FAGE 8: Soul Mates
Title: It's Where My Demon Hides
Written for: Falling Stars
Written By: Laurie Whitlock
Rating: M
Summary: To the outside world, he looked like an ordinary Hobbit but what was hiding inside of him was a demon waiting to spring out.
Prompt used: Even the most innocent looking person can be a monster underneath. Bilbo/Thorin
A/n: I own nothing, all known characters belongs to Mr. Tolkin. To my darling, Falling, I hope you like this, no it's not slash but it will still be your pairing and just fyi, don't look for any of the languages in this world because I wouldn't even know where to look for them in the first place LOL. I ain't as good as you are.
Prereaders: vampmama1 and GabrielsBella
Beta: Tammygrrrl (mad props to her for helping me to figure out the ending)
If you would like to see all the stories that are a part of this exchange visit the facebook group: Fanficaholics Anon: Where Obsession Never Sleeps, or add the C2 to get all the stories direct to your inbox.
community/FAGE-8-Soul-Mates/93625/
~Preface~
Once, long ago, in a land far away, there lived a Hobbit by the name of Bilbo Baggins. Now, to everyone he looked like a typical Hobbit; he was anything but. He was cursed as a young lad by an evil wizard named Leoendithas who was a half- orc wizard; Leoendithas had passed by Hobbiton one evening while Bilbo was out playing. The wizard had been in a foul mood- he'd just defeated by Gandalf the Grey; Leoendithas had been trying to start a war against the orcs and trolls, and was cursing things left and right. When he came to young Bilbo, he decided that he was going to turn him in to the most evil thing that he could imagine and that was a dragon. Why? Because even though Leoendithas was a wizard, he wasn't as respected as the other wizards because of his orc blood and Leoendithas wanted to turn others to make them just like he was a half-breed. But the curse didn't work out very well because Gandalf the Grey happened to be passing through Hobbiton as well and had come across Leoendithas and Bilbo and was able to intercept the curse. Gandalf made it so that Bilbo would only change when he became very angry. This angered Leoendithas even more because that made it twice he'd been defeated by Gandalf in one day. This caused Leoendithas to start a wizard duel with Gandalf.
When the duel was over and Leoendithas had been vanquished, Gandalf went to check on Bilbo, who had managed to escape the duel. When Bilbo asked Gandalf why he stepped in, Gandalf told him that he knew of Leoendithas's plans to make a race of half breed creatures and Gandalf was determined to end Leoendithas's plans. When Bilbo heard this, he was excited because he believed that he had escaped the curse, but sadly Gandalf had to burst that bubble. He told Bilbo that he was still cursed; it was just that he would only turn when he was very angry. Gandalf apologised to Bilbo but told him that it was better this way because if he hadn't stepped in Bilbo would always be turning into a dragon.
It was easy over the years for Bilbo to keep his dragon at bay for he was a peaceful man who rarely got angry. However all that changed one beautiful fall morning many years later when he met Thorin Oakenshield and went on an adventure with him and the rest of Thorin's company to reclaim the dwarves homeland. It was during that journey with Thorin and friends, Bilbo really had to learn how to keep calm or reveal to everyone what he became.
~xx~
It was a beautiful fall morning in Hobbiton and Bilbo was outside his home smoking on his pipe. He had his eyes closed and was lightly dozing when he was startled by someone clearing their voice. Bilbo opened his eyes and looked at the very tall man standing at the end of his walkway; he didn't have a clue as to who this man might be,
"Good morning?" Bilbo questioned.
The man looked at him for a moment and then replied, "What do you mean? Do you wish me a good morning, or do you mean that it is a good morning whether I want it or not; or that you feel good this morning; or that it is a morning to be good on?"
"All of them at once, I suppose," Bilbo replied and after a pause said, "can I help you?"
The man just stared at Bilbo before saying, "That remains to be seen. I'm looking for someone to share in an adventure."
"An adventure?" Bilbo questioned and then with a shake of his head, he replied, "now, I don't imagine anyone west of Bree would have much interest in adventures."
Bilbo then stood up and walked towards his letterbox while saying, "Nasty, disturbing, uncomfortable things," Bilbo opened his letterbox took out the mail and continued, "Make you late for dinner."
