The way that most of Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes stories’ most horrible villains are rich dudes that are abusive to women, in a time such as the 1880’s, compels me.
Yup, there’s a huge number of times where Sherlock Holmes is the ONLY person to take a young woman’s complaint or worry seriously and finds out someone is up to some serious evil. Holmes also shows a lot of compassion and empathy with the victims over and over again. (This is why I find “Secretly a woman” or “Trans” Holmes headcanons much more convincing than “sociopath” Holmes.)
I am never going to shut up about how much I specifically love The Adventure of The Copper Beeches because it is literally Sherlock Holmes listening to a young lady he does not know except as a potential client, agreeing with her that a potential job she has interviewed for that she thinks is SUPER SKETCHY is, indeed, sketchy as fuck and when she says she’s probably gonna take the job anyways because the money is good and she needs it going “OKAY I GUESS but for the love of god please write to us so we know you’re okay we will literally drop everything and jump on a train if you want us to”.
The job turns out to indeed be sketchy as fuck, she writes to them, Holmes and Watson drop everything and jump on a train when she asks them to. I read this story for the first time when I was twelve and it made a HUGE impression.
This is also the basis for a lot of speculation about Holmes’ family life. The idea that he has been a victim of abuse, or his mother was abused (or even murdered by his father.) There’s definitely SOMETHING that makes him very aware of how dangerous isolated families can be, and the dark things that can happen behind closed doors. Plus, of course, the motivation to devote himself to stopping crime. And yes, so much of it is of the personal type.
dude see this is one aspect of the original books i NEVER understand why modern remakes (cough cough) don’t go all in on. Like, in the 21th c we HAVE all the dumb forensic shit that made Victorian Holmes stand out, but we STILL DON’T HAVE uh….you know, compassion for women and minorities, or the willingness to believe them, adequate community support for domestic violence or hate crimes, etc. etc. which you’d think is exactly where a renegade consulting detective would come in handy. A good modern day Sherlock Holmes remake, instead of trying to convince us that Holmes is some super genius for being better than fingerprint analysis or whatever, could have him just be…a good person who helps out people the police can’t and won’t help. There you go. That’s how to write a relevant modern Holmes.
One thing that annoys me is how much the BBC version of Sherlock (and the fandom around it) focus on police cases or cold cases. In the stories, Holmes’ bread and butter cases had fuck-all to do with the police and in a few stories, he actively works around/against them, or outright lies to them. Of the many, many things I wish that show had done differently, this is one is particularly obnoxious since it’s such a gimme.
There were very few actual murder cases in the Canon, and Holmes handled them either one of two ways:
Option one: The murder victim was innocent while the killer was an abusive bastard, see Speckled Band. Conclusion, arrest and have the killer charged (Or in the case of Speckled Band, indirectly murder him yourself then shrug and go home)
Option two: The victim was murdered to protect someone that the victim was abusing, or for vengeance, see Boscombe Valley, Devil’s Foot, Abbey Grange. Conclusion, Oops, I don’t know who the killer is, I am suddenly incompetent, oh look a pheasant.
#my favorite murder in holmes canon#is when they straight up witness a lady murder her blackmailer#do nothing except destroy his other blackmail material#and then straight up lie to lestrade about it#sherlock holmes#more of this in modern adaptations pls (via @cactusspatz )
Let’s not forget the time Holmes helps a young woman who’s being catfished by her own stepfather to steal her inheritance, and when the villain sneers that the law can’t touch him, Holmes grabs a horsewhip out of sheerest chivalry.
I think it’s also important to note, and complicates our ideas about what the highly patriarchal/misogynistic society of 19th century England looked like, that these stories SOLD
they were POPULAR
the Victorians LIKED reading about women who won out over shitty men in their lives, even when that plotline reaffirmed a woman’s power and agency or put an active sexist in his place (ie Irene Adler besting Holmes)
which is fascinating in light of. you know. [gestures broadly at all of Victorian gender dynamics, laws, etc.]
{ Lord of the Rings/The Hobbit Masterlist }
Frodo, Samwise, Merry, Bilbo
AN: Sorry I don't write NSFW for Pippin on this page.
Requested by anon! Thank you!
gn!reader
Content warning (MDNI) under the cut
Frodo
Surprisingly curious and adventurous under the sheets
Especially after he left the Shire, like he's trying to explore boundaries that he never thought to leave before
Whether that be a new kink, a change from your usual pace or even a change of location
Much prefers your intimacy to be soft and deeply personal, like positions where you're both very close (missionary, spooning, in his lap)
Make eye contact with him while he's giving you head, or your sucking him off, or when he's fucking you, and he's GONE
Like can't handle it, will hide his face from you
Kinda loves it when you tease him in public when no one's looking and get him all riled up
A hand brushing his crotch under the table which makes his knee push against yours in acknowledgement, secretly begging for more
He is more submissive than dominant, just liking to be doted on and taken care of
But can kind of be a brat at times, demanding and retaliating, but he does it to get a rise out of you so you can be rougher with him
Also gets slightly possessive at times, but in a sub way
Like gets annoyed if you give attention to someone too much, but doesn't ever say it under he's under you while you tease him relentlessly
"Frodo... if you keep staring like that I might start to wonder what else you'd do to state your claim of me."
