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Orcs were decidedly not Bilbo's favorite thing. Not by a long shot. Especially not when chasing him and his friends through the wilderness. The hobbit was flanked by dwarves on either side, with Gandalf taking the lead. The wizard ran surprisingly fast, all things considered…
"This way!" The aforementioned wizard waved them over to a cluster of boulders. Balin grabbed Bilbo's arm to help quicken his pace, and the group migrated to Gandalf. The wizard directed them down the steep wall of a pit hidden amongst the rocks, likely an old warg den. One by one, the dwarves and hobbit slid down, landing in a pile at the bottom. Gandalf followed, and the group laid in a motionless pile on the cave floor, holding their breath.
Above, the orcs growled and roared in frustration. Thumping footsteps echoed through the rock. They were close. So, so close. Bilbo squeezed his eyes shut. He was jammed between Thorin and Kili, huddled on the ground. Thorin's hand rested on the dirt next to Bilbo, and the hobbit was grabbing it before he could think. Thorin jumped at first, eyeing Bilbo before shifting his weight to his free hand and giving Bilbo's a reassuring squeeze.
Kili noticed what was happening, and was quick to grab Bilbo's other hand when he saw it twitch nervously. Bilbo visibly relaxed. Kili motioned to his brother, and Fili took Kili's other hand, albeit confused. Thorin took the hint, grasping Balin's hand.
The orcs seemed closer now.
Balin grabbed Ori, who linked hands with Dori. Dori then reached out and took Dwalin's hand. Bombur and Gloin joined hands. Bifur and Bofur held hands with Nori and Oin.
A pair of feet appeared at the mouth of the cave, and Bilbo's startled yelp was immediately silenced by Gandalf's hand clamping down over his mouth.
The feet disappeared, and the wizard slowly released Bilbo. The hobbit hid his face in Kili's arm, and the young dwarf shushed him gently.
Finally, Gandalf rested his hands on Thorin and Kili's backs, hunching over the group. Together they held their breath, eyes locked on the opening of their hiding place.
There were shuffling footsteps, and Thorin's fingers itched for his sword. Bilbo tightened his grip, however, and the dwarf found the contact grounding. So, he waited. They all waited.
Finally, finally…the orcs left. Their animalistic cries faded into the distance as they left in search of new victims. The whole company let out a heaving breath, deflating. Soon enough, Gandalf was laughing, in true Gandalf fashion. Bilbo still squeezed Thorin and Kili's hands, but let out a breathless chuckle of his own.
"I daresay we ought to try that more often, my boy." Balin stated, and smirked at the confused head tilt he got from Bilbo.
"Pardon? Try what?" Balin gestured to his hand, which still firmly grasped Thorin's. With a small 'Oh!' Bilbo let go, looking quite embarrassed.
"Sorry about that, I um…I didn't mean to do that…" He mumbled. The others shared a confused look.
"You didn't?" Kili questioned. Bilbo shook his head, muttering: "Oh, dear, oh dear…" Gandalf once again spouted knowledge one could only assume was gained over many years of life.
"Indeed, that was pure instinct. When hobbits are under far too much stress to handle, they hold hands with others. It's a form of protection, to ensure no one gets lost. It's very rare these days that a Hobbit gets to that point, it was far more common in early times. Still, sometimes it resurfaces…" Standing up abruptly, Bilbo looked even more embarrassed now. The dwarves however, were delighted. They hold hands? Like river otters?
"Yes, well I don't plan on that happening again!" Bilbo declared. "An entirely embarrassing matter…" He turned away, frowning deeply. Bofur approached, laying a hand on the hobbit's back.
"If it makes you feel any better, Master Baggins…it helped my nerves quite a lot." The other dwarves were quick to agree, clambering to assure their hobbit that all was well. Thorin was silent, but the warm smile and slow nod he gave told Bilbo that he felt the same way.
So, the company continued on their way, and if they found themselves reaching for a hand more often than before, no one said anything.