By: Dana
Summary: "You must be too young for such heavy thought."
Characters: Sam, Pippin, mention of Merry and Frodo
Pairings: Sam/Pippin (kind of)
Rating: G
Warnings: Somewhat slashy
Author's Notes: frodoninmeleth wanted: Pippin/Sam (or Frodo/Sam).
Disclaimer: The author makes no claim to owning the rights of anything to do with J.R.R. Tolkien or New Line Cinema. Any and all characters and situations that have been borrowed are for the author's personal use only, and for the entertainment of others.

The sunlight is thin, and the day is chill. Pippin is sitting out behind the tool-shed, knees drawn to his chest, arms in turn wrapped about his knees, and with the point of his fine Tookish chin thus set against his kneecaps. It looks as though the lad (no, now, Sam, he's not a lad, and don't forget) is having himself a sulk, and Sam busies himself with his work, instead, opening the heavy latch on the door and heading in, to claim the pruning shears, and the wheelbarrow, too.

Sam hasn't the heart to go on, though, and he goes back out, instead, and hulkers down across from Pippin, crossing his own arms atop his bent knees. "Is there some problem here, Master Pippin?"

Pippin shakes his head. "Just been thinking, Sam. Don't you know how it is, when the thoughts are too heavy? Well, now, that's just how it is."

"You must be too young for such heavy thought."

"Tell that to Merry. It's his fault I'm thinking such things."

"Such as what, sir?"

Pippin laughs and, like some sort of magic, untangles himself from the knot of unhappy hobbit he had been. "I like," he says, "how you forget yourself when you're talking to me. Now, if only I can get you to drop that "Master". Frodo would be proud."

Sam nods, slowly, and he smiles. Pippin, it seems, doesn't fully understand, and how can Sam not understand, given that Frodo is gone? He doesn't know, himself, but his heart does, and that's more than enough for the rest of him.

"Well, he'd not be pleased, you out here sulking behind the tool-shed. Come work with me in the garden, at least. Hard work will put your mind at ease."

Pippin nods, then, and off they go.