This isn't the first one of these that I wrote but it seems a good place to start so I am posting it first. After that, well things could go almost anywhere.

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"First Impressions"

“But Frodo, I don’t think I want to hold it,” Merry objected, backing away from his older cousin. “You hold it.”

“Him, Merry, not it,” Frodo said. “It’s a little lad.” Frodo was cradling a bundle of soft, white blankets in his arms. The blankets were moving about a bit and a gurgling noise was coming from inside of them.

“Fine, so it’s a him then,” Merry said, still unwilling to take the offered bundle. “Whatever it is, it cried most of the night and kept everyone awake.”

“So that’s it, then, “ Frodo laughed. “You are angry with him because he kept you up all night.”

“You weren’t here,” Merry said. “It was dreadful. How does anything that small make all of that noise?”

“Hold him and find out,” Frodo said, placing the bundle in Merry’s arms.

Merry glared at him from over top of the blankets and said, “I told you I didn’t want this.”

Frodo smiled at his eight-year-old cousin and said, ‘You may not want him, but he’s here. We should try to get used to him.”

“I’m going home in a couple of weeks, Frodo and you’ll be going home too,” Merry said. “We don’t have to get used to it all that much. We’ll be gone and he’ll be here.” Merry was smiling. The bundle continued to squirm and Merry ignored it and sat down in the floor, still holding the unwanted infant.

“Careful with him, Merry-lad,” Frodo advised. “Babies are rather delicate. You have to be careful how you hold them.” Frodo sat down in a near-by chair and watched Merry screw his face up in disgust.

“I didn’t want to hold it in the first place, Frodo,” Merry objected. “Let’s give it to someone else and go play.”

“I can’t give him to someone else just now, Merry,” Frodo said. “His mum isn’t feeling well and everyone is taking a rest. They were all up very late last night.”

“I know who’s fault that was,” Merry said, looking down at the wiggling bundle accusingly.

“All the same,” Frodo said. “I promised that I would watch him for a while.” He picked up a book that sat on the table next to the chair he was in and opened it.

“I thought you were ‘sposed to watch him,” Merry said. “I really don’t think I’m going to like him.”

“How can you tell so quickly?” Frodo asked.

“Well, he kept me awake with his howling all night and I know babies bite,” Merry said.

“Merry, this baby is too small to have any teeth,” Frodo laughed. “He can’t bite you.”

Merry peered into the bundle of blankets at the small face of his newest cousin curiously. He unwrapped the baby a bit so that he could look closer. He took a quick glance at Frodo to make sure that he wasn’t looking and then he stuck his finger into the baby’s mouth. The baby’s eyes widened slightly and he opened his mouth. Merry ran his finger around the baby’s gums and peered into the tiny mouth intently. “You don’t have any teeth,” Merry said, to the baby. “How do you eat? No wonder you cry all the time.”

The baby began to kick its small fuzzy feet and more of the blankets moved. Now Merry could see the baby very well. It was small and squirmy and soft everywhere. It had a few wisps of reddish looking curls on its small head and more on it’s tiny feet. It looked at Merry and made that gurgling sound that it was making before.

“Don’t talk to me,” Merry said, firmly. “I don’t plan to like you. I have enough cousins and all of them have teeth.” The eight-year-old watched the baby for a reaction to this and the little fists began to punch the air. The small hobbit wriggled a bit and then burped.

Merry laughed in spite of himself. “If you don’t have any teeth, then how come you need to burp?” Merry looked up at Frodo and asked. “What is this one’s name again?”

“Merry, the baby’s name is Peregrin,” Frodo said. “Get used to him.” He then turned back to the book. He wasn’t really reading but this had to be settled now or there would be trouble later. Merry had to realize that he was the proud owner of a new cousin.

“Peregrin?” Merry wrinkled his nose in distaste. “That’s too much name for this baby. We should call it something easier.”

“Well, you can call him whatever you like I suppose, but his name is still going to be Peregrin,” Frodo said.

“Poor lad,” Merry said, looking at the baby again. “No teeth and a dreadful name. I guess the least I can do is be a bit nice to you while I’m here.” The baby made the gurgling sound again and kicked Merry in the chest. “But don’t get to like me, because I’m going home in two weeks.” The baby kicked him again and Merry smiled. “Good, you don’t like me either. I think this will work out just fine.”

The End