Work Text:
It had been one thing after another. No time to rest, no time to recuperate. So when they finally learned they were safe in Beorn’s lands, it was like a stone had been lifted off Bilbo’s back. After the events of the goblin tunnels and their run-in with the pale Orc, the company needed time to rest. Thanks to the Eagles carrying them so far, they could afford to take a few weeks to lick their wounds.
Beorn’s gardens felt like the closest thing to home since he left The Shire. Despite everything being twice his size, it was nice to lay among the flowers and just feel the sun on his face for a while. He had almost managed to drift off when two heavy-footed troublemakers lumbered through the grass.
Bilbo decided not to open his eyes, hoping they would pass right along. Instead, he heard a body thump down next to him.
“Kili, what are you doing!” Fili hissed
“It looks comfortable! Better than all the rocks we’ve been forced to lay on so far this journey.”
“Yes, but Uncle told us to find Bilbo!”
“And find him we have Fee.” Kili sounded like he was already completely comfortable on his spot in the grass. The boy's conversation might have piqued Bilbo’s interest, but he still wasn't going to open his eyes. What did Thorin need with him anyway? He would think saving the king's life would afford him some kind of reprieve. Then again, this was Thorin Oakenshield he was talking about. He heard Fili give an exasperated sigh as he laid down in the grass on the other side of him.
“If Uncle asks, we can tell him that Bilbo was fast asleep, and we dared not wake him,” Fili whispered. Even if he didn't want to blow his cover by opening his eyes, Bilbo could envision the two armored lads lying among the wildflowers. It was nice that they were taking a moment for themselves. They were barely past their majority and had far too many struggles heaped onto their young shoulders. It made him wonder if Thorin had ever been as carefree and devious as his nephews. Sometimes, he could see that bit of him in how Kili smiled or Fili’s eyes lit up. A smile really did illuminate all the features of the broody king's face. Bilbo dearly hoped it wouldn't be the last time he got to see it. He drifted off into a pleasant mid-day nap with the memory of Thorin smiling at him on Carrock dancing in his subconscious.
Bilbo was woken up mid-dream about 30 minutes later by a pleasant sound saying some unpleasant things.
“I sent you to find Bilbo, so imagine my disappointment when I see that instead of bringing him to me, you laid down next to him and took a nap!” Thorin’s voice was sharp and annoyed. Bilbo’s vision cleared from the fog of sleep to see him pacing in front of the boys giving them a thorough dressing down. He propped himself into a sitting position. He better at least try and step in before they got into any more trouble.
“Leave them alone, Thorin. I refused to go with them and told them to lie down with me. So if you’re yelling at them, you might as well yell at me too.” Bilbo chirped from his spot in the grass. The boy's eyes went wide in shock and gratitude.
“And what was the reason you refused to see me?” Thorin stalked over to where Bilbo was sitting, and he had to crane his neck to see him. Bilbo rolled his eyes and held his hands out, expectantly reaching toward Thorin. The dwarf king cocked an eye before taking his hands and pulling him effortlessly to his feet. Bilbo patted the loose grass and dirt off his pants before addressing Thorin again.
“I didn't refuse to see you; I simply wanted a nap first. Now, what was so urgent that it couldn't have waited until lunch?”
“I want you to start working with the princes to learn the basics of sword fighting.” Thorin crossed his arms and looked back at the boys, who looked equal parts excited and confused.
“That’s what was so incredibly important that I couldn't be allowed to take a nap in the first safe place we’ve landed in since Rivendell!” Bilbo threw up his hands and walked off in the direction of the house, collecting Fili and Kili as he passed them. It was a wonder how someone so incredibly clever and tactically minded could be so dense!
The three of them spent most of the afternoon running through some combat basics and standard stances before Bilbo decided that that was enough for today and retreated back inside to get some food. The boys stayed behind.
Fili and Kili sat under a small cluster of trees, eating some small finger sandwiches that Bilbo had brought out to them. When they finished those, they started sharpening their blades and, in Kilis's case, fashioning new arrows.
“Why do you think Uncle tasked us with teaching Bilbo instead of just doing it himself?” Kili wondered out loud.
