#you can see thorin just picturing bilbo back home where he thinks he wants to go back to

[greeneyed-thestral]

#you can see thorin just picturing bilbo back home where he thinks he wants to go back to #but the way bilbo looks at him -- how dare you tell me this #we were supposed to do all of that together #the hobbit #hobbit #bilbo #bilbo baggins #thorin #thorin oakenshield #bilbo/thorin #thorin/bilbo #bilbo x thorin #thorin x bilbo #bagginshield #martin freeman #richard armitage #the battle of the five armies #battle of the five armies #botfa

[lordoftherazzles]

for the August summer theme challenge —

how’s about “field of daisies?” perhaps either Ed/Stede or Thorin/Bilbo go on a little picnic 🥹 inspired by the pic below lol

YES!! So sorry this took me a hot second, but I absolutely adore this prompt, and the picture really put it together for me. I hope you enjoy some nice loving Bagginshield.

I'm linking the prompt lists below for each week, if there's one you want to see, let me know!!

-> Summer Stories (Week 1) -> Summer Stories (Week 2) -> Summer Stories (Week 3)

A Field of Daisies

“Tell me again where we’re going?” Bilbo asked curiously, tilting his head to the side as he kept in stride with Thorin, who had been suspiciously tight-lipped about the afternoon’s events. It wouldn’t have bothered Bilbo, or even seemed out of character, if Thorin hadn’t been stifling a grin the entire time since they’d set foot out of the mountain.

It was one of those looks that Bilbo expected from Fili and Kili when they were up to no good–not their uncle, who just so happened to be a respectable king nowadays.

“If I told you that would ruin the surprise,” Thorin commented softly, finally not fighting the urge to just grin widely as his hand moved to find Bilbo’s, lacing their fingers together and giving the hobbit’s hand a small squeeze.

“You’ve been acting squirrely all morning, so if you think you’ve been subtle, you’re wrong.” Not that Bilbo was going to complain about their current arrangement. Walking hand in hand away from the mountain entrance and towards the side. A place that was often hit by sunlight and yet shaded by trees. It was a place Bilbo had wandered through a time or two since the snow had melted from the past winter. A winter that had been more than stressful with Thorin’s recovery, as well as the recovery of Fili and Kili–and nevermind the coronation, or dealing with Dain’s dwarves for an extended period. It had just been a long past few months.

“Just play along then,” Thorin urged, squeezing Bilbo’s hand as the ground beneath them morphed from dirt and rock to grass and a few buds beginning to bloom with the spring season. “For me, Kurdûn.”

And Bilbo always managed to get goosebumps anytime Thorin spoke those foreign words of his. There was something rough and tough about them, but also soft and sweet in which they were spoken, and one day the hobbit was determined to find out exactly what they meant without Thorin side-stepping the questions he asked. “Fine, I’ll play along. Do you want an over-the-top reaction? Or something more subtle? I can manage either.” After all, false niceties in the Shire were not an uncommon thing.

“Whatever your heart desires, now, close your eyes.”

Bilbo’s feet came to a halt, forcing Thorin to halt in the process. “Fili and Kili have done this to me before. You’re going to lead me around and purposely knock me into things…and if I end up with a bucket of water over my head, nothing will stop me from twisting your beard, Thorin Oakenshield–”

As Thorin laughed, something akin to a cackle, Bilbo’s lower lip jutted out in a pout, but also confusion.

“Just close your eyes, I promise, nothing bad will happen to you. You just have to trust me…”

The fact of the matter was that Bilbo did trust Thorin, and with that came his compliance. He’d closed his eyes and allowed the dwarf to guide him along, which was rather impressive. Thorin had warned him of the little things–fallen logs, a dip in the ground, anything that might have made Bilbo falter if not given the warning.

“Are we almost there?”

“Yes, you can open your eyes now.”

Those hazel eyes opened, adjusting to the sunlight once more to reveal a field of daisies, far more than Bilbo would have ever imagined this far away from the Shire. A field shaded by a large tree, and for a moment it felt like he was back home. His heart burned with a yearning to just drop into the field and stare at the sky and tree branches that would be hanging overhead. To get a dose of home and feel rejuvenated. Much as he loved these dwarves, a life surrounded by stone had started to get to him, making Bilbo feel a little isolated–like a flower that craved sunlight to survive but never received the necessary rays.

“I’d never imagined there would be so many flowers so close to Erebor…” Bilbo breathed, squeezing Thorin’s hand in return only to pry his eyes away from the cozy-looking field to stare at the dwarf who’d brought him here. “How did you…?”

“An act of nature, perhaps a blessing by your Yavanna. I like to think of it as a gift from her to Mahal, a way to make them feel closer even in our part of the world.” To combine flowers and the mountainside, sounded rather poetic when thinking of what seemed to define both dwarves and hobbits. “Did you look closely beneath that tree?”

As Bilbo’s head jerked back to look towards the base of that thick tree, the hobbit wiggled his hand away from Thorin’s, jogging over to look at the quilt that had been laid out. It was all too familiar to him and made that burning in his chest ignite even more. “That’s Belladonna’s old quilt…” One that Bilbo had left home safely in his smial. And upon that quilt was a basket stuffed full of food that was reminiscent of the Shire–Bilbo’s nose could pick apart those particular scents anywhere, even among a field of daisies.

“I know you’ve been missing home, I know the feeling. Your heart aches for it, needs it, and while I cannot physically move the Shire closer, I figured…I could bring a little bit of it to you if anything.”

Bilbo sank to his knees, pressing his hands into the fabric of that quilt made many years ago as his eyes grew a tad misty. It was such an incredibly sweet gesture, and there were so many questions as to how Thorin had managed to pull all of these strings, but if there was one thing that Bilbo had learned over the course of his journey with these dwarves, it was that when one, especially Thorin, set his mind to something, it would happen.

“Bilbo? Are you alright?” Thorin had been watching carefully, watching Bilbo’s shoulders rise and fall, to sink into something of both relaxation and disbelief–it was the same feeling that had moved through Thorin upon setting foot within Erebor again. It was overwhelming, exciting, and emotional. It brought a softer curve to the dwarf’s lips as he approached, careful to keep his boots away from that quilt he’d had sent over with a caravan from the Blue Mountains. “I hope everything is to your liking, Kurdûn.”

“I’m just–I can’t–” Bilbo was struggling to find the words as his eyes gazed up towards Thorin, misty and hopeful as his hand shot up to tug Thorin down to the quilt, paying no mind to any dirty boots or a few crushed flowers around them. With his hand still firmly gripped into Thorin’s coat, Bilbo used it as leverage to pull himself closer to the dwarf, pressing his lips to that of the king who held his entire heart. “Thank you.” Two simple words breathed out against Thorin’s lips upon pulling back, but for once, Bilbo was rendered into a rather speechless state.

It was just the reaction that Thorin had been hoping for, and perhaps even more! To put someone like Bilbo–sharp and witted tongued Bilbo–into that state of silence, it felt like a grand achievement more unobtainable than winning back the mountain. And yet, much like the mountain, here Thorin had managed it with a swell of pride in his chest. “Anything for you, love.”

And for a field of daisies to be the backdrop? Well, that had just been luck–a gift by Yavanna herself, for there was an abundance of loyalty and love between Thorin and Bilbo, which was exactly the message that these little flowers signified. It was a message that rang loud and clear to the hobbit who deserved this and so much more, and Thorin couldn’t wait to spoil him with every opportunity he had.

But first…a Shire-style picnic beneath the budding tree leaves overhead and within a field of daisies.

#bagginshield #thilbo #the hobbit #thorin oakenshield #bilbo baggins #thorin x bilbo #razzledrabbles #razzywrites #summer stories

[sehnsuchts-trunken]

Back with another headcanons request! So, we’ve talked about the hobbit before, and I was wondering about some of your Bagginshield (hoping I got that right bc this is gonna be embarrassing otherwise) headcanons?

to be completely honest with you, i haven't really thought much about it. that may be just because my friend and i are shipping them more for fun than anything though (listen, it is hella funny to watch the films with a straight face and whenever we have a thorin/bilbo scene that inherently has homoerotic subtext, which you cannot possibly convince me is an accident, going "gay.") (disclaimer i'm now afraid i must add lol before this gets weird, both of us are queer so that's 100% humour)

but nevertheless i think i might have created some universe in my brain where they're happy and together and no one's dead or scarred for life. so i'll gladly dive into that and share some stuff that happens there :)

- They spend winter and spring at the castle and summer and autumn in the Shire. Fight me on this if you want. Thorin leaves his throne to Fili for six months (what began as “training because once I die you’ll have to do it anyways so better start now” has developed into “oh uncle’s gone? well guess i’m gonna have to rule the kingdom again”) and Bilbo makes sure that Lobelia does not break into his home while he’s gone.

- Adding onto that, Bilbo - of course - shares his chambers with Thorin when they’re in the castle, but hell does that not mean he doesn’t have his own. Because he does. Thing is, they’re not used for sleeping, dressing or whatever you do in your room usually. Nope, Bilbo’s are filled with the plants he loves and tea and all kinds of lovely pastries, there’s a kitchen for him to bake in and a balcony to watch the sunset on. Thorin makes sure that he does not have to do anything else but keep the plants alive and eat everything before it rots.

- They regularly have the others over. Of course they all see each other often enough in the castle, but while Thorin and Bilbo are gone over summer and autumn, well, they don’t, and after all that’s half a year. So they invite their dwarven friends and family and celebrate that day that Dwalin stood in front of a little home far away from where he came from, and that day that a little hobbit opened his freshly painted door to see said dwarf and begin an adventure he neither knew of nor particularly wanted to go on. 

- Thorin absolutely adores the Shire by the way. You should see the way his face lights up as butterflies land on his fingers, as he plucks another set of flowers for Bilbo’s windowsill or as young hobbits climb onto his shoulders and laugh when he shakes them and teaches them all kinds of Dwarven songs. Everyone adores him, almost as much as he adores this place. He can absolutely understand why Bilbo did not want to leave at first, and to be very honest, he always goes away with a heavy heart too, no matter how happy he is to return to the mountain and no matter how often he reminds himself he’ll come back the next year. 

- And oh, don’t even get me started on their wedding. It was perfect. It was the most perfect wedding you’ve ever seen. Bilbo had beads braided into his hair, so many that whichever way he turned he shone, and he looked simply ethereal. Thorin was wearing a flower crown that his nephews had made for him, wonderfully intricate and so skilfully made that seriously, everyone doubted it had been just his nephews that had made it (sure, they may just have forgotten to mention that Tauriel had helped. but they did do a lot of the work!). They had chosen the most lovely spot in autumn; all around them were trees and brown leaves, but the sun was shining and barely a cloud was seen. Picture golden sunlight falling onto black hair, braided beautifully and carefully backwards, a crown of daisies adorning it, as Thorin danced with Bilbo hours later, watching the sunset and the stars come out, and the moon and dawn the next morning. I’m convinced that all of middle earth was present - the dwarves were certainly, Bard and his children, his boyfriend (though much to Thorin’s dismay - at least it would’ve been had he noticed anything but Bilbo that day), Gandalf and Elrond and even some hobbits from the shire that Bilbo himself had invited. God, it was perfect. 

- Their honeymoon to Rivendell must’ve been an adventure in itself lol. Given that Thorin was not too happy about the idea but Bilbo more than just certain that he would not spend it “just in the castle like every other day, oh my”, they had had some arguments about it - in the past, that was, because no matter how often I’m capable of mentioning that Thorin was literally mentally g o n e for anything that wasn’t Bilbo, it won’t be enough to actually get it across and tell you just how little he cared where the fuck he was going with his husband. 

- The day Frodo’s parents drowned was the day Thorin realised that there was no question whether they’d be adopting him, no discussion or argument or even two seconds of shared eye contact to make sure that they’d come to the same conclusion. I don’t even want to say there was any understanding, any communication at all. There was no “what will you do” or “what should we do”. There was simply this little, young, orphaned boy, and there were the two of them, and suddenly they were three and the little, young, orphaned boy was theirs. Of course Thorin had thought about being a father; of course he’d thought about having children. But once Fili had seen the light of the world, the second that Thorin had held this young dwarf in his arms, he had known that he’d found his heir. And despite all the love he later was to hold for Frodo, despite all that, not for one moment would he have given away Fili’s throne. Both Bilbo and - a significantly older - Frodo understood, certainly, and no one had raised the young hobbit as a prince either, and after all suddenly becoming royalty (regardless of whether you get a crown or not) is pretty neat. 

alright that’s it rn, hope you liked some of these in the end!

#thorin oakenshield #thorin #thorin oakenshield headcanons #thorin headcanons #bilbo baggins #bilbo baggins headcanons #bilbo headcanons #the hobbit #the hobbit headcanons #hobbit #hobbit headcanons #bagginshield #bagginshield headcanons

[elles-writing]

Dragon Heart - IV.

Taglist: @guardianofrivendell @anjhope1 @legolasoftherings @kumqu4t @grunid @elvish-sky @artsywaterlily @alexloveskili

If you want to be added to tag list, send me a message or comment please.

Warnings/triggers: -

She looked over at Bilbo, who was stirring, and decided it would be a good idea to prepare him a cup of warm tea with some honey and milk. Y/N remembered Bilbo loved this as a child.

So, her next steps took her to the hobbit's kitchen.

Before she stepped inside, Y/N noticed one - perhaps from the older ones - dwarf, who prepared a steaming cup of tea already.

The dwarf didn't seemed to trust her - of course - but his eyes little softened, because she knew Gandalf and Bilbo.

"What tea is that?" Y/N asked instead, genuiely interested.

"Charmomile, for Master Baggins." Y/N hummed and the dwarf quickly left the little hobbit kitchen. You looked around, more concentrated this time. Then, you looked over the hall, pantry, and living room, where was Bilbo, Gandalf and some of the dwarves.

Baggins', now Bilbo's house, has never been un-practical. Maybe for Y/N by it's size, but other than that, there was everything one would need for life.

When Bilbo catched her eyes, Y/N could clearly see he was uncomfortable, upset and absolutely, absolutely done with the subject.

The dwarves.

But most importantly...

Gandalf.

You shrugged, and decided to leave him his burglar-not-burglar game. Bilbo would not be patient forever, but he was mannered and clever enough to know what to do. You were sure the hobbit would feel his Took side with desire for an adventure again.

And take his chance to escape Sackville-Baginses.

As you walked around, you noticed some of the pictures. They seemed to be new - or at least you didn't remembered them.

You walked closer, and stepped on something. You looked down, and noticed it was a dagger. You've never seen the design before, but assumed it must be one of the dwarves'. You picked it up and studied it, when you overheard a voice next to you.

"Careful with this, it's been just sharpened." You turned to see a blonde, blue-eyed dwarf, with braided moustache. He seemed to have the same twinkle in his eyes as Kili.

"I can handle sharp things," Y/N said and looked back at the knife.

"It's nice. Not too light, but not as heavy either." Y/N was thinking aloud. She completely forgot the dwarf next to her, as she studied the dagger.

"You know Master Baggins," He suddenly said. Y/N turned to him.

What the-did he just-

"I do," You nodded, and placed the dagger to his hand.

What the-no, he just didn't-

"You don't look like you are related," he continued.

"That's because we aren't." You ended the topic. Instead, it was your time to ask.

"Who are you?"

"Fili, at your service m'lady," he gently took your hand and kissed the back of your hand, his eyes not leaving yours.

"Y/N, at yours...Fili," You said.

"Oh, Y/N, can I-can I talk to you, for a second?" Bilbo came and you gladly walked aside with him, while Fili send you a wink.

"Bilbo, to answer some of your questions - no, I didn't knew-"

"I'm not talking about the, the dwarves," Bilbo looked over the room with frown on his face.

"Then what is it, my little friend?" You said quietly in attempt to brighten up the situation. Bilbo was almost adorable with frowned pouty face, hands folded on his chest, patting the floor with his foot...only if you could stand straight in his house. Your back thought the size of his house was not adorable at all.

"Well, um...did Gandalf told you to bring them along?" You looked at him with scrunched face, and rolled your eyes.

"I wouldn't be coming if I knew there were dwarves involved. So, if anything, I share your unpopular opinion." And ruffled his hair. He jumped up.

"I'm not a little hobbit anymore, you don't have to do this," Bilbo said through gritted teeth, and you grinned.

"Well, you still are kind of little," You teased him futher, until a dwarf with sharp blue eyes, long, dark hair, and the biggest grumpy and pouty face you've ever seen (not even Bilbo could do that, when he was angy little hobbit).

That dwarf shot you a glare, and also to Bilbo, who was taken aside by him and Gandalf, again.

You felt sorry for Bilbo.

When he was free, you overheard him muttering something about 'surely not going', 'not going anywhere', 'wizards', and so on. You decided to go to sleep, because all of the dwarves were asleep already, and you needed to be up early.

You woken up quickly. The first thing you've heard was the snoring. You scrunched your face, and quickly packed your things. Then, you walked out of Bag End, and decided to wait for them there.

The sunrise was nice time, especially to prepare your horse for the day.

"Shh," you cooed her quietly. It was beautiful mare, tall, and very, very clever.

"It will be okay. We will find dad, and we will go away, to live far away...everything is going to be just fine," You muttered.

"You ready?" Kili stood next to you with a grin on his face. You jumped up a little.

"I am." You said, and noticed Kili's expression as he looked at your horse. You let out a laugh.

"You've never seen a horse before?" Kili walked back a little.

"Not really," he said and you noticed his blushed cheeks.

"Kili!" You both looked over to Fili, standing between two ponies, who called him.

-

"Do you think Bilbo will come?" Kili asked you.

"That hobbit won't show up," Balin said. He was on his pony next to Kili, so he thought he talked to him.

"It's no surprise. Why would Master Baggins leave his home," Thorin (as was the grumpy dwarf named) said.

"I wouldn't understimate hobbits, and especially not Master Baggins," Gandalf said as he smoked his pipe.

"I am sure he is going to come," He said.

And that's when the bet started.

-

It wasn't even five minutes after you left Shire, when you overheard Bilbo's voice in the distance.

"Waaait!"

You looked over to Gandalf, who was hiding a laugh.

"You planned this?" You quietly asked and motioned to the hobbit, who was breathing heavily.

"Well, perhaps," he said, and you scoffed a little and shook your head, as the dwarves seated Bilbo on his pony.

-

The day was beautiful. It was actually quite warm, just warm so you could put down your cloak.

As the evening was approaching, and the sun was setting into palette of gold and velvet, and the sky was getting darker, Thorin decided it was time to set up camp. After a quick argument with Gandalf, the wizard left to seek company of himself. So, there was nothing easier, than to just finding the best place to place your bedroll.

You, Fili and Kili were on first watch. You laid down on your bedroll, and watched the stars. It was cloudless night, plus the crackling sound of fire, and smell of fresh night air was relaxing.

Bilbo was just coming back from his pony, when a sound in distance made him freeze.

"W-what was that?" He pointed to the distance, while looking at Kili.

"Orcs," he said in low, deep voice. You sat up. Bilbo had a part of Took in himself, but he was not that much of a Took.

"There is going to be plenty of those," Fili said, and, obviously, Kili continued.

"They come at night, no screams, just lots of blood," He looked at Bilbo, and the shadows in his face, along with his deep and low voice made it come out horribly scary. Him and Fili started chuckling, but you sighed.

"The way you two snore would make them run for hills, so I wouldn't be that worried," You said, and noticed Bilbo to relax by the corner of your eye.

Kili looked over at you. You pulled out book from your pack. He quickly recognized it, even in the darkness of the night. It was that book you flipped through back in Bag End.

You sat comfortably down, and looked over the illustrations on the pages, and softly touched them.

"What is the book you are reading about, lassie?" Balin asked. You didn't looked up.

"It's a book with tales and stories my...father wrote down," you answered.

"He used to read them to me," you shrugged.

"Would you read some of them-ow, what was that for?!" Kili whisper-yelled at his brother, who chuckled.

"You're a child, Kee," He muttered to himself, and Kili pouted. But Fili was curious as well, which Kili didn't needed to know.

"Well...this one," You flipped a few pages futher.

"This one is called Strange thief and the stars," Y/N comfortably sat and started reading.

"There was once a man. He wasn't very known by name, but by his eyes. His eyes, deep and dark, with sparkles, reminding of stars. Nobody has ever seen eyes like this before, and people were whispering he has stars themselves in his eyes," You slid the tips of your fingers over the drawing, remembering the precision your father has made into repairing them.

"Many women tried to grab his attention, but anytime they didn't sucsceeded, the sparks in their eyes were less visible, but in his as well. And that is why men has decided to call him 'the thief of stars', or a 'strange thief of stars'. He was wandering through the lands, until he found what, as he realized, was looking for,"

"What happened next?" Bilbo asked.

"That girl didn't want to talk to him. She was very kind and caring, but not naive. One day, however, she found a dragon. Big dragon, who seemed scary, but saved her from orcs. The beast's eyes reminded her of someone, yet she didn't knew of whom." You realized everyone was quiet, listening to you, as you spoken.

"The next day, she met the man. He runned into her, in a rush, in a fear - and asked her "Did you see the dragon too?". The young maiden nodded, and helped him to get to safety, as he was very nervous and scared. Since that day, they became closer and closer. One day, when a few years passed, her father - an old, wise and kind man - said, his daughter will marry someone, who gives her something very special. The young man came the next day in their house they lived in. He said," you flipped the page.

