Merrill doesn't believe in shoes (little_elf_lost) wrote in valarlogs, @ 2012-08-11 10:40:00 |
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Entry tags: | !complete, frodo baggins, lorelai gilmore, merrill, merry brandybuck |
Who: Frodo Baggins and Merrill (and Lorelai and Merry)
What: Romantic Getaway
When: Thursday
Where: The Dragonfly Inn in Tustin
Rating: Rated R for Frodo's first sexytimes!
Status: Complete
Merrill had unpacked and re-packed her bag twice now. She wasn’t normally like this! She wanted to be prepared, though. An outfit for tomorrow, something nice to wear to dinner, a swimsuit just in case, a jacket in case it was cold, and a lacey little piece of lingerie she had picked out recently. She thought about bringing some more modest sleepwear in case that wasn’t on Frodo’s mind, but it seemed like that would just increase the chances that one or the other of them would chicken out.
Maybe she was more nervous than she thought she was.
Frodo, meanwhile, was packed and well on his way to pick her up. He wasn’t driving, of course, but it was almost the same thing. One day soon, he’d drive to her house with his own hands on the steering wheel. It could not come soon enough.
Truthfully, he had barely unpacked since Merrill dropped him off the day before. Whatever was in his suitcase had taken a quick trip to the washing machine and was promptly packed again. He was excited, but he was still a man, and considerably less thought went into how he dressed. And he most certainly did not own any lacey lingerie to toss in for whatever might--and hopefully would--be taking place once they turned in for the night.
Once she’d finished packing and was determined not to fiddle with her bags anymore, Merrill stepped out and perched on the wooden porch swing to watch the quiet road. Her face lit up when she saw Frodo’s car turn onto the street. She picked up her bags and hurried toward the sidewalk.
The car rolled to a stop and Frodo got out to help Merrill with her bags. He all but swiped them from her hands, giving her a kiss as he walked back to the car. He had brought over one of his Bentleys. Not to show off, because he never considered things like that; he innocently felt it suited the occasion.
“I hope you weren’t waiting too long,” he said, even though he was a few minutes early.
“No, not long,” she assured him, kissing him back. “I was just excited. I couldn’t wait inside any longer.” The girl was entirely too honest, sometimes. She let him take her bags and climbed into the backseat with him.
“Hi Carson,” she said, smiling to the butler who was acting as chauffeur tonight. “It’s nice seeing you.”
When Merrill said things like that, it brought smiles to his face that caused his cheeks to ache. He closed the trunk and got back into the car, his hand slipping straight into hers with another kiss.
Carson was not his usual driver. But Thursday happened to be his chauffeur's day off, and Frodo knew Carson was a favorite of Merrill's. He was especially glad Merrill was in the car now, because it would stop Carson from winking at him from the rearview mirror.
Merrill cuddled close to him once they were both settled in the car, kissing his cheek. Hopefully Carson wouldn’t mind. She stayed nestled into his side as the three of them made small talk on the way to the inn.
The Dragonfly Inn was an old building, and they’d been careful to make sure the renovations didn’t challenge the historic integrity. There were no flashing neon signs outside. Behind the polished desk was a sour-looking Frenchman and Lorelai Gilmore.
“Welcome to the Dragonfly!” Lorelai said brightly before Michel could say something snide.
So Michel waited until Lorelai was finished. “I’m so sorry that construction is complete. All of the workers have gone home.” He rolled through the vowel sounds like a purring cat.
Frodo lowered his brows, confused by what the Frenchman had said. But the beauty of the Dragonfly was indomitable, and his eyes were bright again a moment later. He walked to the desk, keeping Merrill close on his arm. “You must be the woman I spoke with...” he said cheerfully, but he’d forgotten her name. Or maybe it had not yet been given.
“Ooh, yes!” Lorelai almost called him ‘Sunflower Guy’, but managed to catch herself in time. He might have been hoping to surprise the pretty girl on his arm, and Lorelai didn’t want to ruin that. Big date, and all, from what Merry had told her. “Mr. Baggins.”
“Just ignore Michel,” Lorelai advised. Especially when it comes to tipping. She shot Michel a Look, but it probably wouldn’t do any good. “Here’s your key,” she said, handing Frodo the key to the honeymoon suite. “We’ll have someone get your bags.” Before she’d even finished saying it, a bellhop had appeared beside them. “Enjoy,” she said with a winning smile. “If there’s anything you need, please don’t hesitate to ask.”
