Disclaimer - Characters and world used for entertainment purposes only. I make no claim upon them nor profit in their use.
Bilbo tried not to stare, he really did, but there was just something about the Dwarf that demanded his attention. As gruff as he seemed as he gestured roughly and rumbled words that were more like gravel tumbling over itself in a deep cave, he had a gentleness about him as well. Part of Bilbo wanted to bundle the older Dwarf close and dote on him. Another part was still scared of him.
His attention didn't go unnoticed. Bofur smiled at him gently one evening as they helped Bombur with supper. "You've been watchin' Bif awful hard lately." He laughed when Bilbo felt his neck and ears heat up. "Been a long time since he's caught an eye." His humor turned to a measure of sadness as he glanced at his cousin.
"I…" The Hobbit had no idea what to say to Bofur. Of course he'd been watching, so he couldn't deny it. Awkward excuses rattled around in his head, but he couldn't risk insulting Bofur or his kin.
Bofur read into his silence. "It's okay." He patted Bilbo on the back, eyes sadder still. "If it's just curiosity, I understand. He gets that a lot."
"It's not… I mean… Oh bother." He huffed, redder than he already was, unable to articulate what he was thinking, feeling. Honestly, Bilbo wasn't sure he knew to be able to. It was all a jumble of wistfulness, butterflies, and a thrill of danger, hardly enough to go making a fool out of himself or bothering Bifur with.
The hatted Dwarf looked at him a moment. "Do you like Bifur? Seems simple enough."
"I don't know him, can't even understand him." He looked down at his feet, feeling ashamed even though it wasn't his fault. Bifur had a hard enough life without having to deal with people who couldn't understand him, who didn't even bother to try, seeing it as a waste of their time. And Bilbo didn't think it was a waste, never a waste, but he didn't know how to go about figuring out a way to understand.
Bofur gave a nod and that seemed to be the end of it, for nearly two weeks.
Bifur had noticed the glances, and for the longest time either quickly forgot about them or put them off as the stares he was used to, even from his own kind let alone from Men, which he was beginning to learn Hobbits were not as much like as he first thought. But, eventually, through random thoughts of no end of many things, it sunk in that the Hobbit was watching him, almost dreamily on occasion.
At first, he wondered if he was being mocked. Mahal knew he'd zone out and get that sort of look, but Baggins would never do that. He always seemed to get so flustered and red when he realized what he was doing, especially if someone caught him at his daydreaming. But Bifur knew it wasn't daydreaming, at least not strictly. No, whatever thoughts were going on in the Hobbit's head, they had to do with Bifur. It left the Dwarf something to try to focus on. It took him days to think it through.
Those days he took to watching the Hobbit back. Baggins flushed and twitched and babbled at whomever he was talking to at the time, clearly well aware of the scrutiny and nervous for it. With all the staring that Baggins had done, though, Bifur felt it only right that he stare back. On occasion, he'd get distracted. A stray thought would wander in or something would catch his eye, but he always came back to Bilbo, pondering over the small creature and what to do with him.
It was clear that Baggins was the good sort, to a fault, really. It made him look like a fool, but Bifur knew a lot about fools. The Hobbit was all heart and not a small measure of pride. Never too quick to temper, but he'd not be trod upon, either, as many of them were beginning to realize. Seeing him whack Fili and Kili over the heads like a Dwarrowdam when the youngsters had tried to sneak something into the supper pot had been amusing to most of them, if not the two in question, and the proper tongue lashing he'd given them had been equally amusing.
There were layers to Baggins, maybe not as many as there were to most of the Dwarves, who had seen hard lives and done so much more than sit in their little Hobbit hole and have a quiet life, but there were layers.
Courting beads were a traditional part of speaking your intentions toward a prospective partner. So Bifur began to carve one from a small bit of wood. Metals and stones were what a Dwarf would give a Dwarf, but Baggins was a Hobbit, and they had an affinity for plants and nature. Wood seemed right to Bifur, and when he'd found a nice piece of a rich, dark ebony wood, he knew it would be perfect to go in the Hobbit's lighter hair.
Bofur found no end of amusement out of Bifur's attempts to be secretive with what he was doing. It wasn't hard. Most of the others didn't pay any mind to what Bifur did, always expecting him to be doing something odd. He didn't mind. At times he wasn't clear on where he was or what was going on, and he knew he could be odd. He couldn't fault his fellow Dwarves. Bofur and Bombur, though, noticed what he was doing, and it pleased him that they approved.
After days of watching and carving, while sitting on watch one night with his cousin, Bifur walked over to where Baggins slept. His fingers could be clumsy, especially if he rushed himself, but he sat down beside the Hobbit and slowly and carefully, as he would with one of his carvings, worked a courting braid and the bead into the soft curls. He was pleased with the result and moved back over to Bofur with a satisfied smile on his face.
Bofur only grinned and shook his head. "He probably won't understand."
Bifur knew that, but it was the best way for him to express himself; the Hobbit couldn't understand anything he said. Even if Bilbo took the braid out when he woke, he'd still have the bead, and everyone else would know that someone had intentions on the Hobbit and would respect it.
Dwalin and Nori relieved them for watch an hour later, and both bedded down near Bombur, who was sleeping beside Bilbo. The two had gone to bed discussing the types of cheese made in the Shire, wistful smiles on both their faces. Morning would come soon enough, and Bifur was anxious to see what came of his gift to the Hobbit.
