Author's Note: Thanks for the story-love :) This chapter is dedicated to znk99fg7, the birthday girl/boy this weekend! Happy birthday 333 Thanks Lalaithiel, thekindlyones, helicopter815, chibichibi98, DwarvenWarrior, Spock, uno mega, znk99fg7, THE WALKING sexy AMC, Tulipa Negra, YoIt'sThatOneGirlNameBianca, Crystal, Guest, anna. pantelarou, SwanInProgress, MistressLeia24, UKReader, maybege, SiaSaySomeday, Luinwen-2013, Guest, Lulu, Just4Me, cauldron-of-ceridwen, Laurie Jupiter, obsessed reader, and Oninha for reviewing! Answers to the anons will be below :D Special thanks to our peeps who reviewed multiple times: THE WALKING sexy AMC, obsessed reader, and Luinwen-2013. Prepare for another monster chapter ;)
Disclaimer: I do not own "Hotblack" by Oceanship. This is for Eli Goldsworthy of Degrassi :)
Chapter Twenty-Three: Hotblack
Thorin tensed, growling, "How many men must I contend against?"
Rue shrugged innocently. "None…"
"There are no others?" His eyes were wide in dismay, in a drunken stupor.
Awkwardly, she cleared her throat. "No. I'm single. Really single." She couldn't believe she was going to have this conversation with Thorin when he was drunk. Rue's "romantic past" was kind of pathetic. Steeling herself against humiliation, Rue stood straighter. Thorin's fierce grip on the dresser's edges didn't relent once. He was really close, their noses pressed together, flesh against flesh.
Thorin's intense, probing gaze met hers. Sheepishly―wait, Thorin was never sheepish―his eyes dropped to the carpet. "Have you ever been with a man?" he asked breathily.
Did he mean―
"If you mean in the way I think you mean…then no," Rue admitted with a squeak, turning brilliant red. Feeling sick, Rue nervously blinked up at him.
Thorin nodded, the tension leaving him at once like a slinky uncoiling. He appeared relieved, more relaxed.
"If you had ever been with another man, I do not know how I would have―" Thorin stopped talking suddenly, his voice becoming a possessive growl. "It will not happen. The thought of another man touching you―" He shook his head angrily― "I would throttle him."
She timidly giggled. "I, uh, I've had one boyfriend."
The tension returned to Thorin's body. Impassioned wrath flickered in his orbs.
"What?" he spat.
She grinned humorlessly. "You must've learned what a boyfriend is from TV."
"I did. What is his name?" He was not going to drop the subject anytime soon.
Rue shrugged. "It wasn't anything serious, Thorin. We met at a New Year's party. Nat made me go. Anyway―" She sputtered, words clipped off in weird places― "There's a New Year's tradition that uh…well you kiss the closest person standing next to you. His name was Ricardo, and he happened to be standing next to me. He kissed me. And that was my first and only kiss. I'm really, really lame, being twenty-two and all. Um…we dated for one week. I ended things with him when he became really clingy. I wasn't ready for that and―" Rue shrugged again.
"You no longer speak to him?" Thorin wondered deliberately.
"No, I haven't since January and it's August. So for―" Rue held her hands up to count the months― "Eight months. But if you count the months I was in Middle-earth, then it's even longer." She added in a lame whisper, "Please don't hate me?"
Thorin shook his head. "I could never."
Rue exhaled forcefully.
He opened his mouth to say something just as―
The bedroom door burst open
Gimli stood there in evident exasperation, shoulders slumped forward, fists clenched. But his exasperation was only for a passing moment because when he saw Rue and Thorin, there was a dramatic change in mood. His palms were exposed, no longer hidden beneath the close of his fingers. Gimli's jaw went slack as he backed away.
Rue and Thorin jumped apart. No. This was beyond awkward now.
Without daring to look at Gimli―she was embarrassed enough―Rue said, "Is everything okay, Gims?"
Slowly, he shook his head. "I did not mean to interrupt, but…but…I had to come inform you the beardless whelp nearly broke the chair in his eagerness over drink."
Since she was mortified enough and dizzy over―over Big Bad King Under the Mountain's majestic hair, beautiful eyes, handsome face―Rue snorted. Wow, she was pathetic.
"I'll execute 'plan damper the ever-hyperactive Kili's mood.'" She nodded. "Thanks for telling me, Gims." Rue had this image of Kili leaping from one couch to the chair. He was like a puppy with too much energy, and not enough ways to burn it. Maybe running for their lives half-the-time in Middle-earth had done some good.
Gimli took off down the hall fast, nearly sprinting in his enthusiasm to leave Rue's bedroom far behind. Oh, gosh. She hoped she hadn't traumatized him for life or something. Gloin would never forgive her. There was a painful lump in her throat, the size of coals she'd once seen Thorin use in the Blue Mountains during colder nights. She wanted Gloin's anger, needed to see his eyes…to see everybody's eyes. For Gloin to be angry at her, she would have to see him again, and judging from her current predicament, seeing him―seeing any of the Dwarves―was light years away.
