Title: Foot Brush

Author: Olivia V.

Status: Draft

Rating: PG-13

Summary: Follow up to Tool Shed.

Spoilers: None, probably bookverse.

Pairing: Sam/Merry

Archive: Please email me at oliviav@att.net and ask first.

Disclaimer: The characters portrayed here belong to J. R. R. Tolkien. They are not mine and I could never do them real justice. I’m just playing with them for a bit.

Sam felt a foot brush against his calf and shifted uncomfortably. His fork clanged against his plate loudly in the silence over dinner, his cheeks turning red. He could not believe Merry was doing this at the kitchen table in front of Frodo and Pippin.

Wasn’t he the one who suggested they keep their relationship a secret?

Judging from the way Frodo was staring at him all through dinner, his master must have known something was amiss.

With a quizzical look, Frodo stood up. “I think it’s time for bed, Pippin...”

Pippin whined, but took Frodo’s hand and walked out of the kitchen. Sam looked at Merry and scowled before he gathered the dishes.

“Something wrong, Sam?” Merry asked.

“You know full well what’s wrong. I can’t believe what you did in the kitchen.”

“What I did? Sam, what are you talking about?”

Sam exhaled slowly, brushing his foot against Merry’s calf. “That.”

Merry blushed, his mouth open wide. “I didn’t do that, Sam.”

“You didn’t?”

“No. I didn’t.”

“Well if you didn’t, then who did?”

Frodo’s head popped back into the kitchen. Giving Sam a shy smile he said, “Sam, can I have a minute of your time, please?”