The door to the smial opened and the hobbit on the other side smiled brightly; "Bilbo! On time as always! Do come in!"

Wil Whitfoot stepped aside and Bilbo entered tentatively; "I'm impressed!" Whitfoot confessed, ushering Bilbo into a nearby study, "I thought you'd take a brief sabbatical after visiting your kin at Brandy Hall!"

Bilbo chuckled and waved his hand dismissively; "I've much to do," He explained, "Bofur's guests arrived yesterday and the party is set for tonight. I'm literally dashing about like a chicken with its head cut off!"

Wil laughed heartily and gestured at his document laden desk; "Well, you'll be grateful to know, I've only called you here to look at the revisions; shouldn't take you long at all."

Bilbo, taking the seat Wil offered, sat down and looked at the edited pages, pretending not notice how Wil suddenly swiped his hand over his; sending a chill through the hobbits body.

For past few days when Bilbo had visited Wil at his office, or secretly at his home, He'd noticed the innocent touches to his hands or shoulders and, most of all, how flattered he felt with each touch.

Wil Whitfoot was still just as handsome as he was in his younger years. With his dark curly hair and large brown eyes that always carried within them, a soft and approachable glow. Not to mention his lean, athletic frame and gorgeous smile.

"So, what do you think?" Wil asked at last as he leaned casually against his desk, "Do you think our good mayor will approve?"

Bilbo chuckled and looked up at his old friend; admiring his handsome features for a moment more. "I hope so," He replied straightening up the papers and laying them in a neat stack, "This book should have been published a month ago!"

Wil smiled broadly and the two of them shared a moment of innocent laughter; "He is rather…particular," Wil commented, running a hand through his dark locks, and Bilbo snickered.

"He's a pain in the ass is what he is!" Bilbo quipped as He rose; He stopped in mid-rise when Wil gripped his wrist gently.

"How are things?" Wil asked, slowly releasing Bilbo's wrist, "With You I mean? You seem…exhausted."

"Oh it's nothing!" Bilbo insisted, "It's just that, with today in mind, I've much to do!"

Wil chuckled and he suddenly hugged Bilbo tightly; Bilbo hugged the deputy mayor back gingerly before pulling away and ignoring the gaze the other hobbit gave him.

"Alright. Take care and remember…it'll soon be over and You can go back to your garden and I can go back to being a regular peon. I look forward to tonight, eight o'clock, right?"

His stomach oddly in knots, Bilbo nodded, "Exactly. Now, if you'll please excuse me, I'd best be off."

When he'd let himself out, Bilbo let out a shaky sigh and pulled his coat about his shoulders securely.

He resigned himself to completing his remaining errands, hoping that tonight would be the beginning of a fresh start for him and Bofur.

Yet, as he hurried to the market place, He recalled with a twinkle in his eyes, Wil Whitfoot's enduring smile.

"There's no way! It's absolutely silly Bofur!"

Bofur sighed and sat with Nori on the bench outside; finally taking a break from the mornings seemingly endless cleaning.

Bag End was finally clean with no signs of destruction from the night before and now Bofur had finally revealed his concerns to his close friend whom regarded him with both shock and amusement.

"I know it sounds…paranoid and whatnot," Bofur explained as He stuffed his pipe, "But we've not been spendin' a lot time together. The shops taken off over the past year like I can't believe-I'm thinking of taking on an apprentice!- and ever since Whitfoot came knockin' we've been fightin' a lot!"

"You're both working hard," Nori sighed, "trying to build a life the two of you can enjoy! Oh! And keep in mind that Bilbo and the deputy fellow have always been good friends. Let's not forget, my dear friend, you are quite jealous too. Like…scary jealous, I hate to say."

Bofur, exhaling a cloud of smoke, nodded slowly. "True. But…I don't know. When he hugged me this morning it was different. Like he hugged me if only to…convince him self of somethin'. I don't think he's been entirely honest with me about some things either."

Nori smirked; "You're making it terribly hard to comfort you," He griped gently,

"Besides that shove off of the roof, Bilbo still seems quite content with you. He brought you tea, hugged you, and still has a birthday party planned for you! And I still can't believe he actually popped another hobbit in the face for insulting you!"

Despite his best effort, Bofur couldn't help but chuckle and he punched Nori lightly on his shoulder with his free hand; "Yer right," He confessed with sigh, "I'm being silly. Though, this surprise Bilbo has…it's driving me mad!"

Nori chuckled and shrugged; "Perhaps he's planning a threesome!"

"Not funny Asshole!" Bofur barked, but burst out in laughter all the same.