Actually surprises you with a strong surge of confidence when jealousy strikes, getting all rough and less forgiving towards you
He holds your hand during it
And a cuddles afterwards is a must with him, don't leave his arms for the next 20 minutes or he'll get cranky
Samwise
He's such a giver
Will often reject his own desires because he wants to put you first
Thrives on knowing that he is taking care of you, as you writhe under his fingers and tongue
Wants to make you come undone multiple times before he even thinks about being inside you
His years spent gardening has given him toughened hands and build-up muscles, so he has no problem lifting you or holding you in place
There is a quiet, protective dominance to him when he gets heated, like soft hands on your thighs, threading his hands through your hair while you suck him off, or pushing your head into his neck when you're getting loud
Loves intimacy in little domestic settings together, like him slipping into the bath beside you and touching all over your body, insisting that he's just helping get you clean
Or when you've been teasing him all night across the dinner table and you're cleaning the kitchen he just comes over and lifts you onto the counter (fuck)
Or even just in your bed, which is his favourite place to have you
Compliment him during the act, like how good he's making you feel, and he'll blush like nothing else
BRIGHT red ears
Has a habit of muttering little incoherent things against your skin while he fucks you
"So beautiful" "fuck, you feel so good hunny"
He notices any kind of change from you and asks if you're okay
Like if you're quiet for too long, or your breath hitches, or you flinch at something
Just such house husband material I need him help
Merry
Playful, cheeky and bold in bed
He LOVES to make you laugh and blush during the act
What's the fun in sex if you can't joke around during it?
Sees it as something to be fun and to be enjoyed
He's so much more risky than the others, liking to put you into promiscuous situations
Like pulling you into a dark corner during a party and running his hands along your skin under your clothes while you pretend to tell him off and get annoyed
Once pushed you into the storeroom at the green dragon and gave you head while you held your mouth shut, praying to the maiar that no one walked in on that scene
An absolute RUTHLESS tease, will drag things out until your squirming, sensitive and practically BEGGING for him to do something
But drags it out more even then, until you're arching off the bed from just his hands on your inner thigh
But he eventually gives you what you want, giggling as you claw at him from desperateness
Likes to be in charge, but not in a softdom or harddom kind of way, but in a rogue, cocky, charming way
ALSO no shame in being loud, sometimes you have to cover his mouth and tell him to shut up while he just laughs against your hand
And roughhousing turns him on so much, like pinning you while you complain saying you were so close to winning
One minute you're playfully wrestling then the next his fingers are deep in you while you moan
Also very competitive, if another hobbit is eyeing you it's basically sentencing you to a night under his horny body
Bilbo
He is experienced but very selective in who he sleeps with
Wants a strong, intimate bond as he's not one to open up very quickly and loves his personal space
So when he wants you, he wants you
Passionate and skillful, wanting you to come completely undone beneath him
A fan of cozy, candle-lit nights in bed with wine and fluffed pillows
Or near the fire on the couch when he gets inpatient
Quite verbal, and likes to talk you through it with dirty talk and tempting you with his words, encouraging you
"Come sit on my lap love, don't be shy~."
Slow-building tension, growing over the day and into the evening
Before he snaps and just can't help but run his hands along your butt or your waist, gripping it slightly to make you flinch
Undresses you so slowly, piece by piece, and has a kink for being fully clothed while you're naked and all to his mercy
So when you finish in the bath and walk out in nothing but a towel, his hands are immediately on you trying to tug the towel away
Slow in his touches, he never rushes with you and just drinks in the sight of you and your noises, even kisses along your body for every piece of clothing he removes
Also gets so obsessed when you wear something of his afterwards
Sometimes even 'misplaces' your clothes so you have to wear one of his buttoned shirts
But honestly it makes him to warm inside that when he wakes up and sees you still in it he wants to go for another round
(But this time with the shirt staying on you)
Puts a lot of emphasis on aftercare, runs a bath for you, brushes your hair and even brings you food
Taglist: @pumpkin-soup333 @cinnamon-girl-writes @bloxholden35 @woodsofsunlight @mybrainsamess @polinforya
AN: Let me know if you want me to do NSFW alphabets for any of these characters asJHSGAJASG
Requests for headcanons / reactions always open~
SPORTS AND GAMES IN THE SHIRE (and MIDDLE EARTH) ── .✦
so there are some sports and games that, i think, hobbits practice. and maybe it is common in the rest of middle earth too ??