Merrill didn’t understand Michel’s comment, either. “They did a very nice job,” she answered, hoping the compliment would get back to the workers. They probably didn’t get enough appreciation, seeing as how they were already gone by the time the public got to see their handiwork.
Frodo took the key, appreciating that it was an actual key and not a swipe card. There was something very romantic about a hotel that used real keys, was there not? He hoped Merrill would agree. "Thank you very much," he chirped and gave Lorelai smile before turning toward the staircase.
The Dragonfly had the warm feeling of a lived-in but exquisitely maintained country home; and though it may have only just opened, it was difficult to imagine what it looked like before Ms. Gilmore had worked her magic. Because magic had to have something to do with it, as Frodo all but gasped as he opened the door to their suite and the golden glow of endless sunflowers filled his eyes.
Merrill did gasp. “It’s beautiful,” she said, clutching Frodo’s arm. For her? Oh, this was lovely. “I love sunflowers,” she said, though it was becoming obvious he knew that. “Did you do this?” she asked, looking up at Frodo, her eyes sparkling.
Frodo tilted his head, trying to be debonair but the flush of color in his face was making it impossible. Seeing Merrill light up turned him into a bashful tweenager sometimes. "I did," he said.
She leaned up to kiss him. The bellhop was getting quite a show. She laughed, wrapping her arms around Frodo. “You’re wonderful,” she said. “This is perfect.” What a beautiful little detail for him to pick up on. She would have loved this place, regardless, but that he remembered the sunflowers just made everything so much better.
Frodo spared a few seconds to tip the bellhop and closed the door behind him quickly as possible, because if he had to put off really kissing Merrill for another minute he was sure he would go mad. He pressed his lips to hers and lifted her off the ground; and though she was slight, he felt as strong as a hundred men. ...And a bit like a bride, though that was something he certainly would not be saying aloud.
Even without the sunflowers, it was a beautiful room filled with dark wood and intricate wallpaper. The bed frame was antique. There was a fireplace--what a shame it was so warm this time of year--and an en suite off the side.
It reminded him very much of Bag End, quite honestly.
Merrill giggled as he lifted her, feeling for all the world like a princess. That was silly, she knew, but everything was just right and she was absolutely delighted. She should be wearing a fancier dress, heels and a tiara--the whole nine yards! “I love you,” she told him between kisses, pausing long enough to catch his eye.
His head fell head back and pulling a long sigh through grinning lips. The bed was visible over Merrill's shoulder. It would not take more than a few steps to place her there, instead of on the floor. Frodo considered it seriously, very seriously; but for too long, and his excitement transmuted into nervousness. Merry was right. He would definitely need a drink first and-- Oh look! Champagne on ice...
He didn't recall ordering that. Perhaps it came with the room. Suddenly, a drink seemed like a dangerous idea.
Merrill noticed him tensing and reached up to tug one of the curls loose from behind his ear. “I wonder when this place was built,” she said, hoping to calm him down without having to move away. There would be plenty of time for champagne later. There was no reason for him to feel so pressured. “Do you think they give tours?”
He could tell Merrill was trying to calm him and he appreciated it. In all likelihood, she would have to do it a few more times before the night was over. His smile slowly returned. “I suppose we could ask. I’m sure that woman at the desk wouldn’t mind some immediate feedback.”
The Dragonfly did give tours! Lorelai had already gotten the first report from the bellhop, which had been overwhelmingly positive. After the whole ‘making out in the hallway’, she was a little surprised to see them downstairs so soon. “Hey! There’s the lovebirds. How’s the room working out for you?”
When Merrill asked about the tours, Lorelai volunteered to lead them around, leaving Michel alone behind the desk. Hopefully she’d have a few guests left when the tour was over. Lorelai told them about the history of the building, and pointed out some of the original pieces, like the wooden banister.
Frodo nodded, but he was only half-listening. Very quickly, he pulled out his phone and keyed in a message for Merry: Might need a pep talk, as embarrassing as that is.
A minute later, the reply he received was: Trust me, you will soon be wondering just what the hell you were so scared of. Have a drink. Take a breath. Let this woman make you a man!
