paradisa | (no subject)

[She hands over the apple, back to smiling.]

You said you were going somewhere, didn't you?

[ And he starts cutting that into slices, handing each one over to her. ]

I was, and not the most pleasant place either, but sometimes such things are necessary.

I don't think so, if something was chasing you. You still look tired.

[Not to be rude, of course. Just stating the facts! She pops a slice into her mouth, but starts piling the rest on a napkin.]

[ Frodo wonders how he looks now; not too terrible, he hopes. The last time he looked into a mirror he thought he seemed flabby and in need of a nice long walk.

Once he's done slicing up her apple, he takes his own and just bites into it, because hungry! ]

I am tired. I had hoped to reach the end of my journey soon.

Where were you going?

[She nibbles on a slice, watching him.]

[ Frodo chews and swallows a big bite of apple first before replying. ]

Its name is too terrible for the company. [ A closed door, mostly for secrecy. ]

You haven't told me where you came from, Clementine. Where you lived.

[She frowns, but she supposes it's fair to tell him more about herself before she asks questions.]

I lived in Georgia. Outside of Atlanta. I was in Savannah before I came here, though. [A touch of sadness, at that, but she's quick to move on.]

Do you know where they are?

[ Yep, almost finished with this one apple. He chews a little slower for courtesy's sake, and shakes his head. ]

No, but there are too many places I haven't yet heard of. Are they near anywhere? Gondor or Mirkwood?

[She shakes her head, too.]

I don't think we're anywhere near each other. People say a lot of us are from different worlds. We don't have hobbits or elves where I live.

[ He finishes up that apple and stands up to wander around the kitchen looking for a bin, speaking up so she can still hear him. ]

We even have dwarves!

Are they nice?

They were most kind and generous to my cousin. I have only met one myself. Gimli, a jolly fellow.

That sounds like a jolly name.

[ Except for when he discovers his cousins in Moria, and all the other dark things. Frodo nods and picks up another red apple for Clem. ]

Would you like another one?

[She shakes her head.]

No thank you. You can have the rest.

[ He smiles to himself and starts slicing apple pieces for himself, now that he isn't so famished as to want to gobble it all up. ]

What did you do after Legolas threw that snowball at you?

I talked to him for a while.

And then I threw one at him.

[ Frodo manages to swallow before he breaks into laughter. ]

I hazard you have good aim!

[A knowing grin.]

I do have good aim.

[ He chuckles to himself some more, still popping apple slices into his mouth. ]

Is it better than mine, I wonder?

[She can manage headshots with a gun. Is it?]

Are you that good? We could always find out!

[ Hobbits are legendary, at least with throwing stones! ]

Even if I do say so myself! You must give me time if it is to be a proper challenge however, I am not quite myself yet.

I can wait until you feel better.

[She's sure she'll kick his butt :') ]

[ NUH UH.

Frodo just smiles to himself and finishes his second apple. ]

Why don't you tell me more about Georgia, Clementine?

Okay.

It's really big. We have a big city, Atlanta, but we have a lot of farms, too. I've been to a few... but I lived a lot closer to the city. I used to go there with my parents.

[Talking about home was difficult before, but it kinda sucks even more, now.]

I miss it. The way it used to be.