The Loss of Smiles and Music

Still enjoying writing some dwarven tales.

This is an AU story. Centers around Bofur and his family. Please enjoy and let me know what you think either good or bad.

I own nothing.

Chapter Six

Thorin patted his nephews' shoulders as he watched Bombur expertly prepare a hearty soup in very little time. He watched as the rotund dwarf hurried over and he and his cousin patiently got as much soup fed into Bofur as the ill dwarf could handle.

"Ate better than I thought he would," Oin voiced walking up to Thorin, "Tonight will be his last set of ear drops now that his fever is gone."

"Then we'll know if he's deaf?" Thorin inquired as the healer nodded, "Mahal be with Bofur and his family."

Bofur slept for the rest of the evening and didn't even wake when he was given his final ear drops. The fever had broken earlier and Bifur gladly allowed his cousin to rest against his torso so Bofur could sleep sitting up to help his back not ache so bad. Bifur stroked his cousin's hair as he mumbled prayers under his breath. Tomorrow would be the day of reckoning.

"Here," Nori whispered laying another blanket over Bofur, "I can read lips, Bifur, even when you speak in Khuzdul. You're worried."

The older dwarf nodded once as he continued to stroke Bofur's hair. There was no point in denying the truth. He was very worried for his boy. Both Bombur and Bofur had become his children when he had taken them in. One of his boys was hurting and he was very worried.

"I'm sorry that this happened to your family," Nori sighed sitting beside the two, "Ori once got really sick. His fever was so high that he suffered heat seizures. The healers thought he might have brain damage from the seizures and Dori and I wouldn't know for sure until our little brother woke. The wait was terrifying."

Bifur blinked up in surprise as he nodded again. This story he could understand. Waiting to know if a loved one was going to be okay was not a good time for any family.

"Must have been very hard for you and Dori," Bifur signed as Nori nodded.

"Ori was fine, but we would have loved and cared for him regardless of brain damage or not," Nori said, "You and Bombur will do the same for Bofur, I know that. The whole company is praying for your family, Bifur. I just wanted you to realize that."

"Thank you. You understand my family very much, Nori," Bifur offered before going back to rubbing his cousin's hair.

Bombur patted Nori's back as he left and then sat in the dwarf's abandoned spot. Eventually the ginger-haired dwarf fell asleep, but Bifur could not. He watched Bofur's face as his cousin slept peacefully. The lad had no idea what tomorrow may or may not bring. The older dwarf watched as the sun came up.

"Stay strong, Bofur," Bifur thought to himself, "Today might be very hard for you. Stay strong like you always do. Mahal, please have mercy on my boy. If you take his hearing, help him get through his loss. I still offer anything of mine if you will spare Bofur. Anything at all including my own life. Amen."

Bifur watched as slowly the company began to wake. He watched many a glance thrown his family's way. Bofur slept on. Bombur sat up with a sigh and leaned over his brother's sleeping form for a moment. Bofur slept on.

"I'll start breakfast," Bombur said after stroking his brother's cheek, "What will be, will be. We're here, Bo. We'll always be right here with you."

Bifur grunted softly and stayed still so his cousin could sleep as long as he needed. He watched the company eat. He watched Bofur's eyes blink open late into the morning. He watched Oin gently remove his cousin's hat, ear warmers, and take the bits of cloth from Bofur's ear canals. He watched Bofur refuse food and stay lying against Bifur's chest as the older dwarf continued stroking his hair to keep him calm. Bofur remained still and passive. The ill dwarf calmly drank his medicinal tea at lunch and was able to eat a few mouthfuls of stew before falling back to sleep.

"Oin?" Bombur asked as the healer looked up.

"The drops will wear off by late afternoon," Oin sighed, "We'll know then. Let him sleep."

"Want me to hold him while you eat something?" Bombur questioned, "You haven't eaten anything since last night, Bif."

Bifur shook his head and simply hummed softly as his cousin slept. He watched the company shift around anxiously doing this or that. He watched Bombur come to sit beside him and stroke his brother's back. He watched the sun move across the sky as eventually Bofur stirred and opened his eyes again. Oin came up behind his cousin's back and snapped his fingers near Bofur's exposed ear. Nothing.

"Still too early," the healer soothed, "Just let him rest."

Bofur remained passively leaning against Bifur's chest. The older dwarf wasn't even sure if Bofur had known that Oin was close. Bifur once again took his cousin's hand and hummed against his palm as Bofur glanced up with a soft smile. Thorin frowned from across the camp and sat and waited. Bilbo sat near Gandalf looking jittery and nervous. Fili, Kili, and Ori watched from a huddle near Dori and Nori. Gloin sighed as his brother watched the sun move slowly across the sky. Dwalin scowled up at the same sky as Balin came to sit by Bombur.

