Disclaimer: I do not own the hobbit or LOTR

"Bilbo Baggins?" A voice called from the door. The hobbit raced to it, not having been expecting company. Upon opening the door he found a Dwarf and behind him were two smaller dwarves.

"Yes?" Bilbo asked looking curiously at the trio. The dwarf who'd called was tall, not tall enough to be a man but tall for dwarvish standards. He had a light bit of stubble on his chin and long black hair that had been pulled back haphazardly in braids. On the dwarf's right was a small blond dwarf with a frock of hair and a pout on his clean little face. On his left was a smaller young dwarf with shaggy black hair and a mischievous grin on his dirt smudged face.

"Are you Mister Bilbo Baggins?" The dwarf pressed with a frown.

"I am. And who, if you don't mind my asking, are you Master dwarf?" Bilbo asked. He was going to add questioning their presence on his doorstep but deemed it unwise.

"Uncle? Who's at the door?" Asked a small voice as a tired looking hobbit padded towards them. Frodo, orphaned at a young age had fallen to Bilbo's care and was still very small and young.

"Did we wake you Frodo mi'boy?" Bilbo asked as he picked up the tiny hobbit and rested him on his hip. Frodo nodded and rubbed his eyes with a big yawn. Bilbo turned back to the dwarves to notice the two smaller ones looking up at the addresser hopefully.

"I was told by a wizard of the name Gandalf that we might stay here for a few nights." He said not paying attention to the young dwarves. "My name is Thorin and these are my nephews Kili and Fili." Thorin said indicating the smaller was Kili and the blond was Fili.

"Well despite the fact that he had no right to offer you my home, I suppose you are welcome. How many nights to you expect to be staying?" Bilbo asked stepping aside to allow the dwarves to enter his warm home. Thorin took off one his thick coats and hung it on one of the hooks lining the wall. Bilbo felt a tug and turned to look down at the small dwarf tugging on his pant leg. The small boy, Fili, was looking up at Bilbo and put his arms up wanting to be held. Bilbo smiled kindly and scooped the boy up, resting him on his other hip.

"Two or three nights I suppose." Thorin said as he turned around. His eyes fell on Fili and he sighed and plucked the boy from Bilbo's arms and put him on the ground. "Now stop bothering him. Apologize and run along to play with your brother." Thorin said. Fili looked up at Bilbo with big sad eyes.

"He wasn't being a bother it's no trouble really. Children need to be loved." Bilbo said as he scooped the dwarf up again. The dwarf smiled and shut his eyes as he cuddled up to Bilbo easily. Thorin nodded looking uncomfortable as he looked around. "Are you hungry? Or thirsty? Should I show you to your rooms?" Bilbo offered as he noticed Fili had fallen asleep on his shoulder and was drooling and starting to snore.

"I suppose I should put them down. They're tired from the long journey." Thorin said looking down at his boot where Kili had latched to. He was sitting on Thorin's foot with his arms and legs wrapped firmly around his angle and leg.

"Frodo, do you want to show them their rooms?" Bilbo offered. The small hobbit nodded and hopped out of Bilbo's arms and began skipping down the hall.

"Kili." Thorin said shaking his foot. Kili blinked up at Thorin and yawned. Bilbo smiled, forcing himself not to say anything rude about Thorin's parenting skills, or lack thereof. He plucked Kili up off Thorin's boot and placed him in Frodo's now vacated spot before plodding off after his tiny nephew with Thorin trailing him. As they got to the bedrooms Frodo had picked out for them, the two young dwarves were fast asleep and drool was running down the front of Bilbo's green velvet vest. He also had a headache from the boy's snoring directly in his ears. The boy's bedroom was a nice sized room with two small beds and a bay window. It had a dresser with an empty vase on it that Bilbo supposed had flowers in it at some point. He made a mental note to remove it from the room in fear of the children shattering it and hurting themselves on the broken pieces. He put the sleeping dwarves down and then went to the door where Thorin was standing. He frowned at Bilbo, something the hobbit figured he must do a lot of. He turned back to look at the sleeping dwarves before grabbing the vase and leaving the room.

