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"I am not scared of Thorin.""You should be. That of gold a dragon sleeps with- The dragon sickness seeps into the hearts of those who encounter it and corrupts most. Almost most.""But Thorin and I.. We.. We.." He trailed off, not sure how to explain it to that of the wizard. The structure of they're relationship.. What it was. What it is. There was not a label in the world Bilbo could put on it. Therefore it should be non-existent. Yet it was real. Real as the thrum of his heart. The trees, the mountain, the sky. Real as the gold bead that had been gentle braided into his curls. And that's why it ached so to think of leaving him."I am aware of the time you had spent together. But I'm afraid even that might spare your life."The edge in his voice had Bilbo's hair standing. Goosebumps forming. Thorin.. he wouldn't..But the hazed look of the King, his words spat like that of the serpents tongue. It had been haunting his thoughts since he had left. That was not his Thorin. Not the dwarf he had laid with. Not the one who had cupped his face and whispered beautiful nothings in his ear just to see them glow red for his own light-hearted amusement.His face had fallen and the ever so keen-eyed Gandalf nodded his head."Rest first. Then we will find you a pony and you will ride far from here.""I don't- I don't know if I can..""You must."~•~"We've come to tell you- payment of your debt has been offered. And accepted." The Elvish King's pompous voice met his ears as Thorin set sights on the army of Elves. At the front, Thranduil the King, Bard the Human, and Gandalf the Wizard looked up."What payment? I gave you nothing! You have nothing!"Bard, the man who had given them shelter; pulled something from his pocket."We have this." He stated ever so calmly and all at once Thorin was dizzy with what he was seeing."They have the Arkenstone. Theives!" Kili shouted."The King may have it. On our good will." The man's words held a level of confidence Thorin wish to cut from his tongue."But first he must honor his word.""They're playing us for fools. Nothing but a ruse. The Arkenstone is under this mountain!" Thorin’s voice strained.The King scoffed from his steed."On the contrary, it is quite the opposite. Your little burglar is as promising as they come. A wise choice on his skills. But his loyalty lied with reason."Icy blue eyes went wide, his knuckles whitening at the grip on his stone."That's absurd! Bilbo would never-! You lie-!" Fíli's words were laced with vile, the idea that the Hobbit would turn on them."Where is he..?" Thorin's voice soft, still unbelieving as he turned to the rest of his company.Shouting for him, some went running through the halls- anything to prove what was inevitably the truth."WHERE IS MY HOBBIT?!" Blinded rage seemed to fill every part of the dwarve's body. Engulfed him in flames."Oh, Bilbo.." Balin croaked, a hand going over his mouth as a deep unsettlement made way amongst the company."Tell me it isn't true..!" Dwalin shouted."He wouldn't-!""He is long gone Thorin-!" Gandalf's voice reached him and he all but threw his head over the side of the stone to look upon him."You won't find him within the the walls of your kingdom. Nor the mountain. He left long ago, and if you weren't so blinded- perhaps you would've noticed.""Never again will I deal with the likes of shifty wizards or filthy shire rats again!" He spat, grief and despair swept through him. His Hobbit. His Arkenstone. Two treasures out of his reach. Though with spinning speed the rage rushed through him again.His Hobbit had betrayed him. Had it all been a lie? A terrible scheme this entire time? Had his loyalty always been this easily swayed? Even after.. he scoffed, not a smidge of room for such painful memories.He turned to Fili, the raging hearth in his blue eyes could have blasted right through him. But his heir held strong despite the harsh news they had received of their former company."You are to track him down. I don't care if you have to trek through all of Middle-Earth. You will find him and you will bring him to me."Those soft grey eyes had flashed in fear. Caring, Protective, Frivolous at times his Heir searched him, not for his being- but for his soul. Finally- his brow furrowed."No.. No I will not. Bilbo- he fought by your side. He shared nights with you, The braid in his hair.. You and him.. Bilbo made a choice but that doesn't make him any less one of us." He stood strong, eyes sharp in away that mimicked Thorin's own."And I'm starting to believe that it was a good choice.""Then you are a traitor to your kin."Thorin stated, dizzy half lidded eyes glared with an evil ferocity. It was a hard blow, he could see those eyes crumbling."Bilbo is my kin. And it was you who showed me that."Grief licked at him once more but he pushed it towards the depths of his mind. Far from his thoughts."If you believe that then leave. Now. Or I will