A/N: I just want to thank all of you who have been keeping up with this story. I know that my updates aren't in a set schedule or anything, but I do my best. Working full time at odd intervals each shift makes it difficult for me to write every day. Regardless, I do hope you enjoy this chapter. R&R!

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XIII

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Fili couldn't help but feel a bit fidgety. He really, really couldn't. And, truthfully, there wasn't anything bad going on that warranted his restlessness and worry. Erebor was just the same as it always had been: powerful, glorious, and magnificent. Its people were healthy and thriving and there had been very few raids and attacks by wargs or orcs since the last time. All in all, Fili should have been frolicking – as much as he usually did with Kili – throughout the mountain, planning schemes and pranks to sabotage the kitchens or the markets or something like that.

Instead, he was pacing, back and forth, back and forth, in his room. Thorin had just admitted to him – as much as his uncle did admit things because, honestly, he hardly ever admitted to anything if it involved a mistake or feelings or anything like that – that he would be taking Bilbo to the Lonely Mountain's library. Fili knew that something like that shouldn't have been a big deal. Books were interesting only when there was nothing else to do, and for him and his brother there was always something to do. However, he knew that Bilbo liked books very much indeed. He had even brought a few of his favorite books from the Shire with him to Erebor. Whether or not all hobbits liked to read as much as Bilbo did, Fili did not know, but he knew for a fact that his other uncle – as he and Kili had started calling him affectionately – hadn't been able to really look and poke around in the library. Besides, from what Uncle had told him, it would only be the two of them and that meant that Bilbo was sure to get a full tour of it.

As he didn't know Khuzdul, Bilbo would only be able to read in the Common Tongue. Apparently, Uncle had thought of that as well. From what Fili had been told by Uncle, Balin, and Ori – the latter of which was very much excited indeed – the library had been rearranged for Bilbo's convenience. What had been done to it he didn't know, but he knew that it wouldn't look the same as it always had. His uncle had seen nervous and even unsure, which he rarely was. Even if he was, no one would know because Thorin was good at keeping his feelings to himself and being strong for his kingdom and his people. Wearing his heart on his sleeve wasn't exactly what he did, so for him to show how nervous he was proved to Fili that there was something more going on between Thorin and Bilbo.

Throwing himself down on a chair, Fili sighed and rolled his eyes. It was about time that Uncle started coming to his senses about Bilbo. He wasn't unattractive after all and they were married so it was only natural that Uncle should want to bed his consort. They hadn't done anything yet! When Fili heard that, he nearly choked on his ale. At first, he wasn't sure if Balin had told him correctly. But if Balin had said it, then it must be true because Balin, being one of Thorin's most trusted advisors and friends, knew everything. Still, even as he thought of it now, he could hardly believe it. Then again, he supposed that it made sense.

Bilbo didn't seem like the kind of person to jump into bed as soon as the courtship started. To be frank, Fili didn't think that Bilbo had ever been courted in his life. He couldn't understand why; it wasn't as though Bilbo was queer in any way. From what his new uncle had told both him and Kili – where was his brother anyway? – Bilbo had lived a solitary life in his hobbit hole after his father and mother died. Was there something wrong with that? Fili certainly didn't think so. And he was quite attractive even though he wasn't a dwarf, so why hadn't anyone even bothered to at least try and court Bilbo? Perhaps they had and he had never noticed it? But that didn't seem quite right; Bilbo wasn't daft or stupid in anyway. Maybe Bilbo had turned them down? That was very possible. Shrugging to himself, Fili figured that he'd ask Bilbo himself if he remembered and if Uncle wasn't around. Thorin had a nasty habit of getting jealous quickly.

And then a thought struck a chord within him: what if Bilbo wasn't attracted to Uncle?

Oh, that would make everything so very difficult and awkward, especially since it was apparent that Thorin liked Bilbo at least. If Bilbo wasn't attracted to Uncle or didn't eventually fall in love with him, then…what was Uncle going to do? What were any of them going to do? Fili was worrying himself silly, which was highly unusual for him since he only ever worried about Thorin, Kili, and a few close friends, of which Bilbo was now included.

He didn't really need to worry about whether or not Bilbo was attracted to Thorin because the two of them shared a bond, a connection forged by a life debt that would only strength the closer they got. Although he hardly paid any attention to his tutors, Fili had managed to retain some information. Life debts were serious and should never be taken likely. When a life debt if left unpaid for a few years, it causes a bond to form between the two people or their descendants until it's fulfilled. The longer it's left unpaid, the stronger the bond becomes. Thorin and Bilbo's life debt is the strongest of all that he was forced to learn about so far. Although Uncle's poor treatment of Bilbo didn't help strengthen the bond, it didn't lessen it either. And if they became closer, then the bond that they shared would get stronger. Fili had read and had been told by his tutors that those connected by a life debt could sometimes sense when their partner is in danger. Some have even been able to pick up on each other's emotions. He wondered if Uncle and Bilbo would reach that level of trust and intimacy; he really hoped so.

The doors to his room opened and in walked his brother, grinning from ear to ear and looking very much like a mischievous dwarf who just pulled a prank.

"What are you up to this time, my dear brother?" Fili asked, returning his brother's bright grin. Kili plopped himself in his usual chair, which was right next to his own.

"Mister Dwalin told me to clean his axes because of how poorly I did today in training," Kili said, barely able to suppress his giggles.

Fili didn't have to think hard about training. It was hard to forget the perverted innuendos he and Kili had thrown back and forth as they lunged and dodged. Honestly, it wasn't their fault; Mister Dwalin was to blame. If he hadn't told them that they couldn't hold a candle to a new born babe when it came to sword fighting, they wouldn't have started on how much Dwalin wouldn't mind if Ori just so happened to pop out a few new born babes. After, of course, he popped something else out. That had started it and they only got worse the longer they were at training until even Mister Dwalin had told them to get the hell out.

