Chapter Text
Bilbo awoke with a scream in his throat, as he shot himself upright and had to choke back another scream as his arm radiated pain.
Every nerve in his arm was on fire and the pain made his head spin.
“Master Baggins, are you well?” Bilbo strained his eyes to find the source of the voice but was unable to see anything in the darkness.
“Who’s there?” Bilbo hissed.
“It is I, Thorin, are you well?” The voice, now identified as Thorin, said having moved closer.
“I-my arm is on fire,” Bilbo forced out, tears of pain crawling down his face.
“Here, allow me to help you into the kitchen. My sister left something for the pain for you there,” Thorin said, carefully moving to help the hobbit to his feet.
“Can you stand unaided?” The dwarf asked ready to take the majority of the hobbit’s weight if need be.
“I don’t think so,” Bilbo whispered.
“I have you,” Thorin whispered back wrapping his arm around the hobbit. “Slowly, slowly, we are not in a rush.”
Bilbo bit his lip to hold back a sob, everything hurt, it wasn’t just his arm anymore but his entire being throbbed in time with his heart beat.
“Almost there,” Thorin said trying to give the hobbit strength to continue. “Just a few more steps.”
When Bilbo was finally able to drop into a kitchen chair he gasped trying very hard not to scream.
Thorin moved to mix the drink that Dìs had set aside for Bilbo if he awoke in pain. “Did I wake you?” Bilbo forced out trying to take his mind off of the burning pain.
“No, Kili had a nightmare earlier, I found I couldn’t return to sleep,” Thorin said crushing the herbs for Bilbo’s healing potion.
“Kili? Is he alright?” Bilbo asked worriedly.
“He’s fine, if all he comes out of his situation with are a few nightmares then we are beyond lucky,” Thorin said. “Is that what woke you, nightmares?”
Bilbo shuddered as his mind wandered back to his nightmare. It was of the night he had first stumbled upon the dwarflings, he had dreamt that he hadn't found them. His mind conjured up hundreds of scenarios each worse than the next. It soon morphed into a strange mixture of his own torture and what-ifs that had haunted him since he found the dwarflings.
“Yes,” the hobbit said shortly trying desperately to push the darkness back.
“Here drink this,” Thorin said pressing the cup into Bilbo’s hand.
Bilbo took the cup with a thankful smile and quickly took a drink. The liquid was bitter and made him gag but the thought of remaining in pain was worse than the taste.
“This is disgusting,” Bilbo said coughing.
Thorin offered a sympathetic smile. “It’s one of the worst things I’ve ever tasted, but it’s the best for pain.”
“It better be worth it,” Bilbo complained forcing down the last of the concoction.
“It will be,” Thorin promised.
“My mouth tastes like I licked the bottom of one of your boots,” Bilbo said sitting the cup down. “But since I can feel it starting to work, I’ll ignore that.”
Thorin laughed quietly retrieved a fresh cup of water. “This will help with the taste.”
Thorin chucked again as he watched the hobbit attack the water with a surprising ferocity. Everything about the hobbit continued to surprise him. He had trouble understanding how the small, damaged creature in front of him managed to fight so fiercely for his precious nephews and the Ri brother’s youngest. He didn’t understand why the hobbit did what he did. Why he had allowed himself to suffer so much.
And suffer he had. Thorin could see the livid bruises, the still bright red burns and slowly healing cuts. The broken arm and mental pains he suffered just added to the picture of a beaten and broken hobbit.
It was the strength that was just behind the pain in his eyes that captured Thorin’s attention.
“Thorin? Is what we are planning going to work?”
The dwarf blinked, coming out of his thoughts. “I think it will,” Thorin confided. “My people are not afraid of doing battle and the majority of us are fierce warriors, even those who are not warriors by trade or necessity have some skill with the axe or sword. We will not allow for these creatures to slaughter your people or mine.”
For a long while neither spoke, but finally with his words slightly slurred from the healing mixture he had drunk, Bilbo whispered a soft, “I trust you.”
“Come Master Bilbo, let us get you back to bed before you nod off in the kitchen,” Thorin replied moving to support the majority of the hobbit’s weight.
“I don’t regret it you know, none of it,” Bilbo said softly as they reentered the dark sleeping space. “I would do everything again to spare the children any pain.”
Thorin gently helped the hobbit back into his bedding, “That is why we are here, because you have worked so hard to protect those most precious to me. It is why I would kill every orc or man who dared raise their weapon in your direction.”
Bilbo smiled a little, “That’s why I trust you.” A great yawn escaped his mouth but Bilbo was too tired to be embarrassed.
“Get some sleep, Master Hobbit, tomorrow we will talk more,” Thorin promised finishing his tucking of their hobbit host.
“Why do you not call me Bilbo?” Bilbo asked blinking sleepily. “Have I not insisted? I should have if I have not. I’ve looked after your nephews and I host you in my home, surely we can be on a first name basis?”
The dwarf, while confused about the abrupt change of subject, nodded in agreement. “Of course, if that is what you wish. I shall address you as Bilbo and you shall address me as Thorin.”
“Good,” Bilbo muttered as the pain tonic finally thrust him into unconsciousness.
Thorin carefully pushed the thick curls from Bilbo’s forehead. “You are truly something,” he whispered before retreating to his own space beside his nephews and sister and surrendering to the call of sleep.
--
“Wake the hobbit for breakfast,” Dìs declared, “Gently!” She added seeing her young sons jump to the task.
