Disclaimer: The Hobbit, all characters, places, and related terms are the sole property of J. R. R. Tolkien's estate, and Warner Brothers, New Line Cinema, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, and WingNut Films.
Author's Note: Minifill for a prompt on the hobbit-kink meme.
Helpless
"Bilbo!"
The hobbit ignores Thorin's shout as it echoes through the great hall. He avoids the still hot molten gold as he races to the huge doors, destroyed in Smaug's wake, and then out of the mountain as fast as he can.
In the cool fresh air the smell of smoke and fire still lingers in his lungs, growing terror twisting his stomach into a cold hard knot. Bilbo stumbles, falls hard, the wind knocked out of him. Scrambling to his knees, he stares at the dark silhouette of Smaug flying through the air, making all speed for Lake-town, which appears very small and far off to the Halfling from here on the Lonely Mountain. But the dragon will be there in just a few moments.
"You can't go to Lake-town!"
No. Anywhere but there. The people of Lake-town are poor, innocent, and defenseless. His dwarves, his friends, his family are down there.
Not there.
"You care about them!"
Aye, yet it is Bofur whom his thoughts focus on the most. Bofur…his unexpected, silly, caring best friend. Regret flows through Bilbo. He did not have a proper exchange of "Good morning!" with the toymaker today, let alone anything resembling a goodbye. No final encouraging word. Nor a warm, long hug. Nothing.
Here, upon the mountain, there is nothing Bilbo can do to warn his friend of the approaching danger. His attempt at burglary awakened Smaug and his fiery. All the hobbit is bringing on Bofur – everyone – are fire and death.
"What have we done?" he wonders, his voice hoarse.
Unblinking, his tear-filled eyes track the dragon's flight as Smaug bears down on the town. Nearer, nearer, nearer… Bilbo's heart thunders in his ears. Bofur, Bofur, Bofur, BofurBofurBofurBofur.
"What have I done?"
Far below the valley and lake in the mountain's shadow become illuminated with dragon fire.
THE END