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Frodo was asleep for what felt like months. Really it was only about a week and a half. He could only see darkness in his sleep, no dreams or flashes of light or color. It was all blackness.When he finally opened his eyes, he was greeted with Gandalf, who he had believed died in the Mines of Moria. He was so surprised to see him, that all he could do was laugh. Then came in Merry and Pippin, running to his bed and jumping on top of him. He was elated to see them, to say the least. Then Aragorn, who had saved his life more times than he could count, and Legolas and Gimli, who seemed to have grown closer over the long year.Then from afar, he saw his Sam. He was standing at the door, with cuts on his face, and his hair disheveled. He looked absolutely exhausted, with dark circles and bags under his eyes. Frodo didn't remember him looking so thin before - but he figured that he wasn't really looking. But seeing him now, in his disheveled state, he could only be happy that he was here.The fellowship swapped stories for a while, until Frodo grew tired again. He laid back in the bed as everyone left, looking over to see if Sam was still there. Sam peeked his head into the room, and he shyly stood in front of the doorway, wondering if he could come in or not.Frodo smiled small at him, and he sat up on his elbow, pushing himself to the other side of the bed. Sam took this as his invitation to come in, and he walked to the bed, climbing inside. Without hesitation, Frodo moved right against him, and the two wrapped their arms around each other. Frodo pushed his face into Sam's neck, and Sam rested his cheek on Frodo's shoulder.They laid like this for a long time. At least an hour, before Frodo pulled back just an inch, and cupped Sam's round face in his hand. He looked into his eyes as his own became wet with tears. Sam's own eyes started to water, and he cradled the back of Frodo's head while stroking his dark curls. He could see the pain in Frodo's eyes, but also the relief that they were still here, despite everything.Before Frodo could let out a sob, Sam kissed him, and Frodo could only cry against his lips. The kiss was desperate yet slow, passionate yet lazy.And it only lasted a minute or two before Frodo had to pull away to catch his breath.Sam wiped Frodo's tears with his thumbs, and brought him back against his chest, where the raven haired hobbit fell asleep again. He gripped Sam's white linen shirt while he slept, and no matter which way he moved, he was still flat against Sam. He couldn't move from the warmth of Sam's body, in fear that somehow he would lose him, which he wouldn't let happen, not even in his sleep.Sam was asleep too pretty soon, with his arms wrapped snugly around Frodo. Sam had been asleep too for a long time, but he had woken a day earlier than Frodo. Gandalf told him the long tale on his own, and it was a lot to process. The whole time he was just worried about Frodo and the ring. He had no idea what was going on beyond that.As soon as he was out of the bed, he went to Frodo's door and stood there for hours, waiting for him to wake.So much had changed. Now Sam felt as if he and Frodo would be connected in a way that no one could understand, for as long as they lived. It was more than love, it was connection. They had been through the seven circles of hell, and survived it together. Sam had seen the ring take Frodo in its grasp, and then turn him into something he didn't know could exist. But he had stayed until the end, until the ring was destroyed, and his only friend, the hobbit whom he loved, came back in some way, however different and changed.He was afraid though to enter the room, afraid still that the ring might have some power. So instead he stayed there at the door, watching Frodo sleep. It was only when he woke, and he could hear his laugh again, that he knew the dark lord had been destroyed. He hadn't heard the sound of Frodo's laughter in what felt like an eternity.And now they were asleep again, only this time they were wrapped up together under the silk sheets.When Frodo woke, his stomach hurt from his lack of food. He realized that he was absolutely starving, and he was glad that he still had an appetite.He lifted his head from Sam's neck and rubbed his face. His body felt stiff and sore, and his head throbbed slightly. He looked down at Sam who was still asleep, and he laid back down, putting his hands on his soft face.He waited until Sam woke, which was a while later. The