A Fine Mess (Frodo/Sam) R 6/8
Title: A Fine Mess - Chapter 6/8
Author: Moit
Summary: After taking a walk, a pregnant Frodo finds himself at the mercy of a camp of rangers.
Rating: R
Pairing: Frodo/Sam
Genre: Drama, angst
Warnings: Yaoi/Slash, mpreg
Previous chapters here.
Frodo made it back to the Shire that evening travel-worn and weary. He was dressed in a pair of Strider's leggings the Man had cut to get over Frodo's feet and to fit him better. If nothing else, they were clean. Frodo had left his blood-stained trousers behind at the Rangers' camp. They weren't uncomfortable, but Frodo was more than ready for his own clothing, his own bed, and his own...
“Sam.”
Frodo broke into a run when he saw his beloved standing outside the door to Bag End smoking a pipe. When he saw Frodo, he dropped the pipe and ran to meet his lover, sweeping the smaller hobbit up in his arms.
“Oh, Frodo, my dear, dear Frodo,” Sam sobbed. Frodo clung to Sam as the tears coursed down his cheeks. Once they calmed down a bit, Sam gently lowered Frodo to the ground. He stepped back to take a look at his lover and frowned.
“Not now, Sam,” Frodo said, pressing his fingertips to Sam's lips. “We have a guest.”
Sam followed Frodo's line of sight, noticing the Ranger for the first time. His eyes grew wide, but he pursed his lips and held out his hand.
“Samwise Gamgee at your service, Mister...”
“Strider,” the Man said, taking the Hobbit's small hand in his much larger one. “Just Strider.”
Sam released Strider's hand and turned back to Frodo. “Let's get you inside, yeah?”
Frodo nodded, leaning heavily against the other Hobbit, and allowed Sam to lead him inside. Frodo left Sam and Strider in the kitchen and headed for the bath. Sam offered to help, but Frodo gave him a kiss on the cheek and told him to take care of Strider.
Sam busied himself with making tea and preparing supper. He had yet to eat himself, and he was sure Strider and Frodo must be starving.
“I wanted to thank you for taking care of Frodo.”
Aragorn inclined his head. “It was my pleasure to care for the young Master Baggins.”
“Pardon me if I sound rude, but how did you meet Frodo? When he wrote, he told me he was at Brandy Hall.”
“And so he was. I was the Healer who tended to him in Buckland,” Strider said, deliberately leaving out most of the story.
“Thank you for caring for him. He really means a lot to me.”
Strider accepted the steaming mug Sam handed him. “I can certainly tell. You also mean a great deal to him. He speaks of you with great fondness.”
“We've been together nearly all our lives, Frodo and I. My old Gaffer was his Uncle Bilbo's gardner. I took over when I was old enough to handle it alone. Then when Mr. Bilbo left, it was just Frodo and I. We had always been together, but once Mr. Bilbo was gone, we stopped worrying about what he might say.” Sam coloured a bit at his own words, suddenly afraid he'd said too much. But he was saved from his own embarrassment as Frodo walked into the room in a dressing gown, looking very refreshed and relaxed, but still very tired. “Feeling better, love?” Sam asked, placing a mug of tea in front of Frodo.
“I am. I cannot tell you how nice it is to be back here in my own clothing. It was nice to see Merry, but I certainly did not plan to be gone for weeks. How have things been around here?”
“Business as usual. Although you gave me quite the scare until I got your letter. I couldn't imagine you just up and leaving me, so I was mostly worried something had happened to you or the babe.”
Frodo quickly changed the subject, skillfully reminding Sam about supper. They ate and showed Strider to his room. The Man, who had been very quiet throughout the dinner, thanked them and shut his door, leaving the Hobbits alone. Sam went to the privvy, leaving Frodo to crawl into the bed without him, a small mercy in Frodo's eyes. Frodo also turned the lantern down low before Sam came back.
When the younger Hobbit entered the room, he changed into his nightshirt and climbed in bed beside his lover. Frodo reached over and turned the lantern completely down, dousing them both in darkness. For a long minute, they lay stiffly beside one another. Finally, Frodo reached out and took Sam's hand, placing it on his belly. The extra weight he gained with the pregnancy was still there, but the weight of the babe itself was gone.
