Author’s Note: I wrote this very brief scribble for a fantastic community made specifically for fluffy hobbit tales (link in my bio), and thought I may as well put it up here (mainly because it has an awesome title I wanted to see in my bio). ;-) It’s short and sweet and simple, and I hope you enjoy. By the way—Merry has one line in here that has caused some slight debate… there’s an explanation at Hobbit Fluff if anyone really wants it. Hopefully it won’t bother anyone… it was not my intention to bother! ;-) Ta for now. –Minty

Disclaimer: J.R.R. Tolkien provides the basis for this vignette, the characters and premise belong to him, and of course I am making no benefit off of it save the fun I had writing it and the (hopefully) nice and/or helpful reviews I receive. Also, one line towards the end of it was yoinked from the song “Sorry-Grateful” in Stephen Sondheim’s Company and re-worded to fit my story. Cookie to anyone who gets the line. ^_^

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The Confounding Paradox We All Call Marriage

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Merry leaned over to Estella. “Now I know how my father feels,” he said softly.

“What?” She turned to him, raising an eyebrow.

“When we got married,” he said seriously, keeping his eyes trained forward, “he came to me beforehand, looking very sad. I asked him why he looked the way he did, and he said ‘Well, lad, you’re getting married.’” He chuckled a little. “Didn’t make sense to me then. Why should he be upset on the happiest day of my life?” He turned to her, smiling his characteristic smile. “But now I understand, of course. He was losing me. He was no longer the most important person, or one of the two, in his son’s life. And yet I was still one of the most important people in his.”

She smiled back at him, leaning against him. “So what made you understand that all of a sudden?” she asked, keeping her voice low.

He put his arm around her. “Because I feel the very same way.” He and Estella looked ahead as Pippin kissed Diamond North-took, now Took, gently and tentatively, much to delight of everyone watching. Merry nodded. “There you have it,” he said. “I just lost the most wonderful person I think I will ever know.”

She grinned and ran a finger down his nose as everyone around them broke into cheery applause. “Silly Merry,” she said with a laugh. “You haven’t lost anything. He’ll always be the same Pippin you’ve had, just with an addition in his life.”

He nodded a little. “All right,” he said. “But even so I’ll miss him.”

Estella leaned up to him and kissed his cheek gently. Pippin and Diamond made their way into the group of excited, congratulatory friends and family members, but as Diamond embraced her weeping mother, Pippin’s eyes moved elsewhere. Alighting on the far corner of the room, he whispered something to his new wife and moved through the hobbits over to where Merry and Estella sat.

Estella saw his approach and stood. “If you’ll excuse me,” she said with a wink, “I’m off to greet the bride.” Merry stood, and Pippin came forward as Estella stepped past, glancing back with a satisfied smile on her face.

Merry gazed at Pippin for a while. Pippin looked much older—frighteningly so, almost. He was dressed in his Gondor finery for the occasion, and he stood taller than Merry remembered him being. Tears were in his eyes, but the same old grin lit his features.

“Well what’s this, then?” he demanded playfully. “Not ever planning to congratulate me, were you?”

“Pip…” Merry shrugged. “There’s nothing to be said.” He smiled in a melancholy way. “You’re so much older. I’m going to miss you.”

“Miss me? Where am I going?” Pippin looked genuinely confused.

Merry laughed and came forward, putting a hand on his cousin’s shoulder. “Nowhere, nowhere. It’s just… things will never really be the same.”

“Merry, Merry,” Pippin chided, shaking his head. “What are you saying? Of course things will be the same! Just different.”

Merry said nothing. He looked at Pippin for a long moment, considering this, then he nodded slightly and leaned forward to embrace him and kiss his brow. Pippin was almost surprised by the affectionate gesture, but he put his arms around his friend and returned it in his true and gentle way.

Diamond appeared at his side then, smiling up at the pair. “Stealing my husband, are you Master Brandybuck?” she said slyly.

“Heavens, no, take him!” said Merry with a laugh, turning Pippin aside. “And for goodness’ sake, call me Merry, lass! We’re literally family now.” He paused, then added, “On one condition.”

“Very well then,” she laughed. “And this condition is?”

He tapped her shoulder and pointed to Pippin. “You take care of him,” he said with mock-seriousness.

“Of course,” she said, bowing her head.

“Good,” said Merry. “I expect no less.” Nothing was said for a moment, then Pippin laughed aloud suddenly.

“What?” asked Merry, looking bewildered.

“I just realized,” said Pippin, “that you’re feeling the same way I felt two years ago when you married Estella. Aren’t you?” He cocked his head endearingly.

Merry stared at Pippin in surprise for a moment, then gradually broke back into a smile. “Yes,” he said. “Yes, I suppose I am.”

“Right,” said Pippin. “Then we’ve nothing to worry about. It’s all different somehow, but nothing’s really changed when you get down to it. It’s all the way it was… just rearranged slightly.”

Merry smiled warmly and nodded with a look of deep understanding. “Right,” he said.

~*~*~*~

Fin