SPORTS !!
first of all, the old version of football : the SOULE (or choule). yall probably never heard about it and it is normal, because it is a french sport. to make it short, it's the same rules than football, and it is played with, or without a stick or a club (dk how we call it in english). the ball is made of leather filled with straw or bran.
╰┈➤probably common to all folks because the rules are really simple (putting a ball into the opposing team's goal). i have the headcanon that the fellowship played football at the beginning of their journey omg, like Boromir for example
im 100% sure that hobbits practice ice skating. lakes probably freeze during hard winters. according to some searches i've made, the first ice skates were in fact made of animals bones for the blades, and were tied to feet with straps. it was hard to have a good balance with that, then people used a stick to stay standing.
╰┈➤the first ice skates were invented in order to hunt. then this notion is probably common to all, but the folks do not use it for the same purposes (having fun or hunting)
the hobbits that live near the Brandywine practice swimming. (this is canon). and others hobbits are scared of water and consider them as odd. im sure that, Merry is a really good swimmer, and he learned Pip to swim. maybe Frodo has some basic skills because he lived with Merry during his childhood (but his parents drowned then, bc of a possible trauma, he never swam again idk). and Sam probably never swam.
╰┈➤depends of the location but im sure that men-folk can swim.
the Took family invented golf. i could see this as a worldly sport, i mean, it is probably played during a tea party or smth
╰┈➤golf is specific to hobbits because the rules are quite unique. but maybe that a sport or activity that involves putting a small ball in a hole in the ground is also known somewhere else.
in ROTK Pippin tells Bergil that hobbits know some wrestling stuff. (idk if he says that as a joke, because just after he laughs). if it is true, it's really not violent wrestling. maybe just a game with the purpose of putting the other on the ground
GAMES !!
chess and draughts/checkers !!! it is canon bc we see in the first movie that some Hobbits are playing a board game like this. and in the ROTK book iirc Pippin talks about a chessboard or smth
╰┈➤ i'm sure everyone knows these games in Middle Earth.
aaaand i don't remember the others help 💀🤚
i think i will do some headcanons about the four hobbits and their relation with these sports :3
The Fallohide ancestry of the Brandybucks, plus their proximity to the wilds and the Old Forest, means that those of this background maintain a strong hunting tradition, more so than other high-born hobbit families. The Tooks are a close second, but in such different environments they are very different hunters, and Tooks might see a hunt with the Brandybucks as a way to measure their skills.
Bucklanders are highly adaptable and the least xenophobic, though they still have their prejudices about folk in other parts of the Shire. Brandybucks embraced Stoorish traditions and knowledge, which has made them the most comfortable with waterways than other regional hobbits. (This is a pretty likely supposition based on Tolkien's writing on the ancestral holbytla ethnic groups that would come together, so maybe less of a headcanon.)
Brandybucks, perhaps like aristocracy in rugged parts of northern England or Scotland, have a strong outdoorsman tradition generally for purely recreational purposes.
It's a Bucklander tween rite of passage to go into the Old Forest around dusk and then try to get back to safety before night falls. This is not sanctioned by the adults, and is something tweens dare one another to do to prove they've "got the stones".
Guards are set whenever the Hedge needs to be tended or mended from either side.
Headcanons about Merry in Buckland
Brandy Hall is a large, chaotic place due to the number of people living there at any given time. By the time Merry hits his twenties, he's dying for space, which is why he spends so much time either in Tookland or Hobbiton with his cousins.
Merry is among the eldest of a whole gaggle of cousins that live in Brandy Hall (Doderic, Ilberic, Celendine, Merimas, Mentha, and Merliot). As a result he has become old-headed and responsible.
Getting away with Pippin and Frodo allows him to act his age and let go of responsibility, which he does with zeal, unless called upon.
Merry is a natural flirt and he is looked upon with envy and admiration from his peers for this skill. It mostly comes down to the fact that he is not nervous about talking to lasses, who he's very comfortable around.
In a pinch, he can switch instantly from carefree, silly, and reckless to organized, quick, and practical.
Just thinking through ideas that might contribute to fic writing for before and after the quest. Might post some post-quest headcanons for Merry later!
Dominic as Merry in his Knight of Rohan garb. Wish we could see if he has the horn on his belt! Also that we got more than a quick glimpse of them all in their post-war splendor. This costume is beautiful.
I do wish people knew more about Book!Frodo vs. Movie!Frodo. Like, I love Elijah Wood and I love his performance but Book!Frodo is a lot more scrappy and not quite as pure of heart, despite still being a pretty nice guy. Because it leads to a lot of fanon that because Frodo is quiet and nice, he's therefore helpless, sanctimonious, and childlike.
Like Frodo is probably the most polite of the four hobbits, but he's also the oldest. A lot of his interactions with Merry and Pippin specifically read like he's an older and wiser big brother who enjoys teasing them. The movie kinda acts like Frodo is naive to a lot of Merry and Pippin's hijinks, but the books are clear that Frodo was also out there stealing crops from Farmer Magot, and it was probably his idea in the first place.