"I apologize on behalf of my nephew," Thorin grumbled. A sober Thorin would have left her bedroom straightaway to bring down the hammer on Kili's naughty behavior. Hey, it was fun to refer to Kili's misbehavior as "naughty." Alcohol pumped in this Thorin's veins, manipulating his behavior for better or worse. Thorin peered at her closely, stretching his hand toward her. In less than a second, Thorin's fingers brushed across her forearm. She shivered from his touch, shutting her eyes, trying to believe this was real, that this Thorin was sober and genuinely felt affection for her. It was―her lungs were hot air balloons, heaving and swaying, heaving and…swaying―nothing but a lie. A lie she told herself to ease the pain.
Rue opened her eyes to see Thorin shake his head. "I will take my leave. Stay in here, Rue. Do not trouble yourself over Kili's behavior. I will handle him."
And then he was gone. Rue was left to support herself against her dresser. Man, her knees were weak, entire body on fire, riddled by chills―by goose bumps.
Rue knew it was time to do something she'd been putting off for far too long: call Nat.
The phone call had left her limbs weak―mind shaky. The minute Rue had gotten off the phone; she knew it'd been a mistake. For Nat, the last time they had seen each other had been three days.
For Rue, it'd been months.
Three days without seeing each other was an emergency in Nat's world. Sure, she'd never admit it―Natalie was known for her pride―but Rue could tell she had missed her from Nat's persistence on the phone. Rue had tried to fabricate two excuses, but of course, because she was Rue, her lies had come out crappy. Her oh-so-fabulous lies had been, "Sorry, but I've got a lot of homework to do. I think my mom's trying to come over and―" It was all untrue. She hadn't received a single text or phone call from Mom since coming back. And for homework―all her attempts were hopeless with the Dwarves right there, blinking at her helplessly, asking her what this was or how to do that. All right, they weren't exactly helpless, but Rue felt awful. They couldn't go outside. Thanks to the insanity of the situation, they were forced to remain inside. Because what if someone saw them? What if someone started asking questions? What if there was a Tolkien nerd that would know they were Dwarves? The Dwarves practically had "Dwarf" written across their foreheads.
Rue paced back and forth inches from the front door―nervous, hands twitching. Nat was coming over. She was coming here. Where currently six Dwarves from freaking Middle-earth took up residence. Rue had two choices: don't answer the door or…she shook her head. The other choice was to let Natalie inside and introduce all the Dwarves as her friends who loved cosplay. But if they were friends―assuming Natalie was going to spend the night like she did most of the time―why would all her "friends" be staying the night? Okay, she had to come up with a million different lies.
She rubbed her throbbing temples. Rue was ready to go with plan A: don't open the door.
"This is nonsensical, Rue."
She spun around at the sound of Nori's voice.
He stood a little ways from her, smirking mischievously.
"What is?" she played stupid.
"What you are pondering over."
"Oh?"
Nori rolled his eyes, shaking his head. "Durin's beard, you are worse than Ori at times."
Rue was perplexed. Eh?
"I know I should not be eavesdropping, but I heard of your dour predicament while you were speaking on the tellyphone to your cousin."
She stumbled back. "Hey, I had my bedroom door shut when I was talking to Nat."
"Do not try to distract me with the details, lass. What matters is that I know she is planning to visit here, is she not?" Nori quirked one eyebrow up all-knowingly.
Sighing, her shoulders slumped, she admitted the truth, "Yeah…"
"And I am predicting you are worrying yourself over us?" Nori grinned, answering his own question. "Do not think I don't remember what you spoke of when we first met. You said they are no Dwarves in your realm of Stockton, and from what I have gathered from watching the TV is that there are no Dwarves in your strange world at all, is there?"
Rue swallowed hard. When she'd taken them all home, she had planned to hoard them inside for their own safety. She never thought―Rue shook her head in disbelief―something as seamlessly harmless as television would teach them things like this. Stupidly, she had underestimated their intelligence. Who was the idiot now? Her. That was who.
"There isn't," she murmured, her gaze falling down in shame.
"We have spoken of this when you are attending your school and working." Nori nodded. "Indeed, we were right."
"Indeed," Rue whispered, backing up until her shoulders were pressed against the front door. "I didn't―I mean―I never would have lied to you, but―"
"I understand." Nori cast quick peeks over his shoulder. "Dwalin, Gimli, and Kili may be angry, but they will come to understand in time."
Rue was about to point out that Thorin was going to be freaking pissed, too, but when she went to say his name, her tongue fell limp. Ever since that night two days ago, things had been really…well…incredibly awkward between them. The worst part was that Rue had been the one to wave the awkward flag first. Deliberately, she'd been distancing herself away from Thorin, which was proving to be near-impossible in a one-bedroom apartment.
It was as if Nori read her mind.
"Aye, do not worry, the king can never be cross with you―" He winked teasingly― "All you must do is flutter your eyes, and he will come running."
Rue spoke sheepishly, finding her pair of pink Chuck Taylors really interesting, "He's been mad at me a bunch of times. And uh…if I fluttered my eyelashes, he'd probably think I was stupid. You know―" She shrugged― "Like he does now."
Nori's next reaction nearly made her blood boil. He tossed his head back and guffawed.
