This was written for the Week of Orwal on tumblr. I'm late but the prompt is Chance Meeting. This is my first time writing these two, so I really hope that I do them justice.

(Modern day AU)

~D.O~

Friday afternoon and the main street was bustling with people going about their business, easily manoeuvring around the mountain of a man that walked down the centre of the path, covered in tattoos and moving at a calm confident pace. Ignoring the wary glances that people sent in his direction was a common practice for Dwalin, so much so that he didn't notice the look of relief that the young girl collecting cups and mugs in the cafe gave him when he continued past rather than stopping to order something. He stopped instead at a store front a few doors down, bracing himself before he stepped inside.

By god, he truly hated book stores.

Once inside he used his height to look over most shelves and all customers in order to find the section that he was after, war history. Most people were too absorbed in the books that they were reading but the few that did look up to see the gigantic man made sure to move well out of his way, just like they always did.

All these books look the same he thought grumpily, less than pleased to be cramped up in the small aisle, rather than outside or in the gym training.

"Can I help you find anything?" a kind voice said from right behind him, and he whipped around to come face to face with the man that had said it with a gruff response on the tip of his tongue, only to have it wither at the sight that greeted him.

Cute is a word that Dwalin uses about as often as other people use it to describe him, but that's the word that he thinks of now as he stares into the big, brown eyes of a man named Ori, according to his name tag. Must work here, Dwalin thought to himself as he looked the young man up and down, he definitely looks the type.

The man's cheeks flushed a becoming pink and Dwalin realised he'd been doing a lot of looking and not a lot of talking. Clearing his throat loudly he muttered the title of the book and Ori jumped right away, plucking it from the shelf with nimble fingers and passing it on to the larger man with a smile.

"Can I help you with anything else?" the young store worker asked, lifting a hand to brush his hair behind his ear and Dwalin followed the movement intently before realising that he was expecting an answer.

"No thank you, laddie. This here's the only book I'll be needing" he said, watching the man in confusion as he nodded and quickly moved to the counter to continue serving, eyes downcast. Dwalin frowned, wondering if he had said anything that could have been seen as offensive or disrespectful but came up with nothing, shaking his head to himself before slowly making his way to the counter where two people stood before him.

He couldn't help but watch as Ori served the people before him, smiling and making easy conversations with them about their book selections and plans for the weekend. He seemed to have a way with words that Dwalin himself had never been blessed with, for despite the boys obviously quiet and unassuming nature he charmed the people before him, sending them away with smiles on their faces. When it was Dwalin's turn to be served he stepped forward slowly, handing the book over while watching the man again, wondering at the strange way he seemed to act only towards Dwalin.

"So is this book for yourself then?" Ori asked as he scanned the bar code and took out a bad to place the item in.

"No, I'm not much of a reader" Dwalin said, and frowned at how stupid that made him sound, but at Ori's interested expression he continued regardless. "It is a gift for my older brother, Balin" he said quietly and Ori smiled at that.

"I have two older brothers myself" he said happily, before telling Dwalin the price and waiting for payment. "I thought it could be for a girlfriend or partner" he said, the blush now returning to his cheeks.

Dwalin found himself chuckling as he handed over the money. "A girlfriend? With a book like that? A boyfriend maybe" he said and Ori chuckled along with him before passing the bag to the bigger man. The was a pause as their hands touched, and Dwalin found himself staring again until he became aware of an old lady standing behind him.

"Well thank you, Ori, for helping me find this book. Balin will be pleased" Dwalin said before turning and making his way out of the store and back the way he had come.

"Wait!" came Ori's voice behind him and he turned, waiting outside the cafe as he watched the younger man trotting up to him. "You never told me your name" Ori said once he came to a stop in front of Dwalin, looking up at him once again with those big, brown eyes.

"Dwalin".

"Would you like to get a coffee with me some time, Dwalin?" Ori asked and the older man could do nothing more than nod through his shock. Ori handed him a piece of paper that with a quick glance showed a hastily scrawled number. "Call me sometime?" he asked, and all Dwalin could do was nod again.

Ori grinned then, and in a move so quick Dwalin couldn't have stopped him even if he had wanted to, the redhead brought himself onto his toes and kissed Dwalin on the cheek before taking off back into the book store where the old lady was peeping around the corner with a grin on her face.

Dwalin turned and continued down the street, still oblivious to the cafe girl and everyone else for that matter. He'd been asked on a date! Well how about that...

~D.O~

Later, when they had been together long enough to find humour in that moment along with happiness, they would retell this story to all of their family and friends with a great deal of laughter. Ori would always claim that he'd never flirted so hard in his entire life trying to get the oblivious giant to notice him, while Dwalin would say he knew what Ori was trying to do all along, but the lad was so forward he was scared speechless.

In moments alone however, the older man would quietly admit to Ori that he had not known what Ori was trying to do, for he never thought that someone so beautiful would be interested in someone as gruff as him.

~D.O~

So there you have it, my very first Dwalin/Ori fic. I hope that I portrayed them well and that everyone enjoyed it, Thanks!