"Uncle?" Frodo asked. Bilbo looked down at the small hobbit, waiting for him to continue. "If you love them does that mean you have less love to give me?" Frodo asked looking sad. Bilbo smiled and put the vase on one of the small tables lining the hall in intervals. He Frodo on his shoulders, something he knew the small hobbit loved.

"No Frodo. I'll always love you. No more no less." Bilbo said holding up his pinky. Frodo grinned and they made a pinky promise on it. No more, no less.

"Uncle?" Frodo asked as Bilbo led Thorin to the sitting room.

"Yes Frodo?" Bilbo asked.

"If we're to have company, should I go to the shops?" Frodo asked. Bilbo chuckled, Frodo loved going to the shops.

"I suppose so." Bilbo said as he put the small hobbit on the floor. "You know where my coin purse is Frodo?" Bilbo asked. Frodo nodded eagerly. "Well why don't you run along and get it. Then you can go to the stores. Perhaps you should ask someone there to help you with your things when you're done?" Bilbo said as Frodo rushed from the room. "And don't be gone past dark." Bilbo called after him. "So, are you hungry master dwarf? Thirsty?" Bilbo asked turning to Thorin. Thorin studied the hobbit. Bilbo had golden hair that looked orange and brown and blond all at the same time. His eyes were kind and brown, his face, sweet, his smile, warm, and his mannerisms, caring. He had drool all over his green vest. The vest was covering a brown shirt and he was also wearing maroon pants. His large feet were covered in the same color hair that adorned his head.

"I could use some ale if it's no trouble." Thorin said with a frown as he slid down into a lush chair.

"No trouble at all." Bilbo said as he rushed to fill his request. He came back into the room with the largest cup he could find filled to the brim with ale. He handed it to Thorin before sitting down in the chair next to the dwarf. They sat in silence for a while as Thorin drank his ale slowly. It was an awkward silence and Bilbo felt the need to fill it but couldn't think of anything to say.

"Frodo seems nice." Thorin said at last as he put down his empty cup.

"He's a good boy, if a little excitable at times. Do you want more ale?" Bilbo asked. Thorin shook his head and looked at Bilbo with a frown. Bilbo wondered if he ever smiled and if he did what it would look like.

"Is there any way we can repay you for allowing us to stay here?" Thorin asked. Bilbo thought for a moment. He didn't need anything that he could think of. No money or food, he was well off.

"Well the fence could do with some attention. Mending and painting I mean." Bilbo said. He really didn't like asking people for things.

"Consider it done." Thorin said.

"Thank you." Bilbo said uncomfortably. He really didn't like asking things of people. "Kili and Fili seem nice too." Bilbo said returning to the topic prior.

"I suppose." Thorin said. This time it was Bilbo's turn to frown.

"How did they come into your care, if you don't mind my asking?" Bilbo asked.

"Their mother, my sister died so they fell to me." Thorin said. "I love them but they can be a handful."

"That's what children are supposed to be like." Bilbo said. He was trying to be nice; he really was, but those poor children.

"I know that." Thorin responded with another frown. Bilbo thought he had two expressions, blank or frown. "I'm just not...ready for that. I'm not ready for children. I'm not good at...children."

"I don't think anyone is." Bilbo said kindly. He got up and fetched two cups of water before going to the room containing the sleeping dwarves. He entered the room to find them, still fast asleep, but now both in Kili's bed. Bilbo smiled lightheartedly, left the cups of water beside the bed, and went back to Thorin. He was now standing and as Bilbo entered the room he descended. He began wiping off the drool before straightening Bilbo's vest and sitting down on the floor. He had started a fire in the short time the hobbit had been gone and sat cross-legged in front of it. He began untying the haphazard braids as Bilbo sat in his favorite chair to watch him. He decided that, if anyone were to ask, he was watching the fire. Thorin sighed as he got to a particularly large snarl in his hair. "Do you need help?" Bilbo offered.