Frodo gulped and slipped the phone back into his pocket. It was taking a lot of focus to pay attention to anything Lorelai was saying. He locked his eyes on the things she pointed to and hoped that would be enough to convince everyone.
Lorelai showed them around the common room, which had plenty of books to Merrill’s delight. She also showed them the restaurant, though there weren’t many diners yet, since it was still a little early. “And we have something special this evening,” Lorelai said, looking over to Frodo. “Since it’s a special occasion--opening weekend, and all--” Lorelai couldn’t help but wink at Frodo. “we’re doing horse-drawn carriage tours of Old Town Tustin.”
Frodo ought have smiled at this immediately, but his face remained blank longer than it should have. What he was really starting to worry about was that all this beauty and fine detail would inevitably lead them to a terrible disappointment. Either he would have a panic attack or not be able to perform or a combination of the two...
"You want to do that, Merrill?" he asked, trying to look normal.
Merrill wasn’t nearly as worried as Frodo was. She was caught up in the magic of it all. She nodded, smiling up at him. “It sounds lovely,” she remarked, sounding starry-eyed. She didn’t know how he found this place, but it was perfect. She’d obviously fallen in love with the building. Lorelai hadn’t been expecting her to show much interest in the inn’s history.
He nodded. “Alright then. Show us the way,” he said to Lorelai.
Once in the carriage, his anxiety eased up a little. It was a nice distraction, and it took a good deal of time. It wasn't that Frodo wanted to avoid the room. Or even what would soon -- theoretically -- be taking place in the room. He just... wanted to avoid failure.
Merrill cuddled up close, her head resting on Frodo’s shoulder as they took the tour. An starlit tour might have been more traditionally romantic, but Merrill was happy there was still enough light to see the buildings. There were several old buildings, including a historical society that Merrill pointed out. “Maybe we could visit tomorrow,” she suggested.
She could understand performance anxiety on Frodo’s part--it was all new and probably a little scary--but she couldn’t imagine ‘failure’.
He nodded with genuine interest at that. The fact that the Historical Society of Tustin was of interest to the both of them probably meant that they were soulmates. Frodo smiled and kissed her temple. “Absolutely.”
By the time they got back to the Dragonfly, the sky was just beginning to change color. On the eaves inn itself, strings of lights had been lit. Frodo stepped out of the carriage and offered his hand to help Merrill. She was just small enough that the jump was a bit dangerous.
Merrill took his hand, accepting his assistance for the little hop down. “This is so nice!” she said for probably the thirtieth time. At least he would know she was having a good time. She kissed his cheek. “Are you hungry?” she asked.
He chuckled. “Always.” It was his standard answer. “Do you, uh, need to stop by the room first?”
Merrill nodded. “I was going to change. You don’t mind, do you?” She was sure he wouldn’t, but they’d wandered back into that awkward territory. “I won’t take too long.”
“That’s fine, that’s fine...” Frodo said. “I was thinking I should change too. Maybe change... into a giraffe or a... panda...” He babbled the last part, unsure if the joke made any sense, or if he just sounded crazed. Anxiety did funny things to him.
Merrill tilted her head, giving him a confused smile. The joke made some sense, but still sounded a little crazy. She reached up to fluff his curls a little. “Let’s go change, then.” Oh, that would make him even more nervous, wouldn’t it? She didn’t mean together.
Though if they could not undress in front of each other with the purpose of putting clothing on straight away, how could they undress with the purposes of leaving the clothing off?
All the way up to the room, Frodo’s legs were wobbly, but he did march on. It wasn’t so strange, to be nervous about something you wanted, was it? But it had also occurred to him that the present moment might be a good time to get the mentioning of his scars out of the way. That was something else he had been putting off.
There was something a little bit secretive about a lady’s date preparations. They’d been out several times, but not many of those had been fancy dinner dates. She’d mostly worn jeans when he was around. This was going to be something else.
Merrill pulled a few things out of her suitcase and then disappeared into the bathroom, promising she wouldn’t be too long. After she’d changed into the blue, tea-length dress and touched up her hair and makeup, she pulled the door open a crack. She didn’t want to startle him. “Ready?”
