It was a beautiful day. High summer. A cloudless blue sky filled with the promise of hours of sunshine. Bees busy round the garden, crazy with the scent of blossom and flower. Fruit hanging heavy from the trees. And Sam.

Frodo had been watching Sam for a while now. Sam had been absorbed in different gardening tasks and hadn't noticed. Frodo understood how easy it was to become involved in something you loved. After all, there were times when a horde of goblins couldn't drag him away from his reading and writings. Yet lately Frodo had found himself becoming more absorbed in someone rather than something. It was disturbing to find his thoughts wandering more and more towards Sam. Disturbing in a pleasant way. Whether Sam was aware of the feelings Frodo had, or even returned them, Frodo wasn't sure. He thought Sam did, but that could be wishful thinking. Sometimes he felt all they needed was something to break the barrier between them. Something that would change wanting into knowing.

He walked over to Sam who was hard at work as usual. "You've been busy all morning, Sam, what are you doing?"

Sam looked up,wondering. "I'm just about my business in the garden, Mr Frodo. Did you want something?"

"No, just curious" Frodo tried hard to think of some reason to stay.

Sam watched him for a few seconds then carried on, wondering how he was going to refuse the offer of help when it came. The last time Frodo 'helped' was a disaster. Pruning the butterfly bush should have been an easy task but the butterflies would have a hard time finding the stump Frodo had left.

Frodo looked down at the bushes Sam was working on. Memory stirred. "I recognise these - you were having trouble with them and you had to chop off some woody bits. They're called- er- er- " Frodo struggled to recall the name of anything in the garden to show Sam he was really interested.

"Gooseberries" interrupted Sam kindly. " They're gooseberries, Mr Frodo and you're right. I had to cut out some stems to let the sun and air get to them. Good for the fruit that is. Pleased you remembered."

Frodo visibly brightened at Sam's compliment and leaned down to pick one of the bright green gooseberries lying heavily on the bush. "There are a lot of them,Sam -enough to make one of your crumbles for after dinner?"

"I intend to,Mr Frodo, don't you worry. With some thick cream too. There'll be some left over to make jam, I've no doubt. We've a good crop this year." Sam began to pull the fruit off the bush into a large bowl. Frodo watched his fingers deftly twist and pull,parting the fruit from the bush so skillfully that it remained undamaged. He looked at the piece of fruit he had picked. The skin was torn and weeping.

"I like the taste of these" and he popped it in his mouth.

Sam looked up,his expression altered. "No Frodo, you don't....." Frodo's face was a picture. His mouth twisted and his eyes screwed up with the awful taste of sour fruit and bitter,hairy skin. He spat the gooseberry out onto the path. "That's horrible- not the same as the ones you give me. Is it bad?"

Laughing Sam stood up. "No, Mr Frodo, you've only tasted gooseberries cooked with a good helping of honey and cinnamon. The raw fruit isn't the same at all. Still, you weren't exactly eating it the right way."

Frodo sighed. This gardening business could be very complicated at times. " You mean there's a right and wrong way to eat these things?"

"Well,there's the way that stops the fruit tasting so sour and there's the way you just tried." Sam picked a gooseberry from the bowl and held it between his thumb and forefinger. "You nick the skin with your teeth, press gently, sucking at the same time and there you are."

Frodo looked at Sam completely lost. Give him a verse of Elvish poetry anytime. " I think you're going to have to show me if I'm going to learn properly."

"Fine, but you'll have to watch carefully,it can be very quick" Sam brought the fruit up to his mouth.

Frodo felt himself flush. Watching Sam's mouth was no hardship but keeping his imagination in check was another matter altogether. Sam opened his mouth and Frodo saw firm white teeth gently nick the gooseberry skin. "There, thats the size of the slit you make" Sam brought the fruit close to Frodo's face.

