This is my first fanfic, so be nice. But I love constructive criticism! Thought I would try something with fem!Bilbo (who I have called Billa), as there is hardly anything out there yet. It's really just random drabble full of headcanon. There is very slight fem!Bilbo/Thorin, if you turn your head and squint.

All characters and settings and stuff belong to J.R.R Tolkien.

Putting Flowers In Her Hair

Lace

Dusk was fast approaching when the company finally decided they had happened upon an appropriate camp site for the night. It had been days since their frightful encounter with the goblins and orcs, and subsequent rescue by eagles, but the party still remained drained of spirit and energy. The pace had slowed for fear that anything faster might further hinder their leader, much to his chagrin and against his aggressive assertions that there was nothing wrong with him.

New ponies and provisions had been acquired, much to everyone's relief, but little could be done for extra breeches or tunics or cloaks or boots. The most lamented commodity that Miss Billa Baggins had to forsake, for lack of funds, was good soap. Her blonde curls, so vibrant and light at the Shire, had grown most dull and lank, hanging limply down her back, more often than not filled with dirt and twigs and leaves. The green waistcoat that was hastily chosen before dashing out her front door had lasted remarkably well, but now had lost all it's pretty brass buttons, and was altogether quite useless.

Being a creature of comfort, as hobbits generally are, poor Miss Baggins was rather unused to being so unpresentable. She normally took great pride in her appearance, call it vanity if you will, but it garnered her a lot of respect and standing within her community. Not to mention it was very nice to feel pretty, if only once in a while. How she longed to be out of these horribly worn breeches and donned in a dress with fine embroidery! Maybe something in a nice, subtle, rich blue. She had just such a dress back at Bag End.

It was useless to worry about such trivial things now, she knew, so after quickly dismounting her pony and leaving it amongst the others, she got about helping set up camp for the evening. Billa found herself collecting firewood with Kili. He chatted on, in his excitable way, as they went about their task – her picking appropriate branches and twigs, Kili carrying the load and dutifully following behind. He was not unobservant of her gloomy mood under her quick replies, but could not fathom what would have caused this current worry. Thorin had shown nothing but respect and gratitude towards her of late, though in his stoic and indirect way. They had meet with no great misfortunes within the past few days, and she seemed to be in good health. Perhaps she was suffering another bout of homesickness.

Spying a small crop of wild flowers at the base of a nearby tree, Kili deviated slightly from Billa's wake. When she noticed the dwarf's chatter had ceased, Billa turned to find him squatting some way behind, so she made after him.

"Are you quite alright, Kili?" she called. When she pulled nearer, she noticed the flowers and raised an eyebrow. She would not have thought the young dwarf an admirer of flora.

He stood again, bringing with him a single daisy clasped between his fingers while supporting his entire wooden load with one arm. With a cheeky smile tilting his mouth, he placed the flower behind Billa's pointed ear.

"Cheer up, Miss Billa. Nothing much worse can happen for a while. If you don't, then I'm afraid Fili and I will have to start surprising you with kisses to your cheek until you do," he threatened.

Billa let out a snort of amusement at that.

"You will do nothing of the sort," she hit him soundly on the arm in exasperated fondness, which he probably did not even feel beneath his furs. Seeing the smile she was trying to hide at his antics, Kili let out a victorious laugh that shook his shoulders.

When they arrived back at the camp, Kili promptly set about getting a fire started and soon Bombor was by his side, ready to start on the company's supper. The little flower had vastly improved Billa's mood, and she could do nothing to contain the affectionate smile that persisted to tug at her lips. Everyone as a whole seemed a tad downcast, and she thought her mirth out of place.

Settled around the camp fire for supper, Billa was seated between Ori and Bofur. Kili and Fili were opposite her, next to Thorin, and Kili sent her a quick wink when he caught her eye. Once finished with his meal, Ori turned to her.

"If you don't mind me saying, flowers suit you quite prettily, Miss Billa," he complimented with unaffected sincerity.

"Aye lassie," added Bofur, "you should start braiding em through your hair."

"Do you like flowers?" asked Ori.

The rest of the group reached a companionable silence as they listened to the hobbit's conversation and noticed the daisy tucked behind her ear. Even Thorin deigned to politely observe the slight difference in his burglar's appearance. Kili wore a smile too smug for Billa's liking.

"I believe you had a rather well-tended flower garden at Bag End, Miss Billa?" Gandalf suggested as way of answer for Ori.