“Was that wise?” Thorin asked curiously. It certainly wasn’t nice, setting the dwarflings on the hobbit so early in the morning.
Dìs snorted and grinned slyly at her brother. “I would have feared for the hobbit’s virtue if I had sent you.”
Thorin jerked in surprise, “What?”
Dìs rolled her eyes at her older brother’s denseness. “I have seen how you look at him, brother. It is early still, though, I caution you to deepen your friendship before moving forward.”
The dwarf sputtered and waved his arms trying to refute his sister’s claim but found he could not.
“What are we talking about?” Nori asked as he came into the hobbit’s kitchen that Dìs and Dori had taken over while their hobbit host was still so injured.
“Thorin’s infatuation with the hobbit,” Dìs said plainly, ignoring her brother’s dark looks and muttered curses.
The thief just nodded, “Right Dori and I were talking about that just a few moments ago. I have a friendly bet with my brother about how Thorin will handle it.”
“Oh! Five on Thorin placing his remarkably large boot in his mouth,” Dìs said cheerfully. “Ten on me having to fix it.”
Nori grinned, “Of course, Princess.”
Giving up for the moment Thorin dropped his head into his hands continued to plot his revenge on both the thief and his sister, he was so involved in his self-pity he missed Bilbo’s arrival, using the two young dwarrow as crutches.
“Is something wrong with Thorin?” Bilbo asked concerned, while last night was a little hazy Bilbo was sure that he remembered everything that had been said and done there was no reason for Thorin to look as exasperated as he did.
Dìs flashed a smile with too many teeth and ushered the hobbit into a chair. “My brother is fine, just a bit of teasing between siblings is all. Nothing to be concerned about.”
“Alright,” Bilbo conceded, he had no siblings or close particularly cousins so he would have to take Dìs’ words at face value. “What are we having for breakfast then?”
“Dori whipped up some eggs and sausage before heading to the market this morning,” Dìs explained removing the food from the over where Dori had left it. “Evidently seven dwarrow and a hobbit go through more food than one would expect.”
“And a wizard,” a voice said entering the kitchen.
“Gandalf,” Bilbo greeted warmly. As his mother’s old friend he was incredibly fond of the wizard.
“Bilbo Baggins you, while still looking quite the fright, are in good spirits this morning,” The wizard said choosing to stand instead of sitting at the small table. “I shall be taking my leave of this place after breakfast.”
“Why?” Bilbo asked looking at the dwarrow to see if they knew, Thorin, Dìs and Nori appeared just as confused as he was.
“We will need more help than just the dwarrow of the Blue Mountains for this battle, I fear,” Gandalf said. “I will be attempting to find more assistance and get an understand of just what the Shire will be facing.”
“My people can handle the threat, Tharkûn,” Thorin growled angrily.
Gandalf sniffed dismissively. “Whether they can or not I do not care. I shall still seek out other allies, as the Thain asked me too.”
Thorin opened his mouth to speak but Dìs roughly shoved her elbow into his brother’s side.
“Of course,” Dìs she said driving her elbow in Thorin’s side again. “The Thain would be a fool to turn away allies ready to aid his cause.”
Gandalf smiled at the female dwarf and Thorin scowled at Bilbo’s table. The dwarflings who had settled around the table giggled softly at the sour look on Thorin’s face while Nori didn’t bother attempting to smother his sly grin. Bilbo just watched the encounter confused but quickly put it out of his mind as the lure of food finally drew him in.
“Later today, we should begin preparing for the arrival of more dwarrow,” Dìs said. “I know Dwalin and he will be the first to arrive mark my words. Balin, his brother,” she added for Bilbo’s benefit, “Will not be far behind.”
“Short term Bag End could hold 13 dwarrow comfortably,” Bilbo suggested. “With work, it could house that many comfortably long term.”
“Bilbo there is something I had been meaning to ask you, this smial, it is rather large, do you not have family to share it with?” Dìs asked giving Kili a stern look. Her youngest son thought it a good idea to stuff so much food in his mouth that he resembled a chipmunk.
Bilbo ducked his head a bit and chewed a bite of his food. “Oh, Bad End was build by my father for my mother as a courting gift. They had planned to fill it with many children but it was never meant to be. I was their only child, so when they passed some years ago, Bag End was left to me.”
Thorin shot his sister an unimpressed look and the only female of the line of Durin grimaced, “Ah, my apologies lad.”
Bilbo just smiled, “It’s not a problem. You didn’t know.”
“Mr. Boggins sir, can you tell us a story?” Ori asked breaking the awkward silence that descended on the table and lasted well after the wizard’s departure.
Dìs had remained in the kitchen clearing the mess that breakfast had left while Nori disappeared to find his brother, leaving Thorin and the dwarfling to entertain Bilbo until the planning began.
Bilbo ignored the amused look and raised eyebrow that Thorin shot him at the continued method of address the dwarflings insisted upon. “A story...you’ve heard a great deal of my stories lads.”
Thorin could see that Bilbo was tired, and looking tiny bit pinched. The pain it seemed as returning. “How about instead, I tell a story? To repay Bilbo for all the stories he told while we were separated.”
Fili and Kili jumped to attention, “Oh please Uncle Thorin, please tell a story!” They pleaded in unison making Bilbo laugh. Ori turned stary eyes on his friends’ uncle and the dwarf nodded.
“Of course, where to begin...to the east there sits a single mountain. The Lonely Mountain, Erebor a dwarf kingdom….”