Beta: RoyalLadyEmma
Disclaimer: I do not own the Hobbit, if I did it would have had a much happier ending.

Chapter 4

Bilbo knew that the dwarves were paranoid before they'd arrived at Rivendell but it seemed that being among the elves had brought their paranoia to a whole new level of intensity. From the moment the troupe had arrived in the elf village, Bilbo hadn't been allowed to go anywhere without a dwarf guard. Unlike when they were on the road and he'd been allowed to slip behind a tree to do his personal business, now there was a guard posted right outside the bathroom door. Both Fili and Kili had taken to spending the night in his room with him, taking turns sleeping on the floor against to the door just to make sure that no sneaky elves tried to make off with their hobbit-kitten in the dark. There were times when Bilbo couldn't help but feel it was all just a little too much but at the same time it made him feel like he was truly cared about and wanted by the dwarves and that sent a surge of warmth to his heart.

And if it made sticking close to Kili that much easier, well who was he to complain! After all, the dwarf prince must not have minded seeing as he was thoroughly enjoying playing with Bilbo instead of training with the others.

Fili and Kili could feel the death glares from the rest of the company and while normally that would have worried them, this time they couldn't help but send them smug looks as they continued to play with their hobbit-kitty. It wasn't their fault that Bilbo had chosen them and Ori to play with and no one else. Everyone knew that trying to tell Bilbo what to do and who to spend time with would be as useless as trying to herd trolls!

Even Thorin was casting glares upon them and while normally that would have them very worried they still couldn't help but be a little smug because it was no one's fault but their uncle's. They both knew that if he had been a little nicer to Bilbo then maybe it would be him their hobbit-kitty was snuggled against.

Ori adored Bilbo's new kitty form and even went as far as to knit him several tiny sweaters; the young dwarf feared that Bilbo might catch a cold from the drafts that seemed to be everywhere in the wild. It was clear from the way Bilbo snuggled down into their soft folds that he loved the warmth that they offered, and the fact that many of them just happened to be in the same shade of blue as Thorin's eyes, well that was something no one needed to know. And if Bilbo just happened to enjoy prancing around in front of everyone in his newest sweater, well that was just his right as an adorable hobbit-kitty.

While keeping Dwalin away from Kili, Bilbo spent more time than usual studying him, a task made easy because in his current diminutive size everyone around him overlooked him. The hobbit-kitty came to realise that something just wasn't right with Kili. For the past two days the young dwarf hadn't been himself; he rarely smiled and when he did it never touched his eyes, he picked at his food even though he was renowned for his hearty appetite and no matter what he was doing or who he was with Kili always seemed distracted, as though his mind was far away.

As the days passed Bilbo became more and more worried about Kili; the normally jovial dark-haired prince simply wasn't acting like his cheerful self and his mood only got worse whenever he spotted Dwalin. It didn't matter what was going on, the moment the young dwarf prince spotted Dwalin he would blush furiously and begin stammering before finally making a lame or ridiculous excuse as to why he had to leave so abruptly. It concerned the hobbit-kitty greatly that Kili was spending more and more time by himself and thankfully Bilbo knew that he wasn't the only one worried about Kili. Every chance he got, Fili tried his best to draw his brother out of the shell he was sinking into, and even the normally welcome offer of pulling pranks together wasn't working. When Bilbo heard that Kili wasn't at all interested in gluing Bombur to his chair at dinner time, the hobbit-kitty knew he had to act and fast, which was why he was seeking him out this very night.

Moving quickly and quietly on his little cat feet, it didn't take Bilbo long to locate his prey and he was not at all surprised to find Kili by himself seated on a bench overlooking the massive falls that surrounded Rivendell. The troubled young prince was so preoccupied with staring up at the night sky that he never noticed Bilbo's approach.

Lost in the sheer beauty of the star-filled sky, Kili was surprised to feel something nudge against his leg gently and he glanced down to find a worried looking Bilbo up at him. A tiny pathetic meow escaped the orange kitten's mouth as he struggled to climb into Kili's lap. Seeing Bilbo's dilemma Kili smiled indulgently as he picked up the hobbit-kitty and gently deposited him into his lap after a quick snuggle. Kili sighed; it was strangely comforting to bury his face in Bilbo's silky-soft fur and the kitten noticed that it took a moment before Kili set him down.

Once settled on his young friend's welcoming lap, Bilbo turned his attention to Kili, using his big eyes to silently ask the younger dwarf what was wrong. 'You can tell me, my friend,' they seemed to say.