"Yes, I did," she smiled brightly. The firelight danced in her hair, bringing out the gold, and caught a twinkle in her eyes as she started to animate. Finally, a conversation she could contribute to. One that was not about battle tactics or weapons or dwarvish things she would never understand. "I am very fond of gardening, an afternoon is not complete without a little tinkering in the flower beds! Mostly I keep it for my own amusement, and I love having fresh flowers to decorate my home with every morning. It provides a general sort of happiness and homeliness, don't you think? As a little girl, whenever I was unwell or upset, my mother (bless her soul!) would leave me a small bunch of flowers on my pillow for when I woke up. It always managed to lift my spirits. I do have a particular like for tulips though, and last year I entered the Hobbiton Flower Show for the first time. My cousin, Dora, was quite put out and, would you believe it?, tried to give me shifty advise in her letters! But I gave her a what for and won second place."

With a glance around the circle, Billa found thirteen stunned dwarves at her little tirade, not at all used to their hobbit speaking so lively for so long on a topic she was not vehemently disagreeing with. Truth be told, it was difficult for them to keep up with her swift shifts in thought. Her mouth could move very quickly.

"Oh! My apologies, I'm rambling. And about flowers no less!," she dropped her head so the flames would not light the blush that crept up her neck and tinted the tips of her ears.

"It's nice to see you so spirited, lassie," Bofur said with a wide grin and soft pat to her back. "We don't know too much about flowers and gardening, living under mountains and what not. Do many other young Missies fancy them as much?"

Most of the party did not seem particularly interested in carrying on the conversation and began quietly starting up their own, but Ori, Fili and Kili all seemed to be waiting for her to respond. Billa snuck a peak at Thorin, who seemed to be in a pensive mood paying her no more mind, and carried on.

"I suppose they do, yes. Many girls enjoy receiving flowers as gifts. Among hobbits, it is even a sign of affection. When a young man starts presenting a lady with flowers, it is a sign he wishes to start courting her. Of course," she added, thinking about Kili giving her with the flower – she did not want the boy to worry she had formed the wrong conclusion, "giving flowers does not always have romantic connotations. They can also be given as a 'get well' gesture or to the deceased at burial ceremonies, and such."

Lifting her head again, Kili gave Billa another teasing wink and chuckled to himself when she only shook her head at his brash childishness. Soon after, all conversation died off as the company separated for much needed rest.

The next morning, Billa found herself desperately wishing that Thorin would decide to stop near a river for camp sometime soon. She was urgently in need of freshening up. A sniff of the surrounding air told her the dwarves were, as well. So she did not feel all bad, she quickly brushed through her curls, which she did not often spare time for, and gave her hair a little more spring and life.

Preparing to mount her pony, she let out a world-weary sigh in anticipation of another long, exhausting day of travel. Once securely seated, however, Billa noticed a small handful of assorted wildflowers placed carefully under her saddle, so as not to squash the petals.

Looking around in shock, amusement, and no small amount of delight, she tried to find the perpetrator of her sudden change in temperament. No one was watching her, though, and no one was near, so she was left at quite a loss. Picking up her pretty offering, she admired the flowers then drew them close to inhale their remarkably pleasant scent. There was simply no helping the bright smile that stretched and dimpled her plump cheeks.

Others then mounted their ponies and the company slowly started to move. To her left, Fili and Kili pulled up to ride alongside her.

"Kili," she asked, holding up the flowers for him to clearly see, "did you give me these?"

"It wasn't me, Miss Billa. Though I now suppose I would rather it was. Probably could have gotten a kiss for my efforts!"

The boy was out of reach, so she very well could not hit him, but she shot him a disapproving glare. He understood well enough, as he tried and failed to cover his amusement with sheepishness. "Fili?" she asked for good measure.

"Nor I, to be sure, Miss Billa," the elder answered with more respect, but just as flirty a grin.

Well. Now she was at a complete loss. Another sweep of the dwarves, and not one caught her eye or confessed to giving her the wonderful little gift. She supposed Bofur could have done it, but he would have already claimed responsibility by now.

On her right, Thorin began passing on his way to the front of the convoy. He looked from her to the flowers, and she offered him a genuine, dimpled smile. His face remained passive, but that was a great deal better than the heated scowl he used to regard her with, and her happy expression remained sincere. She would never tell, but her smile even grew a little bit.

"Perhaps you should take Bofur's advise, Miss Burglar, and braid them through your hair," he offered in a gruff voice before passing her completely.

At that, Billa felt positively giddy. She lowered her head to hide her silly, girlish grin at their leader's approval of her, and smelt the flowers again. It really did not matter who had given them to her now.

To the hobbit's left, Fili and Kili exchanged wildly amused glances at their uncle's rather unsubtle behaviour.

Hope you enjoyed! Be sure to review if you like it, or even if you didn't.

Lace