He watched as Bilbo and Ori chatted by the fire. They two connected with each other almost instantly. Bilbo told him of his great book collection and Ori taught the hobbit how to knit. Really one would think Ori was a hobbit in a dwarf's body; that was the problem. Dwalin was a true dwarven warrior through and through, right down to the keeping his emotions tucked away. He was pragmatic and stoic, and Ori was joyful and innocent.
When he first heard he was to join them, he protested to Thorin. The young dwarf didn't even have a weapon let alone know how to use one. In fact Dwalin thought just on those things alone he would never feel for the dwarf like he did. IT didn't help that his lifestyle left him without a clue on how to deal with such feelings.
He first worried that Ori and Bilbo might be taken with one another, but he isn't as hot headed as Thorin and quickly noticed Bilbo smiles at Ori like he smiles at Bofur, it was a friendly and welcoming smile. Something he assumed all hobbits could do. The hobbit was merely showing his welcoming of the friendship. That set the dwarf warrior's mind at ease. He knew if Bilbo and Ori had any interest in one another he couldn't compete. He was rough and everything dwarven, but Bilbo was everything Ori liked.
That's when it hit him like a boulder coming down a mountain side. Bilbo was good friends with Ori and liked basically everything he did too. Dwalin himself might now have a clue on how to approach Ori, but Bilbo would. Dwalin waited until after supper and Bilbo was sitting by himself enjoying his pipe. As he walked over to the hobbit he could feel Thorin's gaze upon him. Dwalin wished Thorin was a little more honest about his short comings like he was.
"Burglar, may I sit with you?" Dwalin asked, but took a seat next to the hobbit anyhow.
Bilbo looked at Dwalin wide eyed. Everyone in the company had made their feelings about him known even Thorin, except Dwalin. Bilbo felt nervous having the dwarf one, spoken to him and two, now sitting next to him.
"Y-yes." Answered Bilbo though it felt moot.
"May I ask something that might be of a personal question to one like yourself?" Dwalin asked but this time waited for Bilbo to answer.
Bilbo almost choked on the smoke he held in his mouth. He never thought someone like Dwalin would ask a question like this. Maybe there was more to the warrior then he thought?
"Yes."
"What do hobbits do when they take interest in one another?" The dwarf asked.
"Well, when a hobbit takes interest in another hobbit they normally craft something for them, or cook, bake, or bring flowers. Something to show their feelings." Bilbo said.
"Is it the same if the two hobbits are the same sex?" Dwalin asked, avoiding looking at Bilbo.
Bilbo thought his heart stop. Could Dwalin? No. A dwarf like Dwalin would have no interest in him, right?
"Yes it is. Hobbit's must seem odd to the other races to not care about gender when it comes to love…Look Dwalin…" Bilbo started.
"I can't do most of that for him." Dwalin said cutting Bilbo off.
The hobbit just looked at Dwalin for a moment in utter confusion, and then the puzzle pieces fell into place.
"Dwalin, do you care for Ori?" Bilbo asked.
The stoic dwarf nodded yes.
"Then why not court him in the manner of dwarves?" the hobbit asked.
Dwalin shook his head, "I am not as dense as some, who would shower you in the gifts of dwarves when they do not suit you. Ori may be a dwarf, but his spirit is anything but."
Bilbo pondered what the first half of Dwalin's comment was about, but he shrugged it off and chalked it up to Dwalin trying to convey what he meant.
"He does stick out from the rest of you, even Dori fits in more." Bilbo agreed.
"He wants to go back to the Shire when this is done you know." Dwalin said absent-mindedly.
Bilbo chuckled, "He would get some odd stares and be the center of gossip for a while, but he would fit right in. I know women who would be so jealous of his knitting skills!"
Dwalin shifted, "Do you think the Shire would be in an upstart if two dwarves moved there? A retired warrior and a quiet little scribe?"
"No, I think the Shire would be just fine," Bilbo blurted out. He wasn't sure why; maybe it was because he could see this meant something to Dwalin because he has said more than a few words on the matter, "I think the Shire would endure."
"Thank you, Burglar, I think I know what I must do now." Dwalin said standing from the log he sat on.
Bilbo smiled as he watched the warrior walk away. He hoped things worked out with him and Ori. Everyone needed someone to love, even stoic Dwalin.
The next day during one of the breaks Dwalin took Ori aside. He made sure they were far enough away to have privacy and he could speak without betraying the warrior's mask he wears.
"Ori…" Dwalin said slowly. He had faced worse things in his life, like death, but this by far seemed the hardest.
"Yes Master Dwalin?" Ori asked.
"Just Dwalin, I told you already. Look… I was thinking after this is all over, just one part of our share is a enough to not worry about anything for the rest of our days, if one was not to live like a dwarf, right?" Dwalin asked.
"Yes, I haven't given much thought about what I will do with it all." Ori admitted.
"Well, if you wanted you could live in the Shire in one of those small little homes in the hills. Maybe even live there with an old warrior to make sure you are okay." Dwalin said.
Ori smiled at the idea, "Dwalin, that is a wonderful idea…wait…" the last part sank into Ori's mind.
The younger dwarf looked at Dwalin with wide eyes. Dwalin just stared at him waiting for an answer. Whether or not the wait was killing the dwarf warrior wasn't going to let it show.
Finally Ori spoke again, this time he grabbed one of Dwalin's hands, "I don't think I can think of a better way to spend my days in retirement of adventuring."
A rare smile cracked the stone face of Dwalin when he heard those words, "Thank you. I would kiss you but I am not one for things like in public."
Ori blushed and chuckled, "I won't complain I am much too shy for that kind of thing. I have to ask though, do you mind if I tell Bilbo?"
Dwalin laughed a little, "Of course."
Ori smiled and released Dwalin's hand and took off to tell his new best friend about the great news.
In truth Dwalin didn't know if they would survive the fight with the dragon, but now more than ever he was going to make sure they both lived through it. He used to want to die in battle and not old age, but now nothing scared him more then not growing old with Ori