/ / / Moving Into The Mountain \ \ \

Bilbo was so sick of sleeping in the forest.

There were things about it that he liked – the warmth of Thorin at his back every night, the feeling of protection and caring that wrapped around him when he was lying on a bedroll with the dwarf, he liked the stars above them and watching the sun rise. There were also things he loathed about it, bugs in his bed and waking up in the night when an animal called out but mainly he hated how very uncomfortable the ground was.

They had been sleeping outside for a fortnight; they were camping out under the moon until there were enough rooms for them all within the mountain so that they could start to reclaim the rest.

Thorin had asked, the morning after their picnic and first night sleeping together under the stars, if Bilbo would stay in Erebor and help or if he was taking his treasure and returning to the Shire. Bilbo had kissed him and said he wanted to go home one day to make arrangements but for now he was staying in Erebor with Thorin. Later, when their camp was silent and Bilbo wasn't sure if Thorin was asleep he asked if the dwarf would ever be able to visit the Shire with him so that Bilbo could show him how amazing his home was. Thorin had turned Bilbo so that he was looking down at him and looked apologetic. He said he needed to settle his mountain and his people, Bilbo nodded and wondered if after that was done they could go. Thorin smiled, agreed and then pressed Bilbo into the ground with a fierce kiss.

Thorin informed Dís of their success in recapturing the mountain and winning the battle but he had entrusted the continued welbeing of most of the dwarves to his sister and their stronghold in the Blue Mointains. Dís was sending only the very best of the dwarves, with supplies, to help the rebuilding effort while resources were short.

It had taken them almost two full weeks to manage the cleanup of the entry ways, clear the way for the great, gigantic doors that protected the main entrance to open and then enough rooms to house them all. When the mountain was ready for them they packed up their part of the camp; though the Men who intended to rebuild Dale were planning on remaining in the grove having turned down Thorin's offer of shelter within.

The dwarves who had travelled with Thorin on this quest were each given a room followed by the rest of the dwarves who remained after the battle. Bilbo had been the last of the group to be shown to lodgings and he was beginning to wonder if he would be given one at all as the chambers were quite large and he was the smallest of the company.

Thorin stopped before a wooden door. "These are your quarters."

Bilbo smiled and opened the door before going inside and looking around the spacious room.

"It is quite lovely," he told Thorin with a smile and Bilbo could imagine making it much more welcoming with some books and cushions and a lovely big chair before the fireplace though he knew that much of that would need to wait until the mountain was slightly more settled. As Bilbo looked upon the bed he felt such a rush of homesickness for the Shire and his Bag-End that he had to sit down. Thorin sat beside him and placed a heavy arm over his shoulders.

"You do not like it?" Thorin asked.

"No, I do," Bilbo said. "But I do wish I could place some of my things in it, it feels so very large and empty with only this furniture inside."

Thorin dropped his head. "Things will be arriving in the caravan that is bringing supplies and workers, personal effects from the dwarves here but I could send word for them to stop on the Shire if you would like."

Bilbo twisted to kiss Thorin. "No, I think that Bag-End should remain as it is until I return however I will go into Lake-town when there is time and purchase some things that will make it feel more mine."

"If you are sure," there was something in Thorin's eyes – something dark that Bilbo wished to chase away with more kisses.

"I shall get them when we eventually return, Thorin."

The dwarf nodded and crowded Bilbo back into the chair's padding. When they were done and Bilbo was curled heavily into Thorin's side he rubbed his cheek against the fur on Thorin's chest and wondered if he would have to go back to sleeping alone now that he had his own chambers. Bilbo had spent decades sleeping alone and he had found over the last two weeks that he liked the feeling of Thorin's heartbeat at his back and his hands around Bilbo's body and the scratch of the dwarf's hair everywhere.

"Thorin," Bilbo asked quietly. "Where is your room?"

"Next door," Thorin said; his voice still gruff from their previous activities. "Would you care to see it later?"

"Yes," Bilbo said twisting to kiss the dwarf. "I wonder though, do you wish to sleep alone now that we are back in the mountain?"

"No," Thorin said firmly. "I intend to spend the night with you, just as we have up until now."

Bilbo smiled and relaxed into Thorin's side. "I was hoping you would say that."