There was a stereotype fixed in Frodo’s mind, that when a woman said she “wouldn’t be long,” what she really meant was “this may take a few hours.” Of course, he had very limited experience with this in reality. So when Merrill really did reappear after what seemed to be only a few minutes, and Frodo had only gotten as far as unbuttoning his shirt, his first impulse was to laugh. And it was a very sincere laugh, but he felt bad about it immediately.
“I’m sorry, I’m just laughing at myself,” he said. “How did you beat me to getting changed?”
Really, the question he should have asked was how it was possible for a woman to make herself into something so lovely in a matter of minutes. But for Merrill he was sure it was very easy. “Smashing,” he breathed, taking her in.
Merrill smiled brightly. He didn’t need to apologize for laughing; she loved his laugh. “I guess I’m just excited,” she said. “I can go play with my hair some more, if you need more time.” She pulled her shoes from the suitcase, slipping on the heels.
There was something very attractive about a woman putting on heeled shoes while standing up. It was sort of a feat of strength. Frodo sighed to himself. He really needed to stop gawking at her all the time. But it could not be helped.
He fingered the buttons on his shirt. “Actually, while we have a moment, there’s something I should probably tell you about, before...” He sighed again. “Well, I should just tell you. You know about the attack that took place a few years ago... I wanted to give you a heads up about there being a good deal of scarring...” Frodo motioned his hand across a few spots on his chest, lingering longest on his left shoulder. He frowned.
Merrill’s face fell a little when he mentioned the attack. She’d been awfully distraught when he first told her about the attack. She didn’t like thinking about him suffering like that. Why would anyone attack Frodo? She nodded when he mentioned the scarring, not quite making the connection of why he was telling her. “I’m sorry,” she said, sounding sad. “Does it still hurt?”
“No, not at all,” he replied. Well, sometimes his shoulder did act up, but that seemed to be another situation entirely. “I just don’t want to spring it on you... later.”
“Oh.” It might sort of kill the mood if Merrill got upset about someone hurting him as soon as he started to undress. Crying would certainly bring things to a halt. Being prepared was definitely for the best. “Thank you,” she said, leaning in to kiss him gently on the chin. “For telling me.” It wasn’t a ‘warning’, exactly, but it was another conversation they needed to get out of the way.
“I’ll try not to get upset,” she said, though her voice was already shaking a little. “But if I do, it’s just because I hate thinking about anyone hurting you, and how terrible that must have been. I’m trying to rewrite it how Varric would, and think of it as rugged and manly, but I can’t help thinking about how scared I would’ve been.” She swallowed past a lump in her throat.
She really hadn’t meant for all of that to come out. She’d intended to toughen up and not make a big deal of it.
Seeing her begin to tremble put him motion before Frodo was fully aware that his feet had begin to move. It was simply instinctual. He brushed both hands down the front of his undershirt. "Oh, Merrill," he said. "It's alright. It was frightening, but it was so long ago, I hardly ever think about it."
He held out his arms to her. "It may sound crazy, but I wouldn't change any of it. Going through everything that followed has made me into who I am right now. And he's a much better person than who I would be if it had not happened. I’m sure of it."
Merrill stepped into his arms as soon as he motioned to her. “I’m sorry,” she said, wiping at the tears falling down her cheek. “I know it was a long time ago, and I’m glad you are who you are.” That was comforting, that he saw the event creating positive change. Merrill could wrap her brain around that.
Frodo rested his head atop hers. What he really wanted to do was bury his face in her hair, but he did not want to muss it. "I mean," he said quietly, "I wouldn't wish it on anyone else." He chuckled a few throaty notes.
He pulled back a bit, so that he could place his hand on his left shoulder. "Most of it is here. And then there are a few cuts here and there. The doctors did a good job of cleaning it up. You might not even think it's so bad."
She was already going to have to fix her makeup, she wouldn’t mind fixing her hair, too. “Do you want to show me now?” she asked softly. “So I can get all the crying out of the way now?” she gave a little laugh, hoping that was just a joke.
Frodo bit his bottom lip and regarded Merrill tenderly. It was not a bad idea, though it would bruise his heart to make her cry. He nodded and, stepping back from her, untucked his undershirt from his pants and carefully pulled it over his head. Actually, it was surprisingly easy, removing his clothing in front of her, but then again the moment, though intimate, was far from sexual. Although after a few seconds of standing shirtless before her, his heart began to pound anyway, and not just because he was nervous about the scars.