" 'I do not have much to offer - gold, silver, or gems - but I do have this," he took out a notebook out of his coat, and offered it. The girl's father took the notebook, and opened it. It was full of drawings of flowers, animals and people - but mainly of one special maiden, when she was laughing, collecting flowers, brushing her hair, cooking, reading...When she came there, and looked throught the book, her father looked at her, and she nodded. So, he looked deeply into the young man's eyes, and said 'She chose you.' "

You finished the story, and Kili giggled at how interested his brother was.

"Now who's the child here,"

#the hobbit #kili #fili #kili x reader #thorin #kili durin #fanfiction #fili x reader #bilbo #bilbo baggins #bilbo x reader #the company #the company x reader #thorin x reader

[penwieldingdreamer]

First Meetings

So, now that I have been stuck at home due to my mother's positive Covid test and watching The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings for 6 days straight, inspiration struck again, thank god 🙏😅 The new center of this -maybe- series will be Lee Pace. Of course this is only a fantasy and everything only came from my imagination but with a pinch of real events happening, still it's going to be in an alternative universe.

Thanks for being my beta @fortheloveoffanfic

Hope you guys will like it. Let me know what you thought and if you like to be tagged in upcoming drabbles I have palned and will hopefully be able to continue now again.

Summary: You work as part of the Mae-Up and Hair Crew on set of the Hobbit Trilogy, where you meet many interesting people, but one has gotten more of your attention than you would have thought.

Warnings: none, except for a very long drabble 😅

Words: 1722

You had been part of the crew ever since Peter Jackson had started working on the Hobbit trilogy in 2011 and met everyone that had been essential to the movies on and off screen. Apparently Fran had seen your work first hand when you were at a competition for make - up artists and she was impressed by the end results. You hadn't won any of the prizes but you were only one against one hundred others and yet she wanted you to be part of the second historic movie trilogy PJ did in his life.

The first people you had met were of course the dwarves and Martin who was Bilbo in the movie. They all were fun to be around, especially Dean and Aiden, as well as James Nesbitt who would always greet you with jokes or a song, giving you something to look forward to during those nearly endless days of filming.

And then, at the ending of shooting the first movie of the trilogy Philippa came up to you, a very tall man following behind her. You had just gotten done with James' make-up and wanted some fresh air, with all the fumes inside the trailer you sometimes thought you might get sick, so you sat outside, watching the pair walk over to you.

"Y/N," she said in greeting, a smile breaking out on her face. "May I introduce you to our newest cast members. Lee is going to be Elvenking Thranduil and he's in need of your service." Pippa, as you called her, had always had a way with people and she was next to Fran and Pete the only one of your bosses you could be yourself with and even call family away from your own. In your former jobs you had only been the one for the make-up, the one being ordered around and not even been able to give an opinion to change should something not look right on the person. But here, you were part of the crew and they would listen to you.

"It's nice to meet you." You said, holding out your hand for the actor to shake. With a smile in return he grabbed it and you had to concentrate not to let your reaction show on your face. Holy shit, his hands were huge compared to your smaller ones.

Only your boss's voice pulled you back to the task at hand. "So, Lee needs to get into his wig and ears and we'd like to try the crowns with the wardrobe department. Let's say meeting in an hour and a half over at costumes?"

"Oh, uh, sure." you mumbled, hastily disentangling your hand from his. "I'll send him right over when I'm done."

Pippa grinned at you. "Why don't you come over, too? We wouldn't want there to be a repeat of Elrond's circlet like the last time."

A soft sigh escaped your lips, nodding your head you stepped up onto the small stairs outside the trailer. "I'll bring him over then and make sure the wig will be in one piece once you guys are done."

"Great, I'll see you guys later!" she said, clapping her hands and walking off, leaving you with the giant in human form standing in front of you.

Once he made sure she was out of ear shot, Lee turned back to you, a smile plastered onto his face. "Do I want to know what happened to that wig?"

"I don't think you want to know, it was a mess and the guys making the wigs were so angry because the circlet Hugo was wearing in the fitting got caught on the strands and ripped it in half. They had to do it all over again."

Nodding his head, the actor entered the trailer behind her. You told him to take the empty chair next to Richard, who was getting ready for his scenes and he took the time to watch you flit around in your workplace. Everything was chaotic and still in order all the same. When you had come back to your place, the prosthetic ears and wig in hand, Lee grinned at you, his dark blue eyes shining with mirth. "Well, we wouldn't want another repeat for the King of Woodland Elves."

"At least you're already in character, then." Richard mumbled next to him with a laugh trying not to interrupt the woman doing his make-up for the day, listening to the words leaving his co-stars mouth.

Watching the actor, who was Thorin in the movie series, he laughed. "I just need to get my crown and wardrobe and I'll be good to go, everything else is already perfect."

Ruckus laughter floated through the trailer and you couldn't help but admire the shape of his face. Before you could stop yourself, you had already mumbled a 'yes, perfect' and Lee's eyes turned back to you. You felt the blush creeping over your face, swiftly grabbing a comb and a few clips to prepare his own hair for the wig cap you were going to be putting on under. All had seen the flush spread out on your skin and Martin who was getting up from his chair next to you send you wink. That was a great way to make a first impression on the day of meeting a new part of the movie series. You were scolding yourself inside, making sure to only talk to Lee when he was asking something, otherwise keeping your mouth shut.

"Okay let's see the green coat again with the silver overcoat. Y/N, be a dear and bring me that one please." Ann Maskrey, one of the costume designers asked you, while Pete and Pippa watched Lee getting dressed in the green coat. You walked over to the wardrobe and took the first silver coat. "No, not that one, the one with the deep orange silk on the inside." So you took the correct one on the second try and held it out for Lee to put on. He grinned down at you, pulling the coat over his shoulders and straightening himself. It would be easier if he wasn't such a giant, but he was a handsome giant.

"Right then, that looks good. Let's try it with the smaller branch crown."

You sighed, hoping there wasn't going to be another wig fiasco when you helped putting the crown on. Weta had done an amazing job designing all the pieces for the movies, for all movies they worked on, but sometimes these things were a bitch to work with. Your comb and pins at the ready, he sat down on the chair, pulling the knee-high boots on over the leggings he wore underneath.

"I'm going to be gentle but if I should hurt you with the pin please let me know." you told him, lightly pinning the crown to the wig so it wouldn't fall off.

Lee had closed his eyes, hiding the bright blue contacts he wore for his role. "I can take my fair bit of pain, but if it's intolerable, I'll let you know. So far I can't complain about these gentle hands."

By the time they had taken pictures and you had finally calmed down again so the flush that had started to spread over your face and neck at the close proximity to Lee was controlled again, Ann had asked you to take off one crown and exchange it for the larger branch crown with red leaves.

"I think this is going to be a lot more striking for King Thranduil then the other one."

So you repeated the process, gently combing the wig while Lee sat on the chair, chewing his gum and closing his eyes. He even held the hairpins in his hand because he saw you struggle to get them out of the confines of your little bag. When he moved it closer to you to work with your finger touched his and if you didn't know better there was a tiny spark from that brush of skin.

Finishing up, you grabbed the unused pins from his hand and told him you were done, giving the tall actor a light tap on his shoulder. Just as he walked over to the small area where they viewed him in his costumes, the door opened and Martin and James walked inside.

"Sorry, you guys but we had a small, unfortunate accident." the Irish actor apologized, showing the burst seams on his pants. "We were doing our stunts and well."

Martin grinned, walking over to you and throwing his arm around your shoulders. "We also wanted to see what all the fuss was about that haughty elf king."

Giggling, you looked over at Lee who grinned at his co-stars and repeated the walk he did before.

"Just so you know, if I were a female dwarf, I'd tap that elf ass." James whispered into your left ear, your once controlled blush intensifying again while the blond actor nodded his head enthusiastically.

"He's a perfect elf, you know. Broad shoulder, tall, elegant, striking eyes. The hair." Martin spoke so only you and the dwarf actor could hear.

"The long legs." James added, nodding his head over to the American actor who strutted along the area, having thrown off the overcoat.

"That smouldering look." the Brit continued before you held up your hands.

"Enough, you." You hissed so no one would know what you had been talking about, but you knew they were only trying to rile you up. Yes, Lee was attractive, hell, he was gorgeous and Pippa and Pete did an amazing job casting him, but you knew him for less than a day. He could be a total asshole when he didn't have people to impress for his first day on set. "You guys should get to Lucy or Sam so they can stitch up those holes."

"Well, I'm going to tell you this, one day you'll end up with a guy like that and you'll remember what I told you. You deserve the best in your life, luv." James told you proudly, pulling you closer into a one armed hug. He was brother and father to you in one person and you knew that his words were going to bite you in your ass.

They always did.

Taglist(I wasn't sure who to tag, also who might want to read it, so please let me know if you don't want to see mor of this in your notifications)

@fortheloveoffanfic @ladyreapermc @toomanystoriessolittletime @meetmeinthematinee @omg-imagine @fanficsrusz @eevee-of-rivia @fics-not-tragedies @omgkatinka @fuck-yeah-hope @wholelottatiffy @axshadows​ @a-really-bi-girl @madbaddic7ed @maggiemoo1892 @pinkzsugar @agniavateira @mary-ann84 and everyone who might want to read this.

#lee pace imagine #lee pace x reader #drabble #alternate universe #the hobbit rpf #lee pace #the hobbit #the hobbit imagine

[jerakeenc]

many kidfics i’ve read and loved

look who’s reccing a million year old fics now. kidfics, very many. posted to dw for snowflake, thought I’d copy here as well. will be reading most, if not all. if you don’t hear from me again, this list is the culprit.

101 Ways To Get Lucky (In Love) by lenore

18,200 words | SGA, McKay/Sheppard

Rodney McKay is rich, gorgeous and at the top of his game—except someone just moved the goalposts! Now Rodney realizes he is sorely lacking the one status symbol that everybody seems to have…the perfect family. Rodney needs help, so he hires a relationship coach. Single-dad John Sheppard may be an expert, but not when it comes to his own relationships! And every day he spends with Rodney makes him wish that he could be the one to fill the vacancy in Rodney's life…

A Beautiful Lifetime Event by astolat

29,000 words | SGA, McKay/Sheppard

Life is what happens when you're busy making other plans.

An Earlier Heaven by regann

67,400 words | X-Men, Erik/Charles

In the wake of Cuba, Charles and his students are ready to pick up the pieces and work toward achieving Charles's dream of a safe haven for young mutants. Those plans, however, take a surprising turn thanks to a very unexpected complication. As he slowly builds a future for his students and for his child, Charles struggles with the loss of Erik and the secrets he's willing to keep to protect his family, but those strides are shattered when Erik makes a startling reappearance into his life. [mpreg, kidfic, ensemble]

And everything nice by noelia_g

30,200 words | Social Network, Mark/Eduardo

The one where Mark somehow ends up with a child and of course needs a nanny for the amount of time he spends at the office. Only problem is a string of nannys keep trying to get into his pants for what he assumes is his money. Cue Mark's assistant hiring a male nanny, enter Eduardo.

asking to be born by longtime_lurker

26,500 words | Bandom, Pete/Patrick

"Don't worry, it's probably just his big gay freakout," Andy yells cheerfully and unhelpfully into Patrick's ear as they're hustling Pete over to the nearest private clinic.

Better with You by harriet_vane

38,100 words | 1D, Liam/Louis

Based on this prompt at the kinkmeme:

Single parent and solo artist Liam Payne hires Louis Tomlinson to be a full time nanny to his four year old son Sammy. Although the two men don't quite click from the start it's love at first sight between Sammy and Louis. Eventually Louis and Liam warm up to each other and get on like a house on fire, in fact the two become a little too fond of each other.

I refuse to apologize for how sweet this ended up, okay? It's kidfic, I am forever writing kidfic, and this one is even kid-fic-ier than usual.

Can't Get Enough of You (Baby) by eternalbreath

22,100 words | Inception, Arthur/Eames

Eames vanishes from dreamshare and Arthur goes a little crazy looking for him until he stumbles across him -- with a baby.

Chelsea, Chelsea, I Believe by empathapathique

300,800 words | Hockey, Kane/Toews

Patrick meets a girl his rookie year.

Don't You Shake Alone by dsudis

62,180 words | Generation Kill, Brad/Nate

Nate looked exactly like Brad always pictured him: exhausted in the full life-in-a-combat-zone sense of the word.

Dude, what's a bulwark? by kellifer_fic

12,150 words | Teen Wolf, Derek/Stiles

Beacon Hills is the kind of small town where everybody knows everybody, and what everybody knows is that surly diner owner Derek Hale and free spirited single dad Stiles Stilinski have been in love with each other for years. If only they knew it too.

Every Other Beautiful World by rhiannonhero

43,280 words | SGA, McKay/Sheppard

Some things are unexpected but still inevitable in every beautiful world.

Forever, Now by harriet_vane

227,100 words | Bandom, Frank/Gerard, Jon/Spencer, Brendon/Ryan, Brian/Greta

Brian rescues kid!Gerard and Mikey from life on the streets, and eventually everyone finds a family.

here comes the sun by oflights

56,600 words | Social Network, Mark/Eduardo

This is a story about growing up, sad 70's rock songs, too much hair gel, "Maxwell's Silver Hammer", a baby with curly hair, a Geiger counter, a dog that isn't named Max, the Chicken Dance, Cheerios, pepper-spray, drugs, sex, and a stuffed chicken named Cluckerberg, nicknamed Cluck. or: Mark raises Sean's accidental baby, and I write the fluffiest thing ever.

I Got a Love (That Keeps Me Waiting) by svmadelyn

163,700 words | Hockey, Kane/Toews

There's a lot of different ways this summary could go, like:

Patrick Kane gets more than a gold medal in Sochi.

Or, the classic: It's too late to pull out now.

Or: Patrick Kane continues to thrive in high pressure situations.

Or: Patrick Kane gets knocked up, goes to White Castle, and finds love, not necessarily in that order.

But, ultimately, all that really matters is this: Patrick Kane is keeping his baby.

I Would Be by cathalin

20,290 words | American Idol, Kris/Adam

AU. Adam and Kris meet a few years down the road, when down-on-his-luck Kris and his young daughter Katherine show up to rent a room from Adam, who never made it to an Idol audition.

Ice Ice Baby by uraneia

51,340 words | Hockey, Claude/Danny

A gold medal isn't the only souvenir Claude brings home from Prague.

OR: The one where Claude gets drunk, gets pregnant, and gets convinced to move in with Danny, whom he's been secretly in love with for years. What could possibly go wrong?

my heart is bigger than the distance in between us by estrella30

15,000 words | 1D, Nick/Harry

Nick chuckles quietly but grabs the remote and follows Emma, Aimee coming up close behind him. It’s indeed Harry on the telly, singing along to his latest radio hit and smiling slowly into the camera far too seductively for half eight on a Friday morning, if you ask Nick. He presses the volume just in time to catch the crowd’s roaring applause and see the pink flush Harry’s cheeks. Nick watches him duck his head as he gives a small wave to the audience, and it hits Nick that Harry is still the most humble and appreciative billionaire Nick’s ever met.

Good job, popstar, Nick thinks to himself.

or, Nick is a single dad and Harry is his bff and it's a bunch of years into the future and they fall in love

Once Upon a Furry Octopus by skoosiepants

11,270 words | SGA, McKay/Sheppard

He was an intelligent, intuitive pet, but he wasn’t going to start sniffing out ZPMs or hidden Ancient weaponry or detailed instructions on how to kill a Wraith with a common household item. A pen, for instance.

Reconcilable Differences by astolat

40,000 words | Smallville, Clark/Lex

Luthor Family Values.

Shelter by harriet_vane

63,500 words | Social Network, Jesse/Andrew

From the kinkmeme prompt: Some sort of AU vaguely based on Shelter! For whatever reason, Jesse has to take care of Hallie and give up his dream of being an actor. He ends up working in a dead end job when former, now successful friend (Andrew) returns home. They fall in love, etc, only Jesse can't go away with him because he has a responsibility to his family. CUE ANGST.

Show Me The Way Back Home Baby by stilinskisparkles

15,000 words | Teen Wolf, Derek/Stiles

In which Lydia and Jackson produce the world's cutest baby, and the pack goes crazy-- the good kind of crazy. Except for Derek, who is afraid of tiny cute babies and Stiles who plans to be the best Uncle ever. Even if Danny called dibs on Godfather.

Skybird by windsweptfic

33,785 words | Inception/White Collar, Arthur/Eames

Arthur and Eames adopt a kid and raise that kid into Neal Caffrey.

Small Cells and Fibers by sevenfists

7,830 words | Bandom, Frank/Gerard

Tuesdays were finger-painting days. Frank made sure to wear his oldest pair of jeans, because even with his full-length apron and his constant reminders that paint belongs on paper and not on clothing, he always ended up with tiny, multi-colored handprints all over his clothes. There wasn't a thing he could do about it, so he just wore pants from 1995.

Small Primes and Square Roots by liviapenn

12,500 words | SGA, McKay/Sheppard

"I hope you picked someone really intelligent, otherwise it seems like it would be kind of a waste. Of incubation time, if nothing else."

So Wise We Grow by deastar

81,250 words | Star Trek Reboot, Kirk/Spock

"Commander Spock, we have located your son," the Vulcan lady on the screen says, which would be great, except Jim can tell by the look on Spock's face that he's never heard of this kid before in his life. "If it is expedient, the child will be sent to join you on the Enterprise within the week."

Something Better by lovelypoet

18,350 words | Bandom, Frank/Gerard

"We all have to take jobs we don't like sometimes, you know?"

The Next Time You Say Forever by Thistlerose

27,300 words | Star Trek Reboot, Kirk/McCoy

After his ex-wife's death, McCoy is forced to leave the Enterprise to look after his teenage daughter. Under normal circumstances, this would be the end of…whatever it is he has with Kirk that's more than friendship, but less than what he wants. But the universe has other intentions.

The Reeducation of Misters Kane and Toews by jezziejay

15,900 words | Hockey, Kane/Toews

In which Kaner sort of has a kid, and Mr. Toews doesn't know which of them is the bigger brat.

AU featuring teacher!Jon and hockey-player!Kaner. With bonus 'Hawks characters, love notes, pasta jewelry, Be Better Pizzas, pirouettes, a sprinke of angst and guest appearance by Derek Jeter.

The Road Delivered Us Home by keelywolfe

117,430 words | Hobbit, Thorin/Bilbo

In the years since Bilbo left Erebor, he has lost his respectability, gained a nephew, and gotten on with life at Bag End.

He'd left aside adventure for the comforts and peace of his little Hobbit hole, and for the love of a child who needed him. Though perhaps, adventures can yet find him.

This Story Was Brought to You by Our Sponsors by scaramouche

29,500 words | Supernatural, Dean/Castiel

Dean's post-apocalyptic life is a friggin' soap opera. Romance! Angst! Separations! Reunions! Pizza Dinners! A Child Dean Never Knew He Had! It's all very dramatic.

throw a little sparkle all over it by etben

26,000 words | Bandom, Frank/Gerard

"Hey, Ma," Mikey says. "No, everything's fine—well, I mean, Gerard accidentally adopted a baby—no, he's changing her now, he can't talk."

Tiny Houses by ohmyjetsabel

77,130 words | Teen Wolf, Derek/Stiles

"So this is what Stiles does. He lies in Scott’s bed and waits for Melissa to say she’s found someone to get it out of him, to cure him of the wrongness and the bad, and he dreams.

God, he dreams.

He dreams of fire and swollen bellies and that scene in Alien, of giving birth to jackals through his urethra, the whole horrific nine yards. His head is a terrible place to be, he can’t imagine his stomach is much better, why anyone would want to put a thing inside of it."

Tip, Slide, Tumble by j_s_cavalcante

42,900 words | due South, Fraser/Kowalski

Ray knew when he found the body in the alley it was going to change someone's life. He just didn't expect that life would be his.

Turn by saras_girl

306,000 words | Harry Potter, Harry/Draco

One good turn always deserves another. Apparently.

Unless it's lies or it's love by sprat

25,300 words | American Idol, Kris/Adam

In which Adam (a rock star) meets Kris (a single dad) at an Emergency Room in Arkansas at the end of a particularly shitty night. Also features: San Francisco, fresh starts, baked goods, OCs, cameo appearances by Matt and Megan, pirates, monsters with garbage heads and a recording studio.

What Child Is This by lamardeuse

30,150 words | Merlin, Arthur/Merlin

A modern AU with Merlin, Arthur, mayhem, a baby and a jingly elf hat.

What to Expect by arsenic

29,200 words | Bandom, Bob/Mikey

Mikey has his band, and his little girl, and that's enough. Really, it is.

Winter's Children by neery

66,890 words | Marvel, Bucky/Steve

When their attempts to recreate the super soldier serum failed, Hydra started trying to breed Captain America clones from his genetic samples. Unfortunately, the serum's effects aren't passed down genetically, so instead of an army of tiny Captain Americas, they get a bunch of tow-headed, asthmatic, allergic, immuno-compromised little Steves.

And then the Winter Soldier stumbles across Hydra's failed experiment...

With Six You Get Eggroll by speranza

31,000 words | due South, Fraser/Kowalski

"Kick 'em In The Head: A Guide To Parenting."

ETA: Bonus! Because I apparently lost my bookmark for this one but have the memory of an elephant for kidfic, so it came to me eventually. :D

A Farm in Iowa 'Verse by sheafrotherdon

166,000 words | SGA, McKay/Sheppard

John inherits a farm, Rodney ends up entirely out of his element, and there is much ado about baseball.

#kidfic #recs

[omgkatsudonplease]

[ficlet, bagginshield] shock and delight, pt 1 (bridgerton au)

The banks of the Brandywine River are packed with strolling couples on the day of the promenade, their chaperones following shortly behind. Thorin and the Fundinson brothers arrive exactly on time, Thorin carrying a bottle of Old Winyards. According to the sommelier in the shop at Bucklebury, this particular bottle was their last vintage one.

