AN: I don't own I just took them out of the toy box.

Chapter Twenty One.

Thorin awoke on his second full day in Rivendell with a sense of dread. He lay for a few moments trying to place why he should be feeling that way, when it all rushed back to him he sat up suddenly and promptly flopped back down again as he turned dizzy. He lay there mulling over the last few weeks (months? He wasn't sure) he just knew that he had to apologise a lot, possibly grovel to their company burglar. He had insulted, belittled, and misjudge the smaller man repeatedly. If anyone had spoken to him that way he knew they would have felt the pointy bit of his new sword. The hobbit seemed to bottle it up inside of him until a badly placed word or action made him snap. Like the trolls, or with Bombur. Thorin paused Gandalf was probably just an emotion high, even he as a king didn't have big enough balls to tell off a wizard twice. Wait, thought Thorin as his mind kicked in again, it was probably intentional. He wasn't a stupid dwarf and had realised back in hobbit on he found the other man attractive, he had dealt with it the only way he knew how and kept on messing up unintentionally. He hadn't meant to get the burglar teased by the company for not understanding dwarfen customs; Balin had fixed that for him. His brain didn't seem to function after the troll incident and he'd opened his mouth and spat, well complete and utter crap. He'd screwed up badly with the Bombur incident and then with eves dropping with the rest of the company straight after that bollocking. He was honestly surprised Master Baggins (Bilbo his mind supplied unhelpfully) hadn't hauled them literally over hot coals for that. It was only then that he noticed the silence around him, cautiously sitting back up he realised he was relatively alone. The only other person in the camp with him was the one person he couldn't face until he'd sorted his own mind out. Sighing softly Thorin stood, "Master Baggins?" he questioned forcing down a blush when he met those fascinating eyes, "Could you perhaps tell me where the rest of my company has gone so early?"

Bilbo eyed the sleep ruffled dwarf cautiously. He'd pretended to sleep when the rest of the party had left and really didn't want to have to deal with pity or anger straight on. The only ones who didn't have a comment about his story the previous night had been Fili and Kili who had been desperate to try out the combat range and Ori who had left to start on their prank. Thorin didn't appear to be either pitying or angry so Bilbo tiredly waved him over. Thorin felt himself relax a little after Bilbo finished examining, he was a bit put out that the hobbit hadn't answered his question though, so he loomed over the smaller man waiting for one. Bilbo scowled up at him, "Sit!" he snapped quietly, "You're gonna give me neck ache to go with my knackered throat!" Thorin sat quickly sprawling half across the hobbit as he did so, Bilbo pushed him off tutting, "Bloody lump," he whispered. Thorin hung his head, a blush staining his cheeks. "Your Blushing!" exclaimed Bilbo quietly, "Sorry Master Oakenshield I wasn't trying to be rude there. It's just I'm tiered, I hurt, my throat hurts and I think you managed to hit half my bruises when you landed on me." he smiled shakily at the dwarf, "What were you asking?"

Thorin shook himself, "My company, where are they?"

"Oh," muttered Bilbo, "Bar Ori, and your nephews probably shouting at an elf who has no idea what is going on. You want porridge?"

Thorin grinned and relaxed back against someone's pack. "Thank you, that would be nice," he paused and tilted his head at Bilbo, "Would you pour it over my head if I apologised for being a complete twit over this journey so far?" Thorin shifted back at the wicked look on the hobbit's face, before returning the gentle smile. "No Thorin, I won't pour it over you. Thank you, I know that must have been hard." Bilbo nudged Thorin playfully as he handed him his porridge, causing another blush to rise up the dwarf's cheeks, "You know perhaps there is a king in there after all." Thorin grinned widely at the hobbit embarrassment forgotten, before tucking into his porridge with relish.

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Fili and Kili were sparing at the range having decided drawing attention to their ranged skills wasn't the best of ideas around people who claimed the skill as their own particular specialty. They were annoyed at what Bilbo had told them, their previous knowledge of Shire folk outside their friend having led them to believe it was something trivial. Their sparing was great stress relief and they were actually drawing a crowd that weren't completely disdainful. It wasn't until the two gate crashing elfs demanded a match that they really let loose. It wasn't until half way threw their second single match (they'd swapped brothers and had won their first) that the Durin brothers realised elfs could be loud. It wasn't until they decided to try a double spar that Fili and Kili really let loose and Elledan and Eleroih realised they had gotten off lightly with the hobbit the previous day.

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Ori had made his way to the library and his innocent chuckling had the librarian sweating and slipping discreetly out of the door. Ori was immersing himself in the lives of Scribe and co. he was overjoyed Bilbo had let him keep the book and was impressed that instead of following the pranks outright they only use them for inspiration. He was also interested by Bilbo claiming that they should include themselves in the next prank. It suddenly hit him why. His laughter switched from innocent little book worm to that of a pranker.

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Gloin, Dwalin and Dori were huddled in a corner glaring darkly at the wizard and that elf. Nori, Bombur and Balin were wandering the gardens, talking in whispers about the information Bilbo had given them. Oin was encamped in the healers' quarters trying to absorb everything he could. Bofur and Bifur were sitting in what appeared to be a communal area whittling figures from the firewood.