Bilbo sighed for what felt like the hundredth time in a matter of moments, knowing full well that such an act was futile. It brought him no closer to solving his current predicament after all. But things were not going according to plan, and unless he managed to come up with a clever solution to his problem in the next few minutes, there would be dire consequences, both to himself and those who were counting on him.

He took a deep, silent breath, steeling himself against the hopeless odds. Slowly, and ever-so-carefully, he began to shift, contorting his body by mere fractions, hoping that if he moved in such tiny intervals, he would be able to escape his confines without incident.

First, he relaxed his shoulders, and mentally cheered in silent victory when the bonds around them slackened. Next, he tried to curl his knees to his chest, but one of them was thoroughly pinned. Stifling a grunt, he changed tactics and attempted to roll onto his stomach instead, but this resulted in the very thing he feared it would. His restraints automatically constricted further, trapping him even more completely than before.

It was like one of those elaborate traps he'd read about in books, wherein the more the prisoner struggled, the smaller his cage became. He frowned and huffed in frustration.

A long exhale answered his, warm breath fanning across the back of his neck.

Thorin unconsciously buried his face deeper into Bilbo's curls and tightened his hold around him.

Bilbo couldn't help but feel equal parts annoyed and amused.

It was no secret that Thorin and Bilbo's relationship got off to a rough start. They had both made some highly inaccurate assumptions about one another, but thankfully, time had changed their opinions. But though Bilbo had learned to see past the dwarf's gruff exterior and begin to spot his subtle, loving gestures, he would never have guessed that he was such an aggressive snuggler.

Then again, maybe he shouldn't have been too surprised to discover this. Thorin's royal upbringing and Bilbo's own Baggins respectability ensured that they maintain some sense of propriety in public. Even their courting rituals and marriage ceremony were regrettably stoic affairs, much to Bilbo's (Tookish) displeasure. But all bets were off when they were together in their private chambers.

As soon as they were alone in their quarters, Thorin would shed his restraint like he shed his royal robes and crown. It didn't matter what they were doing - taking their evening meal, reading or sharing a pipe side-by-side on the couch, or other more intimate activities – Thorin would insist on some form of physical contact.

This insatiable need was most evident when they went to bed. They could have just finished making love or shouting at one another in a furious argument and still Thorin would drape himself around Bilbo to hold him while they slept.

Usually, Bilbo loved it. Touching him was one of the ways Thorin communicated that which was sometimes difficult for him to vocalize aloud. Dwarves in general were not shy about expressing themselves, but Thorin had lost so much in his life. Subconsciously, he seemed to believe that declaring his affections in words would invite forces that would rob him of his joy. So instead he conveyed his love through his hands, his body, and his lips.

At the moment, Thorin was fully curled around him. One of his arms was pillowing Bilbo's head. The crook of his other elbow was settled just a little above Bilbo's waist, the rest of his arm coming up under Bilbo's limb and across his chest. The hand of this arm was gripping Bilbo's opposite shoulder tightly, and one of the Thorin's legs was wedged between Bilbo's.

Thorin was normally the first up in the morning. His duties as king meant that he was needed much earlier than his consort. He typically relinquished the hobbit well before he woke, so Bilbo had never realized just how tangled they became during the night.

But today was unique in that he needed to get up before Thorin. He had hoped to dress and take his leave without waking him, but his clingy husband was making that quite impossible.

Bilbo decided to make one last effort to extract himself from his (admittedly) comfortable prison. As carefully as he could manage, he reached for Thorin's hand upon his shoulder, hoping that he might pry it loose from his skin. With the trained dexterity of a light-fingered burglar, he burrowed his thumbs between Thorin's palm and his own shoulder and pushed.

An amused chuckle at his ear and the scratch of a beard on his neck made him freeze.

"What have I done now, that you should be so desperate to escape me?" pouted a sleepy voice.

Bilbo groaned and rolled his eyes, unsure as to whether he should be disappointed in himself for failing to get away without incident or exasperated at Thorin for pretending to be asleep and deliberately hindering his efforts. "How long have you been awake?" he asked, deciding to hinge his feelings on Thorin's answer.

"Long enough," Thorin mumbled vaguely.

Bilbo sighed, disheartened. "Did I wake you?"

He felt Thorin press a kiss to his shoulder. "I don't mind."

"Well I do." Since there was no point in being careful anymore, Bilbo forcefully moved so that Thorin had to release him, but he simply turned in his arms to face him. "You've been working nonstop for months now. This is supposed to be your day off, and I wanted you let you sleep in."

