Note: Written for one of Marigold's challenges oh so long ago, from the prompt line "What are we going to do now?"

“Boromir?” Pippin’s frown creased his face in worry as he tapped the man lightly on the forehead. No response. The man lay still and unresponsive on the ground. Pippin turned to the other three hobbits despairingly.

“What are we going to do now?”

“We?” Merry said nastily, “We will do nothing because you are going to turn your sorry little self right around and go find Aragorn. Really Pippin, what were you thinking?”

Pippin stood, now stiff with anger, and gathered his sword from where it lay on the ground and sheathed it with a snap.

“You’ve learned with me”

“Only to keep you from hurting yourself and others,” Merry snapped back, even though this was not entirely true. Pippin took a moment to glare at his cousin before continuing.

“I was thinking that I would learn how to defend myself, so the others needn’t worry about me. At least then I would be useful.”

“Oh Pippin, don’t be stupid,” Merry said callously. Pippin jerked and turned away, stung. “What good will you do against an orc? And now you’ve gone and killed Boromir with your foolishness.”

“It was an accident,” Pippin ground out through gritted teeth.

“Just like all your other accidents,” Merry snorted. He paused and, for a moment, Frodo thought he had enough sense not to continue, but then: “Just like in Moria,” he spat out. Merry’s vile accusation seemed heavy and familiar to Frodo, nearly akin to the weight around his neck, but he quickly shook himself free of the sensation and dragged his mind laboriously to the problem at hand.

Pippin had reeled back on his heels as if Merry had slapped him and now his eyes welled with tears.

“That’s enough Merry.” Frodo’s quiet command cut between the two as easily as swords cut through empty air.

In the uneasy silence that followed, Frodo knelt to inspect Boromir while the others waited anxiously, Merry and Pippin carefully avoiding each other.

“He’s not dead,” he announced at last, “Sam, please fetch a blanket.” The sturdy hobbit nodded and disappeared into Lothlorien’s foliage. Frodo stood and wiped Pippin’s tears away.

“He’s fine Pippin, don’t worry. Just be a little more careful with your sword from now on, love, all right?” Pippin nodded morosely. “Good lad. Now, will you please find Aragorn so he can look over Boromir for any serious injury that I might have missed? I believe he is speaking with Lord Celeborn.” Pippin nodded again and followed Sam, leaving his cousins behind.

Merry, who had been scowling at the ground in order to avoid Pippin, looked up swiftly, suddenly aware that Frodo’s eyes held a cold, icy fury that sent shivers down his spine.

“Merry,” Frodo said frostily, “If I could have a word with you.” It was not a request. Merry gulped and followed his cousin behind a nearby boulder. The only other time he had felt like this was when his father had taken him behind the shed when he’d put itching powder in Auntie Hilda’s knickers. As he followed his cousin, Merry wished a hundred times that he was thirteen again and facing his father with a switch in his hand, rather than Frodo armed only with his icy disapproval.

Frodo wandered a pace away and stared heavily into the forest, ignoring Merry. Merry waited until he could bear it no more.

“Frodo?” he asked tentatively. Frodo whirled and advanced on his cousin, his eyes flashing.

“Silence, you stupid Brandybuck!” he yelled. Merry stumbled backwards until his back hit against the boulder, his eyes wide with shock.

“Are you a callous idiot, or just a child?” Some of Merry’s pride perked up at Frodo’s last comment and made him stand forward and defend himself.

“I’m not a child!” he began. Frodo’s hands shot out and grabbed Merry’s coat, lifting him up a few inches and slamming him back into the rock.

“You will be silent!” Frodo hissed. Somehow this was a thousand times worse than when he shouted. Merry found himself wishing that Frodo would yell at him.

“But,” Merry began, suddenly desperate to redeem himself in his cousin’s eyes.

Before either one really knew what had happened, Frodo’s hand swung across Merry’s cheek with a crack that rang loudly among the trees. Merry’s hand flew to his cheek and he could only gape at Frodo. In all of Merry’s 36 years, he had never known Frodo to raise his hand in anger against any man, women, child or beast. As Merry stared into Frodo’s normally bright blue eyes, he thought he saw a flash of gold within them followed by a nearly imperceptible hiss of laughter on the wind, but it was gone in an instant and Merry dismissed immediately as silliness brought on from his astonishment.

Frodo slowly lowered his hand, looking equally shocked.

“I’m sorry Merry,” he said dazedly, “I don’t know what happened to me.” He turned heavily and started to stumble away, but fell to his knees among the fallen leaves. Merry was at his side in an instant, stinging cheek forgotten. Frodo tried to wave him away.

“I’m all right,” he gasped. His breath seemed to drag slowly into his lungs as he tried to heave enough air in. Merry could only stand by in worry and wait as Frodo regained his breath and stood.

“I’m sorry Frodo,” Merry said anxiously, “I didn’t think…didn’t realize…”

“You need to grow up. Both of you,” Frodo interrupted, sounding tired.

“I can’t control you two and…” he paused as his hand inched slowly towards his chest, “And everything else.”

“I’m sorry,” Merry repeated, “It’s just that sometimes Pippin can be such a…”

“Fool of a Took?” Frodo supplied, smiling sadly at the memory of Gandalf.

“Yes, such a fool of a Took that my patience snaps. But I’ll go make things right between us. I’ll go apologize to Pippin.”

“Yes.” Merry heard some of the steel return to Frodo’s voice. “You will go apologize to Pippin. And to Sam, for your appalling childishness.” Merry, knowing that this was fair, dropped his eyes to the ground and nodded. “And when Boromir is fit again, you will apologize to him as well.” Merry’s head snapped back up in surprise.

“For belittling what he has taught both you and Pippin in a statement that I know to be a lie.” Frodo was so cold that Merry nearly turned away. “He has taught you much and his efforts deserve better.”

“Of course,” Merry murmured, ashamed.

As he turned away to seek out Pippin, Merry knew that Frodo was the most compassionate hobbit Merry had ever known. And the most cruel.