He's not above practical jokes, or being petty, or losing his temper. When they first set out from the Shire, a cute character detail is Frodo choosing to wake up everybody in kind of funny ways, scaring Sam awake by making him think he's slept in and is late for work, and yanking Pippin's blankets and basically rolling him down a hill. He's king of veiled insults and trying to let out his depression in funny ways like saying "Let's not worry about tomorrow, it probably won't come." Like when Sam thinks Frodo's messing with him when he starts saying Sam should be called the Stout-Hearted, it's not like there isn't a precedent for that kind of thing.
The movie also omits a lot of Frodo's badass moments and qualities, like when he manages to just barely cut the Witch King of Angmar on Weathertop, or when he makes his stand at the River while being chased by Nazgûl, or when he slices off the arm of the Barrow-wight, or when he confronts Sarumon. He also is the only of the four hobbits who can speak some elvish and is definitely the most worldly because he's spent so long with Bilbo. Usually most of the hobbits look to Frodo for advice or guidance.
And to be clear, he is nice and modest and very polite and compassionate towards others. Like he's always making an effort to be kind. But he has layers, and is a mature adult who I think is reduced by a lot of his sweet cinnamon roll characterization. In actuality he's more like cool older bro who lets you stay up late when he babysits and who's trying not to let anyone else know he's in the middle of a break down.
:ఌ¨ ♱ 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐍𝐓 𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐒 : sfw, pippin took x human!fem!reader, platonic!boromir x reader, reader injury, fluff, unedited word vomit i excorcised from my body to feel something.
:ఌ¨ ♱ 𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐃 𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐓 : 2.1k+
The Fellowship has been traveling without rest for the better part of two days to stay ahead of the pursuing Uruk-hai. The sun’s just beginning to kiss the horizon when you finally settle down to make camp. Pippin and Merry would jump for joy if they weren’t so exhausted; the duo slumping against the trunk of a tall tree with relieved sighs. Pots and pans clink together, the familiar sound of the beginnings of supper making your stomach growl in anticipation.
Pippin’s eyes stray to you, as they often do, curious and longing. You’re the sole woman in their party of nine, a shield-maiden from Gondor, and the self-proclaimed bodyguard of Boromir. You were a woman of few words, choosing to observe and listen rather than make conversation.
Even so, you stuck your neck out time and time again for the four hobbits, and not without consequence. Your left leg is bound in thick cloth for putting yourself between Pippin and a warg.
You seldom complained, but he has seen you limping ever since. He can tell you are as relieved as they are to stop for the night, busying yourself with getting a fire going on damp logs. It’s slow-going thanks to the rains, not even the hottest sparks take hold.
Pippin musters the courage to approach you, stumbling over on overtired legs, Merry already half-asleep.
“Any luck?” He asks softly as not to startle you, and you sigh, frustration bubbling beneath the surface. You swallow it down, reminding yourself that the halfling did not deserve your ire.
“Ground’s too wet. We’ll need kindling if we’ve any hope of a warm fire tonight.”
“Kindling. Right.” Not waiting for you to respond, the uppity hobbit scurries off into the underbrush. You blink in surprise after him, the smallest of smiles— more of a twitch, really— adorning your face.
Pippin reappears, covered in dirt and leaves. His arms are full of sticks, twigs, and other debris he’s collected, but his face is triumphant. He dumps them all near the small stack of firewood.
“I can’t promise we’ll have a proper raging fire with these,” he says, “But it’ll be good enough to keep warm, I should think.”
You express your gratitude by plucking a few twigs and dried leaves from his curly hair, his cheeks pinkening, and his smile getting all wobbly at the gesture. His green eyes flutter shut, and he finds himself wishing your touch would linger just a moment more.
You make quick work of the kindling, and finally the sparks take, and a flame starts crackling on the neatly-arranged logs.
Pippin takes a seat as close to the newly built fire as he can get without singeing off his eyebrows, his small hands outstretched to warm them. The rest of your company is pulled into your orbit, seeking warmth and conversing amongst one another— Bickering in Legolas and Gimli’s case, though it’s a familiar sound that puts you at ease.
You sit down on the cool grass beside your hobbit companion, wincing as the movement aggravates your bad leg. It’s more annoying than it is painful. The warg seemed more focused on throwing you out of the way than doing damage. You sigh and lie flat on your back, blades of grass poking and tickling at your exposed arms.
By now you're used to sleeping out in the wild in the presence of nine men–eight now, you remind yourself forlornly–though it took time. You trusted every member with your life, even if you preferred an impersonal approach with many of them. The lot seemed resigned to let you, all but Boromir and Pippin.
