'Pippin, quick!'

Pippin hurried forward on silent feet at his cousin's call. He joined Merry at the man's side, whose chest was rising and falling steadily in sleep.

'Merry, I'm hungry!' Pippin whimpered.

'I know Pip, I know. That's why we're here. Where does he keep it?' Merry soothed.

'He's always reaching into his coat for it, so there, I guess,' Pippin replied. Their voices were no louder than the breeze that blew gently around them as they stood hunched over Boromir's unconscious form. The swiftly flowing Anduin river helped to drown their voices and hide them from prying ears.

'Right then. You get it, Pip. You're the one who wants it. I'll keep watch. '

'Merry, please! They're all sleeping like babies! No one's going to wake up. '

To demonstrate Pippin's point, Sam rolled over nearby and settled again, murmuring something unintelligible.

'I think you're scared, ' Pippin continued, a sly grin on his face.

'Am not!' Merry's look of outrage was just precious; Pippin smiled even wider.

'Really, Merry? Then prove it.'

Merry crossed his arms. He would not give in to Pippin's wiles; he was still a tween, whereas Merry was a responsible hobbit of 37 years... oh, who was he kidding? He couldn't let Pippin think him a wuss, a wet blanket... Merry's pride won out and he unfolded his arms and stuck his chin out.

'Alright, fine,' he said in as commanding a voice as possible when you're whispering. Pippin's smug grin slipped just a fraction, but it was soon back in place.

'Alright, fine, ' he echoed his older cousin, and stepped back, folding his arms. 'Bet you can't do it.'

Merry raised an eyebrow. 'We'll see about that,' he said confidently.

As he leant over Boromir, the man snuffled. Merry nearly lost it then - that the gruff and burly man of Gondor made such... well, cute noises - Merry nearly started laughing right then but he managed to control himself and got back to the task at hand.

Ever so carefully he lifted Boromir's coat away from the man's body, and gently felt around for the pocket. That located, he reached in and found what he was looking for. His hand closed around it and he drew it out with painstaking care. He turned to Pippin and held out the precious package.

'There you go, Pip. That's how an expert goes about it!'

Only then did he notice the hand Pippin had extended to take the parcel was clenched around his wrist and his eyes were huge with fright.

Merry felt a heavy hand land on his shoulder and suddenly he was flat on his back, winded.

'Got you,' a deep voice from above said.

Pippin began stuttering and spluttering incoherently.

Boromir's face appeared in Merry's line of vision, blocking out the glittering stars that glimmered in the inky sky above them, stunned on the floor as he was.

'So, trying to steal my Lembas bread, were you?' Merry was more shocked than before, now he knew who it was. Boromir was always stamping and galumphing about, making nearly as much noise as Gimli. Who knew Men of the South could move so swiftly - or silently?

'How did you catch us?' he asked in amazement. 'We were silent as the grave!'

'Indeed you were. I must admit to being impressed with your sneaking skills. Unfortunately you are not so skilled in subtlety. '

Boromir received blank looks from the two hobbits in front of him.

He sighed.

'I share a boat with you two all day every day. I've heard you plotting and planning, whispering between yourselves and watching me whenever I eat! Then this evening when Frodo told us all the delightful tale of your many visits to a certain farm, I decided it would be... prudent, to say the least, to keep an eye on my things...'

'But Boromir...' Pippin began, 'I'm so hungry!'

The man looked at him in surprise.

'Really? We only ate a while ago...'

When Pippin continued to look at him sorrowfully, he sighed and looked at the parcel of Lembas bread still clutched in Pippin's hand.

'Keep it, little one. I'm satisfied for tonight, so you can have it. But next time I'd appreciate if you asked rather than kept me awake! Now if you don't mind, I would like to get some sleep tonight!'

He ruffled both Merry and Pippin's hair good-naturedly then returned to his sleeping space and rolled over. Merry heard him muttering something like 'hobbits' and 'eating' and 'astounding'. Merry grinned at Pippin.

'Well Pip, looks like it wasn't such a failed attempt after all. Let's eat! '

Written for a challenge on LotR Fanfiction with the prompt: a Failed Attempt. I hope you liked it!

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DISCLAIMER: I own nothing. It all belongs to Tolkien.