It was already late in the day when they made camp. Bofur shook his hand in annoyance, the white bandage standing out against his dark skin. It had only been a fox, hardly worth the injury he'd gotten for chasing it away from their packs the night before.
"Something wrong, Master Bofur?" He glanced up, to where Bilbo stood, peering at him. He smiled, hoping for reassuring. It wouldn't do for their Company to be worried, especially over such a little thing!
"Just a cut, Master Baggins. It'll heal in a day or so." He showed the hand in question, which Bilbo eyed and nodded. He'd been asleep when the 'attack' had occurred, but it wasn't that hard to find out someone had been injured, with the ruckus Thorin had raised. It was a trait of a good leader, that he took even the smallest injuries so seriously.
"Of course, of course. Well, until then, if you need assistance in anything, do feel free to ask. I know first hand how tricky some tasks can be with only one arm!" He grinned, good naturedly, and they made to break camp.
However, as he went to unpack, Bofur found that there were, indeed, several things he was having trouble with. He managed to get his horse unsaddled and with the others, but it was a long process, and there was no chance of being able to help cook and risk getting something into the bandages.
He sat away from the edge of the fire instead, watching, and running his good hand over his hair, under the hat. It could easily do with being re-braided, but with one hand at his disposal, the task would be nearly impossible. He moved his hands away, but every few minutes, they wound up back under the hat, feeling the uneven rows and loose hairs. It was like a bruise, he couldn't stop irritating it.
"Master Bofur? Are you sure you are alright?" Bilbo was standing in front of him, setting down firewood. He'd started collecting after the issue with the shoes, and thus far nobody had said a word.
"I'm fine, Master Baggins. Just thinking I would like to redo my hair, before it gets to be such a mess I'd have to cut it." He shuddered at the thought. One's hair was the pride of a dwarf.
"Ah…" Bilbo sat down next to him, a touch awkwardly. It was apparent he was thinking of something, but hesitating.
"I could do them, if you wish?" Bofur froze, startled.
Braiding another's hair was a family thing, or… a courtship ceremony. Did Bilbo…?
No, it was doubtful he had any idea what he'd just insinuated. He was offering as a friend, surely.
"Well… braids are a rather personal bit, Master Baggins." he began awkwardly, wishing to explain without embarrassing either of them, and saw the dawning look on Bilbo's face.
"Oh! Oh, I see! Please, do not be offended by my offer, then, I do not mean to insult, or-" Bofur waved his hands, stopping the babble.
"Relax, relax! I know you meant nothing by it but friendliness, Master Baggins! Do not fret." His spare hand, he realized, was winding its' way into the mess again, and Bilbo had noticed.
"Though… it really could use it, and it seems my relatives are busy at the moment. Master Baggins, would you mind?" Bilbo shifted awkwardly in his seat.
"Well, I did do my little cousins hair before. If you don't mind it being a bit messy, and if it won't cause any trouble…"
"No trouble. It really is a mess, I'd hate for it to get worse while my hand is sliced up." He removed his hat to show the mess. Travel and the rain were not aiding his hair at all. Bilbo eyed his head and winced. He moved closer on the log.
"That is a right mess! I couldn't very well leave a member of our Company in such a state. If you turn to the side, I can reach and still be in the light of the fire." Bofur grinned again, and turned, partially away from the hobbit. Across camp, the other members of the Company were paying no attention, gathered around their own packs. He could see Dori, Nori and Ori working at each others hair. Behind him, Bilbo spoke up, his hands barely brushing Bofur's head.
"I think I can see the old braids, under the snarls and loose strands. Let me know if there are any I miss, please." With that, he began redoing the hair.
For all the mess, Bilbo was rather gentle, and managed to avoid pulling too hard even in the biggest knots. Bofur relaxed to the feeling of hands in his hair, before the lack of conversation caught his attention. He opened his eyes, which he hadn't realized he had closed, to look back at the others.
Almost every member of the Company was watching Bilbo work at his hair, and even in the dying light he could see their shocked faces. Thorin, though, looked furious. Likely thought their supposed engagement was a distraction from the quest. Bofur lifted his injured hand, hoping the message would get across.
The Ri brothers, who had looked the least confused to begin with, nodded almost simultaneously and turned back to each other. Nori was whispering quietly to the Ori now, as he finished off Dori's elaborate style. Balin and Dwalin hadn't looked up to begin with.
Thorin's face cleared, and he nodded, with a few quick gestures that roughly translated to 'giving aid, my apologies.' Fili seemed to see the signal, and whispered to Kili. For a moment, Bofur hoped, for a moment, that there would be no huge event over his hair.
"Ahem," a voice spoke up from slightly behind him. Bilbo's hands stilled, and Bofur turned to see Oin a few feet away. He bit back the urge to groan.
"My congradulations, and hopes for a happy marriage." Without waiting, he walked back to where Gloin was sitting, on the other side of the fire.
"Master Bofur? Did he mean… what did he mean, exactly?" As he spoke, Bilbo went back to the braids, though Bofur could tell they were nearly finished.
"Braiding anothers hair is personal, as I said. Usually between family, or… engaged couples, as a courting ceremony." For a moment, he was silent, and Bofur wondered if he should have cleared up exactly what the others would think. Then he felt a light tug on one of his braids, and a laugh.
"That's done. You ought to have told me you were proposing, I would have used ribbons. Hobbit tradition, for a wedding." He sat next to him again, and Bofur turned to look at him. Instead of being angry, he looked incredibly amused, which was a relief. Out of the corner of his eye, Bofur could see Gloin, Oin and Thorin speaking. Oin was turning red. Bofur hoped he would be alright.
"You'll have to tell me about dwarfish courting some time, or else I fear I may end up being wed to half the Company by the end of this!"
"I imagine our traditions are very different, yes." Bombur took this moment to walk up, bowls in hand.
"Should I be offering my permission, brother?" Bofur laughed, taking one bowl awkwardly, while Bilbo shook his head, chuckling quietly.
"I'm going to be the butt of many jokes for the next few weeks, I can sense it."
As it turned out, he was correct, though Oin was heavier teased for not noticing the others signaling or even speaking frantically to call him back from the false couple. Even his extremely poor hearing wasn't enough of an excuse for Fili and Kili. He was wrong, though, in his earlier comment that the braids would be messy. If he hadn't known better, even Bofur would have thought another dwarf had done them.
(They may have caused an almost serious proposal for courtship from Bifur. Thankfully, Bilbo couldn't understand.)