Bilbo and his chaperone Mr Greyhame show up a couple minutes late, the Hobbit fretting and dabbing at his brows with a monogrammed handkerchief. “I’m so terribly sorry for my lateness,” he flusters, hopping on one foot to the other like a nervous rabbit as he peers up at Thorin with a sheepish grin. “I forgot my pocket-handkerchief and had to go back for it.”

Thorin is caught between the absolute adorableness of Bilbo’s contrite pout and the absolute absurdity of the reason for his tardiness. 

“You are forgiven,” he declares instead. Bilbo’s pout smooths into a heart-melting smile.

The two of them begin to head down the path alongside the river, their pace leisurely. Other promenaders pass them by, as well as several open carriages pulled by unprotesting ponies. Thorin finds his gaze oddly drawn to the way the spring sunlight seems to burnish Bilbo’s curls into gold. Probably where Lord Stormcrow got the Golden Hare moniker, he thinks, before forcibly looking away towards a young Hobbit family having a picnic by the river. 

It’s a picture-perfect image of marital bliss. Thorin supposes something like that is what Bilbo is looking for, which Thorin himself obviously could not provide. Though he has yet to hear of any pushback against what must be an odd coupling by both Dwarvish and Hobbit standards, he is sure opposition will make itself known eventually. A marriage of true minds often lacks the productivity factor of a standard marriage, something which would be keenly felt in the family of a gentleman as distinguished as Bilbo Baggins’s. 

He, on the other hand, has already named his sister-children as his heirs. So it didn’t matter whether or not he married at all, nor did it matter whether or not his One (wherever they may be) possessed the physical apparatus or mental inclination for childbearing. 

“I have a question,” says Bilbo after a moment, breaking through Thorin’s thoughts like sunlight through stormclouds. “How do you know Gandalf? He’s an old family friend of mine, and apparently my cousin Fortinbras was the one who suggested he watch over me this season, but I don’t know how he would know you.” He looks thoughtful, hazel eyes peering inquisitively into Thorin’s face. 

In spite of himself, Thorin feels exposed, almost vulnerable. 

“I suppose Gandalf does have a lot of fingers in a lot of pies, though,” muses Bilbo after a moment, before laughing and shrugging it off. “So? How do you know Gandalf?”

“To use your phrasing, Mr Greyhame has a finger in Erebor’s pie,” replies Thorin simply, not wanting to discuss how, years upon years ago, the Wizard had found his father in the depths of the Greenwood lost in enchantments and his own memories. King Thráin had, as the story went, finally succumbed to his grief about the deaths of his father and son, and had gotten lost in the Greenwood on his way to Azanulbizar to mourn them. 

He half suspects that telling Bilbo all of that would just make the poor Hobbit run off screaming in the opposite direction. So instead he bites his tongue, folding his hands behind his back. 

“I see,” says Bilbo, fiddling nervously with one of his cuff-links. “I’ve never been to Erebor. I’ve barely even left the Shire as-is.”

Thorin arches an eyebrow, remembering the abundance of maps and walking-sticks in Bag End the first time he’d gone over for dinner. The smial, though grand in size and luxurious in room variety, didn’t have the same cold ostentation as the mansions of Dwarves or Men. It felt homey, well-loved. A testament to lives well-lived.

No wonder Bilbo was so picky about the search for his One. If Thorin were not king, he would have wanted his halls just as cosy and warm, and he would have wanted to share it with only those who would brighten its nooks and crannies. 

“You certainly give the appearance of being well-travelled,” he says neutrally, still thinking of the maps and walking-sticks.

“Within the Shire,” demurs Bilbo. “I have had to go to Annúminas on business, of course, and once I went to Fornost with my parents on holiday, but Hobbits as a rule try to stick within the four farthings of the Shire. After all, why go out to see the rest of the world when the world comes to us every year?” 

His last question is both rhetorical and bitter. Thorin’s heart aches a little just hearing it. 

“So it is a matter of respectability?” he wonders wryly. Bilbo raises an eyebrow, so Thorin explains. “There is not much stopping you from running out of your front door and into the Blue, after all.”

Bilbo chuckles ruefully. “No,” he agrees. “But every time the side of me that craves adventures begins to make plans, the other side of me protests mightily, saying I’ll miss my books and my armchair and having six regular meals a day.”

Thorin has, indeed, noticed that restaurants and tea shops in the Shire have a more constant cycle of meals than anywhere else in Middle-earth. He’s honestly not complaining. 

“Speaking of meals,” he says, nodding towards the basket that Mr Greyhame is carrying, “I brought Old Winyards. Shall we find somewhere to sit?”

Bilbo checks his pocket-watch. “It’s halfway between elevensies and luncheon,” he remarks. 

“Yes,” says Thorin. “Consider it ‘lunchensies’.”

Bilbo bursts out in laughter at that, a bright joyful sound that rings through Thorin like one of the golden bells of Dale. His own stomach flutters a bit, and it takes all of his self-control to simply gesture for Balin and Dwalin to come help them set up their picnic on the banks of the Brandywine River. 

~~

Lunchensies is a success. Bilbo immediately takes a liking to Balin the moment they all sit down on the blanket together, happily chatting with him about books and history in between bites of his sandwich. Thorin watches them, unable to stop the smile on his face as he watches the way his old friend brightens under the Hobbit’s genuine inquisitiveness. 

“Yes, the road between here and Erebor was not as arduous as it used to be,” Balin is saying. “There is, of course, the stray highway robbery within Orc territory, but rumour has it that after the Shadow was broken at the end of the last Age, the majority of the Enemy’s armies have fallen out of its thrall and prefer to keep to themselves within the Mountains.”

“Occupying the ancestral halls of Khazad-dûm,” growls Dwalin. Thorin, too, feels the cold resentment deep in his stomach, but he tempers it by watching Bilbo chew thoughtfully at his sandwich, his nose twitching like a rabbit’s.

“While Durin’s Bane continues to live, Khazad-dûm cannot be retaken,” he reminds Dwalin. 

“If it continues to live,” muses Balin, before hastily switching the topic. “On the other hand, we are fortunate not to have awoken anything similar within Erebor. Though we did almost lose it to the firedrake Smaug.”

Thorin remembers the flames, remembers the lives lost to the dragon. The tragedy had seemed insurmountable at the time, but now he supposes rebuilding a Kingdom within the ashes of dragonfire was not as bad as being forced to flee for a new home like what had happened to his ancestors in Khazad-dûm.

“Almost?” echoes Bilbo, his eyes wide. Dwalin hands him and Thorin both glasses of the Old Winyards. Mr Greyhame, too, is helping himself to a liberal portion of the wine. 

“The Lady Mika, wife of the Lord of Dale, requited her husband’s death upon the dragon by shooting him with a black arrow,” explains Thorin as he pops a strawberry into his mouth. The fruit’s juices spill over his fingers; he hastily licks it off before wiping his fingers with the handkerchief.

Bilbo’s cheeks are dusted light pink when Thorin looks up again, and Thorin can feel his own cheeks heating in response.

“Well,” flounders the Hobbit, “that must have been terrible to go through. We haven’t had anything quite like that in the Shire, save for long and fell winters and the odd plague outbreak. But enough talk of dark and grim things! What is your favourite part of Erebor?”

The question throws Thorin for a moment. “Everything,” he says, but Bilbo raises a doubtful eyebrow at that. “All of Erebor is connected,” explains Thorin. “From the mines to the forges to the crafting halls, every part serves the whole.”

“Cogs in a machine,” muses Bilbo. “But what about a location? If you’ve grown up there all your life, surely you must have a favourite place. Secret hideouts from childhood, all of that.”

Thorin considers the question again, and this time the answer comes almost as if he had always meant to say it: “My mother’s garden,” he replies. “She kept a well-tended terrace beside the Royal apartments. We still take care of it, of course, and in the spring the cherry and apple blossoms blanket the grass like petalled snow.”

Bilbo’s expression lights up. “That sounds incredible,” he says.

“In the summer, the entire terrace is flooded with fireflies. I remember thinking once as a child that they were stars come down to play with us.” 

Bilbo’s hands tighten against the stem of his wineglass. “I should very much like to see that,” he says quietly. Thorin smiles, before noticing the knowing glint in their companions’ eyes.

He glares at them until they subside. 

#the hobbit #bagginshield #tolkien #lily's dabbles #bridgerton au

[blankdblank]

It’s a Mother Flocking Puffin Pt 14

Saturday however came and you would have to leave your spoons at home so Thorin couldn’t come snooping, and by his messages you could tell the boys had blabbed they knew what his gift would be. His face outside the shop in a silent plea of sorts had you giggling and shaking your head walking with him to the lift to get upstairs, “Sleep well?”

“Yes, you?”

“Had to finish a comic and a paper for one of my classes and managed to get a few hours sleep.” That had his eyes scanning over you making you tilt your head back to grin up at him, “Boys told you.”

“Told me?” He asked in a head shake worthy feign that he knew nothing of what you were talking about.

“It’s only a couple weeks you can wait.” That earned you an impatient groan making you giggle in your step out into the lounge of your floor to walk to the workstation passing the corner playpen in the bare section of the office near to the bath clearly set up by the Durins in your absence to make your lone employee feel more comfortable.

Anxious himself while you were mid string swap Bilbo exited the lift flashing you a quick grin easing his sleeping adopted son inside. “Nearly done,”

Bilbo shook his head leaving Frodo there and came over saying, “Take your time, no need to stop on my account.”

“Two pick ups this morning, just getting a start on the replacements for the day.”

His eyes followed your fingers with tips still a dark purple shade in working the wire into place making him ask, “Are your fingers alright?”

“Oh ya, hurt, but I’m good for today. Nearly done with the instruments here already,”

Bilbo nodded, “Did you want me to get onto calls for appointments to pick them up?”

“If you like,” nodding your head to the side you set down the strung instrument you would retune in a moment guiding him to the desk and showed him the list of instruments in the completed list with the contact information shown as unscheduled for pickup. Easily he took to the simple system to set the appointment he would copy into the planner on the desk. A grumble from Frodo had him moved to be laid flat in the play pen area on the nest of pillows and blankets there to a more secure spot for a nap, through which he glanced your way still a tad uncertain how inconvenient adding a child would be to this office. Truly hoping you would remain patient until a backup plan on child care could be found in case of reaching said unseen limit to your patience on that topic.

Back at your desk however the first of what would be a day of hand shakes due to lingering pains from the irritated bruises bubbled up his concern on how the past few days work on this job had done that to your fingers. Yet while he spoke to the first couple on the phone in Khuzdul he caught plucks of the chords to the sight of subtle turns of the knobs before the violin was back in its case and given the proper colored sticky note on the door to the cubby you locked. Turning to the work desk to swipe that instrument from your to do list with the other completed ones mirrored on Bilbo’s monitor.

The next one however had your brows furrowed eyeing the instrument that using the bow when Bilbo had hung up you tested the strings through a simple lullaby and huffed, “Why the hell did they send me this?” Bilbo smirked as you turned it over scouring over each detail until you sighed taking notice of the subtle give of the chin rest. That within a few minutes and some glue leaving that to the side to ensure it dried with sticky note on top of it waiting to shift it over until it was done to swipe it over to the completed file.

Two more head shake worthy jobs were swiped over and marked off the list before Bilbo cleared his throat in the doorway of the workshop with a mug of tea for you, “Made some tea,”

“Thank you,” you replied with a smile locking the cubby door and ensuring the job was swiped over on the way to accept it from him for a brief break.

“First pick up should be arriving soon.”

“Yes, any troubles with the appointments?”

“No, three confirmed so far, two more are consulting relatives who were at work to call back later. You said I could handle appointments while you are not here?”

“If you feel up to it yes. Unless you’d prefer having pick up days with me here.”

“I think it could help you out with my days alone, three so far have said my days would suit better.”

With a simple nod in lifting your mug for a warming sip his eyes traveled to your fingers again. Lowering the mug you said, “Surprisingly thanks to those last two I might just empty my cubbies by noon tomorrow at this rate.”

Bilbo wet his lips asking, “You won’t stay here all day?”

Shaking your head you replied, “No, have to get back to the dorm, have to finish a gift for Thorin, just have a couple weeks left.”

“Birthday gift?”

Shaking your head after another sip you said, “Dwarves trade Love Spoons,”

“Oh, those can be quite lovely.”

That had you giggle and lift your fingers used for the wire files on your free hand, “Oh yes, lovely and hard on the hands to work out. Wire files, for the tiny details.”

His brow arched up after his own sip, “Wire files?”

“Metal chords, you slide them through a hole then wiggle it back and forth to cut out small openings in the middle of carvings. Larger ones you can use drills and electric bits but smaller ones need more hands on approach.”

“Gloves wouldn’t help?”

“Gloves block out any bleeding if you wind them too tight, you have to see your fingers or you could wind them too tight and possibly lose a fingertip from blood loss. Bruises are just from the constant tugs on the wire been soaking in vinegar and salts to lessen the colors.”

“Very tricky it seems. I do hope the rest of your courtship is far less painful.”

That had you giggle in his move to answer the phone sounding the arrival of the first client. Receipt book in hand once ushered to the lounge where you had brought out their violin they tested themselves and handed over the 17 coppers you eased into the slot on the safe as they walked into the lift with their receipt to Bilbo carrying Frodo to his first feeding. Now conscious the boy still fussy looked you over and pouted through a wave returning the finger wave from you. “Good Morning Frodo.”

A grumble from him was your answer and tentatively Bilbo sat down across from you with the boy on his lap, “He normally doesn’t fuss.”

That had you giggle softly, “You don’t have to make excuses, little guy just woke up. No complaints here for having a little one around, never got much time around them growing up.”

“Truly?” He asked and you nodded.

“Elven babies are usually kept at home until they can walk on their own and even then rarely are out and about through town. Very unlike Hobbitons I imagine.”

Bilbo chuckled through a nodding grin, “Oh yes, can’t escape the seas of fauntlings.”

“You must miss it.”

Softly he sighed, “We have a lovely apartment here, with a little garden for us to relax in. I miss the memories my home held, growing up with my parents, all our years together.”

His head turned to the phone ringing you shook your head to say for him to keep feeding Frodo as you answered the phone to allow the next client up you turned to fetch their instrument. Curiously their eyes shifted to Frodo happily eating curious of the duo here with you until their cello was brought over they gave a once over while you wrote up the receipt they gladly traded for the coppers to carry their instrument out muttering to each other in Khuzdul along the way.

With a smirk Bilbo said watching you ease the coppers into the safe slot, “They assumed I was a client you know.”

“I did catch some of that. How would that be a bad thing?”

Shaking his head he answered, “Not bad, just curious for the clients.”

Smirking at him you carried your now emptied tea cup to the sink to rinse out, “If you prefer I could add your picture to the site.”

“No, thank you. One woman job is fine with me, I answer the phone and handle packages.” He answered with a chuckle on your stroll back to the workbench asking, “When were you taking lunch?”

“I heard Thorin was planning to surprise me with lunch at one when their next interview is through. Plenty of time to finish my list.”

“You won’t need me that extra hour?”

Smirking his way you said, “Most likely one of the guys will be here for company if you’re worried about me being alone.” Opening the next locker to add the one you had fixed the chin mount you marked off the list once locked up again. Removing the names for the cubbies of instrument already picked up you added those slips to the used bin to wipe down later and reuse on the way to get the standing bass up next on your list requiring just a simple repair to the string support. That one flaw had it out of tune for another easy job you let dry out before locking up again while moving onto the next piece to Bilbo settling back at his desk to answer the call from the client he called earlier.

Half past eleven however like you had predicted Dwalin eased through the lift doors with a grin on his face creeping closer to the toddler now dozing off to the lullaby you were playing on the standing bass triple checking the tuning before locking it back up again. Smacking lips on the boy came in his lower down to settle into the nest of pillows. Dwalin eased a blanket from beside him over his back doubling his body’s urge to sleep all the more in his warm comfy nest then eased back to Bilbo who was finishing off the fifth on the list from the website waiting for appointments who eagerly took up the option to ship their instruments to the office over a home visit. Though skimming through the messages on the site he went ahead and gave the approval to have more simply ship theirs in as well as word of the easier way for their schedules had gotten around by word of mouth and the reviews on the site.

The more he had gone through the list it seemed to triple the future jobs on you for a moment making him regret having done so until Dwalin was heard chuckling out, “Three left, truly?”

“Seems like it, but one of those have a neck wobble I have to mend. Going to have to take the strings off and glue it back down most likely.”

Out his hand moved to claim yours eyeing your bruised fingers making you smirk, “This is not good, you need time off.”

“I am fine, still have my fingers. Plus I’m nearly done.”

“Then you’ll take a break, right? Let your hands soak for the evening until supper?”

“I know you know why my fingers are like this, and I repeat, I’m nearly done.”

“You have time,”

At the doorway Bilbo cleared his throat turning your head, “Um, I received a question about your, insect policy, upon repairs? A couple collect butterflies and were wondering if that bars their request for repairs.”

“No, the policy is for people that use insect egg sacks in their own repairs or knowingly send in instruments infested with insects.”

“Oh, that makes so much more sense,” he said turning to calm the confused couple who had read the reviews from the couple you had helped Thorin with ending with their piano bench being rebuilt, gladly agreed to ship out their small harps, guitar and standing bass. It seemed people were thrilled to have the holiday break over and some news on their status of an appointment surely adding a positive boost of steam to your mini operation seeming more official with a helper he realized you sorely required. Frerin however joined in on the coaxing to work you towards taking some time off the spare project at least until your bruises healed allowing Dwalin to sneak over and check on your employee nearing his point to ready to head home for the day. Together they walked out off to a shared lunch after gathering up the sleeping toddler into his stroller leaving the smirking brother simply keeping you company while you cleaned up for the day readying the workstation for the following day.

Thorin however came down and all but lifted you into his arms to get you down to the car. Guiding you back to the apartment where it took all your effort not to laugh seeing Fili and Kili there with studio set up for a hand pampering day your husband smiled off to the side in watching with your rings in hand until it was over and he could ease them back onto your slightly less bruised and sore fingers through a stolen kiss. From there down he carried you to the waiting dinner he finished prepping and settled in front of you to the brothers finishing the editing before joining you at the table grinning themselves at the kitten climbed up onto your lap ready to play.

.

25 hours, that was your estimate on how long it would take to tune through the orchestra coming, and thanks to his diligence Bilbo managed to send off a great deal of the instruments on the two days you were gone from the office. Where he could have been bored the time between calls in mini breaks he claimed for himself to diffuse were centered around notes for his novel or Frodo, changing or keeping him occupied between naps and meals. By noon he was wrapped up and heading out ensuring everything was powered down to start up again the next time he would be here with you. A tad odd for him but progress of at home visits as well shifted from column to column marked down in the ledger no doubt once you returned to the office. Saturday would be your first designated fund delivery to the bank combined with the Durins’ from upstairs and having arrived early you wrapped the coins and filled out a deposit slip to be put into the business account.

The call had come in and the first visit was set up to have you focus on the piano and harp to reach three hours roughly. The twelve cellos and violas would be sent to you next for a collective eight hours. Double bases, the eight of them nearly reached three hours leaving the 34 violins for last reaching just over eleven hours to be scattered over the next week. You had a cushion time of a few weeks for the job before they would need to prep for their next set of shows, yet just to be safe you would try to mingle as many of these in as possible between your other jobs.

Sweet and timid plans were settled if not every day then every other day to have time with one another between the busy schedules of your schooling and work and the fall wedding rush. The second moon was upon you and the night before was the designated hand off date, though not found without difficulty. Main problem being slung across the newspapers and news broadcasts, ‘Her Royal Majesty Jaqiearae Pear, Grand Duchess - Crown Princess Under the Mountain’ it was broadcast by one of the clients getting a close look at the Crown Prince’s hand upon working with the Durins had stolen a picture of his wedding band.

The clan had to answer and publicly now a term in the courtship contract had required elopement answering why the union was called for on hushed grounds. Press had gone wild though up to the point where King Nain shared a brief respectful description of the ceremony used warming hearts of those reading that it was the most sacred of elopement ceremonies involving audience of the Valar. Confirmation of your ring and recent kitten related purchases mingled with praise that guiding owl for Durin the Deathless had been sent to you post union in a sort of blessing from beyond hinting something great was yet to come for the pair of you. All the same they now had a new Princess and until the public could dote and fawn over official photographs on the triplets you were now the main focus of their attention as the newest couple the public ached to know about.

Pictures had been stolen of shared drives and meals with notes on when he clearly went to visit you or the one trip you made with the boys to his shared apartment. A dinner was called for and with a wave to the distant trio of cameramen at the other end of the field where you had been for another highly ventilated experiment for your science class. Again the title for you had changed and in the roll of thunder the final product of the experiments had been taken to the lab before your free break to study. Normally you would share space with the rugby team but while they were away for a game the next day finding a spot to study alone was difficult to say the least without having someone gawking. At least the press honored the peace bubble on campus leaving poor Thorin to the brunt of the media between his various jobs taking him out of the office.

Avoiding the open rain splattered surfaces to an assumed empty classroom you went huffing on the other side of the door you closed behind you. The sound from which had the fiery haired Dwobbit also taking up the empty space who shot up to her feet startled from the sudden company. “Sorry, wet outside.”

Anxiously her eyes darted over you fully and she said in a shift of her eyes to the books in your arms, “How’s your kitten?”

