Bilbo's Misadventures: Rivendell, Here We Come!

Dwarfs are often known for their stubbornness and hard headed behavior, while this was true of Thorin Oakenshield, he wasn't the only individual acting that way. Bilbo Baggins held a huge grudge against the king for his birthday outburst, offended greatly by the dwarf ripping his present Bilbo had made with such enthusiasm. Bilbo had been giving the mean spirited Thorin the silent treatment. Saying not a word to him for weeks, thinking it'd teach the other a lesson.

Being the ass that he was, Thorin was fine with the hobbits cold shoulder act, enjoying the peace and quiet around the mountain. Mocking Bilbo as he'd walk by and making silly faces the way a child would tease another. To Bilbo's credit, he never retaliated, walking by as if the dwarf wasn't even there.

Kili and Fili tried talking to both parties about their behavior, but neither Bilbo or Thorin would stop their senseless ways. One day, Bilbo confided he planned on taking a short trip to Rivendell, that he was going there for some rest and relaxation.

"You're not leaving us forever, are you Bilbo?" Kili questioned, worried that the hobbit was leaving because of his uncle.

"Oh no, just a little journey for some peace of mind. I'll be back before you know it." Bilbo reassured the nephews as they watched him begin his packing.

As quick as they could, Fili and Kili rushed to tell their uncle, hoping he'd lose his attitude of late and show concern for their departing friend.

"Dwarfs not good enough for him, eh? Getting friendly with elves, I swear it's like he wants to get under my skin with his silly antics! Let him go, we're better off." He flapped his trap, his temper still holding onto sore feelings towards the hobbit.

"Uncle! We thought you cared about Bilbo!" Fili looked upon the king with a distasteful emotion plastered on his young mug.

"Bilbo's the one abandoning us for elves, who am I to tell the little brat that he can't go frolic and banter with the sissy, limp-wristed race?!" He huffed in a passive/aggressive manner.

"But uncle, Fili and I think he's doing this because of your fight. Can't you just say something to him?" Kili pleaded with his kin, watching as his uncle began to experience a nervous twitch in his face.

"What fight? I can't recall a recent argument with the tight lipped hobbit." He put on a front, not inclined to talk about the birthday incident ever again if possible.

Try as they would, neither nephew could get Thorin to stop Bilbo from taking his vacation to Rivendell. The day he left, Thorin watched from afar as the little hobbit began his trek away from the mountain, fighting internally emotions he didn't understand; or didn't want to understand. He felt relieved that no more silly schemes would be played out due to the little hobbits absence, yet he also worried if the small fellow would even make it in one piece to the destination he had chosen. And what if he got lost? Tiredly the dwarf began to worry, coming up with horrible situations the traveling Bilbo could get himself into.

It took only three days of the hobbits absence, when Thorin made up his mind to go search for him, just to make sure he was safe and not laying along some road, half eaten or worse; raped. Three days of worrying had supplied him with enough imaginative and horrendous situations that were less than pleasant for his traveling friend. His anger had subsided due to fear for the others safety, deep down Thorin wasn't mad enough to see Bilbo knifed by some criminal on the open road, all because of their spat they had.

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"Why Bilbo Baggins, I was just on my way to see if you were gone from the mountain and headed back to the Shire!" Gandalf the Gray had been trekking his way towards the Lonely Mountain and by chance had found little Bilbo already on the road. His backpack full, the hobbit was most certainly on a journey, yet his eyes held a sad emotion. After all his fuss over leaving the Shire, Gandalf was surprised the hobbit had stayed as long as he had at the mountain. Now why was he so upset to go back home? What had taken him so long to leave in the first place?

"Gandalf, I'm glad to see you. I wasn't exactly on my way home, you see I just wanted to take a relaxing rest in Rivendell for a while. I have every intention of coming back to the mountain." The hobbit informed the traveling wizard, watching with unease as Gandalf eyed him curiously.

"Bilbo? Don't you miss your books, your house, your own people? Why haven't you gone back to it all?" The gray bearded wizard was determined to know the reason, waiting patiently for the fidgety fellow to answer him.

"I don't know, Gandalf. I've grown to enjoy their company, they're quite fun to be around and I have new books here to read, a room of my own. It's like we're all one big family inside the mountain." Bilbo tried explaining, Gandalf had a brow raised as if waiting for more reason than just that.

"And what about Thorin?" Gandalf questioned, knowing that the two had had a few disagreeable moments throughout the journey to take back the Lonely Mountain.

"What about him, Gandalf?" Bilbo inquired, a bit bad tempered in his tone of voice.

"I see. He's still crotchety towards you, isn't he? Well, it's probably for the best that you do leave, he's probably ready for his guest to go home." These words were by no means meant to hurt feelings, but they most certainly did.

Bilbo began to cry, right there in front of the confused wizard, Gandalf didn't do well with weepy people. Awkwardly he patted the little fellow's back in an attempt at being understanding and kind, even though he had no clue why the hobbit was a wailing mess.

"I just, I just wanted to be with them all a bit longer, I was hoping he'd say something to me, but if he was glad to see me go then...then..." Bilbo cried hard after that short bit of words, Gandalf listening yet still uncertain why his little friend was being so emotional.

