Drabbles inspired by the Seven Deadly Sins (plus a bonus sin of Temptation!), though some of them aren't quite so sinful.
Greed
"How could you do this to him?"
"Lan..." Paladin Took held out his hands to his wife, pleading. "I have to do what's best for him. He's wasting his life, not even trying to think about the future--"
"You're doing what's best for you, you mean!" Eglantine stood up, her face flushed with anger.
"I'm doing what's best for the family!" Paladin shouted. "This marriage will reforge ties with the Northtooks! They are a powerful family, Lan! They say Diamond's father is even richer than Saradoc."
Eglantine turned on her husband. "You would sacrifice your son's happiness for greed?"
Wrath
Merry turned away from the sight of Pippin, pale and still. He'd almost died out there in the snow, would have frozen if Sam hadn't found him, and he'd nearly died again from the pneumonia that had gripped him.
He shared a smile with Pearl, then went down the hall to Pippin's study. He picked up one of the empty whiskey bottles that littered the floor and smashed it into the wall.
Merry wanted to kill her. He wanted to put his bare hands around her neck and squeeze until not a breath of air was left in Diamond's body.
Temptation
He shouldn't be here. He shouldn't. He should get up and leave and go back to the party. And then he'd have another drink or two or three, and forget this ever happened, forget what she'd said--I love you--forget that he'd let her pull him down the hall to her room... He shouldn't be here. "I have to go."
He tried to stand, but his legs were weak from too much drink and Ivy's hand was on his chest, pushing him back down.
"If I wasn't Merry's daughter, would you want to stay with me?"
Pippin cringed. Yes.
Pride
Did he really believe this was a punishment? Signing away her rights to Faramir? If Peregrin had been caught bedding a lass, she would have had him banished. Of course, that would never have happened. What lass in her right mind would want to bed that sorry excuse for a hobbit?
She smirked, proud of herself. She had gotten a last stab at him before leaving Tuckborough, starting a rumor that he couldn't perform in bed. She was sure it was well around the gossip chain by now. Peregrin would have a hard time finding a new Mistress of Tuckborough.
Sloth
"Daddy?"
"Mrmph..." Pippin rolled over and pulled the blankets over his head.
"Daddy!"
"Oof!" A small body jumped on top of him, but he managed to pull a leg up just in time to stop a small knee from going somewhere unpleasant.
"Daddy, you said we could go ride the ponies today." The blanket pulled back and Fari leaned over to peer into his face. "Ponies, Daddy!"
"No, ponies. Sleep." He grabbed his son and tugged him down to cuddle next to him.
Fari giggled and squirmed until he'd turned to face his father. "Aunt Pearl says you're lazy."
"Hrmph."
Lust
Pippin had never wanted anything so much in his life.
Their honeymoon had been like a dam breaking, all their desires let loose after holding back for so long. A week of being immersed in her, his every sense knowing only her...
And now they were back at Brandy Hall.
He shifted his feet, his trousers suddenly uncomfortably tight, all too aware of his wife next to him: her scent, the warmth of her body, the brush of her arm. He just wanted to grab her and... well... do things to her.
Now if they could only escape her family...
Gluttony
A bottomless pit, deeper than the depths of Moria. That was the only way to describe his stomach. And when it was finally filled, it would not stay so for long. And when empty, his complaints could be heard around all of Great Smials, Tuckborough, and quite possibly into Hobbiton, letting everyone know that he was hungry.
Ivy gave an exhausted sigh and opened the buttons of her blouse. She didn't know why she bothered to close it.
"Bori-lad," she said, as she brought her son to her breast. "I have never seen a baby eat so much as you."
Envy
It was the voice that caught Diamond's attention. At first she thought it was him and her lip had curled in disgust. But then she realized the voice was higher, younger, though still a near perfect imitation of his father.
She couldn't help but look. She didn't want to, but something inside her made her need to see the boy.
Fari was talking to her. That girl. Surrounded by brats and her belly swelling. Peregrin hadn't wasted any time breeding his little cousin.
Ivy smiled and smoothed Fari's hair--like a mother would--and Diamond flinched at the unexpected envy.