Thorin brushed a strand of Bilbo's lengthening hair behind his ear. "But there's no point in my waking at all, if it's not to see you, Ghivashel," he murmured.

Bilbo chuckled and cuddled closer again. He took his husband's face in his hands. "Now you know how I feel when you get up without me," he retorted. He inched up and softly kissed him. "And as much as I would love to stay and have a lie-in with you, I need to get going. The only reason the council didn't throw a fit is because Fili, Balin and I are covering for you, and they won't look kindly upon my being late for the morning meeting."

Thorin picked up where Bilbo left off, peppering his consort's face with slow, thorough kisses. "A day off is meaningless if I don't get to spend it with you," he whined between nips. "Why didn't you get someone to handle your duties as well?"

Bilbo met Thorin's lips on his next pass. He wrapped his arms around Thorin's neck and rolled them to put himself on top. He broke the kiss to smirk down at Thorin. "Aside from the fact that I don't want to overload anyone with work, you're supposed to use this day to rest. And I am quite certain that if I remained with you, we'd be too busy doing anything but resting. So I am afraid that you will just have to content yourself in other ways."

Thorin's eyes darkened a shade as his hands encircled Bilbo's waist. "I can assure you, Âzyungâl, that I would not find such activities too strenuous or burdensome."

Bilbo leaned up to kiss him on the forehead. "I'm sure you wouldn't. But that fact remains that you need to relax. Don't think we haven't all noticed how worn out you've been. You'll make yourself sick at this rate. So do as I say and enjoy your day off, if not for your own sake, then for mine. I worry, you know?"

Thorin gave an exaggerated sigh, but Bilbo could see that he was relenting. "There was no need for concern, but if it will make you feel better, I will stay and rest."

"Promise?"

"I promise," Thorin vowed.

"Good." Bilbo rolled off of him to get dressed, pretending that he didn't notice Thorin watching him the entire time. "I'll reward you when I get back tonight, if you manage to keep your word."

Thorin sat up, letting the blankets and furs pool around his waist. "Oh? And what would that entail?"

"Hmm…" Bilbo drawled as he slipped on a dark red, long-sleeved tunic over a pair of royal blue trousers. "Perhaps we should start with a nice hot bath. I'll wash and braid your hair for you." He was well aware that Thorin liked it when he offered to care for his black and silver locks.

Thorin smiled appreciatively. "Indeed?"

Bilbo stepped in front of the mirror to straighten his clothes. "Oh yes," he said absently. "Also, I couldn't help but notice all the knots in your shoulders just now. I think a massage would be in order after the bath."

He saw Thorin stand in the mirror's reflection. He resolutely kept his eyes focused on himself instead of his unashamedly naked husband. "I am honored by your suggestion," he said, stalking up behind Bilbo.

Bilbo nonchalantly moved away from the mirror just as Thorin was about to grab him around the waist. He went to the closet to retrieve one of the fur-lined coats that Thorin had gifted him, and chose the one that closely matched the color of his trousers.

"We'll need to have dinner at some point too," he remarked, going over to the desk to don his silver coronet, also crafted by Thorin. "I might see if I can persuade Bombur to make us some of those jelly pastries for dessert."

He glanced at Thorin out of the corner of his eye in time to see him grimace.

"Must you? They're so messy, and I always spill the jelly on my clothes," Thorin complained. "And you get so angry when I stain them."

Bilbo finished arranging his coronet and finally turned to face Thorin. "Who said anything about clothes?" he asked with a wicked grin.

Thorin stared at him for almost a full minute before understanding dawned on him. His mouth fell open and Bilbo was quite gratified to see him blush.

Bilbo crossed his arms and glanced up, nodding to himself. "Yes," he mumbled slowly. "I think that should make for an adequate reward for good behavior, don't you agree? Anyway, I'd better hurry, or I'll really be late." He headed for the door without waiting for an answer, his hand going to the knob...

... only to find his path blocked by Thorin's arm, keeping the door closed.

He seized the folds of Bilbo's coat and pulled him close, glaring down at him. "I did not know you could be so cruel, to tease me so," Thorin whispered huskily.

"It's only a tease if I don't deliver, which I fully intend to do when I get back tonight," Bilbo assured him. His hands wandered up to ghost against Thorin's chest. "So I suggest you sleep as much as you can today, for I daresay you'll be quite awake the rest of the night."

He didn't protest when Thorin dragged him in for one final, hard kiss, but he made sure to make a run for it when his husband tried to pick him up and return him to bed.

Bilbo laughed to himself all the way to the council meeting, and pretended not to hear when Balin asked him if Thorin was still asleep.

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