sun began to rise, and Frodo guessed that everyone would be awake for breakfast soon. Sam's blue eyes opened, and he rubbed the sleepies from them, then blinked a few times to clear his vision. The first thing he saw was Frodo's pale face, and the circles around his eyes. But he was smiling at Sam, and his calloused hand was on his cheek."Hungry?" Frodo asked in a soft voice. Sam nodded, and before he got up, he gently kissed Frodo's cheek. He helped Frodo to the edge of the bed, taking his hands and helping him to stand.His legs were wobbling, and his hands were trembling. Sam helped him step forward, until slowly Frodo began to walk. He held Sam's arm as they walked out of the bedroom and towards the outdoor dining room that looked over Rivendell.Breakfast was already laid out on the long wooden table, and both Sam and Frodo's stomachs growled at the sight. They looked at each other for a moment, then went straight to sit down.They knew it was rude not to wait for the others, but they were ravenous. They nearly ate the entire spread when Aragorn came in, already dressed for the day. He laughed when he saw the hobbits eating, and he sat down beside Frodo, patting his back."I am glad to see that you haven't lost your halfling appetite, Frodo." He said. Frodo hummed, swallowing his bite of bread, "I forgot how food tastes. It's delicious.""I hope I never have to go hungry again." Sam said with a mouthful of food.Aragorn chuckled, "You won't, Master Gamgee. Never again."The three sat and ate, and slowly the others came in, sitting down and chatting merrily. Legolas and Gimli sat together, and Frodo watched Legolas as he made Gimli his plate and set it in front of him. Then he saw as Gimli smiled at the elf, and the elf smiled back.Then he looked over at Merry and Pippin, who were surprisingly quiet. Not quiet like you or I, but as quiet as the two could be, knowing them. Gandalf smoked his pipe after he finished a small helping, and Lord Elrond chatted with Aragorn.Frodo then looked over at Sam, who looked at him, and he took Frodo's hand, squeezing it lovingly. Frodo then leaned against him, "I'm tired again, Sam." He said quietly. And he was tired again. He was sure all of this food would send him right back to sleep for another week and a half.Sam excused them from the table, and he helped Frodo stand, and they walked back to the bedroom, where the bed had been made while they were gone.Frodo climbed inside, while Sam drew the curtains to block the morning sun. Frodo laid underneath the blankets, watching Sam as he came round the bed and climbed inside beside Frodo."You're so quiet." Frodo said to him as he rested his head on his chest."I haven't got much to say these days." Sam said as he stroked Frodo's hair."Sometimes I feel like I haven't said enough." Frodo said.Sam furrowed his brows, "Whaddya mean?"Frodo shrugged slightly, "Sometimes I wish I had told you how I felt sooner. I don't know if it would have helped, but maybe it would've eased the pain of imminent death.""But we didn't die, Mr. Frodo." Sam said.Frodo looked up at Sam, looking all over his face for a moment, "I feel like I have. At least part of me has." Sam sucked in a deep breath and he shook his head, "You're alive. You're alive with me and everyone else. And you're not going nowhere, Mr. Frodo."Frodo smiled small, but deep in his heart he knew that something inside of him had died. Maybe it was his innocence, or any chance of having a normal life. Either way, he was different now. So different that he did not recognize himself.But he could only see Sam now, and even though he was changed, at least one thing had stayed the same: Sam was here, and he always would be.It was two weeks before the fellowship was off to Gondor for Aragorns coronation. Then 3 long months before the hobbits returned to the shire.Frodo bought back Baggend, and he began to fix the place back to its former glory. Baggend hadn't really changed much, except for a few ugly doilies and horrid pictures of the Sackville-Bagginses (which he returned promptly). He hadn't seen Sam in a day or two since they got back, and he wondered where he was. His mother probably wouldn't let him out of her sight.Frodo woke early in the morning, making himself a cup of tea and having a croissant with it. He sat in Bilbo's old chair and read a short story book.Then he went out front and began to tend to the garden, trying his best not to cut the bushes back too far."What're you doin', Mr. Frodo?" Sam asked as he walked up the path