Thorin wasn't one to admit his defeats easily. Especially ones like this. He was the owner of one of the biggest companies in the world. He would not be defeated by being locked out of his own apartment.
His day had begun in a rush of missed phone calls and emails blowing up his phone at four thirty this morning. Some important clients were coming into town and without an intern to deal with him phone calls and appointments it had all fallen on Thorin himself. He remanded himself that if he had just kept the last intern then the busiest week of his life wouldn't fall on him and possibly increase the grey hairs on his head, if not completely finish off his black locks.
The day hadn't progressed any easier as it went on. Even now his phone would buzz from emails and light up next to him. His battery was dying and his charger was in his apartment, the one he was currently locked out of.
His apartment building wasn't busy, at least everyone was busy everywhere, but the apartment. He had called the General Manager and told him his situation, but he told him that the maintenance man was out sick. He cursed his luck and sat waiting for the locksmith he called. They told him they'd be there in an hour, but when he called it was five thirty, from the clock on his phone it was now eight o' clock. Thorin doubted they'd come at all. He thought about calling his sister, Dis, but if there was any chance that she got her sons to sleep she would never let him hear the end of it if he called her and woke up his nephews.
He had spent the first hour of waiting, pacing in front of his door, hoping someone would come by or that the locksmith would be there, but when he reached the hour and a half mark he gave up his pacing to sit against his door. He had one leg bent with his hand resting on it and the other straight out, tempting anyone to trip over his leg. He had thought about just knocking the door down and paying for it, but decided against that in favor of not possibly injuring himself or setting off his home alarm. He wanted the cops as far away from his apartment as possible.
Thorin turned off the notifications on his phone and pulled up one of the games he had downloaded for his nephews. He played that for some time before his screen went dark and his phone died. He groaned, throwing his phone down beside him and hit his head on the door. He sat there for god knows how long before his eyes got heavy and he fell asleep in the deserted hallway.
xXx
It was some time later when the rustling of a bag woke up Thorin. He looked around and saw a small man with short, curly hair the color of honey. He looked scared to have startled Thorin awake. He had seen the smaller man a few times when their mail got delivered to the wrong apartment. Thorin was 195 A. The other man was 195 B. Thorin wracked his brain for the man's name. Bilbo. Bilbo Baggins. He was a very polite man and Thorin would be lying if he said he didn't sometimes take the man's mail so he would have a reason to talk to him.
He'd stopped that after an unknown half naked man answered the door.
Thorin couldn't help but notice some similarities between the man and himself. Tall, black hair, and blue eyes. Thorin seemed to have a permanent scowl on his face while the other man looked smug. He handed over the envelope and went back to his apartment.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Oakenshield. I didn't mean to startle you." Thorin stood up, shaking his head. Bilbo noticed Thorin's predicament and refrained from remarking on the absurdity of it. "Uh, are you locked out of your apartment?" Thorin would not blush.
"Yes, do you have the time?" Bilbo walked to his door next to Thorin's. He put his bags down and looked at his watch.
"It's 10:45, Mr. Oakenshield." Bilbo looked at him confused. Thorin put a hand on his face and rubbed the sleep from his countenance. He was going to have a word with the locksmith come morning. He muttered some curse words just for good measure.
"Thorin." Bilbo tilted his head. "Please, my name's Thorin." Bilbo blinked.
"I know what your name is; I get your mail sometimes." Thorin thought he might blush from that. Of course his neighbor knew his name. Bilbo opened his door and just as he was about to go inside Thorin piped up,
"Um, would you happen to know how to," He didn't know how to proceed. He found himself unbelievably nervous under the grey eyed man's stare. He reminded himself that he was Thorin Oakenshield, owner of Erebor Industries and he would not be –
"Pick a lock?" Thorin blushed. He looked away and went to stammer out a reply. "Are you implying that I lock myself out of my home a lot, Mr. Oakenshield?" Thorin stammered trying to come up with a reply. He was tired and vexed and wanted nothing more than to take a hot shower and go to bed.
"Well, no, but I – " He stopped before he said something he'd regret. Bilbo gave a small smile and continued in the house.
"I have been locked out of my house by angry ex's before." Bilbo motioned his head for Thorin to follow him and Thorin grabbed his phone before following Bilbo inside. "Let me put my stuff away." Thorin had never been inside Bilbo's apartment. He had only seen it from the door way. He just assumed it was much like his. "Then I'll help you with your," Bilbo looked back with a joking smile and a glint in his eye. "Predicament." Bilbo's home had the same layout like Thorin's but it was nothing like the business man's. Bilbo's home had warm wood flooring that Thorin could nearly see himself in. There were homely couches with the same warm colored wood, most likely cherry or mahogany. There were green curtains on all of the windows that would have been nice with the morning sun shining through them onto the perfectly polished wood floor.