Kili looked from his hobbit-kitty back up to the sky and as he watched a shooting star streak through the darkness, he pondered the best way to say the words that had been on his mind for the past several days. "I'm think Dwalin is my One," he found himself blurting out.

With a tiny smile playing at his lips, Bilbo just looked at him calmly and with a knowing look in his eyes; he had known from the very start that the two were destined to be together. He'd seen the way that Kili looked at Dwalin but it was clear to him – and to most everyone else – that Kili had no idea that Dwalin looked back at him the same way. In fact Bilbo was convinced that the only thing stopping Dwalin from dragging Kili off and proving just how un-one-sided Kili's feelings really were was because Dwalin was afraid of what Thorin might do to him. That was why Bilbo wanted to keep them apart until Kili could realise that his crush was so much more than what he thought it was.

Bilbo wished that he could do more to reassure Kili but since he was still stuck in kitty form and only able to meow softly, all he could do was snuggle closer to the young dwarf. Turning his purr on full-strength and using his wee toes to gently knead Kili's leg, the transformed hobbit hoped that it was enough to reassure the young prince that he was there to listen and so he waited patiently for Kili to start speaking what is on his mind.

"I wish you could give me some advice." Kili sounded so sad that it hurt Bilbo's heart. "I don't know what to do. What could I possibly offer such an amazing and strong dwarf like Dwalin?"

Bilbo curled deeper into Kili's hold and continued to offer him what comfort he could. He didn't like seeing Kili so sad, 'and,' the hobbit-kitty thought with a tiny grin, 'even his hair is drooping!' It all looked so very wrong on the normally effervescent and active dwarf. Bilbo's eyes narrowed as he came to a decision, he could not and would not let Kili suffer from what he thought was unrequited love any longer, especially since it wasn't one-sided. With a quick nod of his head, Bilbo knew exactly what to do; 'it's time I use all this adorableness for good; I'm going to play matchmaker!'

Bilbo wished with all his might that he could speak again, even if just for a moment. He wanted to tell Kili that as a young dwarf he had everything to offer Dwalin; he was a kind, gentle and loving soul, he was brave, creative and funny and Dwalin would be the luckiest man to in the world to have him. More importantly however, Bilbo wished he could tell Kili that Dwalin looked at him with the same intense emotions and longing whenever Kili wasn't looking.

'Something needs to be done! Dwalin and Kili are just as bad as Fili and Ori! At least Nori and Bofur seem to have more sense where love and relationships are concerned, and I don't think anyone but me and maybe Nori know that Balin and Dori are together. Well it looks like it's up to this little hobbit-kitten to open the eyes of the others.' Bilbo decided at that moment it was going to be up to him to get his stubborn dwarves together, trying to forget that he himself was falling for the most stubborn of them all.

Bofur watched as Bilbo moved throughout the halls of Rivendell with a determined look… well with as determined a look as a wee kitten can wear and set to his tiny body as he stalked towards his goals.

"I think our hobbit-kitten is up to something," Nori commented as he stepped out of the shadows resting his arm around his One's shoulders.

Bofur grinned up at his lover. "Aye, I just wonder what he's planning. And what could have caused him to act now?"

Nori rested his head on Bofur's shoulder. "Last night while we were out walking by the lake I noticed Kili sitting with Bilbo; I have a funny feeling that he confessed to Bilbo that Dwalin's his One."

"Really?" Bofur breathed excitedly. "I wondered when he'd figure it out!"

"Well, I'm pretty sure he did but the problem is, we both know how protective Bilbo is over Fili, Kili and Ori. He wants each one of them to be happy and I believe that hobbit-kitty or not, he'll do whatever it takes to make sure that happens," he explained.

Bofur wasn't going to even ask how their thief/spy had figured it all out; there was a reason why Dwalin could never catch Nori. "So our hobbit-kitten is going to be playing matchmaker," he grinned broadly. "This should be very interesting." He almost pitied Dwalin; Bilbo was one stubborn hobbit, kitten or not.

Like a proud feline warrior, Bilbo stalked through the halls of Rivendell with purpose in his every step, his ears pinned back and his eyes narrowed as he hunted down his prey. A triumphant hiss escaped his lips when his target was found and he crouched down low, his body quivering with anticipation, his tail snapping back and forth. Having whipped himself into a frenzy Bilbo arched his back, let out a ferocious war cry and pounced with everything he had in him.

Dwalin had no idea what hit him; one moment he had been talking to Thorin about how to make up the time they'd lost while staying at Rivendell and the next moment he heard an manic howl and then he had an angry hobbit-kitten landing on his head with its razor-sharp claws fully extended and digging into his scalp. A string of curses erupted from his lips as he stumbled back in shock. "Get off me, you demon cat!" he bellowed at the top of his lungs, batting uselessly at his head.