“He’s good, growing bolder by the day,” you answered recognizing her as the same woman from the vet’s office you had gone to. “I can-,”

Shaking her head she replied, “Tons of room, tons.”

With a nod in return for her head bob you moved to one of the empty rectangular desks on a higher level of the staircase flooring settling out to get started. Feeling her eyes shift to you every so often between pages on her book. Brushing your hair back behind your ear you caught her gaze flashing her a quick grin she mirrored then said, “Thanks for hiring my uncle.”

“You’re Bilbo’s cousin’s kid?” She nodded, “No wonder he’s so talented at Khuzdul. You’re training to be a vet? You prefer big animals or small ones?”

“Both, are you studying medicine I heard you’re in a couple science courses?”

“No, my mother was a Midwife but I doubt I could handle things going bad. Hoping to blast out my basics this year. Apparently here I need a few more science credits than I would have back in Numenor or Elven lands.”

Again her eyes darted to your hands and she asked, “Take long for Prince Thorin to be talked into using those stones for your betrothal rings?”

“Oh, they were my mother’s. They got damaged and his uncle repaired this one and completely recreated this one from a sketch I made. Something wrong with the stones?”

She shook her head, “No, not at all, just expected more emeralds or sapphires, most of the Longbeards favor them for wedding rings.”

With a shrug you said, “Maybe when we get to that discussion I might end up with a more Longbeard ring.”

To the drop of your gaze to your mother’s rings she asked, “How’d you lose your Amad?”

Shaking your head you said, “My parents died when I was little. Not very pleasant to share,” her jaw dropped even against her try to not show a reaction like that, “Partly why the courtship plan is so complicated on my part.”

“Congratulations, on your wedding, Your Majesty.”

Softly you sighed out another quick smile relenting you simply had to get used to the title now being used for the rest of eternity, “Thank you. Are you courting anyone?” you asked then promptly added at her open mouthed pause, “If, you don’t mind saying, that is. Still sort of miserable at small talk.”

“No, no I’m not, courting anyone. And you aren’t miserable. Uncle Bilbo says you’ve warmed up to him nicely. Don’t underestimate yourself. Never leads to good ends.” Her warning alarm had her saying, “I’m Mal, gotta head out, trig calls.”

“Have fun.” At that Mal chortled filling her bag with a respectful head bob your way on her way out of the room leaving you in silence.

At least until the huffing Professor came in fussing over their humidity attacked beard and braids. A few feet past your desk however he paused catching your flinch of a wave. Shuffling on his feet he bowed his head, “Afternoon, Your Majesty,”

Pointing your pen to the door you said, “I can-,”

He shook his head, “No, raining goats out there. Stay safe where it’s warm. Another hour to my next class.” That was his self cue to turn bobbing his head on his way to his desk to start grading some papers leaving silence until you had to head off with another wave for your own next class, to which you hurried avoiding the clear deluge going on outside the various covered walkways.

Again through the end of the class your gaze drifted to the planned evening with Thorin, the boys were out and you would have the run of the place, which for the pounding of your heart could go masterfully or do irreparable harm to your relationship. All the same underneath your umbrella back to the dorm you went at the power cutting off having the Professor calling the class early close enough to the end anyways granting you all time to plan your ways home accordingly. With the power out the train, out by the storm had the ferry packed and the bus after you skipped to climb into the waiting car sent by the Durins due to the storm knowing the other ways would be packed and not as safe as usual. Warm and safe the driver left you waiting for your parting wave to slip inside the door you had unlocked then locked behind you.

Coat and bag left on the bench by the door you got to work. Prepped and ready the roast and all the trimmings were diced and added to the oven using the recipe Vili had sent your way helping to tick off the hearty meal you were to have with the spoons to hand them over to your husband. Shaking off your nerves candles were next for arranging in the holders polished sure to reflect off their silver frames to match the stems on the glasses and cutlery arranged around the china set out to perfection. A fine wine was set out approved as it was the weekend settling the toast required later, while that cooked a hasty shower with hair tied up to keep dry. After changed to a comfy indigo lace dress keeping barefoot as you sat anxiously eyeing the velvet cloth covering the spoons on the coffee table in the living room as you watched a film to keep distracted.

Pt 15

All –

@himoverflowers, @theincaprincess, @aspiringtranslator, @thegreyberet, @patanghill17, @jesgisborne, @curvestrology, @alishlieb, @jogregor, @armitageadoration, @fizzyxcustard, @lilith15000, @marvels-ghost, @catthefearless, @imjusthereforthereads, @c-s-stars, @otakumultimuse-hiddlewhore, @mariannetora, @shes-a-killer-kween, @ggbbhehe4455, @xxbyimm

Hobbit/LotR – @abiwim, @jotink78, @pastelhexmaniac

x Thorin – @evyiione, @deepestfirefun, @queenoferebor

X all Rich. A - @abiwim, @deepestfirefun, @thestorybookmistress

@c-s-stars​ used your lovely OC Mal again. :D

#Back to Work #Insect Policy #One Woman Job #Thorin x Reader OC #Dwalin #Frerin #Frodo #Mal #Fleeing the Rain #Big Dinner

[omgsquee2001]

Uzfakuh: A Kíli Love Story

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Prologue

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My dear Frodo.

Bilbo Baggins

lit a match, then used it to light a candle. He walked through a hallway in his house, carrying the candle.

You asked your Aunt and I, before she moved away, if we had told you everything there was to know about our, adventures.

Bilbo opened a chest that was set against the wall. He glanced down in recollection at his sword, which was in its sheath. Bilbo reached out to touch the sword. At the last second, he restrained himself and pulled out a large red book from the chest. 

And while I can honestly say we told you the truth, we may not have told you all of it.

Sitting down at his desk and opening the book, Bilbo saw a drawing of himself when he was younger. 

I am old now, Frodo.

Bilbo picked up the drawing and gazed at it, smiling lightly. He noticed another, larger drawing. The familiar hem of a dress caught his eye. He picked the other picture up. While his smile shone with happiness and remembrance, his eyes shone with a sort of sadness. He gently stroked the picture. 

I’m not the same Hobbit I once was. And neither is your Aunt, where ever she is.

After setting the pictures down, he picked up his quill and dipped it into a pot of ink. 

I think it is time for you to know what really happened. 

He paused for a moment, thinking about what to write. He got an idea and began to write. 

 It began long ago in a land far away to the east, the like of which you will not find in the world today.

There was the city of Dale. 

Its markets known far and wide, full of the bounties of vine and vale. Peaceful, and prosperous. For this city lay before the doors of the greatest kingdom in Middle-earth: Erebor. 

Stronghold of Thrór, 

King under the Mountain, mightiest of the dwarf lords. Thrór ruled with utter surety, never doubting his house would endure, for his line lay secure in the lives of his son 

and grandson. 

Ahhh, Frodo, Erebor; built deep within the mountain itself, the beauty of this fortress city was legend.

Its wealth lay in the earth, in precious gems hewed from rock, and in great seams of gold, running like rivers through stone. The skill of the dwarves was unequaled, fashioning objects of great beauty out of diamond, emerald, ruby, and sapphire. Ever they delved deeper, down into the dark. And that is where they found it. The heart of the mountain. The Arkenstone. 

Thrór named it the King’s Jewel. He took it as a sign, a sign that his his right to rule was divine. All would pay homage to him, even the great Elvenking, Thranduil. 

As the great wealth of the Dwarves grew, their store of good will ran thin. No one knows exactly what began the rift. The Elves say the Dwarves stole their treasure. The Dwarves tell another tale. They say the Elf King refused to give them their rightful pay. It is sad, Frodo, how old alliances can be broken. How friendships between peoples can be lost.

"And for what?" Bilbo asked himself. He scoffed and returned to writing.

But the years of peace and plenty were not to last. Slowly, the days turned sour, and the watchful nights closed in. Thrór’s love of gold had grown too fierce. A sickness had begun to grow within him; it was a sickness of the mind. And where sickness thrives, bad things will follow.

The first they heard was a noise like a hurricane coming down from the north. The pines on the mountain creaked and cracked in a hot, dry wind.

It was a fire drake from the north. Smaug had come. 

Such wanton death was dealt that day, for this city of men was nothing to Smaug; his eye was set on another prize. For dragons covet gold, with a dark and fierce desire. 

Erebor was lost, for a dragon will guard his plunder as long as he lives.

Thranduil would not risk the lives of his kin against the wrath of the dragon. No help came from the elves that day, or any day since.

Robbed of their homeland, the dwarves of Erebor wandered the wilderness, a once mighty people brought low.

The young dwarf prince took work where he could find it, laboring in the villages of men, but always he remembered the mountain smoke beneath the moon, the trees like torches blazing bright, for he had seen dragon fire in the sky, and his city turned to ash, and never forgave, and he never forgot. 

Far away, in another corner of the world dragons were only make-believe. A party trick conjured by Wizards on Midsummer's Eve. No more frightening than fairy dust. And that, my dear Frodo is where your Aunt and I come in. It was the beginning of an unlikely friendship that has lasted all our lifes. But it is not the start of our story. For us it began…well, it began as you might expect. In a hole in the ground, there lived a hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty wet hole full of worms and oozy smells. This was a hobbit hole. And that means good food, a warm hearth, and all the comforts of home.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Frodo walked out of one of the rooms in the house, eating a cookie. He looked over at his Uncle and smiled gently. Frodo walked outside and took our the mail from the mailbox. He walked back inside. Bilbo, who was laughing while writing in his book, quickly quieted down and cleared his throat. Frodo set the mail on Bilbo’s desk. 

“Thank you.” He said. Frodo looked at the picture of Bilbo when he was younger. Frodo smiled as he looked down at it. 

“What’s this?” He asked. Bilbo took the picture from the hands of his nephew. 

“That is private. Keep your sticky paws off.” Bilbo said. Frodo then picked up the other, larger drawing. The drawing depicted a young lady Hobbit and a young Dwarf. 

//Just imagine that the Dwarf is Kíli//

They held hands, twirling in a dance. Their eyes bore into one another. They held love and adoration.

“Is this Aunt Azalea?” Frodo asked tentatively. Talking about his Aunt was a sensitive topic for Bilbo, for he missed his sister greatly. Bilbo fell silent for a moment before nodding. 

“Y-yes. That is, your Aunt.” Bilbo said quietly. Frodo looked at the Dwarf. 

“Who is that Dwarf with her?” He asked. Bilbo took the picture away. 

“The best and worst mistake of her life.” He said. Bilbo picked up one letter in particular that Frodo had brought in. Bilbo opened it and read it. 

‘My dear Bilbo,’ the letter started out. Bilbo could still imagine her voice. Soft and kind. 'How are you, Brother? How is Frodo? Is he getting into trouble like his dear Aunt always did, or is he a more respectable Hobbit like yourself? Kíli and I are doing very well, in fact, we are expecting a child! Isn’t that wonderful news? Thorin is doing very well at ruling the kingdom. He has lessened his strictness on Fíli, letting him live the way he would like. The others have returned to their normal lives, making toys, baking, crafting, advising. Kíli and I will make sure to come to the Shire. I wouldn’t want to miss out on my older brother’s birthday. Thorin wants to come along as well. He wants to see how grownup Frodo has become. Be prepared for another Unexpected Party. The whole Company wants to come for your birthday. I pray that you are doing well. Happy birthday Brother. Much love, Azalea.’ Bilbo smiled. He set down the letter on his book, reminding himself to write back to his sister. He made his way into the living room and took out some poster paper. 

“You know, some people are beginning to wonder about you, Uncle,” Frodo said, looking at Bilbo. “They think you’re becoming odd.” Frodo said. 

“Odd? Hmm.” Bilbo hummed before returning to the paper he was working on. 

“Unsociable.” Frodo added. Bilbo chuckled. 

“Unsociable? Me? Nonsense,” he handed Frodo the paper. “Be a good good lad and put that on the gate.” Bilbo said. Frodo looked at it dubiously, but still did as he was told.   

He nailed the sign to the front of the gate. It read; "NO ADMITTANCE EXCEPT ON PARTY BUSINESS". Bilbo came out and stretched. Frodo looked at his Uncle from the other side of the gate, smiling. He held a book, tucked under his arm.

"You think he’ll come?" He asked. Bilbo looked at his nephew.

"Who?" He asked.

"Gandalf." Frodo said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. Bilbo smiled.

"Ahhh. He wouldn’t miss a chance to lit up his whiz-poppers! He’ll give us quite a show, you’ll see. I also think your Aunt is going to come, along with some friends who would love to see you." Bilbo said, smiling. Frodo’s smile grew. He loved it when his Aunt and Uncles came to visit. They always told him tales of how they reclaimed their homeland.

"Aunt Azalea is coming? Is she going to bring Uncle Kíli, Fíli and Thorin?" He asked. Bilbo chuckled. Frodo loved it when his Aunt and Uncles came to visit. They always told him tales of how they reclaimed their homeland.

"From what I read from her letter, she's bringing the whole group." He said. Frodo smiled.

"Right then, I’m off." Frodo said, heading off down the stone and grass path.

"Off to where?" Bilbo asked. Frodo stopped and looked at his Uncle.

"East Farthing woods. I’m going to surprise Gandalf." Frodo said. Bilbo nodded.

"Well, go on then! You don’t want to be late." Bilbo said. Frodo smiled and continued on, racing down, book in hand.

He doesn’t approve of being late. Not that I ever was.

Bilbo sat on his porch and smoked his pipe.

In those days, I was always on time. I was entirely respectable. And nothing unexpected ever happened.

#the hobbit #gandalf the gray #thorin oakenshield #kili #kili x oc

[365days365movies]

March 1, 2021: The Hobbit (1977) (Part 1)

In a hole in the ground, there lived a Hobbit.

When I was 9, my school let us read a very special book, originally meant for kids, but beloved by everyone. My folks and I went to Borders Books (FUCK ME, I miss Borders), and we got an illustrated copy of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit. I can’t find that book, but if I ever find it again, Imma buy it IMMEDIATELY, I tell you what. And...oh shit, it’s on Amazon for $12? 

Well. I just made that purchase, I guess. But yeah, I loved that book when I was a kid, and this was during the same year that Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy began, with Fellowship, of course. And I wouldn’t end up watching those until a few years later, but I loved those too when I saw them. And I’ve NEVER seen the abridged version, by the way, I’ve only ever seen the extended editions.

Although, I can’t call myself a hardcore fan. I’ve never read the Silmarillion, for example. Although, weirdly, I wanted it as a kid at some point, so I was almost there. But no, I ended up getting into comic books hardcore instead, so I can’t tell you the history of Tom Bombadil, but I can tell you about at least one of the fuckin’ 87 tieles that the Legion of Super-Heroes has been involved in. I’m not gonna like it though.

...Yes, I will, who am I kidding, I love the Legion. Anyway, I’ve still always been a fan of the franchise, and I was extremely excited when Jackson announced that he’d be doing an adaptation of The Hobbit! Seriously, I WAS FUCKING PUMPED, you have no idea. I re-read the book, I was super-excited...and then Harry Potter changed EVERYTHING. Kind of.

See, Harry Potter’s development as a two films made from one book seemed to kick off a trend. Breaking Dawn and Mockingjay are the two that immediately come to mind, as does this film. However, to be fair...that’s probably a coincidence. Yeah, this film was originally developed as two parts, WAY before Deathly Hallows got that treatment. And even then, Jackson and Del Toro had difficulty breaking it up into two parts, and three ended up being easier. Still...the change from two-to-three does feel a little connected to that trend.

Anyway, in celebration of that decision, I’m gonna break this review into three parts! Yes. Really. I want to see if it works. And so, let’s talk about the other most famous adaptation of this book by talking about its creators.

Yup. Rankin-Bass did 2D-animated cartoons, too! And this was one of their most famous ones, dating back to 1977. But wait! There’s more! This was followed by Ralph Bakshi’s version of Lord of the Rings by a different studio. You know, this one?

Yeah, that one. It was only based on the first two books, Fellowship and Towers. But it was technically unconnected to the Rankin-Bass version. Which is why it was REALLY weird when Rankin-Bass came out with an adaptation of the third book, Return of the King, right afterwards!

BUT WAIT THERE’S MORE. Because both of Rankin-Bass’ specials were animated by a Japanese studio called Topcraft, who’d actually worked with Rankin-Bass for years. But then, they went bankrupt a few years later, and was bought by Isao Takahata, Toshio Suzuki, and...Hayao Miyazaki. And it was renamed as...

So, this is a Hobbit adaptation produced by the Rudolph people and animated by the people who would eventually become Studio Ghibli. Well, uh...holy fucking shit. Let’s DO THIS BABY. SPOILERS AHEAD!!!

Recap (1/3)

As we’re wont to do in this story, we head to Hobbiton in the Shire, where we meet Bilbo Baggins (Orson Bean). A simple Hobbit in a simple home, with a happy and simple life. But one day, he’s approached by Gandalf (John Huston), who seeks a burglar to help with the mission of a group of dwarves, led by Thorin Oakenshield (Hans Conried).

We also immediately start off with two songs from the original book, and I have to say that I like them a but better in the Jackson movies, but they’re still well performed here. Anyway, after dinner, the true goal of their quest is given. Beneath Lonely Mountain, the ancestral home of the Dwarves, there was a kingdom ruled by the King Under the Mountain, Thorin’s grandfather.

Through reading the lyrics of the song “Far over the Misty Mountains,” Thorin tells the tale of the takeover of the Dwarves’ great golden hoard by the dragon Smaug. Bilbo is tasked to help the Dwarves steal back the treasure stolen from them. And, while he’s extremely reluctant to be a part of all this, Gandalf basically forces him to, the pushy bastard. And Bilbo’s Greatest Adventure now lies ahead!

Speaking of, here’s the song “The Greatest Adventure”, sung by Glenn Yarborough, who is the living personification of vibrato. Fuckin’ seriously, this guy’s voice is ridiculous, but I love it so much. As the night passes underneath Glenn Yarborough’s hypnotically shaky voice, and uncertain, Bilbo stares out at the moon. Once it’s over, we’re on our way to the Misty Mountains.

Bilbo’s having a tough time with the long journey and rough weather, and it doesn’t get much better when they encounter a trio of trolls. They send out Bilbo to try and steal some mutton from them, but he’s IMMEDIATELY a failure, and also manages to tell the trolls that the dwarves are present. Nice one, Bilbo. The trolls catch all of the dwarves, although Bilbo manages to escape. 

The trolls argue about how to cook the dwarves, but before they get to do anything, Gandalf shows up and summons the dawn, turning the trolls into stone and saving the dwarves. While they’re initially quite frustrated by Bilbo’s failure, he makes it up by discovering a horde of goods and weapons stolen by the trolls. This is also where Bilbo gets his classic weapon, Sting.

Gandalf, cheeky bastard that he is, suddenly reveals a map that he’s kept secret from Thorin, its rightful owner. Bilbo, a classic cartomaniac, is able to interpret the map. But there are also runes that they can’t quite read. And so, Gandalf brings them to his friend, Elrond (), who’s wearing a sick-ass glittery tiara that’s hovering off his head. How come Hugo Weaving didn’t have that?

Anyway, Elrond identifies the swords that Thorin and Gandalf grabbed as Orcrist, the Goblin-Cleaver and Glamdring, the Foe-Hammer, because FUCK YEAH, BABY, those are some fuckin’ NAMES! WHOOOOOO!

Anyway, he also points them in the direction of the mountain, and shows them hidden features to the map. They head through the mountains after this, and rest in a cave. Unfortunately, this cave is on Goblin territory, and the group (sans Gandalf, who’s disappeared to make out with Cate Blanchett or whatever) is quickly ambushed by a group of now-horned Goblins, who chant their song as they go “Down, Down, to Goblin-Town”. Which is a song that I love, unironically. It compels me to sing along.

The Goblins nearly kill them when they discover Orcrist in Thorin’s possession, but they’re saved by the sudden appearance of Gandalf with the glowing sword Glamdring. He kills the Great Goblin, and the group run out with the Goblins in hot pursuit. Well, except for Bilbo.

Yeah, Bilbo falls into a cavern below the mountain, and the dwarves think him gone for good. However, he’s miraculously safe on the ground, having landed in an underground aquifer, in which lives THE GREATEST CHARACTER IN THE MIDDLE-EARTH FRANCHISE FUCKIN’ AT ME I DARE YOU

And just so we’re clear, I’m not talking about the film version only, I’m talking about Gollum/Smeagol in general. Granted, I don’t want a film starring him or anything (coughCruellacoughcoughMaleficentcoughcoughClaricecoughcough), but I love this dissociative little dude so much. He’s one of my favorite fantasy characters in general, and is also maybe the best example of a sympathetic villain, in film at least.

OK, to be fair, I love Andy Serkis’ version of the character a LOT, like a LOT a lot, and it’s a great version of the character. OK, so what do I think of this version? He’s...interesting, actually. If I’m honest, I kinda like him. This is similar to how I always pictured Gollum when I was a kid.

I mean, listen to this description from the book, yeah?

Deep down here by the dark water lived old Gollum, a small slimy creature. I don't know where he came from, nor who or what he was. He was Gollum - as dark as darkness, except for two big round pale eyes in his thin face...He was looking out of his pale lamp-like eyes for blind fish, which he grabbed with his long fingers as quick as thinking.

I dunno, that does sound more like this version of Gollum to me, just saying. Anyway, while Gollum is off fishing in the water, Bilbo gets up on the shore, where he finds a little golden ring Not important, just a ring, definitely means nothing at all, NOTHING AT ALL, NOTHING TO SEE HERE.

