AN: So I received a prompt/ask from Moonrose91 and she wanted me to write a sequel to my first story Off Limits. The basic summary for this is how Bilbo's piercing starts to hurt and stuff and how Thorin takes care of Bilbo during that period of time. Also, I listened to Midsummer Night by Brian Crain while typing this story, you can listen to it at the same time that you read it if you want to. Without further ado, here's the story, I do hope I managed to pull it off, do comment after reading guys! Thanks! :)

Disclaimer: I do not own The Hobbit or any of the characters in anyway. This story was 100% fanmade for the fans by a fan.

Gentle Hands

It had been a few months after Bilbo had gotten his ear pierced and a few months since Thorin had officially made his claim on him. Bilbo smiled at the memory now as he waited in the courtyard for the hunting party to come back from the forest, Thorin in the lead as they entered the gates of the castle. When their eyes met, the dwarf King smiled at him warmly and Bilbo's cheeks heated up. He still wasn't used to the attention that the dwarf King loved to shower upon him both in private and when they were being watched, especially when they were being watched. Bilbo had to admit it was sweet that Thorin liked to show his love for him to others.

Thorin jumped off the foal that he had been riding on, going straight over to where Bilbo was now, "Hello," he greeted, caressing Bilbo's cheek his hand flicking lightly against the piercing as it went along, his habit now.

"Hello, Thorin," Bilbo replied, flinching a little as Thorin touched the ear cuff. These last few days it had begun to ache slightly every time Thorin touched it. Bilbo didn't want to think too much about it, deciding it was nothing more than a case of his ear being unused to the piercing, so he decided it was best not to raise an alarm about it. After all he had gotten so used to the way Thorin liked to tease him with that ear cuff and the weight of it as it dangled on his ear. He felt that if he did take it off it would be like exposing a part of himself and he wasn't accustomed to it.

"Are you alright?" the dwarf asked, concerned when he saw the slight glimmer of pain cross the halfling's face when the other flinched. He was sure it had something to do with the piercing some how. Thorin had noticed that for the past few days now and he was worried.

"Absolutely perfect," Bilbo said smiling in that endearing way that he had, trying to reassure Thorin that all was well.

"Good," Thorin said, deciding not to press the matter now, smiling as he steered Bilbo into the castle before them, behind them his nephews and the other dwarves that had accompanied him on the hunting trip were carrying in their prize kills.

"So what did you manage to catch?" Bilbo asked coming up to Thorin once he had finished instructing the cooks in the kitchen.

"Would you like to guess?" Thorin asked, slipping his hand casually into Bilbo's as they walked out off the kitchen now, his thumb stroking gently back and forth over the back of the hobbit's hand in a soothing motion.

"Pheasant? Deer? Maybe a boar?" Bilbo asked, his body responding with excitement as Thorin held his hand as they walked.

Thorin laughed in the way Bilbo's eyes lit up at the mention of food, he knew all of the halfling's favorites and Bilbo was going to like dinner tonight that was for sure, "I got your favorite, deer meat," Thorin said as he nodded to the council members who were preparing for a meeting and were standing in the hallway as they passed, "You wouldn't believe how long it took for me to chase it down," Thorin said.

"You shouldn't have gone to the trouble of it," Bilbo said, he knew how much Thorin loved to shower gifts on him but he didn't like to trouble the dwarf king with unnecessary business…even if they were lovers, "The food here is as nice as it gets. Though I do miss what I used to have back in the Shire."

"Do you want to go back?" Thorin asked a little worried, "I mean you don't exactly have to stay here always…"

Bilbo shook his head, "Don't be stupid Thorin, look," he said pointing to the ear cuff that dangled at his ear, "this means I'm yours. I don't want to go back, so don't worry," Bilbo assured him.

Thorin smirked, fiddling with the little chain that was attached to the ear cuff he tugged on it lightly, catching the way in which Bilbo's face scrunched up in a slight display of pain at that, "We could always go back to the Shire when you want. But I'm going to have to go with you, just to protect you," Thorin added as he opened the doors back to his room now, ushering Bilbo in before he himself entered closing the doors behind him.

Now, he decided to bring up the matter of the ear cuff, "Bilbo, there's something wrong with your piercing now, isn't there?" Thorin asked, getting straight to the point.

