Chapter Text
On this particular night, train 88 was rather popular. So popular that bodies were crammed into the carriage like sardines. Bilbo, who stood at a proud 5 feet and 3 ½ inches could barely see the walls of the train as much taller figures crowded around him in the aisle. Not quite being able to reach the loop handles hanging from the roof, he claimed a spot by a pole and held on tight.
As the train stopped at Westminster, half the crowd seemed to get off only to be replaced by a whole new group of people. Bilbo found himself pressed up against a tall brunette man in a black turtleneck and matching slick black blazer. He had salt and pepper hair tugged into a messy bun at the crown of his head, some strands falling from it to frame the sides of his face. Bilbo blushed a little when he noticed the warm blue eyes of the mysterious stranger and had to look down at his feet to hide the heat in his cheeks. As the train shuddered away from the station, the stranger had to grip onto one of the hanging handles as he threatened to topple over Bilbo.
“I’m sorry, I’m not crushing you, am I?” He asked and tried to move away slightly but it was no use with how little space they had.
Bilbo shook his head and offered a small, shy smile. “No, no, you’re quite alright.” The man’s chest was pressed against his shoulder and Bilbo’s head was pretty much resting on his collarbone as he reached around to hold onto an overhead handle, but Bilbo hardly minded the contact. Not when it was coming from a man as fine as this one.
Bilbo tried his very best to keep his eyes on his shoes but every so often he found them wandering upwards to steal glances at the handsome stranger. The first couple times he got away with it and quietly observed his sharp jawline or prominent Adam’s apple. But the third time his eyes very accidentally drifted upwards, he found the stranger’s oceanic eyes looking back at him.
“Sorry.” Bilbo muttered and tore his eyes away in embarrassment, the heat in his cheeks returning for a different reason this time.
The breath of a chuckle grazed the side of his neck and Bilbo had to refrain from shivering. “No need to be sorry.”
Thorin was rather amused to say the least. The smaller man was unlike anyone else on the train. Like Thorin, most of them were dressed in all black but this man wore a chocolate brown corduroy suit with a matching red beanie and scarf and a mustard yellow waistcoat. A little pride pin was tacked onto his collar. His ginger hair was mostly tucked under his beanie but it was long enough that it curled around his ears and the nape of his neck.
Perhaps the most stunning thing about him was the flower pinned to his suit lapel. It was the most brilliant shade of yellow, to match his waistcoat and the petals almost seemed to shimmer.
The train would empty at every station and be refilled by a different crowd of people. A man got on, smelling heavily of cigarettes, and stood close to Bilbo and Thorin. At first he did nothing, simply standing silently like the rest of them as they waited for their stops. But then he glanced quickly over Bilbo and Thorin felt how the smaller man stiffened against him. The man did a double take, looking over at Bilbo again.
“Nice badge.” He spat and flicked the pride pin on Bilbo’s collar with one filthy finger.
Bilbo seemed to shrink in on himself and, in an impossibly small voice, he said “Thank you.”
The man scoffed. “You think I was serious, faggot? Take that shit off.” He suddenly lurched at Bilbo and made as if to rip the colourful pin from his suit.
“That’s enough!” Thorin growled, that smooth, deep voice of his suddenly menacing and he managed to push the man as far away from Bilbo as possible with the crowded carriage. The man stood a whole head over Bilbo but he was still a few inches off of Thorin so he seemed disarmed. But not completely.
“You this cocksucker’s boyfriend or somethin’?” He snarled a gross, toothless snarl.
“If his pin bothers you that severely you can turn around and not look at it.” Thorin calmly explained.
“Turn around?! I’m not putting my backside anywhere near that queer, who knows what he’ll do to me.”
Bilbo was surprised to hear Thorin grind his teeth. “ You are posing more of a threat than he is right now.” He snapped and gently took Bilbo’s arm. “Excuse me.” He said to fellow passengers as he led Bilbo to squeeze through the crowd of people and to the other side of the carriage.
“Thank you.” Bilbo murmured appreciatively, sighing with relief once they settled away from the other man.
Thorin shook his head, his jaw still clenched tightly. “You need not thank me. You should not have to experience that sort of behavior.”
“It was my fault, I forgot to take it off after work.” Bilbo shrugged. A sad look appeared in Thorin’s eyes.
“It’s a beautiful pin. You should only take it off if you want to take it off, not because it makes some twat’s masculinity hurt.”
Bilbo laughed at that and his broad, toothy smile seemed to push all the hideousness that had just occurred to them away. He began to play with the hem of his blazer nervously though. “Do you,” He bit his lip. “Do you have a pin like this?”
Thorin began to answer. “No, I don’t-” But then he saw the look in Bilbo’s eyes and chuckled. “I think you’re implying something by asking that, aren’t you?”
Bilbo went so red that even the tips of his ears went pink. “Sorry.” He muttered quickly.
“Listen,” Thorin began but Bilbo could tell he was hesitant to say whatever was on his mind. Bilbo prepared for rejection. “This may be entirely inappropriate to ask after what you just faced,” Oh dear, Bilbo thought. “But would you like to get coffee with me?”
Bilbo was stunned into silence but the small, dimpled smile that crawled onto his face was enough of an indicator of his answer. “Well, I must say, I do usually like to know a man’s name before going out with him.”
“Oh!” The stranger gasped and tucked his briefcase under his arm to offer his hand out to Bilbo. “I’m Thorin. Oakenshield. Thorin Oakenshield.” He stammered and blushed. Bilbo thought it was the epitome of charming.
“A pleasure to meet you, Thorin. My name is Bilbo, Bilbo Baggins.”
“That is a very fitting name.”
“Do you think so?”
“I do.” He smiled and Bilbo could have fainted like some sort of Disney Princess.
This time when the taking off of the train led to them being pressed together again, it held a new sensation.
Thorin agreed to get off at Bilbo’s stop to have their coffee. As they came out of the underground station, it began to rain. Bilbo unzipped his backpack to pull out a foldable umbrella and as it was unfurled it was revealed to have blue and white polka dots on it. Thorin smiled up at it.
As they began walking around the streets, Bilbo noticed the slight limp in Thorin’s steps, he slowed his stride so Thorin could walk at a comfortable pace.
They searched for a while, wandering the streets in search of an open café but it appeared that all of them were already shut for the night. Bilbo huffed. “That’s such a shame.” He pouted, before a lightbulb seemed to go off in his head. “Unless…well, there is some coffee at my apartment…”
Thorin smirked. “Is that so?”
“Yes. There might even be some milk and sugar if you’re lucky.” Bilbo returned just as cheeky a smirk back that showed off his precious dimples.
With that, they made for Bilbo’s apartment, huddled tightly together under the umbrella.