He then placed his pipe back into his mouth while shuffling through his letters, he glanced up and saw that the man was still standing there, he looked at his letters again and then bade the man a good morning again before turning to go back inside.
"To think I should have lived to be 'good mornined' by Belladonna Took's son. As if I was selling buttons at the door."
"Beg your pardon?" Bilbo questioned.
"You've changed and not entirely for the better, Bilbo Baggins."
"I'm sorry, do I know you?"
"But you know my name; you don't remember that I belong to it. I'm Gandalf and Gandalf means... me."
Bilbo paused to think and then said, "Not Gandalf the wandering wizard who made such excellent fireworks. Old Took used to have them on Summer's Eve."Bilbo chuckled, cleared his throat and said, "I had no idea that you were still in business."
"And where else should I be?" Gandalf asked, not looking happy with Bilbo's response.
Bilbo wanted to say something but thought better of it and instead puffed on his pipe.
"Well, I'm pleased to find that you remember something about me, even if it's my fireworks." Gandalf then nodded and said, "Well that's decided, it will be very good for you and most amusing for me. I shall inform the others."
"Inform the who? No, no wait, we do not want any adventures here, thank you. Not today, I suggest you try over the hill or across the water. Good morning." Bilbo then turned and went into his home and locked the door.
That night, Bilbo's house was invaded by dwarves and Gandalf. He didn't want to go on the dwarves mission to reclaim their homeland but after hearing the leader of the company Thorin Oakenshield's song about how their home was destroyed by a dragon, Bilbo changed his mind.
The trip started out fine, the dwarves would tease Bilbo, but it wasn't anything he couldn't handle. But as the days turned into weeks and then into months, the stress and the annoyance that Bilbo felt towards Thorin started to get really bad and Bilbo had to work really hard to keep his demon at bay.
Thorin kept saying that Bilbo was a waste of space, that he wouldn't be a help to them and that they should never have let him come. Bilbo hated being told that he was worthless and didn't mean as much as the others. Bilbo had a strong wall built around his emotions but every snide comment or dirty look from Thorin made a little crack in Bilbo's wall. He tried to patch up the crack but sometimes Bilbo let his anger out a bit and everyone, even Thorin would stop picking on Bilbo. Bilbo noticed that Gandalf was staring at him a lot and that unsettled him, so one night when it was Gandalf's turn to keep watch, Bilbo made sure that everyone was asleep before he crept over to Gandalf so that he could confront the wizard.
"Gandalf, why do you keep staring at me when I get angry?" Bilbo whispered.
"Because I keep wondering when your anger is going to get too bad and you turn." Gandalf replied.
"What do you mean, turn?" Bilbo was really confused now because how could Gandalf know about the secret of his dragon?
"Bilbo, do you really mean to tell me that the only thing you remember about me is my fireworks?"
"Yes, of course that's all I remember." Bilbo answered still confused.
"When you were a wee halfling Hobbit of ten, you were cursed by an evil, long forgotten wizard by the name of Leoendithas. He was mad at me because I had stopped his plot to create war between the orcs and the trolls. He came through Hobbiton and came upon you, he cast a curse on you to turn you into a dragon but I'd had a feeling that he was going to do something and I was following him, because of that reason I was able to change his curse so that you only turned when you were extremely angry."
"Why don't I remember that?"
"Because you were young and had other things to think about I would assume."
"So, why didn't you tell me when we meet up three months ago?"
"Because I wanted to see how you were handling your curse and it seems that you are doing alright with it."
"Do the others know?"
"No."
"Good and it better stay that way."
Gandalf nodded and after a few minutes, Bilbo went over to his bedroll to try and get some rest.
~xx~
Time went on, Gandalf kept watching Bilbo and Bilbo made sure to keep his dragon in check and tried to keep his wall uncracked. All was going fine, till they got captured by the trolls. Bilbo was scared and wondered if maybe he should let them all know that he was a dragon, kill the trolls and save everyone but Gandalf must have known what Bilbo was planning because he held him back from doing so.
Somehow, Bilbo wasn't sure exactly how, he got separated from the others and he found himself in a dungeon. Bilbo looked around for a bit, found a gold ring that he pocketed and then came face to face with a ghastly creature. Bilbo ended up playing a game of riddles with Gollum for the way to get out of the troll dungeon. Bilbo of course won, and Gollum at first refused to show him the way that was until Bilbo showed him his dragon and threatened to eat him, did Gollum show Bilbo the way out. Before he left, Bilbo made Gollum promise to never repeat to anyone that he was a dragon/Hobbit and he agreed because he didn't want to be eaten.