“I don't know, could be several things, I guess. We’re closer to Bilbo than anyone else in the company other than maybe Bofur or Ori. It could be we’re the youngest out of the group and remember our early schooling the best. Or maybe he thought that if he had to teach Bilbo, they would be at each other’s throats less than an hour in.” Fili snickered
“The look Uncle gets on his face every time Bilbo points a wagging finger at him. Last person I’ve ever seen make him able to look like that was amad!” Kili threw his head back in a laugh. “You know, that would make a good wager Fee” Fili knit his brow together,
“What would?”
“Uncle will probably stop by and watch us train for at least a little while tomorrow. If he sees us messing it up too much or not quite to his liking, he’s likely to just take over. So the wager is once he takes over, how long till Uncle pushes Bilbo over the edge and they are in an all-out spat.” Kili’s mischievous smile was infectious, and the more Fili mulled over the idea, the more fun it sounded.
“That's a wager I could get in on.” Neither of them noticed Bofur, Nori, and Dwalin had been listing in on their little wager idea, and when Nori spoke, it made both boys jump.
“Aye, put me down for 15 minutes before Thorin stomps off in a rage,” Dwalin said, flipping a coin into Kili’s hands.
“I’ll do 20 min, and it’ll be Bilbo who huffs off.” Nori wagered. They all looked at Bofur, who looked deep in thought.
“You putting anything in the pot, Bofur?” Fili asked. Bofur’s face broke into a cheshire smile as he handed his coin over.
“My bet is that it takes them 15 minutes, BUT it won't end in a spat.” His response gained him a volley of blank stairs. “I can't be the only one who sees it? I think it’ll end with them snogging,” Bofur said proudly. The eyebrows of all dwarves currently in attendance shot up. They hadn’t thought of that, then they all doubled over, trying to keep from bursting out laughing.
“Feel free to tell the rest of the company, but don't let Thorin or Bilbo catch wind! As soon as Uncle shows up, we’ll see if we can get him to take over the training!” Kili pocketed the money he had been given so far and went back to making arrows and brainstorming about the day to come.
Quiet and calm was not something that Thorin was typically good at handling. They had been at Beorn’s for three days, and he was already restless. Thorin had enough downtime to find himself lost in his thoughts. Thoughts that he had, up until this point, tried not to focus on. Thoughts of Bilbo. What the hobbit had been willing to do for him caught him completely by surprise. It made the kindling that was his feelings for him up until this point catch fire but equally so it made him incredibly nervous. Yes, Bilbo had saved his life, but he had charged into the battle completely unprepared and without any strategy. Without the quick thinking of his kin, it would have meant the death of both of them. If Bilbo was going to start throwing himself into potentially deadly situations, then he needed to learn how to fight, at the very least, the basics.
Thorin paced back and forth in front of Beorn’s home. He had sent his nephews to find Bilbo for a reason. Beorn' land was not that extensive; it shouldn't have taken them more than 10 minutes to find him. Thorin had specifically sent them to look for him because he didn't want to find himself alone with the hobbit. He had already shown that his willpower was only so powerful with that hug on Carrock. He had meant only to press their foreheads together, but the overwhelming relief at seeing Bilbo whole and hale had hijacked his intentions. He hadn't expected Bilbo to fit so perfectly against him, like a puzzle piece clicking into place.
He stalked through Beorn’s grounds until he finally saw what happened to his nephews. They had, in fact, found Bilbo. They flanked him, hands behind their heads, snoring lazily. Bilbo was lying on his side, curled in on himself. His features were soft, and he looked at peace. Thorin stood there momentarily, allowing himself to steal this moment of comfort they so infrequently got on the road before waking Fili and Kili.
~~
Thorin watched Bilbo walk away, practically dragging the boys behind him. Good. Best Bilbo think him a hard ass. It was safer for both of them that way.
The next day after a few meetings on supplies with Beorn and Balin, Thorin found himself again with nothing to do. He sat on the front porch smoking a pipe and humming to himself until he got bored and decided to check in on how Bilbo’s training was coming along.
The boys had set up around a clear space between two clusters of tall oak trees. They waved as he approached, then went back to their drills. Thorin sat on a stump nearby and relit his pipe to watch. At first, it looked like everything was going well. Bilbo had a good stance, and he was holding his sword correctly. He had divested himself of his jacket and blazer and was just wearing his thin linen shirt and trousers. Thorin stared a little too long at how Bilbo’s body was moving through the drills. He was paying close enough attention that he also noticed that his footwork was all over the place. He waited to hear the prince's corrections, but none came. In fact, Kili was patting Bilbo on the back and congratulating him!
