Chapter Text
Dis had been pestering him about it since she had come to visit. Whether it was through text message or phone call, it didn't matter what the subject was when they initially made contact, it always, always ended up with her asking Thorin if he had grown a pair and told Bilbo how he felt. While he was making arrangements for his nephews to look after his shop when he went away for a couple of days, he waited for Dis to mention him, but it never came, however, her voice was far too cheerful, considering how early it was. When Thorin hung up, he eyed his phone suspiciously.
It was no great secret, but neither he nor Bilbo had officially told anyone that they were a couple now. In fact, they had barely even discussed it with each other after his little speech. It had been a little over two weeks, but they were quite happy with the almost routine they had wordlessly fallen into. Thorin had yet to tell Bilbo about his little business trip, but that was why he had invited him out for a proper lunch today, rather than a take out sandwich and coffee from the shop on the corner.
Thorin was talking quietly with a very nervous looking man and putting a delicate bouquet of daisies and violets together for him when Bilbo came into the shop. He looked rather windswept from his short dash across the street, he turned the sign on the door and practically skipped over to Thorin with a wide smile on his face. Bilbo stopped when he noticed the customer and pretended to browse the selection of potted plants on display. Thorin rolled his eyes at the almost childlike enthusiasm, but couldn't help but smile as he finished off the bouquet, Bilbo's moods were infectious.
After wishing the man luck and sending him on his way, Thorin properly looked at Bilbo and let out a small huff of laughter. His hair was in complete disarray, his nose a little pink and his cheeks flushed ever so slightly. Thorin grinned as he moved around the counter and caught Bilbo's hand in his own to pull him in for a kiss, he ran his free hand through Bilbo's hair to straighten it a bit, but Bilbo had other plans.
Bilbo sighed into the kiss and put his arms around Thorin's neck, pulling him closer, effectively slotting their bodies together. Perfect. It was slow, no amount of urgency but there was a definite heat as he savoured the feeling of Bilbo's soft lips on his own. Eventually, a mutual need for air parted them, but they remained in their intimate embrace, Thorin nuzzled at Bilbo's curls, occasionally pressing a soft kiss here and there.
"Lunch?" Thorin eventually mumbled into Bilbo's hair, he felt him shudder slightly when he ran one of his hands up his back.
"I suppose we should ." Bilbo sighed, he took a reluctant step back, pulling himself out of Thorin's gentle grip.
He looked perfect, Thorin thought, hair still mussed, but from his fingers rather than the wind, cheeks still tinged with a light blush, but from his kisses. Yes, absolutely perfect. Thorin smiled down at Bilbo, granting him one last kiss before they made their way out of the shop and down the street to the pub.
They picked a table that was out of the way, a secluded little corner just for them, they sat opposite each other, stealing glances over the rims of their drinks every now and then as if they were lovesick tweens on an awkward first date until the food they ordered arrive. Thorin had to refrain from letting out an exasperated sigh when Bilbo whipped his phone out to take a picture of his meal, but he groaned and buried his head in his hands when Bilbo took a picture of him as well, hoping he managed to hide the fond grin that graced his lips.
Yes, that had taken a bit of getting used to, but Thorin had made peace with the fact that, for some reason, Bilbo had this need to document seemingly every moment of his life and share it with random people on the internet. He wasn't one hundred percent comfortable with his picture being taken so often, but Bilbo had assured him it was just his way of showing him off to the world.
"I'm going away for a couple of days." Thorin announced.
Bilbo looked at him, eyebrows raised, forkful of food halfway to his mouth. He glanced down at it then back at Thorin, as if deciding which was the more pressing matter. Apparently it was too close to call, as soon as he had asked 'how come?' the food was in his mouth.
"To... visit family." He sighed heavily and placed his palms flat on the table, as if he was trying to ground himself. Thorin jumped when he felt Bilbo tentatively cover one of his hands with his own, but smiled gratefully. The unspoken question in Bilbo's eyes urged him on. "I'm going to see my father." Thorin was shocked at how small his voice sounded.
"Do you want me to come with you?" Bilbo asked softly, he gave his hand a gentle squeeze, almost urging him to look up and meet his eyes.
Thorin did look up, he sighed again, and shook his head. "No, no, I'm going with Dis. She's dropping the boys off in a couple of days to look after the shop." Thorin looked down at their hands, fingers now intertwined, Bilbo's thumb traced a soothing pattern over his own. "Thank you, though." He added with the smallest of smiles.
"Hey, it's what I'm here for."
Oh, the look Bilbo gave him when he said that, Thorin almost swooned.
Few words were exchanged after that, they finished their meal in relative silence and, after a brief squabble over the bill, took a short stroll around the block. They walked back to the flower shop hand in hand, reluctant to go back to work, but duty called. Thorin watched Bilbo cross the street and enter the tattoo parlour as he flipped the sign on his door, a single thought dancing through his mind, breaking the carefully constructed mask he had worn for the past however many years: he was a very lucky man.