Merrill pressed her lips together. It helped that she had been imagining something much worse; this didn’t seem so bad. It felt strange, though, like he was on display. She moved back into his arms, leaning into his right arm as her hand went to touch the scars on his left shoulder. The attack may have been years ago for Frodo, but she was just now coming to terms with it. “I’m glad you’re okay,” she said quietly.
He tightened his arms around her. The tenderness in her touch was quite moving, actually. And holding her against his bare skin was very nice, too. Frodo's throat tightened a bit.
"You know what's odd? I've also had dreams about being stabbed in the same place. I survive that one, too. I don't know what it all means," he mused aloud.
She kissed his collarbone, more soft and sweet than hot and bothered. “The Dream-dreams?” That sounded strange and upsetting. “Sorry.” Her dreams were getting less and less happy, but she didn’t have any about being stabbed. She’d had a few dreams of fights and being injured, but somehow that seemed different.
The kiss may have been soft and sweet, but his heart jumped up against his ribcage anyway. Frodo gulped to quiet himself and nodded. "The Dream-dreams. It's actually much worse there than it was here. There was more at stake. The knife had evil powers and there was the Ring to worry about..."
Her short phrasing concerned him a little bit. Frodo wondered if the Dreams were something she did not want to talk about anymore and he felt bad for babbling. He rubbed a few tears away from her cheeks with the pad of his thumb and kissed her forehead. "Here, let me put on another shirt and we'll head back downstairs." But, in all honesty, he suddenly did not want to do either of those things.
Merrill’s eyebrows furrowed a little at that. Evil powers? There were magical weapons in her dreams too, and it didn’t sound pleasant to be stabbed by one. Especially since he didn’t have friends with healing magic, either. Not that Anders would appreciate being called her friend.
“Okay.” She smiled up at him. “I’m going to fix my makeup while you do that.”
Frodo watched her go, and he could not deny the faint sense of disappointment. Misplaced, perhaps, but he had felt very brave for a few minutes there.
He shook his head at himself and walked back to his suitcase.
When they got downstairs, Lorelai was ready for them. Their table had been reserved all night. There were candles and a nice sunflower arrangement. The restaurant was fairly crowded--some of the people must have come from the surrounding area, since there were more diners than guests--but Frodo and Merrill’s tables had a quiet, intimate feel. It was also positioned so that Lorelai and Sookie could totally spy on them from the kitchen.
Merrill took a seat, smiling to Frodo. “This is really nice.”
Frodo had been to many first-class hotels and restaurant, but he had never been treated with such care in his life. And he got the impression that Lorelai Gilmore was delighted to anticipate their every possible desire.
“It’s amazing,” he said, fingering a few petals in the arrangement.
Lorelai had already taken a liking to Frodo when they’d first talked on the internet. Any guy who requested ‘ALL THE SUNFLOWERS’ to impress his girlfriend was beyond adorable. Roses were cliche. Sunflowers were quirky enough that there had to be some significance there. It was sweet, and everything she hoped she would find, one of these days. She wanted to make sure they had a good time. When Merry mentioned that Frodo was his cousin, she was only more convinced.
The menu was full of gourmet delicacies, and the wine list was fantastic. The waiter told them about the specials, which sounded excellent.
While Frodo and Merrill ordered their dinner...
Merry Brandybuck was casually strolling around the grounds of the Dragonfly Inn. His hands were in his pockets and he seemed to be no more than a passerby, except for the fact that he'd clearly driven all the way from his office in Anaheim. All he wanted was to make sure his cousin and his cousin's future wife were having a good time, and to check out his friend's business venture. It was quite innocent.
Of course, he did not look so innocent as he locked eyes with Lorelai, who was peeking through the kitchen door. His eyes bugged and he all but dove out of sight.
Lorelai saw that! She told Sookie she’d be right back and then snuck out through the kitchen. She went around the front to find Merry in the bushes. “What are you doing out here?” she asked, ducking down so they wouldn’t look suspicious. Because normal people always hid in bushes.
“I’m... Oh, what does it look like I’m doing?” he harsh-whispered back. “I’m spying on my cousin.”
“But why are you doing it out here?” Lorelai whispered back. “Come inside and have a glass of wine.”