"What's so funny?" she whisper-yelled.
"Speak to him."
Rue's mouth was open like a beached fish. "I―I can't."
"Yes, you can and you shall." Nori leaned closer to whisper, "The only crime he committed is the liquor giving him fire to voice what he feels and courage to act upon what he could not do clearheaded."
Rue gulped. If only it were that simple…
Nori was acting like her heart was a quidditch game or something.
He quickly shuffled away, heading to the couch where the rest of the Dwarves were seated. Within seconds, Nori was forming a quick huddle with all of them―except for Thorin who was sitting by himself at the sad excuse for a kitchen table, reading―wait, that wasn't the newspaper. He was reading a book. What book?
Rue was insanely curious, tempted to ask Thorin what he was reading. But she couldn't do it. Physically, she couldn't force herself to approach him in fear of what a little small-talk would bring. The scenario played out in her head. Somehow, the "incident" would be brought up, and then Rue would hear Thorin apologize and say he didn't mean anything he had said. And that―that would crush the little hope she had.
At once, two things happened: there was a knock on the front door and Nori, Dwalin, Kili, Fili, and Gimli were headed for the door suddenly. Crap.
"What are you guys doing?" Rue sputtered in full-fledged panic, jumping in front of the door.
"We are going for a walk outside while your cousin visits," Nori explained.
Dwalin grumbled irritably, "Nori says this will avoid troubles for you, lass."
Shaking her head, she squeaked, "Not like this. You guys can't go! The streets of Stockton are dangerous."
In the background, Rue spotted Thorin standing up from the table, eyes round in dismay.
"One Dwarf will not raise such troublesome suspicions, but six will," Nori explained airily, worming his hand behind Rue to twist the doorknob open.
Her attempts to barricade them inside the apartment were pitiful. Effortlessly, they opened the door to―
"RUE!"
Oh, no.
At once, she stopped barricading the door, standing erect to greet Natalie. Nat was grinning until her dark-eyed gaze fell on the Dwarves suspiciously.
Nat opened her mouth to speak when―
"I am sorely sorry we cannot stay longer," Nori told Rue, making a show out of leaving. "We may return later, but most likely will not."
Natalie sidestepped away to let the chain of Dwarves pass her. Her eyes swept over them accusingly, sharply.
Rue did not like Nori right now. Not at all. He knew she couldn't stop them from leaving with Nat right here. Warning bells would go off that something wasn't right.
"Goodbye, Rue!" Kili hollered. There was a chorus of goodbyes. Assholes. When Nat was gone, she was going to stick that goodbye up their candy asses―
"Who are they?" Nat asked, raising one eyebrow.
"Music majors who uh…uh…do cosplay," Rue explained.
Laughing, her laughter music to Rue's ears, Nat waltzed inside. Her dark curly hair was tied in a ponytail, making her appear weather-beaten. Usually, Nat was decked out in tight shirts, tight jeans, ten pounds of make-up, and wedges. Not today, though. Today, she was clad in a plain white t-shirt and jeans.
"You and your music major friends are so weird," Nat said with the tilt of her head, shutting the front door and locking it. A yes-yes-yes chant started in Rue's head. The lie had worked.
But there was one more obstacle.
Right then, Nat spotted Thorin in the kitchen. He was standing, shifting his weight from his left to right foot uneasily. From the familiar glint in his eyes, Rue knew Thorin recognized her from the time she had showed him a picture of Nat.
"Oh?" Nat gave Rue a quizzical look. "Who's this?"
"Thorin," she croaked, awkwardly beckoning Nat to follow her to the kitchen to meet him properly. "He's a friend."
When she had imagined reuniting with Natalie after months of homesickness and despair, it had never been like this. Every imaginable scenario had played out in her head like a reel of film, so vivid and bittersweet. Rue would hug Nat and cry into her shoulder, making ugly choking sobs, vowing she'd never leave again. They would stay together for days, talking and laughing like old times. Everything would be okay.
The actual reunion was anything but bittersweet. It was awkward, Thorin's presence bearing insane amounts of pressure, which created tension so deep, Rue's limbs were mothballed.
They paused by the table―on the table was Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. Thorin held his hand out in greeting. Rue blinked, thunderstruck by two very different things. Thorin was being the polite one for a change and he was reading…Harry Potter. Eh?
Natalie grinned, shaking Thorin's hand. "So it's Thorin, huh?"
"I am Thorin son of Thrain, my lady." He bowed with the utmost respect. Okay, who in the heck was this Thorin?
Natalie jerked her head at Rue, saying bluntly, "Where did you find this guy, cuz? He's all respectful and shit. You out-of-town?"
Thorin tilted his head in puzzlement. "Out-of-town?"
"Uhh, he's from England," Rue blurted. "An Englishman. One of those upper class ones." Everything out her mouth sounded utterly stupid. What did upper class ones even mean?
Thorin gave Rue a once over before concurring with a nod.
"What are you doing all the way out here in stink-ass Stockton?" Nat asked with the wave of her hand, heading for the kitchen counter. She stood on her tiptoes to reach for a glass from the cupboards.
"He's studying abroad," Rue explained quickly. "Likes the international experience, you know."