Frodo could see the small slit and the flesh underneath. A bead of juice glistened on the top then slowly trickled down Sam's thumb. The sun seemed suddenly hotter and the air shimmered. An urge to lick the juice away shot through Frodo but he bit his lip to stop himself. Sam didn't seem to notice and carried on with his demonstration. " Then, what you do is gently squeeze your fingers and suck at the same time. You get the fruit,the juice and no skin. Watch, its easy."

Frodo couldn't help but watch. He'd forgotten how to move, how to think. His eyes were drawn to the tiny area of the fruit Sam's lips enclosed. He could see the skin of the fruit dip inwards as Sam applied just the right pressure. He watched as the globe pulsated slightly in response to the gentle force from Sam. Without warning the skin collapsed and the flesh spurted into Sams mouth. Frodo gasped out loud.

"See, told you it was the best way." Frodo wasn't going to argue. He could still see beads of juice at the corners of Sam's mouth and thoughts of kissing him there,tasting the juice,tasting Sam made it very difficult to breathe.

"Mr Frodo? Are you going to try now?" Sam handed him a gooseberry. Frodo was fairly confident he could follow Sam's lead but, within a few seconds, all he was left with was a mashed gooseberry clinging to his fingers. "It looked easy." he said puzzled, "What did I do wrong?"

Sam laughed. "Here, I'll help if you'll let me." He stepped forward holding the largest fruit from the bowl. He carefully placed Frodo's fingers round the gooseberry and guided it to his mouth. Frodo tried to bite down but couldn't quite nick the skin. He was hesitant fearing to use too much force. Suddenly he felt Sam's other hand cupping the back of his head,strong fingers in dark curls. " Go on Mr Frodo,you're doing fine."

Sam's fingers arced over Frodo's pushing the globe against Frodo's teeth. The skin tore and the beads of juice welled up. The taste of the juice filled Frodo's mouth. Sam's face was very near to Frodo now as he gazed intently at what his master was doing. He used his fingers to press Frodo's own into the skin and said softly, "Go on,nearly there."

Frodo began to suck gently at the opening. The fruit was moving slightly under his fingers. It was resisting him,not wanting to surrender its goodness and he raised his eyes to Sam to see if he should do anything more.

Sam wasn't looking at the gooseberry. Sam was looking at him. Their eyes met and locked together. Sam flushed but did not break the gaze. Frodo became aware of their closeness, the way Sam was caressing his hair and stroking his fingers over the fruit. Very aware of the heat rising between them, a current of feeling that was strong enough to make breath cease and time stand still. A thought occurred to him, out of nowhere, He feels the same as I do The knowledge shook him to the core,made him dizzy and he trembled..........the skin split and the flesh poured into Frodo's mouth.

Startled, he began to cough. Sam immediately became concerned and the moment vanished as Sam busied himself with fetching a glass of water. "I'd better get on, Mr Frodo, or that crumble will never get made." Sam pointed out.

"Right, I'll leave you to it then." Reluctantly, Frodo realised, not for the first time, how Sam's strong feelings of duty could override all others. Then he smiled for he really couldn't imagine loving him any other way.

He turned towards his home and,as he started to push the door open, Sam called to him. "We'll need to save some of the gooseberries for later, Mr Frodo."

Frodo turned to face his friend, "And why would that be Sam?"

"Well, it seems to me that more practice is called for."

A smile lit up Frodo's face. "The teacher is disappointed in his pupil ?" he joked.

Sam gave him a level glance, "Never that, Mr Frodo, never that."

Frodo pushed the door open. "I'll look forward to an enjoyable lesson, then," and with a note of mischief , "and afterwards we could practice without the gooseberries." He darted a backwards glance to see how Sam had taken this, but all he could see was Sam's broad back. "There is that too, Mr Frodo" came the quiet but most definite reply.

Frodo went inside the cool hallway and leaned back against the wall to think. From the tone of Sam's voice Frodo knew he'd been smiling. "We feel the same way." he whispered and hugged himself with joy.