The Miracle of Love
Chapter 27
"Bilbo," Belladonna called for probably the fifth time that evening. Bilbo was absent most of the time. He ate his food but most of the time he was just moving it around on his plate. His mind quickly wandered away. Or better said: his mind quickly wandered to Thorin, and Bilbo just couldn't get him out of his head. "Bilbo!" called Belladonna more firmly this time.
"Hmm, yes, what?" Bilbo finally snapped out of his thought and he looked around. Everyone was staring at him like he'd lost his mind.
"I asked if you were done, or would you like to finish your dinner?"
Bilbo looked at his plate which was almost as full as his mother gave it to him. He liked eating, but for the last two weeks he just wasn't feeling hungry. He was contemplating telling his mother to wait so that he could force some food in his stomach, but he knew this just wouldn't do. "I'm full, thank you," he said and pushed the plate away.
His mother eyed him skeptically before she took the plate. "You know… this has been going on for two weeks now," she said.
"What has?" Bilbo asked, bored, with nothing interesting to do. Thorin was surely having fun. He was probably…
"You not eating," interrupted Belladonna his train of thoughts.
"Huh?"
"Huh?" Belladonna repeated. "Don't play with me mister, you know exactly what I'm talking about."
"Are you going to start fighting about Thorin again?" asked Frodo all miserable. Listening to another fight about Thorin didn't sound appealing. They had discussions about this almost every night and it usually ended with Bilbo storming back to his room. Belladonna insisted that Bilbo should talk with Thorin, while Bungo was against Bilbo going anywhere near that boy. And Bilbo wanted nothing to do with him, so listening to his parents argue about Thorin, and speaking about Thorin, and asking about Thorin… He'd heard more than enough of Thorin in the last few days, and he simply had enough.
"Please don't," groaned Bilbo and buried his face in his hands. "We've had this discussion about a million times. I'm not sulking over Thorin, alright? What happened, happened. I don't want to talk about it anymore."
"Then you are going to finish your dinner," his mother said sternly. "No more excuses."
"But I'm not hungry," Bilbo protested.
"See this is what I'm talking about," Belladonna pointed out.
"Here we go again," Frodo muttered under his breath.
"If he says he is not hungry, then I believe him," said Bungo. "I'm not going to force him to eat."
"He needs to eat," his wife reminded him. "If not for himself, at least for his baby. What you are doing is not healthy," she said to Bilbo.
"I'm not doing anything! I'm just not hungry!"
"Just talk to that boy, please."
"We talked," Bilbo noted dryly. "It's best if we don't see each other anymore."
"Lie," Frodo coughed and Bilbo sent him a look.
"Like you would know," Bilbo snapped.
"The whole school knows," his brother reminded him. "I really don't understand why you insist on being such a drama queen."
"Excuse me, but you are not the laughing stock of the entire school!"
"Boys, that's enough," Belladonna tried to interrupt.
"Everyone is laughing at you because they think Thorin used you-"
"He did use me!" interrupted Bilbo.
"… and you are stupid enough to let them be right."
"Language," Bungo warned, but Frodo ignored him.
"He's been crawling after you for almost two weeks now. But no! You are too proud and too stubborn to forgive him!"
"It's none of your business what I do!"
"Then stop complaining about it! If you really wanted them to stop laughing all you would have to do is accept Thorin's apology, but no, you'd rather feel sorry for yourself."
"It wouldn't change anything," insisted Bilbo.
"It would! When they saw you together they would stop, because they would see that Thorin didn't use you."
"I'm not discussing this with you," said Bilbo and stood up.
"I believe it would be best if you would stay away from that boy," said Bungo and Belladonna sent him a look.
"They need to sort this out," his wife argued. "There has been enough avoiding the problem. They need to talk and that boy better apologize."
"I've heard enough," Bilbo muttered. He was about to leave when his mother called him back.
"Don't forget that you have your birthing class tomorrow!"
"I won't…"
"At six," she reminded him.
"I know, mum."
"And take someone with you. Call one of your friends or something."
Bilbo rolled his eyes. "Yes, because I have so many of them," he muttered under his breath.
"Drama queen," Frodo said as he pushed passed him and sent him a look.
"Oh, shut up," snapped Bilbo before he followed him upstairs.
:::
Frodo let out a sigh next day when he walked out of the school. There he was again, standing by his car for the fourth time this week. He didn't want to have anything to do with this. This was between Thorin and his brother, but since the latter refused to speak with him and did his best to avoid him, Frodo got to deal with Thorin, now almost on daily bases.