Nat turned around, going to the refrigerator. Pouring a glass of orange juice, she smirked deviously. "And somehow you found your way into my cousin's apartment? How old are you anyway? Rue doesn't bring anyone home, you know. This better not be one of those holding-hostage situations. Because if I find out―" She pointed a finger at Thorin, taking a sip of her orange juice― "I'm going to beat you down, shorty."
Classic Nat. Suspicious and bitchy. Shorty? Oh, no. Thorin was going to unsheathe Orcrist any time soon.
"I am a friend of Ruby's and I would never hold her against her will," he spoke gruffly, defensively sticking his chest out. "My age is none of your―" He ventured a quick, regretful glance at Rue, clearing his throat as Natalie's eyebrows traveled farther and farther up her forehead― "I am 195."
Natalie snorted. Rue covered her mouth, hiding a gasp.
"He's kidding." She giggled. "Thorin's um…he's thirty-eight."
"No duh he was kidding." Natalie rolled her eyes. "Thirty-eight? Are you rich or something? My cousin's a hot twenty-two-year-old, so do you wanna get into her pant―"
Rue interrupted, "Nat! Red alarm." Red alarm was code word for cool the bitchtastic engines.
Natalie gave Rue a sideways glance. "I'm being too much?"
"Yep."
Natalie shrugged. "All right, I'll take it easy on Mr. '195.'"
Thorin's eyes were narrowed on Natalie, like he wasn't sure what to make of her or the entire conversation. Rue half-heartedly hoped he hadn't understood half of what she was saying. But the freaking Stockton Record and television were teaching him too much. Maybe it was time to get rid of the television? Who was she kidding? Rue was a TV junky.
"So uh…how's work?" Rue attempted to change the subject, taking a seat at the kitchen table. Thorin's stare flitted from her to Nat. Moments later; he excused himself to go to the bathroom, eyebrows furrowed as he traipsed down the hall. That was the only time he willingly went into her bedroom: to use the bathroom or shower.
"Work's work," Natalie said dismissively. "I want to know what's up with Jungle Boy?"
It took Rue a few moments to realize Thorin had gone from Mr. 195 to Jungle Boy in less than a minute.
Quick. Improvise a reason he had long, gorgeous hair and a sexy beard.
"His long hair is um…um…Thorin's one of those naturalist people. He likes to let his hair grow out and doesn't shave because―"
Nat interrupted with a long cat whistle. "Damn, he is hot. Like bangable hot. So far, he's irritating me with his grumpy face and the way he keeps staying close to you like I am dangerous or something? Puh―please. He's the stranger here. I'm not.
Rue blinked, vocal chords strangled inside her throat, heart skipping a beat. If only…if only she could tell Nat the truth, tell her that Thorin was anything but a stranger. She would love to sit on her bed with Nat like old times, talking for hours. Rue would tell Natalie all about Middle-earth, and about Thorin. About how he was honorable, brave, intelligent, and the…well―a blush crept up her cheeks―the Dwarf of her dreams. Did she sound cliché or what?
"Thorin's just―" Rue searched for the right word― "Misunderstood."
"How did you meet Jungle Boy?" Nat sat in Thorin's seat, eyes flickering mischievously like a wise alley cat's.
"At Delta."
"So at school? Is he into cosplay, too?"
"Yeah, they all are. Thorin plays the harp."
"Is he a music geek?" Nat teased.
Rue rolled her eyes. "I told you I don't like it when you say, 'music geek.'"
"I'm only kidding, Rue."
"Anyway, your assumptions about him are totally wrong. He's not an old guy who's rollin' in the bank," she explained quickly. "And he's not―into me like that."
Now it was Natalie's turn to roll her eyes, except her eye roll was way more dramatic. "Really? You can't read men for shit, can you? I've only been here for what―five minutes?―and I can tell he's totally into you." Smirking, she took a sip of her orange juice.
"What?"
"I bet you can have him wrapped around your finger―"
Earnestly, she shook her head. "No-no, I would never do that to Thorin."
"Just joshing."
"Not funny."
Natalie leaned forward, a shit-eating grin tugging at the corners of her lips. "Are you blushing?"
"Uh―uh―no." Rue hid her face in the fold of her hands, embarrassed. Fuck.
"You're into him, too?"
Who wouldn't be?
"I'm not," Rue denied, shrugging.
"Stop shrugging. You just gave yourself away. So how long have you secretly been seeing him? You certainly have kept this a secret from muah." Natalie brought her hands to her chest, fluttering her eyelashes.
"We're friends," Rue insisted. It was true. They were friends, really close friends. Possibly best friends?
"I've seen guys check you out, Rue-Rue, when we're at the Sherwood Mall or some other place, but never like that. Thorin was all googly eyed every time he looked at you. I think he's really into you." She wiggled her eyes suggestively.
"He's not," she sighed in defeat.