The hungry Gollum (Brother Theodore) happens upon Bilbo, precious, wonders if Bilbo would taste good, and is basically about to kill him for his sweet hobbit meat, before Bilbo takes out Sting. Now afraid, Gollum offers a game of riddles. The two make a deal: if Bilbo wins at a game of riddles, Gollum will show him the  way out. But if Gollum wins, precious will eat him raaaaaaaw and wrrrrrrrrrriggling!

The riddles commence, in a super-fuckin’-classic moment, and also ends with maybe the most bullshit moment in all of fantasy lore. After clever riddles with answers involving eggs, wind, and time, Bilbo’s last riddle is “What’s in my pocket?” The fuck, Bilbo, that’s absolute BULLSHIT!

Not that it matters. Bilbo wins, but Gollum goes to find his ring to show it to Bilbo before he takes him away. Thing is, though, that’s what was in Bilbo’s pocket, which Gollum quickly figures out, my precious. He’s about to kill Bilbo to get back his birthday present, precious, but Bilbo discovers the secret trick of the ring: it turns the wearer invisible, AND THAT WILL NEVER BE A BAD THING EVER.

Gollum thinks that Bilbo’s escaped and runs after him toward the exit. This, of course, leads Bilbo towards the exit inadvertently, and he follows Gollum, then jumps over him to get back. To which Gollum screams the following:

Thief! Thief! Baggins! We hates it! Hates it! Forever!

I hear you, buddy. I hear you. Well, once Bilbo escapes, he reconvenes with the rest, and shares his adventure in the cave, but leaves out the ring. And Gandalf seems to know, based on his dialogue. And I checked, and he figured it out in the book and Jackson movie, too. And I gotta say...WHAT THE FUCK GANDALF

I mean...DUDE. CHECK UP on that shit. Do you wizard job, man! If you’d been like, “Dude...you didn’t find a magic ring that turns you invisible, ight, because we’re FUCKED if you did”, NONE OF THE LORD OF THE RINGS WOULD’VE HAPPENED, AND BOROMIR WOULD STILL BE ALIVE

Everybody talks about the fuckin’ eagles, but WHY DO I NEVER HEAR ANYONE MENTION THIS SHIT? Gandalf the Grey: Middle-Earth’s most irresponsible asshole, I swear...

This seems like a good place to pause, actually. See you in the next part!

#the hobbit #the hobbit 1977 #rankin-bass #orson bean #bilbo baggins #thorin oakenshield #john huston #gandalf #otto preminger #cyril ritchard #brother theodore #gollum #don messick #paul frees #glenn yarbrough #j.r.r. tolkien #rankin bass #hans conried

[cassiabaggins]

Fili: Into The Filiverse

Or: When Worlds Collide

A/N: @theonewren drew THIS and all I couldn’t NOT write something! 

Ship: Fili/Cassia, Fili/Wren

Summary: The King and Queen of Erebor meet the King’s doppleganger in the markets of Dale

Cassia sees him out of the corner of her eye, a familiar head of blonde hair with a familiar set of braids. What in the—. The owner of those oh so familiar braids is holding her hand, though, thick callused fingers laced through hers, so he can't be across the market. Right?

"Mizimelûh," Fili says. "What are you looking at?"

"You, uh, wouldn't happen to have a twin, would you?"

"A twin?"

"Aye." She turns fully to him to look him in the eye. "An identical one?"

He gives her a bemused look. "You know I don't have a twin, much less an identical one. What are you talking about?"

"I swear I saw you across the marketplace, with two eyes, no less!"

Fili reached up and slid his finger underneath his eyepatch to rub his cheek. "Are you sure it wasn't just my reflection in a shop window?"

"Yes, I'm sure!"

Cassia whirls around to search out her husband's doppleganger once more. She doesn't see him, but she does see a slim human woman with tanned skin, dark hair, and green eyes staring at Fili with a baffled expression on her face. The woman turns and looks down to talk to someone beside her and a familiar face peeks out from around her. Cassia gasps and grabs Fili's arm. "Fili!" She cries, "look! Look! I told you!"

"Told me wha— oh."

Cassia turns to see her husband's eye bug out of his head. Sure enough, across the way is Fili's perfect carbon copy, except for, well, a few minor details. Her Fili has only one eye, and his braids are clasped with different beads, ones with daffodil etching to match her necklace. Her Fili looks a little more tired and a little more sad but… they're both still Fili.

"WHAT!" Her husband yells, pointing.

"WHAT!" The other Fili yells, also pointing.

"YOU HAVE MY FACE!"

"NO, YOU HAVE MY FACE!"

Cassia, already sick of the shouting, grabs her husband and pulls him over to the other Fili and the human woman.

"Who are you?" She asked. "And why do you look just like my husband?"

"Why does he look just like me!" The other Fili shot back. "What happened to your eye?!"

Fili reaches up and covers his missing right eye with his hand self-consciously.

"Fili," the human woman chides gently. "That's rude, mí amor."

"Sorry."

"I'm Wren," the woman introduced herself. "Wren Aguilar."

"Cassia Baggins," Cassia says. 

"Baggins?" Wren asks. "Any relation to Bilbo Baggins?"

"He's my big brother."

"Brother? He never mentioned he had a sister."

"He also never mentioned he knew someone by the name of Wren Aguilar," Cassia squints suspiciously.

"We have more pressing matters!" Cassia's Fili says. "Mizimelûh, please focus."

"I'm focused!"

"I'm Fili," Fili says, pointing to himself.

"So am I!" Says the other one.

"If I'm Fili, and you're Fili, then what in Mahal's name is going on?! Because I haven't had two eyes for nearly seven and a half years."

Speaking of eyes, Wren and the other Fili are having a conversation with only those. "I think I know what's happening," the other Fili says, taking Wren's hand.

"You do?" Fili says distrustfully.

Oh my, Cassia thinks. This was confusing.

"I think," Wren says, "that somehow either you or us ended up in the wrong universe."

"That's ridiculous," Cassia's husband scoffs. "There's no such thing as other uinverses."

Cassia smacks his chest. "Fili! That's rude!"

The other Fili immediately jumps to Wren's defense. "It is not ridiculous! And Wren knows more about other universes than you can ever hope to!"

Fili held up his hands. "Sorry," he said, "I just find it hard to believe!"

"Wren doesn't come from here," the Fili with both eyes says. "She comes from a different world. A strange world."

"Oh," Cassia says, her empathy taking over. "Don't you miss it?"

"Miss it?" Wren asks. She looks uncomfortable.

Cassia nods. "Oh, you must, you poor thing! I miss the Shire every day!" Her Fili looks alarmed. "Don't worry, darling," she tells him, "I'd miss you and our baby more."

"You have children?" Wren asks. She skillfully deflects the conversation back to Fili and Cassia's life. 

"Child," Cassia says. "Just the one. Thorin."

"I suppose…" Wren says, then pauses. "I suppose it's different for you two."

"Different? Do you not want kids?"

"That's not exactly it. I just… I don't know how people would react to heirs that are only half dwarf."

"Not very well," Cassia replies honestly. Wren looks alarmed. "Oh, I doubt it will be as bad for you as it was for me. Do you want to see a picture of him?"

"A picture?" Wren appears confused.

"Aye!" Cassia reaches into her pocket and pulls out a small framed portrait. "Fili says it's silly that I carry this around with me, since I'm barely ever apart from the baby, but it's such a darling picture."

The picture in question is a pencil drawing of a chubby young dwarf with a mass of dark curls, round cheek, and fluffy sideburns.

"Isn't he precious?" Cassia asks with a fond smile. "Ori drew it for me while Thorin was napping. He's much bigger now, but he's almost four months in this picture." She touches the drawn sideburns. "Look how dwarvish he is!"

Wren smiles at the drawing. "He's adorable," she replies.

"Thank you," Cassia says. 

"I know," Fili says suddenly, "we need Gandalf."

Cassia and Wren are pulled out of their discussion by his voice. Cassia smiles at her husband and tucks the picture of her son back into her pocket.

"Good idea, sweetheart!"

Both Filis are still side eyeing each other, clearly distrustful.

"That's what I was going to say," Wren's Fili says. "He's the only one who can sort this out. If we go back to the mountain, we can have a raven send a message to him."

"I also had that idea," Cassia's Fili puts in, not to be outdone. 

"It's not a competition," Wren says softly. 

"That's what I was going to say!" Cassia laughs. 

Wren smiles at her. 

"Well," Cassia's Fili says, "Let's get going back to the mountain, then." Cassia took his hand. 

"Who's mountain is it, though?" She asks. 

They all looked alarmed. 

"Thorin would be able to sort it out, right?" Wren says.

Cassia's Fili looks pained. "He… he's…"

Cassia squeezed his hand. "Thorin didn't survive the battle in our world," she says softly.

The other Fili looks stunned. "He didn't?" 

"No," Cassia's husband mumbles, "he didn’t.” He covers his right eye again, a habit that he picked up within the last seven years. “I didn’t know,” the other Fili murmurs. “I’m sorry.” He reaches out and squeezes his doppleganger’s shoulder. “That must have been hard.” “It was. He’s still alive in your world?” “Aye.” “And happy?” “Aye, he retired to the Shire with Bilbo.”

“Oh, I’m so glad he’s happy,” Cassia says. 

“Me too,” her husband said. “I assume you’re King, too, then?”

“Aye.”

The two of them started a discussion of differences in the way they ran their kingdoms. “I’m glad they’re getting along,” Cassia says to Wren. “Me, too.” The two of them made smalltalk as they walked, about the challenges of being the only non-dwarrow in a mountain of dwarves. “Sometimes they can be so rude!” Cassia huffs. She looks down to hop over a rock, and when she looks up, Wren is gone. “What?!” She splutters. She whirls around to her husband, who’s looking confused and alone. He jogs up to stand next to her. “Did she disappear, too?” “Yes,” she said. “How strange.” “Strange, indeed. I hope they get back safely to where they belong.” He took her hand. “Me, too.” Cassia leaned against his shoulder. “Let’s go home. I miss my baby.” “It’s been three hours.” “But I miss him,” she gave him a sad look. “I know, me too.” He kissed her head. “Let’s go home.”

#filixwren #filixcassia #fili/wren #fili/cassia #my writing #Fili friday #fili x wren #fili x cassia #cassia baggins #wren aguilar #friends ocs

[lordoftherazzles]

Maybe a fic prompt (if you wanna do it)? I was looking at one of your gifs (they're stunning btw) and I was thinking of something like Bilbo admiring the view and saying "This is stunning" and Thorin agreeing but while gazing at the hobbit? This is kinda cliché but I feel it would be very cute. Also your writing is superior, I love it ( ꈍᴗꈍ)ﾉ✿

Ahhh!!! I love this prompt so much @nerdymeatball13 , and I'm sorry it took me a hot second to finish, lots of things piled on me at once but here we are!!

prompt "This is stunning"

word count 1789

relationship(s) thorin oakenshield/bilbo baggins

character(s) thorin oakenshield, bilbo baggins

warnings none

additional notes they're so schmoopy and I love them

-----

The worst was over. The Battle of the Five Armies had been something to both mourn and celebrate. Many lives had been lost, but the good that came from that outweighed the bad. A close scare came with the Line of Durin, but by some miracle or nothing short of divine intervention by Mahal himself, Thorin, Fili, and Kili all managed to pull through. It was a blessing that no one took for granted, especially the victims themselves.

Thankfully, that was several weeks ago. It was still tough for Thorin to be on his feet, but with enough stubborn resistance, he had managed to ward off most of those constantly fussing over his bandaging and stitches. Oin never let him out of bed for more than an hour at a time, but it was more freedom than Thorin had felt ever since he’d been carted back into the mountain with nearly half of his insides trying to spill outside. 

This was one of those particular hours that he was allowed to be up and wandering around. He’d set aside all paperwork and kingly duties for the sake of a simple walk in hopes that it might clear his mind. Between recovery and trying to do as much as possible to help in Erebor’s reconstruction both literally and as a power, Thorin felt bogged down. There was little time for much else, and his mind had been growing more and more muddled as the weeks went on. A mind that was constantly in worry of what the spring months might bring as they were growing nearer and nearer.

Bilbo had opted to stay considering the winter months had settled in, which was a smart move versus trying to brave any snowstorm, but it was still up in the air if the hobbit had truly planned to head back west towards his cozy little smial, or if...by chance maybe he wanted to make Erebor his new home. It wasn’t something Thorin brought up. Yes, they had made amends, even more than that, with sweet somethings having been uttered occasionally back and forth, but it wasn’t the picture perfect romance that Thorin had been dreaming about lately.

Love was nice and all, and even better when it wasn’t one-sided, but to remain unknowing as to where it might lead? That was a nightmare in itself. It was a lot for Thorin to think about, and while he didn’t want to pressure Bilbo and flat out ask if he intended to stay or go, it was starting to eat away at the dwarf little by little. It’s what this walk was to help him with. To clear his head and hopefully return to his sickbed with a mind for papers and numbers.

What had led him towards one of the worst places in all of Erebor during this calm walk of his? The ramparts were a miserable place, but it gave you a good view of the stretch of land between Erebor and Dale, and not even Thorin could ignore what a sight it was. Snow covered and untouched, it was hard to imagine the brown and red blood stains that laid beneath it from a war not too long ago.

What he hadn’t expected was for someone else to already be out here and staring just as he wanted to. A head of dark golden curls that Thorin had been trying to clear from his own headspace. 

“Bilbo,” The dwarf greeted casually, gaining a small glance from the hobbit as they stood side by side with at least a small gap between them.

“Good morning, Thorin. How are you feeling?” Bilbo was polite as ever as if nothing had changed, and while they were on good terms, didn’t this place...bother the hobbit? At all? 

“I’m feeling alright,” No one wanted to listen to Thorin complain about how sore he might be or if he had a bad sleep last night, so he left it at that. Besides, the less whining he did, the sooner Oin would get off his back. 

“That’s good. Every day is a little bit better, it seems.” 

“Indeed,” It was an awkward conversation all over again. Thorin folded his arms behind his back and just let his eyes drift towards the snow covered land before them. A bit of that snow had collected on the ledges of Erebor’s structure, he could only imagine how lovely it might look from a different angle. “You looked to be deep in thought, is something on your mind?”

Bilbo finally pulled all of his attention away from the scenery and offered Thorin a small wave of his hand. “Oh, just thinking about the Shire. We get snow there too and it’s nice, but...there’s just something about this that’s different.” 

Thorin’s heart could have sunk right into the ground right then and there. Bilbo was longing for home, wasn’t he? Those rolling green hills, even in the middle of winter, had to be far better than an ice cold mountain that was barely able to be called a kingdom. Finally deciding to toe the line of truths regarding Bilbo’s intentions, Thorin kept his eyes forward. “I’m sure you’ll be ready for the snow to clear sooner rather than later. It makes for bad travel weather…” 

“Hm, it does, but I’m not exactly eager to go anywhere so quickly. You’re just getting back on your feet. Oin can’t handle barking at you to sit still all on his own now, can he?” Bilbo teased, seeming to be in higher spirits than Thorin ever would be on these ramparts, and with the idea of Bilbo’s departure looming in his head.

A small breath of amusement did escape Thorin though, finally removing his hands from behind his back and placing it on the stone before him. “I think I can manage to sit still, but your constant reminders have helped these past few weeks.” His fingers twitched, tapping against the stone in anxiousness that wasn’t overly normal. Considering everything that Thorin had been through though, he supposed he was allowed a little bit of shaky behavior and anxiousness.

“Something’s troubling you,” Bilbo observed. It wasn’t a question, but a fact that was being pointed out far too easily. “What is it?” Placing both hands around one of Thorin’s arms, Bilbo honestly couldn’t get enough of these small gestures of physical contact, even if he was a tad anxious himself when it came to initiating them. 

Regardless of the comforting touch around his elbow, Thorin wasn’t sure it did anything to soothe his poor frayed nerves. Those nerves were exposed as soon as Bilbo was able to peg that something was bothering him and the words just started tumbling out. “How can you stand to be here?” Specifically, right in this very spot. “After what happened, how can you stand here and…”

Throw him from the ramparts!

How could Bilbo be here? How could he have forgiven Thorin for the wrongs he had done and a life that had been threatened? How could Bilbo not be whining and clawing at the first opportunity to head back to the safety of the Shire? These were the things that had been bothering Thorin, and being in this exact spot did not help.

“Thorin, you need to stop letting one small incident eat away at you. I’ve forgiven you for all of that, you weren’t yourself…”

“That’s no excuse. I laid a hand on you. You might be able to forgive me by some miracle, but I can’t forgive myself for that day...and now, knowing that you’ll be leaving-”

“Leaving? Who said anything about leaving?” Bilbo huffed, still clutching at Thorin’s elbow with both hands and giving his head a firm shake of annoyance as if he were dealing with a child. “You truly are a dolt sometimes. Handsome, brave and foolhardy to boot, but downright stupid when it counts.” 

Thorin wasn’t sure whether to be flattered or annoyed at the backhanded compliments flying his way.

“You’re going to have to learn to forgive yourself because honestly, I’m not going to come up here and have you mope every single time all because you got a little angry and said some things and...that was it. That’s all you did,” When Bilbo put it that way, it sounded far less severe than Thorin thought it was. “And as for leaving? That was...something I wanted to ask you. I wasn’t sure how to bring it up, but I do want to stay. Sure, I’ll miss my garden and some other aspects of the Shire but...home isn’t a place, Thorin.” Bilbo slid his hands away from Thorin’s elbow, his fingers lacing with a hand of the dwarf’s and giving it a small squeeze. “You’re my home, and that’s where I want to be if you’ll allow it.”

Thorin stood dumbly, looking towards their linked hands before letting his fingers flex tightly to grip back at Bilbo’s. “Of course…” Having Bilbo stay was all he ever wanted.

“Good, and don’t you worry, we’ll make some better memories here, I’m sure.” Leaning against Thorin’s side with hands still tightly wound together, Bilbo just exhaled a deep sigh as if a great weight had been lifted off of his chest. The same could be said for Thorin. 

A ray of light seemed to break through the thick of the gray clouds overhead, illuminating a bit of that freshly fallen snow that laid across the stretch of land as far as the eye could see. It sparkled like a sea of diamonds, and Bilbo couldn’t help the small gasp of wonder that crossed his face. He had seen snow in the sunlight before, but seeing it from way up here? To see so far and wide covered in little glistening crystals? “This is stunning,” He breathed, not paying Thorin much mind who had just been staring at Bilbo since that small gasp escaped his lips.

“Very stunning, indeed.” That look of wonder that Bilbo wore was bright and appealing. More desirable than a treasure hall of gold or a vein of mithril. 

Bilbo’s gaze flickered once quickly to start, if only because he wanted to follow Thorin’s gaze to see what the dwarf was looking at as well to deem as stunning, but after a quick double take, Bilbo was blushing fiercely. “You truly are a sappy old thing, you know that?”

“I do.” Pressing a kiss to those dark golden curls, Thorin truly had to believe in what Bilbo had said before. They would make better memories atop these ramparts, and already that seemed to be a reality in the making, but most importantly, he was here to stay.

#the hobbit #thorin oakenshield #bilbo baggins #bagginshield #thilbo #hobbit fanfic #hobbit fic #bagginshield fic #razzywrites #razquests #thank you for the request!

[sunnyrosewritesstuff]

Day 3 Hobbit Plot Bunnies

Title: Second Chance at a Happy Ending

Summary:  Modern Reincarnation AU. Thorin is the CEO of Erebor Industries and Bilbo is a reclusive paralegal. Two people who have no business existing in the same universe as each other, and yet they dream of each other from the time of The Hobbit. So when Gandalf offers Bilbo’s services in regards to a legal problem in Erebor, well it’s a second chance neither of them thought they would be lucky enough to receive.

Possible Trigger Warnings: Thorin struggles with PTSD

POV: Switches between Bilbo and Thorin

It was happening again. The dreams. It wasn’t every night. In fact, sometimes Bilbo would go months, even years, without having one. However, every single one of them was as vivid as the last and seemed to haunt him for the rest of the day.

“You! What were you doing?” The injured dwarf commanded relying on the help of his kin to regain his footing.

“You nearly got yourself killed!” He continued taking a step closer. “Did I not say that you would be a burden? That you would not survive in the wild? That you had no place amongst us.”

At this point he was mere inches away. Close enough that Bilbo could feel the warmth radiating off of him and the glare burning into him. Not that he was able to raise his eyes higher than the dwarf’s booted feet.

“I have never been so wrong in all my life.” The dwarf sighed in relief before enveloping Bilbo in a tight hug.

Bilbo stiffened completely unprepared for the embrace, and he was certain his jaw was dropped in surprise. Being in his arms though...a smile split his face as he hugged back just as tightly amidst the cheers of the remaining company. Too soon, the dwarf stepped away looking him over as if to double check that he was alright.

“I am sorry I doubted you.” He stated, his eyes full of guilt.

Bilbo shook his head, his chest burning under that look.

“No, I would have doubted me too.” He answered. “I’m not a hero or a warrior...or even a burglar.”

Never once did the dwarf’s sky eyes waver. Never once did his soft smile wane. Bilbo would have done anything to always have that smile on him. However, the sounds of eagles screeching seemed to drag both of their gazes away, and when Bilbo looked back the dwarf was staring over the top of his head, his mouth agape. As he walked ahead, Bilbo spun around as well only to see a single mountain rising out of the expanse as if trying to reach out to the rising sun.

“Is that what I think it is?” Bilbo questioned following the dwarf to the edge of the ledge they were standing on.

“Ere.... The Lonely Mountain. The last of the great dwarf kingdoms of Middle Earth.” A familiar voice answered.

“Our home.” The dwarf breathed reverently.

