A FIERCE AND JEALOUS LOVE

Based on The Hobbit trilogy, with some changes.

The characters, the places, the universe, etc. and the elements from the trilogy are the sole property of J.R.R. Tolkien and P. Jackson respectively.

/!\SPOILERS/!\ so if you didn't watch the films but want to read this story... Don't. Unless you don't care being spoiled. Anyway, you're adults. Or almost.

Notes :

This is a Bagginshield-centered short story. Yep, I finally got corrupted by this weird, yet not that weird, trend. Ah, dear Internet !

Sorry for the (numerous) mistakes and clumsy/hideous turns of phrase, English is not my mother language. I'll do my best !

Rainbows, pandas and unicorns x3

Chapter 2 : How it occurred to them

*Some time earlier*

After they had been saved by the Eagles, the Company quickly got back on the road, not wanting to waste too much time. Furthermore, they were still tracked by the Orcs, which made it more difficult for them to stop off.

However, they could finally enjoy a break to eat at the middle of the day, as they did not hear the sounds of the beasts coming closer. Yet, they were still on their guards – especially Gandalf, who was probably the most aware that anything could happen at every moment.

As the Dwarves were enjoying a warm and full soup, the Hobbit slipped away and had a little walk in the woods, carefully staying not too far from the bivouac. He needed to be alone for a while, after all that happened. He needed to breathe, to take a stroll, to relax a bit, even just for a minute. He knew he would not be able to do that often, so he enjoyed this moment while he could.

When he heard a sound of flowing water, he walked a bit further and came to the river running between the trees. He knelt down, dove his hands in the clear and fresh water and rinsed his face. He did it twice or three times, also quenching his thirst while he was at it.

"You shouldn't be here alone, Master Baggins."

He jumped as he heard Thorin's voice in a sudden and got back on his feet.

"Uhm... I... Well", he began hesitantly. "I'm not alone, now", he laughed nervously.

The Dwarf leader came closer, he could have seemed quite intimidating, but the smile on his face proved it wrong.

"I would not appreciate it anything happened to any member of this Company", he told him sincerely. "You'd better not be alone for too long."

"So... You followed me ?", the halfling asked him.

"I saw you walking quite far from the camp. So, yes, I did, just in case."

"Oh. Well... That's nice of you", he just answered, slightly shrugging. "I just needed a few minutes on my own. After...", he cleared his throat. "I needed a little walk, that's all."

They stood in silence for a while, listening to the birds chirping, the river flowing, watching the clear water running on the stones reflecting the sunlight. Though Hobbits appreciated this much more than Dwarves did, both were enjoying it, it was appeasant, somehow comforting after what had happened the night before.

"There is something I must ask you, halfling."

The aforesaid halfling stared at him, a bit surprised.

"What is it ?"

"I have not been very... Kind. When we first met. I did not trust you at all and..."

The Hobbit could easily understand it was not easy for the Dwarf to apologize or even just aknowledge his faults. Otherwise, he would already have cut him off, told him it was all in the past and he would not blame him for that. But he wanted to let him talk.

"All the Dwarves in this Company have followed me spontaneously. They trusted me and accepted to join the cause of our quest. But you... You had nothing to do with all this, yet you have been chosen by Gandalf. You barely knew about the Mountain and its history. You're from a land where conquest and riches are not a priority. Still...", he looked at the Hobbit straight in the eye. "You joined us."

Bilbo just nodded, unwilling to interrupt him.

"Why ?"

What, why ? Why did he ask him why ? He could not even find a sensible answer ! Well, this could be an answer, in the end.

"Honestly ? I have no idea. I woke up, walked in my empty and silent home. Then I saw the contract. And... Well. It did it on the impulse. I'm aware it was completely insane, but... I felt a sudden will to join you. Maybe because my dining room felt too empty after this evening", he said with a brief laughter. "It is senseless, I have my cosy Hobbit hole, with my bed, and my books, my garden, my fireplace, and good food from the market, I have some friends in the Shire. There was no reason I would leave all this behind for an adventurer life I'm absolutely not used to. Well, it might be my Tookish side, but I don't know if it's a valuable reason, anyway."

He paused for a few seconds. Thorin had not interrupted him at all, he did not even move. He just listened carefully.

"It is not even a matter of gratefulness and reward, I'm not a hero and I don't know if joining a Company to reconquer a kingdom out of the blue will turn me into one. And I don't really care about the profits, I might not even be able to carry it home."

