Disclaimer: No, they’re not mine, I just get to write about them. I’ll put them back safe.

Author’s Note: Elanor is five, so Pippin would be thirty-three. Since he and Merry became such good friends with Sam, I figured that they would probably come to visit the Gamgees often.

Tea and Poached Eggs

By Elendiari

       Elanor Gamgee stared in consternation at the figure that staggered into the kitchen at Bag End. She knew that grown-ups liked the Green Dragon, but then, why was Mr. Pippin looking so…ill?

      “Mr. Pippin, are you all right?” Elanor asked.

     Pippin jumped a foot high and turned to face the five-year-old sheepishly. “Good morning, Elanor. You caught me.”

      Elanor looked at him searchingly. “Why didn’t you come home with Daddy last night?”

      Pippin sighed and sat down. “Do you always speak in questions? Because Mr. Merry and I are too fond of our ale.”

       “Oh.”

   Elanor contemplated the disheveled Pippin for a moment in a way that put the just-come-of-age Took in mind of Frodo. Then she hoped down from the table and went to the fire, pulling a frying pan down from the shelf.

     “I’m going to make you breakfast,” she announced, setting it down and going towards the icebox. “Do you like poached eggs?”

       She hoped that he would say yes, as poached eggs were the only things that she knew how to make yet. Pippin turned in his chair and watched her, amused. When he nodded, she beamed at him and set to work.

       “You know,” Mamma says that you’ll never get married if you don’t settle down,” Elanor stated.

      Pippin, who had returned to cradling his aching head, straightened up. “Does she? Well, I suppose she’s right. Do you want me to settle down, Elanor?” This last came in a teasing voice, for Pippin knew that he had the young members of the Gamgee clan wrapped around his finger.

     Elanor raised his eyebrow at him in an exact imitation of her mother. “Only if it means you’ll stop looking dead after going to the inn.”

     Pippin snorted and got up to make a pot of tea. It was still early in the morning, but already bright sunlight was drifting through the kitchen window and making him wince. Maybe Elanor was right. Maybe if he settled down, he would be able to finally catch the eye of Diamond, who lived in Long Cleeve. Yes, it was definitely a possibility. As Elanor set the frying pan on the table, Pippin smiled at her.

      “Will you help me to settle down, Elanor? Tell me when I’m being bad?”

      Elanor gave him a gap-toothed grin and nodded. “Of course. Here are your eggs.”

         They shook hands to settle the deal, and then sat down to an early morning breakfast of tea and poached eggs.