By: Dana
Summary: He's probably getting what he deserves.
Characters: Pippin, Diamond, Estella, Merry
Pairings: Merry/Pippin/Estella/Diamond
Rating: PG13
Warnings: OT4, misuse of various articles of clothing
Author's Notes: One of the two stories that I wrote for Ruby Nye during my Hobbitpile week.
She's seen it in its rough and raw draft form, but now it's all ready for posting. Ruby, I could almost skip this part but you know this is for you, and with all my love.
Also, Hyel, thank you for giving this a poke.
Disclaimer: The author makes no claim to owning the rights of anything to do with J.R.R. Tolkien or New Line Cinema. Any and all characters and situations that have been borrowed are for the author's personal use only, and for the entertainment of others.

Though Pippin insisted, as though his responsibilities as Thain's son were something he took to mind during each day (and he did think of them, more often than one might suppose), that he'd have to leave now, in order to make it to the ferry before dark, he was not all that surprised when Diamond insisted he stay. It had been raining through the day, from before even dawn, and it misted out beyond the house's windows – muddled and thick, and what sane hobbit would go out travelling in weather as horrendous as that?

And Diamond had insisted, and then she had talked him back onto their bed, and that was how Estella had found them, when Diamond had taken matters into her own fair capable hands – with her mouth on Pippin's, one hand flat against his chest, and the other busy twining cloth about the right bedpost – as well as Pippin's hand.

"Dinny," Pippin gasped, when she drew back, finding that a self-satisfied smile was sitting snug upon her lips (and he'd not think to go into the heat that prickled up his neck, and to the tips of his ears, or how his trousers were suddenly somewhat less comfortable than they'd been before). "Diamond, love."

"Yes, my dear?" She gave the tie – from his own robe, he found himself thinking – and found that it had been fastened, secure.

"I'll never make it to Tuckborough by the morning after next."

"That would be the point of it, Pip."

And he laughed, and he reached with his left hand, intent upon touching her cheek – but Estella caught hold of his hand, instead, as she bounced down onto the edge of the bed. With a merry laugh she had his hand pinned, and Pippin could not help but grin (how could he not) to find himself in such a predicament – one that was not at all a bad one, to find himself in.

And Estella insisted, as Diamond chatted lightly that Pippin had found himself in a fine mess, that Diamond was right and there would be no running out on them, or the house, and with there being such a rain – and Pippin found his left hand secured, as firm as the right, and that of course would be how Merry found them, all three. It was with a scarf (and not one of his own, though he did have more than just a few), though, this time, but still, the knot was fastened quite well.

"What is the meaning of all this? Not that I mind, whatever it might be. But Pippin and I, we're due at the ferry, and however will we make it to Tuckborough by the morning after next?"

And Estella took Merry by the hand, laughing as she pulled him onto the bed. "So, you were planning on leaving us, too? We'll have none of that, Merry, love," and she kissed him, and Pippin watched as she turned that kiss to Diamond. From Diamond, Pippin tasted Merry and Estella from her kiss and to his mouth, though it was all upon the shape of Diamond's own sweet lips.

When the kissing was all through, it was Merry, who should have been thinking about responsibilities, too, who said: "I suppose we ought to make the best of this." By this they all well enough knew what he meant, and Pippin knew well more than that, seeing that he grinned.

(Merry had said it himself, hadn't he? It wasn't that Pippin found that he minded.)

And there was more kissing, after that, but more than that, too.