Title:  Once Bitten Twice Shy
Rating: G
Summary: Ten years after the incident with Frodo Merimac faces a similar situation.

Special thanks to Slightly Tookish for her swift beta.

~*~*~

"Take it away from him. It's revolting!"

"What?" Merimac crooked an eyebrow, smirking. "That piece of bread or," he leaned sideways, barely concealing his laughter, "the fact that one half of it is soaking your breeches."

Frodo jumped up and brushed away the spit-drenched crumbs as fast as he could. Frowning at his sticky fingers he glanced first accusingly to an eagerly munching Berilac then to his cousin. "You're his father, you should stop this nastiness."

"I remember a time when you considered a snack like this very 'dood'," Mac told him with a grin, "and you certainly had a way of sharing your food." He shuddered at the memory of little Frodo feeding him a piece of bread he had chewed on for what had tasted like hours.

"I never did such a thing," the lad told him crossly before taking a seat again, avoiding sitting too close to Berilac.

"Da!" the toddler exclaimed and waved the slobbery crust of bread in his father's direction.

"No, lad. I've had my share of this long ago," Merimac said while gently nudging his boy's nose with his forefinger. An impish smile suddenly crossed his features and, squinting at his young cousin, he said: "Perhaps Cousin Frodo wants to give it a try."

"Mac!" Frodo looked anything but pleased as Berilac held out his hands towards him. "Take him away!"

"Come on, Frodo," Merimac teased and, pouting his lips, he tried his best to imitate little Frodo's most pleading look. "Pease."