Thorin ran a hand over the back of the walnut couch. His own home was much darker. Full of blacks and very modern. In Bilbo's apartment it felt like he walked out of the city and into a warm country side full of rolling hills and soft grass. Thorin's home was much more like a mountain with sharp edges and cold stone. It was a refreshing change. Thorin turned around to see Bilbo pulling groceries out of his bags.
"How did you get yourself locked out of the house?" Bilbo gave a sly smile. "There won't be an angry girlfriend on the other side wielding a knife will there?" Thorin gave a small smile. He shifted his feet and walked towards the large kitchen.
"Uh, no, no. Not a girlfriend at least." Bilbo's ears perked up, but he didn't say anything. He simply reached up and put some spices in his shelves. "I got my lanyard caught on the door handle and the keys swung inside as the door closed." Bilbo turned his head with a broad smile. He got off his tiptoes and turned to face Thorin.
"Why didn't you just open the door?" Thorin looked at his hands as he sat down at the breakfast bar separating them. Bilbo leaned on it with his hands clasped in front of him.
"My door automatically locks after it's been closed." Thorin grumbled. He inspected the immaculately clean granite counter top of the traditional English kitchen. Bilbo refrained from laughing until Thorin looked up at him and he couldn't hold back the giggles. Bilbo's face lid up as he chuckled. After a minute or two Thorin smiled and chuckled at his own luck. Bilbo reached across the counter top and put his hand on top of Thorin's joined ones.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to laugh," Bilbo took a deep breath and gave Thorin's hands a gentle squeeze. "But that is the funniest thing I've heard all day." Bilbo removed his hand and Thorin didn't show his disappointment. Bilbo went back to putting his wares away. "Might as well say the King of Erebor was defeated by a faulty lanyard and Newton's laws of Gravity." Bilbo gave one last chuckle and even though he was laughing at Thorin he didn't mind as long as he got to hear the chestnut haired man laugh. Bilbo sat staring into his fridge for a few moments before he turned around. "From the fact I found you sleeping outside your door since god knows when I can safely assume you haven't eaten dinner?" Thorin's stomach growled at the prospect. He looked at the time on the microwave. It was nearly 11:30. He couldn't ask Bilbo to not only unlock his door, but make him dinner as well? Thorin shrugged his shoulders.
"I couldn't ask that of you." Thorin's stomach seemed to deem it appropriate to disregard his previous statement with a loud grumble. Thorin had the decency to look embarrassed and pressed his knuckles to his mouth. Bilbo smirked. The one that did funny things to Thorin's insides and made him steal his neighbor's mail.
"Good thing I didn't ask." Bilbo turned around and began to pull things out of his fridge. Thorin nearly vaulted over the breakfast bar, but he didn't think Bilbo would think too kindly of him if he did so. He got up and came around the counter in long strides and grabbed the celery from Bilbo.
"Bilbo, please, I couldn't ask that of you." Bilbo scrunched up his face as if he just said that there were aliens living in the Arctic Circle. "Please." His voice was soft and Bilbo sighed before acquiescing. He began to put the items away and soon he was leading Thorin out of his apartment, he made a quick detour into his bathroom, but was back soon enough. They arrived at his locked door and Bilbo closed his own. Locking it and pocketing the key. Thorin sat leaning on the door jamb, watching Bilbo and he pulled a bobby pin out of his pocket and began to tinker with the locking mechanism. It only took five minutes before the door was swinging open and Bilbo put his foot in, on the off chance it decided to close again. Thorin grabbed his keys and slung them around his wrist making sure they didn't get caught in the door again.
Thorin looked at Bilbo. Bilbo held the door open with his foot and offered Thorin entrance into his apartment. Thorin switched with Bilbo, his hand on the door handle and his back to the door. He looked at Bilbo with a faint smile. "Thank you, very much for helping me out." Thorin said softly. Bilbo gave a slow nod. He was going to go inside when the thought of leaving the smaller man made him reckless. "Uh, would you like to," Thorin stopped and his palm felt sweaty on the door handle. He was Thorin Oakenshield, destroyer of companies and blushing school boy around Bilbo Baggins. "Come in for a cuppa? And maybe we can order some food?" Both of their stomachs growled in the quiet hallway. They both laughed softly.
"Yes, I would like that very much." Thorin's face broke out into a smile and he let the smaller man inside. "But I believe my cooking is much more sublime then any delivery." Thorin shucked his shoes and his coat. Taking Bilbo's and putting it on the coat rack.
"Is that so? I'll have to come over and try it then." Bilbo turned around and smiled.
"Would it be a shame if you got locked out of your house around 6 o' clock tomorrow night?" Thorin smiled walking into his kitchen to grab the teapot and two cups. He turned to Bilbo who was sitting at the counter, leaning on it with his head on his fists.
"No, as a matter of fact," Thorin leaned on his side of the counter, his face only inches from Bilbo's. Bilbo's eyes flickered from Thorin's eyes to his lips. "I would like that very much."