Speaking of the brown-haired heir, you can hear the clinking of his armor indicating his approach. “The leg is fine. I just need rest,” you acknowledged in a clipped tone before he could even part his lips to fill the silence with his concern.
“You're certain? Rohan is not far, you could reside there while you heal,” Boromir replies, his tall shadow looming over you.
“My place is here at your side.” There is a pregnant pause, where both of you just stare, waiting for the other to give. The idle chatter of your companions has been reduced to whispers, and you feel their eyes on you. After a beat, Boromir sighs and kneels.
"Very well. At least allow me to wrap it properly.” He doesn't wait for you to agree, rolling up your pant leg. You try not to wince as he peels the tattered cloth from your calf, blood and pus sticking to it as it pulls away from the bite. Pippin, who you'd forgotten was perched at your side, gasps.
You prop yourself up on your elbows, watching Boromir produce a spindle of gauze. “A gift from Lady Galadriel. It appears she was wise in doing so.”
You try your best to remain still and stoic as he dabs the wound with a damp cloth, a salve Legolas had pressed into your palm earlier that morning, and wraps it gently in the clean bandages. Though you know you should thank him, your pride keeps the sentiment behind your gritted teeth.
When Boromir (finally) makes for his bedroll, you let out the shaky breath you'd been holding. Pippin, who had been unusually quiet through the entire exchange, lies down beside you.
“I'm sorry,” he says gently, guilt seeping into his expression. Confused, your brows knit, racking your brain for what he'd be apologizing for.
“For what?”
“Your leg. If I'd just done as I was told, you wouldn't have gotten hurt.” Ah, so that's what this was about. Your eyes soften despite yourself, taking in his kicked-puppy demeanor and the way he twists blades of grass in his clammy hands.
“You were afraid. I don't blame you for freezing up.” That doesn't seem to put him at ease, however. You chew your lip. “It was my choice to get between you and that beast, and I'd do it again.”
“I wish I could be brave like you. I feel like all I've done is make trouble for everyone.”
“Well, you're here, aren't you? That takes courage, and you'll have opportunities to prove yourself yet.”
“I don't think we've ever really talked before,” he says after a while of pensively staring at the ground. “Not properly anyway.”
His comment draws your gaze to him, but your expression is unreadable. You sit up to stoke the fire. “No, I suppose not. I'm sure you've realized by now I'm not much of a conversationalist.”
“Oh, I've noticed,” Pippin chuckles, and you’re pleased by the lighthearted shift in subject. “I’ve also noticed the way you glare at me all the time,” he adds teasingly.
“I do not glare. That’s just my face,” you huffed defensively, face suddenly warm, and not from the fire. “I keep an eye on you and Merry because you’re small and reckless.”
Pippin laughs heartily, and that only makes you feel more flustered, lips pursing into a pout as you lie back down onto the patch of grass you’ve claimed. He glances over at you as his giggles subside, taking in your relaxed figure, wondering if he’s ever even seen you at ease since this journey first began. It’s nice, seeing you like this, he thinks.
For so long, you’d seemed coiled tight, ready to spring into action at a moment’s notice. A handy temperament for a warrior, he’s sure, but he also notices how little you sleep. Living with a perpetual chip on your shoulder was no way to live at all. Pippin also takes note of how the fire’s light illuminates and dances across your side profile, inspiring a familiar flutter in his belly.
He scoots minutely closer, hoping you won’t notice, while simultaneously wishing that perhaps you would. Just to see him for more than a ‘small and reckless’ hobbit you have to babysit.
Perceptive as ever, you crack an eye open as his shoulder subtly brushes against your own. Your eyes fall shut again, though you can faintly make out the flickering flame behind your eyelids. His heart swells, and he bites down a grin. To Pippin, it’s a small victory: having you willingly this close, and without protest. He foolishly wondered what it would be like – what would happen if he reached out and held your hand. He’s certain you’d pull away. Despite that, Pippin’s fingers twitch. He wants to try.
Slowly, Pippin’s hand drifts across the cool grass, seeking your own. The hobbit tries his very best to act nonchalant, taking a deep, even breath, but it comes out shaky. You could very well smack his hand away and shout in his face.
Still, he perseveres through the nervousness and doubt, until at last, the very tips of your fingertips brush. Your digits twitch away out of instinct, but then tentatively return, experimentally lacing with his own. Pippin’s heart was hammering wildly in his chest, his blood thrumming with excitement. He can feel the calloused pads of your fingertips, roughened from years of handling a sword. For a moment, he dared to wonder how you’d react if he brought your hand to his lips.
He’s giddy, elated. He’s holding your hand! Such a thing seemed surreal, and he couldn’t shake the feeling that this was all an elaborate dream his travel-addled brain had conjured to quell his yearning. He rolls onto his side and props himself up on one elbow so he can look down at you. Your eyes fluttered back open at the suddenness, head tilting in his direction.
You look confused, and all the more attractive for it.
