The party was a success. Over a hundred guests with excited smiles and burdened with many gifts, arrived at Bag End to celebrate the birthday of Bofur.
Many Hobbit children had gathered around the honored dwarf as the evening drew on, listening as if hypnotized, as Bofur played cheerful melody after cheerful melody upon his clarinet.
Nori, Ori, and Dwalin were on their best behavior though, Bilbo wondered with a smirk, if that had more to do with the fact that the constable eyed them every once in a while as he conversed with farmer Maggot and worst of all, Lobelia Sackville-Baggins. Whom, Bilbo wasn't at all surprised, had shown up uninvited.
The food was growing scarce and, of course, the kegs of ale were becoming few and Bilbo watched as Dwalin suddenly gripped poor Ori in a rough headlock and proceeded to dance around while Nori protested and laughed.
"Bilbo?"
The hobbit yelped and dropped his goblet of red wine; offering an apologetic smile at Bofur who had finally excused himself from his clarinet playing.
"Sorry," Bilbo apologized, "I got caught up in that!"
He pointed at the three dwarves whom were still tussling about and gathering quite a curious crowd; Bofur chuckled and shook his head while Bilbo picked up his goblet with a sigh.
"Shouldn't we…break it up? What if they stop actually playing?"
"Ach! Don't ye worry! Besides, I finally got a break from the little ones. Just long enough fer me to tell ye how much I appreciate all o' this and~"
"Wil!" Bilbo suddenly exclaimed, and hurried toward the approaching hobbit; instantly the anger and jealousy flared within Bofur and he lurched after his partner at quick and steady gait.
Wil Whitfoot offered up a warm smile and bowed directly at Bofur who stopped just behind Bilbo and observed the polite hobbit with a deep coldness.
"I bid you a very happy birthday Master Bofur!" Wil declared, "I see much of the shire has come to help you celebrate this wonderful occasion."
Bofur shrugged, earning a startled, desperate glance from Bilbo. "So it seems," He answered dryly, "How's the book?"
Wil chuckled and swiped a glass of wine from a tray a caterer was carrying by them, and took a sip before he answered: "Unfortunately, I've misplaced some pages…tossed them more like it and~"
"So Bilbo's goin' to have to pull a few more late nights?"
"Uh, why don't we gather the guests?" Bilbo interjected, looking from Bofur to Wil, "I still have one last gift to give after all. Wil can you start gathering everyone at the picnic tables?"
In a flash Bofur gripped Bilbo's elbow and barked: "What fer? Why don't ye ask me to do it?"
Bilbo's mouth dropped open and he wrenched free of Bofur's grip; looking nervously at the other hobbit, Bilbo muttered: "Go on Wil, We'll only be a moment."
After Wil took his leave, and just as quickly as Bofur had, Bilbo spat: "Don't you ever humiliate me like that again! I'm doing this for you after all!"
Bofur snorted and to Bilbo's shock, pushed past him; "I'll be waiting with the others at the tables!" He spat over his shoulder.
Though he tried to stop them, angry tears clouded Bilbo's vision as he supervised the caterer in Bag End who began to journey outside with the enormous birthday cake He himself had commissioned from the baker weeks ago.
"Oh go on then!" He spat at the head caterer, "I'll be along shortly-just give me a damn minute!"
The caterers said nothing, though from their faces, Bilbo gathered he'd quite offended them.
'Damn Bofur!' He thought, swiping at his cheek, 'Damn his silly jealousies!'
He'd put a great deal of planning into all of this and truthfully, while he was hopeful his grand birthday present would put a smile on Bofur's sour and suspicious face, he relished in the anticipation that it would cause his partner to feel bad about all his constant accusations and pre-mature guilt trips.
He had hoped, desperately and for quite a while now, that this night would put an end to what Bilbo saw as nothing but a series of petty squabbles as well as rejuvenate His and Bofur's passion for one another.
Instead, it seemed, the dwarf was content with treating Bilbo like a piece of property and humiliating him; promising another fight after the party was over and the guests were gone.