"What do you want?" he asked, annoyed that Thorin was waiting for him.
Thorin ignored the way Frodo spoke to him and got straight to the point. "How's Bilbo doing?"
"The same as yesterday, I guess," answered Frodo plainly.
"He still refuses to talk to me, though."
"Gosh, I wonder why," Frodo mocked. "It's not like you made a bet to sleep with him. Oh, wait, you did!"
Thorin didn't know what to say. "I'm sorry, alright."
"Don't need to apologize to me," Frodo reminded him.
"Please talk to him," pleaded Thorin. "Tell him I want to speak with him and after that I'll leave him alone. I just want to apologize and explain."
"I've told him that at least a million times, but he won't listen. He's as stubborn as you are!"
Thorin lowered his head. He didn't know what else to do. "It's fine. Clearly he doesn't want to see me again."
Frodo bit his lower lip as he watched Thorin get back to his car. "Wait!" he said and Thorin stopped and looked back at him. "I'm probably going to regret this," Frodo muttered to himself. "He has a birthing class today, at six. He'll be going alone and if I understood correctly you need to have a partner there, so you can corner him there. At least he won't be able to avoid you."
Before Frodo even realized what was happening, Thorin pulled him into a strong embrace. "Thank you! You have no idea how happy you've made me right now."
"Let me down," Frodo protested. "Thank you. And you are driving me home, since Bilbo is probably going to kill me for telling you this."
"Get in," Thorin smiled happily.
:::
Bilbo was putting his books back in his locker before he would go home. He did his best to avoid Thorin in the last two weeks so he completely forgot about someone else.
"Hi."
Bilbo jumped with surprise when he closed his locker and Bofur greeted him. "What do you want?"
"I just wanted to talk to you."
"You just wanted to talk to me?" Bilbo mocked. "Oh, that's definitely a change. You want to talk to me. I'm honored."
"Don't be like that," scolded Bofur. "We're friends."
"Oh, great!" exclaimed Bilbo. "Another thing I didn't know. We are friends. That's just great."
"We were always friends."
"I'm not so sure about that."
"Come on," Bofur tried. "Don't be like that. I'm sorry I told you that about Thorin, but it's true. I wanted you to know. That's what friends do."
"No!" corrected Bilbo. "You wanted me to hate Thorin, that's why you told me. You couldn't stand seeing me happy with him, that's why you had to ruin everything."
"He's no good for you and you know that. He lied and treated you badly-"
"Nothing that you haven't done," remarked Bilbo. "You lied, you treated me badly, oh and let's not forget: making me look like an idiot in front of the entire school."
"I'm not Thorin," Bofur defended.
"You're right. You are not him. But don't think you are any better than he is. He lied, you did the same. He treated me badly, you did the same. Don't think yourself above Thorin, Bofur. You're the same as he is. He wasn't the only one who made the bet. You agreed to it as well. So my guess is that if he lost you would never have told me about it and pretended to be happy with me. Yes, you are a real friend."
Bofur didn't know what to say. "I was trying to protect you from him-"
"By lying to me," Bilbo interrupted. "I don't care if your intentions were good, you still lied to me. I'm angry at you as much as I'm angry at Thorin."
"Well, I'm sorry for telling you the truth."
Bilbo sent him a look. "As much as I appreciate your honesty, I just can't find it in myself to forgive you right now. I just need some time."
"I understand… If you want someone to talk to, I'm always available."
"Thanks, Bofur." He checked the time. "I have to go. I'll see you around."
"Bye…"
:::
Bilbo left the house around five thirty. He took the bus to the medical center where the classes were supposed to take place. The last few weeks were interesting. He dated Thorin, he broke up with him, he moved back with his parents… and now he was alone. He missed Fíli and Kíli, he missed having them around. He missed the group. He just couldn't sit with them during lunch. Firstly, because everyone was staring at him, secondly, because he couldn't stand them pitying him, and thirdly, because Thorin was there.
He probably didn't even realize it, but his presence pushed Bilbo away. Of course he tried talking to him every day, but Bilbo was still too hurt to accept his apology. Bilbo knew Frodo was right. As long as he was feeling sorry for himself others would treat him the same. But the problem was that he was hurt. He trusted Thorin and then he found out what really happened. A part of him wasn't even surprised that something like this had even happened. But the other part of him was really disappointed. He believed Thorin, and his sweet words, but most of all he believed him because Thorin showed him that he really cared. Or this was just one of his schemes.
