Bofur had been acting strangely. Any member of the Company could see it. But none really tried to do anything about it. They felt that Bofur was either being an idiot once more or he could deal with his problems by himself. Everyone felt this way... Except for Ori.
The young scribe was incredibly attuned to the emotional needs of everyone around him. And, after having seen Bofur so happy and carefree before this rut hit, Ori was really worried. Dwarfs didn't just become silent and aloof over nothing. Especially not dwarfs as in-tune with their feelings as Bofur was.
Something was really wrong.
At first, Ori didn't pay much attention to the older's mood changes. Because, in the beginning, they had been such small and almost imperceptible changes that almost no one noticed them. Of course, Ori did. He was the scribe there, after all. It was his job to notice everything so he could write it down as part of their tale.
The first thing Ori had noticed was the fact that Bofur started to eat less. There wasn't much food to give out to begin with, which usually meant one would get greedy and ask for more, but Bofur did the exact opposite. He offered what he didn't eat to the member he deemed fit to give it to. At time it was Bilbo, at others it was either Fili or Kili, and at even rarer times, he would offer what he could to one of the Ri siblings. But he never offered to Dwalin or Thorin, and maybe offered once to the rest.
This didn't worry the Company much because it didn't happen every night at first. It could be days that Bofur ate completely with only one day that he gave his food to someone else. And it became so normal that no one noticed when he offered his food to someone every night. No one but Ori.
Ori had been slightly worried at this, and had even taken the matter to Oin, but the older dwarf had told him he was worrying over something meaningless and small. Bofur was a grown dwarf and knew how much he had to eat every day.
The scribe had been left unsatisfied with this conclusion, but there wasn't much more he could do. So he just continued observing the miner from afar, eyes so keen and concentrated that he would notice if anything else was amiss.
And notice they did. The next oddity in Bofur's actions was his lack of whittling. When the journey had begun, Bofur would usually sit before the camp fire every night to complete his most recent creation or to begin another, but as the weeks passed, Ori found the dwarf indulging less and less in his favorite pass time.
After having been shot down the first time he had expressed concern for the miner, Ori decided to just sit still and make sure his suspicions did have reason to be. Sure, Bofur was usually a merry person, but he was allowed his quiet moments.
But that was the problem. Even though Ori hadn't known him for a very long time, he had really come to know Bofur at the beginning of their adventure. Nights were spent together teaching each other about their preferred hobbies, sharing life stories, and just enjoying the other's presence.
Ori had really started to see Bofur as the responsible yet carefree older brother he hadn't been blessed with.
Maybe that's why he was worried while the rest of the Company shrugged off their concern.
But, much to Ori's bittersweet pleasure, Bofur got worse and worse. He wouldn't talk as animatedly as before nor would he break out into song whilst they rode their ponies. He stopped whittling altogether and barely ate anymore, making Ori's worry increase tenfold.
It got so bad that Bombur and Bifur actually talked with him to try to get to the bottom of it. Ori had been writing on a log close to where they were standing, so he had been able to hear the conversation.
And Bofur was lying straight through his teeth. Unfortunately, this didn't bother the scribe as much as both Bombur and Bifur actually believing the half-assed excuses Bofur gave them for not eating!
But, what had worried Ori the most after this, was the 'secret' glances Bofur sent Thorin's way whenever he thought there was no one watching.
He may have been young and may have never felt loves touch himself, but Ori knew love when he saw it. He had seen it dozens of times in Nori's eyes whenever he got his hands on the priciest and fanciest looking trinket which he had stolen from a nobles pockets. Love was the glint in Dori's eyes whenever he looked at his younger brothers.
And love was certainly what Bofur had in his eyes whenever he allowed his eyes to stray over Thorin's form.
This too was a bittersweet victory, because even though Ori now knew where Bofur's ailment originated from, he didn't know how to help the miner. He had never fallen in love with another being. And he had certainly never fallen in love with a member of the royal family. A king at that!
"Ori! What are you doing?"
The young scribe jumped up in shock and almost allowed his notebook to fall before he gathered his wits and stumbled to grasp it safely. Ori breathed out in an indignant huff and glared up at the person that had interrupted his reverie, only to find a curious looking Fili and Kili standing before him.