Merry looked at her cockeyed, as if she could not possibly be serious. Did she mean for him to watch from the kitchen, too?
Lorelai rolled her eyes dramatically and then motioned for him to follow her. “I’ll show you the back way in.”
Merry knew he did not have a leg to stand on. What could he have said? I’m sorry, but I’d rather conduct my stakeout from the bushes. He stood and pulled a few twigs from his hair. He shrugged and followed her.
True to her promise, Lorelai snuck Merry into the kitchen and found a glass of wine for him. Sookie warned him not to touch anything, and they’d have to duck out of the way of servers, but it was still better than being covered in dirt and getting eaten by bugs.
Merrill was all smiles and giggles, and any sign that she’d been crying earlier had completely vanished.
By now, their drinks and appetizers had arrived. And the sight of twilight progressing into evening did not send Frodo into a panic, thanks to the slight buzz he was building. Merry smiled from the kitchen window as Frodo turned down the offer of a second drink.
Merrill didn’t drink very often. The last time had probably been when she was listening to Varric’s stories at his pub. She’d had a glass of wine with dinner, though, and was feeling a little warm. A second glass would have had her acting quite silly, and she didn’t want that tonight. She wanted a nice evening that she’d remember perfectly in the morning.
“Do you think he’s going to ask her?” Lorelai whispered to Merry.
“Oh, it’s going to be like Prince William all over again,” Sookie said, pouting.
This earned another cock-eyed look from Merry. Then, he shrugged. He had to admit his cousin was a handsome guy and the accent probably was a bonus, too. He looked back at Lorelai. “Oh, I don’t think it’s a proposal that’s coming. Do you?”
“You don’t?” Lorelai asked. “Look, they’re so cute, and all the flowers.. It would be the perfect time for it.” As if on cue, a waiter appeared with a bottle of champagne and a plate of chocolate-covered strawberries. “No, not yet,” Lorelai told him, shooing him away. Okay, it was possible she had overplanned a bit.
And thus a third cock-eye glance was earned from Merry. “Good lord, Gilmore,” he broke out chuckling and sipped his wine.
“What?” Lorelai made a face at him. “He’s sweet and I want everything to be perfect for them. He’s your cousin! You want it to be nice, right?”
Merry gestured to the window. “They’ve only been dating for a month! They haven’t even--” He bit his tongue. He waved his hands in the air, as if he could wipe out those last few words. “That’s-- No-- Nevermind. I mean, I’m sure he’s going to marry her, if she’ll have him, but one thing at a time.”
Lorelai raised a brow. “Ooh, scandalous!” She and Sookie commenced faux-shocked gasps and giggling. Unfortunately, Merry was in the company of two grown women with the collective maturity of a high school boy’s locker room.
The food was delicious, and Merrill didn’t typically worry about eating too much. But she was a little nervous, so she wasn’t quite able to finish all of her food.
Frodo, for his part, was worried about being too full for probably the first time in his entire life. He pushed away food with a tremendous amount of effort and almost whimpered as the server carried their not-empty plates away.
Dinner was nearing a close and his anxiety was beginning to mount again.
Merrill hated to turn down dessert, but she was sure she couldn’t finish it. Maybe another time. Lorelai told the waiter to hold off bringing the check a little longer than he normally would have, still holding out hope for a big announcement, but nothing. The waiter brought them the check while Lorelai pouted at Merry.
After Frodo handled that, the couple retired to their chamber for the evening.
The was completely dark outside by the then, and everything upstairs was very quiet. In fact, the had left the lights off in their room, so returning really felt like they were going home for the evening.
Frodo fingered the collar of his dress shirt. He looked at the champagne to his right and shook his head. Merry had warned him against drinking too much. Said it would be detrimental.
He leaned back against the door to settle his nervous legs. “So... “ he breathed and pressed his lips together.
Merrill was a little nervous, too. She hadn’t expected she would be, but this was.. special. She sat on the edge of the bed, glancing at the suitcase where her lingerie was. “So,” she repeated, looking up at him through dark lashes.
Admittedly, there was something awkward about the whole thing being planned out like this. Throughout the day, there had been moments where it made much more sense to spontaneously go for it, rather than wait. But when Merrill looked at him with eyes like that, Frodo realized he did not care. Right now was as perfect as any of those moments.
