Merry was sleeping. Pippin eased gently into the room, trying hard not to wake his cousin. A board beneath his foot creaked and he stood still.

"Pippin, is that you?" Merry asked, sleepily.

"Yes," Pippin sighed. "I was trying not to wake you. Sorry."

"Get to bed before you wake everyone else," Merry instructed. "Just where have you been anyway?"

"I couldn't sleep," Pippin said, climbing into the bed next to Merry's and pulling up the blankets.

"I asked where you've been," Merry repeated, turning over in the dark room to face Pippin. He could just make out Pippin's shadow by what was left of the firelight.

"I was outside looking at the stars," Pippin answered.

"Weren't you cold?" Merry asked, knowing how damp and chilly the air had turned recently with the coming of fall.

"A bit," Pippin admitted. "It's why I came in just now. My toes are freezing."

"So why can't you sleep?" Merry asked.

"Thinking too much, I guess," Pippin admitted. "I can quit thinking about your birthday."

"Why are you thinking about my birthday?" Merry asked. "It's still months away at this point." Merry wondered what had brought this on.

Pippin got out of his bed and came over and climbed in next to Merry, putting his cold toes next to Merry's warm leg. "Pippin, your feet are like ice," Merry complained.

"I know," Pippin said. "It’s why I had to come in.

"You’re going to make yourself sick roaming about outside on a night like this," Merry sighed. "You need to give more thought to what you’re doing. I can’t watch out for you every minute after all. Sometimes I need to sleep."

Pippin was strangely quiet in reaction to Merry’s teasing. That was usually just the sort of remark that sent Pippin into a small tirade about how he didn’t need looking after. This time, Merry felt Pippin tense up a bit next to him. Worried that something serious might be wrong, Merry tugged on Pippin’s ear and asked, "Want to tell me what’s bothering you?"

"It’s nothing, Merry," Pippin said. "I’m just a wee bit cold is all."

"Peregrin Took, do not come in here and wake me and then lie to me," Merry said, trying to sound stern.

"I didn’t mean to wake you, Merry," Pippin said, softly. "I didn’t mean to lie to you either. It’s only that this floor has a few squeaky old boards in it and I always come down on one of them no matter how hard I try not to."

"You never have been the quiet sort," Merry said, smiling to himself. "Now, don’t make me lay here awake all night worrying about you. Tell me what’s bothering you so we can settle it and go to sleep."

Pippin sighed and turned over on his back, putting his hands behind his head, "You can't settle everything just like that, Merry. Some things take a bit of time to sort through."

Merry propped himself up on one elbow and frowned. "So, what is this very difficult problem that will probably keep me awake all night?"

"I was just thinking is all," Pippin said, now raising up into a sitting position with his back against the head board of the bed. "I shouldn’t have been, but I can’t help it. It’s all getting so close."

"What’s getting so close?" Merry asked. He hoped that what was getting close was the answer to all of this, but he doubted that. Pippin seemed intent on dragging this one out.

"Merry, do you ever wonder why we’re friends?" Pippin asked.

This made Merry sit up and pay attention. He also was leaning against the head board now. "Sometimes when you have me awake at just before dawn and start leading me down the garden path like this, I wonder, you silly Took," Merry said. "Most of the time I just know why, don’t you?"

"Most of the time, I do,’ Pippin said.

"But tonight?" Merry asked, trying to encourage Pippin to explain.

"Tonight, I’m a wee bit nervous about it," Pippin said, looking over at his older cousin whom he adored.

"Why are you nervous, Pip?" Merry asked, gently. "Have I done something?"

"Not, yet, but you’re going to," Pippin said.

"What am I going to do?" Merry wondered. It seemed the further this went, the more confusing it became.

"Merry, when you turn thirty-three, well, are we still going to be friends?" Pippin asked, in a rush. "I mean, once you’re thirty-three will you still want to be friends?"

"Is that what this is about?" Merry asked.

"Well, you are going to come of age and I'm still going to be in my tweens is all," Pippin said, worriedly. He shifted nervously. "I was just wondering if maybe when you do come of age if you might not want me around so much."

"Why do you think I won't want you around, Pip?" Merry asked, softly.

"I'll not be of age or anything and well, I thought you might only want to be with hobbits that are more grown up than me," Pippin said, a bit sadly. "You might not have time to spend messing about and doing silly pranks and all. You'll be an adult. I won’t be an adult for ever so long yet."

Merry chuckled softly, "But you'll still be my silly little cousin and my best friend."

Pippin grinned broadly with relief, though he knew Merry couldn't see him and then said, "I knew that."

"Go to sleep then, Pip," Merry said, gently. "And stop thinking so much. These things always happen when you start thinking too much."

"Good night, Merry," Pippin said, and climbed out of his cousin's bed and back into his own.

"Good night," Merry yawned, laying down again. Silly Took!

The End