AN: I apologise now my brain is warped. I don't own any of the characters I am just corrupting them. Thank you to those of you are still following me and welcome to those have just joined me. Please let me know what you think of the story, I do enjoy getting your reviews.

Chapter Thirty Five.

Ori was once again avoiding Dwalin and had chosen to walk quietly next to Bilbo. This time Dwalin didn't mind as much as it gave him time to think. He now knew the scribe was interested in him, he knew he was interested in the scribe, he just had to work up some of his legendary courage to talk to Dori and Nori. He winced he was really not looking forward to that conversation. The companies response to Nori and Bifur had been acceptance, well after they had gotten over their shock, despite the fact neither had asked the other's family for permission. Dwalin knew it was his job to make the first move as he was the elder and Ori had done all of the work so far. He straightened his shoulders as his eyes caught sight of Thorin striding at the front of the company. He had wondered what Mister Baggins had meant when he had said fix his king and only now, nearly a full day later, he was starting to understand what he had meant. Thorin was being, and Dwalin had no qualms about admitting this, a giant arse. He narrowed his eyes at Thorin's back he didn't know what was wrong with his friend and king but he would be finding out. So focused was he on Thorin that he failed to see Ori sidle up beside his brother.

"Master Balin." Balin looked around wildly at the quiet voice at his side. He smiled warmly when he saw it was the young scribe who had shaken him from his thoughts. He took in Ori's determination, and the sleeves of his knits pulled over his hands. He laid a gentle hand on the younger's arm trying to put him at ease. Ori smiled at him and his brown eyes landed on something in front of them seemingly giving him courage. Balin looked but he couldn't pinpoint where the scribe had been looking, so turned his full attention back to Ori.

"Yes Mister Ori, can I help you with something today?" he kept his voice gentle not wanting to startle the skittish boy.

"I hope so Master Balin!" Balin raised his bushy eyebrows in response to the answer but Ori merely smiled blindingly at him before continuing, his voice gentle but strong. "I know this isn't the way it should be done Master Balin," he sighed softly and looked over Balin's shoulder again, "but I think I could be waiting until I am in my tomb for it to happen the correct way. Now I think about it most of our company isn't exactly normal though so it shouldn't matter so much"

Balin was now intrigued and leant in slightly, still keeping the correct distance, but enough to make the conversation more private. "Aye laddie. We wouldn't want that." He chuckled softly the rest of Ori's words sunk in. "I agree with that statement, but now you have me curious what is it that you wanted to talk to me about?"

Ori looked the older dwarf directly in the eye. "I wish to have your blessing to court Master Dwalin, Balin son of Frenwin." He stated confidently and quietly. He held up a hand to forestall Balin's answer, "Bare in mind Master Balin that although I may be young I have intelligence and although I may appear weak I could easily take on any member of this company." He raised his head, brown eyes hardening, "this bit may not be the dwarfs way, but I believe your brother to be my one and I will fight to be able to claim him as such, my asking is merely a formality as one of us had to do it and Dwalin is terrified that Dori will squash him like jelly and Nori will poison him. I ask because I know Master Dwlain would want your blessing, and I want him to be happy."

Balin waited patiently until Ori had finished speaking, hiding his surprise thanks only to years of practice. He had always viewed the scribe as a gentle, scared lad, with little to recommend him other than his ability with words. However looking into Ori's eyes he saw a glow that only existed when dwarfen folk talked of treasure, and that glow was solely for his brother. Balin swallowed looking the youth over carefully. The lad said he could match anyone in the company, the older dwarf realised this might be true. If the lad had inherited even a quarter of the strength that Master Dori showed or possessed a quarter of the skills Master Nori knew then he would be a dangerous opponent. He nodded slowly. "Very well Master Ori, I give you my blessing, although why a young lad like you has found his one in my brother I will never understand."

