Disclaimer: The Hobbit, all characters, places, and related terms are the sole property of J. R. R. Tolkien's estate, and Warner Brothers, New Line Cinema, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, and WingNut Films.
Author's Note: Fill for a prompt on the hobbit-kink meme.
Hats, Toys, and Little Brothers
It was the third time Dis and her two small boys visited Bofur's cart, toys of all sorts on display. Yet, like every previous visit, the lads' wide-eyed stares were not on the wares, though they were terribly appealing. No, as their ma spoke with the toymaker, they gazed in fascination at the oddly shaped, furry hat resting on the dwarf's head. They had never seen anything like it before, and so they looked and looked.
A gust of wind blew through the market, causing the flaps of Bofur's hat to flutter up and down. The little dwarfling in his ma's arms laughed and clapped his hands. His older brother giggled and bounced on the balls of his toes, wondering if the hat was as soft as it appeared.
The corners of Bofur's eyes crinkled as his face split into a huge beam as he looked between the lads.
"Think my hat is silly, do ye?" he asked with a wink.
"It's wonderful!" the blond-haired dwarfling exclaimed, bouncing in place again.
"Why that's awfully kind of ye to say, little master," the toymaker's smile grew into a grin, exchanging a glance with Dis, before refocusing on the child by her side. For an instant he paused and tilted his head, as though listening to something. "And my hat wishes to tell ye, thank ye for the compliments, and that it is pleased to meet ye." With a grand flourish he whipped his hat off and bowed deeply. "Bofur, at your service!"
This performance earned him delighted laughter from both children.
"Fili," the older boy proclaimed with a bow. "And that's Kili, my brother!" he added proudly, pointing to the cooing dark-haired dwarfling in his mother's arms.
"Wonderful to meet both of ye. And since it seems my hat has taken a fancy to ye two…," Bofur trailed off, his eyes twinkling.
Stepping up to Dis, he carefully set his hat over Kili's head, the brim resting against the dwarfling's forehead that had scrunched up at the unfamiliar contact. One moment the hat stayed in place, next it dipped forward, completely concealing Kili's face. Chuckling, Bofur lifted up the front of the hat, revealing Kili's bewildered expression.
"Peek-a-boo!" the toymaker crowed.
Kili's face broke into a wide smile, and a high-pitched squeal escaped him. He reached up and batted at the hat's furry brim.
After a minute Bofur lifted his hat from Kili's head, moved to stand in front of Fili who had observed everything with shiny eyes, and promptly set it over the lad's blond locks. Just like with his brother, the hat was too big and came to rest on Fili's nose. Giggling at the fur tickling his skin, he ran his hands wonderingly over the brim as he pushed it back up. His face glowed with awe.
"So soft," he whispered, shivering at the warmth it provided. Reluctantly he held the hat out toward Bofur.
"What do we say?" Dis asked.
"Thank you!"
"Aye, I told ye my hat liked ye!" the toymaker stated, setting his hat back in its proper place.
Fili beamed all the way home, not having felt so happy since the day he learned he had a little brother, and doubted he ever would be this happy again.
But he was proven wrong when, the next time his family visited Bofur's cart two weeks later, he froze as a warm, furry, floppy hat was placed on his head, fitting perfectly. Gaping at Kili with his own matching little hat, Fili whirled to Bofur, who watched with a hint of nervousness, blurting:
"I want to grow a moustache just like yours!"
THE END