Frodo put his pack down just inside the door of Merry's room and made sure the door was locked and bolted. There were far too many master keys about in Brandy Hall -- as he knew from experience. He hunkered down and fished around in the pack for two bottles -- one, a lovely bottle of Brandy Hall's best red, and one, an equally lovely bottle of his favourite scented oil.

The room was perfect -- Izzy, as always, had come through once more. He did owe her many favours this visit, although dear Izzy never expected anything but a mild snog and an outrageous bit of gossip beside the kitchen fire. The curtains and shutters were wide open and sunshine streamed into the room. A fire burned merrily in the grate. An extra large tub sat steaming before it, with fluffy towels hanging from a rack nearby and extra coppers on as well. He walked over quickly, pulling the cork loose as he walked, and placed the oil next to a basket of scented soaps and a pitcher. Then he looked about carefully and spotted the food, tucked away on a side table. He went and swiftly inserted the wine in the prepared cooler. All was as requested.

Merry was standing in the sunlight gazing at the tub when Frodo walked back across the room. "She is in love with you, you know," he said in a quiet voice.

"She?" Frodo started to pull off his jacket as Merry turned around to face him.

"Isabella Fleam. Has loved you since I can remember."

"Izzy? Well, I love her t--"

Dust motes danced in the nimbus of sunlight around Merry's hair -- glowing like some ancient crown. He always stood so straight and tall, as if he was wearing armour, but the burgundy suit coat and velvet breeches literally glowed -- for a moment the waistcoat, with it's delicate gold stitch work, seemed to be made of mail. Frodo blinked. The painting was lovely, but the reality was absolutely stunning.

"--too," he finally managed. "You are just -- breathtaking in that suit, cousin."

Merry looked down at himself, then slowly raised his head, a knowing smile on his face. "So, you prefer me in the suit rather than out of it?"

That timbre in Merry's voice and the smouldering look in his eyes had Frodo shaking his head slowly before he realized what he was doing. "Definitely out of it."

"And are you planning on bathing in your travelling clothes?" Merry asked as he slowly walked toward him.

Frodo realized he had to act quickly or he and Merry would end up either up against a wall or in the tub and the lovely suit would end up much the worse for wear.

"No, but I was hoping to watch you take off that quite handsome outfit for me, while you were standing there in the sunlight. I need to remind myself that the hobbit beneath those clothes is even more handsome -- without them."

That stopped Merry in his tracks, then his eyes narrowed and his mouth quirked. "You know," he said, taking one step backward. "I noticed when you were back there seducing the toff that you have quite the clever tongue. And here you are trying to use it on me." He shook his head as he stepped back into the sunlight, shrugging out of his jacket.

Frodo tilted his head and looked at Merry from under his lashes. "If I were using my tongue on you, cousin, you would have no doubt of how very clever it is."

Merry's eyes darkened and he stopped with the jacket half off. "Shall we have a contest later then, to see whose tongue is more clever?" he continued with a challenging glare, tossing the jacket at Frodo, who caught it and hung it over a chair back.

"I do believe that is the plan for the afternoon," Frodo quipped, then shrugged off his own jacket and hung it as well. "Immediately followed by the contest as to who makes the most seductive sounds."

Reflections from the gold stitching in the waistcoat sparkled and danced in the sun as Merry undid the stiff new fastenings with his head bent and light glinting off his hair. "Well, I think that should be a contest as to who shrieks like a lass, because there is seduction and then there is just racket."

Frodo grimaced at his cousin as Merry glanced up from his task and smirked at him. But when Frodo managed to undo his waistcoat without looking and pull it off before Merry could finish, Merry frowned blackly. Frodo undid his cuffs and started on the shirt buttons.

Merry shrugged out of the waistcoat and tossed it at Frodo's head. He grabbed it easily, giving Merry a triumphant look as he hung it over his own, then swiftly finished unbuttoning his shirt.

"Well, yes, I suppose we should also have a contest for managing to remain on the bed as well, since that seems to be a difficult skill to master."

Merry's face coloured before he ducked his head to focus on his shirt cuffs. Twice at Yule Merry had somehow ended up on the floor. Frodo actually felt quite guilty about it, but he hadn't exactly been in control of the situation at the time.

"Then there is the one about who ties the best knots," Merry growled as he struggled with the stiff new buttons.

Frodo pulled his braces off his shoulders. "Absolutely. No doubt who is the frontrunner in that contest. But I do believe that someone owes someone a new nightshirt."

That won him a quick grin that Merry tried to hide. "That thing was already in tatters and you know it."

"And your shirt will be soon if you keep that up. Can I help?" Frodo walked toward him and Merry reluctantly stuck out one arm.

"These are impossible to button or unbutton with one hand."

