Dragons, Merry&Pippin
Pippin loved Merry because Merry made the best dragon ever.
Sam’s dragons were always a little bit half-hearted, and they had a tendency to walk carefully in case they trampled the flowers, and they rolled over entirely too quickly so he’d go and bother someone else.
Frodo’s dragons were over-educated, and held books in one claw, fighting with one eye on the writing and half a mind on elves and learning and that was no fun at all.
Merry’s dragons were terrifying, and all the littler hobbits wanted to fight them, but he made fierce faces and pretended he was too old for that kind of thing, and stalked off to a clearing that he’d only showed Pip. And then Pip would follow him, and pounce on him, and he’d rescue fair maidens all afternoon. Only he wasn’t really all that bothered about the fair maidens, when it came down to it. And the treasure trove of the last of the apples was just an added bonus. It was the dragon he loved best, even when he wasn’t being a dragon any more, when he was sitting and talking or watching the sun through his eyelids with a smile on his face or munching on the apple that Pip had saved him at lunch. Merry always made time for him.
Sam’s dragons were always a little bit half-hearted, and they had a tendency to walk carefully in case they trampled the flowers, and they rolled over entirely too quickly so he’d go and bother someone else.
Frodo’s dragons were over-educated, and held books in one claw, fighting with one eye on the writing and half a mind on elves and learning and that was no fun at all.
Merry’s dragons were terrifying, and all the littler hobbits wanted to fight them, but he made fierce faces and pretended he was too old for that kind of thing, and stalked off to a clearing that he’d only showed Pip. And then Pip would follow him, and pounce on him, and he’d rescue fair maidens all afternoon. Only he wasn’t really all that bothered about the fair maidens, when it came down to it. And the treasure trove of the last of the apples was just an added bonus. It was the dragon he loved best, even when he wasn’t being a dragon any more, when he was sitting and talking or watching the sun through his eyelids with a smile on his face or munching on the apple that Pip had saved him at lunch. Merry always made time for him.