“This,” he starts softly, lifting your joined hands. “Is it real?” The fire casts golden shadows across his face, accentuating the curves and angles of his cheeks and nose. You swallow as you slog through the unexpected feelings his proximity incites.
“I’m not sure what you mean.”
He lets out a quiet huff, chin tipped to his chest self-consciously as his thumb strokes over your scarred knuckles. “I just can’t believe you’re holding my hand.” His smile is lopsided and a touch bashful. Still, he pushes past the urge to cower beneath your scrutiny and leans in to press his forehead to your shoulder.
Up close, he’s keenly aware of the differences between you. How smooth and soft your unmarred skin is, how you smell of dirt, sweat, and smoke. How you’re bigger than he is. Pippin swallows hard, forcing himself to meet your gaze. How easy it would be to bridge the gap and press his lips to yours.
Your eyes searched his, for what, you cannot say, but you melt anyway. Pippin lets out a surprised exhale as your hand slides across the ground to meet his cheek. He’d never imagined you’d ever touch him so tenderly, least of all like this. He shudders and turns his head to press his lips to the center of your palm, his breath stirring your skin, warm and a little quick.
Whatever inhibitions you’d had before are washed away, and Pippin feels his heart skip a beat as your hand migrates to the back of his neck and pulls him against you. He lets out a squeak, but doesn’t protest. When he speaks, it’s muffled from the way he’s tucked his head beneath your chin.
“Is this real?” He asks again, voice cracking. “You… you holding me like this. It feels like a dream. A particularly wonderful dream that I hope I don’t wake up from.”
You’re not sure what to make of this exchange, nor the unfamiliar warmth in your chest, only that it feels good. A smile tugs at your lips, and Pippin is transfixed by them. You’re momentarily distracted by how perfectly his body fits against yours, and how right it feels to have him in your arms.
“I think so. I mean, I like you,” you reply, though you feel like it falls short compared to his confession. It was a confession, right? It sure sounded like one. Not like the affirmations of closeness you’d receive from Boromir.
You bury your face in his auburn hair, eyes fluttering shut. Pippin releases a soft sigh of relief and contentment, feeling impossibly safe cradled against you like this. His heavy eyelids fall shut, and he melts against you like wax. Even though he knows you’ll have to continue the journey to Mordor come morning, there’s nowhere Pippin would rather be.
His fingers find the edge of your tunic, slipping underneath. His warm hand against your stomach feels like a brand against your frigid skin, leaving a burning imprint of his touch. Though it is an unfamiliar feeling, you let him keep it there as you drift off to sleep. He can feel the moment you nod off and hear the steady thump of your heartbeat beneath his pointed ear, lulled by the rhythmic rise and fall of your chest.
Pippin nestles further into the curve of your side, hoping this wouldn’t be a one-time occurrence.
a/n: i love this trope forever and ever AAAA thank you to the anon who made me do it! 💛 pure fluff and joy; includes TH Bilbo; height distance relationship my beloved 😇 enjoy and remember - comments+reblogs+nice asks motivate the fic writer!
disclaimer!! there never has been and never will be AI in my writing!
༘⋆ FRODO
he’s always been considered the Weird Boy of the village, so it’s really not a surprise to anyone that he ended up falling in love with a whole ass HUMAN, it was almost sort of expected that he’d end up in an odd relationship and carry on the family reputation of being crazy
he likes to think he won you over with his intelligence and interesting, imaginative conversations, and his whimsy <3 since he was already somewhat educated about other races outside the Shire before you two met
but his first emotion wasn’t a crush, rather a bit of curiosity and the desire to get to know you in any capacity and just talk to you and spend time together
over time, his feelings develop when he realizes how much he enjoys talking to you about everything and how much you two are compatible in that regard; also he likes that you treat him as an equal, despite the obvious differences, and not like a curiosity
the second he starts getting closer with you, sleeping close to each other, practicing some swordfighting, staying close while walking, etc. – the teasing from his friends begins 😛 all in good fun of course
Frodo really values your opinions and advice, and when he finds someone trustworthy that means a lot to him – his affections grow
also he wishes he could be more useful when it comes to stepping in to protect you, but at least he can observe you with amazement – how skilled you are, and how easy on the eyes too!
your hugs are like heaven to him and he feels so safe and loved like that ❤
when he looks up at you with those big eyes, you would give him anything let’s be so for real!