"I would appreciate that thanks. Kili and Fili wanted to do my hair and well..." Thorin threw his hands up in defeat. Bilbo hurriedly got a brush and began unbraiding and unknotting Thorin's long silky black hair. By the time he was done it shinned like the night sky. "Thank you." Thorin said as he looked at Bilbo carefully. His expression was blank; not his common frown but nowhere near a smile.

"How long ago? Your sister I mean." Bilbo asked as he put the brush back.

"Twelve days." Thorin answered automatically.

"Uncle doesn't want us." Kili said from the doorway.

"Oh Kili, I'm sure he does." Bilbo said moving towards the small dwarf. "He's just new to the whole rearing children thing. Just be patient with him. He's still learning." Bilbo said smiling kindly.

"No. He really doesn't. He was on a quest when we were brought to him." Fili said appearing next to his brother.

"That doesn't mean he doesn't want you." Bilbo said sternly.

"Is that true uncle?" Kili asked looking at Thorin who was watching the fire.

"Do you want us?" Fili asked, mimicking his younger brother's actions. There was a long silence and when Bilbo could bear it no longer he walked over and hit Thorin over the head. The large dwarf blinked up at Bilbo with a frown. He stood slowly until he was at his full height, towering over the little hobbit.

"Now you treat them right Thorin. These poor boys deserve as much. Children just need love. Love them Thorin." Bilbo snapped. He showed no signs of fear, even in the shadow of the much larger being towering over him. Bilbo was simply bristling with rage at Thorin as he stood there in silence.

"I love them. I want to take care of them. But I don't know how." Thorin said at last. He looked defeated. Bilbo sighed and smiled. He slipped a hand into Thorin's before practically dragging him over to the two dwarves standing in the doorway.

"Hold them." Bilbo commanded. The brothers looked at each other before they turned to look up at their uncle. They reached their little hands up to him, wanting to be held. Thorin looked at Bilbo questioningly but the hard look on Bilbo's face said no questions so he scooped them up, one on each hip like he'd seen Bilbo do. The boys looked happy as they cuddled into Thorin's warm sides and he frowned at them quizzically.

"Does this make Mister Bilbo our new mum?" Kili asked looking across Thorin's chest at his brother.

"I suppose so if Thorin's our new da." Fili answered. Thorin looked at Bilbo with a frown before turning to his nephews.

"No one's replacing your mum or da. And Bilbo's male so how could he be your mum?" Thorin asked.

"Well Balin said there's a mum and a da in every relationship." Kili said smiling.

"So you'd be our da and Bilbo'd be our mum." Fili said happily.

"That'd make Frodo our brother." Kili said frowning.

"What're you going on about? You haven't even met him yet." Fili said.

"But he's so small. I'm afraid if we play with him he may break." Kili said smiling sheepishly.

"We'll just have to be careful. Like when we do the dishes." Fili said nodding happily.

"Oh okay." Kili said nodding.

"Are you two hungry?" Bilbo asked smiling at the sight of Thorin looking down at his nephews with a confused frown. They nodded eagerly and Bilbo smiled and went off to the pantry with Thorin following him carrying the boys. "What kinds of things do you like?" Bilbo asked.

"Sweets!" Kili said grinning.

"Yes sweets!" Fili agreed.

"No sweets until you have some real food." Bilbo said smiling. The boys nodded resolutely, hopped out of Thorin's arms, much to the dwarf's confusion, and began picking out the makings of a meal. Fili went off to set the table assisted by Bilbo who was wary for the sake of his plates while Thorin oversaw Kili's decisions. It was just as Bilbo got the two boys to sit long enough to eat that Frodo came hurrying through the door. Followed by his three best friends, Sam, Merry and Pippin. Each had a bundle that they lugged into the pantry before putting their things away.