The leader nodded in understanding, albeit a bit surprised.

"Plus... I have my home, and you don't. You lost it, you had to leave it. You were uprooted. But the true leader you are helped his people rebuild their lives elsewhere. And... I respect what you have done for them. You could have lost faith and given up, but you did not. So, for sure, I didn't really appreciate you, but I esteemed you as a leader, because you are one real leader, and worth following."

"You disliked me but you admired me too ?" Thorin asked, stunned.

"Yes. You've been terribly rude to me and insulted me whereas you all had eaten practically everything I had in my kitchen. I didn't have much to fit in your Company and help you for your quest, but you did nothing to make me if only feel a bit welcome. You treated my like some bulky and constraining donkey nobody wants but has to deal with because it was in the contract."

The Dwarf had lowered his eyes slightly at these words. He could feel the Hobbit was relieved to blurt it all out.

"But... As much as I disliked the rude Dwarf insulting me in my own house and blaming me in front of everyone... I had esteem for the brave leader since that moment. I understood you were worth as a leader, especially when Balin told us about your attempt to reconquer Moria. It might have tipped the scales in your favour."

Thorin could not help smiling from ear to ear. Only because he saw him as a genuine leader, he had followed him. Wait... How did this conversation go from joining the Company to appreciating its leader ?

"I've already said it, but I'm really sorry I doubted you. I didn't know you, I had judged you as a homebird, fearful and a bit fop Hobbit."

"And you were right."

"Maybe. But you proved me wrong. You got past the Goblins, you came back when we got out of the caves. And above all... You rescued me from a beheading."

"Uhm... Did I really have a choice ?", Bilbo asked sarcastically.

"About staying with us, at least. You could have walked back home anytime."

"Why would I have ? The contract was signed, anyway."

"I hope there is another reason."

The halfling could not help being surprised by how he had gone from despising him to admitting how unfair he had been towards him.

"After everything that happened in the Goblin caves, I... I felt I could only join you. I couldn't leave you all behind and go back home, just like that. I meant what I told you, I miss my home, but I want to help you take yours back. I don't know if I will help much, but I must try. Even if most of you didn't really welcome me into it at the beginning, you've worried for me somehow. And I've also worried for you. I've become quite attached to you all, though I'm not used to your ways of life. You're my friends, I'm not leaving you behind, now."

"Your friends ?"

Thorin had listened to him from the beginning to the end, but this last sentence particularly caught his attention. He stared at the Hobbit, in utter surprise.

"Yes", he replied simply. "All of you, now, including you."

"Am I...?", Thorin asked in a sudden adorably surprised tone.

"As I just told you, yes."

Even though he was trying to look self-assured, he was almost certain the Dwarf would notice his slight embarrassment. He tried to keep his composure and smiled at him briefly. The leader came closer and put his large calloused hands on his much smaller shoulders.

"You really are a honorable fellow, Master Baggins", he just said, staring at him.

"Uh... Thank you, but... Why ?"

"You were brought into a quest you have nothing to do with, we were not very kind at you at the beginning, and I have not been at all. Yet, you call us friends."

Bilbo answered nothing, he just shrugged slightly and smiled briefly. Yet, he felt quite strange about all that. As if there was something hidden.

"Thorin... Why do you... Worry that much about me ?"

He was not convinced about asking such a question to the Dwarf. He would not be surprised if the leader denied it, changed the subject or even left.

"You risked your life to save me. And, when I woke up, I didn't even know if you were safe. So I worried, indeed ! I spoke badly to you and about you, and my thoughts weren't better. But know, I couldn't let anything happen to you."

The answer warmed his heart, it felt good to hear such words from the person who had denigrated him so much. It was not only flattering, it felt... So fine. Even better than a warm cup of tea beside the fire.

"Let's not linger here, we've got a long way ahead."

"Yes... Thorin ?"

"What ?"

The Hobbit felt a bit ridiculous, but now, he knew the Dwarf would not put him down anymore now he trusted him.

"Thank you."

Thorin just gave a faint smile, but deep inside he was truly relieved the halfling forgave him and trusted him. He esteemed him and liked him, for real.

That had been the key moment that made it occur to them. About how they truly felt when it was about each other.

I thought a flashback (totally invented, of course) would be useful. When I started to write, I did not think of it, but then I noticed it would explain it all a little more, which made me add this chapter. So, what do you think ?

Sorry for the time it took for this chapter to be posted. I'll try to post more often ! See ya next chapter !