Bilbo immediately shook his head, "N-no. Why would you think so?" he asked, bringing a hand to his ear to touch the cuff. The halfling knew. He'd examined it the other night when he had taken a soak in the tub, his ear was slightly swollen around the area of the piercing and the skin, slightly reddened. In truth his skin was raw, he hadn't ever had a piercing on his ear and this was his body's way of reacting to the rather sudden change. Of course it would go away in time and with care and Bilbo knew just as well what Thorin might think up if he knew.

"It's just every time I touch it, I seem to be causing you pain," Thorin said, "let me just have a look, alright?" he asked, leading Bilbo over to the bed and seating him down.

Reluctantly, the hobbit sat, staring up at Thorin, his hands gripping the sides of the bed, as he casually swung his legs, "It's fine. Really Thorin, you're just seeing things."

"Just relax. I can always complete what I started, Bilbo," Thorin hinted with a smirk as his fingers, gently took of the backing of the piercing, slowly working it out of the hobbit's ear, noticing the way in which Bilbo shifted slightly, his legs parting just a bit. "Are you feeling alright?" Thorin asked knowingly as he set the ear cuff on the bedside table.

"Thorin," Bilbo reprimanded, feeling his cheeks heating up under the dwarf King's touch, "its really nothing, my ear is fine... Hurry and get it done with."

Thorin pulled back now, his fingers running through the halfling's blonde hair and pushing it back so that it didn't cover his ear. He saw it, the swollen lobe of the hobbit's ear, the skin slightly reddened. "You were in pain all along and you couldn't tell me?" Thorin said, as Bilbo looked away now, averting his eyes.

"I-I…didn't want you to worry…and…you know…" Bilbo murmured.

"Don't want me to worry?" Thorin lifted Bilbo's face, making the hobbit look to him, "Bilbo, listen to me. You're mine now. This means you are my responsibility. You are in my care. If anything happens to you, if you're in pain or feeling any discomfort you have to let me know. Even if it's something as small as your ear being infected," Thorin said, his voice gentle. He cared so much for Bilbo, he knew the halfling's thinking he didn't want him to worry what with him already busy having to run the kingdom.

"Bilbo you're as important to me as this kingdom, maybe even more so since you helped me to get it back. I care a lot for you, you understand?" he asked seeing the hobbit nod, his hazel brown eyes becoming slightly teary, Thorin smiled, "I touch you very easily I see?"

Bilbo laughed. He'd never stopped loving Thorin even with all his duties as King that kept them apart and all his previous flaws. He loved especially how Thorin always treated him with respect and kindness and how he cared for him, just as he was doing so now, "I love you Thorin," he whispered, smiling up at the other.

"I love you too," Thorin said, leaning in to kiss the halfling softly on the lips. "I'll be back with healing salve for your ear. You stay here and wait alright?" Thorin asked.

Bilbo nodded his response, smiling once more at the dwarf king as he left the room. As soon as he was gone, Bilbo began to worry. Healing salve meant that Thorin would have to touch his ear. Of course Bilbo could tell Thorin that he wanted to apply the medication on his own…but he knew Thorin wouldn't like that, protective, caring lover that he was. The halfling chewed on his lower lip, this was going to turn into another of their love making sessions, god only knows how many times Thorin had made love to him, not that Bilbo didn't want it…

Seeing Thorin back now, the hobbit scooted further back in bed, making a space for the dwarf king to sit at the edge of the bed. He blushed when Thorin looked at him, those deep blue eyes, staring into his very soul, seemingly to undress him already.

Thorin uncapped the bottle of healing salve that he had gotten from the castle's apothecary. He took some on his fingers and leant forward, about to touch Bilbo's ear when the other pulled back, "What is it?" he asked.

"Sensitive ears…" Bilbo murmured, shyly averting his eyes again.

Thorin smirked, "You're just going to have to wait till it's done with, now come back here," he said.

Obediently Bilbo moved back again, feeling the touch of Thorin's fingers covered in the cooling healing salve on his ear now. He shuddered as the dwarf King's fingers tenderly massaged the healing salve into his ear, dulling the slight ache that he had been feeling for the past few days. He chanced a look up and he noticed the intense stare that Thorin's blue eyes had fixed him with. Immediately, Bilbo averted his eyes again, his mouth going dry. He took deep breaths, trying to calm his racing heart. Being close to Thorin always aroused him, especially if Thorin was touching his ear.

