"Wh.. what's that, lad?"
"Baby hobbits. I asked Aunt Esmerelda, and she said you'd be only too happy to explain."
"She did, did she?" Bilbo Baggins had only been an adoptive uncle for three weeks, and already he was beginning to think he'd bitten off more than he could chew (a rare experience for a hobbit).
"Yes." Frodo paused for a beat, then his mouth curled up and he shook his head. "I'm only joking, Uncle... you should have seen your face!
You needn't be so scared of me, you know."
Bilbo couldn't help but laugh, patting the boy on the head and going back to his reading.
~