Bofur sighed as he rolled the tiny silver hair bead between his fingers, watching the fine engravings and inlaid stones glimmer in the reflected light of the fire.

"Bofur?"

The dwarf jerked slightly as he was startled out of his revere, lifting his head to stare at Bilbo, who was shuffling his feet awkwardly at having surprised the other dwarf. Bofur quickly let his usual smile fall across his lips, cocking his head slightly at the hobbit. "What can I do for ya, master Baggins?"

Bilbo wrung his hands for a moment, before moving to sit next to the toy maker. "Terribly sorry for startling you," he began, offering the other a somewhat bashful smile, "I hadn't realized how far away you were. I simply came to ask if there was something wrong. You looked rather melancholy."

Bofur blinked in mild surprise at the hobbit, before his smile became a little more genuine, and he slung an arm around the other's shoulders, a quick chuckle escaping his lips. "Worry not, master Baggins," he hummed, slipping the little bead into his pocket, "I was simply off in my own little world. Thinking of reclaiming Erebor and the likes, ye know." It was only a small lie.

Bilbo watched Bofur for a long moment, brow furrowed in a frown. "Are you most certain?" the hobbit inquired, chewing on his lip, "Because I've seen that look on the faces of my little nieces and nephews, and it usually leads to them complaining to me about something they've lost, or have yet to acquire."

"Indeed? And what sorts of things might little hobbits loose and miss that make 'em have odd looks on their faces?"

Bilbo rolled his eyes at the dwarf's jovial tone, reaching up to tug on one of Bofur's hat flaps. "Love."

Bofur's grin immediately vanished, and he let his arm slip from the hobbit's shoulders. "Yer getting to be a bit too keen in yer watching, master Baggins," he murmured, lacing his fingers together in his lap.

"Perhaps. But I find it to be terribly useful in the cases where I do not wish to see my friends look so miserable," Bilbo said, putting a hand on Bofur's shoulder. "So, tell me. Who has your heart and mind in such a state?"

Bofur sighed and dug the hair bead back out of his pocket, holding it so Bilbo could see. There was no point in lying to the hobbit at this point, since he'd just poke and prod at him or wait and watch until he found out. "Thorin," he muttered, dropping the bead into the hobbit's outstretched hand.

Bilbo made an appreciative noise at the hair bead, holding it up in the light of the fire to get a better look at it, before nearly dropping it into the dirt. "Th-thorin?!" he sputtered, causing Bofur to shush him and glance around the camp quickly to make sure no one was trying to listen in.

"Aye! What of it?" Bofur hissed, snatching the bead back and looking offended.

Bilbo held up a placating hand, before waving them both back and forth, as if that would erase the words that had left his mouth. "No! No, no. I didn't mean it like that. I was just surprised, is all. He's not exactly…Well, forward with praise. Or kindness. Or anything you could call affection, really," he grumbled, glancing across the camp to the King, who was seated next to his nephews and chatting quietly with Balin. "I just found it odd that he'd attract you to him. He just seems rather cold, compaired to you."

Bofur mulled over the hobbit's words for a moment, before shrugging and offering up a lopsided smile. "I suppose he does seem an awful lot like tha' now. But, I promise ye, he wasn't always this distant. When we were still in the Ered Luin, he was kind and caring. Always willin' to lend a helpin' hand were he could. Didn't matter if ye were high class or no. He was the sweetest when he was with the boys. He helped raise them, ye know. After their Pa died. And then, when he found out that we might have a chance to reclaim our home? Well. He's strong and independent, strong willed and a fearless leader. He's only like this now because he's worried. About our safety, and our potential for success."

Bofur frowned lightly at the broad smile that he found on Bilbo's face when he looked back at the hobbit. "What?"

"You really do love him, don't you?"

The dwarf snorted, grinning at Bilbo. "What ever could have given ye that idea?" The two laughed, Bilbo half leaning on the dwarf and Bofur absently rolling the hair bead between his fingers.

"All right. So, then, what might the bead be for?" Bilbo asked, gesturing to the silver accessory in the other's hand.

"Tis a courting bead. I made it, even before we left Ered Luin. Meant to give it to him then, too. But then we got all caught up in tryin' to get folks to come along, and gettin' ready to leave ourselves, it sorta got lost in the shuffle. And now…Now I'm watching our blacksmith become a King," Bilbo's expression turned sad at the regret on Bofur's face as the dwarf put the bead back into his pocket, "And I'm still not but a miner. Not even a good one at that. What chance have I got with a King?"

Bilbo sighed and let his head rest against Bofur's shoulder, staring off into the fire.