Bilbo thought they were in the clear after meeting up with the company again and explaining why he came back, but then they heard a noise which turned out to be an orc pack. Everyone ran for the trees and started to climb up them. The pack was nipping at their heels and Gandalf got the idea to light the pine cones on fire and start throwing them at the pack. A ring of fire was created around the trees and the wargs and their orc riders kept back because they didn't like the fire.
Bilbo thought that they would be safe and would be able to climb down the tree once the pack left but he was wrong because the tree they were in was starting to groan and tip because of all the weight of everyone in it. Ori and Dori were the first two to fall off the tree but they had grabbed hold of Gandalf's staff to keep from falling to their deaths. It was then that Bilbo saw Thorin stand up from his semi lying position on the tree and charge towards Azog; Azog was the monster who beheaded Thorin's father after Smaug attacked the castle, Thorin fought with Azog after his father's death and managed to cut off his hand, Thorin was under the belief that Azog was dead but now he saw that he was very much mistaken.
Bilbo and the rest of the company watched as Thorin got tossed around by Azog's mount and Bilbo knew that he had to do something because Thorin was going to lose and even though Thorin had been rude towards him, he was still a friend in need.
So, Bilbo grasped his sword and went charging towards Azog with his sword high. He swiped the air in front of him to get them to back off but Azog and his group only laughed at Bilbo's feeble attempts. Bilbo took a quick look at Thorin saw that his eyes were closed and started to shift slightly into his dragon form, his eyes became gold slits, his scales started to spread out across his face and he got slightly taller. As soon as Azog saw Bilbo shifting, he started to get worried and slowly backed away. Bilbo wished that the others weren't around because he wanted to fully shift and take out the orcs.
Bilbo was trying to figure out if he would be able to blow fire and get away without the others noticing when he heard a cry from behind him; the rest of the company was coming to his aid and Bilbo quickly shifted back into his hobbit form. Everyone started fighting the orcs and the Great Eagles came to the company's aid and helped them fight against the orcs. One Eagle took Thorin in his talons while the others started to gather up the others, and they flew to Carrock, all the while Fili kept calling out for his uncle but Thorin wasn't making any movements or sounds and Bilbo wondered if he was too late in getting to Thorin on time.
Once they landed, everyone rushed to Thorin except for Bilbo who hung back. Gandalf pushed his way through and Bilbo saw him hold his hand over Thorin's eyes and whisper a spell over him. After a few minutes, Thorin's eyes snapped open and he said, "The Halfling,"
"It's alright," Gandalf said, "Bilbo is here. He's quite safe."
Bilbo let out a sigh of relief that he wasn't in fact too late in getting to Thorin's aid and watched as Thorin struggled to stand up. Kili tried to help his uncle but Thorin just shook him off, Thorin looked at Bilbo and said, "You! What were you doing? You nearly got yourself killed! Did I not say that you would be a burden, that you would not survive in the wild and that you have no place amongst us? I've never been so wrong in all my life."
Thorin then grabbed Bilbo in a hug, Bilbo was confused by his actions but the rest of the company cheered and Gandalf looked slightly happy. Thorin hugged Bilbo for a moment more and then gave him a little squeeze before letting go, after he stepped back from the embrace, Thorin said, "and I am sorry for doubting you."
"No, it's fine. I would have doubted me too. I'm not a hero, or a warrior... Not even a burglar." Bilbo replied, the last bit while looking up at Gandalf.
Thorin just smiled, and after the Great Eagles took flight, they started to make their way off the Carrock so that they could find shelter for the night. Bilbo was glad that no one saw his dragon form.
That night while Bilbo was on watch, Thorin came over to sit with him after the others had fallen asleep. Bilbo nodded to him as he sat down and continued to smoke his pipe. Thorin took his pipe and after lighting it and taking a few puffs, he turned to Bilbo and said, "I would like to thank you again Bilbo for coming to my aid, you didn't have to after the way I had been treating you."