Bilbo stared at him with a smile appreciating his strong profile as his eyes stayed glued on the mountain. Somewhere behind them there was something about a bird.

“We’ll take it as a sign.” The dwarf grinned looking over at Bilbo fondly. “A good omen.”

Bilbo felt his chest puff up in pride as he nodded along. He turned back towards the mountain as if it held all the answers to his problems.

“You’re right. I do believe the worst is behind us.”

Bilbo truly believed it too. And then there was a giant golden eye glaring at him.

Bilbo gasped, his hand reaching for his ring finger, yanking at something that wasn’t there. When he finally had his wits about him again, he fell back against the pillow rubbing the sleep from his eyes. He glanced over at his alarm clock with a groan. It was still too early to get up.

He fiddled with the lamp on his side table before reaching for the notebook in his first drawer. His mother had taught him to keep a dream journal back when he finally decided to confess them to her. The beat-up twenty year old spiral was full of torn and stained pages that contained detailed accounts of the odd encounters with the dwarf king he had taken to nicknaming Oak. 

Once he wrote down what he remembered of the dream, he flipped to the back where he had been working towards a sketch of Oak. The problem was, as clear as he could see him while dreaming, the image always tended to flicker away from his consciousness the moment he woke up. All he had so far was a very detailed set of eyes with a rather striking nose. When Bilbo finished eking out every last moment he could remember, he carefully put the notebook back in the drawer and hopped up to make a pot of coffee before starting his day.

Not that long ago, his morning would consist of fighting his way into a suit to get out the door with plenty of time to fight the Tube’s morning commute to one of the top law firms in London. However, the death of his mother three years ago had him re-evaluating his priorities. So he said goodbye to the spacious apartment, goodbye to the hustle and bustle of Zone Two, and retreated north to Lancashire. He would have quit his job as a paralegal completely, but Gandalf Grey, one of five partners at Maiar Law, refused to accept his resignation.

So here Bilbo was, receiving his workload via email, and going outside only for groceries and to mess around in the garden in order to preserve his image from total and complete hermit. Not exactly where he pictured himself at thirty-four that was for certain. He was in the process of seeing what exactly Gandalf had in store for him today knowing he still needed to finish putting together the information on the Proudfoot case only to narrow his eyes at the strange email in his inbox.

As he opened it and scanned the contents, he immediately had his phone in hand and Gandalf’s name highlighted before he even stopped to think of whether it was a good idea or not. Especially considering it was 6:30 in the morning.

“Bilbo! My dear fellow, how are you on this glorious morning?” Gandalf’s voice answered.

It was almost obnoxious how cheery he was.

“Do you at all remember our conversation last week?” He demanded, skipping the pleasantries.

“Of course.” Gandalf returned.

“You came all the way down to my house and said there was a job for me in London if I wanted it, and I told you I was fine where I was.” Bilbo prompted further.

“I dare say my memory hasn’t failed me quite yet.” Gandalf huffed. “I recall the conversation.”

“So then why in the world do I have an email from Erebor Industries confirming my 2pm appointment with someone named Thorin Durin?!”

“Because I thought your argument was a load of poppycock.” Gandalf scoffed. “So I took the liberty of accepting for you.”

If the man was standing before him, Bilbo would throttle him. He swears he would.

“No, absolutely not. I won’t do it.” Bilbo snarked, rubbing a hand down his face.

“Can you give me one good reason why you shouldn’t?” Gandalf pestered.

“How about the fact that I only stayed with the firm because you allowed a work from home clause to my contract? How about the fact that I’m woefully underprepared to meet with one of the richest CEOs in the UK? Oh and if those aren’t good enough, let’s bring up the fact that I’M NOT ACTUALLY A LAWYER!” 

There was silence on the line for a long moment. Long enough for the anger to slowly dissipate out of Bilbo.

“Bilbo, what you’re doing right now isn’t living. It’s existing. The world isn’t there in your little cottage amongst your books and garden. It’s out here. Come back to us. Besides, all I need you to do is gather information on what Mr. Durin needs our services for. You’re not to advise him in any way, and he’s well aware of this fact. Just this one small favor, and I’ll leave you to your precious Shire.”

Something ugly and painful welled up in Bilbo’s chest at Gandalf’s words. What did he know anyways? Bilbo was perfectly content here in his mother’s house. Perfectly content.

“I’m sorry Gandalf, but you have the wrong person for the job.” He murmured softly.

“Well…” Gandalf’s disappointment rolled through the phone in waves. “I don’t believe that is true. But if this is what you wish, I won’t press the matter. Take care of yourself, Bilbo Baggins.”

With that, he ended the call, and Bilbo numbly set his phone down on the countertop. Well that was that. He decided to pitter about the kitchen and start on something for breakfast. Probably just eggs and toast. He pretended the silence of the house wasn’t oppressive in the least.

He took a shower, dressed in something sensible, and settled himself into his study again with a nice cuppa. He fished a pair of reading glasses out of the pocket on his jumper, staring at the documents to do with Mr. Proudfoot’s case. However, he couldn’t take in the words. His mind was elsewhere. He felt relatively guilty for his behavior towards Gandalf. Maybe he could just put together some information about Erebor Industries that could help whoever was going to take his place.

He opened up a search tab on his computer and started reading through the google listings. He knew the company for it’s massive steel mill, but he had no idea they had a jewelry chain, and that they made weaponry for the military. That seemed rather ominous until he read further and found out that Thorin Durin was a war vet. Medically discharged eight years prior for a shot in the chest that nearly collapsed his lung. Bilbo winced, rubbing his own chest in sympathy.

His search switched gears at that point, and he clicked on a page dedicated to the relatively young CEO. Forty-two, only surviving family was his sister and two nephews. Seemed to be a relatively private person. He found it odd that there were no scandals surrounding him or the company. It was odd for someone seeking legal counsel outside of his own company. Then, there at the bottom of the page, was a photo of Thorin Durin, and Bilbo swore his heart forgot how to beat. 

It was him. It was Oak, the dwarf king. Bilbo would recognize the face from his dreams anywhere. How though? How was this possible? Bilbo’s fingers traced Thorin’s haunted eyes and humorless face so unlike the soft smile from his dream this morning. In that moment, Bilbo wanted to do whatever he could to relieve this man of even a fraction of his worries.

Bilbo jolted. The meeting. He had to be there. No way was he missing out now. He checked his phone. He had time. He ran into his bedroom turning on the iron as he searched the closet for one of his good suits stuffed in the back. Twenty minutes later, he was all but flying to his car. It was going to be a long drive into London. He paused to send Gandalf a quick text before peeling out of the drive like his house was on fire. He had an appointment with destiny he was not about to be late for.

#7 days of plot bunnies #bagginshield #thilbo #birthdayplotbunnies #starterdrabble #our boys didn't get a chance to boink in canon #so here's their chance

[specialagentsnark]

Marriage of Choice - Chapter 3

Happy Kili Tuesday everyone! I hope you’re all doing well and not going too crazy, whether you are stuck at home, work, or elsewhere. Here is Chapter 3 of Marriage of Choice. I will post it on AO3 on Friday or late Thursday night. Please leave comments either here on AO3 if you have a moment. They sustain my fragile writer’s ego.

Happy reading!

Chapter Summary: Nori’s dangerous. Tauriel just wants to relax. Kili’s grateful.

Chapter 3

Tauriel ran her finger along the rotation list, searching for her name. Every other name was listed in cirth, as were the times they were assigned watch and their location. When she found her name written in Westron, she wondered briefly why she even bothered to check any more. It was always the same. Second night watch outside the storage rooms where the mountain’s food was being kept and down by the currently little-used smithies. Just like every other night they bothered to add her to the list. Still, it was better than no work at all. She turned and went to get her breakfast before going in search of something else to work on for the day. Perhaps Bofur would have some use for her, or maybe Bombur. The two were some of the most welcoming dwarrow in the mountain and even they weren’t the most friendly people she’d ever met.

“Where are you off too?”

Tauriel looked to the side. It took her a moment, but she finally found the dwarf that had spoken. Nori stood in an alcove, leaning against the wall and fiddling with one of his knives.

“To find someone that will allow me to help,” she said honestly. After all, lying wasn’t going to get her any work.

Nori straightened and slipped the knife… somewhere. Very skilled, she decided, to be able to keep her from seeing exactly where he hid it.

“Funny you should say you’re looking for work,” he said.

Alarm horns started sounding in the back of Tauriel’s mind at the mischievous smirk dancing on his lips. She’d only seen that look once before, back when a delegation from Rivendell had come to Greenwood some hundred years prior. She’d just been a lowly soldier in Thranduil’s guard. Two of the elves that had been part of it, twins, had sported such a look before they’d created absolute havoc within the noble court. “And why would that be?” she asked and wondered if he would notice if she reached for her knives.

He tipped his head to the side, just slightly as he looked her over. “Face it lass,” he said, “there aren’t many that will live in this mountain that like you, Prince Kili not included. Me, I’m not sure if I like you either, but that doesn’t necessarily matter. I need helpers, ones that I can trust not to doublecross the royal family.”

Tauriel’s eyes narrowed. She had a feeling where this was going. “What are you asking me to do?” she asked.

He brought his hands together, palms flat and let his index fingers rest against his lower lip, the smirk curling into a grin. “Cautious. I like that,” he said and his hands dropped to his sides again. Another knife appeared in his fingers. She kept its motions in her periphery but focused the rest of her attention on his face. “Someone’s out to kill the consort. I need someone that can help me keep that from happening. I know your kind are light on their feet. Think you can sneak around a hobbit?”

Tauriel shifted her weight onto one leg and propped her fist on her hip, her fingers close to the hilt of one of her knives. “Now why do you think I’d be a good choice to follow the consort around?” she asked. “You don’t trust me.”

He snorted. “I don’t trust anyone but my One and even that can be a stretch on some days,” he told her. “You can’t be too trusting in my line of work. Well, either of the ones I’ve ever had. But that’s not the point. What is, is that I’m pretty sure you won’t do anything to break Kili’s heart. You’re his One, after all.”

One. Kili had tried to explain it, the dwarfish belief that their Maker often split their souls in their forging and that when a dwarf found their other half, they became One. She still didn’t quite understand it, but she did understand herself and the way she felt.

She could never intentionally hurt Kili.

“And if you hurt the consort, or allow him to be hurt, Kili will never forgive himself or anyone else that was in a position to help.”

Tauriel huffed a small laugh. “You’re good at manipulation,” she remarked. “What would you have me do?”

“Dwarrow don’t like you, not because of who you are, but because of what you are. They ignore you, pretend you’re not there. I’ve watched and I’ve listened.”

Had he? She didn’t remember that distinctive hairstyle anywhere near her until now.

“They say things around you they won’t say around me. They say things they think you’re too far away to hear, but I see the expression on your face when they say something disparaging about Kili. You hear them just fine. Start paying more attention. Help me find who’s behind the attempts on the consort’s life. Help me stop any attacks that may be coming.”

“You need a spy,” she said bluntly, her eyebrows lifting minutely.

He grinned at her. “You’ll be the first of many,” he promised. “No one will suspect the court’s spymaster’s top agent to be the resident banished elf.”

The reminder of her status in Thranduil’s court left a bitter taste in her mouth. But he had a point. Who would willingly trust an elf near the royal family of what was once the greatest kingdom in all Arda and had the potential to be the greatest kingdom once again? “You’re insane,” she told him, even as a small smile pulled at the corners of her lips. “I’ll listen. How should I report to you?”

“Currently, I can usually be found lurking near the royal family. If I see you there without being on Kili’s arm, I’ll know to come talk to you. I’ll also check in with you on your nightly watches outside the store rooms.”

She opened her mouth to say something and then paused. “You had a hand in that, didn’t you?”

He flashed a smile at her. “Now what makes you think I would have any influence with the Captain?” he asked and secreted his knife away before stuffing his hands in his pockets. “Good luck with finding other work,” he said and walked away, the picture of nonchalance and ease. The way he walked, the way he moved. Nori was dangerous. She was sure of it. How had they ever captured him in Mirkwood?

~*~*~

Only dwarrow were allowed in the throne room for the coronation. Knowing how much dwarrow liked their secrets, it didn’t really bother Tauriel, except for one thing. She’d done as Nori asked and listened. She needed to get to the throne room as quickly as possible and warn him of what she’d heard. The only problem was-

“Where do you think you’re going, Tree-shagger?”

Every single dwarf in the mountain wanted to waylay her.

She dodged the latest dwarf to grab at her. She needed to find Nori immediately.

“Here lass. What’s the rush?”

Tauriel paused in her near dash toward the throne room. She knew that voice. Glancing to the side, she saw a familiar hat topping an equally familiar dwarf beneath it.

“Master Bofur,” she said and relief pushed the breath she’d been preparing to use to shout at someone out in a sigh. “Do you happen to know where Master Nori is?”

“Nori?” Bofur asked, tipping his head to the side. “Last I saw of him, he was-”

“Did I just hear someone taking my name in vain?”

“Lurking right behind me.” Bofur turned. “Nori! Tauriel’s been looking for you.”

Nori’s eyebrows rose a bit. “So I hear,” he said, his smirk making his beard twitch a bit. “Thanks Bofur.”

Bofur glanced between Nori and Tauriel, shrugged, and went on his way. The moment he was out of sight, Tauriel caught Nori’s sleeve and pulled him to the side.

“What do you have for me?” Nori asked.

“Bilbo’s crown is a fake. Gilded with gold leaf. Iron beneath. You’ll have a hard time telling the difference.”

Nori’s eyes narrowed as he looked up at the ceiling. His knife reappeared and he flipped it across his knuckles absently. “Treason, huh? I’d heard whispers. Just didn’t think anyone was fool enough to actually do it. Have any names?”

Tauriel shook her head. “No, but the dwarf you’re looking for has red hair, part of his left ear missing at the top, and speaks like a noble.”

“That narrows it down a bit. Got anything else?”

Tauriel thought back to the dwarf she’d stumbled on while patrolling the halls around the little-used private smithies. He’d had his back to her while he covered the false crown in gold leaf. She didn’t want to alert him to her presence after all but he had turned toward the doorway just as she prepared to leave. “Brown eyes,” she said. “Heavy brows. Looked like his beard might have been cut a bit during the battle. The right side seemed a bit shorter than the left.”

“Why didn’t you say so?” Nori asked. “Well done. Keep your ears open for more little tidbits.” With that, he turned and…

Disappeared. Confused, Tauriel went over to where she’d last been able to see Nori. Her hands met solid wall without any imperfections that she could see. Did dwarrow know magic?

With nothing more to do, Tauriel headed back towards the royal wing. She was still trying to decide if Thorin had gifted her rooms there out of gratitude for the healing she’d done for him and his nephews, because Kili had asked him to (she’d never asked Kili if he’d gone to his uncle or not), or because Thorin wanted her in his sight as often as possible.

Whatever the reason, she couldn’t help but feel grateful. Enough dwarrow glared balefully at her on a regular basis. She didn’t want that when she first stepped out of her apartment. Home? Did she consider those rooms within Erebor her home now? She thought of the rooms she had in the barracks back in Mirkwood. Her belongings would still be in there, possibly. Or maybe someone had destroyed them after news of her banishment had gotten out. She’d have to ask next time someone from Mirkwood came to the mountain. Perhaps Legolas-

If she hadn’t been musing on what had happened to her few personal belongings, she would have had a lot more warning than she did. She almost ran straight into the dwarf trying to pick the lock on the currently unoccupied king’s rooms.

He hadn’t heard her though. Sloppy and unobservant.

Bemoaning her new lack of free time, Tauriel stepped up behind the dwarf, drew one of her knives and settled the tip of it against the dwarf’s back. No armor. No lookout. So very sloppy.

Who trained these dwarrow anyway?

It didn’t matter. Only made her life easier.

“What business have you in the king’s quarters?” she asked. No reason to announce that Thorin hadn’t moved into them with Bilbo.

The dwarf snarled something in khuzdul.

“I was under the impression that you weren’t supposed to use the dwarfen language in the presence of outsiders,” she remarked idly and applied a little more pressure with her knife.

“Go shag a tree,” the dwarf snapped.

“You’ll need new material if you think insults are going to make me leave you be,” Tauriel told him.

The dwarf lunged forward, trying to get out of her reach. She stepped with him, grabbed a fistful of his doublet, and slammed him into the door he’d just been trying to unlock. With him pinned, she started going through his pockets. She found a small assortment of weapons.

“You should take lessons from the crown prince,” she told him. “He’s far more adept at hiding blades on his person.” She continued searching and found other sharp, pointy objects as well as a garot. “Going by your assassin’s toolkit, I’ll just assume you’re here to kill the king or his consort.”

The dwarf growled something unintelligible.

“What was that?” Tauriel asked. “I couldn’t understand you with your face smashed against the woodwork.” She hauled him away from the door and started frogmarching him toward the guardhouse.

“You’re robbing me of my free time,” she told the dwarf. “I’d planned to relax during the coronation but you’ve just ruined that.”

The dwarf shouted wordlessly and twisted in her grip. She let him go. If he was going to take away her time to have a long, proper soak in the lovely heated bath in her rooms (Eru bless dwarrow engineering), he might as well provide her with the entertainment of a good fight.

He charged her, the slim, short blade she’d purposely let him keep held in a reverse grip. He slashed at her and she stepped back, out of his reach. With the same motion, she swung and hit him on the side of the head with an open palm. More a challenge than an attack really. Pent up energy not released in the training grounds roiled beneath her skin almost constantly and she finally, finally, had a chance to do something with it.

He cursed at her in khuzdul.

Tauriel tsked at him. “Keep that up and I’ll have to report you to the king.”

“The king will thank me for gutting you like the bi-”

She lunged and jabbed her fist into his stomach, just below his ribcage. He wheezed and coughed, the wind knocked clean from his lungs. He bent double but tried to keep his head up and his knife out to warn her away from him.

She kicked at his hand and the blade spun across the marble floor.

Unarmed, the dwarf panicked. He lunged into her, trying to take her down by hitting her low. She sidestepped at the last second and brought her knee up into his midsection again. Bones cracked against her leg. She swung both fists down, hitting him between his shoulder blades even as he fell to the floor. He didn’t get back up again.

She bent and checked him over. He breathed and his heart still beat, but she had a feeling she’d hit him too hard. His pulse raced harder than the fight called for it too, short as it had been, and he breathed too hard as well.

She cursed under her breath. After tying his hands together behind his back, she hoisted him over her shoulder and left for the guardhouse.

Nori beat her there, dragging in the dwarf she’d seen creating the false crown. She waited for Nori to settle his captive before drawing attention to herself and her burden.

Nori shut the door that separated the guardhouse from the cells. “What do we have here?” he asked and pulled on her captive’s hair until he could see his face. “Oh good. You found him. Where?”

“Trying to enter King Thror’s old rooms,” she said. “I found these on him.” She pulled the weapons she’d confiscated off the dwarf out of her belt and dumped them on a table.

Picking through the pile, Nori nodded. “I knew he wasn’t the soldier he claimed to be,” he said. “Couldn’t decide if he was a common thief or something more though. Good work. Leave him with me. I’ll make sure the right people know he’s here.”

Relief coursed through her. “Thank you,” she said. “I’d really rather not draw attention to myself.”

He smirked at her. “No worries on that one lass. Everyone wants you to not be here so you’ll have the freedom to move. I’ll not be jeopardizing that any time soon. You’ll be useful until you marry your prince.” He reached up to take her burden from her. “Off you go now. Enjoy some free time assuming you don’t find any more would-be assassins lurking somewhere in the royal wing.”

Tauriel inclined her head in acknowledgement of his unspoken request before doing as he said. Perhaps she’d still have time for her bath after all.

~*~*~

Kili greeted Tauriel with a short kiss a few weeks later.

“What’s wrong?” she asked as he took her hand and they started walking toward the training grounds.

“Why would anything be wrong, Amrâlimê?”

Tauriel stopped and waited for him to look at her. When he did, she just raised an eyebrow at him. His shoulders slumped.

“It’s nothing,” he said even as he looked down and to the side. “I just feel like Fili’s avoiding me is all. He’s been busy lately with his new duties now that being crown prince actually matters.”

Tauriel touched Kili’s shoulder gently and he looked up at her eyes again. “I do not have any family,” she said. “I don’t understand your pain or frustration in this. Can I help in any way?”

Kili relaxed a little under her touch. He looked up at her with a small, sweet smile and with his eyebrows drawn together and lifted slightly. His expression coupled with his perpetually disheveled hair lent him the air of a puppy and a feeling of ease settled into Tauriel.

“I thank Mahal every day at least once for bringing you to me,” Kili told her and took her hands. “Having you with me is all I could ever ask or I would be too greedy.”

Tauriel huffed a laugh. “You silly dwarf,” she said and bent to tap her forehead to his. She still didn’t quite understand why the gesture meant something to dwarrow, but it made Kili happy, so she did it.

“Amrâlimê,” he murmured and smiled that sweet, puppy grin again. Together, they went to breakfast and ate with those members of the Company that weren’t already up and about their own duties that day. Fili came in late, sat at the far end of the table, wolfed down a small breakfast while going over some document or other, and then limped his way out of the hall as fast as his crutches could carry him.

Tauriel wouldn’t have even noted him if Kili hadn’t mentioned something already. As it was, she was fairly certain she was the only one that noted the golden prince’s pained glance he directed at Kili.

If asking for help with his brother made Kili feel too greedy in the eyes of his Maker, then she would just take matters into her own hands.

First, though, she had guard duty. Down by the little used public workshops and storerooms. Again.

