A/N: Written for Shirebound on her birthday :)

Mathom

Pippin sniffled noisily. "Do you think Mama and Papa will like it, Frodo?" he asked in a small, worried voice.

"Oh, I think they'll like it very much," Frodo replied, smiling in reassurance. "Every faunt gives his parents flowers on his birthday. But this – this will be something very different, and very special."

At this Pippin smiled brightly, his tears immediately forgotten, and Frodo was struck by the complete trust he saw in young cousin's eyes. Pippin had been so eager to select some of the bright, colorful flowers that had just begun sprouting in the garden as mathoms for his parents. But a fierce storm on the eve of Pippin's birthday destroyed all of the small, early spring buds, leaving the child heartbroken. With the Brandybucks expected to arrive in just a few hours and the party to begin shortly thereafter, it was Frodo who came up with the perfect solution just in time.

As Pippin watched curiously, Frodo spread a thick, sturdy sheet of parchment on the table before pouring a small amount of blue paint into an old, chipped dish. Then he unbuttoned Pippin's cuffs and rolled up his sleeves before plunging his cousin's hands into the paint.

Pippin giggled, wiggling his fingers. Smiling, Frodo let his cousin play with the paint for a moment before they turned to their task. Carefully he eased Pippin's hands out of the paint and pressed them onto the parchment. Pippin's eyes widened in awe at the sight of his two small handprints.

"Those are my hands, Frodo!" he exclaimed in delight.

"Of course they're your hands, you goose," Frodo said with a laugh. "Now let us write your name." He dipped the first finger of Pippin's hand in the paint once more and helped him to write his name in large, slightly wobbly letters beneath the handprints.

When they were finished Frodo stood back to admire their handiwork. He was certain that Paladin and Eglantine would cherish the small set of handprints, not just today, but even more so when their son was grown. "I think your parents will be very happy with their mathom, Pippin."

"Thank you, Frodo," Pippin said. He held his arms out for a hug but Frodo quickly ducked away, laughing. Pippin might not be dressed in his party clothes yet, but Frodo was, and he did not want to see tiny blue handprints across the front of the new brocade waistcoat Bilbo had given him for Yule. Instead he hoisted his cousin up, making sure to keep him at arm's length, and carried him to the door.

"Clean hands first, and then hugs," he said firmly.

"Lots of hugs," Pippin declared, giggling.

Frodo grinned. "You didn't think I would settle for just one, did you?" he replied as he carried his very small, and very giggly, cousin down the hall to the bathing room.