"Bilbo?" Thorin asked, sitting beside the hobbit under the shady tree a good distance away from camp. "I... I... I have something to tell you," he began awkwardly, knowing he had previously said that.
"Yes?"
"I... have developed feelings for you ever since our... our hug at the Carrock, Bilbo, and I..." Thorin paused as he fiddled with his braid in nervousness about what to say next. "Forgive me, I do not know what to do."
Bilbo glanced at him with a small smile on his face. "You do? I mean you like me?"
Thorin nodded and shakily flicked his blue eyes towards the hobbit. "Is... that alright?"
The hobbit smiled and nodded in reassurance before laying his head on the dwarf's shoulder, a soft and content sigh escaping his lips as he did so. "Yes, I... I like you as well."
Thorin's eyes lit up at the response. "Really?" he asked, slightly afraid Bilbo was lying.
Bilbo nodded. "Yes," he replied, lifting his head to smile at Thorin. "I... I was afraid you..."
"Would not return your feelings?" Thorin offered, resting his head against Bilbo's and feeling the hobbit nod. "I know; I felt that way as well." He sighed lightly then sucked in a quick breath when he felt Bilbo's small hand touch his arm; the touch sending sparks of love through the strong and gruff dwarf king. "I... I have been trying to explain my... my feelings but I was always interrupted... I hope I did not frighten you in my attempts."
"Of course not, Thorin," Bilbo answered, and Thorin found himself smiling at the way his name rolled off the halfling's tongue. "I was... afraid you hated me..." he said sheepishly, turning his face into Thorin's arm and breathing in the dwarf's familiar scent.
"I could never hate you, Bilbo," he assured, wrapping a strong arm around his hobbit and pulling him close to his chest. To his amazement, the small halfling curled up against his warmth like they had done this all their life. Thorin had never felt a bigger smile creep upon his face. "Not even if I tried, Master Hobbit."
"Well, Dwarf," Bilbo replied, closing his eyes against the dwarf prince's steady breathing as he listened to his rhythmic heartbeats. "I really can't hate you either."
Thorin let out a content sigh as he gently laid them both back onto the soft earth beneath the shady tree. "Bilbo?" he asked, burying his nose in the hobbit's auburn curls.
"Yes, Thorin?" the other said, playing with the armor on Thorin's chest.
"I... I... would you..." Thorin closed his eyes and let out an unmajestic sigh. "Bilbo, would you do me the honor of becoming my Consort once we reclaim Erebor?" He glanced down at Bilbo to see the hobbit's hands freeze mid-poke.
Bilbo looked up into the dwarf's worried and fearful blue eyes. "C-consort?" he asked and Thorin nodded, trailing his hand up and down the halfling's back. "R-really? When E-Erebor is reclaimed?"
"Yes, if you would let me," Thorin finished, hesitantly planting a kiss on the hobbit's curls.
Upon feeling the small yet loving kiss, Bilbo craned his neck upwards to show Thorin how much he did want to become the King's Consort. "Of course," he whispered before their lips slowly met.
The kiss was... what is a good word to use... well, it was a bit awkward. Thorin had never kissed anyone in his life much like Bilbo, and both were insecure and afraid of moving too fast, so the kiss turned out awkward. When both pulled back for the first time, an undeniable blush had covered both the dwarf and hobbit's face; this night couldn't have been more perfect.
Short chapter of nervous!Thorin and Bilbo and fluffiness! There will be one last chapter...
