A/N- Remember how I said I was gonna do this? And then haven't work on this fic since May? Well...err...surprise? I finally got my Hobbit/Bagginshield muse into shape since the release of the new movie and I'm super thrilled for it.
I'm definitely still gonna do a continuation and different story branches with different characters. Yup, yup. Enjoy!
"If you ask if we're there one more time, I will turn right around, Kili."
"But this is important!"
"So is me keeping my sanity."
Kili whined from the backseat while his brother chortled non-too discreetly, earning himself an elbow to the face. Bilbo couldn't help a laugh, clutching tightly at the folder in his lap and reaching over with his other hand to pat Thorin's knee.
"There, there. You needn't worry." He soothed but the older man didn't look any more relaxed.
"What if he doesn't like me?" He muttered, almost under his nose. Bilbo scoffed loudly.
"What nonsense. Now stop this foolishness, Thorin Oakenshield before I make you let me drive." Thorin's hands on the wheel loosened only a little. Bilbo sighed. "Really, I should be more worried over this whole ordeal but you don't see me kicking up a fuss. And I seem to recall a certain dwarf King calling me a fussy old fuddy duddy who worries far too much." Fili snorted behind them and Kili burst into giggles before Thorin measured them with a glare.
"You do worry far too much." Thorin muttered, making Bilbo laugh.
"Thorin, you've almost developed ulcers over these past few months from how much you've worried. Now relax. It'll be fine." The hand on Thorin's knee remained and Thorin let his own hand droop down, lacing their fingers together. Fili whistled gently behind them and got ignored completely by both his uncles...or dads?
After everything had been sorted with Smaug and they were good and married, Thorin wasted no time in officially adopting his sister's sons, with all of Bilbo's agreement. He'd be fool NOT to agree.
The rest of the drive was silent but comfortable and the look on Bilbo's face was torn between varying emotions. He seemed deep in thought now and a little sad and Thorin didn't have to ask why. Bilbo idly toyed with his wedding ring while Thorin's fingers carefully rubbed on the knuckles of Bilbo's other hand.
They got to the appointment 15 minutes early and Thorin peered at Bilbo. "Ready?"
"Oh yes. Quite ready. Are you?"
"We will see..." He was still nervous, Bilbo could see and it made him sigh gently, sliding out of the car. Fili and Kili bounded out in excitement. When they met with the adoption agent, Bilbo smiled and shook the woman's hand eagerly but Thorin was nervously stoic, sitting beside his husband while Bilbo slid the file towards the woman. She smiled.
"I trust everything is in order." She said smoothly while opening the file and checking over all the paperwork.
"Oh yes, definitely." Bilbo said eagerly. He had made sure. Three times, in fact, that he had absolutely everything. After some intense scrutiny, the woman nodded and took off her glasses, setting them aside.
"Well, it appears you have everything, in double copy." She chuckled before sliding the file aside next to her glasses. Her face sobered. "The circumstances are far from the best but we were happy to find he at least has a relative living in the area who was far than willing to take him in." Bilbo's expression fell a bit. His second cousin and his lovely wife were some of the few of his still living family he had liked. The adoption agent's expression was genuinely sympathetic. "I am sorry for your loss, Mister Baggins." She said gently.
Bilbo smiled weakly in thanks. The funeral was only a few weeks ago. It was still fresh. But today wasn't about him. "How is Frodo? I wish I could have finished everything sooner but it was such a massive mess of paperwork." The agent smiled kindly.
"He is...ummm...well, he could be far better." She said truthfully. "We have tried to make him comfortable but he has been very quiet."
"Poor lad..."
"Let's bring him in, shall we?" Bilbo saw Thorin stiffen a bit at his side. They had made Fili and Kili wait in the sitting area.
It didn't take long for Frodo to be brought in. Those big blue eyes were so sad but yet so understanding of his situation and Bilbo stood abruptly, coming over and pulling the boy into his arms. "Oh lad..." Frodo sniffed and hugged his uncle tightly. Thorin had stood as well and when Bilbo finally pulled away from Frodo, his husband walked gingerly over.
They had met before in previous sessions, while the adoption panel was still trying to decide whether he and Bilbo would be proper parents to young Frodo. Thorin still looked like he was walking around on eggshells around the lad. He squatted before him and carefully rested a hand in Frodo's black curls. Frodo said nothing but smiled and pressed against Thorin for a hug. For a moment, Thorin looked almost surprised. Then he carefully wrapped his arms around the lad and held him close, rocking a little on the balls of his feet. Bilbo smiled faintly.
When they pulled apart, Frodo was seated between Bilbo and Thorin and the adoption agent sat behind her desk with even more paperwork. More signatures and more explanations and at the end of it all, she sat back looking satisfied. "Well, everything is in order then. Congratulations! Meet the new member of your family." Bilbo eyed the birth certificate and all the official paperwork. That was it. It was done. Smiling despite himself, he wrapped an arm around Frodo's shoulders. He was so small. So young. The little boy had just hit 9 a few months ago but there was far more understanding in him than Bilbo had though a 9 year old would have. Frodo had understood that his parents passed in a terrible car wreck. He had understood when Bilbo told him of what that meant. He was aware of death and it came far closer to someone so young than Bilbo would have liked.
He was still his lad, Bilbo remembered fondly. Those same black curls and same blue eyes. Just smaller, and with a bit more color to his cheeks. And of course, no longer a hobbit.
Bilbo thanked the adoption agent with all his heart, shaking her hand while Thorin stood behind him, Frodo now at his side. When they left, they left together, Frodo walking between Bilbo and Thorin, clutching both of their hands.