When she finally resurfaced from her duties hours later (not a soul in sight the entire time), she managed to track Fili down in the newly cleaned and repaired kitchens. He sat at a small table set to the side with a small plate in front of him, nothing but pastry crumbs left on it. She sat across from him without preamble.

“Captain Tauriel,” Fili said, startling slightly when she first entered his line of vision. He glanced around. “Is, ah, Kili with you?”

“As long as I am banished from the Greenwood, I cannot be a captain of their guard.” She settled her hands on the table, clasping them together as she leveled Fili with the most level look she could muster. “Would it be a problem if he were with me?” she asked mildly.

She must not have kept her tone even enough. Fili’s eyes widened a little and one of his hands shifted, his fingers touching the cuff of his coat, reaching for a hidden knife. She resisted the urge to frown. She’d thought she could trust Fili. Maybe she’d been a bit misguided in that. She kept his hands in her periphery, just in case she needed to avoid a thrown dagger at any moment.

“No,” Fili hedged. “Why would there be?”

She ignored him. “Then perhaps you’ve truly been too busy to see him and are now trying to find him.”

He visibly flinched, turning his gaze away from her as he ducked his chin guiltily toward his right shoulder. His fingers continued to toy with the cuff of his sleeve. She could see his finger rubbing against the hilt of the knife there. Easily reached, but he still didn’t draw it. A nervous tick perhaps?

She took pity on him when he didn’t look up after a few moments. “He misses you.”

Fili’s shoulders rose closer to his ears and his frown deepened.

“Why do you avoid him?” She asked curiously. “He wants nothing more than to help you and be at your side as he always has been.”

“But he wouldn’t be at my side, would he?” Fili asked quietly once one of the few kitchen workers bustled by with a tray of fresh apple turnovers. The smell wafted over them and Fili paled and went a bit green beneath his moustache and beard. He swallowed visibly. “He’d be in front of me. I can’t keep up with him anymore.”

“Your Highness?”

Fili scrubbed at his face and muttered something into his palms she couldn’t understand. When he finally pulled his hands away he looked up at her with eyes so different from Kili’s but with a familiarity to them it almost hurt at the anguish lining them, pulling at the corners of his mouth, drawing his skin tight and leaving him slightly pale. “I’ve always been there. His big brother. Always immovable and invincible. Now look at me.” He tapped the crutches that lay on the table next to him, close to the wall. “I can’t even walk.”

Tauriel took a moment to weigh her words carefully. She knew his recent relapse in his recovery ate at him. It would eat at her too if she’d been in his situation, finally walking with a cane only to aggravate the injury and be put on bed rest for days again. He’d only climbed out of his bed a week before.“I was told what you said when you refused to join your uncle when he first traveled from Esgaroth to the mountain. ‘I belong with my brother.’ Perhaps, just as you stayed by his side when he needed help, he only desires to be beside you in your recovery.”

His hand dropped to his leg and he rubbed at it absently, a grimace pulling the lines around his eyes deeper. Something about his expression nudged at something in the back of her mind. She knew that look, but from where?

“I’ll talk to him,” Fili said and his fingers came away from the hilt of the knife up his sleeve. “I’m sorry, Lady Tauriel. I’m sure he hasn’t been the easiest to deal with the last little bit. I know he can be a bit manic when he’s agitated or upset.”

“Don’t apologize to me, unless it’s for calling me ‘Lady’,” she admonished with a half smile. “I love Kili and enjoy every side of him.”

Fili propped his chin in his hand and smirked. “Is that what it’s like to find your One?” he asked. “To understand every little nuannce and bit of insanity your other half deals out to you?”

Movement behind Fili caught her attention. “You tell me,” Tauriel said with a smile and climbed to her feet. “Kili will be early to the council meeting this afternoon.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Fili demanded as he reached for his crutches.

“Your Highness?”

Tauriel just smirked when Fili almost fell over when he twisted in surprise. Bard’s eldest daughter stood behind him with one eyebrow raised and an amused smile playing at her lips. Perhaps Kili was right after all. She would need to find Nori and add her own coin to the betting.

~*~*~

Kili found her that evening as she stood on top of the wall and stared at the latest snowfall. He came and stood behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist and burying his face into her back. She placed her hand over his and continued to scan for lurking orcs.

“Thank you,” Kili murmured after a time.

“I haven’t the slightest idea what you’re referring to,” she said and leaned back a bit, letting him take some of her weight. He shifted and came to stand beside her, one of his arms still wrapped around her back. He leaned his head on her shoulder and stared out at the snow. She draped her arm across his shoulders and he reached up to lace their fingers together.

“Will you help?” he asked. “I know you’re trying to stay busy when I’m not able to be around. Do you think you could help in the infirmary? Maybe see if Oin has anything you can do to help Fili along with his healing?”

Apprehension flared in her stomach, making it twist a little. “I��m not sure the good healer will allow me to assist in anything within his domain.”

Kili snorted. “After what you did to save me, twice now, I’m pretty sure he’ll listen to just about any suggestions you may have.”

She hummed absently. “I’d like to learn more about dwarfish medicine. Perhaps he wouldn’t mind an exchange of techniques.”

“Playing on his intellectual side. I love it when you’re crafty.”

She shook slightly with suppressed laughter. “I’m hardly crafty. I honestly wish to learn.”

“Of course you do,” Kili said and pulled her hand to his lips.

Chapter 3

Tauriel ran her finger along the rotation list, searching for her name. Every other name was listed in cirth, as were the times they were assigned watch and their location. When she found her name written in Westron, she wondered briefly why she even bothered to check any more. It was always the same. Second night watch outside the storage rooms where the mountain’s food was being kept and down by the currently little-used smithies. Just like every other night they bothered to add her to the list. Still, it was better than no work at all. She turned and went to get her breakfast before going in search of something else to work on for the day. Perhaps Bofur would have some use for her, or maybe Bombur. The two were some of the most welcoming dwarrow in the mountain and even they weren’t the most friendly people she’d ever met.

“Where are you off too?”

Tauriel looked to the side. It took her a moment, but she finally found the dwarf that had spoken. Nori stood in an alcove, leaning against the wall and fiddling with one of his knives.

“To find someone that will allow me to help,” she said honestly. After all, lying wasn’t going to get her any work.

Nori straightened and slipped the knife… somewhere. Very skilled, she decided, to be able to keep her from seeing exactly where he hid it.

“Funny you should say you’re looking for work,” he said.

Alarm horns started sounding in the back of Tauriel’s mind at the mischievous smirk dancing on his lips. She’d only seen that look once before, back when a delegation from Rivendell had come to Greenwood some hundred years prior. She’d just been a lowly soldier in Thranduil’s guard. Two of the elves that had been part of it, twins, had sported such a look before they’d created absolute havoc within the noble court. “And why would that be?” she asked and wondered if he would notice if she reached for her knives.

He tipped his head to the side, just slightly as he looked her over. “Face it lass,” he said, “there aren’t many that will live in this mountain that like you, Prince Kili not included. Me, I’m not sure if I like you either, but that doesn’t necessarily matter. I need helpers, ones that I can trust not to doublecross the royal family.”

Tauriel’s eyes narrowed. She had a feeling where this was going. “What are you asking me to do?” she asked.

He brought his hands together, palms flat and let his index fingers rest against his lower lip, the smirk curling into a grin. “Cautious. I like that,” he said and his hands dropped to his sides again. Another knife appeared in his fingers. She kept its motions in her periphery but focused the rest of her attention on his face. “Someone’s out to kill the consort. I need someone that can help me keep that from happening. I know your kind are light on their feet. Think you can sneak around a hobbit?”

Tauriel shifted her weight onto one leg and propped her fist on her hip, her fingers close to the hilt of one of her knives. “Now why do you think I’d be a good choice to follow the consort around?” she asked. “You don’t trust me.”

He snorted. “I don’t trust anyone but my One and even that can be a stretch on some days,” he told her. “You can’t be too trusting in my line of work. Well, either of the ones I’ve ever had. But that’s not the point. What is, is that I’m pretty sure you won’t do anything to break Kili’s heart. You’re his One, after all.”

One. Kili had tried to explain it, the dwarfish belief that their Maker often split their souls in their forging and that when a dwarf found their other half, they became One. She still didn’t quite understand it, but she did understand herself and the way she felt.

She could never intentionally hurt Kili.

“And if you hurt the consort, or allow him to be hurt, Kili will never forgive himself or anyone else that was in a position to help.”

Tauriel huffed a small laugh. “You’re good at manipulation,” she remarked. “What would you have me do?”

“Dwarrow don’t like you, not because of who you are, but because of what you are. They ignore you, pretend you’re not there. I’ve watched and I’ve listened.”

Had he? She didn’t remember that distinctive hairstyle anywhere near her until now.

“They say things around you they won’t say around me. They say things they think you’re too far away to hear, but I see the expression on your face when they say something disparaging about Kili. You hear them just fine. Start paying more attention. Help me find who’s behind the attempts on the consort’s life. Help me stop any attacks that may be coming.”

“You need a spy,” she said bluntly, her eyebrows lifting minutely.

He grinned at her. “You’ll be the first of many,” he promised. “No one will suspect the court’s spymaster’s top agent to be the resident banished elf.”

The reminder of her status in Thranduil’s court left a bitter taste in her mouth. But he had a point. Who would willingly trust an elf near the royal family of what was once the greatest kingdom in all Arda and had the potential to be the greatest kingdom once again? “You’re insane,” she told him, even as a small smile pulled at the corners of her lips. “I’ll listen. How should I report to you?”

“Currently, I can usually be found lurking near the royal family. If I see you there without being on Kili’s arm, I’ll know to come talk to you. I’ll also check in with you on your nightly watches outside the store rooms.”

She opened her mouth to say something and then paused. “You had a hand in that, didn’t you?”

He flashed a smile at her. “Now what makes you think I would have any influence with the Captain?” he asked and secreted his knife away before stuffing his hands in his pockets. “Good luck with finding other work,” he said and walked away, the picture of nonchalance and ease. The way he walked, the way he moved. Nori was dangerous. She was sure of it. How had they ever captured him in Mirkwood?

~*~*~

Only dwarrow were allowed in the throne room for the coronation. Knowing how much dwarrow liked their secrets, it didn’t really bother Tauriel, except for one thing. She’d done as Nori asked and listened. She needed to get to the throne room as quickly as possible and warn him of what she’d heard. The only problem was-

“Where do you think you’re going, Tree-shagger?”

Every single dwarf in the mountain wanted to waylay her.

She dodged the latest dwarf to grab at her. She needed to find Nori immediately.

“Here lass. What’s the rush?”

Tauriel paused in her near dash toward the throne room. She knew that voice. Glancing to the side, she saw a familiar hat topping an equally familiar dwarf beneath it.

“Master Bofur,” she said and relief pushed the breath she’d been preparing to use to shout at someone out in a sigh. “Do you happen to know where Master Nori is?”

“Nori?” Bofur asked, tipping his head to the side. “Last I saw of him, he was-”

“Did I just hear someone taking my name in vain?”

“Lurking right behind me.” Bofur turned. “Nori! Tauriel’s been looking for you.”

Nori’s eyebrows rose a bit. “So I hear,” he said, his smirk making his beard twitch a bit. “Thanks Bofur.”

Bofur glanced between Nori and Tauriel, shrugged, and went on his way. The moment he was out of sight, Tauriel caught Nori’s sleeve and pulled him to the side.

“What do you have for me?” Nori asked.

“Bilbo’s crown is a fake. Gilded with gold leaf. Iron beneath. You’ll have a hard time telling the difference.”

Nori’s eyes narrowed as he looked up at the ceiling. His knife reappeared and he flipped it across his knuckles absently. “Treason, huh? I’d heard whispers. Just didn’t think anyone was fool enough to actually do it. Have any names?”

Tauriel shook her head. “No, but the dwarf you’re looking for has red hair, part of his left ear missing at the top, and speaks like a noble.”

“That narrows it down a bit. Got anything else?”

Tauriel thought back to the dwarf she’d stumbled on while patrolling the halls around the little-used private smithies. He’d had his back to her while he covered the false crown in gold leaf. She didn’t want to alert him to her presence after all but he had turned toward the doorway just as she prepared to leave. “Brown eyes,” she said. “Heavy brows. Looked like his beard might have been cut a bit during the battle. The right side seemed a bit shorter than the left.”

“Why didn’t you say so?” Nori asked. “Well done. Keep your ears open for more little tidbits.” With that, he turned and…

Disappeared. Confused, Tauriel went over to where she’d last been able to see Nori. Her hands met solid wall without any imperfections that she could see. Did dwarrow know magic?

With nothing more to do, Tauriel headed back towards the royal wing. She was still trying to decide if Thorin had gifted her rooms there out of gratitude for the healing she’d done for him and his nephews, because Kili had asked him to (she’d never asked Kili if he’d gone to his uncle or not), or because Thorin wanted her in his sight as often as possible.

Whatever the reason, she couldn’t help but feel grateful. Enough dwarrow glared balefully at her on a regular basis. She didn’t want that when she first stepped out of her apartment. Home? Did she consider those rooms within Erebor her home now? She thought of the rooms she had in the barracks back in Mirkwood. Her belongings would still be in there, possibly. Or maybe someone had destroyed them after news of her banishment had gotten out. She’d have to ask next time someone from Mirkwood came to the mountain. Perhaps Legolas-

If she hadn’t been musing on what had happened to her few personal belongings, she would have had a lot more warning than she did. She almost ran straight into the dwarf trying to pick the lock on the currently unoccupied king’s rooms.

He hadn’t heard her though. Sloppy and unobservant.

Bemoaning her new lack of free time, Tauriel stepped up behind the dwarf, drew one of her knives and settled the tip of it against the dwarf’s back. No armor. No lookout. So very sloppy.

Who trained these dwarrow anyway?

It didn’t matter. Only made her life easier.

“What business have you in the king’s quarters?” she asked. No reason to announce that Thorin hadn’t moved into them with Bilbo.

The dwarf snarled something in khuzdul.

“I was under the impression that you weren’t supposed to use the dwarfen language in the presence of outsiders,” she remarked idly and applied a little more pressure with her knife.

“Go shag a tree,” the dwarf snapped.

“You’ll need new material if you think insults are going to make me leave you be,” Tauriel told him.

The dwarf lunged forward, trying to get out of her reach. She stepped with him, grabbed a fistful of his doublet, and slammed him into the door he’d just been trying to unlock. With him pinned, she started going through his pockets. She found a small assortment of weapons.

“You should take lessons from the crown prince,” she told him. “He’s far more adept at hiding blades on his person.” She continued searching and found other sharp, pointy objects as well as a garot. “Going by your assassin’s toolkit, I’ll just assume you’re here to kill the king or his consort.”

The dwarf growled something unintelligible.

“What was that?” Tauriel asked. “I couldn’t understand you with your face smashed against the woodwork.” She hauled him away from the door and started frogmarching him toward the guardhouse.

“You’re robbing me of my free time,” she told the dwarf. “I’d planned to relax during the coronation but you’ve just ruined that.”

The dwarf shouted wordlessly and twisted in her grip. She let him go. If he was going to take away her time to have a long, proper soak in the lovely heated bath in her rooms (Eru bless dwarrow engineering), he might as well provide her with the entertainment of a good fight.

He charged her, the slim, short blade she’d purposely let him keep held in a reverse grip. He slashed at her and she stepped back, out of his reach. With the same motion, she swung and hit him on the side of the head with an open palm. More a challenge than an attack really. Pent up energy not released in the training grounds roiled beneath her skin almost constantly and she finally, finally, had a chance to do something with it.

He cursed at her in khuzdul.

Tauriel tsked at him. “Keep that up and I’ll have to report you to the king.”

“The king will thank me for gutting you like the bi-”

She lunged and jabbed her fist into his stomach, just below his ribcage. He wheezed and coughed, the wind knocked clean from his lungs. He bent double but tried to keep his head up and his knife out to warn her away from him.

She kicked at his hand and the blade spun across the marble floor.

Unarmed, the dwarf panicked. He lunged into her, trying to take her down by hitting her low. She sidestepped at the last second and brought her knee up into his midsection again. Bones cracked against her leg. She swung both fists down, hitting him between his shoulder blades even as he fell to the floor. He didn’t get back up again.

She bent and checked him over. He breathed and his heart still beat, but she had a feeling she’d hit him too hard. His pulse raced harder than the fight called for it too, short as it had been, and he breathed too hard as well.

She cursed under her breath. After tying his hands together behind his back, she hoisted him over her shoulder and left for the guardhouse.

Nori beat her there, dragging in the dwarf she’d seen creating the false crown. She waited for Nori to settle his captive before drawing attention to herself and her burden.

Nori shut the door that separated the guardhouse from the cells. “What do we have here?” he asked and pulled on her captive’s hair until he could see his face. “Oh good. You found him. Where?”

“Trying to enter King Thror’s old rooms,” she said. “I found these on him.” She pulled the weapons she’d confiscated off the dwarf out of her belt and dumped them on a table.

Picking through the pile, Nori nodded. “I knew he wasn’t the soldier he claimed to be,” he said. “Couldn’t decide if he was a common thief or something more though. Good work. Leave him with me. I’ll make sure the right people know he’s here.”

Relief coursed through her. “Thank you,” she said. “I’d really rather not draw attention to myself.”

He smirked at her. “No worries on that one lass. Everyone wants you to not be here so you’ll have the freedom to move. I’ll not be jeopardizing that any time soon. You’ll be useful until you marry your prince.” He reached up to take her burden from her. “Off you go now. Enjoy some free time assuming you don’t find any more would-be assassins lurking somewhere in the royal wing.”

Tauriel inclined her head in acknowledgement of his unspoken request before doing as he said. Perhaps she’d still have time for her bath after all.

~*~*~

Kili greeted Tauriel with a short kiss a few weeks later.

“What’s wrong?” she asked as he took her hand and they started walking toward the training grounds.

“Why would anything be wrong, Amrâlimê?”

Tauriel stopped and waited for him to look at her. When he did, she just raised an eyebrow at him. His shoulders slumped.

“It’s nothing,” he said even as he looked down and to the side. “I just feel like Fili’s avoiding me is all. He’s been busy lately with his new duties now that being crown prince actually matters.”

Tauriel touched Kili’s shoulder gently and he looked up at her eyes again. “I do not have any family,” she said. “I don’t understand your pain or frustration in this. Can I help in any way?”

Kili relaxed a little under her touch. He looked up at her with a small, sweet smile and with his eyebrows drawn together and lifted slightly. His expression coupled with his perpetually disheveled hair lent him the air of a puppy and a feeling of ease settled into Tauriel.

“I thank Mahal every day at least once for bringing you to me,” Kili told her and took her hands. “Having you with me is all I could ever ask or I would be too greedy.”

Tauriel huffed a laugh. “You silly dwarf,” she said and bent to tap her forehead to his. She still didn’t quite understand why the gesture meant something to dwarrow, but it made Kili happy, so she did it.

“Amrâlimê,” he murmured and smiled that sweet, puppy grin again. Together, they went to breakfast and ate with those members of the Company that weren’t already up and about their own duties that day. Fili came in late, sat at the far end of the table, wolfed down a small breakfast while going over some document or other, and then limped his way out of the hall as fast as his crutches could carry him.

Tauriel wouldn’t have even noted him if Kili hadn’t mentioned something already. As it was, she was fairly certain she was the only one that noted the golden prince’s pained glance he directed at Kili.

If asking for help with his brother made Kili feel too greedy in the eyes of his Maker, then she would just take matters into her own hands.

First, though, she had guard duty. Down by the little used public workshops and storerooms. Again.

When she finally resurfaced from her duties hours later (not a soul in sight the entire time), she managed to track Fili down in the newly cleaned and repaired kitchens. He sat at a small table set to the side with a small plate in front of him, nothing but pastry crumbs left on it. She sat across from him without preamble.

“Captain Tauriel,” Fili said, startling slightly when she first entered his line of vision. He glanced around. “Is, ah, Kili with you?”

“As long as I am banished from the Greenwood, I cannot be a captain of their guard.” She settled her hands on the table, clasping them together as she leveled Fili with the most level look she could muster. “Would it be a problem if he were with me?” she asked mildly.

She must not have kept her tone even enough. Fili’s eyes widened a little and one of his hands shifted, his fingers touching the cuff of his coat, reaching for a hidden knife. She resisted the urge to frown. She’d thought she could trust Fili. Maybe she’d been a bit misguided in that. She kept his hands in her periphery, just in case she needed to avoid a thrown dagger at any moment.

“No,” Fili hedged. “Why would there be?”

She ignored him. “Then perhaps you’ve truly been too busy to see him and are now trying to find him.”

He visibly flinched, turning his gaze away from her as he ducked his chin guiltily toward his right shoulder. His fingers continued to toy with the cuff of his sleeve. She could see his finger rubbing against the hilt of the knife there. Easily reached, but he still didn’t draw it. A nervous tick perhaps?

She took pity on him when he didn’t look up after a few moments. “He misses you.”

Fili’s shoulders rose closer to his ears and his frown deepened.

“Why do you avoid him?” She asked curiously. “He wants nothing more than to help you and be at your side as he always has been.”

“But he wouldn’t be at my side, would he?” Fili asked quietly once one of the few kitchen workers bustled by with a tray of fresh apple turnovers. The smell wafted over them and Fili paled and went a bit green beneath his moustache and beard. He swallowed visibly. “He’d be in front of me. I can’t keep up with him anymore.”

“Your Highness?”