"And?" Fili asked.

"Oh, I cleaned them all right," Kili said, wiggling his eye brows. The glint in his brother's brown eyes made Fili's grin disappeared. It was one thing to haphazardly cleaned Dwalin's axes; it was another to mess with them completely. He was very protective of his axes and would most likely kill Kili if he did something drastic.

"What'd you do?" Fili asked a bit more serious than the first time.

"I put them in the woolen axe covers Ori knitted," Kili answered. Well, that didn't sound too bad.

"That's it?" Fili was surprised and a bit let down. He had expected better.

"After I dyed the covers pink and put them on display for anyone who walks into the training room." Oh yes, that would definitely get his ass chewed up and spit out, but it was still funny.

"But enough about me. You looked troubled, Fili. What's wrong?" Kili asked him and just like that, all laughter was replaced with open concern and worry.

"Oh, nothin'. Just thinking about Uncle and Bilbo," he answered.

"Mister Boggins?" Kili said, perking up. "We haven't seen him for a while!"

"We saw him this morning, Kili," Fili reminded him.

"But that was ages ago. We should go and say hi!" So, that was what they did.

Leaving Fili's bed chamber, they made their way along the hallway towards Bilbo's room. It didn't take them long to get there; everyone in the Royal Family was housed in the same area. Stopping in front of the familiar doors, Fili and Kili both exchanged grins before they knocked. From within, they heard soft feet padding across the carpet before they stopped and the door opened. Bilbo smiled up at them when he saw them and opened his door wider.

"Fili? Kili? What brings you two here? You're not in trouble again, are you?" Bilbo asked as he made his way over to his desk and chair. His ankle was doing very well. There was very little pain and the swelling had gone down so much that it was hardly there. But then again, he had had about five weeks to recover. Or was it seven? Regardless, it was doing well and it didn't hurt that Bilbo was naturally a fast healer.

"We came to see you!" Kili told him.

"And we're not in trouble. At least, not yet. And I won't be," Fili told him, sending his brother a smirk.

"Kili, what did you do?" Bilbo asked, sighing a bit.

"Nothing! Honest," Kili said, his brown eyes wide. The look on Bilbo's face told them both that the hobbit was more than skeptical, but he didn't press the matter.

"So, you're here to see me? We saw each other earlier," Bilbo said, but he still looked glad to see them.

"Yes, but you were gone as soon as we got there," Kili protested.

"I was there for a half hour after the two of you arrived!"

"And that was all!" Kili rebutted.

"Bilbo, can I ask you something?" Fili said suddenly, shutting his brother up and ending their argument.

"You already have, but I suppose you may," Bilbo said, giving Fili his lopsided smile.

"How do you feel about Uncle?" he asked. Kili stared at him, obviously wondering what the hell he was talking about. But it made perfect sense to Fili, especially since tomorrow would be the big day, the day that Thorin was going to show Bilbo the library. And although it was such a simple gesture, it would change everything and decide how things went from here on out.

"Ah… Um… Well…. I-I mean to…to say….hrm…" Bilbo stuttered, trying to find the right words to say. "H-he frightened me…at first, you know?" he finally said.

"I don't blame you. Uncle can be every frightening," Kili said and Fili had to agree with him. Dwalin's temper was nothing compared to their uncle's.

"But now…things are different. They're better. Much, much better and…and we're getting along very well," Bilbo told them, smiling softly, fondly, and blushing just a little bit.

"Yes, yes, but how do you feel about him?" Fili pressed. Bilbo blushed even harder and he stayed silent for a while before he answered.

"W-well, I suppose that I…care about him. After all, he's been very supportive and caring since the Other Incident," Bilbo said. Fili and Kili were gazing up at him as though he were telling a very fascinating tale. In a sense, he was.

"I like to think of us a friends. Yes, I would definitely call Thorin my friend," Bilbo added, sounding more confident and sure of himself than he had before.

"But is that it?" Kili asked him, his eyes wide and full of his youthful innocence.

"I…I don't know. W-w-what I mean is I'm not sure. I've never been courted and I was never in a relationship with another. I've never even been married before now," Bilbo admitted to them, chuckling softly to himself. "But perhaps…maybe… I mean, I…I could a…a future here…with him." His face was very red and it made the two of them smile and coo.

"Bilbo, that's so sweet!"

"You're so cute!"

"Uncle will be so pleased!"

"When he finds out that you love him-"

"-he'll leap for joy!"

"Well, perhaps not leap," Fili said.

"Indeed. Uncle doesn't seem like the leaping type," Kili agreed with a nod.

"Who said I was going to tell Thorin about my…my feelings? And who said I loved him anyway? Right now, we're just good friends!" Bilbo said loudly, his face still red.

"That's what they all say," Kili said, brushing his protests off.

"And you may not even know that you love him," Fili added.

"Boys…Boys…" Bilbo muttered, shaking his head. "You two are troublemakers. That's what you are." They looked at each other, grinned, and turned back to him.

"We know," they said.

"But we're serious about this," Fili added.

"Very serious! Uncle would not have gone to such lengths for tomorrow if he hadn't," Kili said.

"He told you about our plans for tomorrow?" Bilbo asked them. They nodded, still grinning. "Did he tell you what the surprise was?"

"Nope," Kili said.

"Never said a word," Fili added.

They left Bilbo wondering and stuttering about what exactly Thorin had planned for tomorrow. Seeing their hobbity uncle squirm and fret was truly endearing and it almost made the both of them feel bad. Almost.