"He so is. And I'm not exactly sure what's going on here―" Nat cupped a hand over her mouth, voice dropping to a whisper― "But he's in your apartment, looking pretty comfy if you ask me. Maybe you should go on birth control? I know you're all 'innocent' and the twenty-two-year-old virgin, but this guy is a lot older than you―"
Just then, Thorin entered the kitchen, almost speed walking in his haste. Written on his face was a look of horror, cheeks hollow and at a loss of color. Oh, crap. What―what had happened? The first two things she thought were ludicrous: Azog and Wargs. Rue inhaled. Exhaled. This wasn't Middle-earth…this was just earth.
"May we speak alone?" Thorin asked.
Natalie opened her mouth to protest, but Rue cut her off.
"Yeah, sure." She stood up, leading Thorin down the hall, toward her bedroom: their only option for being alone.
Right away, Thorin shut the door, and then he went to the bed and―
"What is this?" In his hands was The Hobbit.
Thorin was solemn, his chest rising and falling rapidly, brilliant blue eyes wide in fear of her answer―in fear of impending doom.
Running a hand through her hair, Rue said, "Let me explain. I never read it before. But it―uh―I'm not sure if you're even gonna believe me―" Her hands were behind her back, fingers interlacing, twiddling nervously― "That's a book that's supposed to chronicle the…quest to Erebor." There. She had said it. Rue had told him the truth.
Thorin shook his head in disbelief, opening the book. Flipping through pages, he was transfixed, pointing at something on the page.
Rue instinctively closed the distance between them, forgetting what had happened last time in here when they'd been alone. The humiliation before had made her want to crawl in a hole and die, but right now, the bigger picture was what mattered. Not Rue's shattered heart.
She peeked over his shoulder to see―
"Thorin," she breathed, reading the one-word he was pointing at.
Thorin turned to her for answers. Dejection spilled across his face like waves crashing against seashore. Crash. Crash. Thorin was a man torn from the inside out.
"Your story―I mean I didn't know this before since I had never read the book―but your story is written―" Rue's chest was tight, heart ready to explode― "It's written in here. Us meeting, it shouldn't even be possible. But I'm beginning to suspect Mr. Tolkien had a lot of secrets because―" Rue gingerly touched his forearm― "You're real. You're not a storybook character. And maybe―maybe things from my world are stories in Middle-earth. I don't know." Rue shut her eyes for one long moment, forcing the tears away. "I don't know." Dolefully, she added, "Don't hate me." The carpet beneath her feet felt like clawing quicksand. Thorin was going to hate her until the day he died, which meant the rest of her wretched existence. In a matter of minutes, Rue had lost―lost the greatest friend she had ever known. Tears trickled down her cheeks.
"I do not."
What?
Rue wiped the tears from her face, staring helplessly at Thorin, "But I…I―"
Thorin lowered his head. "I wish you would have told me of this before, but it is not your fault this was written. It is Mr. Tolkien's fault." Suddenly, Thorin's eyes reminded Rue of blue jewels reflecting flames.
"Tell you what," she squeaked, refusing to meet his gaze. "I'll read it. I'll read it from cover to cover and find out about the―the―"
"The quest."
"Right." She nodded, rolling from the balls of her feet to her tiptoes nervously. "Right."
"Is that why you bought the book?" Thorin asked sharply, stepping closer. "To know such things?"
"Yeah," Rue confessed timidly.
"You care so deeply for the quest."
That was not what she had expected to hear. Bringing her gaze to his, Rue was taken aback by the astonishment swimming in his blue orbs.
She didn't think. Her tongue moved by its own accord.
"I do. And that's why I bought the book. If we ever can go back or if we can communicate with the others, I want to know what happens so I can help."
Pounding silence echoed off the wall.
"That is…"
"Stupid? Foolish? A dreamer's wish?" Rue offered lamely, squinting.
"Brave," he finished heavily. "Courageous."
Did Thorin think she was a Gryffindor or something? Always, she had considered herself more of a Hufflepuff, where the "extras" went. Rue wasn't brave, smart, or cunning. She was just Rue. Just Rue.
"Do you mean that?" she wondered desperately, voice going an octave higher.
"I do."
"Thorin?"
His stare found hers, unflinching, glorious in the splashes of sunlight coming from her window.
"Yes?"
"I'm sorry." Sorry for ignoring him and handling the Thorin got drunk situation immaturely.
Heavy silence passed. Fear squeezed her heart. Rue had gone too far―
"I apologize for anything I might have said or done when I was―"
"I know, but I should never avoid you. It's stupid, you're my friend, and we need each other. Or I need you," Rue corrected herself quick, cheeks on fire.
He blinked at her, softly smiling. And Rue blinked at him. Maybe they would be okay after all.
It turned out, Nat didn't spend the night. She had other plans. Clubbing in Sacramento. She'd invited Rue, but it had gone like this:
"I don't do the club scene."
"Come on, Rue-Rue, live a little?"
Thorin had overheard from his spot on the couch, Harry Potter crowding his nose. "Are the clubs you speak of the ones I have seen on the TV from the strange show…Jersey Shore?" Apparently, Nori had a thing for Jersey Shore and was fascinated by Snooki's antics.
"Yeah. What other kinds of clubs are there?" Book clubs, Boys and Girls club, and the Environmental club for example.
"She is not attending this club. They are men who lurk in these clubs, who prey upon young, unwed women―"
"He's already trying to tell you what to do, Rue."