Bilbo heard the Dwarves moving around the camp but tried to get just a little more rest before Thorin was prodding him with the toe of his boot and growling at him to get his lazy bones up. The Hobbit heard a small growl, deep and menacing as it was quiet, off to his left but he paid it no mind. It wasn't unusual for the Dwarves to growl at one another, and he'd given up trying to figure out the various reasons they did it. He was relatively certain, unless he was being glared at, at the time, they had nothing to do with him.
He stretched and reached his left hand up to scratch at the top of his head, smiling a bit bleary eyed at Bofur and Bifur, both of which were watching him rather intently. In fact, more than half the Dwarves were watching him rather intently. He lowered his arm slowly, blinking around at them in confusion. Had he done something wrong? Was there a bug on him somewhere?
The Hobbit quickly patted himself down and accessed the situation. Nothing was out of place or on him. He couldn't for the life of him realize what was going on. He turned his confusion to irritation and glowered at the company. "What?" He bit out, sourly.
Several gazes turned away from him, as if just realizing they were staring, which was about as helpful as the sun during a drought. He was just about to get truly vocal about his irritation when Thorin reached out and tugged on the hair behind his right ear. "Ouch!" He shoved the Dwarf prince's arm away and glared up at him, even as he heard that slight growl again.
Bilbo turned his head toward Bofur, Bifur, Bombur, and Kili, who sat to his left. Kili was steadfastly not looking at him, cheeks flushed lightly as he stared at the ground. It was rather odd behavior for the Dwarf, and it only helped to confuse him more. Bombur was smiling happily, practically beaming at Bilbo, and the Hobbit really wished someone would say something other than smile, or tug on his hair.
Bofur finally seemed to take pity on him, though it was clear he was having far more amusement from what was going on than he really had right to. He stood up, marched over to Nori and tugged a small mirror out of one of the sly Dwarf's many pockets. The miner ignored the indignant shout from Nori and walked over and handed the small circle of glass to Bilbo.
As Bilbo took the mirror, still confused, Bofur flicked something behind his right ear where only hair should be. There was the distinct sound of his fingernail hitting something. He quickly looked to see what it was.
A delicate, small braid, which on closer inspection was a bit more complicated than anything Bilbo had ever seen in Hobbit hair, especially given the small size of it, wound from his temple along the shape of his ear. At the end was a small wooden bead. He couldn't quite make out what was carved on it, but he could tell it was beautifully done, and the tone of the wood went splendidly with the color of his hair. Someone had put a lot of thought and work into bead and braid. Someone had braided his hair while he was asleep!
Bilbo nearly dropped the mirror, Nori's fingers suddenly there to pluck it away and to safety, and darted his gaze around at all of the Dwarves. There were a few he could easily eliminate. Kili and Fili couldn't do anything that quietly or painstaking. They'd get bored, if nothing else. Thorin wouldn't bother, he had other things on his mind, and he had a rather low opinion of Bilbo, anyway. Dwalin… No, it wouldn't have been him. Bilbo doubted his blunt fingers could work hair as splendidly.
There was, of course, Nori, whose fingers were more agile than the others and he was the slyest of the group. Bilbo knew that Nori wouldn't have braided anyone's hair but Bofur's, and likewise Bofur would have only seen to Nori's. The two tried to hide it, but Bilbo was pretty certain most everyone had figured it out.
Ori and Dori both had nimble fingers, if their knitting was anything to go by, but he doubted it had been them. Balin… No, he was up there with Dwalin in the no category, so were Gloin and Oin. Especially Gloin, if he were to assume that this was some sort of romantic overture. Why else take so much time, if not for such a reason?
Bilbo's eyes found Bombur and Bifur, the latter of which watched him with a clear gaze, and he felt his chest tighten and a rosy flush spread across his neck and up into his ears. Bifur had been watching him, and Bilbo had assumed it was only because he, himself, couldn't stop watching the Dwarf, but apparently there was more to it, or at least more had come from it.
Well aware that all eyes were still on him, Bilbo stood and walked over to the toy maker. He smiled at him sweetly and reached slowly out to take his hand. "Thank you," he breathed softly, giving the hand a squeeze. "The bead and braid are both beautiful."
The Dwarf growled out something, and like it usually did, the voice sent a thrill through Bilbo of pleasure and fear. He gave him a small smile, feeling horrible that he had no idea what the Dwarf had said.
"I think we can teach you the sign, laddie." Bofur came up behind Bilbo. "Only right, what with you risking your neck for our home and my cousin being besotted with you."
He blinked up at Bofur and smiled then turned his attention back to Bifur, who tugged on his hand. Bilbo let go, thinking the Dwarf wanted his hand back, but he was grabbed by the wrist and pulled down into Bifur's lap. Strong arms wound around him and Bifur leveled a look on the rest of the company that could only be described as purely possessive. That shiver of pleasure and fear raced through the Hobbit again as he leaned into the Dwarf.
Bilbo knew that it would be difficult, being with Bifur. Beyond the communication problem, there was the mental instability, but he felt that Bifur was worth it. There was gentleness in the way the Dwarf cradled him close, a care in the way he'd braided Bilbo's hair and carved the bead. He'd protect and cherish Bilbo, no doubt, and if there was a certain air of danger about it all, well, the Took in him could most certainly live with that.