Desperate to maintain kingly control, Thorin pressed his lips together so tightly that he tasted blood in a vain attempt to keep himself from laughing at the sight of Bilbo hanging off the top of the dwarf's head with his tiny claws dug in while Dwalin danced around, cursing up a storm and trying in vain to remove Bilbo without hurting him.

Wincing as Bilbo dug in deeper for a better hold, Dwalin favoured Thorin with a dark glare. "Don't just stand there laughing at me, ye great oaf; get this blasted cat off of me!" Dwalin roared with frustration as he spun around uselessly.

Unable to keep his chuckles silent any longer Thorin's body shook with mirth and his chest rumbled with laughter as he tried to lift Bilbo off of Dwalin with very little success. Their hobbit-kitten was stubbornly hanging in there and he became even angrier and began hissing at Thorin for trying to remove his claws from where they were digging into Dwalin's head. Hearing the shuffling feet and giggles of laughter behind him, Thorin didn't even want to image what kind of spectacle they were making in the eyes of his company or in front those blasted elves!

Suddenly a soft voice came from out of the crowd, "Bilbo! Let Dwalin go!" Kili appeared out of nowhere and to everyone's amazement but most especially that of Dwalin and Thorin's, he easily plucked Bilbo off of Thorin's head. The moment he heard Kili's words, the hobbit-kitten released his claws and curled into Kili's arms.

Dwalin glared at the small hobbit-kitten, who merely gazed back innocently, for more than just the stinging in his scalp. "That is one crazy hobbit-kitten!" he muttered grumpily. "I think being a feline has finally gotten to him."

Kili had a pretty good idea what had caused Bilbo's behaviour and he felt his cheeks flush as he looked anywhere but at Dwalin. Bilbo glanced back and forth between the two and abruptly grew tired of unnecessary dancing around that had been going on. Determined to act on his earlier decision to take matters into his paws, he wiggled himself free from Kili's embrace Bilbo let out a small huff as he landed gracefully on his feet.

Nori watched with amused eyes as Bilbo darted around Kili's feet, weaving in and out between his legs; he knew what the hobbit-kitten was planning long before Kili finally tripped over his feet while trying to avoid stepping on Bilbo and ended up falling directly into Dwalin's open arms.

His work now done, Bilbo darted away as Dwalin caught Kili. He knew he hadn't harmed the dwarf, not that he set out to of course, he adored Kili and didn't wish to see him or any of his dwarves hurt.

Even though he was enjoying holding Kili in his arms, Dwalin reluctantly let him go. "Are you alright, lad?" he asked as he watched Kili regain his footing.

A dark blush painted itself across Kili's cheeks as he found his gaze locked onto Dwalin's and try as he might, he just couldn't tear himself away from the dwarf's eyes. "I'm fa… fine, no th… thanks to our hobbit-kitten," he stammered before finally forcing his gaze off of Dwalin's. Looking around he finally spotted his target and he shot Bilbo a look that clearly said 'We will speak later' and all he got in return was a rather satisfied meow from a rather smug-looking kitten.

Thorin finally figured out what Bilbo was up to when he caught sight of both the blush that appeared on Kili's cheeks as he talked to Dwalin and the way his oldest friend smiled down at his sister-son. Without realising it, the king let out a protective growl as his anger rose.

Bilbo saw the growing protective fury in Thorin's eyes and knew he had to act, fast. There was no way that he was going to let the stubborn and overprotective dwarf undo all his hard work; he had to put a stop to any and all interference right now!

Thorin never knew what hit him when a tiny ball of orange fluff flung itself onto his chest and dug its tiny claws into his shirt, piercing his skin in several places.

Bofur blinked as Thorin stumbled back into him with a tiny hissing Bilbo clinging to his shirt. "I think you've somehow made our hobbit-kitty mad," the highly amused dwarf cheerfully pointed out. He wouldn't admit it, but it was nice to see someone else on the receiving end of Bilbo's temper.

Not seeing the humour whatsoever, Thorin scowled ferociously at the other dwarf as he tried to untangle the furious kitten from his clothing but it was little use. Bilbo continued to hiss with all his might and at one point, he actually scratched him. "Bilbo! What in Smaug's name has gotten into you?"

Fili blanched at his uncle's furious roar; they rarely ever heard him swear and when he did it meant was that he was really, truly angry. Fili looked down at the tiny kitten that was hissing and fighting against Thorin's hold on him and then his eyes flickered over to where his brother and Dwalin were standing and a knowing look dawned in his eyes. With a satisfied nod, he announced, "Well it's about time! Kee was driving me crazy with all his ridiculous pining over Dwalin!"