“Make sure you’re watching his footwork!” Thorin shouted. Fili gave a thumbs up, and they went again. The same thing happened, and again, the same congratulations. Thorin grumbled under his breath as he tapped out the embers of his pipe before approaching.
“You’re not watching his feet! If his footwork is that clumsy in battle, he’s as likely to trip and fall on his own sword as he is to kill an orc.” Thorin chastised. He turned to Bilbo. “Put down the sword and use this.” Thorin tossed a sparing stick at Bilbo’s feet.
“Why can't we keep using a real blade?” Bilbo asked while picking up the stick.
“Because we are not running drills. Footwork is the basis of all swordsmanship, and I intend to show you why. Ready yourself.” The moment he saw Bilbo take a stance with the sparing stick in hand, Thorin lunged. Bilbo held the stick out in front of him and parried the first attack but overcompensated. The second attack landed him on his back.
“Dead. Again but this time, widen your feet.” Bilbo did, and Thorin lunged again, this time allowing Bilbo the opportunity to repost. Thorin stepped out of the way and thwacked Bilbo on the back of the leg sending him to the floor.
“Dead. Again but this time, bend your knees. When you lunge for an attack, your feet should go with you. Don't overextend yourself, or you’re an easy target.” Bilbo picked himself off the floor and brushed the dust off his trousers. His face was now pulled back in a scowl. Bilbo didn't wait for him to attack first, but it made no difference. Thorin met the blow head-on, then tripped the small hobbit sending him to the floor once again.
“Tripping me definitely felt like cheating. If I didn't know better, I would say you were just enjoying getting to toss me around.” Bilbo huffed as he picked himself off the ground again. Thorin failed not to blush at the double entendre.
“There is no cheating in warfare if it keeps you alive.” Thorin said sternly, “Are you good to go again, or do you need to take a break?”
“I bet you would love it if I wanted to take a break. The weak little hobbit couldn't go more than three short rounds in a spar with the king. Well, if beating on me makes you less of an ass for the next few days, then fine, let's give the audience a show.” Bilbo sounded more annoyed and pissed off than Thorin had heard him in a while. He also noticed they did indeed have more of an audience than he had realized. The entire company was standing around the perimeter of their sparing area watching with rapt fixation.
“Fine, one more round.” Thorin lunged, and Bilbo parried the blow and backed up, waiting for Thorin to advance. When he did, Bilbo repeated the tactic. Curious where this was going, Thorin let Bilbo guide the match until finally, Bilbo had nowhere else to go, and Thorin had him backed into a tree.”
“Always be aware of your surroundings, Burglar, Dea-!!!!” Bilbo balled his fist into the front of Thorin’s tunic and yanked him down as hard as he could, crashing their lips together. It was such an overwhelmingly lovely sensation that Thorin dropped his sparring sword and braced one hand on the tree behind them. The other hand was now firmly behind Bilbo’s head, pulling him into an even deeper kiss. He hadn't even fully registered what had happened. All he could think was how amazing Bilbo’s mouth felt, how he tasted like honey, and the pipeweed he liked so much. He was absolutely sure he never wanted to stop kissing this mouth ever again. When he was finally forced to come up for air, he was rewarded with Bilbo’s blushing kiss drunk face.
“Dead,” Bilbo simpered. Thorin screwed up his face in confusion as he just barely registered the sparing stick Bilbo was holding to his side. Thorin pinned Bilbo’s hand above his head, causing him to squeak adorably and drop what he was holding. He brought his face as close to Bilbo’s as he could without their lips meeting.
“Please tell me that kiss was not just a ploy to win the match,” Thorin whispered. He had not meant for it to come out as a plea.
“No, but it helped.” Bilbo giggled. He closed the kiss once again, and Thorin dropped Bilbo’s hand so he could use it to run his fingers through his silky soft curls. Words of elation and disappointment could be heard from the crowd behind him. He heard Bofur shout,
“HA! Take that! You shouldn't have doubted me! Put the money in the hat, boys!” and heard the unmistakable sound of coins being dropped on top of one another. Thorin didn't care; how could he with the feeling of a happily pliant Bilbo under him. Perhaps a few weeks of time to recuperate from their travels would be more pleasant than he thought.