He was rewarded with a brilliant smile and the scribe suddenly looking nervous again, "Thank you Master Balin," Ori breathed. He hadn't lied with what he had stated but he was glad he didn't have to go against the wishes of a dwarf he admired. "Can I ask one more thing? Can you not tell Master Dwalin I asked?" He took in Balin's surprised and alarmed expression, "It's nothing bad Master Balin, I just want to see if he sees me the same way. See if he will ask Dori and Nori for their blessing since it is his place to do so being the elder."

Balin nodded smiling gently, hiding his smirk with great difficulty, that was a struggle he would watch with glee in his brother. He slapped a hand conspiritively on Ori's shoulder, and the lad fell back to start another conversation with Bilbo and Balin strode away to find Oin. When Dwalin looked back from his glowering at Thorin the scribe and his brother were once again nowhere near each other.

While Ori was securing his relationship with Dwalin the warrior was contemplating the back of his king. It didn't take him long to figure out some of what the problem was. Thorin was twitchy, brushing a braid behind an ear, tugging his gloves straight on his hands, caressing the hilt of his sword. All were signs of him being hurt emotionally. Dwalin raised an eyebrow he didn't know who or what had upset his king but the fact they had managed to do so to the extreme he was still fidgeting two weeks after leaving Rivendell was alarming and strangely heart-warming at the same time. Dalwin had feared Thorin had locked his emotions down so tight he could only feel anger. The rest of the problem only took the raised voice of Bilbo to reach them for Dwalin to figure it out. Thorin's back had stiffened and the fidgeting instantly stopped, Dwalin felt his mouth fall open and he glanced back at the company to see the hobbit in conversation with Ori. Abandoning his king and deciding to talk to him when they stopped for the night, Dwalin allowed his step to slow and soon was walking alongside the hobbit and Ori. Dwalin smiled softly across at Ori and received a smirk in reply. He closed his eyes for a second remembering the last time he had seen that smirk, and almost tripped on the uneven ground. A small hand closed on his sleeve holding him upright with surprising strength.

"Do be careful Master Dwalin," said a high pitched (compared to the dwarfs) voice. He glanced down to see Bilbo looking up at him, a look that was a cross between amusement and worry in his eyes, but face kept impressively blank. "I do need you to fix your king before I strangle him with his own braids." To Dwalin's amusement the hobbit glared angrily at Thorin's back and the warrior bit back a smirk when the left fur covered shoulder twitched, he turned his attention back to Bilbo. "Although he would probably enjoy it contrary piece of…" Bilbo trailed off, "Sorry Master Dwalin, as you can see he is getting on my nerves slightly." Dwalin allowed himself to smile in response to the brilliant one aimed at him and Bilbo relaxed. "Did you want to talk to me or Master Ori?" he queried, "it's just that Ori will probably be avoiding you until you grow a pair," Dwalin followed Bilbo's finger and groaned, before turning his attention back to the still talking hobbit. "He likes you, you know. Well I should hope you know you were both vocal enough about it last night." Bilbo smirked up at the warrior, chuckling evilly as the cheeks turned scarlet under his beard. "I can almost see why he licks you, master Dwalin, almost." Bilbo's eyes turned onto Thorin and Dwalin bit back a relieved sigh. "I can't see why I like him though," Dwalin raised an eyebrow, surprised at such a confession from the man next to him. "Oh he's good looking and if he were a hobbit I'd have definitely tried to take him for a roll in the hay before now." Beside him Dwalin flushed even darker as he twigged onto what Bilbo meant, "But your dwarfen rules mean that's out and he is annoying enough that I don't particularly want anything to do with him at the minuet. I don't even know what it is that I've suddenly done that's made him revert to useless hobbit tag-along mode when he interacts with me." He turned to Dwalin smiling softly, "Sorry Master Dwalin," he chuckled, "you know you can shut me up at any time."