Fili and Kili were beside themselves with excitement when the office door finally opened. And there was little Frodo. The little boy Bilbo hadn't stopped talking about since the proposal. Fili was the first to approach, bending down before Frodo. "Hey!" He said cheerfully. "I'm Fili and this dolt is my brother, Kili. I guess we're brothers now too, huh?" Frodo looked shy for a moment but finally nodded, peering at Fili through his thick black curls. Fili beamed.
Bilbo rested a hand on Frodo's curls. "How does that sound, Frodo?" Frodo still looked shy but his smile remained.
"I... like that." He breathed softly and Fili beamed wider.
"Don't worry Frodo, we can fight the menace of Kili together." He winked and earned himself a jab in the back of the head from Kili while Frodo giggled. Bilbo looked relieved.
When they drove back home, even Thorin looked more at ease while Fili and Kili entertained Frodo in the backseat. Frodo was laughing now, his big blue eyes bright and full of joy. Bilbo's relief was all the more palpable.
Their house was definitely big enough for everyone. Thorin spared no expense after his name was cleared and went on a frenzied buying spree of everything they might ever need. Bilbo was still surprised there was no bomb shelter. He had a niggling suspicion that it might be next on Thorin's to-do list. Not if Bilbo had any say about that.
Arriving home was as big a mess as Bilbo had expected. Frodo's things were brought there not too long before they got there and there was a legion of milling dwarves who just had to see little Frodo for themselves. Bilbo had insisted that they ease up a little but it didn't stop them from throwing the lad a party anyway. Dwarves; even as humans they were ridiculous.
Frodo held on tightly to Bilbo's hand as they entered the house and almost jumped in shock when a whole gaggle of people stopped their milling around and loudly welcomed him with a resounding "SURPRISE!" Frodo stared around, then up at Bilbo. Bilbo smiled.
"They wanted to meet you, lad." He said in what he hoped was a reassuring manner and gently nudged Frodo inside. And in the span of 10 minutes, Frodo was all but bombarded with hugs and presents and cheery helloes. And it was hours before Frodo managed to escape all the attention to get a moment with Bilbo. He looked a little confused.
"Uncle..." He said slowly. Bilbo didn't correct him. It didn't feel right. "How come some of them look familiar?" He was looking at Gloin and little Gimli in particular and Bilbo smiled. He only wished Gandalf could have been there.
"School maybe?" He suggested. Frodo frowned, his little features scrunching together.
"He's too young to be in school." He muttered. Bilbo couldn't help a smile. Was Frodo remembering already?
"I'm not sure, lad." He lied, feeling a bit bad for doing so. But this wasn't something that could be forced. Sitting down, Bilbo hoisted Frodo up to sit on his lap. "What do you think then?" He asked instead, diverting the subject. "Do you like it here?"
Frodo considered, leaning back against Bilbo. "I think...yes. It's all so much...and there's so many people. M..." He swallowed. "Mum and da didn't know this many people." Bilbo's heart broke a little more. Frodo peered at him. "Do you think they liked me?" He asked in a small voice and Bilbo couldn't hold back a small smile.
"Oh lad, they'd be foolish not to. You're impossible to not like." He said confidently and pressed a kiss to Frodo's temples, making the boy giggle slightly and hide his face in Bilbo's chest. Bilbo held him close and watched the others. They looked so happy. It made Bilbo feel light just to watch them.
There was Gloin, with his lovely wife and the menace that was Gimli. The little lad had the same brownish ginger hair as before and a gapped tooth smile that he showed frequently, giggling madly at Fili and Kili.
And there was Thorin, conversing quietly with Balin. No doubt about business, Bilbo thought with a faint smile as he watched his husband, careful fingers running through Frodo's thick mane of curls. He hadn't imagine that everything would turn out like this. The same, yet different. It turned out...happy. There was a part of Bilbo that had feared that everything would be the same as before. That they would lose. And despite his head injury from Gollum, Bilbo felt that they were overall a success.
He shifted and chuckled gently when he realized Frodo had dozed off against him.
"Tired?" Thorin asked softly as he settled next to Bilbo, who hadn't noticed his husband walk over.
"It was all the excitement, I think." Bilbo chuckled, cradling the lad against himself. "He's not used to be around a lot of people, especially when those people are a gaggle of silly dwarves." Thorin smiled.
"He's a good lad." He said gently, watching Frodo. "I think..." He broke off, smile turning into a slight frown, "I think perhaps...perhaps I would be okay at this. It's been so long since I've had a hand in raising a child." His eyes landed on Fili and Kili across the room. Kili was giving little Gimli a piggyback ride while Fili shamelessly nuzzled Ori's hair.
Bilbo rolled his eyes. "You did well with those louts. You'll be fine." Thorin snorted loudly.
"I'm not sure if it reflects well when you say I did well yet call them louts." He teased but carefully slid closer to his husband, wrapping an arm around him. Frodo didn't wake. Bilbo smiled.
"You'll do fine with him, Thorin. He IS a good lad, and you'll be a great father." Thorin carefully leaned over, pressing a kiss to Bilbo's cheek.
"I hope you're right."
"I KNOW I'm right." Bilbo said adamantly and ignored Thorin's quirked eyebrow and smirk. "Next time I'm wrong about something, feel free to let me know, Thorin Oakenshield. Until that day, I suggest you hush." Thorin's chest rumbled as he laughed quietly, shaking his head and burying his face in Bilbo's curls.
"Impossible creature." He muttered and Bilbo's self satisfied smile only grew. Frodo stirred in his arms and when Bilbo peered at his nephew, his smile softened. Frodo would be fine here too. In time. He'd fit in well and Bilbo was quite confident he and Thorin could do Drogo and Primula proud.
"Welcome home, my boy." He whispered gently and finally felt utterly complete.
THE END