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It was the day of valentines, and Frodo was in the tavern, eating his breakfast, but he had a little note, it was for someone in his group he liked. He fidgeted with the letter until his sister Sheila walked into the tavern; he hid the letter, but Sheila saw it, but she didn’t bug him about it. She sat across him and ordered her breakfast. Then after she got the food, Elo walked into the tavern with Aubrey. They sat with them, and Elo noticed the letter and how he tried to hide it.
“What’s the letter?” She blurted out. Causing Frodo to blush out of embarrassment.
“It’s not really important…”
He put the letter in his pocket, but she knew who it was for, it was for the girl they’ve been traveling with named Aithne, who was the opposite of Frodo. Elo didn’t push him about it, but since it was Valentines, everyone knew it was a love letter, or suspected it to be one.
Aubrey began to annoy Frodo about the letter, everyone suspected she would do that. But Frodo looked nervous and visibly uncomfortable, Elo immediately told Aubrey to back off, and she sighed and stopped bugging him. They continued to talk, but Frodo was still nervous and fidgeting with his hoodie, and playing with his food, everyone noticed it, Sheila tried to comfort him, but when he looked at the door at the tavern, he saw Aithne, her smile, her face, her everything was perfect for Frodo. She saw the group and went to sit next to them, she said hi to everyone, but didn’t notice Frodo shyness behaviour, she knew it was normal for him to be this nervous. They all sat and ate, chatting about what they were gonna do that day, but his sisters noticed the face he was making and how uncomfortable he was, they all excuse themselves and got their brother as well.
They all went to one of their rooms and they began to chat. Frodo sat on the bed.
“It’s just okay to be this nervous in front of someone Frodo, just remember what we practiced.” Sheila sat next to Frodo, trying to calm him down.
“But it’s difficult when she’s there… I just get more nervous when I’m close…” Frodo continued to fidget with his sweater, looking like he was about to cry. His sisters continued to try comfort him. Cleo finally asked, “What did you write in that letter?” He took it out and gave it to them, trying to cover his face with his hoodie. They read it, and all of them were awwwing and making little comments about it. He felt himself getting more embarrassed as they read, he could basically hear their thoughts. Probably saying stuff like, “our little brother has a crush” or “he’s so poetic!!” He didn’t really like them babying him about stuff like these.
After they read it, they handed it back, and they began to give him compliments and began to baby him a little.
They finally got out of the room and they went back to the group. They all decided to split up and see the city. Frodo and his sisters had split up with the group and they began to shop, going store to store looking for a gift to buy for Frodo to give it to Athine.
After about two hours, and they finally got her a little gift basket, with beautiful orange, red, and yellow flowers and some chocolate and a beautiful necklace that was a locket in the shape of a heart. He also got her a plushie of a brown dog, with the letter in the basket. He planned to give it to her around supper time.
During this time, Athine was with Aubrey, and Aubrey noticed the hint of blush on her.
“I recognize that blush, you like someone don’t you?” Aubrey smirked; she liked to tease people, especially with love in the topic. The comment made Athine blush more, but she still had her confident expression on.
“You could say that…” she fidgeted with her hair.
“Who is it? Cause I can probably help you ask them out.” Aubrey needed to know if she had the same feelings as Frodos, but she stayed quiet as Athine spoke.
“It’s… it’s Frodo…” she looked away from Aubrey, scared she might judge, “I know his sisters would kill me if they found out but… I can’t help myself.”
Aubrey understood the feeling, and now knowing that they both had feelings for each other, she had to set them together.
“My offer still stands Athine.”
When Athine heard that, her face lit up, she already knew what she was gonna give him. She noticed him looking at something in a gift shop, it was runes, he was mainly looking at the water rune. She immediately went to the gift shop and gotten the rune. She also got him a crystal that was this light blue and was in the shape of a water droplet as a necklace. She added some candy she thought he liked. Before they went back to the tavern, she saw some rings that she felt he would like.