"What's got you so jumpy?" Fili asked now, looking down at the seated Ori.
The scribe huffed once more and got up, closing his notebook tightly after having placed his pen inside, then glared at the brothers. He quite liked these two at times, they were funny and good company. But their problem was that they didn't understand Ori's shy nature. And while their adventurous spirit was good when taken in small doses, Ori usually found himself with way more than what was recommended of the princes' company when he least wanted it.
Like right now.
Ori made to turn around and walk back to camp and see if either Nori or Dori needed anything, but Kili reaching over his shoulder and yanking his notebook from his hands quickly dashed away his plan.
"You writing again? I thought Nori had taken this and hidden it from you?" The thief asked as he opened the book, scrolling over the pages to find the most recent entry.
Ori rolled his eyes at the prince's actions, but wasn't too worried about the notebook. This was the one he used to recollect what had happened on the journey. Nothing more than notes. He never wrote in his real notebook while the rest of the company was awake. No, he only wrote on that one when he had watch duty and knew no one was watching.
"He tried to hide it. But once I told Dori, he returned it. I believe he didn't want to face our brother's wrath." Ori shrugged softly, which made Fili smirk at him.
"Dori's wrath? What does he do? Lecture one into submission?" Fili asked in a sarcastic tone, which just got an indifferent face from Ori.
"Could be. I've never had to face it. Then again, I've never warranted anyone scolding me before."
Fili frowned at this, having understood what Ori said without words, then turned to his brother when Kili made a shocked noise.
"I know I wasn't going crazy! Fili, read this!"
Fili grabbed the book from his brother's hands and read what Kili pointed at, then hummed as he nodded softly. "I see you're not as thick as I initially thought, brother."
Kili smiled triumphantly at this, but that quickly turned into a frown when he understood the half-insult, but before he could try to insult his brother back, Fili was talking to Ori.
"Ori, you have seen the changes in Bofur as well?"
Ori frowned softly at the question, but nodded. "He has not been acting like himself for days now. I just wrote everything down so that when I bring the topic up to someone, they can't tell me it's only in my head."
"It's not only in your head, Scribe." Kili called over his brother's shoulder, reading the book over it. "It's in mine and Fili's too! Which means we're all either going crazy together-"
Fili frowned at his brother, but shook his head and turned to Ori to finish the sentence. "Or Bofur really is changing. And not for the better."
The three men became quiet after these words, all of them deep in thought, before Kili broke the silence. "What do you think has made Bofur change so much, Ori? You're much more adept when it comes to noticing things with people. You must surely have some idea."
The brothers looked at Ori for the answer now, which made him sigh softly but still nodded. "You are right for once, Kili-"
"Hey!" Kili shouted, clearly insulted, but was silence by a quick flick to the forehead from his brother.
"-and I kind of have an idea of why Bofur is like this..." Ori placed his hand on his chin, deep in thought. Maybe if he had the princes' help... "And maybe there is a way to help him..."
Kili gasped and shoved his brother to the side as Ori said this, jumping so close to the scribe that Ori actually had to take a step back so he wasn't hit by a curious Kili.
"What is it, Ori? And can I help? I'm good help!"
"Sure... Good help..." Fili grumbled from the floor, seeing how he had tripped over a root when Kili had pushed him.
The oldest Durin got up and patted himself down, then walked towards Ori with set eyes. "But I would like to help as well, Ori. Bofur has been a good friend to my brother and I since the day we met him years ago. We do not like how sad he has been lately."
Ori nodded at the taller dwarf, completely understanding where he came from, then looked at the camp where Gloin had begun the fire. "If we don't go back, they'll think we're plotting something."
Fili nodded, but Kili only smiled. "But we are plotting something. Besides, you're with us, Ori. Fili and I can't get into any trouble with you around."
The smaller dwarf only rolled his eyes at Kili's words, "While that may be true, I do not feel like being questioned by Nori and Dori. Let us head back to camp now and come back out here after supper."
"Same place?" Fili asked as he turned to the camp, making to walk off and follow Ori.
"Yes. After we've all eaten."
Kili pouted slightly at this because he had really wanted to start plotting to help Bofur, but he understood why Ori wanted to leave. So, without any complaints, he followed his brother and friend back to camp.
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