Dwalin unstuck his throat and looked down at the hobbit carefully, "I didn't want to shut you up master Baggins." He rumbled, "it is nice you now trust me enough to tell me those things." Dwalin gestured to the king striding along in front of them, "You know he isn't the worse person in the world, and I don't know what is wrong with him, but then again he is emotionally stunted," Dwalin paused and thought a second, "more so then even I." He raised an eyebrow at the hobbit's snort, "Shut up Mister Baggins," he grumbled, "it's not nice to laugh at those less fortunate than yourself." He looked carefully at the hobbit then at Ori's back, "Mister Baggins?" he asked getting a hum in response. "How can I go about talking to Master Dori and Nori without dying painfully?" he was aware he suddenly sounded small and unsure, but he figured the hobbit wouldn't tell anyone and the smaller man would know what to do.

Bilbo looked at the dwarf walking beside him. He took in the dropped shoulders, the teeth pulling worriedly at the corner of the mouth and the eyes trained on Ori's back. "Master Dwalin," he sighed, "just talk to them. Yes they care for Ori, but trust me they will not hurt you." He sighed when the dwarf seemed to crumple more into himself, "Oh for the love of Vaccras' smithy!" he stopped short and by simple act of grabbing Dwalin's arm forced the large dwarf to do the same. He deliberately invaded the warrior's space, growling words as he did so, prodding a sharp finger into Dwalin's chest, ignoring the winces his actions caused in the entire company. "You Master Dwlain"…he emphasised his displeasure with a sharp prod, "Need to grow some balls and just," he prodded again causing Dwalin to step back, "ASK!" he huffed and stormed off to Bofur grabbing the be-hatted dwarf by the arm and forcing him to move. Slowly the rest of the company followed after.

Ori, Dori and Nori had been following close in Thorin's footsteps and so had missed the end interaction between Bilbo and Dwalin. Nori was feeling mischievous and as he watched the sun slowly start sinking he turned on his baby brother, "Sooo Ori," he drawled. "Is he going to ask permission or is he still in shock with your drawing skills?"

To the confusion of Dori, the youngest Ri brother merely chuckled, "I don't know Nori, what do you think. You want a wager on when he'll dare ask?" Ori leant in confidentially making sure Thorin couldn't hear, "Besides I can't draw that well, the real artist is yet undiscovered by your snooping."

He grinned at his shell shocked brothers before skipping away to walk by Thorin's side. "Erm, your majesty?" he started, careful not to allow sarcasm into his voice. Thorin looked at him in shock. "I just wanted to tell you that Bilbo had only gotten me to copy some Sindarin over, you know in Rivendell when we were keeping secrets. I don't know what he said but his eyes were sad when you shouted at him." Ori looked innocent at the now gapping king, "erm I also wanted to ask if we were going to stop at the bottom of the mountain tonight?" Thorin drew his head back looking startled, Ori pointed nervously, "it's just we're kind of standing next to the start of the actual range rather than the annoying little hills we've been wandering over for days and…" he was cut off by a large hand clamping over his mouth and despite himself he leaned back into the warm body behind him.

Thorin stared open mouthed at the sight of the company scribe using it's main warrior as a place to rest. He had to clear his throat to be able to speak, still shocked as he was at the scribe's sneak attack on his attitude (oh yes Thorin wasn't stupid he knew what the scribe had been saying and was impressed in spite of himself) and then at the familiarity his best fried exhibited with the scribe. "Erm yes Master Ori, "he blinked looking around the company, eyes falling on Bilbo shaking his head, his face hidden behind one hand, Thorin felt his lips twitch despite his anger. "You are right. I know it's early but we shall make camp here tonight." He looked back at the scribe who had his eyes closed and Dwalin who had moved his hand on to the delicate shoulder. "Besides I don't think I can handle drama in the mountains.

Bilbo's snort echoed around the company, but before Throin could take him to task Ori's voice bounced from the walls, "What the hell is your problem?!" Thorin whipped back around and saw a shaken Dwalin staring after Ori's retreating back. He was swiftly by his best friend's side, laying a comforting hand on the muscled arm. He kept the thought that Dwalin currently looked like a kicked puppy to himself. To his surprise Dwalin straightened his back and his eyes turned stony.