"Come on, Bo," Bombur whispered as his brother stayed still, "Show everyone how much stronger you are than an ear infection."

Nothing. Bofur didn't even move his eyes towards his younger brother. Finally, Oin came silently up behind Bofur and snapped his fingers near the dwarf's ear. Nothing. Bifur shifted his cousin in his arms and Oin tried the other ear. Nothing. Bifur closed his eyes for a moment to hide his emotions. Bofur didn't need to be upset. The discovery would come soon enough.

"Dwalin, play us something," Balin requested an hour later as his brother looked up, "Anything. Just…please. The quiet is too much."

The warrior pulled out his viol and played a soft melody. The tune was peaceful and played in hopes of soothing the raw nerves of the company. Bofur remained against his cousin's chest resting and then shifted to his opposite side as Bifur helped him move.

"Is he uncomfortable?" Bombur asked hovering close as his brother settled against Bifur.

Bifur shook his head showing he didn't know and continued stroking Bofur's hair. The lad sighed and looked up at him before his eyes shifted away to look over his shoulder.

"Balin?" Bofur spoke for the first time in days as everyone froze, "Tell Dwalin ta pick up tha pace. That tune is awfully melancholy for such a pretty day."

Bifur glanced down at his cousin's grinning face in shock as gasps rang out. Bombur pulled his brother into his arms with a great cry as Bifur pushed himself to his knees.

"Can hear?" Bifur gestured wildly.

"I can," Bofur agreed before chuckling as Bifur pulled both he and his brother into a hug and rested the side of his head without the axe against Bofur's forehead expressing his happiness and affection, "Too tight, Bif. Don't weep, Bom, no one's died."

"Let me see him," Oin ordered as the family pulled away for the healer to examine Bofur.

Bofur grinned when the healer snapped his fingers and he heard sound in his left and right ear.

"Sounds are a bit jumbled, but they are comin' in more and more clear with each passin' minute," Bofur described as the company gathered near, "Couldn't hear a thin' until Dwalin's tune reached me."

"Certain pitched sounds are easier to recognize," Oin agreed as Bofur leaned tiredly back against his cousin's chest, "This means that the ear drops are wearing off and the damage to your hearing is nonexistent or minimal."

"Thank Mahal," Bombur breathed as the company cheered, "I've been so worried, Bo."

"Mmm," Bofur hummed, "I can tell. I'll be fine, Bom. I'll be right as rain soon and I've even got me a Bif pillow ta sleep against. No worries."

"My heart is glad to see that your hearing is back," Thorin offered as Bofur looked up, "Couldn't retake Erebor without you three."

"Bofur needs to sleep some more," Oin advised as Bofur's eyes closed again, "We'll need to be quiet now so he can rest."

"It is good to need to be quiet because Bofur can hear us," Balin smiled out as Bifur pulled the blankets back over his cousin's shoulders.

"Dwalin, will ya play some more for me?" Bofur called as the warrior looked up in surprise, "It is nice ta hear music again."

Dwalin grinned wide and played soft tunes that were used to lull children to rest. Bofur drifted back to sleep smiling softly as he held his brother's hand in his. Bifur fought tears for a moment.

"Thank you, Mahal," Bifur thought looking up at the sky, "Forever will I praise your name. Thank you for protecting my cousin."

Epilogue:

"I smell," Bofur groused as Bifur stayed firmly in his path, "I've not washed in who knows when. My hair can stand up on its own and let's not speak of tha stench of my clothes. I'm takin' a bath. Move."

"Absolutely not," Bifur gestured angrily, "You can't get water in your ears. You just recovered and have finally strengthened enough to move about. No bath."

"I'm takin' a bath," Bofur denied walking around his cousin as Bifur cursed in Khuzdul, "Bif, stop ya big git! Put me down!"

The company watched as Bifur hauled his kicking cousin over his shoulder and stomped back and placed him on his pallet. Many bets were being made on how this was going to turn out.

"Irritatin', overprotective, stubborn, boarish, wild git," Bofur huffed standing back up with his bathing supplies, "Oin just said that I shouldn't dunk my head under. I'll be careful."

"No," Bifur signed.

"Bombur is already washin' my clothes," Bofur chuckled, "Tell ya what, why don't ya wash my hair for me. I'll only go inta tha water up ta my waist and ya can make sure no water gets close ta my ears, okay?"

Bifur sighed and thought about the offer as he continued blocking his cousin's path. The older dwarf scowled as Bofur mimicked his angry look.