“I lost the baby Sam.”
He dared a glance at his lover and saw tears pooling in Sam's hazel eyes. Frodo rolled over and tucked his head beneath Sam's chin, wrapping himself in the warm embrace. Only then did he allow himself to cry for the unborn child he and Sam had lost.
The next morning, Frodo's eyes were red and puffy, evidence that he'd spent a large majority of the night crying, but he seemed to be in better spirits than before. He was up with the sun, humming as he prepared tea and first breakfast for himself, Sam and Strider. The Man startled him when he walked in the front door.
“Where have you been?” Frodo asked, raising a curious eyebrow.
“I was in need of fresh air. I did not wish to disturb you or Sam.”
“Are you going back to the camp today? You are welcome to stay for as long as you like. I hope you would know that.”
“As much as I may like to stay, I cannot. I have been away from my Men for far too long. I am almost afraid they will begin to mutiny soon,” he answered with a wry grin.
The look on Frodo's face was one of resignation. “I will miss you, Strider. Had it not been for you, I may never have made it home, or even to Brandy Hall, for that matter. You saved my life.”
Strider looked down, unsure how to respond to the praise. He could not possibly put into words what this little Hobbit meant to him. “I was only acting according to my duty, Frodo. I would hope that any of my Rangers would have done the same. Stolis was an anomaly, and I told you, he has been dealt with.”
“You killed him,” Frodo replied softly.
After a moment, “I did.”
“Did you kill him because it was me he assaulted, or would you put any of your Men to death for assault?”
Strider took a while to answer this time. He used the eggs and rashers Frodo tipped onto his plate as an excuse to think. He took a long sip of tea to wash down his mouthful before he answered. “I admit that you have a certain beauty about you. I just could not understand how one of my Men could hurt such a fair creature. I was so drawn to you, and then by chance, I met you again in Buckland. And now...”
Frodo's eyes were wide and expectant. “And now?”
Strider glanced at the hallway, but this time there was no Sam to interrupt them, the way Merry and Esmerelda had in Brandy Hall.
“And now I have delivered you safely back to your partner, and it is time for me to leave.”
Frodo jumped up, suddenly furious. “So that's that, then? You're just going to leave?”
“Frodo, what would you have me do?” Strider asked, exasperated.
“You could at least...” he paused, realising that it was his own decision that was driving Strider back to the north, “...stay.”
Strider shook his head. “I cannot do that. Not to you, not to Sam, and not to myself.” He finished the last forkful on his plate and stood up. “I thank you for your hospitality, Master Baggins.”
And then he was gone.
Frodo did not even have the energy to run after him. He just sat down in the chair Strider had just vacated. The weight of the loss in his life fell down upon him and he lost himself to his grief.
The rest of the day found Frodo relaxing on the porch, smoking with Sam. He'd cleaned himself up and did not speak of the episode with Strider. He only offered a simple statement that Strider had left earlier for his camp. He certainly couldn't put a name to the knot of pain in his chest, although he knew it was nothing physical. He blew the smoke of from between his lips with practiced ease. It was nice to be able to smoke again, although he wasn't sure he would have taken the trade, had he been given the choice. The sun was warm on his face, and Sam beside him. For those things, he could be grateful.
“Tell me about your trip,” Sam said, stretching his legs out in front of him. “How is Merry?”
“There's really not much to tell,” Frodo shrugged. “Merry is just as well as he can be. I enjoyed my stay in Buckland, but I am thankful to be home.”
Sam's brow creased thoughtfully. “In your letter, you mentioned that you were having some... issues. Is that why you lost the babe?”
Frodo felt the anger well inside of him sudden and unexpectedly. He leapt up, nearly dropping his pipe in the process.
“Don't ask about things you don't understand, Samwise Gamgee! It's my body that had to go through all of these changes and just because I needed to see a Healer does not mean that it had anything to do with you or your babe!” He stomped into the house, leaving behind a bewildered and shoked Sam behind.