"He's a dwarf king with a lot on his mind, Bilbo. No doubt he has things to do that will be much easier without having company to attend to. Like finding a wife for instance." Gandalf innocently made the comment, just thinking logically out loud about possible things the dwarf would be considering. He hadn't meant to make the hobbit even more upset. The weepy fellow lost his footing and now was plopped on the ground, sobbing.

Was it something he had said, Gandalf wondered? But how could his words have hurt Bilbo's feelings? It wasn't as if the hobbit was fond of Thorin, and upset over the dwarf settling down. That'd just be silly, dwarfs and hobbits getting together, sharing their lives and growing old with one another. Still, Gandalf had to ask if there was an attraction going on between Bilbo and the dwarf king, just to make sure that wasn't the reason for the hobbits breakdown.

"Bilbo, this may be an odd question, but are you fond of Thorin Oakenshield?" The wizard tried asking gently, bending down to the hobbit's grounded position.

Bilbo sniffed and he took his hands to try and wipe away his onslaught of tears, feeling embarrassed now as Gandalf asked him the question everyone always wondered.

Thorin annoyed and outraged him to no end! Yet there had been moments with that dwarf that made Bilbo very happy, moments when Thorin wasn't acting grumpy, when he showed kindness to Bilbo. He felt his heart aching at the thought of Thorin settling down, though emotionally the hobbit didn't know what to do about his feelings for the other. He was a hobbit and Thorin was a dwarf. Sure, they had very intense physical moments due to Bilbos silliness, and the other dwarfs already sort of assumed Bilbo was Thorin's 'special companion'.

Even though there was all that to consider, Bilbo didn't truly know if the dwarf liked him in that manner. He always avoided the subtle questions Bilbo would ask to see if the dwarf was an interested partner. How ever do you force a dwarf like that to confess his feelings? It was hopeless and Bilbo was feeling it wholeheartedly right now, sitting on the ground crying over a dwarf who let him leave without even saying goodbye!

"It's hopeless Gandalf. He'll never let me know how he feels. That's why I was leaving, I wanted to force him to admit he wanted me to stay, or chase after me. Yet here I am, no dwarf chasing this hobbit, he's made his choice I guess." Bilbo spoke quietly as the wizard listened, the listener feeling uncomfortable with all this relationship business. He was never good with matters of the heart, and didn't know exactly what to do or say to make his friend feel any better.

"I'll see that you get to Rivendell safely, Bilbo. Perhaps after your time spent there, you'll have made up your mind about going home to the Shire?" Gandalf spoke, watching Bilbo nod his head sadly in answer.

"Up we go." Gandalf helped up his downed friend, getting Bilbo back on his feet once more. "How long have you been traveling?" He asked of Bilbo.

"Six days, I feel as if I haven't gotten very far, though." The hobbit confided to his friend, his eyes still glued to the ground.

Just then, both companions heard the thundering of hooves headed their way, Bilbos head looked up as he and Gandalf watched the rider pop out from around a corner.

Thorin Oakenshield was in the saddle, riding his trusted mount towards the shocked looking pair. His mane of hair windswept and lightly tangled, his eyes rimmed with dark circles. Thorin came to a stop next to the wizard and hobbit, dismounting his pony and marching purposefully towards the awestruck Bilbo.

Standing directly in front of the hobbit, he looked Bilbo dead in the eyes as his rough hands grasped both upper arms of the fellow.

"Do you know how stubborn and pig headed you are? You could have been killed by anything roaming these lands, you're not adept in traveling alone you over confident airhead! I've lost sleep worrying over where your body might be rotting, wondering if we'd even find a body!" Thorin let out his frustrated words of concern, Bilbo's lower lip was jutted out and his eyes were beginning to get glassy once more.

"If you're still determined to go frolic with the elves of Rivendell, then you're going to go with an escort. I won't rest until I know you're not about to be killed by some fiend out on the open road. You're just going to have to deal with my company, Bilbo Baggins, whether you want it or not!" Thorin finished his speech, eyeing the hobbit for any sign of defiance.

Bilbo hugged him, greatly surprising the king as he loosened his hold on Bilbos upper arms so that the hobbit could hug him adequately. Thorin let out a sigh and rested his tired chin on Bilbos head as the hobbit cried and hugged the dwarf. Their moment was interrupted by a coughing noise from Gandalf.

"Well, since you two are on a small quest, I'll go make sure things are safe and sound at the mountain while you're away." He offered, wanting to leave the two alone, feeling awkward in their company at the moment. Even wizards knew when they were third wheels...

Carefully the two intertwined companions separated and let Gandalf know that they'd write when they got to Rivendell. As soon as the wandering wizard left, Thorin helped Bilbo onto Minty and mounted the animal behind the hobbit, wrapping his arms around Bilbo as he took up the reins. Bilbos face felt warm as they started their way, together towards Rivendell and relaxation.

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The Hobbit belongs to J.R.R. Tolkien

A/N: Okay, going for another short chapter story. Potentially I want to somehow make Elrond the reluctant relationship adviser for these two when they get to Rivendell. It'll start out with Bilbo complaining about Thorin to Elrond, and Elrond being a good listener that he is gets dragged into offering relationship advise. It's going to be a fun little tale! Hope you're all excited and are ready to let me know how you're liking the story by reviewing!