Bilbo Baggins was preparing dinner for himself and his young cousin Frodo when the door knocked. He put the large pot of soup over the fire, then tousled Frodo's hair and instructed him to keep watch. Frodo nodded quietly, his blue eyes solemn. Supper-time would not be messed with on his watch!
Upon opening the door, Bilbo gave a loud cry of joy and embraced the dark dwarf standing on the stoop. The dwarf smiled, lifting the hobbit up into the air and laughing deeply.
"Thorin, my good friend!" Bilbo said as his feet returned to the floor. "Come, come in!"
Thorin Oakenshield stepped into the hobbit hole, politely removing his shoes.
"It is good to see you again, my burglar," he said, more cheerful than when Bilbo had last seen him.
Frodo, hearing the commotion at the front door, peered round the corner with big eyes at the dwarf.
"And master Frodo!" Thorin exclaimed, kneeling down and reaching a hand out to the small hobbit.
Giggling, Frodo ran to the dwarf and jumped up to hug him. Bilbo looked at them fondly, then realized deep in his heart that something had changed. Now what could it be…?
Standing up with the young hobbit in his arms, Thorin turned to Bilbo, "If I am correct, it is supper-time?"
"Yes, yes. Do come in, I'll put the kettle on."
They walked into the kitchen, where the soup had just begun to boil.
"I have soup and biscuits and cakes, but try not to give Frodo any cake until he eats his soup." Bilbo muffed up Frodo's hair again, and the blue eyed hobbit grinned. "Now, tell me, what of your kin?" He began to serve the soup and tea.
Frodo sipped at his soup as Bilbo and Thorin talked late into the evening. His head was filled with talk of far off places while he listened. Before long, he was sent to bed, and off he went to fight orcs with his stuffed oliphant in his dreams.
"I know it is not common of a dwarf king to help with dishes, but will you?" Bilbo asked Thorin gently, smiling as he walked back into the room from putting Frodo to bed. He picked up his and Frodo's dishes (a surprising many) and carried them to the sink. To his slight surprise, Thorin stood and walked up next to him, dishes in hand.
"I will wash," he commanded, very much to the hobbit's surprise.
They were able to clean the dishes quite quickly, with Thorin washing and Bilbo drying.
"What ever has got you in a helping mood, if I may ask?" Bilbo blushed, hoping he hadn't crossed a line with his friend.
Thorin sighed, then said, "Times are changing, my burglar. Middle Earth is not the safe place it once was." He looked over at the hobbit, who felt his breath leave him all at once as though he were hit.
"Have you news of Gandalf, then?" Bilbo asked quietly. "Surely a wizard would be helpful…"
"He will come as he does. I have not heard much, but more than you I am sure. Let us sit by the hearth; talk of wizards goes better with a little light."
Bilbo nodded, shuddering. He had not seen Gandalf in months, nigh on a year, and was worried for him. The pair stayed up late into the night to talk over troubles, past and present.
…
Bilbo woke in the early hours of the morning to Frodo lightly tapping his shoulder and whispering, "Uncle, uncle. Please wake up."
"What is it, my lad?" Bilbo asked, rubbing his eyes. "Did you have a nightmare?"
"I think Uncle Thorin is having one," the young hobbit said, pointing to the hallway.
Listening, Bilbo could hear Thorin thrashing in bed and muttering. Concern immediately came across his face, and he got out of his own bed quickly.
"Go back to bed Frodo, I will take care of Uncle Thorin."
Frodo nodded, seeing orcs in every shadow of the room before running back down the hall.
Bilbo hurried to the room he had reserved as Thorin's. He halted at the door, but only for a moment before pushing in and coming to stand next to the dwarf.
"Thorin," he called out softly, placing a hand on his shoulder, "Thorin wake up. It is nothing more than a nightmare."
Thorin woke with a start, staring up at the hobbit and shaking. He sat up, saying "Bilbo. I am sorry to have woken you"
"No, no. What were you dreaming?"
Bilbo took a seat on the edge of the bed next to him, then realized embarrassingly too late that they were both in night clothes and that Thorin probably wanted nothing to do with him.
"It was The Battle. The one for Erebor…" Thorin put his head in his hands. "My company… and you… all perished."
Bilbo inhaled sharply. He found his heart beating fast at the thought of Thorin afraid to lose him.
The hobbit gently placed a hand on his friend's shoulder, squeezing lightly.
"Not to worry Thorin, we all survived. You even ended up back in the Shire with me and Frodo."
Thorin nodded, looking over his hands at Bilbo. "You are real, then."
Bilbo, confused, nodded back.
"Lately, I find my heart longing for peace and quiet," Thorin confessed, suddenly soft and sad. "I wish for a place to settle, never having to travel between Erebor and wherever my kin task."
After a moment, Bilbo said quietly, "You are always welcome at Bag End. You know I set aside this room for your visits, and your company may always rest their feet here."
