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Somewhere between Beorn's home and mirkwood the company decided to make camp in uneven and rocky terrain. There was no proper shelter for miles when an unexpected downpour and extreme wind hit them hard and they were forced to take cover under a shallow overhang in a cliff face. As the twelve dwarves and one hobbit piled in, there didn't seem to be any space left. The rain battered down on them completely torrential and the overhang did a good job of shielding most of the group, so everyone squeezed in as tightly as possible. The dwarves grumbled and shoved each other but made it work eventually. The only dwarf there wasn't enough room for was the king under the mountain himself.
Bilbo turned around and watched Thorin take a beating from mother nature. Trying to be helpful, (and slightly anxious that his majesty would catch a cold,even though he would not admit it), Bilbo insisted he move further in. After much stubbornness and a few words mumbled in Khuzdul, Thorin did. Which means that Bilbo was now wedged in between a rock wall and Thorin Oakenshield. Shoulder to shoulder, hip to hip, nowhere to step away. Thorin ended up moving his arm closest to Bilbo, over his head and braced against the wall for more comfort. Every time Thorin breathed Bilbo could feel it along his shoulder. Rainwater gushed past Thorin's shoulder closest to the opening and he was half soaked. Bilbo tried to pretend to focus on drying his handkerchief but he was very aware of how large Thorin was.
The wind shifted and cold rain blew inwards. Chilling air slipped through the gaps and Bilbo shivered, although he tried not to. Without looking at him, Thorin muttered, "You should have worn thicker layers." Bilbo shivere, yet again. "I did not expect a monsoon." Another gust blews past them and Bilbo's teeth chattered slightly this time. Thorin exhales, irritated and shrugged off his outer Cloak. Tjere isn't enough room to hand it over properly so he pushes Bilbo's shoulder nearest him towards the wall. He then moved round so his back was facing the opening and he lifted the Cloak and draped it around Bilbo's shoulders from behind, which unfortunately, required him leaning in very close. His chest nearly leaning against Bilbo's back, his beard Brushing lightly against Bilbo's ear. Bilbo found himself standing very still.
The Cloak wasn't large enough to wrap around both of their bodies but Bilbo didn't want Thorin being exposed by the rain and getting completely drenched. He tugged the Cloak slightly back toward Thorin. "You will be soaked." He said. "I have endured worse, Master Baggins." Thorin replied. Bilbo frowned, and he lifted the Cloak high enough so it went over both their heads and covered them. Now they were sharing it completely as it formed a little tent around their shoulders. The rest of the company were huddled in little groups like penguins. Nobody was really moving or chatting much, everyone was just trying to get through the storm without being exposed to it. Thorin and Bilbo were very, very close. Thorin's face was hovering above Bilbo's shoulder, close enough that he could feel the dwarfs hair dripping down his back.
The wind howled again and startled Bilbo. He turned around quickly to say something, planning on complaining about the weather but, inconveniently, Thorin turned at the same time. There was nowhere for their faces to go and unwillingly their noses bumped softly. Bilbo inhaled sharply and Thorin's hand tightened reflexively on the Cloak, both tilting their heads intending on apologising, and their mouths brushed. Just barely, a warm and startled press but it lasted half a second too long to be entirely nothing.
Bilbo jerked back, or tried to, and lightly bumped his head on the back wall. He sort of just,flattened. Red rushed to the tips of his ears, "I-" He began. Thorin froze, eyes wide and surprised in a way no one usually gets a chance to see. He cleared his throat, "The space us... limited." He said pretending as if nothing has happened. Bilbo noded too quickly, "extreamly limited." Neither of them move for a good long while, the rain continued and their faces remained awkwardly close. There was a long quiet moment, while the others were chattering, Bombur laughed at something in the distance, but underneath the Cloak it was strangely intimate, in that moment Thorin and Bilbo were in their own little world. Thorin looked at Bilbo, Bilbo looked at Thorin. Both slightly flustered but Bilbo obviously more so. Thorin slowly moved his hand up and wiped away the rain water dripping from the end of Bilbo's nose. He leaned slightly closer under the shared warmth, breathing in Bilbo's air.
When the rain finally eases around dusk and they separate, it felt like coming back into the land of the living. They walked away from each other swiftly, taking in the fresh air. Shortly after that the company built a fire once the wood was dry enough to catch, steam was rising from the cloaks and boots that were hung above it and everyone settled in nicely. Bilbo tried his very best to act normal, and didn't do a very good job because every time Thorin moved beside him he became extreamly aware of it. Of the warmth, of the almost kiss that could have been. Thorin, for his part was unusually quiet, more so than usual. He sat there staring into the fire looking very thoughtful.
Eventually the others fell asleep in clusters, Gloin snored, as did Bofur. Fili and Kili murmured next to each other before drifting off. Bilbo lied on his bedroll staring up at the dull curve of the stone above him, thoughtful, he told himself that it was an accident, completely meaningless. His heart refused to cooperate and continued to quicken its pace. Beside him a shadow shifted. Thorin got up without a word and walked away from the fire, towards the edge of the overhang where the night air was cooler and more crisp. Bilbo hesitated, but then against all his sensible judgement he followed him.
The world beyond the overhand smelled damp. The moonlight glinted faintly over the wet stone. Thorin stood with his back to Bilbo, hands clasped behind his back, shoulders stiff in that familiar kingly posture. Bilbo stopped, leaving a few steps between them, "is there something amiss?" He asked because he couldn't think of anything better to say and anything was better than uncomfortable silence at this point. Thorin didn't turn around right away. "No." He paused, then said quietly, "I needed air." Which is absurd, Bilbo thought, because there was plenty air back next to the fire. Bilbo stepped closer anyway, filling the gap, close enough that their shoulder were aligned again. There's space this time but neither took advantage of it amd for a moment they just stood still, crickets chirping, soft howl of wind and the low crackle of the dying fire behind them. "About earlier-" Bilbo began. Thorin turned sharply towards Bilbo amd the moonlight caught his eyes, softening them. "It was a confined space." He says carefully. "Yes." Bilbo agreed. A moment of silenced passed between them. Bilbo swallowed. "And if it had not been?"