"Frodo, it's nearly time for dinner. Are your friends staying over for dinner?" Bilbo asked. Sam, a redheaded hobbit with kind brown eyes and, Bilbo surmised, an eye for Frodo, was the son of his gardener. Merry had blond curly hair and mischievous blue eyes while his best friend and counterpart in mischief, Pippin, had curly copper hair and grey eyes. Merry was son of the Master of Buckland and Pippin was son of the Thain of the Tooks. Merry, Pippin, and Frodo were cousins, each sharing a predisposition for mischief. Sam was more of a laid back hobbit compared to his excitable counterparts, something Bilbo was thankful for. Sam grounded them and kept them safe.

"Well?" Frodo asked turning to his friends. They nodded eagerly so Frodo turned to Bilbo and, as it seemed to be peer pressure, nodded with his friends.

"Well you can sit here with Kili and Fili to eat. Fetch some dishes Frodo, and Sam could you take Merry and Pippin to get something to eat?" Bilbo said smiling as they each rushed to do their assigned task. As Bilbo watched as, before his eyes, the table filled with young life. Kili and Fili fit in easily with the hobbit mischief makers as they ate merrily together.

"And what of our dinner?" Thorin asked as his stomach grumbled loudly. Bilbo blinked in surprise. He'd been so engrossed in the children, he'd forgotten to feed Thorin and himself. He supposed he would be fine because he still had supper and midnight snacks to look forward to but Dwarves didn't eat those. Bilbo apologized but before he could fetch them something to eat the three hobbits and two dwarves were surrounding him and begging to go outside to play. Bilbo sighed and consented as long as they didn't stray too far before turning back to Thorin and apologizing a few more times.

"Is there anything you want to eat?" Bilbo asked as he watched Thorin enter the pantry. He watched carefully as the large man stalked through the shelves of goods, newly stocked thanks to Frodo.

"Nothing in particular." Thorin said as he returned to the door where Bilbo was standing.

"Okay..." Bilbo said as he set off to gather something. He walked around the shelves and plucked things at random before pushing them into Thorin's arms. By the time he was done Thorin was having trouble balancing all their food. They went to the dining room where they laid out all the food and began eating. Cheese and grapes and a few roasted turkey legs and other delicious things, they ate for a while before deciding they were full and sitting back in their chairs.

"You're good with the children." Thorin said eyeing Bilbo with a frown.

"I suppose but I've had more practice." Bilbo said with a smile. "So you have Kili and Fili but none of your own?" Bilbo pressed.

"No." Thorin responded as his eyes fell on the fire he'd lit earlier. It was dying slowly without more wood. "Is this your way of finding out if I'm spoken for?" Thorin asked as his eyes landed on Bilbo with a critical and judgmental frown.

"No." Bilbo lied. He hoped it was convincing.

"Oh." Thorin said. It seemed like he was sad but Bilbo couldn't tell under the stoic frowning, although it could have just been Bilbo's imagination.

"But since you brought it up...are you? Spoken for?" Bilbo asked. Thorin looked back at the fire and, for a fraction of a second Bilbo thought he saw amusement register in the dwarf.

"No. I am alone." Thorin responded with his usual somber disposition as he turned back to Bilbo with his common place frown now.