remind you who is still King under this mountain in one swift blow."The company all seemed very cautious in the moment. To fearful to move, to say anything that might cause royal blood to spill.He held contact with him for a few more searing moments. Searching, desperate to find even a trace of his Uncle- but to no avail, and as his fair-haired nephew turned, his brother followed. Just as treacherous without a single word.Thorin couldn't trust anyone.His people.His kin.His..His eyelids squeezed shut, pain wracked him. The kind of pain that made you want shout until your lungs collapsed. The kind of pain that made one want to shatter the earth. Shatter the very ground and ask 'why?'"So- the Arkenstone's return for our shares under the mountain. Tell me Thorin son of Thrain- will there be peace or will there be war?"And as the crows fly, Thorin had his answer.~•~Bilbo often thought of them, a deep sense of guilt and despair- but above all else- longing.He had travelled for months- never stopping any place for long. After a time he felt the urge to return to his rolling hills. His home. Any sense of familiarity that would keep him rooted.The Shire seemed so small now. A speck in the vast world he had come from. He found he couldn't even have a moments of peace even there as his home had been ransacked. It took all but a week to track down all his auctioned goods- (with quite the tussle for his spoons from Lobelia Sackville-Baggins) presumed dead after 15 months, they had told him.'Not far from it.' he thought.Things we're finally settling into place now, and he was finding a sense of rhythmic normality. Well as normal as one would be. He got ever the strangest looks from his fellow Hobbits. They would ask about his braid, what it meant, and he could only answer with 'a promise.' for that's what it was.He had sat down for tea when a rapid knock came to his door.He nerves had spiked at that point. A knock of such urgency at this hour? After what he had gone through- what he had left behind. The possibilities were nerve-wracking.Still as the knocks became pounds he finally found it in him to answer.It was not the face he had been expecting at all."Meira Brandybuck?" He asked, the women's face was that of a ticked off nature. She carried a basket with her, arms crossed and foot thumping."Finally! You're home! He's your problem now! I can't deal with this infernal crying anymore!"She all but rudely shoved the basket in his arms and then stomped away.He had blinked slowly, watching her make off in the night before looking down at the basket. A small grey envelope was poking out and he plucked it, placing the basket mindlessly on the table as he opened it.His heart sank, learning his poor cousin and his wife had drowned. So young as well. And they left.. He gasped all at once, lifting the basket lid only to find- oh how small he was.Dark curls, and small pale hands. His big eyes fluttered open from the sudden light and Bilbo was enraptured in surprise at just how blue they were.A child. A baby nonetheless.Young Frodo Baggins. His late cousin’s infant son.He lifted him gently, curling him into his arms as he sighed, making it back to the comfort of his chair."You're quite the unexpected visitor, though I supposed I should be use to that by now.."Small curious hands grabbed at his braid the small gold bead quite alluring to him."You like gold as well?" He asked with that short of a small tired chuckle.He gently reached to unfurl his little hand from his hair, instead let him grasp at his finger. And that was the only thing that kept him from breaking into a million pieces at that moment."I think we'll get on quite nicely, don't you think?" He asked, breath shaky with the stress of uncertainty for many things.~•~News had spread quickly throughout the land of the war amongst Men, Dwarves, Elves and Orcs and it's triumphant defeat led by the King Under the Mountain who had rightfully claimed his throne.He had practically sobbed at the idea of hope. Hope that Thorin had overcome and now ruled the whole of Erebor. That he was well and.. missed him as much as the Hobbit missed him.He thought of travelling, the trek to Erebor was treacherous. And to travel with a babe.. It was far to dangerous. Proposterous even. He told himself, already packing his bags.He had planned to leave for good this time. He and Frodo just a distant memory to the Shire. Even if he wasn't welcomed in Erebor- they'd find somewhere else to go. Or keep travelling. But just seeing that his Thorin was alive and well would bring him enough relief for a lifetime.Bags End had been tidy and right put together when Bilbo had heard the tapping at his window. His eyebrows scrunched a bit as he looked to it to find a large black crow he grew familiar with at once. A Crow of Erebor. When he opened his window it proudly presented it's leg for which it had a rolled piece of parchment tied too.His heart had been beating ever so