if he is feeling playful he will use this to his advantage occasionally 😇
doesn’t take kindly if anyone throws you an offhand comment or looks at you weirdly – in those situations you let him take over and be the protective one
you get lots of compliments on the daily, and certainly some poems written about you – he looks at you like you’re a character from one of the fairy stories he used to read
ok but he loves when you give him a kiss on top of his head aww yay
༘⋆ SAM
is only slightly wary of you at the start, but he uses those mildly negative feelings in order to bury the fact that he does feel rather flustered around you
the way he blushes when you look at him for more than 2 seconds is fairly obvious right away, God forbid if you smile at him or say something nice – his whole face, neck and ears are burning
one day he decides to be extremely brave and inquire whether you might help him brush up on his sword skills a little bit (if anyone asks, it’s because Strider was busy, mind you), and after he gets 1-on-1 time with you, he becomes aware of the massive crush he’s got on you
luckily, it’s quite easy to pick up on the way his eyes soften when he observes you or how he lets his hand linger just a little bit when he hands you something or brushes past you
but oh. could he even dare to dream that someone majestic such as you would return his affections in any capacity? 💔
you can probably guess that is his mindset, so you make it a point to tell him nice things and point out what is lovable about him – how he made such a lovely stew for dinner when you set up camp, or how his sparring skills are getting better; he all but stammers at your compliments but he’s afraid he is misreading your intentions still
unfortunately you have to take it upon yourself to get it through his stubborn head, no matter how many times his lil friends might have given him a pep talk and tried to push him to finally confess
when you manage to catch a moment alone, you surprise him with a kiss on the cheek and he firstly short-circuits but then rest assured – you get a barrage of kisses in return when he gets over the initial shock
really likes holding your hand a lot, also does his very best to assume the position of the big spoon while cuddling or sleeping
when you turn up in the Shire with him absolute chaos ensues because he’s a Good Boy who apparently got himself into an oh-so-scandalous relationship
but trust he will literally throw hands if needed if anyone makes you feel unwelcome
he looks at you with stars in his eyes for real!!
༘⋆ MERRY
naturally curious person who likes a fun challenge BUT oh dear when the challenge is also attractive and tall???? boy is living his best life and nobody can tell him shit
medium obvious about his crush from the start, but he does like building up a bit of friendship first; and he’s talkative, fun and caring anyway, so it’s overall a nice time
but he has to fight the urge to grin like a fool whenever he catches your eyes lingering on him
he makes it his secret mission to get more of your attention than anyone else but without being overbearing
he will sweet-talk you and compliment you loads tho. if you do it back, he will think he’s playing it cool, but actually gets flustered
“you’re soooo tall and strong” 😛 he loves it but also wishes he could protect you better from danger
when he tells you stories from back home, definitely exaggerates his bravery or intelligence, of which you are aware and it makes you laugh; however, when you laugh it’s even better, actually. the way your eyes gleam makes him daydream of forever, but then he wonders whether he could ever be adequate for you.
but you fluster him on purpose, listen to his rambling and ramble right back, spar with him and always always overtake him (to his absolute delight – he’s competitive but having you peering down at him beats any other feeling) and he is down bad – so what’s a little height difference? he’ll be damned if he doesn’t at least give it a try
so he starts testing the waters by giving you affectionate nicknames and “accidentally” brushing hands; when you do it back without missing a beat, he hopes it’s not just a game to you because it stopped being a game to him long ago
he will literally try to lift you up and act all strong
the confession or a kiss happens as a part of some game or a dare as you sit around the fire at night – it gives you an easy way out if needed, too, but you don’t back away, and he promises himself he will do anything to be man enough for you
when you get together, he most definitely likes to show you off a bit and he’s very proud, almost honored that you chose him
༘⋆ PIPPIN
although he was dead convinced he had no chance with you in the romantic sense, that wasn’t going to stop him from being his chatty, affectionate, sweet self towards you all the time
he thought he made peace with the fact you will never fall in actual love with him, but there was just a bit of sadness in his heart because he found you so very amazing
he climbs things to be closer to your height, and definitely trips or falls a couple times – if it makes you laugh, it’s worth the minor trouble! but you assure him that he really doesn’t need to do that, he’s just fine the way he is
if you pay him a compliment, he will in all seriousness stop functioning for a few moments (how fun it is to shut up a chatty person by making them blush!!)
steals your cloak even though it’s literally dragging behind him as he walks, and it’s collecting leaves along the hem — but but but it smells like you (he will not outwardly say that) and it’s so warm!
when you are on night watch, he will sometimes go so far to sacrifice sleep just to have the chance of hogging all of your attention
he asks lots of questions, about humans as well, and he revels in how you answer every single one, without brushing him off
and now you got him thinking he’s important to you too – the other three will literally have to convince him that you do like him back and that he’s not just imagining it with an idealistic view
he loves that he feels so very safe and protected around you, like you have the power to block out all the bad in the world
as you walk, he will pick up a nice leaf or rock or flower and hand it to you as a small token of affection; if you show him appreciation through a hug or petting his hair or even a small kiss, his heart triples in size
the confession happens after you all just barely defeat a pack of orcs and he realizes that there is a million things scarier than revealing his feelings and that he can’t have something happening to you without you knowing that he cares about you, even if it’s not reciprocated
but his whole world shifts when it IS!