Thorin gapped unattractively as the large dwarf strode away from him, "Master Dori. Master Nori." He rumbled, and to Thorin's surprise both Balin and Ori had whipped round to look at Dwalin with eyes and mouths wide open. Dwalin continued unperturbed, but with a lower voice and as close as he was Thorin had to strain to hear him. "I wish to ask for your blessing to court your younger brother. Ori of Ri is my One and your blessing is all that is currently stopping me from declaring myself full…Ompf!" Dwalin's speak was cut off and the camp came to a complete standstill as Ori launched himself at the warrior dwarf.

"ORI!" yelped Dori while Nori stood making fish impersonations at the sight of his baby brother wrapped around the guard who had arrested him more times than he could count.

Bilbo broke the stalemate. "Excellent!" he stated, apparently to himself but turning the dwarfs' attention from the kissing couple to him, "Now I know that block head can be trained, perhaps there is hope after all." Bilbo pottered his back to the company, seemingly unaware of the attention on him, but smirking at the fire he had managed to get started, "I still think it would like it if I strangled him with his own braids." He turned faking surprise at the watching dwarfs, "Erm, Oh! Hello. Can I help anyone?" He stuttered out, moving to his pack and removing the roots he'd dug up earlier that day, "erm Bombur do you have the pan?" he looked at the red haired dwarf, and gestured at the roots. "I'll make a stew with these and those rabbits Kili caught, it should make a nice change to jerky and cram and will give us energy to get up that really big mountain. I also found some herbs so it shuld be really warming and will be just the thing to keep us warm this high up." Bilbo was rambling deliberately, tracking Ori and Dwalin out of the corner of his eye, only when they had disappeared into the wood-line did he stop talking and smile. "Okay enough!" he grouched. Someone else help with this setting up camp thing rather than just standing around like a bunch of lemons. Thorin was the first to move, stomping away to sulk on a rock, Bilbo rolled his eyes before turning to smile at Fili who had crept up to him while he was staring. "Yes Fi?" he asked gently as he could seeing the blonde dwarf acting unusually nervous.

"Bilbo, could you teach me how to cook properly?" Fili whispered. "I can cook rabbit on a spit most days but even that goes wrong sometimes and I want to …2 he trailed off looking around them nervously.

"You want to be able to cook for Kili?" asked Bilbo softly, a gentle smile on his face.

Fili nodded, "Yes. Erm part of dwarfen courting is cooking your intended your best dish and burnt rabbit isn't exactly a best dish." He stopped and looked at Bilbo, both of them unaware Kili was listening in a soft smile on his face. "I just want to prove myself to him Bilbo," Fili sighed. "I eventually admitted my feeling to him you know. At Rivendell. Erm we kissed, well he kissed me and I tried to stop myself but I kissed back and since then we haven't really spoke to each other after admitting everything, we haven't really done anything together other than when we were teasing you. I miss him Bilbo and I want to prove to him that I was serious at Rivendell and …" Fili trailed off as Bilbo stared behind him eyes wide. He turned and saw Kili standing there a frown on his usually smooth forehead, "Ah crap," muttered Fili, "Hi Ki," he tried to sound jaunty, behind him Bilbo winced when it came out only worried. "Are you here to help Bilbo cook as well? They are your rabbits and Bombur seems to be hiding so I thought it was only fair to help him…erm Kili?" Fili leant back as Kili towered over him, hands on his hips. Fili gulped as his brother silently reached down a hand, he grasped it, and glad the gloves covered his sweaty fingers.