"Umm…right now I don't mind."
Nori, Dwalin, Gimli, Fili, and Kili returned unscathed. Seriously, Rue had been envisioning them boarding a city bus and getting lost, or getting caught in the crosshairs of a shoot-out.
Rue lazily sat on the couch between Thorin and Dwalin while the rest of the Dwarves sat on the floor, her laptop balanced on her lap. The soft hum from the computer, the warmness radiating on her thighs felt foreign after all these months without technology.
House was on. Rue had no idea how they discovered House. Gimli was watching in fascination, tilting his head this way and that way.
"You have to pay coin for healers?" he asked, reaching into a bowl of popcorn for his next handful.
Kili rolled his eyes. "Were you not hearing Rue and Uncle speak earlier?"
Rue scrolled through her e-mails, feeling like her eyes were going to burn out their sockets from the glaring screen. An hour ago, Rue had been big-time contemplating forcing Thorin and Fili to go to the ER for their injuries after Fili had come back from the walk they had gone on, his slight limp a painful stagger now. Alas, Thorin had learned from the damn Stockton Record the ethics of American healthcare. Flat-out, he refused for himself and Fili, both of them stubborn as hell on the matter. They persisted they were getting better. Rue sighed. She'd have to think up a scheme to get them to the hospital eventually…
"Were you not the one attempting to wear Rue's tall shoes to look like the Lady Gaga?" Gimli pointed out, bushy eyebrows traveling up his forehead.
"My high-heels?" Rue squeaked, completely distracted by the turn in conversation. Facebook would have to wait. Was Kili a diehard Monster? Funny thing was that she only had three pairs of heels, and she couldn't imagine Kili being capable of squeezing his humongous Dwarf feet in any of them.
"Yes, those are the ones," Gimli told her eagerly.
Kili's mouth opened and closed. He peered around helplessly. "I was trying to properly perform La-dy Gaga's 'Tellyphone' dance."
Dwalin barked a loud, boisterous laugh. Soon, everyone was laughing―even Thorin cracked a half-smile. A blush jarred Kili's cheeks
Ten minutes or so later, Rue washed dishes after assuring Thorin he didn't have to help. He'd been stuck doing the dishes since he'd gotten here out of sheer politeness.
Humming to herself Tears for Fears's "Everybody wants to rule the world," Rue washed forks. Forks. Ha. Twilight. What would Thorin do if Edward popped out of Twilight? She envisioned Thorin setting him on fire for some reason. Probably the vampire-lore.
"Need help, lassie?"
Rue turned. Nori swiped the fork from her hand, drying it.
"It's okay. You can go back to―" Rue peeked into the living room from the kitchen, giggling― "Watching Days of Our Lives. Who's bright idea was it to start watching soap operas?"
"Dwalin. He says they remind him that the race of Men have petty differences, thus making him feel our imprisonment here is not so dire." Nori shook his head, smirking. "I cannot believe your world at times. It is―"
"Dumb? Pathetic?" Rue offered with a heavy sigh. Damn, she felt tired.
"Sad."
That was a new one.
"Do you really feel like you're imprisoned here?" Rue blurted. "I'm sorry―I just―I don't want you to feel trapped here. I'd like for you guys to make the most of it. But I can't flaunt you guys. You're Dwarves and the last thing I want to do is attract attention. Maybe―" Rue racked her brain for ideas― "We can go to San Francisco. Or the ocean. You guys can see the beauty of California. The good parts. Or maybe we can even go to McDonald's? We take the little things for granted. I think you guys would get a good laugh from the fast-food experience, especially the drive-thru."
Muteness was her only answer. Had she offended Nori? Nori wasn't much for emotional subjects, she should have known better.
"I appreciate the concern," Nori said thinly. "You must remember, we are Dwarves, carved from rock and―" He met her eyes, winking playfully― "Durable in even the most unusual circumstances."
Fingertips pinching a plate, Rue grinned. "I know you guys are the most awesome bunch of people I've ever met, but sometimes I worry about―" Her voice fell to a crestfallen murmur― "I think about what's happening in Mirkwood. Hoping, hoping that they're somehow frozen in time. Like I was frozen in time here."
Nori simply stared at her, unblinking.
She started with a croak, goose bumps crawling up her limbs. "Do you think they are okay?"
"Ahh―" Nori shrugged― "I know they are. Ori has Dori. He would never allow my younger brother to wander too far in town where we once lived, let alone be harmed in the Greenwood." Drying the plate after Rue passed it to him, the playfulness left him at once, transforming into innocent observation. Nori didn't gaze at her again, saying, "Then again, Dori has aged many years."
And Rue knew better than to keep going. Drying dishes was therapeutic, distracting them from the inescapable question hanging over all their heads like taunting nooses dangling from wicked trees. What had happened to the rest of the company?