"What have I got us into?" he asked quietly as he rubbed his swollen middle. Whenever he was thinking about Thorin, which was almost all of the time, the baby was kicking super hard, like a constant reminder that it was there. A part of him and a part of Thorin. A miracle. "But we'll get through it, I promise. With or without Thorin I'm going to take care of you while you are still with me. I'm sorry I put you through all of this. I guess all this stress isn't really good for you, but the doctor said you are growing nicely, and that you are healthy, and I could not ask for more than that. I'm going to give you the best I can while you are still with me. And then… then you'll get to spend time with your daddy. Though I guess you will see him as your brother, but that's not important. There won't be a day when I won't be thinking about you. You are loved and you will always be loved, my little miracle."
"I would like to invite everyone in," the instructor called and interrupted Bilbo's train of thoughts. He looked around. There were seven pairs. They all came together. The mother and the father. He was the only one who came alone. He contemplated asking his mother to come with him, after all he expected that she would be the one with him while he would give birth, but she was called back to work and she couldn't come with him.
In normal circumstances he would ask Bofur to come, but that was out of the question now. He wanted Thorin there with him, offering him support. Not just because he was the father but because Bilbo wanted him there. In a perfect fantasy Thorin would walk through that door any moment now, excusing himself for being late and then joining Bilbo on the sitting pad, like other partners did. He would be angry at first because Thorin was late, but then he would forgive him and he would melt into Thorin's warm embrace…
And suddenly the door opened. "I apologize for being late…" Thorin's eyes quickly scanned the room until they found Bilbo.
"We haven't started, so you didn't miss anything," the instructor smiled as Thorin made his way over to where Bilbo was sitting.
"What are you doing here," snapped Bilbo the moment Thorin sat down next to him.
"I came to learn," Thorin whispered quietly, before he offered a smile to the instructor who started talking.
"No you came here to annoy me! You need to leave," said Bilbo and tried to push Thorin away.
"I'm not going anywhere. Besides, this is a class that requires working in pairs, you need me here."
"No I don't," insisted Bilbo. "Now go away!" he hissed.
"Everything alright back there?"
Thorin offered an apologetic smile to everyone in the room. "Everything's fine. We are just having a little disagreement here. We apologize for interruption."
The instructor continued talking and Thorin turned back to Bilbo. "Be nice," he said as Bilbo gripped Thorin's thigh and dug his nails into it.
"Leave me alone!"
"Now Bilbo, calm down. The stress is not good for the baby."
"Argh," groaned Bilbo. "I can't believe you! You came here to play smart."
"No, I came here to talk to you."
"If you are not leaving, then I am," announced Bilbo and tried to stand up, but Thorin pulled him back down and he somehow ended in Thorin's lap.
"Now stay quiet and listen to what she says."
Bilbo pushed Thorin away and rather awkwardly untangled himself from Thorin and then sat down. "Just so we are clear, I hate you."
"At least you are talking to me," Thorin smiled and turned his attention back to the instructor.
They sat in quiet and listened to her lesson for the next few minutes. Bilbo couldn't help but to look at Thorin almost every minute, and every time Thorin caught him staring and Bilbo wanted to say something to him, Thorin pressed a finger to his lips, indicating for him to be quiet before he pointed back to the instructor. Bilbo was fuming inside. He had no idea what Thorin was playing but he wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of winning.
"Okay, so now I want you to sit in between your partner's legs and the lean on him for support. This will help you…" Bilbo stopped listening after that. He saw Thorin smirking and he knew that the bastard was enjoying this.
"Well, you heard her," smiled Thorin and made space for Bilbo to sit between his legs. Bilbo muttered something under his breath before he moved.
"I want you to relax," continued the instructor. "Lean on your partner, close your eyes and relax. Let your partner offer you support…"
Thorin was leaning back on his arms, smirking, while Bilbo continued to glare at him.
"You need to lean on your partner," smiled the instructor and pushed Bilbo gently back, so that he was leaning on Thorin's chest. "Now close your eyes and relax… Good…"
Thorin used the opportunity to wrap one arm around Bilbo, who immediately sat up. "No touching," he scolded.
Thorin just shrugged before he pulled Bilbo back down. "This feels familiar," he whispered in his ear.
"Shut up!"
"Now take a deep breath in… and out… good…"
Thorin once again wrapped his arm around Bilbo.
"Don't touch me," he hissed.
