Title – Different
Author – Moonbeam
Summary – Inspired by art. Ori and Dwalin are in a relationship but nothing more than kissing is happening. Dwalin is worried and impatient but Ori is simply embarrassed for he does not have the body of other dwarves honed by hours of hard toil and he does not think that Dwalin could like what he would see. Dwalin finds out and proves him very wrong.
Spoilers – End of the book though this is an alternate ending.
Rating – Explicit
Disclaimer – I don't own anything, just a poor relief teacher/uni student. But oh the fun that could be had if I did.
Warnings – Sex, insecurities, more sex to relieve some of the insecurity. I am so very boring my warnings are painfully tame.
Author's Notes – Inspired by this picture. Thank you to the artist and sra_danvers who was very excited at the prospect. I have decided to break this into three parts – Dwalin, Ori and Smut which I hope to post once a day but Thursday is ANZAC day so I won't guarantee it.

Different
by Moonbeam

/ / / Dwalin \ \ \

Dwalin frowned at Ori's as the younger dwarf left his chambers. They had spent the evening together as they had spent many evenings together over the last few months while the mountain was being reclaimed. Neither Nori nor Dori were pleased about it and Balin had asked if perhaps Ori were not a little young for his brother but both Dwalin and Ori had been sure that they were interesting in pursuing a relationship.

However Dwalin was beginning to wonder. Dwarves were not the type of beings to toy with emotions but that did not mean that they did not enter into casual relationships, sex was a natural part of life and a natural part of being a dwarf and yet it was not a part of Dwalin's relationship at all. He did not want to push the younger dwarf and he was very happy with the kissing but he desperately wished to touch Ori, to taste all the skin covering his bones and to make sure that Ori could not think for the sensations that Dwalin would be sure to cause.

Dwalin sighed again and wondered why Ori would pull away just as Dwalin was about to slip his hand between the material of Ori's shirt and pants to the skin below. Dwalin had started to worry that perhaps the other dwarf was not interested in a relationship but was worried that Dwalin would respond badly if he was rejected. After all, Ori had been scared of Dwalin when they first met. Dwalin thought Ori knew him better now and the younger dwarf was affectionate and caring during their evenings together when they would come to one of their rooms for a meal or go out into the mountain looking for fun. Everything Ori was doing made Dwalin think that things were going well…and then Ori would pull away, would mutter and fumble on his way out of the door. Dwalin had let him go every time but each time he wanted nothing more than to pull Ori back and beg for answers.

Dwalin did not beg, he had never begged in his life. Even when he'd been a young, inexperienced dwarf he would not allow himself to and yet he felt like he could, like he would, for Ori. But every time he let Ori go because the other dwarf seemed so very skittish and Dwalin only wanted Ori to be happy and comfortable with him.

Dwalin cleaned up their meal and set himself to banking the sitting room fire for the night and blowing out all the candles. Another thought struck him…perhaps Ori's problem was not that he did not wish to be in a relationship with Dwalin but it could be that he wasn't attracted to the older dwarf. Dwalin knew he did not have the hair on his head others had, and he had more piercing and tattoos than most dwarves but he had never had trouble being sure that he was attractive to his partners. He was a fine specimen of dwarfhood. Though he was older than Ori, perhaps Nori and Dori were right and he was too old for Ori.

Dwalin stripped his clothes and went to stand before the looking glass in his bathroom. His chest was tightly muscled from hours spent training and working with metal in his spare time, the tattoos stood out against his pale skin and he had enough hair on his chest to be proud of. He was everything a dwarf should be. He turned from the looking glass, bathed quickly and then slipped into his bed; the only light that of the fire. The sheets were the best he owned, he had put them on earlier hoping…

Over the last weeks they had spent most of their time away from either of their rooms. Ori had been hesitant to progress things and Dwalin had not wanted to push so they spent their time together in the tavern and gaming rooms, they walked out onto the balconies above the doors into the mountain and they would sit in the rock gardens or go down to the natural caverns and they would talk. Dwalin wasn't very talkative but he made the effort for Ori – sharing his stories and his past in exchange for learning everything he could about the other dwarf. Then Ori had asked to just have dinner together in Dwalin's rooms and the warrior dwarf had jumped at the chance especially given the way Ori had kissed him at the underground lake.

But again Ori had pulled away. Dwalin crossed his arms over his chest and made a decision. The next night he would find Ori wherever he was and he would not let the other dwarf go until he knew what was wrong. If Ori needed time, Dwalin would wait, and if Ori were not interested then at least Dwalin would know.

With a plan in mind Dwalin slipped off to sleep and dreams of the lithe, soft body he had felt pressed into him every time he kissed Ori.

/ / /