DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN THE HOBBIT OR ANY OF ITS CHARACTERS, NOR AM I MAKING ANYTHING OUT OF THIS EXCEPT MY OWN AMUSEMENT

When he got back to the camp he quickly pulled Kili out of sight into the trees. "Kili, the love potion, what does it actually do?"

"Er…make people fall in love?" Kili suggested helpfully. "Why?"

Fili chewed on his bottom lip. "Well, I was talking to Uncle Thorin-"

Kili snorted. "Is he gushing about Bilbo yet?"

"Well, no. I meant to ask him about it but we started talking about our family. He said he loves us very much and is sorry for not treating us like his nephews."

Kili was silent for a minute but then shrugged it off. "It's just the love potion, Fi." He said. "He'd never say something like of his own volition."

Fili grabbed Kili by the arms and stared at him hard. "Do you really think Thorin doesn't love you, Kili? Is that why you did this too him?"

Kili gazed at the ground. "….no, not really. I mean, I guess he must care a little. I only gave him the love potion to make him feel a bit more, you know? So he knows what it's like and appreciates us better in the future."

"I think he does feel, Ki." Fili said very quietly. "He just doesn't know how to show it."

"And maybe," Kili continued shamefacedly, "Maybe I did it to humiliate him a bit. Petty revenge for the way he sometimes treats us…But still," he added defensively, "It's just a little joke. It isn't real. He'll get over it."

Fili said nothing. Kili began to squirm guiltily. "Do you think I was wrong to do it?"

"I think you should have read the label on the bottle first."

"Wh-what do you mean?"

"Well, what if it doesn't work like in the stories? You know, where you fall in love with the first person you see? What if it just…brings feelings to the surface?"

Kili looked up quickly. "That's ridiculous."

"Is it? Thorin wasn't looking at us while eating his stew, and yet suddenly he's professing his love for us. Not in that way!" he rolled his eyes at Kili's face. "Of course Thorin cares for us, he's our Uncle (even if we are a little ungrateful to him at times). But as you said, he's never ever admitted it before. Until know."

Kili stared at Fili. "Are you trying to tell me Thorin Oakenshield is actually in love with Bilbo Baggins?"

Fili stared back at Kili. Then they both roared with laughter and headed back to the camp.

Later that evening found Bilbo warming his toes in front of the crackling fire and savouring the mouth-watering scent of Bofur's cooking as it filled the clearing. He sighed with contentment and shut his eyes. When he re-opened them he realised Thorin was once again looking right at him.

Bilbo tried a subtle glance over his shoulder to see if there was anything behind him. A bear perhaps. Then he turned to Ori to ask if there was something on his face. Feeling uncomfortable, he turned his body so that he was no longer directly opposite Thorin. Maybe he's just wondering how to kill me, Bilbo thought, but oddly enough this failed to reassure him. Finally, he could stand it no longer and met Thorin's eyes head-on. For a second, Bilbo's whole body seemed to burn from the strange, intense fire glowing within them. Then Thorin quickly ducked his head and it was a though a spell was broken. Bilbo's neck was coated in cold sweat, his knees trembled and he almost fell to the side on top of Ori. Could Thorin have feelings for him? He hardly dared think such a thing, and yet his heart began to beat rapidly in his chest. God, how he wanted it to be true. But why was this happening so suddenly?

After a few deep breaths, he berated himself for overreacting.

"Suppers ready, lads!" Bofur called merrily and a mad scramble of dwarves surged toward the cooking pot. Bilbo resignedly joined the back of the que. His stomach was audibly grumbling but he knew from experience that when food was involved, pushing in front of a dwarf was a bad idea. Bilbo had enjoyed the various stews served up by the dwarves throughout the quest. Sometimes, however, he couldn't prevent his mind wandering into dreams of succulent pies, creamy mash potato, crunchy carrots and fresh-baked seed cakes.

Bilbo leapt out of all thoughts of honeyed gammon when a bowl was thrust suddenly into his vision. He looked up to find Thorin standing beside him.

"Here, master Bilbo. I got yours whilst I was serving myself." He said quietly in his rich, baritone voice.

"T-thank you." Bilbo squeaked, amazed Thorin had done something considerate toward him.

"Your welcome." There was an awkward pause. Bilbo had taken the bowl but Thorin was still there. And he was still looking at Bilbo that way that made him feel both hot and cold simultaneously. But up close, he saw there was something very strange in that look, something dazed and senseless and unnatural. As though it were…fake. Bilbo fell back to earth with a snap. His whole body went cold apart from his face, which burnt even redder than before but from something different. Humiliation. He felt rather than saw all the other dwarfs staring at them in amusement. Thorin was still had that stupid look on his face. Kili sniggering quietly somewhere from his left, and he could stand it no longer.

"Excuse me." He said to no one in particular before marching from the camp into the surrounding trees. He felt ashamed and embarrassed as if he were the subject of a joke. Hot tears welled in the corner of his eyes. Was Thorin deliberately making a mockery of him? All those burning stares to make him squirm, expose his feelings and publicly humiliate him before the company. It was all just pretend. He had been fooled, but no longer. He imagined them all standing around together laughing, slapping Thorin on the back and saying "did you see the way you made him blush?". Bilbo's blood was on fire with fury. He hated Thorin. He hated Kili and Fili, no doubt it was their idea. He hated all dwarves.

NEXT CHAPTER CONTINUES STRAIGHT WHERE THIS ONE LEAVES OFF. THANKS FOR READING!