rapidly- was it from one of his companions? Balin? Fili? Kili? Dwalin? Could it be.. Thorin?With jittery fingers he opened it- wide green eyes ran over the words.Cordially invited as an Honored Member to.. The Coronation of The King Under The Mountain. Fíli, Son of Dis, Daughter of Thrain-He dropped the parchment all at once. It fluttered to the ground, tears had began wetting his eyes and he simply blinked before falling to his knees. Curling into himself.This opened a million possibilities of what could have happened during the battle. But it was all to clear to the Hobbit that Thorin- his precious Dwarf- was no more.And then when he finally found it in him to break down. After the treacherous traumatizing journey, betraying his lover, fleeing from him in the midst of the drums of war, finding his kin had died.. This- this was the breaking point.He cried. He screamed. He felt so utterlessly helpless. He couldn't stop. No matter how hard he willed himself to find reason- to calm- he couldn't. Not even when Frodo's cries of need reached his ears. They were swallowed to the back of his mind. And for hours he knelt at the window.It took him a long time to gather himself- he was practically dizzy with shellshock when he could scream or cry no longer. His eyes gone dry and his throat hoarse. Finally- the cries of his wee cousin reached him.He stumbled to feet, hurriedly making it over to aid him. He was nearly starved and cries had also gone hoarsed as well. He was frightened beyond comprehension and Bilbo's body nearly wracked with dry sobs when he realized what he had done to his Frodo."I'm so sorry. So, so, sorry. It won't ever happen again. I-" It took everything within him not to break down again. Instead he took deep breaths, making him a bottle and cradling him close as he sat in his chair.With every breath- even with a full mouth the little Hobbit was still in a state of panic. Hauntingly blue eyes wide and bloodshot with tears. He looked up to his caretaker. Wrung of all energy. He did the very last thing he believed to help calm him of his scare.
Far over.. The Misty Mountains, cold.
To dungeons deep.. and caverns old..
~•~Days had gone by and Bilbo made no attempt to be on his way. He was running out of time before he would be extremely late to the Coronation. But he simply couldn't bring himself to do much else then to care for Frodo.He hardly slept, which wasn't much already- the hunger of that of an infant Hobbit was almost thrice the adults. Speaking of which, he couldn't find it in himself to eat either. He hardly had appetite. A Hobbit with no Appetite? Simply unheard of!Still, after his breakdown he supposed he had been loud enough to stir his cousins, even the ones he dare not get along with- could all could see the toll that Bilbo was carrying was just to much. Frequently they brought him meals that went untouched and tried to find company with him during teatime.Though his conversation ran bland and only when his cousin Otho Sackville-Baggins suggest that maybe he should give Frodo back to his mother's side of the family did he have quite the violent outburst.It ended with him running the unwelcomed and frankly unpleasant Hobbit out of his hole.Everyday was a new challenge, a new headache, deciding on whether he should make haste and make it to Erebor. Or stay and wallow in his loss. Wallowing seemed much easier for the delirious Hobbit. And everyday it won out with little to no contest.With Frodo down for his afternoon nap, the Hobbit was left to his own thoughts as he tried to clean while he could. The braid in his hair had become unkempt just as the rest of his unruly hair. It would need to be redone soon. Though he couldn't find it in himself to take off the bead knowing what he had loss now.Knocks at his door had him groaning in frustration. He was really tempted to tell the whole lot of his cousins to bugger off for all of time.The knocks continued as he put down his broom and made his way over."Coming, coming! Hold on a moment!" He groaned. If they woke Frodo so help him-He swung open the door, body bristling at the thought of company at all.He went pale all at once. Then tears began pooring down his face as his eyes closed."I've finally done it. I've cracked like a dropped teapot." He stated, his voice hoarse and strained."Why would you say that my dear Hobbit?""Because I'm seeing you in front of me now, and the ache in my heart has been messing with my head for so long Thorin."Calloused hands came to cup his face gently, a rough thumb wiping them away. He was quick to put his much smaller hands over them- feeling. He was real."Look at me Bilbo. This is no trick of the mind. Look at me, I am here."Green eyes flung open to be met with those icy blue orbs, the lines under his eyelids had grown deeper, more grey streaked through his ebony hair and a walking stick rested against the doorframe.Thorin was here. He was really, really here."Thorin-!" he croaked, all at once as he flung himself forward, landing in his arms as they're lips came together in a burst of sparks. The spark that Bilbo had been missing for quite some time.He was swept off his feet, this was his dwarf. This was his husband he had spent day and night dreading over of what fate he may have surcumbed too. Tears slid down his face all at once as he held him tight, wanting to never let go.Bilbo was enraptured in a glow of love as he hastily brought their lips together and everything in the world just made sense once more. A hand tangled gently in his hair as every inch of his body was pressed as close as possible to the dwarf.