Even more favourites and reviews and follows! I think I've become ten times more popular since I started writing Hobbit stuff. Here we go anyway. More happens in this chapter
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Bilbo and Thorin were unable to sleep together (in the innocent sense of the word) until after they'd left Lake-town; when they set up camp that night, Bilbo wasted no time in climbing into the warmth of Thorin's cloak.
From then on until the end of the journey, Bilbo always slept by Thorin's side, both surrounded by the dwarf's cloak. Sometimes, Thorin would make room and open his cloak in invitation, other times, Bilbo would climb in before Thorin had a chance to make room, meaning that they slept closer together than usual. And there was often a brief good night kiss when they thought no-one was looking.
Their relationship changed in other ways as well; none of the other dwarves failed to notice that the two would often ride together, or share a pipe, or exchange stories.
On the third night, they had set up camp by a small copse, and all were asleep except for Kili, who was on watch, and Bilbo, who had just left the fireside to make his way to Thorin, who was also awake and watching the night sky.
When Bilbo climbed into the warmth of Thorin's cloak, he glanced up to see the dwarf gazing down at him with an entirely new expression. Thorin drew Bilbo close, and spoke quietly, his eyes never leaving the hobbit's.
"Bilbo, I...don't refuse me...I want you to be mine; I want to make you mine...tonight." He paused to draw a ragged breath. "There is a bed of ferns in the copse which I found when I explored it earlier – we could go there..." He trailed off, and Bilbo realised what was new about Thorin; his eyes were full of passion, and an overwhelming lust, all for little Bilbo Baggins of the Shire.
The dwarf king glanced up at Kili, who appeared to be watching them and smiling, though his eyes swept over them as if he'd seen right through them. He coughed, then went to wake Balin for his turn as watchman. The older dwarf took up a position by a tree and sat down, huddled in his cloak for warmth.
Thorin glanced back at Bilbo in, what could only be described as, desperation.
"Bilbo, you can't know how I want you, how I...care for you. My dear Bilbo." Thorin kissed the top of Bilbo's head, before glancing back at Baling and continuing to speak. "If you'd rather that we were bonded first..."
"Bonded? You mean like marriage? But how can..."
Thorin interrupted. "A bond is actually an engagement – it's like permission to court one another, but, in the past few decades, it's become almost synonymous with marriage. It's serious, and don't just say yes to please me, but..." the dwarf groaned and ran a hand over his face.
"And we can do it now? Would people know?"
"Aye, we can do it now: all that's required is an elder witness. People can know if you want them to, though I think they already suspect. Bonded couples interact differently, but it's common practice to wear a strip of cloth round your wrist, torn from the clothes of your bondmate."
"So they can know or not know as we please?"
"Aye, as you wish it."
Bilbo reached down and tore a strip of cloth from his shirt before offering it to Thorin.
"I'm afraid I don't have anything better."
Thorin smiled. "Had you all the fabrics in Middle Earth, you could not have offered me anything I could want more." Then he tore a strip from his sky-blue hood, and passed both strips to Bilbo, before standing up and making his way to Balin. Bilbo waited, surrounded by the large cloak, with the fur tickling his ears.
The old dwarf was not surprised at all, and witnessed the bonding ceremony (i.e. the swapping and tying of the cloth), before promising to tell the next watchman why they were not asleep with the others.
Then, without further conversation, Thorin picked Bilbo up and carried him into the copse.
The hobbit, who was suddenly very timid, let Thorin lead, and soon began to whimper with need. Every time Thorin revealed another inch of Bilbo's pale skin, he would mutter endearments and praises, some in the common tongue and some in Khuzdul, surprising Bilbo with his tenderness.
Thorin's stamina surprised them both that night, and it was a few hours before they returned to camp, sore but sated.
Nori was taking watch, and simply nodded in acknowledgment when they arrived. Thorin went over to speak with him, before returning to share his cloak with Bilbo. Unlike usual, Thorin held his hobbit close, and Bilbo rested his head on Thorin's chest as they slept.
Thorin was woken a while later, as he had requested the last watch of the night. He nodded his thanks to Oin, before pulling Bilbo into his lap and holding him while he slept. He would wake his newly bonded in time to see the sunrise, but not quite yet.
Some time passed before Bilbo was gently woken. "I thought you might like to see the sunrise."
Bilbo nodded sleepily as Thorin set him on a rock to give him more height. Then, Thorin passed Bilbo a comb and sat down in front of the rock.
"Will you comb and braid my hair for me?"
Bilbo smiled and, recognising it as an intimate gesture, took the comb and nodded.
Thus it was that all the dwarves woke to find Bilbo sitting on a small rock, slowly but skilfully braiding the hair of their leader, who sat at the rock's base. Neither did they miss the strips of cloth on the wrists of the two, nor, when Bilbo stood up, the slight limp in his step.
They were all pleased for their burglar and their king, and made sure to offer congratulations.
Bilbo took his time with the braiding; he enjoyed the sense of closeness it brought, and wanted to make sure he did it well. The thought briefly crossed his mind that he would have many years to practice, and that made him smile.
Fili, Kili and Bofur set up a stream of rather crude teasing throughout the day, which the others did not fail to join in with on occasion. Though it made Thorin gruff and, as his nephews called him 'shouty', he did not mind it half as much as he made out, since he rather enjoyed watching Bilbo blush and hearing him laugh.
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This is quite long isn't it? I didn't realise that. Anyway, My favourite chapter is coming up next (favourite because I like how I've written it, not because of the content). Hope you enjoyed this one Needless to say, reviews are nice.
Oh, and there's a poll on my profile page if people would be kind enough to look at it. Thank you.