Dead. Rue was dead inside. A corpse without a coffin. The Hobbit lay on her bed, the back of the cover the only color in her dark world. Her fingers trembled, bones moaning in protest at her pitiful attempts to sit-up. Hours. It had been three hours since she had read the last lines of the book and―
Rue choked, despising the onrush of new tears. No. Stop crying. She had to be strong, more than anything else in her mundane existence. Only her mundane existence could stop what―what―
She was bawling, clenching and unclenching the tangle of bed sheets. There was a painful lurch in her stomach, shooting to her throat quick. Rue sat up, running to the bathroom, throwing up her contents from breakfast. Wiping her mouth, she stumbled out the bathroom. How could―how could―
Rue argued with herself. What if there was a chance―
No.
Aching sobs racked her body. Sitting on the bed, Rue hugged her knees, rocking back and forth.
The only grasp of sense to free her from the abyss, was ironically, the thing that had pulled her to mind-hell in the first place. Thorin. Fili. And Kili. All dead because―because―
Just for once, she needed to pull herself together and stopping falling into pieces of weak, foolish sobs.
Rue fought back tears, chest rising and falling. Clawing at her bird's nest hair, she squeezed her eyes shut, forcing herself to calm down. Just stay calm.
No matter how many times she counted sheep in her head or remembered her favorite Harry Potter quotes, her entire body was still in trembles.
The tears stopped, but the heartache didn't.
Achingly, she climbed to her feet, knowing if she put this off any longer, it'd be impossible to stare Thorin in his beautiful blue eyes and tell him that he was―she sniveled―going to die.
Rue felt like a zombie, arms weightlessly swinging by her sides, legs staggering her along. She went into the hall, not daring to step out into the open. From the hall―from the shadows against the wall―she called for Thorin.
"Thorin, can you please come here?"
Her voice was choked, breathing erratic.
Rue shut her eyes.
Then she felt him brush by and opened her eyes. Thorin stood in front of her, looking on with owlish eyes, worried sick over her stupid red puffy eyes that gave away her bawling.
"Rue―" he began, reaching forward.
"Let's go in my room and talk. We really need to talk," she sputtered, tongue swelling.
Thorin nodded, not combating going into her bedroom for once.
The tension was as frigid as out-of-tune cello strings. The seriousness of the situation was making everything cold, foreboding. Rue hated it, hated it with every fiber of her being.
They walked into her bedroom, Rue shutting the door behind them. She neared her bed, picking up The Hobbit that suddenly felt like a ten-pound kettle bell. Her arm cried out in pain as she handed the book to Thorin.
"Read the last few chapters," she instructed weakly, feeling Thorin take the book with a heavy heart. She rubbed her forearms, reeling around so her back was all that he could see. "I think you should sit, Thorin. Please sit? I don't want you to―" She stopped talking, swallowing hard.
Hearing the groan of the bed, she knew he had sat. Listening to the shuffle of pages, Rue realized he had started reading. Only a matter of time…only a matter of time now…
Time stilled. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up. Her blood ran cold. Rue's breaths were shocks of wheezy pants. For what felt like an infinity, Rue stayed with her back facing Thorin. This was the best way to go about the inevitable, she told herself to ease the guilt. How could she hand Thorin a book that told him he was going to die? That Fili and Kili were going to die. That the line of Durin would be―
The word echoed in her head: destroyed. Her head was hollow; the word expanding into a billion different destroys. Destroy. Destroy. The book was going to destroy Thorin.
Knees growing weak, lips quivering, heart pounding like a war drum, Rue waited. And waited.
Mindless minutes passed. The silence was deafening, reaping her mind.
Rue wished she would have never returned to earth. It wasn't worth the sharp pain jarring at her insides. Coming back here had shattered Thorin. How stupid did she have to be to go buy The Hobbit? Thorin's agony wasn't worth anything in the entire world. To see him break―she shook her head, tears rolling down her cheeks―Rue couldn't do this to him.
Pathetically, she clung on to the only silver lining in the despairing truth ripped from book pages. They knew.
Rue blinked. They knew. Which meant they could stop it. Thorin would never go crazy, and Fili and Kili wouldn't die in vain―in the name of the Arkenstone.
Rue spun around.
Thorin closed the book. Mute. He helplessly peered up at her; jaw slack, face as pale as the infantile moon suspended in Middle-earth skies. Skies they'd hopefully never see again.
Thorin was never helpless. Rue had to save him from this, but all she managed to do was say―
"I can leave if you want me to," she croaked half-heartedly, pointing at the door. Rue turned to walk away like a coward when she felt his strong fingers grip her forearm. His touch was gentle, pleading in silence for her to stay.
Rue gazed down at him, meeting his somber eyes. They begged her to stay. And Rue couldn't leave. For the love of Mahal, she could never leave him like this, in shambles, torn from limb-to-limb, from heart-to-lung.
She sat next to him.
Thorin was in a trance, blinking the only indication he was still here.
His gruff voice broke the silence.
"How can this happen?" The words were weak, clipped in awkward places, begging for answers Rue couldn't give. Damn it, for the love of Mahal, she wished she had the answers. But she didn't. All of a sudden, her frustration―emotions―misfired, aiming for Mr. Tolkien, the man who had murdered Thorin in the name of a universal message.
