#bilbotime

[askthatfoolofatook]

After several minutes of awkward silence, the hobbits entered a small clearing. Emelia turned to Pippin. "I live in that tree over there," she said, nodding her head at a small, hollow trunk across the clearing. "You can go see. I'll be over in a moment, just need to get something to eat. I won't be three minutes." With that, she turned and scurried off into the woods. Well, thats what it looked like. In reality, she hid behind a near-by tree, waiting for the right moment to attack.

He nodded after her, tromping over to the tree and scouting around. "Well... 's no' much, is it?" he muttered to himself with a laugh, thinking he was now alone. "Wonder jes' how she handles bein' on 'er own... an' no home cooked meals? How does she live?!" he exclaimed in exaggerated agony, sinking to the forest floor.

[askthatfoolofatook]

Emelia strode through the forest, comfortable in her own domain. She could hear Mr. Pippin struggling through the woods behind her. She slowed down so she could walk next to him. "Maybe if I told you who my parents were, you wouldn't think I was bad off, hm?" Emelia hesitated, trying not to look him in the eye, before continuing. "Ever heard of the Sackville-Bagginses?" A short silence followed this statement. "I heard they caused quite a fuss up at the Shire before dying out."

"Ooh, th' Sackville-Bagginses, mm?" he muttered in response, trying not to stumble as he followed her. "Ah s'pose Ah can understand..."

He kept quiet after that, crunching through the undergrowth of the forest. At least Pippin was tactful enough to know when others didn't exactly want to converse, so he just kept his mouth shut and carried on.

[askthatfoolofatook]

Emelia saw the look on Pippin's face and recognized it. "Don't feel sorry for me. Its not like I was particularly fond of them or anything. They just happened to be the people I lived with for a time, and then I moved on. No emotional attachment at all." Plan, Emelia, the PLAN. "Anyway, home sweet home is this way!" And with that, she turned towards the trees and started walking. Then she stopped and turned around again. "Are you coming, Mister Pippin?"

"A-Uh... Aye, lass."

He nodded a few times to clear his head and began to follow Emelia, noting how strong her heart was to go through such a time and still be all alone out here... He could never think of his late parents in that respect.

[askthatfoolofatook]

Emelia snorted, plan completely forgotten. "My family died. My father when I was six, my brother a couple years ago, and my mother quite recently. They never liked my anyway. My mum hid me to 'spare her from the embarrassment of having a girl.' Ran away when I was ten. I have a MUCH better life here." Oh. Right. The plan. Remember the plan. Emelia glanced up at the older, more concerned hobbit. "Do you want to see my house? Its just a tad deeper into the forest..."

Pippin could barely bring himself to say much of anything when she'd finished her story.

"Lass, Ah..."

He thought it best to keep quiet if he didn't have much to say that wouldn't hurt Emelia's feelings. Nibbling a bit on his thumb, the lad regained eye contact with the girl, nodding his shaggy head rather slowly.

"Iffin yer sure ye wouldn' mind, then aye- a visi' migh' lift some spirits, mm?" he asked with a gentle smile.

[askthatfoolofatook]

Emelia grinned. The plan was working! "I'm sorry for making you run, Mister Pippin, I just thought...' Oh snap, what was she going to say? 'I just thought...' she sighed. 'You see, I ran away from home several years ago, and, well, I thought you were going to make me go back.' she frowned. Innocence. Remember innocence. 'Are you going to make me go back?'

"Make ye? Me?" He blinked a few times, scratched his neck. "Well, it's yer choice, bu' Ah'm sure yer folks 're worried sick bou' ye. May even think yer dead, ye know..." A dark feeling settled in his round belly as he watched the Emelia's face, blonde curls framing it cutely. 

Memories came flooding back to him as he recalled a time or two when he was quite the young lad and he'd neglect to mention that he and Merry were going on an adventure. Once he came home- and no matter the length of time he had been gone- he was met with tears and a scolding and, of course, a punishment for being so thoughtless. 

[askthatfoolofatook]

Emelia's blond curls bobbed in her face as she stood up. Fake concern. And supposed innocence. That always worked on them. This one would be easy to fool. 'Are you all right, sir?' she paused, brushing her hair out of the way. 'I'm Emelia, by the way. You are...?'

"Peregrin Took, though mos' jes' call me Pippin," he said with a grin. A shake of hands later and the two could be considered peachy-keen in his mind. He thought her to be, upon first impression, a lovely young lady- and quite cute as well! Perhaps today was turning out to be his lucky day after all: having a double second breakfast with Merry and then chasing after a cute gi-

Sir. The word slammed through the rest of his thoughts and left him staring at nothing for a moment. Onleh young 'obbits call their elders Sir or Ma'am! he remembered, sighing inwardly. He'd forgotten he didn't look like his normal self.

Shaking his head to clear his mind, Pippin glanced back at the lass in front of him with a smile. "Emelia's a loveleh name. Wha', may Ah ask, are ye doin' runnin' from me?"

[askthatfoolofatook]

Tingling Tastebuds [closed starter]

A bare finger cleaned away the trail of dust from the wood it was touching, earning its owner a loud groan. His hands danced around, clutching at the dark emptiness he'd begrudgingly stuck his arm into in hopes of finding something.

Grumbling and digging round through his cupboard with a yawn, young Peregrin searched high and low for a sign of sugar. A single grain, even an empty sugar bowl would prove a better find than something simply lost within the confines of his own kitchen. However, as he tried sticking his head into the same cupboard his hands were exploring, he managed to clip the top of it with the corner of the wood paneling and fell back onto his bottom with a loud curse.

"Blas' this body!" he yelled, glaring at his two stubby hands that weren't really even his at this point. The simple act of getting on all fours was enough to make his back and knees sore, so standing back up was considered a light challenge.

In mild astonishment and frustration, Pippin muttered, "Ah don' know how Mr. Baggins does it... Nonethelss," he continued with a sigh, "tea an' cakes are made bes' with sugar an' it looks likely tha' Ah'll hafta pop by another hobbit's house ta ask fer some!"

The conclusion was the only reasonable one he could think up, so that's what he went with. Tying a knot with his scarf and taking a deep breath, the Took stepped outside into the brisk autumn air and made his way towards Jade Clearwater's hobbit hole, where he could practically smell whatever delicacies were baking in her oven. 

[askthatfoolofatook]

Emelia tried to breath quietly, only letting out a little bit of breath. She realized it was hopeless. Her lungs were getting too full, and soon she wouldn't be able to stand it. She let the air out in one large woosh. Emelia sat up and peered over the ferns, spotting the hobbit. Oh. She didn't realize he was OLD. Old ones were harmless, especially if you treated them correctly. A plan was formulating. 'Over here sir!' she grinned. 'Think you can make it over without having a heart attack?'

"Oi! Watch it, you!" he joked with a hoarse laugh, following the direction he hoped was the way this young voice was coming from. The hair on his foot snagged a thorn on the way over, but with a few tugs he managed to remove himself from the tangle and continue, cautiously, towards a barrel-chested tree surrounded by fiddle-heads and ferns.

He regained a steady breathing pace and placed a hand on his thigh, stooping a bit to try and see who exactly he was chasing after. "Ah! There ye are!"