beside Baggend. Frodo stood up straight and he turned around, "Where have you been?!" Frodo asked, walking down to the fence."My mother hasn't let me out of her sight." Sam said. Frodo chuckled, shaking his head."I was trying to trim the hedges, but I'm not very good at it." Frodo sighed."Leave it to me, Mr. Frodo. I'll have those trimmed up for you right away!" Sam shouted."Well, hold on!" Frodo laughed, grabbing Sam's hand and pulling him back.He put his hands on Sam's red cheeks, and he looked into his eyes. Then he kissed the gardener, slowly and softly. Sam's eyes fell closed, and his hands stopped trembling. Frodo breathed out against his mouth, and savored each second of the sensual kiss.He pulled back after a moment or two, smiling small at Sam, who's whole face was now red. He let go of him and unlocked the gate and he pushed him inside."How is the Ol' Gaffer?" Frodo asked, bringing Sam a plate of pastries and a cup of tea."He's alright." Sam nodded, "They both were worried sick. Had no idea where I'd gone. Said that strange folk had been walking freely through The Shire, causing all sorts of mischief."Frodo nodded, "It was the beginning of that vision the Lady Galadriel showed me."Sam hummed, "Luckily you destroyed the ring in time. Gandalf said the evil left almost instantaneously.""Well... I'm just relieved it was destroyed when it was." Frodo sat down beside Sam with his own cup of tea and he sighed.Sam looked at him quizzically, "Are you alright, Frodo?""I'm fine." Frodo nodded, "Just tired... really tired." Frodo looked over at Sam, "Wouldn't it be nice if you stayed with me tonight?"Sam blushed at the idea, and he sipped his tea. Frodo smiled a little at Sam's flustered reaction.Sam set down his mug and he nodded his head, "I could, if you wanted me to. I don't mind.""Good. Maybe you could help me sleep. I feel safer when you're here." Frodo hummed.Sam went out front to tend to the Garden that had become overgrown. He mumbled to himself as he saw some of the dead flowers, and he cleaned them up so he could begin regrowing them.Frodo sat down at Bilbo's old desk, and he rubbed his knees anxiously as he stared at the deep red book that sat before him. He chewed on his lip and lifted his hand, opening the book to a clean page.He picked up his quill and dipped it in the jar of ink, and he sat up, beginning to write.He was slow at first, sitting back many times to think about how he wanted to begin his tale. Then the words just began to write themselves, and he got so involved in his writing that he lost track of time.Sam came clobbering in, with dirt on his hands and feet and clothing. Frodo looked up, seeing the sunset sky out of the window, then looking over at Sam.He put the quill down and sat up, "you need a bath." Frodo said."I do." Sam sighed, looking down at himself, "I'm filthy.""I'll run it." Frodo said, standing from his chair.Then all of a sudden he felt a sharp pain in his shoulder, and he fell back into the chair, squeezing his eyes closed."Frodo!" Sam shouted, running right to him and dropping to his knees. He picked up Frodo's head, then looked at his shoulder. That was the wound from the Morgul Blade...Gandalf said he would carry it his whole life. But Frodo wasn't ready for the pain."I'm alright, Sam." Frodo said, pushing himself back up, "It's been doing that since we got home..."Sam made a face and he looked worriedly at Frodo, "Will it always hurt like that?"Frodo nodded, "I'm afraid so. But I'd take this pain over the pain we went through before any day."Frodo still insisted on running the bath for Sam, while the shy hobbit debated whether or not he should take his clothes off.He'd never been naked in front of anyone besides his own mother when she would bathe him in a wooden tub on the lawn when he was a wee lad. But Frodo was much different. Sam loved Frodo, and he knew Frodo loved him. They had shared many intimate moments in the wild, only those moments were a different kind of intimate. Now it was just a loving sort of intimate, which Sam didn't know anything about.He decided he needed to Buck up. He was sure Frodo would see him naked anyway eventually, so he sucked in a sharp breath and started unbuttoning his shirt.Frodo felt the water in the tub, then turned off the faucet."It's ready, Sam." Frodo called. Sam came in sheepishly, covered in dirt almost from head to toe. Frodo turned fo see him, and his cheeks got hot at the sight of his pudgy, round body. He was glad to see his round Sam, and not the starved one. Same