ataraxion | ◎third journey

[ he's sitting in the oxygen gardens, a wooden pipe in his mouth and large white smoke-rings curling from the end of the pipe. there's an open book in his lap and there's a lingering weariness in his posture, despite how relaxed he seems.

still, when frodo speaks up, his voice is fond, light, moving his pipe away from his lips. ]

Where I come from, smoking pipeweed is considered an art. Making good smoke-rings like this--there's nothing quite like it.

[ frodo pauses; glances at his book then. ]

My dearest friend told me that he wondered if anything we've done would ever be put into 'great stories.'
"The stories that really mattered, that stayed with you." As a lad I spent most of my life reading about stories, learning them and I'd always had my favorites with my Uncle. He went on a many great adventures.

[ he smiles quietly ]
Sometimes stories can be..quite different than we imagine them to be when we begin them. The same could be said of adventures.

Do you have a story like that? One that's stayed with you. Perhaps something you knew as a child, or one you found in a book. Perhaps it isn't a story but a moment that you've shared and relived with others over and over again. I'd be glad to hear them.

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[ what do you say to that? there's an intake of breath, audible and frodo's voice comes after a good pause.]

Alex..I am so sorry.

Don't be--

[Alex's voice takes a hard edge to it, but he's upset at himself, not Frodo.]

--it isn't your fault.

Edited 2012-10-29 19:38 (UTC)

[ that's not right at all. yet frodo knows that things are not perfect. so much bad does happen. ]

It may not be, but I'm very sorry just the same. Even if the words are not enough.

[He is silent a long time, then.]

Nothing can change that it happened. Just got to try to move on.

[He has never been very good at that.]

[ it resonates with him. he knows that well. it's all he can do on his part also. and yet--]

I still don't think that makes you alone, Alex. I believe you've made your share of friends here.

[ gently ]
And I'm not certain what I could do among a company of so many Big Folk, but you have my help whenever you need it.

[Alex snorted.]

Frodo, you are better than most of them, trust me.

[Consistently, Frodo has always checked in on him. He doesn't know what he did to deserve it, but he's grateful for it.]

[ frodo smiles then. ]
I'm glad to have your approval then. As the only hobbit on the ship, I suppose I have a duty to represent us well.

[Alex smiles back.]

Well, you're doing a good job. Pippin probably would have broken something serious by now.

[ oh man pippin on a ship. frodo can't not laugh at that. ]

The amount of things on this ship that Pippin could accidentially break...

[ look at what a kind, supportive older cousin he is. look how well he speaks of his fambly. ]

[Alex laughs at that.]

Oh man, he'd enjoy the heck out of it. Until he got caught.

He'd need Merry to look after him. They'd earn no pipeweed from my stash with that sort of behavior. It's not respectable!
[ and he's struck with how much he misses his family to begin with. ]

You actually have pipeweed here?

[Because changing the subject might be good right now.]

I don't know how, but I do. I found it in my locker.

You got pipeweed, I got a cat. I don't know if that's fair.

[A little laugh.]

I can certainly share some. Some.

Fair enough. Trade it for the book, hm?

To borrow, of course. By borrow I mean your book. And yes, I'll share.

Sounds like a good plan, then.

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