Author: Moit
Summary: After taking a walk, a pregnant Frodo finds himself at the mercy of a camp of rangers.
Rating: R
Pairing: Frodo/Sam
Genre: Drama, angst
Warnings: Yaoi/Slash, mpreg
Previous chapters here.
Frodo made it back to the Shire that evening travel-worn and weary. He was dressed in a pair of Strider's leggings the Man had cut to get over Frodo's feet and to fit him better. If nothing else, they were clean. Frodo had left his blood-stained trousers behind at the Rangers' camp. They weren't uncomfortable, but Frodo was more than ready for his own clothing, his own bed, and his own...
“Sam.”
Frodo broke into a run when he saw his beloved standing outside the door to Bag End smoking a pipe. When he saw Frodo, he dropped the pipe and ran to meet his lover, sweeping the smaller hobbit up in his arms.
“Oh, Frodo, my dear, dear Frodo,” Sam sobbed. Frodo clung to Sam as the tears coursed down his cheeks. Once they calmed down a bit, Sam gently lowered Frodo to the ground. He stepped back to take a look at his lover and frowned.
“Not now, Sam,” Frodo said, pressing his fingertips to Sam's lips. “We have a guest.”
Sam followed Frodo's line of sight, noticing the Ranger for the first time. His eyes grew wide, but he pursed his lips and held out his hand.
“Samwise Gamgee at your service, Mister...”
“Strider,” the Man said, taking the Hobbit's small hand in his much larger one. “Just Strider.”
Sam released Strider's hand and turned back to Frodo. “Let's get you inside, yeah?”
Frodo nodded, leaning heavily against the other Hobbit, and allowed Sam to lead him inside. Frodo left Sam and Strider in the kitchen and headed for the bath. Sam offered to help, but Frodo gave him a kiss on the cheek and told him to take care of Strider.
Sam busied himself with making tea and preparing supper. He had yet to eat himself, and he was sure Strider and Frodo must be starving.
“I wanted to thank you for taking care of Frodo.”
Aragorn inclined his head. “It was my pleasure to care for the young Master Baggins.”
“Pardon me if I sound rude, but how did you meet Frodo? When he wrote, he told me he was at Brandy Hall.”
“And so he was. I was the Healer who tended to him in Buckland,” Strider said, deliberately leaving out most of the story.
“Thank you for caring for him. He really means a lot to me.”
Strider accepted the steaming mug Sam handed him. “I can certainly tell. You also mean a great deal to him. He speaks of you with great fondness.”
“We've been together nearly all our lives, Frodo and I. My old Gaffer was his Uncle Bilbo's gardner. I took over when I was old enough to handle it alone. Then when Mr. Bilbo left, it was just Frodo and I. We had always been together, but once Mr. Bilbo was gone, we stopped worrying about what he might say.” Sam coloured a bit at his own words, suddenly afraid he'd said too much. But he was saved from his own embarrassment as Frodo walked into the room in a dressing gown, looking very refreshed and relaxed, but still very tired. “Feeling better, love?” Sam asked, placing a mug of tea in front of Frodo.
“I am. I cannot tell you how nice it is to be back here in my own clothing. It was nice to see Merry, but I certainly did not plan to be gone for weeks. How have things been around here?”
“Business as usual. Although you gave me quite the scare until I got your letter. I couldn't imagine you just up and leaving me, so I was mostly worried something had happened to you or the babe.”
Frodo quickly changed the subject, skillfully reminding Sam about supper. They ate and showed Strider to his room. The Man, who had been very quiet throughout the dinner, thanked them and shut his door, leaving the Hobbits alone. Sam went to the privvy, leaving Frodo to crawl into the bed without him, a small mercy in Frodo's eyes. Frodo also turned the lantern down low before Sam came back.
When the younger Hobbit entered the room, he changed into his nightshirt and climbed in bed beside his lover. Frodo reached over and turned the lantern completely down, dousing them both in darkness. For a long minute, they lay stiffly beside one another. Finally, Frodo reached out and took Sam's hand, placing it on his belly. The extra weight he gained with the pregnancy was still there, but the weight of the babe itself was gone.
