A request from ThilboLove :3 Please enjoy and let me know what you think! :D

Thorin slowly nursed an ale while having a deep conversation with Dwalin. The dwarfs had found themselves in Lake-Town after that dreadful experience with the barrels. Thorin shuddered at the thought of being in that apple barrel for at least, what he thought was, a week before drifting to shore to find that Bilbo had eaten a meal without them. That halfling was getting on Thorin's last nerves. Sure, they had their little hug on at the Carrock, but the hobbit could be very, very annoying sometimes... and now, he had to go and get himself sick. Thorin knew that wouldn't have been a problem had Bilbo and him switched places, like he had suggested but was waved off by a tiny person shorter than him. Was it low enough for a prince, a dwarf prince, to offer to be placed out in the cold water without a barrel while their burglar sit in a barrel? Apparently it wasn't good enough for Bilbo to give in, and Thorin being who he was, he wasn't going to let that little stubborn detail about that dang hobbit slip passed him. He had been busy grumbling and complaining to himself about Bilbo when Dwalin elbowed him. "What?"

"Were you listening to a word I was saying?" Dwalin asked, slurping his drink loudly.

Thorin shook his head and shot his close friend an apologetic look. "I am sorry," he actually apologized; he hadn't meant to forget that Dwalin was there... "Since the barrels and the feast, I... my mind has been somewhere else."

Dwalin nodded. "Erebor, yes. Mine as well."

"Oh, what...? Yes, Erebor..." Thorin stuttered while nodding in agreement. "Our home." He sighed and took a swig of ale, and grimaced at the warmth of it; both had been sitting in the warm room for far too long. "I-"

"Do you think our burglar misses his home?" Dwalin asked, turning his head in the direction of Bilbo who was curled up on a large chair with one of Ori's books in his lap and several tissues to the side of him for his runny nose.

Thorin snorted. "Yes, he has been bloody talking about it since he left his warm hearth." The dwarf prince nearly growled at the memory of Bilbo slowing them down numerous times throughout their journey. "He has been nothing but a pest to all of us."

Dwalin cleared his throat and glanced at Thorin, his finger motioning for the other to turn around, but Thorin didn't notice and continued.

"I am not even sure why Gandalf chose him out of all the other species," Thorin grumbled in to his cup as he took another drink. "Hobbits are very annoying."

Dwalin cleared his throat again when the dwarf prince didn't move. "Uh, Thorin..."

"That foolish wizard could have picked an elf. An elf!" Thorin spat. "Not some worthless hobbit who only cares about his soft bed and good food and not the need of others... Not the painful, wan-" Thorin stopped himself when he knew he would go too far with those next words... 'painful, wanting need'. He heaved out a large sigh and glanced at Dwalin who didn't look like he was paying attention to him at all; his eyes were cast somewhere else and not on Thorin. "Bilbo should have never come on this quest... And even if we did win this quest, he is not worthy for any oth-"

"Excuse me?!

Thorin paled and glanced at Dwalin who cleared his throat again and left the table with his ale in hand. The strong, powerful, and intimidating dwarf prince gulped in fear as he saw something small with light brown hair come to stand beside him through the corner of his eye. Cautiously, Thorin took one last drink before standing up as well. He glanced quickly at Bilbo who had the most scathing look Thorin had ever seen him wear. "Well, Master Baggins..." he began shakily. "It is late, and I best be off." Without another look towards the hobbit, Thorin turned for the door before he felt a small but large yank on his arm. He turned to face a fuming hobbit. "Can I help you...?"

Bilbo, whose face was beet red with rage, huffed angrily and brought his small hand upon Thorin's pale cheek.

The whole room instantly fell silent as Bilbo's palm hit Thorin's face with a painful crack. Every dwarf and human stared open-mouthed as the small hobbit glared savagely at the now-visibly-hurt dwarf prince; even Dwalin, who had taken up a seat beside Ori, was shocked to see Bilbo strike the company's leader, though he wasn't too surprised about it. All eyes were on Bilbo and Thorin, neither of which had moved since that painful hit. Bard and the Master of Lake-Town had even entered the room to see the impending argument between the feisty hobbit and the surprisingly tame dwarf.

Thorin numbly brought his hand to his face and felt the tender flesh which he assumed was now red. He glanced at Bilbo whose infuriating glare was now replaced by something just short of defeat. "Bilbo-"

Bilbo fled the room as quickly as he could, wiping his eyes as he went. Thorin watched him go before he realized the hobbit was delirious and could hurt himself due to his own harsh and hurtful words. He sighed quietly before rushing after the hobbit.