Hearing those words, Thorin froze for a moment and then slowly pivoted on his heel as he turned to face his sister-son. "You knew about this?" he asked in a dangerous tone.

Surprised by the question, Fili blinked at his uncle. "You didn't know that Kili and Dwalin are each other's Ones?" the blond-haired dwarf asked, true shock lacing his voice.

That particular piece of unexpected news stopped Thorin in his tracks and he blinked at his nephew, completely gobsmacked by the revelation. It took several moments before he was able to form a coherent sentence, "They are each other's Ones?"

Fili rolled his eyes and shook his head at his uncle's naiveté; it didn't surprise him as much as it should have that Thorin missed the way Kili and Dwalin looked at one another. After all, blind he was when it came to Bilbo and the looks the hobbit had been sending him whenever he thought no-one was looking. "Yes, Uncle, they are, and Bilbo just played a vital role in them getting together. He could see that you were about to get in the way and that's why he decided to stop you the only way he know how," Fili explained. He stepped closer to his uncle and the still furious hobbit-kitten clinging to the front of his shirt. "I think if you promise not to interfere with Kili and Dwalin's growing and changing relationship I can get Bilbo to let you go." He looked at his uncle hopefully.

All Thorin had ever wanted for his sister-sons was for them to be happy and as he cast a glance at his youngest nephew he saw a new light in his eyes, one intended solely for Dwalin and there was a peace in Dwalin's eyes that he hadn't seen in a very long time. Drawing a deep breath, Thorin accepted the truth of it all, "If they truly are each other's Ones then I shall not interfere," he turned his gaze to Bilbo, looking down on the angry ball of fur stuck to his chest, "you have my word."

Bilbo studied the dwarf through narrowed albeit thoughtful eyes and he could see that the dwarf spoke the truth; still he couldn't help but give a one last warning hiss before he allowed Fili to untangle his claws from Thorin's furs. Exhausted by the intensity of the last few minutes, Bilbo retracted his claws and with a small growl aimed at Thorin he curled up in Fili's arms and allowed the blond-haired dwarf to lead him away. Never had a wee hobbit-kitty needed a nap more than in that instance.

A low chuckle escaped Balin's lips at the sight of the glare that Thorin's was levelling at his nephew's back and when Thorin transferred the look to his old friend Balin merely shrugged. He was completely unfazed by the ferocity of the scowl that his prince was throwing his way.

"Don't glare at me, laddie; you're the one who kept Bilbo at arm's length," he laughed. "You're the one who didn't want to get to close to our hobbit and while I know you have a good reason, Bilbo does not understand. All he knows is you don't like him and as a hobbit-kitty he doesn't know any other way of expressing himself. Fili and Kili are different, they have never hidden how much they like Bilbo and they crave the way Bilbo looks after them. It's natural that when Bilbo sees them so happy he will do whatever he has to to protect them at all costs."

Thorin had indeed seen Bilbo's unfailing devotion to his nephews as well as the deep and abiding friendship that the three of them shared and it warmed his heart to the core. Still, he reflected grumpily, that didn't mean he liked the idea of Dwalin courting his youngest. "Right now I need to focus on why Dwalin did not tell me himself that he was Kili's One," Thorin growled under his breath as his eyes flashed.

Balin just shook his head with fond exasperation. "First of all, he said nothing because my brother knew you would react exactly like this and second, because he put the mission above his personal happiness, he planned on doing nothing about it until we reclaimed Erebor. But as you can see young Bilbo didn't like that plan at all so he took matters into his own han… ah… paws. Please believe me when I tell you that all he wants is for Kili and Fili to find true love and to be happy; after all he considers them family and their happiness is very important to Bilbo, just as Bilbo's happiness is important to them." Balin patiently explained the situation to his old friend, wondering if Thorin realised just how close Bilbo truly was to his nephews.

"I am not blind, Balin," Thorin snapped irritably. "I see the way that my nephews act around Bilbo and how the hobbit acts around them and while I shall not deny them a friendship with him, neither will I interfere between Kili and Dwalin's relationship. But I do not have time for or interest in such foolishness as love. All that matters to me is reclaiming Erebor."

Balin could only shake his head sadly as Thorin turned on his heel and stalked away. "You stubborn fool, there is more to a home than four walls and a roof, just as piles of gold will not keep you warm at night. I hope that Bilbo will be able to make you see that soon."

TBC...