“I thought I’d never see you again..” he sobbed once they pulled apart for a moments breath.“I made a vow, did I not?”The Hobbit could only kiss him deeply in response- arms slinging around his neck as a his husband lets out a sigh of content through his nose.No questions were asked just yet as they made their way through the hobbit hole- the need to consummate their love in rejoice growing hot and heavy as Bilbo was laid down in bed from the Dwarf’s arms. He had noticed the limp as he was carried but the overwhelming urge to be with his beau kept his mouth shut as they were soon ravaging one another.The initial entry had been pure bliss- with Bilbo’s throaty moans and Thorin’s grunts of ecstasy the world was suddenly spinning again. Life in that little hobbit hole suddenly returned.“Thorin..” he would gasp over and over again, feeling the King twitch deep within him. His hips would grind against that spot that had him arching his back into Thorin’s loving grasp as he kept his arms wrapped around him tightly. Like he’d disappear if he let go and Bilbo really wasn’t any better as he clutched on to his back. When Thorin would pull out slowly, he tried grinding back on him only to be met with sharp snap of Oakenshield’s hips caused a moan loud enough he feared waking his young cousin.Luckily, Thorin seemed to read his mind, bringing his lips against Bilbo’s, biting down gentlyBilbo had found himself asleep almost instantly, clinging to his Dwarf who was so very real and there. Though upon waking he found his bedside empty. Panic had taken over his body as he threw himself up- eyes looking desperately around. Though as they landed on the walking stick now set against the bed frame.He felt his heart settle, though his ear perked up immediately at the sound of Frodo’s gurgling and cooing from the room over. Throwing the sheets over his body he made his way out of his quarters, leaning against the doorframe as he took in the sight of the large Dwarf with Frodo in his arms. The little hobbit looked up at him curiously. Those blue eyes so similar in shade meeting for the first time.“He’s so small..” Thorin stated softly, sensing the older Hobbit’s presence. He turned, eyes holding something glimmering and hopeful for a moment. “Is he..?”Bilbo shook his head, sadly.“There’s nothing I would want more than that but.. He is my cousin. Orphaned.”Thorin sighed, but his eyes locked back on to that little creature in his hands as the young halfling pulled at a braid he could get a hold of, giggling and cooing up at the beardy stranger.“What’s his name?”“Frodo. Frodo Baggins.”Thorin moved the little hobbit from the cradled position he was in to eye level with himself. Frodo’s brilliant blue eyes clashed with that of royal blues and despite the permanent grimace lines on his face, his smile was so gentle.“Hello Young Frodo Baggins.”“He’ll be along for the journey then.”“What journey?” The dwarf queried, moving Frodo to be cupped in his solo palm. Cradled against his beard the babe had grown fond of playing with.“Back to Erebor of course.”“We’re not going back, not anytime soon anyways.”Bilbo’s eyebrows furrowed. “Surely you haven’t reclaimed your home to leave it for- this-“ he gestured around his homely abode and then to himself in an almost frantic manner. Erebor had been everything to him. His goal, his legacy, his future, his home.Thorin’s eyes had gone wide momentarily, before a warm smile overcame his harsh features. “Indeed I will miss my brethren but the distance is only rivers and roads compared to how far away I felt from you.”He took a step closer, grabbing Bilbo’s hand in his own. His thumb rubbing ever so gently over the back of his hand. Frodo cooed gently for acknowledgement from his cousin for which he received as Bilbo sighed quietly and ran his fingers through soft black curls.“I gave up the throne not only to be with you but to start a much calmer chapter of my life. Erebor will always be there when I am ready to be called home. Until then..” he pulled Bilbo close, cradling both Hobbits in his grasp.“I hope you won’t mind the extra company.”Bilbo brought their foreheads together, (possibly on his tip toes) filling in the space between them. The gentlest of smiles mirroring Thorin’s own.“I suppose I could spare the extra space.”