But he also realized that this was not going to be like something out of a movie. There were a few, less glamorous things to do first. Like go to the bathroom and brush his teeth. Maybe it would also be a good idea to take a shower, too. Spontaneous was fine, but so was soap and mouthwash.
"Mind if I clean up first?"
Merrill agreed quickly--not because she thought he needed to be cleaner! She was just grateful to have a few minutes to change. She didn't think she would need the lingerie, but she'd brought it with her and she was looking forward to Frodo seeing her in it.
Once he'd closed the bathroom door, she changed quickly, unsure how much time she would have. It was a black lace teddy with gold and red accents. There was a corset-like feel to it, and for a moment, Merrill was worried it was too risque. Maybe she should've picked something sweeter for his first time; something white, with ruffles.
From inside the bathroom came the sounds of the sink and shower running intermittently. Frodo had thankfully had the forethought to bring in the clothing he wanted to change into as well, which really only amounted to clean boxers. But otherwise he would have only reappeared in a towel, a towel that would have slipped from his shaking hands the moment he saw her.
But even in his shorts, he was beyond words. He could only breathe, and even then very little, and stare.
And then Frodo did something more than a little surprising and unexpected. Overtaken, he crossed the room with a few quick steps, plunged his hands into her hair, and began kissing her like it was the last chance he would ever get.
Merrill was very nearly literally swept off her feet by Frodo's exuberance. She grabbed onto his waist to keep from falling over, kissing him back. Her cheeks felt hot, and she was just a little dizzy. She couldn't be happier, though.
One arm slipped around his waist as Merrill took a few steps backward, leading him with her toward the bed.
It was not, perhaps, optimal, but immediate happiness was a secondary concern for him. Right now, he was all determination and and focus. And excitement. There was a lot of that going on too, as he followed Merrill's lead to the bed. His heart and head were pounding. It was thrilling and wonderful and terrifying all at once.
Giggling at this point probably wouldn't be taken as a compliment. She was just nervous, and a bit giddy, and 'Oh my goodness' wasn't appropriate either, was it? They were going to--! Focus would kick in any minute now..
She kissed his neck, her fingers tracing along his side while she slowly sank to the edge of the bed, pulling him down on top of her.
He looked down at her, still wondering how a woman so sweet and lovely wanted him like he wanted her. Frodo gulped. "Do you have that thing, by the way? The... " But his mind was racing too fast to trifle with words. "The... whatsitcalled. The..." He actually began to chuckle at this point. "It fell out of your purse that time..."
"Oh," Merrill said, having almost gotten carried away. "Yes," she said with a breathy laugh. Responsible, responsible, she was that. "Just a.. Right here..." She reached over to the nightstand where her purse was. It was some awkward fumbling around, and there was a moment of panic when she thought she'd left it somewhere. She finally fished it out, though.
Frodo took it from her and turned it over a few times between his fingers. He tilted his head, as if to say thank you, which was a somewhat goofy thing to do, but it was a goofy moment.
“Sorry for the interruption,” he said, lowering to kiss her again.
It was an important interruption, so she’d try not to hold it against him. She leaned up to kiss him back. “I can help, if you want...” He didn’t need to take the lead in all of this. She wanted this to go well for him, and she had a little more experience in this. “There’s a certain way to do it.”
Merry had mentioned that he might require assistance or directions at some point. Frodo’s face blushed bright red. “Yes, maybe... that might be a good idea.”
Oh, poor Frodo. Gently, she took one of his hands and rolled over so that she was on top. “Why don’t you relax?” she suggested, taking the package from him and straddling him. She looked down at him, fluttering her lashes at him before she started sliding down. She stopped to kiss his scar while her fingers went to take off his boxers.
At this point, Frodo was completely incapable of word, movement, or thought, other than the low hum of “Omgomgomgomgomgomgomgomg!” His lids fell, possibly in an attempt to prevent a panic attack by turning off one of his senses.
She wasn’t finished with her show. She’d been planning to rip the package open with her teeth, but now his eyes were closed. She smiled down at him, opening it with her fingers instead. “Not asleep, I hope?” she asked playfully, her hand brushing over his inner thigh.
Frodo shook his head. “I’m... not sure I will ever calm down enough to sleep ever again,” he said with a nervous giggle.