"Come on now… relax," teased Thorin. "Breath in, and out…" Bilbo could feel Thorin chuckle behind him. Thorin was actually enjoying this, and that made Bilbo even angrier.
"I hate you," muttered Bilbo, and earned himself a kiss on the cheek.
"I can live with that," smiled Thorin.
:::
"That would be all for today. You all did great. I'll see you in two weeks." Everyone applauded as the instructor continued to smile at them.
"That wasn't so bad," Thorin commented as he helped Bilbo off the floor.
"It was horrible because you were here!"
"Now don't be like that. I think we did pretty well together, once you relaxed and allowed me to actually touch you." Thorin did allow himself to annoy Bilbo, even if just a little. He continued to touch his belly, no matter how many times Bilbo pushed his hand away.
"Very funny," said Bilbo dryly. "Now let's go."
"I was planning to talk to the instructor. She can't be more than a few years older than I am. And she has a nice ass."
Bilbo just stared at Thorin with disbelief. Did he just make a comment about the instructor's ass? He pulled him back the moment he wanted to leave. "No you don't! You are going with me," Bilbo ordered and led him out of the room. "And you are driving me home."
Thorin could help but laugh. "What is it with your family and my car? I'm not your driver," he teased.
"Huh?" asked Bilbo, who had absolutely no idea that Thorin already drove Frodo home from school.
"Nothing," Thorin smiled innocently. "I'd be delighted to drive you home."
Fifteen minutes later Thorin stopped the car in front of Bilbo's house. The younger teen exited the car without saying a word and Thorin followed.
"You really don't need to see me home. I am perfectly capable of walking from your car to my house."
"Oh I insist," Thorin smiled.
Bilbo hurried to the door and pressed his back to it. "See, I'm home. Now you can go."
"Aren't you going to invite me inside?"
"No!"
"And I thought we were having fun," Thorin continued to tease.
"I don't need you," said Bilbo stubbornly when Thorin took a step closer, and Bilbo pressed himself to the door. "I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself."
"Never said you weren't," answered Thorin. Their lips were now only centimeters apart and it took Bilbo all the strength not to pull Thorin down into a kiss. "I had fun," Thorin said finally.
"Y-Yes, it wasn't that bad," stammered Bilbo, and cursed in his head at Thorin who once again made him incapable of thinking clearly.
"Bilbo?" came a call from inside. It was Frodo. "I know you're here." He could hear his brother coming down the stairs.
"You need to go," said Bilbo quickly, afraid that Frodo would open the door any moment and see them.
"Will I see you at school?"
"No," was Bilbo's immediate reply. He quickly realized that Thorin wasn't planning on going anywhere until he'll get what he wants. "Alright," Bilbo gave in. "I'll see you at school. Now please go before someone sees you."
"Promise?"
"Yes, yes, I promise. Just go, please," said Bilbo and tired to push Thorin away. "Thorin please…"
"Bilbo? I know it's you. Why don't you just come in?"
Bilbo was panicking inside. A few hours ago he was assuring his family that he was absolutely done with Thorin, and now he was trapped between him and the door. He didn't know what to do, and before he came up with a better idea he pressed his lips to Thorin's.
Thorin, taken by surprise, stumbled back and pulled Bilbo with him without breaking the kiss.
"Please go," said Bilbo just above whisper when they pulled apart. His hands were still resting on Thorin's chest.
"I'll see you tomorrow," whispered Thorin.
After Thorin let go of him Bilbo immediately hurried inside and closed the doors shut behind him.
"I knew it was you," said Frodo and Bilbo jumped with surprise. "Are you okay?"
"Yes, yes, I'm fine."
"Then why are you breathing so heavily? Were you running," asked Frodo.
"No… No, of course I wasn't running. Why would you think that?"
Frodo just shrugged. "Is someone outside? Were you talking to someone?"
Bilbo pressed his back to the door, preventing Frodo to open them. "No, no one is outside. I was just talking to myself, that's all."
Frodo just shook his head. "You're acting weird," he noted.
"And you are being nosy as always."
"And you are back to being annoying," Frodo commented before he went back to the living room.
Bilbo let out a sigh before he relaxed against the doors. Thorin would be the death to him, he thought. But at the same time he wanted to explode with happiness. He could easily forgive Thorin, but where was the fun in that? The least he could do is make that charming bastard work a little to earn his forgiveness. This should be fun.
Author's notes:
A big 'thank you' to Chamelaucium, who helped me with this chapter.
Wow... The response for the previous chapter was amazing! Thank you so much!
I'll upload chapter 28 in a few days :D