"I think you might need a little more healing salve," Thorin murmured as he took another round of the pale coloured paste, moving in to touch Bilbo's ear again, this time he moved in dipping his head and letting his lips press to the hobbit's as his fingers continued their circular massaging motion as he rubbed the healing salve into the halfling's ear.

Thorin's tongue swiped along the seam of Bilbo's lips, once again asking for entrance and as before, Bilbo, slightly startled but wanting this kiss as much as Thorin, parted his lips, feeling Thorin's tongue in his mouth rubbing against his own. The exquisite feeling of the wet muscles rubbing together and of Thorin's tender ministrations on his infected ear mixed together made the halfling moan into the kiss.

"Thorin!" came the call from the door, it was Kili.

"Uncle!" Kili called again when he received no reply. What in the world can his uncle be up to now? He'd seen Bilbo going off together with his uncle. Could it be? He pressed his ear to the door now. There was nothing but silence that met him back.

"Maybe they're asleep?" Fili offered as he stood a little ways away from his brother, he knew it wasn't a good idea to go around disturbing people. Especially their uncle when he was in his room.

Kili shook his head, "I doubt it. Uncle's appetite for Bilbo is…you know," he said smirking as he made some gestures.

Fili rolled his eyes, "All the more reason why you shouldn't disturb them Kili."

"It's important, we need to get him to see that we can get things done too," Kili said knocking once more on the door before he opened it to see his uncle pinning the halfling to the bed, his hand, hidden under the halfling's shirt. "Uncle!" Kili called smirking as he startled the older dwarf who glared daggers at him, hiding Bilbo from his view.

"What. Do. You. Want." Thorin growled as he reluctantly left Bilbo's side to attend to his irritating nephew.

"Oh, nothing. I was wondering if you weren't too busy, could you take your responsibilities as King seriously and attended the meeting we're going to have to plan about the celebration of our victory over Smaug?" Kili asked innocently looking to his uncle.

"You had to ask me now?" Thorin roared, his nephew standing before him still unfazed. They had no knowledge of private time, especially Kili. Kili loved to disturb him and he was the main reason why he'd gone and made Bilbo have an ear cuff with his insignia on it in the first place.

"I figured it was important, Fili and I thought up something very good. You know how you always said that we needed to take responsibility, well we're doing so now."

Thorin shook his head, "I was busy attending to Bilbo's infected ear you know."

"Sure didn't look like it," Kili murmured under his breath before continuing, "So are you coming down or not?"

"Do I have a choice?" he asked to which Fili shook his head and Kili smirked, "I'll be down as soon as I can," he said shutting the door on his nephews now, going back to Bilbo.

"Duties?" Bilbo asked his cheeks still lightly tinged with a pinkish blush.

"Irritating nephews, they pick the worst times for meetings," Thorin said.

The halfling smiled at him, "My ear is fine by the way Thorin. It'll be better, so you can go for your meeting now and don't worry about me."

"I can never not worry about you Bilbo. Every moment I'm away from you, I worry if you are alright," Thorin said, pulling Bilbo close to him as he hugged him, stroking the halfling's hair, "Bilbo…I want you to know that even if we don't get much time to spend together, I still love you."

"I know that Thorin, you don't have to tell me twice," Bilbo said as he leaned his head on the dwarf king's shoulder, hearing the other's heart beating, contented with the way they were.

"Good," Thorin said with a smile, "Oh I'll finish this off tonight Bilbo, you can count on that."

The halfling shook his head, "My ear is fine Thorin."

"It doesn't look like it to me. Besides the instruction for the cream is that it's to be applied twice every day."

"But-" Bilbo began before being cut of by the other with a kiss.

"No buts Bilbo. I'm responsible for you and I care for you. So I'm going to apply that healing salve for you again tonight," Thorin said as he pulled away from their embrace now, headed for the door.

"One more thing Bilbo," the dwarf king said holding the door open.

"What is it?" Bilbo asked as he sat back down on the edge of Thorin's bed.

"We should take a vacation down to the Shire sometime. I'd like to go there. Just me and you," Thorin said and with that he left the room.

"A vacation down to the Shire…" Bilbo murmured, a smile on his lips as he lay back in bed, deciding to take a short nap before dinner, "I'd like that."

-FIN-