"They will get looser. No worries." Frodo worked with the button. "Beautiful needlework on this -- Moresby?"

"Yes. And mother has ordered me not to grow out of it."

"Well, it is quite the investment." Frodo moved to the other cuff. "For the parties, I assume?"

Merry nodded. "But the breeches are a bit too tight for dancing or eating, if you ask me."

Frodo finished the cuff and stepped back, looking down pointedly and with admiration, then raising his eyes to Merry's as he finished unbuttoning his shirt.

"I wouldn't say too tight at all," Frodo said softly. "Makes some contests a tad easier when everyone knows the winner without the need to disrobe."

It was telling that Merry didn't blush at all over that one. Frodo raised his eyebrows in approval. There was a time not long ago when that comment would have brought a bright blush right down to Merry's toes.

"Well--" Merry pulled his braces off his shoulders. "My cousin has told me, ever since I was a faunt who only came up to his kneecaps, that it was not size that mattered so much as sense -- I think that applies here as well."

Frodo's mouth dropped open at that.

Merry grinned. "Yes, I remember that. I remember a lot of things you taught me, Frodo," he said as he shrugged out of his shirt and dropped it. The grin faded into something softer. "I always will, you know."

Even in the deep of winter, Merry was golden and touched with sun. Faded tan lines on skin darkened by hours in the summer fields, sun-bleached highlights still glimmering in deep gold hair, and a harvest sky at dusk in those eyes. The winter sunlight slanting in the window was weak by comparison.

Managing to close his mouth, Frodo still felt as if he had been pole-axed. Merry certainly couldn't miss the desire simmering in Frodo's eyes as Merry unbuttoned his breeches and untied his small clothes, hooking his thumbs into the waist and tugging downwards, kicking everything aside.

Frodo licked his lips as his gaze slid downward admiringly. Appropriate that the hair became a more burnished, deeper gold the further down it went.

"I believe I won the undressing part of the contest," Merry said in a gruff voice.

Frodo realized he was still partially in his shirt and breeches, but he didn't stop admiring Merry as he shrugged out of his shirt and finished undoing his breeches and small clothes, letting them fall. "Indeed you did, in more ways than one, cousin."

He was completely aware of Merry's heated gaze raking him head to toe -- and parts of him were slightly more aware than others.

"Now for the next part of the contest." He took off for the tub at a fast clip. "Who gets in the tub first," he laughed over his shoulder as he stepped in. Luckily the temperature was perfect, perhaps just a tad hot. He sank down with a relieved groan just as Merry loomed over him.

"Here in front of me." Frodo said quickly, pointing in front of him, spreading his knees. "I promised you a good backrub I believe."

"So, you win the getting in the tub first contest." Merry conceded, grinning, then stepped in with his back to Frodo. "Whoa. It's hot." He lifted one foot and then the other in an odd dance.

Frodo reached up and smacked a convenient cheek. "Wimp."

Merry looked back over his shoulder. "We have already established that I win in the area of size. I can sit on you."

Frodo looked down, pointedly, then looked up slyly. "Yes indeed you can," he leered.

"Oh, you are hopeless." Merry sat down gingerly. "Ouch! Ouch ouch ouch. I am not a parsnip to be boiled you know."

"With the proper condiments, you will taste just fine, boiled or baked or simmered in a stew." Frodo reached over the side and retrieved a flannel and a piece of soap, smelling it quickly to make sure it wasn't something sweet or flowery.

"Wash my hair? Please? I think the paint smell has sunk into my skull."

"Certainly. Anything to be of service."

Merry slid forward and dipped his head back, sinking below the surface and wiping the water out of his face as he rose back up. Frodo took some of the soft soap in his hands and worked it into Merry's hair thoroughly, massaging Merry's scalp slowly with his fingers as he did. Merry groaned appreciatively and closed his eyes, leaning back into Frodo's ministering fingers.

"Rinse."

Merry obligingly dipped his head once more as Frodo soaped up a flannel.

"Lean back on me." Merry slid back until his head was almost on Frodo's shoulder. "That's it." Frodo took Merry's left hand and began washing his way up his arm. "Now, what is going on around here that would make my stubborn cousin put up with a toff like Todo Bunce for -- how long now?"

"Weeks," Merry muttered.

"Weeks." Frodo finished the left arm and reached for the right. "And why is he still alive?"

"It's complicated."

"I assume that. Since you have such a sizable-- body we have plenty of time here."

Merry smiled and his eyes opened to gaze up at Frodo. "I love you, you know."

Frodo leaned over and kissed Merry rather thoroughly.  When he finished, Merry was looking a bit distracted from the issue at hand. 

"Now, why is Todo still alive?"  Frodo prompted.

***

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