"You're not alone Master Dwarf. No sir. You have Kili and Fili and me and Frodo now too." Bilbo said with a smile as he got up and began clearing the plates. He cleared his own plates then came back for Thorin's. As he reached across Thorin he began to think about how annoying it was that the dwarf didn't pass the dishes to him. Thorin was simply leaning back in his chair as Bilbo practically climbed over him to get the plates. Then he felt a hand on his side. Not trying to push him away, but instead to draw him in. Closer. It was a large hand, not the soft, well fed hand of a hobbit. It was the large, calloused, hard working hand of a dwarf. A fully grown male dwarf to be exact. Bilbo could tell it was the hand of a fully grown male dwarf because of a few reasons. Dwarf hands are large and powerful; they are immensely strong but can be gentle enough to pet a kitten. Bilbo could feel the power at bay as the hand gently brought him closer. The hand was of a fully grown dwarf because of its size, younger dwarves, and smaller hands. It belonged to a male due to the size and power behind it. Women dwarves, although far stronger than hobbits, are smaller and weaker than the male ones. Bilbo felt his face burn in a blush as his eyes went wide. Before he knew what was happening, Thorin had pulled him onto his lap, taken the tableware from his hands, put that on the table, and now his hands were resting warmly on Bilbo's hips. It was a possessive hold, something Bilbo had never experienced. Thorin was watching him, no frown, but still nothing more than stoic.

"Master Baggins." Thorin said. His voice sounded husky and Bilbo tried desperately not to think of why.

"Y-y-yes?" Bilbo stammered as his hands, fully on their own accord, came to rest on Thorin's chest. It was warm and hard through the light fabric of his shirt. One of his thick fur coats was hanging in the hall; the other was resting on the back of his chair. When, Bilbo wondered, had he taken off the second coat? Thorin looked thoughtful for a moment as his eyes watched Bilbo. His stare was demanding as if needing Bilbo's eyes and yet also needing submission. Thorin was sizing him up. His hands twitched on Bilbo's hips and Bilbo's body responded by shuddering.

"Are you cold?" Thorin asked. He'd seen the shudder and his eyes had gone from calculating to worry. His expression didn't change, just this fire within him, something lit behind his eyes. They flicked to the fire, then to the logs beside it before turning back to Bilbo. "Shall I add another log to the fire? Or would you prefer to wear my coat?" Thorin asked. He was going to grab his coat from off the back of his chair but Bilbo put his hands on the much larger ones of the dwarf. The small hobbit's hands held them in place.

"I'm not cold." Bilbo said. This seemed to put Thorin at ease because his eyes slowly waned from worry back to calculating.

"And you master Baggins? Do you have a significant other?" Thorin asked after a long silence.

"N-no." Bilbo responded. Thorin's hands twitched again. This time Bilbo, no longer in control of his body, leaned in closer to Thorin and moaned. It was more of a small whimper than a moan but it was definitely something. He felt Thorin's hands leave his hips.

"Am I hurting you?" Thorin asked. He seemed suddenly very stressed. He stood, picking up Bilbo and gently putting him down so he was sitting on the table. His small delicate frame looked so much more breakable in the flickering, dimming fire light. His eyes watched Thorin with confusion. What had just happened? Thorin moved over to the fire so his back was to the hobbit. He threw a log into the fire before casting a wary glance over his shoulder. Bilbo was still sitting there.

"No." The hobbit croaked out at last. Thorin didn't understand. He walked back over, avoiding eye contact as he grabbed his coat.

"No what?" Thorin asked. Bilbo blinked in confusion.

"No sir?" He offered. He smiled hopefully and Thorin paused. He turned to Bilbo with a bemused look in his eyes.

"What are you saying no to?" Thorin asked. Understanding finally dawned on Bilbo's face and he smiled.

"You asked if you were hurting me. My answer was no." Bilbo said smiling. Thorin nodded tensely before he went to hang his second fur coat in the hall. "I suppose I'll fetch the children." Bilbo said as he went to the hall where Thorin was standing awkwardly.

"I'll...turn in for the night." Thorin said with a curt nod before trudging off. Bilbo went out to find the children, following the sound of laughter. As he neared them he felt a warm smile tug his lips. Fili and Kili were sitting cross-legged on the grass as the four hobbits braided their hair. The hobbits paid Bilbo no mind as he stood there watching them. The dwarves smiled up at him sheepishly.

"Pippin, Merry, are you staying the night?" Bilbo asked. They shook their head no so he turned to Sam. "And you Sam?" Bilbo asked. Sam also shook his head no. "Well its dark out now so you best be getting home. Frodo, Kili, Fili, you three best get inside." He said. They all looked up at him with bid sad eyes.