walked over to the tub and Frodo took his hand, helping him inside.Sam sat down in the water and hummed as the hot water soothed his skin."I'll leave you." Frodo said, pushing himself up."You could stay-" Sam said suddenly, and Frodo blushed even harder. He quietly grabbed a chair from beside the sink and sat down.He took the sponge from the hook above the tub and soaked it in the water and soap. Then he lifted Sam's arm and began to scrub off the dirt and mud."You shouldn't be working right away." Frodo said."Whaddya mean?" Sam asked, "It's not really workin'. It's more fun than anythin'.""Really? All the mud and dirt, not to mention those fat worms." Frodo chuckled.Sam shrugged, "I liked gardenin' since Gaffer taught me how. It's sort of like how you and Mr. Bilbo like to read and write. It's just simple fun."Frodo smiled widely at that and he nodded his head, "You and Gaffer are the best gardeners in all the Shire, and there's no mistaking that.""I dunno about that. But I think we're pretty good." Sam laughed.Frodo scrubbed Sam's legs and back, behind his neck and ears and his face. Then he shampood his blond hair and stood up to get the towel.Sam stood up from the tub, climbing out and shivering like a wet dog in the cold bathroom. Frodo brought the towel over and wrapped Sam in it, and then put a smaller towel on his head for his hair.Sam sat down on the big bed in Frodo's room, while Frodo grabbed a pair of Bilbo's old pajamas."Those Sackville-Bagginses didn't even want this house after all, it seems like. Hardly anything inside had been moved. They only wanted it for the name." Frodo shook his head, "It was lucky for me, though. Not much to fix. And all of our things are still here.""That's somethin' to be thankful for." Sam smiled and took the pajamas."I'll make something quick for dinner." Frodo said, "we don't have much at the moment, but I have enough for a good meal.""Anythin' is fine with me. I'm lucky to get any food at all!" Sam laughed."How is it?" Frodo asked. Sam hummed with a mouthful of steak, nodding his head, "delicious, Frodo!"Frodo laughed softly and he took a bite of his steak. He washed it down with some ale, then let out a breath, "I'm glad to be home.""Me too." Sam nodded, "It almost doesn't feel like it's real. We're actually here.""It feels like a dream." Frodo nodded, "Only I know it isn't. I am still afraid, though I know I shouldn't be.""I'm afraid, too." Sam said, "it's all still so fresh in my head. It's been almost 5 months and I can still feel the heat of the molten rock."Frodo nodded slowly and he looked down at his plate, "Sometimes I think I can still hear him in my mind. Sometimes I can see him when I sleep. And sometimes I can feel the weight of it on my chest."Sam looked sadly at Frodo, and he put his hand on his shoulder, "I don't know if those feelings will ever leave you, Frodo. But I'll try to ease them as best I can."Frodo inhaled deeply and he looked up at Sam, "Do you know that I love you?" He asked.Sam blushed, but he nodded his head, "Yes. And I love you."Frodo breathed out in relief and he looked down at his food, cutting another piece of the meat and chewing it.Sam was worried about Frodo. He knew he was sad, but it felt like there wasn't anything Sam could do to fix it. Would he always be sad? Probably. There were some things time could never mend, and the things they had gone through were enough to make anyone break.Sam knew that just being here was enough for Frodo. But he would try is darnedest to make him smile and laugh as much as he could.Frodo locked up the hobbit hole before bed, while Sam fixed the bed for both of them. He put a warm glass of milk on Frodo's nightstand, and he climbed into the bed, laying back on the comfortable mattress.Frodo came in and undressed, dropping his clothes like it was nothing. Sam tried not to look, but he caught himself staring. Frodo slipped on a night shirt and a clean pair of underwear, and he walked back to the bed, climbing inside.He sipped the warm milk before he laid down, and he moved right over to Sam, who wrapped his arm around him. Frodo looked at Sam with sleepy eyes, and he reached over, pushing his blond curls away from his face."I hope you sleep tonight, Frodo." Sam said."Me too." Frodo leaned over and kissed Sam's lips softly, taking in his warm, summery scent. Sam savored the feeling of Frodo's soft, pillowy lips, until the raven parted from him. He curled back up against Sam, and Sam closed his eyes, stroking Frodo's hair until they both fell asleep.