A/N: Request from vampygurl402. All of the dwarves cuddle with their family members at night for warmth, except Thorin.
When Bilbo is freezing one night, he decides to cuddle with the only other person who is alone, thinking that Thorin is asleep. He is not, but instead of freaking out, he just pulls Bilbo closer.
Bonus if they wake up the next morning with the entire company standing over them and staring while Fili and Kili whine that they didn't get to cuddle with their burglar.
Hope it's to your liking :).
Cold Winter Night
Winter was approaching rapidly. The animals had started settling for a long hibernation; the final leaves had begun dropping from trees; the birds commenced their migration. And with these changes came bitter cold and biting winds. The Company had endured the harsh weather as best they could, but when the heavens opened up and began spitting chunks of ice the size of golf balls, they really had no choice but to find somewhere relatively warm and dry to weather the storm in.
They sought refuge in a cave; though drafty, it was dry enough. Oin and Gloin immediately went to work on getting a fire started, and Bombur began digging through their rapidly depleting supplies to put together something warm for their dinner.
After they had all eaten a meager serving of Bombur's hot stew, the Company started to unfurl their damp bedrolls. Bilbo notices how Bofur curled around Bombur, as does Bifur, and they all distribute their thin coverings equally.
The next to settle down is Ori, who is quickly followed by Nori and Dori. They all nestle closely together to conserve body heat, Ori laying in the middle of his two elder brothers.
Fili and Kili lay wrapped around each other, their bodies so close you couldn't wedge a bird's feather between them.
Oin and Gloin choose a spot near the fire, and spread both blankets over themselves evenly. They lay back to back, both snoring.
Balin and Dwalin huddle next to each other, seeming the least disturbed by the cold (besides Gandalf, who had volunteered to take first watch and sits overlooking the mouth of the cave, smoking his pipe), but definitely willing to stay close together for warmth.
The only dwarf lying alone is Thorin, who had claimed a spot away from everyone else and huddled up under his own thin blanket. He was snoring softly, obviously asleep.
Bilbo glances around the room to be sure everyone was asleep (besides Gandalf; the nutty old wizard wouldn't pay him any mind anyway) before he gathered his bedroll and blanket. He shivers violently as the frigid winter air sweeps across his skin, leaving goosebumps in its wake.
The burglar walks silently across the cave floor to where Thorin lay. His face had smoothed out in sleep; he now looked very peaceful and painfully young. It was a rather endearing sight.
Bilbo knelt beside the dwarven King, moving fluidly and silently as to not wake him up. The hobbit carefully spread out his bedroll next to the The King Under the Mountain's, hardly daring to breathe. He slipped into the dwarves coverings then arranged his own over them. Instantly, warmth enveloped him as he snuggled into Thorin, who was also shivering lightly.
Just as the hobbit's eyes begin to droop shut, the dwarrow next to him began to stir. Bilbo's eyes shoot open and he freezes, scarcely daring to draw a breath in fear of awakening the King.
Thorin's sapphire eyes flutter open, sleepily meeting the fearful green eyes of the burglar curled up with him. Instead of cursing him and throwing him out of the cave, probably down a hill and into a conveniently placed ravine, the dwarf king mearly smiles and draws Bilbo closer to him.
"It's about time," Thorin's voice rumbles in pointed hobbit ears. "I've been waiting for this moment since this quest began."
"R-really?" Bilbo squeaks, his eyes wide with surprise.
Thorin nods and tucks the smaller creature's head under his chin. "Sleep, burglar. You're perfectly safe with me."
And Bilbo believes him. He drifts off into a comfortable sleep, warm and wrapped snugly in Thorin's strong arms.
Bilbo wakes slowly the next morning, feeling very warm and comfortable. He snuggles closer to the source of warmth, smiling when Thorin's arms draw him closer.
He hears snickering above him and opens his eyes reluctantly. He starts when he found of pair of dark brown orbs staring directly into his green ones. The hobbit lets out a small shriek, waking Thorin. The dwarf king shoots straight up and looks around at the smiling faces of the Company.
"It's about time, laddie. We've been waiting for this as long as you have," Balin says. joyfully, receiving nods from Dwalin and Oin.
"No fair," Kili whines. "I wanted to cuddle with the burglar."
Fili wraps his arms around Bilbo, ignoring the growl from Thorin. "As did I, Kee. As did I."
If a certain dwarf king was immeasurably nicer to a particular hobbit the next day, no one mentioned it.
Not even if the aforementioned pair made it a point to sleep together every night.
And a certain thieving dwarf certainly did not set up a betting pool for when the couple would finally admit that they were courting, thank you very much.
Not even if he did make a great deal of money on such an endeavor.
A/N: Fluff! Yay fluff! :).