Kili tugged sharply bringing FIli to his feet and into his chest, he wrapped an arm around his brother's waist, holding securely against him. His finger splayed against Fili's hip tightened as his brother tried to pull back. Kili didn't care about anyone who was watching, knowing Ori and Dwalin had made enough of a display and Bilbo's threat of temper was enough to have the other dwarfs sitting around the fire Gloin had got going. He released Fili's hand to trial his fingers through the blond locks, he was gloveless so he deliberately scrapped his nails along Fili's scalp, relishing in the soft groan it got him. He leant close so they were standing nose to nose, his breath ghosting across Fili's lips, "I am rather turned on brother," he whispered, dragging the pads of his fingers of Fili's ear, he smirked as the pupils dilated in the blue eyes he was staring in to. He licked his lips the tip of his tongue just brushed Fili's lips. He grabbed Fili's hand and brought it to his growing erection, "Feel that brother?" he gasped as Fili curled his fingers slightly, Kili forced himself to keep his hips still. "You do that to me Broth..er." he sucked in a breath through his nose as Fili pressed his palm flat against his groin, "you do that to me Fi. The you that you are," Kili kissed the full lips in front of him chastely, exercising iron control for the first time in his life, "Why would I want you to change?" he breathed against the full lips, a strangled noise breaking passed his lips, as Fili slid his hand down and grasped his length fully. Kili forced himself to keep going, unaware his hands hand found his way under Fili's shirt, "Why would I need you to change, you have me, you don't need to catch me, I'm already hooked." He bent his head slightly, stopping only when their lips were so close a breath of wind would struggle to get between them, "This is your last chance to leave brother." He managed to gasp out through clenched teeth as Fili's fingers teased him through his breeches, Kili curled his fingers, the nails digging into the soft skin of his brothers back, the responding squeeze from Fili had Kili's eyes rolling back in his head.

Fili smirked "I'm not going anywhere," he growled, loosening the ties of Kili's breeches and ran his fingertips over the satin skin beneath his fingers, "I want to see you come apart underneath me. I want to hear you gasping my name, I want to taste the salt on your skin, I need to see your eyes black with lust," he looked up into Kili's eyes, "Just like they are now," he croaked. "KIli!" he yelped.

Kili's control snapped and he swept Fili upwards. Fili locked his legs around Kili's waist , gasping as a warm hand slipped passed the waist band of his trousers, and cupped his arse cheeks. "Kili." He groaned, whether in encouragement or warning he didn't know. Kili spoke no words, instead brushing his lips along Fili's collar bone, walking slowly towards an outcrop of rocks.

Bilbo was still sat by the fire, staring at now empty air. His eyes were so dark their colour was undistinguishable. His mouth was dry and without warning flashes of his dream came flooding back. He looked across the camp at Thorin's broad fur covered shoulders and growled softly. He would be getting no sleep that night and he was going to kill Fili and Kili in the morn. Dwalin and Ori he couldn't get quite so mad at. A deep groan echoed out of the trees towards the camp and Bilbo nearly cried. Nope he was just as mad at them. He heaved the pan from the flames and wandered over to the rest of the company. "Eat up," he managed chirpily. "We have a long day tomorrow." Another moan echoed around the camp, this time from the outcrop of rocks, Bilbo chuckled, "You might want to find a way to block your ears tonight." He smirked at Dori's pale face, before smiling cockily at Nori, "Although I'm sure some of you can find another way to pass the time." Nori went bright red and Bifur choked on the flowers he was eating. Bilbo rolled his eyes and no longer hungry, pulled out his bed roll and pulled the blanket over his head, fingers stuffed in his ears. Around the camp fire chaos suddenly reigned. Nori took advantage of the confusion to pull Bifur away from the group. Dori was hiding his head in Bofur's shoulder muttering indecipherably, while the be-hatted dwarf patted him on the back, his own face pale and eyes glittering. Oin had buried his ear trumpet in his pack at the first groan and was now sitting laughing at Balin's pained expression, his hand never leaving the other's knee. Bombur and Gloin were bright red, being the only two left who knew exactly why those noises were being made. Thorin was sitting staring at the lump that was Bilbo Baggins. He had heard the change in Bilbo's voice and was interested despite himself. It wasn't embarrassment, of that he would bet his kingship on, but it was something darker that Thorin had no name for yet.

I wonder if anyone spots the deliberate error I made during Bilbo's speech with Dwalin, the warrior certainly didn't.