"I wanted you to have your own space," Thorin said. "I know I am difficult and I wished for you to have a place that you could go to when you needed to be alone."

Bilbo smiled. "And a place when you need space from me as well, it was a good idea."

Thorin kissed him again.

"Take me to your room, Thorin," Bilbo said. "I wish for you to take me to your bed and then take me in the way we haven't yet enjoyed."

Thorin looked at Bilbo with disbelief until the hobbit smiled, kissed him and began redressing. Bilbo was not given the time to do his breeches back up before Thorin started moving them to the chamber next to Bilbo's. Thorin's chamber was three times the size of Bilbo's with both a sitting room and another room next to it both of which lead into the gigantic bedroom. Bilbo had only a few moments to see the rooms before Thorin threw him on the bed and filled every part of Bilbo's body and brain.

Over time Bilbo had a chance to look at all of the Royal rooms – the large kitchen that made Bilbo want to bake and cook and for a while he indulged himself every day and made enough food to feed most of the other dwarves. Thorin's rooms had a bathroom that made Bilbo wonder at their bathing habits which had been almost non-existent while they had been travelling. The dwarves bathed only occasionally but in their mountain they seemed much more inclined to do so. The bathtub was large enough to fit both Thorin and Bilbo and had; on more than one occasion.

Eventually, though, Bilbo grew sick of cooking and enjoying the mountain and the space outside, however, he had proven that the work a dwarf could do was not suited to a hobbit. Then one morning Thorin had gripped Bilbo's wrist and wrapped his eyes with a blindfold before he walked Bilbo through the mountain. Thorin removed the blindfold and Bilbo found himself in a large library. The room reached up into the mountain with levels and shelves cut into the very rock. There were so many books and from what Bilbo could see many of them were completely unharmed but there was almost a century worth of dust on the books that were not damaged.

"I know you wish for something to do," Thorin said. "We have only just cleared the way to this library, there is a smaller royal one but that is in the upper levels of the mountain and we will not be able to reach it for a long time yet. I thought you would enjoy this job as I saw many books in your hobbit-hole and you have purchased a number from Lake-town."

Bilbo turned and beamed. "I look forward to doing this, but…this is, it's, Thorin, it is such a large job."

"I know," Thorin said. "I will give you any help I can spare but I also-"

He was cut off by a knock on the door and Ori stepped in.

"Hello, Ori, good timing. Bilbo, I have also asked Ori to be a part of this aspect of the reclamation of the mountain."

"Oh," Bilbo said with a smile. "That is perfect, we'll do it together."

"Yes," Ori said with a shy smile and a blush.

"Great," Bilbo said and looked around. "This is going to be so much fun."

Thorin nodded at Ori prompting him to leave so that Thorin could tug on Bilbo's hand and pull him closer so that he could bend down and kiss Bilbo firmly.

After that he split his time between the library and Thorin and he found that he didn't miss the Shire as much as he thought he would now that he had Thorin and his work. Sometimes though, he missed his things and his garden with such a bittersweet pain that he found himself sitting out on the battlements above the giant doors and relishing the fresh air. Thorin would always find him and hold him close and ask Bilbo questions about the Shire and listen to his stories. Thorin promised that when things were settled they would travel there and spend time until Thorin had experienced everything the Shire had to offer.

"But what about Erebor?" Bilbo asked in a small voice.

"Fíli and Kíli have been raised to rule and Dís and Balin will be here to help them. They need the experience before I actually leave them the stronghold of Erebor. It will be good for them, and for us."

Bilbo had felt the knot in his chest that he hadn't even realised was there lessen and he smiled at Thorin. After that when Bilbo missed the Shire he no longer felt it with the same overwhelming sadness he had before because he would see his home again and when he did he would show Thorin everything the Shire had to offer. It would be amazing and Bilbo found he could wait now that he knew that nothing stood in their way.

And then, when the caravan arrived from the Blue Mountains a young dwarf with red hair stopped before Bilbo with a chair he recognised from his living room and then a giant box of books was deposited in their room along with the bright, multi-coloured rug that Bilbo's mother had made for him not long before she passed. Bilbo had dragged Thorin from his very serious discussion of war tactics with Dwalin and to their chambers where he proceeded to show his thanks in a myriad of ways.

/ / /

I have a vague idea of where this is going but don't expect too much from it.