paradisa | (no subject)

But you don't look old!

[Wait a moment...]

Are you immortal, like an elf?

[Wait, but immortals probably don't have a "middle-age" to worry about. She looks thoughtful.]

No... I don't know. Your ears are kind of like Legolas'.

[ Frodo laughs. He does look younger than most hobbits would at his age, but that's not something he wants to talk about. ]

We have more years than most men, but we are not immortal like the elves. One hundred is ripe for many of us. [ --oh wait! ]

You know Legolas?

[She makes a face, a cross between anger and a pout! But she's not really angry or pouting.]

Yeah. He threw a snowball at me.

[ Frodo grins. ]

He has an affinity for snow!

[Affinity isn't a word she's used before, but yay for context clues.]

I can tell. [Grumpy face, then a smile.] He's nice, though. How do you know him? Do you like the snow?

[ He nods, and keeps silent for a few steps as he figures how to tell the story so it sounds whole. ]

We were traveling together before we went our separate ways. He is playful and ever joyful.

One time, he went to fetch the sun!

[The landing! Clem hops down the last step.]

So he knows Sam, too? He'd be able to recognize him!

[That's good. No one here knows Lee, so she has to stay vigilant.]

... you can't fetch the sun.

[ Frodo doesn't hop down because sore feet :'( ]

He does, and Legolas could, if only She wasn't so busy elsewhere.

She? [Clem is so confused!] The sun, you mean? The sun is a she?

[She'll wait patiently for him to come down.]

[ Frodo looks at her. ]

Yes, I think. I have never heard her being called otherwise, but the elves must know more of this.

[A thoughtful look. It makes sense.]

Probably. Elves can be really old, right? That's what Legolas said. Centuries old.

Maybe you're not making up a story, then.

[ Frodo reaches the landing and chuckles. He hasn't ever asked Legolas how old he is. ]

I wasn't. He did go to fetch the Sun but it was far away! [ And she didn't care for their plight. ]

[Frodo, please. Clem is used to adults humoring her, so she just humors him back with a smile.]

What can hobbits do?

[ He chuckles and reaches to hold her hand. To the kitchen! Wherever that is. ]

We can eat!

[She takes his hand, happily, and guides them to the doors that lead to the kitchen.]

But everyone can eat. Can you eat a lot?

A real lot! Tell me, Clementine, how many meals do you eat in a day?

Three. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Sometimes I skip breakfast if I sleep in, and have brunch instead. [Nod nod.]

Hobbits have six, when we can get them.

Six? That's twice as many! Are you hungry all the time?

[Annnd the kitchen! How convenient, there's a bowl of shiny apples on the counter. Red and green!]

Sometimes seven. We have breakfast, second breakfast, elevenses, luncheon, tea, dinner and sometimes supper.

[ He puts his hands on the counter and peers up before smiling her way. ]

I'm hungry now.

[He's not even that fat! Hobbit magic?! She grins at him, then goes to grab a chair. Fucken apples on the middle of the counter, not the edge!]

You can have two apples.

[ Frodo laughs and follows her to help with that chair and fetch the apples for the both of them now. He's still a gentleman! ]

[She giggles in return, letting Frodo be the gentleman, but still attempting to do a lot of the work when moving the chair over. No lazy people here.]

[ Yes good because why does he find this chair terribly heavy...

Once the chair is in the right place, Frodo starts climbing on with hands and feet, before he makes to stand and reach for the apples. But for reasons unknown, the world spins as soon as he stretches out his hand. Dizzy, he stumbles back to fall with a thud, more surprised than actually hurt!

Bzuh? ]

Frodo!

[Oh, no. He was so tired, she should have been the one to climb up on the chair. The distance isn't THAT much, but it had to hurt his butt. She knows from experience.]

Are you okay?!

[She's right there next to him, fretting.]