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“I hardly knew anything about you, or your kind if I’m honest, but with you bein’ a part of the company, I’ve had the privilege to get to know ya’ and, well, I don’t know how else to say this, Y/N, but, I have fallen in love with you.”
“You are the most beautiful lass I have laid eyes on. Truly, your hair shines like silk under the sun, and your eyes are like little (EC) gems made of starlight. Yer’ kind and honest, but so adventurous and brave. It wasn’t long before I found myself creating ways to talk to you, and now I can’t push my feelings down any longer.”
“I understand if you don’t feel the same way, but I just needed to tell ya’.”
You could remember Bofur’s words clearly.
A few days prior while on the way to Beorn’s house, Bofur had found you lingering near some autumn flowers and took the opportunity to confess his feelings.
You two had gotten quite close in the past couple of months. Riding your ponies next to each other, splitting snacks, sharing passions and fears, exchanging stories about your families, and you would even place your sleeping pack next to his at night for comfort. Bofur’s words had surprised you at first, but they made you feel relieved and happy above anything else, because you couldn't help but fall for the Dwarf with his bright smile and caring nature. In a second, you had returned his feelings and embraced him in a warm hug.
Since that day, the two of you had been inseparable. Not that it was completely different from how things usually were, though. The rest of the company must have sensed that there was romance kindling between the two of you, because aside from some harmless teasing, nobody seemed to question the news or the affectionate behavior.
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But as it stood now, you and all your friends were currently being taken by force to the Woodland realm, as if you were little trespassers. Admittedly, the group may have been totally lost otherwise, but it still derailed the plan and left you worrying about everyone, especially your beau Bofur.
You could see the tall pillars constructed along either side of the grand entrance. Everything was wrapped in some type of greenery, accentuating how the foundation of the Woodland kingdom itself was intertwined with the life of the forest. A strong river ran under the bridge you were currently being pulled on while autumn leaves fell in the wind. To the left, you could see the sun beginning to set. However, with a strong push from the elf behind you, you were rushed inside with the others, and that was the last bit of sunlight you would get to see for several days.
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You let out a small curse as you were forced down the stairs with your hands tied like a prisoner. These elves had no idea of the severity of their interference. Who did they think they were? Nori struggled against his ties while Dwalin began to yell at the guard next to him. You slightly slowed your pace and put your foot out in an attempt to trip the guard beside you. The elf lost his balance for a brief moment as he reached out to balance himself on the wall, and you seized the opportunity to reach for the keys dangling from his belt. Your fingertips barely touched one before the elf rebounded, shoving you hard into the next nearest cell and slamming the iron bars closed.
The force of his push caused you to bump into something and fall to the rock hard ground. You looked around to see if it was a wall, but lying on the ground behind you was Bofur.
“Bofur!” You shouted. “Are you alright? I’m sorry, that guard just shoved me in here.”
He sat up, dusting himself off. “I’m alright, lass, don’t worry about me. Are ya hurt anywhere?” With a worried expression, Bofur immediately scanned over you to make sure there were no signs of injury.
“I’m fine. All of it is just annoying, really. Such an inconvenience”, you responded. Satisfied that you were not hurt, he exchanged his concern for a smile. “Well, they should be ashamed, treatin’ such a pretty thing like that.”
This made you let out a small laugh through your nose. You loved this part of him. Leave it to Bofur to always bring some light and humor to a negative situation. He then took your bound hands. “Here, let me undo that for ya’.”
The pain in your wrists was only slight, but a red mark was beginning to form. From his hat, he retrieved a small dagger and gently cut the rope. You thanked him and turned to the cell door to see the others being put in nearby cells. “I wonder how long we’ll be here.”
A frustrated sigh escaped Bofur, and he put a hand on your back to comfort you. “Hard to say. But I’m sure it’ll be alright.”
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It was the second day, and so far no information had come your way. The only things you overheard were the others talking or some arguing voices upstairs from time to time. Thorin had remained silent nearly the entire time as well, so the status of their capture was still unclear. About twice a day, the elves would bring the basics in terms of food and drink, and only very briefly were you allowed outside of the cell to tend to hygienic matters. This was all under surveillance of the elves still since they chaperoned the movement to and from each place.