༘⋆ BILBO
another outrageous hobbit at whom nobody even blinked an eye when he marched back home with a lover almost twice his height; if nothing, it gives all the neighbors extra fuel for sensational rumors as they have their afternoon tea
initially he was only slightly suspicious, but there was just something about you that drew him in and piqued his curiosity
you complain to each other during the quest and it bonds you in a way 😂
you treat him as an equal even though he’s well aware that he isn’t, in the physical sense, but it’s lovely regardless
will climb up on a rock or some tree roots to get closer to your height; naturally, you poke a bit of fun at him for it, he will roll his eyes with an undeniable smile
when he has to take a shift for night watch, you offer to keep him company sometimes which he really appreciates and it’s your steadfastness and stability that wins his heart – something about you feels like home away from home
he’s not actively trying to win your heart all the time, but he also kind of is, depending on whether he allows himself to be way over in his head, on a given day, about if you might actually want something real and longlasting
he tells you stories about his home and he cautiously peppers in comments such as “i will have to show you…” and when you, of course, enthusiastically agree, everything seems suddenly possible
once you fell asleep subconsciously curled against him and his entire heart went: !!!!!!
it was a huge victory for him, that you – tall, strong, impressive, felt safe enough with lil old him to just relax completely. his confidence grows
from thereon, he will have no problem stepping in to protect you in a battle, as scared as he might be
his confession is, to his absolute mortification, a little unskillful, quite accidental, but incredibly sweet just as well! it comes out unplanned during a random conversation after a long day of travelling, but you are charmed by the honesty nevertheless, and very much reciprocate it!
my beloved taglist <3 @emmathefanficgal @sweetheartrosesz @stars-n-spirals @bakingintheshire @ffigwit
My favorite thing about hobbits is how no other race has any idea how they work so they can just… bullshit their way through literally anything? Bilbo turns invisible and the dwarves just go “Yeah sounds about right, Gandalf did say they’re very sneaky” and don’t guess about the Ring. Frodo gets stabbed by a troll spear and survives unharmed and Aragorn goes “Oh right, hobbits are supposed to be resilient, that checks out. Very impressive!” and nobody thinks to ask if he’s got perhaps some kind of armor. I need to know what the line is. How weird does a hobbit need to get before they get called out??
I’d also like to point out the possibility that hobbits, who pride themselves in being so normal, might actually be the closest thing Middle-Earth has to faerie? Most people of most races are likely to never meet one, and if they do, they won’t understand how they work except that they seem to have vague powers that only show up randomly as needed. Like yeah, Galadriel is scary, but the world at large knows 5 hobbits and they all seem capable to handle dragons, wraiths, wizards and the armies of Mordor and Isengard and live to tell the tale. Can anything kill a hobbit? Unclear!
Tolkien didn’t remember having read about hobbits anywhere, but the name is on record decades before he was even born as a type of English Fae. And given I have a lovely essay of his in my copy of The Perilous Realms called On Fairy-Stories, it’s not so hard to believe someone who dug into Faerie Proper (not the horrible mess the victorians made of it, which he quite agreed with me on disliking) may have heard the name at some point.
The opening passage of The Hobbit has characteristics that match real folktales about the Fae - love of bright colors, half the height of a man, and they hide from humans because they don’t want to be seen. They’re the little folk of the green hills, living under the hills (which is exactly how you got into a faerie rath). They were friendly and loved food and drink, fierce as a dragon when riled up.
The narrator tells us they’ve become less common now, and that “when there was less noise and more green” the hobbits were more numerous and prosperous. I’ve always had the impression that Tolkien was telling us that the Hobbits went into hiding as the world modernized, much as many people believed the Faeries (and the Elves, and all the Good Folk) did on this Earth.
The Elves have characteristics of na Daoine Sidhe and the tales of the Gentry and Faerie Queens and the like, but Hobbits get pieces of the every-day “fucking brownies stole my butter” stories. Fae folklore, what people actually believed in, isn’t wispy and delicate. Ethereal, yes, but not wispy. They break into houses to drink all the beer, they borrow your kitchen at 3 am to bake bread and make a mess, they throw butter at the side of your house and drag you into their feasts and dancing if you’re in the wrong place. (The dwarves’ song about smashing Bilbo’s plates is now running through my head, oh dear…)
Now, to be entirely fair, in the same beginning passage of The Hobbit, the Tooks were rumored to have fairy blood, which is “of course, absurd.” So there is an element to which the fantastical that we perceive in the Hobbits exists for them as well - there are Elves, and fairies, and whatever exactly Tom Bombadil is. And to everyone else, Hobbits were something equally as impossible and strange. It is a part of the nature of Middle Earth that you are looking into something close to Faerie. Where the trees speak and there are elves and you can sail past the edge of the world, where magic is wholly inexplicable, and for the love of all that’s holy do not anger the little folk and do not mess with an Elf Queen.