Frodo came back to the tavern, his sisters on the sidelines to supervise. He fidgeted with his hoodie, nervous about what he’s doing.
After a bit, Athine came to the tavern, she was surprisingly nervous, but she sat across him, and they both didn’t talk for a few minutes, until they got their food, and just made small talk.
Frodo excused himself and went to the bathroom, his sisters follow him.
“What are you doing?!” Elo whispered angrily.
“I-I don’t know…!” His palms were sweaty and he covered his face with his hoodie. Sheila tried to comfort him.
Athine was sitting down at the table, nervously drinking her water, until she noticed Aubrey outside telling her to come to her, which she did. She walked out of the tavern and Aubrey immediately started talking.
“What are you doing?? You guys need to talk! Not be awkward!” Aubrey gave Athine some advice and she came back.
They sat at the table and Athine started the small talk; they were just talking about regular stuff until one of them decided to give their gifts.
“I’m sorry if this is awkward…” Frodo spoke, “but I’ve got you a gift…! For valentines…” he gave her the basket, his face flushed. Her eyes lit up, she loved everything in there, the plushie, the flowers and the necklace. She immediately puts on the necklace and opens the locket.
“I didn’t put a photo in the locket… I thought you’d want to add something you liked in there…” he was sweating from his nervousness.
“It’s okay,” Athine answered, she has a warm smile on her face and she smells the flowers, she then noticed the note and began to read. The note said:
When I first met you, I’d never thought you’d notice me. But throughout this journey I’ve noticed you’d be close or would look at me.
When you first spoke to me, it was like the angels above singing to me. Your voice could bring confidence to most, including me.
So I give you this letter to show me gaining the confidence to tell you that I like you.
When she looked up, she noticed his face being red and his nervous fidgeting on his hoodie. She put the letter back in the basket, and finally spoke.
“I like you too Frodo.” She sounded nervous as well.
Frodo looked at her immediately, speechless about what she confessed. This caused him to blush more.
Athine gave him her gift to him. He finally snapped and noticed it, the first thing he noticed was the rune of water, the thing he wanted to get, he then saw the necklace of the crystal and the candy.
“I’m sorry if this isn’t too much, but I hope you like it as much as I love your gift-“ Athine noticed Frodo tearing up, she softened a bit and gave him a tissue. He took it and fixed himself.
“I’m sorry for crying… I just…” he tried to speak but couldn’t because of his emotions.
“I understand if you can’t speak at the moment.” Athine reassured him that she understood that he can’t speak clearly.
After a few minutes he calms down, he thanks her for the gifts. But it was still awkward for them both. But Athine spoke.
“We should check out if there’s something to do… we still have all this time on our hands…” she tucked her hair in as she spoke.
“Yeah… we should…”
They tried to pay for their tab but the tavern keeper said it was on the house. They walked out the tavern and began their little date officially.
Frodos sisters were excited that their brother finally found someone to be with, and how they noticed how both liked each other. They celebrated silently since they didn’t want to make a scene.
Aubrey was happy that they were on their date, the two teens looked happy together.
They finished the day, they went to a little fair that the town was having, and Frodo walked Athine to her room.
“I had a fun day today Frodo.” She was holding the dog plush he gave her.
“Yeah…! It was a great day!” He was putting the candy in his pocket. They looked at each other, then Frodo looked around, checking if someone was there, once he noticed no one, he spoke.
“If it’s too much to ask…” he fidgeted with his hoodie string. “Can I kiss you?” Both of them were blushing, awkward and nervous. Frodo couldn’t believe he said that, his heart pounding and he was hoping he didn’t say the wrong thing. But she spoke softly.
“Yeah… you can…”
Frodo was shocked that she agreed, but they both got ready to kiss, then finally their lips touched, both their hearts raced as this happened, then they broke it. They both were red and then Athine thanked him for the night and went to her room.
When he went to his room, his sisters were in there and bugged him for every detail about the night.