"You're not like book Thorin. Book Thorin is meaner, haughtier, and―" Rue gasped for air― "You're not him. You would never call Bombur fat or march into Lake-town and claim you are 'King Under the Mountain.' You're so much more. You'll be okay." Rue nodded, trying to convince herself. "Thorin, you're going to be okay. I'll make sure of it."
Never had she seen him in petrified silence. He only stared in the distance, lips blue, fingers twitching at the hems of his tunic.
"I'm not my grandfather," he uttered deeply.
"I know you're not." Rue scooted closer to him, until their thighs were touching. Yep, like he wanted to touch her. Gingerly, she touched his shoulder, trying to be his safety blanket.
His gaze fell, eyes hooded in the dimness of the bedroom. "Kili and Fili―" He stopped speaking, lips thinning― "Dis would never forgive me." Rue could see the other unsaid words written on his face: I would never forgive myself.
"That's why it's not going to happen," she assured. "We know. And I know about Mirkwood, about Lake-town."
Rue caressed his strong shoulder.
"I'm not my grandfather," he whispered again, head hung low.
"You're not," Rue affirmed heatedly. "You're brave and strong. And intelligent. You're adaptable, too. Look at how well you've adapted here―" Her voice turned gentle, letting her head sink on his shoulder as she hugged his arm― "Thorin, you're amazing. Admirable. All the Dwarves look up to you. You feel so strongly about everything―"
Without warning, Thorin faced her, cupping her cheek. She choked on her words. Very tenderly, his thumb stroked her jawline, inching up the curve of her cheek. Rue inhaled. Exhaled. Hot damn. Her heart was ready to burst out her chest. Wordlessly, they gazed at each other. Rue swallowed hard, leaning against the palm of his hand. It was heavenly―all right, she had to stop swooning over him, but it was impossible when―
Squeak. He was leaning closer, his gaze trapping hers passionately―possessively. Thorin wasn't drunk. This was a mistake. His hot breath ghosted across her lips. Rue leaned closer, their foreheads meeting, his nose touching hers.
The hair from his beard dusted across her chin. Rue shut her eyes―so in love to do much else but pathetically hope he was going to actually kiss her. In love? Rue's heart roared. Pound. Pound. She loved him. She was in love with Thorin Oakenshield. A Dwarf who was going to―
Don't think it. Rue clung onto his shoulder tighter, almost in desperation. Thorin groaned, shutting his eyes, lips inching closer and closer. He muttered something in Khuzdul underneath his breath, deep-throated, an almost feral growl tickling the back of his throat. Rue loved it, loved his voice―his Khuzdul―loved him.
Ever softly, she felt his lips graze the delicate space between her chin and lips―
The bedroom door flew open. They jumped apart, faces red, panting.
Nori stood there, regret instantly lining his face. He held up his hands. "Sorry, I did not mean to interrupt." Suggestively, he winked. "You may continue. There is a bed after all." Then he was gone, slamming the door shut behind him.
Rue shook her head, reddening. "I should go." Going to stand up, she was stopped by Thorin's hand.
"These are your sleeping quarters, Rue. I'll leave." His words came out fast, even clumsy in some places.
Within seconds, Thorin fled from her bedroom. Rue sunk back down on the bed; face hot, fresh tears springing to her eyes. No. He might die―the line of Durin could fall―all because of the damn Arkenstone. No Fili. No Kili.
No more Thorin. It wasn't going to happen. The most amazing man she had ever met wasn't going to die at the hands of a jewel.
Rue loved him too much for that―
Crap. There was a kick in her heart. Crap.
Author's Note: An almost kiss! I bet you guys are hating on Nori now, huh? LOL! Or hating on me? Hope this wasn't a disappointing update. This one moves the plot forward, don't you think? Please review and let me know what you think! Seriously, thanks so much for the reviews, follows, and favorites! They're really, really appreciated and every single one is very loved. You guys keep me in a good place :) Until next time :D
Lalaithiel: Evil? Wow thanks for the strong reaction and the review! :D
Spock: Interesting in a good way? Awe, thanks so much for the review! It's great to be interesting ;)
Crystal: *Blinks at computer screen* Will try not to take personally and hope you hate me because I'm a cliffhanger-whore :D Thanks for the review!
Guest: Oooh, I can write a smutty piece that begins with Rue giving Thorin a full-body massage…or maybe I've already started one? *hint hint* Thanks for the review!
Guest: I love making hearts flutter one word at a time ;) Thanks for taking the time to review!
Lulu: Awe, thanks :D Rue doesn't think she's so awesome, but that's cool. Haha drunk Thorin is hot LOL. Thanks for saying I'm a great writer and for reviewing!
Obsessed reader: My lovely obsessed reader is back! :D
Don't be sorry. At least you didn't forget all about me story :p I love your description of Rue's tender personality disarming Thorin's defenses! So true and it's what I've tried to get across. He does trust her a lot, so much that it scares poor Thorin. Awe, thanks for calling them a great romantic pairing!
Second time a reviewer has said the decision is brave :D Good observation there! Saying she never mentioned anyone in her diary before. I threw a foreshadowing in dialogue a few chapters back at Beorn's and wonder if anyone has picked up on it. You certainly seem like you would :)
Thanks so much for reviewing :)