hobbit fic: Enough

[auntiemeesh]

This is a little (very little) sequel to Plans and Sailing Down the River Alone, set a few years later. It features Pippin and Faramir. Betaed by dreamflower02.

Enough

It had been one of those perfect autumn days, with the sky a cloudless blue and the light so clear and golden it almost hurt to see it shining through red, orange and yellow leaves. The air smelled of apples and sun-warmed hay; it was harvest time in the Tooklands.

Now the sun was low on the horizon, the light filtering through the leaves to gild the fields, and Pippin stood at his window, listening to the squealing laughter of his small son. Faramir was outside, playing in the leaves under the close supervision of his nursemaid, Hazel. A brisk, cool breeze stirred the leaves before finding its way through the cracks in the window and Pippin shivered. They should come in before Mir took a chill, he thought, and almost called out to them. He hesitated though, as he took in the sight of his son, wide eyes and flushed cheeks, lips parted in delight as he jumped into one of the many piles of crisp leaves, scattering them with flailing arms and legs. Giving one look at the pile of work sitting on his desk, Pippin opened the window as wide as it would go and slipped through, sneaking up behind Mir. He shot a look at Hazel, warning her to keep quiet, and grabbed his son with a fierce growl. Lifting the little lad up, he swung him into the air before dropping him into the largest leaf pile. Mir shrieked and giggled and cried, "Again, Papa, again!"

With no concern for the lateness of the day, the chill in the air, or the work that needed to be done, Pippin scowled down at the giggling child. "Papa!? I'm not your papa, I'm a troll and I'm going to eat you up!" With another roar, this one mingled with laughter he couldn't contain, he swooped in and scooped Mir up again, loudly debating the best way to cook and eat a small hobbit lad.

Pippin had had a plan once. It had been a very pretty plan, he and Diamond living out their lives together, raising a large family of little ones and growing old in each other's arms. That plan had died a painful death a little over three years ago and Pippin had mourned the loss of both his wife and their plan with all the passion in his soul. Today, though, this bright, perfect autumn day, Pippin didn't mourn. He looked at his son, leaves caught in tangled curls, dirt smeared over his face, a small tear at the knee of his breeches, and was breathless with gratitude for having this: this moment, this life that let him hold his beautiful lad in his arms. It was enough.

Comments

[shirebound]

That's a lovely scene, and it brings back very happy memories of jumping into leaf piles.

[auntiemeesh.livejournal.com]

Thanks. It was inspired by the absolutely beautiful fall weather here this weekend. :)

[lily-the-hobbit.livejournal.com]

That was beautiful! How I would love to jump into the leafs now myself.

Having not read the other stories of your I didn't know that Diamond was dead. How very sad.... :(
I think I have to read the others one day.

[auntiemeesh.livejournal.com]

They're not necessary to the understanding of this one, but they do explain what happened to Diamond and how Pippin coped with her death. I'm glad you liked this one, though. :)

[slightlytookish]

Aww, so sweet. Pippin is a great father :)

[auntiemeesh.livejournal.com]

Thanks, I'm glad you liked it. :D

[topaztook.livejournal.com]

Lovely; I can smell the fall chill in the air from your beautiful description of the day and the weather.

[auntiemeesh.livejournal.com]

Thanks. That was what inspired me to actually write hobbit fic. I was out walking and just amazed by the beauty of the day and had to find a way to share it. :)

[lindelea1.livejournal.com]

Lovely; sweet, and bittersweet.

[auntiemeesh.livejournal.com]

Thanks, glad you liked it. :)

[periantari.livejournal.com]

He looked at his son, leaves caught in tangled curls, dirt smeared over his face, a small tear at the knee of his breeches, and was breathless with gratitude for having this: this moment, this life that let him hold his beautiful lad in his arms. It was enough.
Such a sweet scene between father and son...and you captured it amazingly with your description.
Very nice--i liked this a lot (as did i love the other prequel to this. :)

[auntiemeesh.livejournal.com]

Glad you liked it, dear. I'm so rarely in the mood to write hobbit fic anymore that I was a little surprised when this one came upon me out of the blue, but there it was and needed to be written. :)