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“…and then he left Fatty and I standing there with the tab! Can you believe it?” Merry asked, pacing about Frodo’s study. He stopped and looked towards Frodo, hunched over and scribbling away at his desk.
“Oh dear,” Frodo replied, not turning to meet Merry.
“Oh dear, indeed!” Merry exclaimed. “And now he has the nerve to invite himself to our outing to The Golden Perch later this week!”
“Oh dear,” Frodo said.
“Yes, exactly! Well, if he thinks he can simply saunter in and drink himself silly into a stupor without paying his fair share, hah! He has another thing coming!” Merry said, crossing his arms to mark his finality on the ‘freeloading hobbit’ issue. It felt so good to finally get it off his chest, and he counted his lucky stars for having such a thoughtful and understanding cousin like Frodo.
“Oh dear,” Frodo said, still hunched over his work.
Merry blinked. “Frodo?”
“Yes?”
“Have you listened to any words I’ve been saying?”
Frodo straightened and turned around. “Of course I have! You were just recounting your pleasant trip to Hobbiton,” he answered, sounding triumphant in his abilities to keep up with Merry’s stories.
“That was an hour ago,” Merry replied flatly.
“Ah.”
Merry narrowed his eyes and walked up to the desk. “And what exactly has kept my dear cousin distracted, I wonder,” Merry asked, and before Frodo had time to react, he snatched the parchment that was apparently more important than his visiting cousin.
Frodo didn’t protest as Merry skimmed through the words and at last, Merry looked back at him incredulously, “You’ve been writing a soppy love poem this entire time?”
Frodo sighed and looked out the study’s window. Sam was busy with the flowerbeds and was absolutely clueless to his master’s lovestruck gaze. “Do you think Sam will like it?” he asked.
“You’re hopeless,” Merry answered with a smile.