Hearing the cheering crowd outside, Bilbo knew he needed to hurry outside to announce Bofur's final gift that he planned to give him just as soon as the birthday candles had been blown out and the traditional toasts, for good health and fortune, were given.
"Everything alright?"
Bilbo, sniffling and wiping at his face, turned and stifled a surprised gasp as Wil approached tentatively.
"Oh…O-oh yes, I imagine I will be anyways. Bit stressful, this day…what with the ways of dwarves and all," Bilbo stammered, then smiled impishly.
"I see," Wil breathed, "He must really love you."
Bilbo chuckled; "Yes," He sighed, "I suppose he does. Wait…y-you know?"
Wil winced, as if pained, and nodded slowly; "Bit obvious," He replied, "I mean…if one cares to look deep enough. I've noticed the looks you give to each other."
Bilbo's eyes widened for a moment but he couldn't help but offer up a shy smile; "I guess you are one of few who would know what to look for."
Wil smiled wider than Bilbo had ever seen him do since they first started working together and the hobbit laughed warmly as he leaned his head against the wall and observed Wil with a deep, warm gaze.
"Does your dwarf know? About us I mean?"
Wil's hand came to rest gently on Bilbo's shoulder as he waited for him to answer.
His stomach in knots again, enjoying the warm touch, Bilbo nodded, but then quickly shook his head; "Not everything," He confessed, "I…left out certain details. Like I said- jealousy."
The same smile that had captivated him in his youth and caused his Baggins side to dissipate long ago, danced across the deputy Mayor's face.
It was just that smile that had made Bilbo Baggins realize, when he was very young, that he would never marry a respectable Hobbit woman.
"Those were wonderful times you know? For me I mean," Wil softly confessed; the look he gave Bilbo caused the other hobbit's lips to part and his stomach suddenly felt very unsettled.
"Wil…" Bilbo started as Wil leaned in slowly, but he found He didn't want to push his old flame away.
"Oy!" bellowed someone, just out of sight, "Are you in here Bilbo? Bofur's waiting!"
Giving and exasperated sigh, and oddly feeling as though he'd been stopped mid-coitus, Bilbo rubbed a hand over his face and offered Wil an embarrassed smile.
Wil however, glared angrily over his shoulder at Nori, who came bounding into view; eying both of them curiously before jerking his head.
"Come on! Or he'll blow out the candles and start pillaging that magnificent present pile without you!"
Looking at Bilbo, Bilbo returning the gaze, Wil bowed slightly and hurried from the two.
"What was that all about?" Nori asked as he watched the deputy mayor flee, "Did I interrupt something?"
Feeling rather agitated, Bilbo snorted, and said: "No, we were just talking is all~"
"That the one who, uh, spoiled you?" Nori asked, pulling one of his many small daggers into view, and picking at his finger nails with it.
"Bofur-hang on-Bofur told you about him?"
Nori cast Bilbo an arched eyebrow and nodded slowly; "You know…He's been rather insecure about the whole book thing because of him," He explained, "He loves you terribly after all."
Bilbo, filling with offense and anger, straightened his waist coat, careful to avoid Nori's piercing eyes.
"I love him too," Bilbo countered, "That's why-and he thought of Wil in the moments before-after tonight, I'm going to ask Wil to relieve me of my services."
Nori sniffed and stepped aside to let the huffy hobbit pass.
"Bilbo, do you know what odium, means?" Nori asked as just as Bilbo stepped one foot out of the door.
Looking at him, then outside from where he stood, Bilbo licked his lips and gave curt nod.
"It's just another word for hate."
"Yes!" Nori declared with a wide, very cold smile, "And we dwarves…we hold grudges and we love to take revenge. Some say we are rather hateful to those who…decide to wrong our loved ones."
Bilbo sighed, realizing why Nori had just spoken such words, and muttered:
"Thankfully…you'll never have a reason to be so…hateful."
Nori nodded slowly; "Good," He responded, "Now get down to the party, that old bat of a relative of yours is raising Mordor!"