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Thorin didn't expect to fall in love. He wanted nothing for it. The only room in his heart were for his nephews and the kingdom he must restore. But the more he saw of the hobbit the more he wondered; Was there just a little more room? Bilbo was good with everyone in the company. He was smart, he was curious, knowledgeable, brave and even though his words stammered from time to time fighting off what Gandalf called a fit he was-possibly-stronger than Thorin, himself.
Bilbo was a curiosity. Nothing around him seemed to remain the same. It shifted and changed. Turned to good, became colored when everything else was black and white. He showed Fíli, Kíli, Ori, Bofur, and anyone else willing to try a shire game when they had stopped for a rest in a meadow with grass taller than Bilbo himself. He tired bunches of grass into arches creating a fun network of tunnels. Each member had to make their own addition and there was no peeking allowed. Then, smiles on their faces like a bunch of children they crawled on their hands and knees trying to navigate the maze they had all put together. Thorin didn't smile, only watched them with sad eyes that he had taken all of them with him on this dangerous journey. But he was glad they could still laugh, still light up their eyes with smiles and good humor. It was all thanks to Bilbo though. The hobbit he had treated so badly.
That night everyone slept in a quiet peace, blessedly quiet for a company of dwarrow.
Thorin was tapped by a familiar foot with a whispered, "You. Get up."
The king sat up looking up at Bilbo disapprovingly. He was having a rather nice dream that dealt with said hobbit braiding Thorin's hair.
"Up, up," Bilbo hushed to him. He looked around to make sure no one had stirred before walking away from camp. "Come along now."
Thorin groaned inwardly as he pushed himself up onto his feet and followed. It was easy enough for him to catch up. "This has better be for a good reason Master Baggins."
"I quite say it is." Bilbo took him to the field maze. "Here we are."
The dwarf frowned. When no movement came Bilbo sighed and went behind Thorin and pushed him towards some grass that had yet to join the maze. "Well set to work then."
"What are- no, I will not-"
"You will." Bilbo said in a confident tone and soft eyes. "And you need to."
Needed to? Why did he need to? But more encouragement and Thorin finally gave in and followed Bilbo's instructions to start adding to the maze. After a good long while he was finished and found a strange sense of accomplishment blooming in his chest.
Bilbo grabbed his hand and pulled him around to the beginning of the maze. "Time to run it!" He didn't bother being quiet with his excitement. "Now the trick to night mazes is to keep close to the walls that way you know when a turn is coming up and if you get stuck tuck yourself into a ball and gently roll back until you get to an opening that you can use to turn yourself around in."
"I'm not do-" the look from Bilbo made Thorin change his words. "going to fit."
"Nonsense. If Bombur can fit you can fit. Though I would imagine your coat and armor may prove to give some difficulty in tucking into a ball." Bilbo slid off Thorin's coat, his gentle touches making Thorin's heart skip. Thorin did take off his armored tunic and placed it with his coat.
Bilbo's grin was as bright as the sun and just as warm in Thorin's heart. The hobbit went on all fours and crawled in. Giving him a good thirty seconds, Thorin then followed suite. He crawled in the dark, the moonlight casting small streams of light for him to see where to go through the tall stalks of the grass. He did find himself stuck a few times and he did tuck himself into a little ball, as little as he could, and rolled back as Bilbo had told him. The first time he tried turning around he accidentally shoved his head through the top of the maze he felt a bit silly but as long as no one saw he found it fine. The second time he rolled right outside of the maze and laid on his back sprawled out like a giant that had just burst out of a tiny building. The third time he got it down and found that it was actually quite enjoyable to do this.
A couple of times he ran across Bilbo who had gotten lost himself. The hobbit only laughed and tried another way. Finally they got to Thorin's part of the maze which they had a hard time in. Finally Thorin saw the end and he grinned. Oh he was going to be the first one out!
Then Bilbo came from the other way and Thorin cursed himself for leaving a second path that would lead to the end.
They were at a stand still. Looking at each other, waiting to see who would try to get to the end first.
Bilbo ducked his head down looking more like a lazy cat than a threat. Thorin though, he moved his hands to align with his elbows and lowered his head and growled a little through the smile on his lip. He snapped his jaw with a click and it made Bilbo's cheeks darken.
The hobbit slowly moved, creeping like the cat he looked like. One startling movement and he would be running. Thorin moved as well before he suddenly said, "I'll beat you to the end!"
Then he shot off, causing Bilbo to scramble after him. Hand grabbed his shirt and pulled him back and the hobbit some how managed to scramble over the top of him and gain the lead. Thorin grabbed Bilbo's ankle and pulled him back earning a squeak from the other. When he tried to pass Bilbo just grabbed onto him and they tumbled right out of the maze laughing.
When they stopped rolling Bilbo leaned over Thorin and had such a beautiful expression on his face. "It's good to see you smile for once. Better to hear you laugh."
Thorin felt himself blush at the sound of his voice.
Bilbo got up and took Thorin's hand and pulled him up to his. "I'm serious. You have a wonderful smile and a glorious laugh. I know our journey is hard and the dangers but it is not worth it if you forget to live."
"You wish me to live?"
The hobbit frowned. "Of course, I wouldn't have defended you from orcs if I wished the opposite."
"Yes you would have." Thorin smiled. "You're too kind not to."
"My ultimate down fall I suppose."
"Or your greatest strength." Thorin reached over and rested his hands on Bilbo's hips giving him time to pull away if he wanted to. "If you wish me to live, then I must confess... I..."
Bilbo grabbed Thorin's shirt in fistfuls and pulled him down in a demanding kiss. Thorin eagerly kissed back sliding his arms around the halfling and pulling their bodies flush against one another. When they parted they were panting heavily.
"I love you." Bilbo said.
The dwarf was silent at this confession. His chest swelling at the words. His eyes stung and he felt as if he would need to sit down. He had been prepared the whole of his life to be alone. The throne would be passed to Fíli so he had no need of a queen or consort. Just the idea of someone wanting to be with him was a tremendous relief that he had no idea could feel so good.
"I-I'm sorry. I... I over stepped my boundaries. But... do keep smiling Thorin. You need to." Bilbo turned to leave.
One step, two, and Thorin and caught his arm. Yanked him back and kissed him again and again trying so hard to say what he couldn't by showing. When the kissing was done he was holding Bilbo so tight the hobbit could hardly breath and all Thorin could do was laugh in relief when he let the hobbit go.
"Forgive me, I... can be bad at telling my feelings." Thorin confessed. "I... I want to take this slow. Learn more of you from your mouth and not just from watching you with others and hearing small bits of conversation."
Bilbo blushed. Apparently the king had been watching him for a while now. "Fare enough. Just... don't snap your jaw like you did earlier."
"Why? You seemed to have enjoyed it."
The hobbit shifted uncomfortably. "Yes, more so than for fun."
It took a moment before Thorin realized what he meant and found a small blush on his face. "You mean-"
"You really don't have to say it." Bilbo covered his face embarrassed with a hand. "I don't know what it is about it but when you look like that and do that it just shoot right through."
"You mean like this?" Thorin's voice was husky and he snapped his jaw again.
Bilbo visibly shivered and looked at Thorin sternly. "None of that."
So Thorin did it a couple more times, by the end holding a squirming hobbit that was laughing and trying his best to get away.
"You're evil." Bilbo panted once Thorin was done. The dwarf had the smuggest smile on his lips.