paradisalogs

Who: Frodo and YOU!
What: fail gardening
When: morning of April 4
Where: by the orchard
Rating: PG

It is warm enough now that Frodo can walk about barefooted without worrying that he might lose both legs to the frost. He remembers how Sam would start his planting at around this time of the year, just when the seasons turn and the sweet smell of spring is almost here. But not quite.

There is a tin bucket of flower bulbs some ways from the apple tree, set beside the small crouched figure digging little holes into the ground with his hands. He has a pile of pulled weeds and rocks on his other side, having cleared a small patch there for his makeshift garden. Planting the bulbs confuses him though. Which way is up and how deep should it go?

Times like these, more than ever, makes him wish Sam were here to give him all sorts of wise advice, and not only for gardening. He can already imagine one hundred and one quips from the hobbit. But his friend isn't here, yet, so Frodo just keeps squinting at the bulb, hoping some revelation will miraculously come to him eventually.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

He brushes most of the soil of his hands first before rubbing it against the back of his pants, peering at his handiwork too with some disappointment.

"Daffodils. They might only flower next year though and I might not be here then," he picks up that bulb to show her. "If I can show you how to care for them, you can make sure to see them bloom."

"I think I know what those are," she replies, nodding her head. She always pays close attention to whatever Frodo says.

"How do you take care of them, Frodo?"

"I... am in the dark, myself. My friend is the real gardener."

He goes to pick up a bulb from the bucket, a cleaner one, and hands it to Clem if she wants to see. "Once you plant them, I think you only need to water them every few days."

"Is it Sam?" She smiles and takes the bulb. It's a little hard for her to tell what side goes up, but once she thinks she has it, she holds it that way. Carefully, of course.

"It is Sam, yes," he opens up his palm so she can return that bulb to him with the right way up. She probably knows more about gardening than he does.

"Let's try this way then."

Clem hands him the bulb. She has no idea what she's doing, but it can't be much harder than growing a normal plant, right? They grew beans in class, and she remembers how most of that went.

"You miss him, don't you?" She didn't doubt Frodo always missed his friend, but maybe he was doing this because he really missed him today.

He makes a little mound of soil over the bulb, there. That doesn't feel too hard though of course he still doesn't know if it will grow after he just leaves it in the ground. One hopes so.

"I suppose, yes," he pats the mound before moving to dig another hole beside it. "He would take pleasure in this, so I thought, if I did it in his place... he might be happy to hear of it when he does come here."

He stops his fiddling to look her way. "Would you have done something of the sort for Lee, too?"

While in her crouch, she scoots a little closer to Frodo, watching what he does attentively. He might not know how to garden, but he's older, so maybe he has a better idea of what to do than he thinks.

"If I could have thought of something, yes." She smiles. Does Lee like gardening? She has no idea. He's never mentioned it before.

Older isn't smarter! He would follow her suggestion if she has any, seeing as he probably knows the least about this despite his many hours of absently watching Sam at his work.

"Do you know what he enjoys doing most of all? Or what he values the most?"

It's a good question, one Clem isn't entirely sure of how to answer.

"He likes helping people..." But even that sounds lame. They've spent so much time trying to survive day to day that she doesn't know what he did for fun before things changed.

That is a terrible sort of life. Frodo knows he likes reading and good food and pipeweed before but more and more those things lose their joy. He isn't sure if it is because he indulged in them too often or too rarely or if it is his fault at all.

"Then you have already done something similar, when you helped me, remember?"

She smiles at that.

"I didn't forget." She'd never forget.

"I told him a little about it," he turns to watch her to gauge her reaction. "He said he would rather stay here with you than ever go back."

Her reaction is excitement.

"You talked to Lee? Really?" The words and their meaning are a little lost to her--of course he'd want to stay here, with her. There was never any doubt. "Do you like him?"

"I did and I do!" He is chuckling a little, more at her reaction. "He cares greatly about you, so I have every reason to like him."

She seems pleased with that. "I'm sure he likes you, too."

"I hope so," he stands and goes to stretch a little. Is he getting old... "I said nice things about you, maybe that would have him like me more!"

"You did? What did you say?"

Frodo laughs. "That's not for you to hear! Maybe Lee will tell you."

Clem looks surprised that Frodo doesn't tell her immediately! Her surprise turns into a pout.

"That's not fair! It's about me."

"I don't want your head to grow so big you might be forced to sleep on the stairs!"

It's hard to pout and laugh at the same time.

"Huh? That won't happen!"

"Well, alright, I suppose I can tell you the harmless parts, but you have to promise not to tell Lee I told you."

"Cross my heart," she says, drawing a little x over her heart. No hope to die here. "I won't tell!"

He grins, sitting down and crossing his legs as if preparing for a long story. "I said you are important to me," if not most. "Then he said you are special, but you can't tell him I told you!"

(no subject)

willrememberthat - 2013-05-05 04:20 (UTC) - Expand

bronwe - 2013-05-05 15:40 (UTC) - Expand