"Fine," Bifur gestured finally, "No splashing about. I check the area that you bathe in to make sure no loose rocks that make you fall in water. No arguing."

Bofur chuckled and slapped Bifur's back as he walked to the deeper area of the creek.

"Pay up," Nori chortled as many a dwarf grumbled and threw him a money pouch, "I told you that Bofur would win."

"How?" Dori groaned handing his brother his winnings.

"Because Bofur learned his stubbornness from Bifur," Nori grinned out, "Those two are two in the same. Plus, Bifur works hard on keeping his family happy. If Bofur wanted a bath then Bifur would have built him a tub. Simple as that."

"Is bathing a good idea?" Thorin demanded frowning towards the creek, "His ears have just healed."

"Bifur won't let a drop of water near those ears," Oin laughed, "Neither will Bombur. The lad is well on his way to healing completely and there is no lasting damage to his hearing. Bofur is going to be fine."

"Really?" Bilbo asked peeking around the company.

"Certainly," Oin agreed.

An hour later, Bofur came back happily from the creek freshly washed in a spare set of clothes while his brother hung his main set of clothes to dry. Bifur had both hands clamped firmly over Bofur's ears since his hair was wet even as Bofur laughed at what he considered his cousin's ridiculousness. The company grinned as Bifur fussed over his cousin's hair and dried it thoroughly with a cloth to insure no water fell into Bofur's ears.

"Silly git," Bofur stated as his cousin braided his hair and placed his hat firmly on his head, "I'm fine. Stop huffin' about. Feels good ta have my braids in again. Loose hair tickles too much. Oh, stop your huffin, Git."

Bofur growled teasingly when Bifur yanked on one of his braids. The two grinned at one another showing that neither held hard feelings against the other.

"Here, Bo," Bombur offered as his brother took his flute from the younger's hands, "Play us a tune. I have missed hearing you play since you got ill. Get to work."

Bofur did and smiled slightly with his flute at his lips as voices sang to the song he played. Bifur and Bombur watched and grinned at one another. The smiles and music were back.

"World feel back in alignment again?" Bombur asked as Bifur looked up at him and nodded with a smirk, "Yeah. Feels that way for me too."

Extra Epilogue

"Ow, ow, ow, ow! Bifur!" Bofur whined as his cousin used a clean cloth borrowed from Bard to wipe his ears dry now that the dwarves were settled in the man's home, "Stop it! There is not a drop of water left in my ears. Ow!"

"Stop struggling," Bombur ordered as Bifur worked, "We are not going to allow another ear infection to flare. Stay still."

"He's diggin' my eardrums out of my head," Bofur whimpered, "Oin, help!"

"Let me have a look, Bifur," Oin instructed as the wilder dwarf stepped back, "Both ear canals look good."

Bifur gestured angrily as he scowled.

Sure? We ride barrels and then have to swim in here. No water cause Bofur infection? Should he get medicine in ears?

"His ears are dry," Oin explained, "Don't worry. Bofur will be fine. This time you and Bombur have made sure that water will not remain to fester into an infection. You two have not let even rain enter Bofur's ears since earlier on our trip. I'm amazed the lad even heard the thunder battle in the mountains since you two blocked up his ears with cloth and the ear warmers. Calm yourself."

"Stupid hobbit," Bifur signed as he glared at a sniffling Bilbo.

"Now don't be a mean, old git," Bofur chastised, "Bilbo did tha best he could while in Mirkwood. There was no other choice and tha lad's given himself a cold with that barrel ride."

"Still should have let us know what he was planning to block your ears up or something," Bombur snorted as he scowled at Bilbo, "Bifur and I want the complete truth if your ears start hurting or you get the slightest bit dizzy. Do you hear me, Brother?"

"For Mahal's sake," Bofur groaned rolling his eyes, "I promise ya two, okay?"

Bombur sighed as Bifur looked very worried. Bofur regarded his kin with an amused smirk.

"Dry me up just a little more," Bofur offered as his cousin sprang at him with a new cloth handed to him by Oin, "Does this make ya feel better, Bif?"

Bifur nodded as he carefully worked at wiping the inside of Bofur's ears. Bofur rolled his eyes at Bombur as his brother chuckled.

"Just to make sure," Bombur stated as Bofur grumbled, "Still could skin that hobbit."

"Not one more word against Bilbo," Bofur warned with a grimace as Bifur moved to work on his other ear, "Mahal, give me strength."

"Are all dwarves so particular about their ears?" Bard asked a scowling Thorin as the man observed the odd scene.

"You have no idea," Thorin snorted as Bombur and Bifur continued to fuss over their kin.

The end.