"It's true that you have been treating me rotten for a long time and I know that it's because you don't trust me because I am not your kin and you've never met me before, but the reason that I came to your aid was because you are a friend to me, and I don't like seeing my friends in trouble when there is a way for me to help them."
"Speaking of that, I saw something... or at least I think I saw something as you were saving me."
"And what is it that you think you saw?" Bilbo was concerned now.
"It seemed as if your eyes changed shape and colour and that you had scales across your face like a dragon."
"A... a dragon but Thorin, I'm just a Hobbit and nothing more."
"Are you sure? I wouldn't tell anyone you know if you were."
"I can promise you Thorin that I am nothing more than a mere Hobbit."
Thorin didn't say anything and Bilbo wondered how else he was going to convince him otherwise but after a few minutes, Thorin said, "yes, it was silly of me to think of you as a dragon. If you were, I'm sure you would have eaten me already because of the way I've treated you."
Bilbo nodded and the two of them sat in silence puffing on their pipes. Bilbo's head was swirling, he was going to have to be more careful around Thorin now that he suspected him of being something other than a hobbit.
~xx~
For awhile Bilbo thought they were in the clear, that they wouldn't have to face anything else, but he was wrong. They had to face giant spiders, the orcs again and the Elves of Mirkwood but they got through it all and Bilbo and Thorin became closer friends, so close in fact that Thorin considered Bilbo kin. From time to time, Bilbo would catch Thorin looking at him closely and Bilbo suspected it was because he was trying to figure out if Bilbo actually was a dragon or not.
They finally made it to the dwarves' home and after Bilbo figured out the riddle on the map and what it truly meant for finding the hidden door; Bilbo went in search of the Arkenstone. As Bilbo didn't know what the Arkenstone looked like; "large white stone" wasn't a lot to go on, it took him awhile to figure out what he was looking for. He sifted through a lot of the gems and gold coins and upon shifting some coins; he found the dragon he was told to watch out for. Bilbo wanted to run but he also still needed to look for the Arkenstone.
"Well, thief! I smell you, I hear your breath, I feel your air. Where are you?" Smaug hissed out.
Bilbo remained silent, hidden thanks to the gold ring that was on his finger that he took from Gollum. He hoped that Smaug wouldn't smell his dragon blood. Smaug got closer to Bilbo and Bilbo moved away from him but Smaug heard and said, "Come now, don't be shy... step into the light."
Bilbo ran as fast as he could but Smaug still tracked him. He tried to hide but Smaug found him and said, "There is something about you, something the dwarves don't know. You have dragon blood in your veins. You are just like me."
Just then Bilbo got a vision of an eye and he took the ring off and Smaug hissed, "There you are, Thief in the Shadows!" Bilbo didn't say anything, and Smaug continued, "How is it that you are a hobbit and a dragon, Thief?"
"I was cursed as a child by an angry wizard." Bilbo mumbled.
"And how is it that you are not a full dragon?"
"Another wizard changed the curse so that I only change when I'm angry."
"A lovely thing," Smaug sneered.
Bilbo and Smaug engaged in a battle of wits and while Smaug had his head turned, Bilbo grabbed the Arkenstone; which he had spotted earlier, and made a run for the door through which he came. Thorin and the others stood at the entrance and Thorin asked if he had found the stone. But the way that Thorin asked made Bilbo want to lie, he could tell that the gold was starting to affect Thorin and Bilbo was sure that if he had the Arkenstone in hand, he would be affected even worse.
Bilbo tried to tell them about Smaug but Thorin was only worried about the Arkenstone. It was when the fire from Smaug came close to where they were standing, did Thorin realize what was going on and he was determined to find a way to stop Smaug and protect the people of Lake Town as well as his kin.
The company made their way into the halls and tried a couple of different tricks but nothing stopped Smaug, Bilbo knew that there was only one way, he was going to have to reveal his true nature and engage Smaug in a dragon battle.
"Thorin, there was something that you asked me a long time ago and I told you, you were wrong." Bilbo whispered to him while they were standing in a hidden passageway waiting for Balin to heat up the forges.
"I don't know what you are talking about Bilbo, but this isn't the time. This plan will most assuredly work." Thorin replied.
"Listen!" Bilbo yelled which made Thorin turn to look over his shoulder at Bilbo, "listen, I am going to do something that will save everyone. I'm sorry for lying to you and I hope that you can still trust me after the fact."
