Mentions of violence (nothing gory or bloody. Just cringe-worthy)
Bilbo's hands shook as he gave the Arkenstone to the Elvenking and Bard. Thorin, the real Thorin he admittedly flirted with and confided in, will understand why he had to do this. All he hoped was that Thorin's greed and madness would pass before it killed him and took the dwarf away from Bilbo forever.
"Perhaps this'll bring that dwarf to what's left of his senses," the Elvenking sneered. He smiled faintly at Bilbo. "Such courage handing this over. Thorin Oakenshield is not in his right mind. Betraying him so could mean your death."
The hobbit grimaced. He had tried so hard not to see it in that way, but now that the Elvenking voiced it, he knew Thorin... or whatever gold and riches consumed demon was inside him would kill him. He sighed and shrugged. "He's my friend," he said, ignoring the pain he felt as he uttered that last word, but what else were they, sorry, had been. "I thought I could save him from himself."
The Elvenking laughed. "You naive little burglar. No courage can overtake greed, especially dragon-sickness."
"I-I think there's some good left in him," Bilbo said quietly. "If this, in the end, can save him, then I give it to you willingly." Anything to get back the Thorin I cared for...
The taller being didn't believe the small creature and began to converse with Bard, so Bilbo had returned to the mountain.
Thorin had greeted him when he returned. Of course the dwarf had no idea the hobbit had left; he just happened to be pacing and muttering to himself when Bilbo came in. He had pulled him aside again.
"Thorin, what is it?" Bilbo asked, semi-fearful Thorin knew about the secret trade. "I've told the Company numerous times you're still sane-"
"Lake-Town," the dwarf interrupted in a hurry.
"Lake-Town," Bilbo repeated. "What about it?"
"I've remembered."
Bilbo's face unconsciously lit up. His hands went to cover his reddening cheeks. "You have?" he asked and the other nodded. "Oh, Thorin, that's wonderful!" That means there's still hope. "Wh-what do you remember?"
The dwarf scratched his beard. "I remember the peasants around us wanting a share of my gold," he grunted.
All the hope blew out of Bilbo as he sighed heavily. "Y-you didn't used to think that," he argued lightly, wishing not to upset him. "You were humbled by their hospitality; you were grateful."
He snorted. "I was nothing more than a dwarf prince exiled from his own home. I was not half the dwarf I am today. You," he said forcefully pointing a thick accusing finger at Bilbo. "You favor that lowly dwarf in Lake-Town over this regal king standing here? Don't you?"
"Thorin, I-I," Bilbo stuttered. He couldn't move: he was stuck in a corner surrounded by two walls and coins and jewels and Thorin. He couldn't get out of the situation. "The Thorin Oakenshield that I fell - um, strengthened my friendship with in Lake-Town was..." Oh, he'd have to choose his words carefully. "That dwarf was-"
He growled. "You do prefer him! I should have banished you as well when I rid myself of him!"
Bilbo gulped. "But Thorin, you're still the same dwarf. I don't understand!"
"I am not the same as that low scum," he muttered. "You despise this king don't you?"
The hobbit put up his hands. "I think this king is j-just fine... even if he doesn't remember what really happened in Lake-Town."
He frowned. "As I recall, that did not bother you. Now it does?"
"Thorin," Bilbo sighed. "I just want that dwarf I thought I knew in Lake-Town to return. The one who had so much patience and my trust, who would scold his nephews for snickering, who wouldn't've ever put his own kin in danger, who joked when times were tough, who made me smile by being himself... The dwarf who trusted me and his own kin. I liked him, and I thought he would never change."
"You have no right to say such false words about me," was all the hobbit earned.
"False?! They're true! You're just too stubborn-"
The dwarf rushed forward and pressed his arm against Bilbo's throat. "What do you know of it? Nothing! You don't know what I've been through in all my life! You don't know how much this means to me, to finally be King!"
"... there's a difference between being King and being a tyrant," the other rasped.
Thorin's already dark eyes looked black. "What do you know of the world, you naive creature?" he grunted before removed his arm and stalking away. "Go. Get some sleep. Early day tomorrow."
But Bilbo couldn't.
The look of pure betrayal set into Thorin's cold eyes. A mere second of heart-brokenness crossed his face before turning to down right hatred.
Bilbo felt his heart drop to his feet and fear crawl up his throat as Thorin's hands shook in rage.
"You-you thief! Thief!" the dwarf prince shouted, making the hobbit recall the creature Gollum screaming the same words to him. He lunged forward and grasped Bilbo by the neck. His fat fingers tightening. "I trusted you!" he snarled, his hot breath hitting the hobbit's face. "I hoped you'd never betray me!"
The other gasped for breath as his airway was constricted. He pawed at Thorin's hands.
"How wrong I was!" he yelled, flinging Bilbo to the floor of the ledge. "Get out of my sight! If it weren't for my reluctant friendship with that oaf of a wizard, I'd have killed you with my bare hands!" He grabbed Bilbo by the collar and shoved him, making him tumble into Fili and Bofur. "Get rid of him. I never want to see his face in my kingdom again. I take my trust back; our friendship is over!"
"Thorin, Thorin, please," Bilbo cried as Bofur and Fili pulled him away. "Please, you'll understand why I had to do this. Please! I'm sorry. I'm so sorry!"
"Be rid of him!" Thorin bellowed. "I shall never understand the logic of miserable godforsaken halflings!"