A/N: Written for Voontah as a holiday request ficlet originally posted on my LJ

In the Grey Twilight

His thirst finally quenched, Pippin leans back against the tree trunk, his legs dangling just above the stream.

Even in the dim light of the forest he is able to see where his wrists and ankles have been rubbed raw by the ropes, along with the whip scars spiraling around his legs. Pippin longs to dip his legs in the cool and soothing water, but his feet are filthy, and he would rather wait until Merry is finished drinking.

Merry cups his hands for another drink and Pippin stares at his wrists. They are worse than his, since they had been bound more tightly and longer, and there is dried blood in places.

"Oh, Merry," Pippin sighs, shaking his head. "You've had a terrible time of it." Sliding over, he takes Merry's hands in his own and carefully rolls back his sleeves. Then, Pippin plunges Merry's arms into the stream and, as gently as possible, cleans the blood from his wrists.

"Well, I could have done with better company," Merry admits, and there is an almost amused gleam in his eyes as he watches Pippin work. "All except for one, that is. I rather liked having him there with me."

Smiling, Pippin pauses in his task and leans over to drop a kiss on Merry's brow, right on the brown scar he is not yet used to seeing.

At least Merry's grin is the same.