. The sleeve promptly fell down around his wrist.

"It's easier makin' these when the clothes don't move, if you take my meanin'." Sam grumbled.

"I'm sorry, Sam," Frodo said.

"We'll be good," added Pippin as Sam pinned the sleeve back in place.

The two hobbits managed to keep their truce, and one silent hour later the dress was nearly finished and ready to be stitched together. It was lovely: pale white satin, gathered at the waist with a filmy pink sash and accented at the hem, collar, and sleeves with matching pink ruffles that looked horrible with Frodo's dark hair, but would be lovely with Pervinca's blonde curls. When Sam finally stepped back to admire the nearly-finished product, PIppin was bouncing with happiness.

"It's perfect, she'll love it!"

Frodo had to admit that it was an exceptionally lovely dress, and privately wondered where Sam had gotten such a talent for making women's clothing. His musing was cut short, however, by a loud crash somewhere in the vicinity of the front door. Seconds later, a very out-of-breath Merry Brandybuck came barrelling into Frodo's bedroom.

"She's coming," he panted.

"What? Who's coming?" Pippin asked.

"Pervinca! Coming here. Got away from me somehow. Sorry, Pip," Merry said, and collapsed in a winded heap at his cousin's feet.

But Pippin was beaming. "Got away from you, did she? She's really a Took, that girl."

"Yes, well, pride in your dubious heritage aside, your sister is going to spoil her own surprise if we don't get out of here," Frodo said. "Merry, how far behind you was she?"

"I don't know...she had a head start, but I know a few short cuts. She's just a girl, she couldn't be that fast - "

"Frodo?" Pervinca's voice carried in from the parlor. "Frodo, are you in here? What's going on?"

"Merry, did you leave the door open?" Frodo hissed. A quiet "oops" drifted up from somewhere near his feet.
Footsteps sounded in the front of the house. Frodo leapt off the chair he'd been standing on, being careful not to trip on the dress. He grabbed Merry and Pippin by the hand.

"Quick, you two, out the back door," he whispered. "And Sam, get me out of this dress!" Sam blushed.

Merry and Pippin tiptoed qucikly down the back hallway. Sam stood, blinking at Frodo, who was already struggling with the dress.

"Nevermind," Frodo whispered. "I'll get me out of this dress. You close the door and find my robe."

Sam ran to the closet, shutting the door on his way. When he turned around, Frodo was waiting, in his underthings, the dress laid out on the bed.

"Uhhhh..." Sam stood blinking again, then remembered the robe in his hand and held it out to Frodo. "Here."

"Thank you, Sam." Frodo managed to tie himself into the robe just in time for the door to his bedroom to fly open for the second time.

"Frodo, I - oh!" Pervinca stopped in the doorway. "I..err.." The young hobittess cleared her throat. "Well, I knew Merry and Pippin were trying to hide something from me, but.." She winked at Frodo. Frodo looked inquisitively at her.

"I'm afraid I don't quite..." He took in Pervinca's wink, then glanced down at his robe and over at Sam, who had just come up beside him. "Oh. Well. It's, um, not what you must think..."

"Oh, don't worry. I won't tell a soul. Your secret is safe with me. Now I'll just...leave you two alone, shall I?" With a little smile, Pervinca turned and left.

When they heard the front door close, both hobbitts sighed. "That was close," Frodo sighed. "Still, I don't see how she managed to miss the - Sam, where's the dress? He gestured towards the empty bed.

"I managed to get it into the closet while you were gettin' into your robe."

"Good thinking, Sam. Whatever would I do without you?"

"Probably not have your poor bedroom over-run by Tooks and Brandybucks, Mr. Frodo."

Frodo smiled. "Appointing yourself keeper of my bedroom are you, Sam?"

Sam blushed.