Except for such occurrences, everyone was left down here alone day and night. Nothing ever changed, regardless of what time of day it was, and the vague dingy smell of the jail would’ve given you a constant headache, if it wasn’t for the more pleasant traces of fresh water or tree wood in the air that saved you. It would have been absolutely miserable had you not been with Bofur. Between the cells and the echoing of the stone walls, it was possible to talk with the others, but it was a bit difficult to make out every word. Being with Bofur eased your worries and made you feel less alone.
You both sat with your backs to the wall beside the cell door. Currently, your hands were fiddling with the knitted gloves Bofur occasionally wore, observing Ori’s craftsmanship.
You looked up at him with a smile. “Y'know, despite the current circumstances, I’m happy to get some alone time with you.” Saying it out loud made you flush, but you didn’t have to feel hesitant about your feelings now.
Bofur smiled at you, his mustache coming up into a curve. “Me too. There haven't been many chances lately, so I’ll take anything I can get.” You hummed and leaned against his shoulder, but soon another sigh came from you as you couldn’t help the worrisome thoughts from infiltrating your mind. The entire journey was in jeopardy by being here, and none of you could do anything but wait.
“I want to do everything I can, but we’re stuck here. I’m worried that we won’t make it, and everything will fall apart. Our hopes will come crashing down and all of our efforts will be for nothing. If I was stronger, or more capable, then maybe we wouldn't have gotten caught in Mirkwood.”
He watched you fondly. “I can tell you really care for us all, lass. You’ve fought hard with us since the beginning, and you’ve made sacrifices. That’s far more than anyone else would've done for a buncha’ dwarves.” You gave a soft smile at his words through the tears beginning to emerge. “You and Bilbo are the first ones to take to our situation with such care and devotion. Yer’ not just part of the company, yer’ family.” It truly made you happy to hear him say this, knowing that your love for them was clear. “So, don't doubt yourself, lass.”
“But, what if we don’t make it?” You asked him. You hadn’t thought about what would happen between you and Bofur if the quest ended, but now it added to your list of concerns. The additional uncertainty made your eyes sting.
“Make no mistake, lass. I want to be with you no matter what happens. I love ya’, and I pledged to court you after we reclaim the Mountain.” He paused for a moment, as if he were debating if he should say his next words or not. He reached for your hand and held it to his chest. “But, if we don’t make it, then I would be happy if you came back to the Blue Mountains with me until next year, if that is something you would want. You would be welcomed there, and I could still court you properly.” He looked at you a bit anxiously, waiting to see if you would reject the idea he so vulnerably presented.
“Really?” Your eyes widened in surprise. You hadn’t even considered this to be a possibility. You went a bit quiet to process his words. The idea lifted your spirits, happy that a future would still hold hope between you. “I- I think I would like that.” A grin easily returned to your face, bigger than ever before.
His shoulders eased at your response, and all concern left his face.
“But don’t worry, Y/N. Bilbo’s not here, which means he must be thinkin’ of something.” He then let out a hearty laugh. “Not to mention, I don’t think Thorin or Bilbo will let the quest fall so easily, not when the prize is right in their grasp, if you know what I mean.” He nudged your shoulder and laughed again.
Your worries melted away as you joined his laughter. “You're right. Have you seen the way they prance around each other? I hope they admit to it soon, because I don’t think everyone can put up with it much longer.”
Laughing together, you absentmindedly placed a hand on his thigh as you leaned into his shoulder giggling. Your laughter went quiet when you suddenly realized how close your faces were. Bofur’s breath quickened, and you could feel a hot breath reach your skin. He glanced at your lips before leaning in to close the distance with a soft kiss. Feeling the warmth of his lips spread to yours, you were basking in this moment. The way his mustache tickled the top of your lip felt right, and the way your noses brushed under the movement, you felt as if you fit together perfectly. His brown eyes sparkled with adoration and love as he leaned back to look into your eyes, and a dimple complimented the slight blush on his cheeks.
You hummed and nestled your head against his shoulder, taking comfort in his musky scent. Like this, the two of you enjoyed each other in the shadow as he wrapped you in his arm and softly stroked your hair. It wasn’t long before you fell into a brief slumber. Worry left your mind, and you felt that everything was going to be alright.
“Sweet dreams, lass”.
Later that evening, you awoke to the sound of jingling keys and a churn of an iron lock. You were finally able to escape with the others, thanks to Bilbo.