Tears began to stream down Thorin's face, and Bilbo wanted nothing more than to hug the dwarf. After a moment of hesitation, he did so, expecting him to recoil. When the dwarf leaned into him, Bilbo realized this was something he had wanted for a long time.
It was a while before either spoke.
Thorin looked up to the hobbit, his breathing slightly ragged after crying, and Bilbo couldn't help but blush at how close their faces were.
"Do you feel better, Thorin?" he asked softly, running a hand up and down his back.
Thorin nodded, silent, then hugged Bilbo back tightly. The hobbit felt his breath stop for a second, then the weight of the dwarf slowly started to make him fall over onto the bed. After the pair crashed down on the bed, Bilbo giggled quietly and nuzzled Thorin lightly.
They looked at each other, and Bilbo could see the fondness in his friend's eyes. After a moment of hesitation, the hobbit offered to spend the rest of the night with the dwarf, just in case of more nightmares.
…
Bilbo woke before Thorin. Not moving so as not to disturb the sleeping dwarf, he admired his strong face, and realized with a blush that he wanted nothing more than to kiss him. When Thorin opened his eyes, the hobbit quickly looked away, only to have the dwarf place a hand on his cheek.
"Thank you, Bilbo. Your kindness is truly appreciated."
Bilbo smiled, opening his mouth to reply, when a loud crash came from the kitchen.
"Oh! Frodo!" he exclaimed, hurrying up and out of the bed with Thorin hot on his heels.
They arrived in the kitchen to Frodo sitting next to a large pile of pans and pots. He looked up at the pair and began to cry, and Bilbo quickly picked him up and rocked him.
"What are you up to, little one?" Thorin asked, causing Frodo to cry harder.
"I j-just…breakfast! For Uncle…" the little hobbit choked out.
Bilbo and Thorin exchanged a look over Frodo's head.
"What do you want to make Uncle Thorin, my lad?" Bilbo asked kindly, smiling down at Frodo, who rubbed his eyes.
"Baked apple toast," he said as his tears began to slow, "like you make Gandalf…"
Bilbo nodded and said, "Well, we better get started if we want to make that, huh?"
Frodo nodded back, then looked at Thorin and sniffed, "It was gonna be a surprise…"
"Oh yes, you never saw me!" Thorin winked at Frodo and hurried out of the room, getting a small giggle from him.
Thorin wandered the halls of Bag End, listening to Bilbo and Frodo baking together. That was something he wanted. He had enjoyed helping raise Kili and Fili immensely, but what if the child was his own? He shook his head. These were not good thoughts to be having for the King Under the Mountain, when he knew he barely had time to see Bilbo as it was. But still…
When he heard that the baked apple toast was done, he reentered the kitchen, faking a yawn to simulate just getting out of bed.
"Good morning, master Frodo," he said, giving the small hobbit a smile that melted Bilbo's heart.
"Good morning Uncle Thorin! I made this for you!" Frodo pushed a plate piled high with the apple toast into Thorin's hands.
"Thank you very much!"
Bilbo put plates down for himself and Frodo, and convinced his young cousin to put a napkin over his lap. Breakfasts at Bag End sometimes got messy.
After the baked apple toast, Bilbo had tea and oatmeal for himself and Thorin while Frodo ran outside to get the mail.
"Oh! I should not have let him go outside in night clothes, goodness," Bilbo exclaimed.
"You yourself are in night clothes, Mr Baggins," Thorin said, laughing deeply.
"Hush hush, you are too, we really should get dressed…"
Thorin smiled across the table at Bilbo, who smiled back with a blush. The dwarf extended a hand and took Bilbo's softly, then squeezed.
"You are a good father to Frodo."
'Th-thank you," Bilbo practically squeaked, not sure what to make of the physical contact from Thorin. "Um. Would you be interested in helping me make rice pudding for elevensies?"
"I may not be as much help as Frodo," Thorin said softly, and Bilbo thought he could detect a hint of nervousness in his voice.
"Not to worry! I will show you." The hobbit stood, taking their joined hands and Thorin with him as he went to get a pot for the rice. There was a slight sadness in Bilbo's chest when he had to let go of Thorin's hand to grab the other ingredients. When everything was added, he stepped a little closer than necessary to the dwarf and led him through a couple rotations of stirring the pot.
When the pudding had thickened, Bilbo placed it out on the table and turned to find Thorin standing right behind him. He tried to step back, but ran into the table, and stopped short. In no time at all, their lips were pressed together in a close kiss, and Bilbo found himself closing his eyes and enjoying it.
Both were panting when they broke apart.
"I am sorry, Bilbo-" Thorin started, but his words were cut off by the hobbit stepping forward and kissing him again.
"Please stay in the Shire for a little while," Bilbo asked softly when they stepped back.
Thorin nodded, already planning to send word that he'd be delayed.
"Hey Uncle Bilbo? Can I go play with Sam?" came Frodo's voice from the doorway, and both Bilbo and Thorin blushed and turned to him.
"After you change into day clothes, Frodo," Bilbo said, wondering just how long he had been there.
Giggling, Frodo ran to his room and changed.