“I lost the baby Sam.”
He dared a glance at his lover and saw tears pooling in Sam's hazel eyes. Frodo rolled over and tucked his head beneath Sam's chin, wrapping himself in the warm embrace. Only then did he allow himself to cry for the unborn child he and Sam had lost.
The next morning, Frodo's eyes were red and puffy, evidence that he'd spent a large majority of the night crying, but he seemed to be in better spirits than before. He was up with the sun, humming as he prepared tea and first breakfast for himself, Sam and Strider. The Man startled him when he walked in the front door.
“Where have you been?” Frodo asked, raising a curious eyebrow.
“I was in need of fresh air. I did not wish to disturb you or Sam.”
“Are you going back to the camp today? You are welcome to stay for as long as you like. I hope you would know that.”
“As much as I may like to stay, I cannot. I have been away from my Men for far too long. I am almost afraid they will begin to mutiny soon,” he answered with a wry grin.
The look on Frodo's face was one of resignation. “I will miss you, Strider. Had it not been for you, I may never have made it home, or even to Brandy Hall, for that matter. You saved my life.”
Strider looked down, unsure how to respond to the praise. He could not possibly put into words what this little Hobbit meant to him. “I was only acting according to my duty, Frodo. I would hope that any of my Rangers would have done the same. Stolis was an anomaly, and I told you, he has been dealt with.”
“You killed him,” Frodo replied softly.
After a moment, “I did.”
“Did you kill him because it was me he assaulted, or would you put any of your Men to death for assault?”
Strider took a while to answer this time. He used the eggs and rashers Frodo tipped onto his plate as an excuse to think. He took a long sip of tea to wash down his mouthful before he answered. “I admit that you have a certain beauty about you. I just could not understand how one of my Men could hurt such a fair creature. I was so drawn to you, and then by chance, I met you again in Buckland. And now...”
Frodo's eyes were wide and expectant. “And now?”
Strider glanced at the hallway, but this time there was no Sam to interrupt them, the way Merry and Esmerelda had in Brandy Hall.
“And now I have delivered you safely back to your partner, and it is time for me to leave.”
Frodo jumped up, suddenly furious. “So that's that, then? You're just going to leave?”
“Frodo, what would you have me do?” Strider asked, exasperated.
“You could at least...” he paused, realising that it was his own decision that was driving Strider back to the north, “...stay.”
Strider shook his head. “I cannot do that. Not to you, not to Sam, and not to myself.” He finished the last forkful on his plate and stood up. “I thank you for your hospitality, Master Baggins.”
And then he was gone.
Frodo did not even have the energy to run after him. He just sat down in the chair Strider had just vacated. The weight of the loss in his life fell down upon him and he lost himself to his grief.
The rest of the day found Frodo relaxing on the porch, smoking with Sam. He'd cleaned himself up and did not speak of the episode with Strider. He only offered a simple statement that Strider had left earlier for his camp. He certainly couldn't put a name to the knot of pain in his chest, although he knew it was nothing physical. He blew the smoke of from between his lips with practiced ease. It was nice to be able to smoke again, although he wasn't sure he would have taken the trade, had he been given the choice. The sun was warm on his face, and Sam beside him. For those things, he could be grateful.
“Tell me about your trip,” Sam said, stretching his legs out in front of him. “How is Merry?”
“There's really not much to tell,” Frodo shrugged. “Merry is just as well as he can be. I enjoyed my stay in Buckland, but I am thankful to be home.”
Sam's brow creased thoughtfully. “In your letter, you mentioned that you were having some... issues. Is that why you lost the babe?”
Frodo felt the anger well inside of him sudden and unexpectedly. He leapt up, nearly dropping his pipe in the process.
“Don't ask about things you don't understand, Samwise Gamgee! It's my body that had to go through all of these changes and just because I needed to see a Healer does not mean that it had anything to do with you or your babe!” He stomped into the house, leaving behind a bewildered and shoked Sam behind.