Fili scrubbed at his face and muttered something into his palms she couldn’t understand. When he finally pulled his hands away he looked up at her with eyes so different from Kili’s but with a familiarity to them it almost hurt at the anguish lining them, pulling at the corners of his mouth, drawing his skin tight and leaving him slightly pale. “I’ve always been there. His big brother. Always immovable and invincible. Now look at me.” He tapped the crutches that lay on the table next to him, close to the wall. “I can’t even walk.”

Tauriel took a moment to weigh her words carefully. She knew his recent relapse in his recovery ate at him. It would eat at her too if she’d been in his situation, finally walking with a cane only to aggravate the injury and be put on bed rest for days again. He’d only climbed out of his bed a week before.“I was told what you said when you refused to join your uncle when he first traveled from Esgaroth to the mountain. ‘I belong with my brother.’ Perhaps, just as you stayed by his side when he needed help, he only desires to be beside you in your recovery.”

His hand dropped to his leg and he rubbed at it absently, a grimace pulling the lines around his eyes deeper. Something about his expression nudged at something in the back of her mind. She knew that look, but from where?

“I’ll talk to him,” Fili said and his fingers came away from the hilt of the knife up his sleeve. “I’m sorry, Lady Tauriel. I’m sure he hasn’t been the easiest to deal with the last little bit. I know he can be a bit manic when he’s agitated or upset.”

“Don’t apologize to me, unless it’s for calling me ‘Lady’,” she admonished with a half smile. “I love Kili and enjoy every side of him.”

Fili propped his chin in his hand and smirked. “Is that what it’s like to find your One?” he asked. “To understand every little nuannce and bit of insanity your other half deals out to you?”

Movement behind Fili caught her attention. “You tell me,” Tauriel said with a smile and climbed to her feet. “Kili will be early to the council meeting this afternoon.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Fili demanded as he reached for his crutches.

“Your Highness?”

Tauriel just smirked when Fili almost fell over when he twisted in surprise. Bard’s eldest daughter stood behind him with one eyebrow raised and an amused smile playing at her lips. Perhaps Kili was right after all. She would need to find Nori and add her own coin to the betting.

~*~*~

Kili found her that evening as she stood on top of the wall and stared at the latest snowfall. He came and stood behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist and burying his face into her back. She placed her hand over his and continued to scan for lurking orcs.

“Thank you,” Kili murmured after a time.

“I haven’t the slightest idea what you’re referring to,” she said and leaned back a bit, letting him take some of her weight. He shifted and came to stand beside her, one of his arms still wrapped around her back. He leaned his head on her shoulder and stared out at the snow. She draped her arm across his shoulders and he reached up to lace their fingers together.

“Will you help?” he asked. “I know you’re trying to stay busy when I’m not able to be around. Do you think you could help in the infirmary? Maybe see if Oin has anything you can do to help Fili along with his healing?”

Apprehension flared in her stomach, making it twist a little. “I’m not sure the good healer will allow me to assist in anything within his domain.”

Kili snorted. “After what you did to save me, twice now, I’m pretty sure he’ll listen to just about any suggestions you may have.”

She hummed absently. “I’d like to learn more about dwarfish medicine. Perhaps he wouldn’t mind an exchange of techniques.”

“Playing on his intellectual side. I love it when you’re crafty.”

She shook slightly with suppressed laughter. “I’m hardly crafty. I honestly wish to learn.”

“Of course you do,” Kili said and pulled her hand to his lips.

#my writing #the hobbit #kiliel #Crafty Nori #kili #kili ktuesday #tauriel #also on ao3 #Cross-posted #please leave comments #Nori #Fili #hobbit #happy reading

[berjhawn]

Angel On Fire - CH 11 - A Ray Of Hope

Warnings: Fluff ; LOTS OF FLUFF!!!

Pairings: Bucky Barnes X Reader ; Thorin Oakenshield X Reader ; Bucky X Reader X Thorin ; Marvel X Reader X Hobbit

(A/N) Finally I am able to get a new part out, this one is on the short side but i still hope you enjoy it.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Chapter - 11

The sound of someone chopping wood rouses me from my sleep. Pushing myself off the wall I wince at the stiffness and soreness of my aching body. letting out a sleepy yawn I try to stretch my muscles only to have them ache and tighten in protest. Wincing I grab my jacket and tying it around my waist pull the blanket back to see the dwarves had woken and were communing in the next room while Bilbo still slept. Stretching my neck muscles, I walk past the sleeping hobbit and toward the noisy dwarves.

“I’m not running from anyone, Beast or no.” Dwalin says making me cock an eyebrow at him.

“There is no point in arguing.” Gandalf says stopping their arguing. I feel someone stand next to me and turn to see that Bilbo was now awake. “We cannot pass through the Wilderland without Beorn’s help. We will be hunted down before we ever reach the forest. Now this will require some delicate handling. We must tread carefully, the last person that startled him was torn to shreds.” Gandalf continues causing my eyes to widen slightly at the news.

“So, he’s like the Hulk.” I say making the company turn toward me with looks of confusion. “I have a friend, when he gets angry, he becomes a giant rage beast who wants to smash everything.”

“I will go first, Bilbo, you and (Name) will join me.” Gandalf says and I nod while Bilbo protests.

“Bilbo, don’t worry, if you are that scared, I can go on my own.” I say making Thorin step forward.

“NO!” Thorin orders but I shrug his warning off as I step through the doorway. Gandalf says something to the rest of them before he and Bilbo follow after me. Coming through the doorway I see the giant man standing before me and I have to admit I was now a little worried. He was much taller than anyone I had ever met, well save for Hulk.

“Good Morning,” I say sweetly as I slowly walk up to him. He swings his ax one more time before he pauses.

“Who are you?” His deep baritone voice asks.

“My name is (Name),” I answer trying not to look worried.

“Never heard of her.” He replies snapping toward me his ax tightly in his grasp.

“Well of course you wouldn’t, I’m not from here.” I reply causing his eyes to narrow at me.

“What are you? You don’t smell like a human.” He adds making my throat go dry. Were the dwarves listening?

“I’m an Asgardian.” I answer making a confused look fill his face. “It’s a little hard to explain but I mean you no ill will. I just wanted to thank you for help with the Orcs, and for allowing us to take refuge in your home. Although we didn’t ask permission.” He stares at me for a moment before his eyes snap behind me to see Gandalf and Bilbo.

I step to the side as I allow Gandalf to converse with him. I watch as one by one the Dwarves reveal themselves causing Beorn to tense up at every new member. I started to feel sorry that we were intruding on his sanctuary. After every last dwarf has revealed himself Beorn lets out a grunt before he sets the ax against the stump and leads everyone inside for a meal.

I follow everyone inside a moving to a corner watch as they all listen while Beorn talks about his family and his hatred of Orcs and Dwarves. I feel my phone vibrate and I narrow my eyes in confusion as I pull it from my pocket. I feel my confusion rise more as it reads incoming communication. I look at the men around me for a moment as I silently slip out the door and into the yard. Taking a deep breath, I hit the answer call button and tears fill my eyes as I see Stark's face peering back at me.

“There she is.” Tony announces and I can’t hold them back as the tears start to fall.

“How did you-” I ask happiness filling my heart.

“The wizard, Dr. Strange, he helped Thor and Loki get to where you are. In doing so it gave me what I needed to open a two-way comms.”

“Thor and Loki are here?” I ask hope filling my chest.

“Yeah, last we heard from them they were in some place called Mirkwood.”

“We are not that far from there.” I add a bright smile filling my lips.

“We miss you around here kiddo.” Tony adds right as another friendly face forces itself into the picture.

“When you come home?” Hulk asks making me chuckle.

“I’m trying big guy. There are a group of people helping me now. You know, you’d like it here Hulk.”

“I would?” He asks intrigue filling his voice.

“Yeah, plenty of things to smash.” I add making him smile.

“Hulk come find you.” Hulk adds before he leaves the screen followed by Tony getting onto him and then a loud boom. Tony rubs his forehead as he looks back to the screen.

“He doesn’t realize he can’t get to me on Earth, does he?” I ask a giggle leaving my lips.

“Apparently not.” Tony replies a smirk filling his face.

“How is everyone?” I ask my mind moving to think about Bucky.

“They’re good, they miss you though. I feel bad for not realizing something had happened to you.”

“Tony, don’t. Don’t do that.”

“Do what?”

“Put that on yourself. Given what happened between Buck and I, it would have been normal for everyone to think I took some time off. I’m honestly surprised you guess realized this quickly.”

“You can thank those brothers of yours for that. They came in here and slammed Barnes up against the wall asking where you were.”

“Of course, they did.” I reply shaking my head. “Thor is a hit first ask questions later type of guy. That is when it comes to me at least.”

“Kiddo, I don’t know how much longer I can keep these comms working. I’ve never seen readings like the ones that place is giving off.”

“Just do what you can. I have complete faith in you.” I say giving him some encouragement.

“I know you do. Be safe kid.” He replies giving me a sad smile.

“Will try.” I reassure him as he gives one more smile and the line goes dead.

Tears sting my eyes as I start to realize just how much I missed everyone. I desperately wanted to go home. Thankfully, given the information Tony had given me I now knew Thor and Loki were here somewhere. How could I ever have doubted that they would come for me? Thor always came for me. No matter the trouble, no matter the cost, Thor was always there. I hold my phone to my chest as feelings of hope and happiness fill them. Almost. I was almost home.

Will Continue...

#berjhawn writes #Berjhawn #angel on fire #hobbit x reader #hobbit fanfiction #marvelxreaderxhobbit #the hobbit #hobbit #marvel fanfiction #marvel au #thorin oakenshield x reader #thorin x reader #thorin oakenshield #thorin #bucky x natasha #bucky x reader #Bucky Barnes #bucky barnes x reader #bucky barnes fanfiction #winter soldier x reader #winterwidow #Winter Soldier #Thor Odinson #thor #loki laufeyson #loki #tony stark #hulk

[coralstories]

An Unexpected Arrival: Chapter Eight

Word count: 2337

It’s another “main character shows up in Mirkwood and has to figure out how to survive”, but this time with my OC Aurelia Castillo and she freaks out first. Have fun laughing at her!

A/N: the bolded text is a different language, text in italics are thoughts

Warnings: mentions of racism (not relevant to today’s topics, I wrote this a while ago). Fighting scenes!

When they reached the bottom of the stairs, they saw Kili playing with his runestone. Aurelia held her breath; it felt like deja vu, although she knew it was not a dream she remembered this scene from. She peeked around Tauriel’s slim form with a smile on her face. Kili noticed her behind the tall, beautiful elleth. 

“Who is this? You keep humans as pets?” Kili said in jest. 

Aurelia gave him a stern look. 

“I’m no one’s pet,” she said. “Just curious. I’ve never seen a dwarf in person before.”

She stepped around Tauriel and offered Kili her hand through the bars.

“I’m Aurelia. Most people call me Lia.”

Kili stared at her hand as if it were a viper. Aurelia sighed.

“Where I come from when people first meet they shake hands,” Aurelia said.

“Oh, of course,” the young dwarf prince said.

He took Aurelia’s small hand in his large one and introduced himself. She felt the calluses on his palm that were evidence of his familiarity with weapons. What she told him about introductions was absolutely true. But, she had another motivation for shaking hands with the dwarf. She was checking for injuries. Dwarves were hardy, though, and she was not surprised when she sensed only small bruises and cuts. She moved on to the dwarf in the next cell and repeated the introduction, leaving Kili and Tauriel. They talked quietly amongst themselves. Finally, she reached Thorin’s cell. When she offered her hand, Thorin ignored it. 

“You do not seem like a normal elf,” he said. 

“And you do not seem like a normal dwarf,” Aurelia replied. 

Before Thorin could utter a retort, Aurelia withdrew her hand and tucked her hair behind her ear. That drew Thorin’s attention to her ears, which he realized were rounded, very unlike an elf’s. 

“You’re human?” Thorin exclaimed. 

Aurelia nodded. “Very much so.”

She studied him as he studied her. 

“What are you doing here?” he finally asked her. 

“I wanted to meet you,” Aurelia said honestly. 

“Hm. Why do I feel like there is more?” Thorin took hold of the bars and leaned closer. “Did Thranduil send you to spy on us? Did the lying weasel kidnap you to Mirkwood?”

“I was kidnapped, but not by Thranduil,” Aurelia said. An idea occurred to her. “Maybe Gandalf had something to do with it....”

“The meddling wizard?” Thorin asked, surprised. “Do you know him?”

Aurelia shook her head. “Only through reputation. We’ve never met. But isn’t he supposed to be with you? Where is he? If he shows surprise at my presence then maybe he didn’t have anything to do with it after all.”

Aurelia knew full well he had left them at the border of the forest, but she needed an in. 

“Bah!” Thorin spat. “We are on our own now.”

Aurelia glanced at Tauriel as the runestone clattered beneath her boot. She beckoned to Thorin. His gaze was suspicious as he leaned forward again, and Aurelia put her lips close to his ear. 

“I count twelve among your company,” she said in a low voice. “I heard there were supposed to be thirteen.”

Thorin jerked back in surprise. 

“He’s a hobbit, right?” Aurelia groaned. “I wish I’d been kidnapped to the Shire instead. It seems much more peaceful and beautiful.”

“Perhaps, if you help us escape, we can take you there,” Thorin said. “And you can tell me how you know all this.”

Aurelia looked him up and down. 

“Are you sure?” she asked. “You’ve been? You know the way?”

“Yes, I have been there once,” Thorin responded. “But at the end of our journey we’ll have to send our hobbit home, won’t we? You could go with him.”

“That sounds amazing!” Aurelia said. 

She jumped as she remembered something. Legolas had been watching Tauriel at this point. Aurelia looked around and spotted him a level above. He looked too focused on Tauriel and Kili’s conversation to notice her and the dwarf king talking. Thorin followed her gaze and saw what had caught her attention. 

“That’s the spoiled elf-brat that captured us,” he muttered. 

Aurelia giggled. “‘Spoiled elf-brat’?” she echoed. 

“Do you not agree?” 

“No! He's a little... uptight sometimes, but you know, he's got a lot going on,” Aurelia said, in a conspiratorial tone. “He’s extremely attractive, though.”

Thorin made a face. Aurelia held her hand out, palm towards Thorin.

“Don’t worry, you’re plenty attractive yourself,” she said. 

Thorin watched her for a moment, trying to determine if she was genuine or not. 

“You’re almost exactly like I pictured you,” Aurelia said, her voice still low. “I do hope Thranduil doesn’t keep you here for long, I—,”

“Aurelia,” said a male voice. 

Aurelia looked up to her left and saw Emlithor, watching the two of them with a furrowed brow and tilted head. He glanced over to Tauriel and Kili, and his curious frown deepened. 

“Ben!” Aurelia exclaimed. “Have you met the newbies? Thorin here is their leader.”

“I know you cannot know this, but we elves do not get along with dwarves,” Emlithor said. 

“Why not? They seem like a nice bunch.”

Emlithor stepped forward and took Aurelia’s arm. He continued speaking as he led her away. 

“Dwarves are stubborn and greedy. They are not to be trusted,” he explained. 

“Surely not all of them. That’s not a nice thing to say.”

“I am sure. We have never liked dwarves for this reason. They are all—,”

Aurelia jerked her arm away and stepped back. When Emlithor looked at her, he saw that she was angry. 

“Honey, look,” she began. “I don’t know about what sort of feud is going on here, but don’t ever speak like that around me again. That’s called racism. We don’t have dwarves or elves where I come from. We have a group of humans who don’t like people like me just because we have a different culture and darker skin. When you generalize the traits of a few in a group to all of the group, that’s how wars start. So, when you tell me ‘all dwarves are nasty creatures’ and this dwarf tells me ‘elves are capricious liars’, I don’t like it. It makes me feel like you would say the same about me if you came from where I am from. You ever say anything like that around me again, I’m walking away and I’m afraid we can’t be friends anymore. Got it?”

Emlithor stared at her for a moment, slightly alarmed. Aurelia turned to Thorin. 

“And you,” she said. “I don’t know you and we’re not friends, so I know I have no right to lecture you, but I hope you take my words to heart, too. Tauriel, I’m ready to leave when you are.”

She felt several pairs of eyes on her before Tauriel finally stood up. Aurelia made her way to Tauriel’s side and they left together to rejoin the festivities upstairs. Emlithor watched them go with a concerned expression. A whistle sounded from one of the cells. 

“That one’s got some fire in her,” Fíli said. “I think I like her.”

Emlithor glared at the dwarf as he walked past his cell, making his way to his prince and commander. Once they were out of sight of the cells, Legolas stopped Emlithor with one hand on his shoulder.

“Keep an eye on them,” Legolas said. 

“I’m supposed to be helping Lúthon with the new shipment from Laketown,” Emlithor said hesitantly. 

“After that, then. I am worried about what they’ll say to Aurelia. She seems impressionable.”

Emlithor would have protested that she was in fact very strong-willed, but he said nothing. He too was worried about another interaction between her and the dwarves. He nodded and brought his fist to his chest in a salute. Legolas returned his salute, then went upstairs.

In her room, Aurelia was making a small bundle of clothes and tools to take with her. She knew that soon, Bilbo would lead the dwarves down to the cellar, and then they would be lost to her. She had to get there before the elves started their pursuit. She hid the pack under a cloak and dashed down to the cellar. She spared a moment to tend to the unconscious Emlithor and Lúthon, setting a cushion under their cheeks. When she turned the corner, all the barrels were gone, but Bilbo was there, staring at the floor looking lost. Suddenly, there were shouts. Bilbo whirled around and caught sight of Aurelia, who laughed out of nervousness. Aurelia slapped a hand over her mouth, then rushed over to Bilbo. 

“We’ve got to go,” she said. “They’re coming.”

She took Bilbo’s hand and led him to the spot where she knew the floor would start to tip, creating an opening. It opened quite quickly with their combined weight, and they fell through. Bilbo let out a small yell of fright. The plank was almost closed before the elves came in. They fell into the water together, though Aurelia sank deeper than Bilbo. He was pulled to the edge of one of the barrels quickly. Aurelia held her breath and stayed underwater until she could no longer see his little bare feet. She broke the surface and took a deep breath, then made her way to a pathway that followed the stream. 

She kept to the shadows and made her way outside. She took a route that she was half sure would lead to where she needed to go and would be orc-free (she had almost forgotten that the orcs would appear). She hoped that she would be able to meet the dwarves where they stopped to rest. She never strayed far enough from the river that she could not hear it. The sounds of battle drifted from the river as well. She flinched with every roar of an orc and every scream of a dwarf. She recalled how she had laughed during this scene of the movie. It was comical how Bombur had bounced around in the barrel. Now, she felt nothing but fear as she ran through the woods now, fear for herself and the dwarves and her elf friends. 

Suddenly, she heard a growl to her right. She dropped into a crouch and then froze, only daring to move her eyes. She saw an orc that had almost crossed the path in front of her; it seemed he was running to join the battle. He came nearer to her, but it looked like he would still pass her by. Then, when the orc was directly in front of her, he slowed and sniffed the air. Aurelia slowly and quietly reached around into her pack and withdrew a dagger. The orc’s breathing became heavier and he turned to face her, shrieking. Aurelia stood up, drew her arm back, then brought her arm down, and threw the dagger. It hit the orc in his still open mouth, and he fell to the ground choking. Aurelia walked over to the orc and stepped on his wrist as he reached for his weapon. She withdrew her dagger from his mouth. He screamed at her, blood spurting up from the hole in his mouth. Aurelia brought the dagger back down in his throat this time. 

“Shut up, would you?” Aurelia snapped. 

And finally, the orc was quiet. Aurelia kept running, not bothering to put her dagger away. Aurelia reached a rocky shore. She recognized it as the spot where the dwarves stopped before being picked up by Bard. She stopped, staring at the calm water, amazed she had actually made it. She didn’t see the orc behind her or hear him bring his bow up to full draw. 

She did, however, feel the arrow embed itself in her shoulder. She screamed out a groan and stumbled forward. She kept her footing and whirled around to face the culprit. The orc roared at her. Aurelia, taking the orc completely by surprise, charged him. He scrambled to bring his bow up again but fired a clumsy shot when Aurelia was a yard away. She ducked and dodged it, then slashed at the orc’s bow, knocking the next arrow out of his grip. She pressed forward and stabbed him in the neck, holding onto his armor with her other hand. She withdrew the dagger and stabbed the orc again in the eye. He fell to one knee, and she stabbed him again in the other eye, just for good measure. The orc collapsed on his side. Aurelia jumped away from him, and stood there for a moment, breathing heavily. She swayed on the spot, then groaned as her right shoulder throbbed. She glanced at the orc’s other arrows and saw that, amazingly, the tips were not barbed. She made her way to the water’s edge and cleaned her blade. Then, she reached back with her left hand and gripped the arrow sticking out of her shoulder. She sobbed as the pain blossomed and hunched over, her hair falling into the water. 

You can do this, ichpocatl, the feathered serpent hissed. It is merely a flesh wound. You are lucky. This arrow was not one of the poisoned ones. 

Help me, Aurelia asked silently. 

She tightened her grip on the arrow and pulled it out, as straight as she could manage at this angle. She screamed in pain, and it echoed off of the rocks around her. Her back arched as she felt the muscle and tissue start to knit itself back together. She fell on her side, and the last thing she saw was rock before her vision darkened. Somehow, she had the mind to reach for her dagger before she completely passed out. 

I will take care of you, ichpocatl. Rest, and you will heal.

#the hobbit #the hobbit fanfiction #oc #original character #falling into middle earth trope #writing #my writing #stories #aurelia castillo #legolas greenleaf #tauriel #thranduil #mirkwood #thorin #thorin oakenshield #kili #fili #an unexpected arrival