Thorin looked confused and Bilbo just shook his head and ran from his hiding spot and began to shift in to his dragon form.
"Bilbo... Bilbo... Bilbo!," Thorin called out to the Hobbit but he didn't listen he just kept walking.
Soon, Bilbo was growing taller, his feet were getting bigger and claws were replacing his fingers. Scales were creeping out all over Bilbo's body and before Thorin and the rest of the company's eyes, Bilbo shifted to his beautiful black dragon body. The dragon turned his head to look back at Thorin and then roared as if saying, "Stay back."
Smaug had just come around the corner and stopped in his tracks as he took in the black dragon in front of him.
"Well Thief, it looks like you have shifted after all," Smaug hissed out.
"I have and now, I plan on killing you," Bilbo hissed back.
Smaug just laughed and then charged at Bilbo. The company watched in awe as the two dragons battled each other. The Hall was silent save for the roars and clashing of claws coming from the dragons. The company had to jump back a couple of times when one of their fire breaths got too close to them. The battle of dragons went on for nearly two hours but before much longer, Bilbo had Smaug flat on his back and Bilbo sank his claws into Smaug's heart and with one final roar, Smaug's life came to an end.
Bilbo stood over Smaug for a long while. He was saddened by what he had done, he never once taken a life and he had hoped that he never would but he knew that it was for the greater good because he'd saved the lives of hundreds of people. Bilbo broke out of his thoughts when he heard cheering. He turned his head and saw the company come rushing towards him. He moved his whole body; being careful not to hit anyone with his tail, and looked down at his friends. He thought for sure that he would see angry looks on their faces now that they knew what he truly was but the only looks on their faces was that of happiness. Slowly Bilbo shifted back to his hobbit form and waited to see what was going to be said.
"You're... you're a dragon?" Dwalin asked.
"A half one, yes," Bilbo answered.
"How is that possible?" Thorin questioned.
"It's a long story but Gandalf came to my aid and reversed the curse."
"So, that Wizard knew all along?" Thorin demanded.
"Yesh,"
Thorin asked no more questions and neither did the rest of the town. Thorin then went to Smaug's dead body and began to take his head off. Bilbo couldn't watch this bit, so he turned his back and tried to block out the sounds. Once Thorin was done, everyone left the castle and went back to Lake Town so that they could show everyone that Smaug was really and truly dead. Dwalin, Balin and Bombur took some gold with them so that they could honour their agreement with the people of Lake Town when they asked for aid to get to the castle.
Thorin had told Bilbo that he wouldn't tell the others who didn't make the journey; Kili, Fili, Oin and Bofur, that he was a dragon. Bilbo thanked him for that and said that he would tell them once the time was right. When they got back to Lake Town, the people cheered when Thorin showed them Smaug's head and the gold that they brought. Thorin said to them again that he was going to help the town get back to their original glory once they rebuild the castle.
That night, they all had a big feast; there was a lot of merriment, songs, food, laughter and stories. Bilbo had slipped out at one point, to go and kill Azog who was hovering close by. No one but Bilbo knew that Azog was close by and he didn't feel the need to tell everyone what he had done at that point in time, he would tell them afterwards that they would no longer have to worry about Azog.
~xx~
"And that my dear Frodo, is one of my many adventures from my younger years."
"Tell it again uncle."
Bilbo looked down at his young nephew and just smiled, "I'll tell you another time Frodo. It's time for you to get some sleep."
"But uncle,"
"No buts, it's time for young Hobbit's to get some sleep."
"Fine. When are uncle's Thorin, Kili and Fili coming for a visit again?"
"Oh, soon I would imagine. They usually pass though this time of year."
"Good, I can't wait to see them again."
Bilbo just chuckled and fixed Frodo's blanket. He said goodnight to him again and then walked out of the room, closing the door behind him. Bilbo went to his study, took out the book he was writing and wrote the next chapter in his book. He always thought that his adventures with Thorin and friends would be an exciting one to be reread and he wanted to leave something for Frodo to remember him by once he went to the Undying Lands. Plus, the story he told to Frodo was only half of it, he kept most hidden because of his nephew's young age. Once Frodo got older, he could read this story and know everything.