Au Natural
by Singe
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"They're not dirty drawings, they're figure studies!" Del snatched her sketch back from Missus Marigold who gasped at the sheer disrespect. All heads turned to watch.
Marigold pointed an accusing finger at the girl. "Well, Ham's figure is only wearing pants! Can you explain that?!"
"I couldn't get him to take them off," Del replied cooly and everyone within earshot nearly fell into the flowers, laughing. Even Master Meriadoc, sprawled next to Master Pippin and Master Frodo under a fruit tree, gave a snort at that as Ham blushed and stammered denials that she had tried to convince him of any such thing. His father patted him on the shoulder and walked over to prevent Del's imminent death with as much authority as he could muster.
"Calm down, calm down," he murmured to his sister who was turning a lovely shade of purple. "Let's see the filth in question, Del." Delphinium immediately handed the sketch over and he studied it for a moment before he rolled his eyes. "He's only gardening, Mari. What's so terrible about that? People garden without their shirts every day."
"But they're not drawn!" Marigold insisted. "You can't put that thing on your wall!"
"Can't we? It's very well done." The adults under the tree rolled to their feet and wandered over to take a look as Del fought down a blush. If only she hadn't dropped her leather packet of sketches as she was walking across the garden. If only Ham's 'figure study' hadn't floated free for Mistress Marigold to pick up. How embarrassing.
"Let's see the rest, then!" Marigold demanded as she snapped her fingers at Del. "What else have you got in there?!"
"They're not finished," Del said, firmly clenching the packet under her arm. "And they're not dirty."
"I'll be the judge of that!"
"Oh, no you won't." Del refused. Marigold's nieces and nephews had to put up with their aunts bullyings but Delphinium did not, by any means. One of the very few perks of not being blood related to the Mayor.
"Sam, can you even HEAR her?! How do you allow it?" He said nothing and looked at the point in the garden where Ham had been weeding while Del drew him, obviously comparing the position of the flowers.
"I really like the way the sun is shining through his hair," Master Frodo decided. "Can you color this, Del?"
"Certainly, but it's just a rough sketch. I just scribbled that down to get the pose right." Marigold threw up her hands in disgust and walked away. Masters Pippin and Meriadoc watched her go with vindictive delight but the Mayor seemed on the verge of sadness and Del was sorry to see it. Then she noticed that Master Pippin was glancing at the packet under her arm then up to her face then back down to her arm in a beautiful imitation of a dog silently begging for a treat. Del gathered her courage, smiled and held out the leather. He gloated over it and pulled at the ties while another laugh went round the garden at his avarice and Del's burning face. "They're not finished," Del apologized. "They're not perfect."
"Oooooooh!" Pippin exclaimed at the first pencil drawing he pulled out and that was too much for everyone to resist. Now there was a crowd. Del couldn't bear the fuss they were making and abandoned her art to fetch everyone something to drink. Eventually. Face red, she darted inside Bag End and was very glad that she kept the, ah, Without Pants figure studies safely hidden in her room. The Travelers really shouldn't skinny dip in the Water at night the way they do. Honestly.
End
~
Pretty Good Year