Thorin didn't get it.

He stared down at the burglar, the tiny Halfling. The wind blowing in through the opening in the cave ruffled the Hobbit's brown locks, and he smiled in his sleep. Bilbo's frail body shivered slightly as the cool air penetrated his blankets, and Thorin watched over him.

Earlier that week, just a few days ago, Bilbo had saved Thorin's life. He had valiantly jumped in front of Thorin and tackled the Orc that was about to slay him, an action that Thorin would forever be at his service for. Thorin hadn't gotten it then, and he didn't get it now. The Halfling had had no reason to save Thorin, he owed him nothing. On the contrary, considering the way that Thorin had treated the poor creature, he expected that Bilbo would have been happy to see Thorin be slain, see him lying dead. Yet, even with all of the teasing and mocking and doubting that Thorin had given the poor Hobbit, Bilbo had still tackled the Orc when none of Thorin's other, more trusted companions, had.

Which he didn't understand. And he had been thinking about it and trying to analyze the Hobbit's motives ever since.

"Nice night, isn't it? The stars are beautiful."

Thorin started. Bilbo had woken up and he hadn't even noticed.

"Why yes, dear Hobbit, I suppose so. Although I never noticed before this evening."

Thorin admired the Halfling's form. Unlike the rest of Thorin's company, Bilbo was thin, without many muscles. His eyes were as bright as the stars above them, always open, praising the world in some way. His hair, unlike Thorin's, didn't have any braids or anything of the sort. Which, Thorin thought, was what made the Hobbit so beautiful.

"Let's take a walk, shall we burglar?"

Bilbo stood in unison with Thorin, and together they walked out into the cool, open air. The Hobbit stared up, at the sky and at the stars with Thorin beside him.

"May I ask you something, Halfling?"

"What do you intend to ask?"

Thorin gave a small smile as he indicated for Bilbo to sit down beside him on a large, smooth rock. "Why did you save my life? You owed me nothing, and I had been simply horrible to you throughout our journey. Why did you do it?"

Bilbo seemed slightly taken aback by the question, and it was quite some time before he spoke. "I guess... that no matter what you'd done, or no matter how I felt, I couldn't stand by while my companion died. Although... I see you as more than a companion. You are my friend, Thorin Oakenshield. I would follow you as a king, if I ever had cause to."

"Truly, Hobbit?"

"Truly."

Thorin noticed that the Hobbit was shivering as if literally frozen, so he pulled him over, and held his small frame against his hip. Bilbo nuzzled in and Thorin smiled.

"I see you in the same way, Halfling. Although I doubt you'll ever be a king."

Bilbo laughed but Thorin silenced him with his deep, serious, tone. "But never again, burglar."

"You can call me Bilbo, Thorin. And what do you mean?"

"Fine, Bilbo. What I'm saying is that you could have been killed. You don't have any practice with swords or any kind of fighting, and you're hardly made for battle. I understand that all you were doing was saving a companion, or friend. But I don't want you to die for me. I care for you deeply, Bilbo, and I would rather you return safely to the Shire than for me to live."

"Thorin, if I was about to be beheaded, you would have done the same."

There was no answer.

Bilbo sighed. "I did it because I cared deeply about you. It wasn't my idea to go on this journey, and I will be quite excited when it's time to go back home to the Shire. But... I'll miss you. I don't want you to die. I understand that you care about me, but you can't stop me from saving you, Thorin."

Thorin stared at Bilbo, puzzling over what to do with him, but in a good way. More like puzzling over how to keep him safe.

He moved closer to Bilbo and hugged him, tightly, shielding him from harm. Thorin stayed that way, with Bilbo pressed against, him for what seemed like eternity. When he finally broke away, he spoke. "You stay safe, Hobbit. Just stay safe, for me."

And with that, he headed back inside the cave.