Merrill smiled, slipping the ‘whatsitcalled’ on him. She had about a dozen different things on her mind that she’d like to do with him, but perhaps conventional was best, for now. There would always be time later.
Frodo slowly dared to open his eyes again, but he held his breath to make up for it. He held it as it began. For him, it was quite literally a new beginning; and his movements were awkward, even tentative, at first. More than once, he held his breath so long that his lungs began to ache.
Merrill tried to gently remind him to breathe with soft kisses. She took the lead, keeping her movements slow and deliberate at first. She leaned over him, her chest pressed against his as she whispered how much she loved him into his ear.
The motions may have started slowly, but it was not more than a minute or two in that they picked up momentum. And to his complete amazement, he realized he was the one initiating it, and that there was some instinctual part of him that knew exactly what to do. It was rather simple really: keep it going.
And what Frodo also discovered about becoming intimate, is that it has a way of washing one's mind clean of everything beyond the immediate. Merrill was everything that was; Merrill and the intense joy of realizing that loving her could take physical form.
Merrill felt a little thrill run up her spine once Frodo got into the swing of things. She could relax instead of worrying about making sure he was having a good time. She closed her eyes, kissing his neck, his chin, his shoulder.
Merrill wasn't new to the act. She'd had faster, harder, rougher... But she'd never had this kind of feeling behind it. She'd never been in love.
His hands moved from her waist to her chest to her hair, the then the cycle would restart. When her ears got close to his mouth, he reached for them with little nibbles. He whispered that he loved her in throaty tones.
When he caught her ears, Merrill gasped. It was like fireworks going off inside her brain and there was no room for coherent thoughts. She moaned loudly and her movements gained a sort of intensity. She called his name, her breath getting faster.
This sudden jump in intensity, along with the noises she was beginning to make, he found very startling. But the interruption in his brainwaves lasted only a few seconds, just long enough for him to realize that A) that people really did call out names at this juncture, and B) there was an intense pressure suddenly building up in him as well.
His name was pretty much the only thing she could call out. She was incapable of any other thought. It was only Frodo, Frodo, Frodo. Her once-graceful movements had started to get jerky, and her back and shoulders were arching.
It may have been off by comparison, but Frodo was completely silent, aside from the labored breathing. He clutched at her waist, unable to take his eyes off her. He had never seen anything so incredibly beautiful as Merrill in ecstasy. Not even Lothlorien.
Like a wave in the ocean, Merrill crashed into Frodo. She collapsed onto his chest, her breath heavy, her body still quivering. “I love you,” she whispered, clutching his arms.
And it was at that moment that Frodo at last cried out himself, not with words, but something more like a loud gasp. It was a cry of relief and longing at the same time. His arms fell limply to his sides. "Oh my goodness... That was... amazing."
Merrill’s reply was a series of happy little murmurs that made no sense in any language. She could barely string together an ‘I love you’; the fact that he had managed to form two sentences was proof Frodo was downright brilliant.
Well, he was at least a more educated man than he'd been a half hour ago.
Frodo panted beneath her, enjoying the little noises she made. "Thank you for taking over like that. That really helped... getting things started."
"Mm-hmm-suh-gluh-mer," she murmured into his chest, placing a lazy kiss wherever her lips landed. That was really nice. She'd missed that. But it was worth the wait.
She hummed a few notes of what might have been Blackbird, but it was hard to tell given her state.
Frodo chuckled a few low notes in harmony with her. Slowly, his strength was returning. With a little nudge, he rolled Merrill onto her back. Really, he wanted nothing more than to keep holding her, but he needed to wash up a bit.
"Don't run away now," he said. His hips were wobbly upon standing.
A minute later, he returned from the bathroom, much more confident in the nude than he'd been in his boxers the first time. There was a smile on his face that just would not budge. Frodo sat on the edge on the bed and began to go quietly through Merrill's purse.
"Want to go again... in a few minutes?" he asked.
Merrill had rolled onto her side and was cuddling with a pillow when he returned. Her senses had begun coming back to her while Frodo was in the bathroom, and she was starting to think more clearly.
Her eyebrows shot up in surprise at the question, and a slow grin spread across her face. "Mmhmm," she said, nodding. She had a number of things she'd like to try with him.
And he was eager to make up for lost time.