"But uncle, can we play a bit longer?" Frodo asked with a pout.

"Please?" The others chorused. Bilbo smiled and shook his head no. The six of them wined but he was unwavering so, at last, they parted. As they went back inside Frodo was sent to bed, Kili and Fili went about un-braiding each other's hair before going off to bed, both tucked into the same bed next to each other by Bilbo. While the un-braiding process was going on Bilbo had tucked Frodo into bed. At last, Bilbo went to his own room, wanting nothing more than to fall asleep after the long day. Thorin was sitting on the corner of his bed. Sleep was not meant to be.

"Um...Thorin." Bilbo said smiling as he went to his dresser and got out a pair of pajamas.

"Yes." Thorin responded.

"What're you doing here?" Bilbo asked. He didn't mean to be rude but he really was very tired.

"Master Frodo never assigned me a room." Thorin said looking over at Bilbo who was laying his pajamas out on the bed.

"Ah yes...well you can sleep in whatever room you like I suppose." Bilbo said.

"This is your room?" Thorin asked looking around. He took in his surroundings, the small circular window in the wall; he maps covering the wall and ceiling, the dresser with a box on top. It had scrolls sticking out of it haphazardly; most likely more maps.

"T'is." Bilbo replied.

"I see." Thorin said getting up from the bed and standing facing the door with his back to Bilbo. "And you wish me to leave?" Thorin asked.

"Well I am going to change." Bilbo said staring longingly at his pajamas.

"I could tell. That's why I'm not looking." Thorin said gruffly. Bilbo stammered, unable to form coherent words as his lips flapped uselessly. After a long time of him sputtering, he finally gained his senses and nodded resolutely. He bean undressing slowly, stripping off his layers before dropping them next to his pajamas. When he, naked, dropped his clothes in the hamper and turned back around he felt himself die of embarrassment. He felt his face burn because Thorin had taken the "click" of the hamper closing as him being allowed to turn around. Thorin's eyes studied Bilbo as his features too turned red. Embarrassed, but not enough to stop looking, Thorin drank the sight in. Bilbo squeaked in surprise as he snatched up his pajamas and yanked them on as fast as he could. "My apologies." Thorin said. His voice didn't sound the least bit apologetic though. Bilbo said nothing. He simply got under the covers of his bed and turned his back on the dwarf. He heard a shuffle and hoped it was Thorin leaving but then here was a thud and he just had to look. He sat up and looked over at the dwarf who'd taken off his boots, the shuffling, and then had lain down on the floor. Near the door, on a rug, next to Bilbo's bed, Thorin lay. Bilbo repressed a sigh as he got up out of his bed. He left the comfort and warmth of his bed and walked over to Thorin's crumpled form.

"Thorin?" Bilbo whispered as he put his hand gently on Thorin's shoulder. Thorin flinched away from the touch but his eyes met Bilbo's. "Aren't you going to put on your sleep clothes?" Bilbo asked gently as he retracted his hand. Thorin stared at Bilbo critically for a moment before nodding curtly and standing. He stripped off his shirt before Bilbo could look away. The hobbit watched the dwarf's smooth movements, mesmerized. He pulled off his large belt, dropping it with the shirt by his boots. He looked down at Bilbo expectantly. "The floor can't be comfortable. Don't you want a bed?" Bilbo asked. He was using all his will power not to trace the light puckered skin of his scars or simply pulling him into bed and going to sleep.

"It's fine." Thorin said gruffly. Bilbo decided snapping at him was not the best course of action so he instead sighed, rubbed his temple, grabbed Thorin's arm and dragged him to the bed. He pushed him down before scurrying to the other side and climbing under the covers. "Thank you master Bilbo." Thorin said not moving. He looked stiff, ridged, determined not to move. Bilbo nodded and was soon asleep.