Seconds felt like minutes.

Bilbo raised one of his hands shakily to Dwalin's beard, lacing his fingers through coarse hair. He leaned in, tentatively pressing his lips to Dwalin's. Dwalin pulled Bilbo closer, returning the kiss. Encouraged, Bilbo wrapped his arms around Dwalin's neck. Dwalin lifted Bilbo into his arms, rising to his feet. He moved to the bed. Bilbo straddled his lap.

Dwalin pulled away. "I take that's a yes?"

Bilbo smiled. "Why wouldn't it be?"

"Are ya sure?"

"I am more than sure, Dwalin."

Dwalin studied Bilbo, feeling nothing short of amazement.

He memorized the lines of Bilbo's mouth, the curve of his nose, and the slant of his eyes. He ran his hair through the copper curls of Bilbo's hair, brushed his fingers over Bilbo's pointed ears, his cheeks and jaw.

Dwalin kissed Bilbo, coaxing his mouth open with his tongue. He slid a hand over Bilbo's waist, pulling at the fabric of Bilbo's shirt.

Bilbo moaned at Dwalin's touch, closing whatever space remained between them—

"Dwalin? Bilbo?" Balin called, rapping the door. Bilbo pushed himself away, staring at the door. Dwalin snarled. "Dinner's ready."

Bilbo turned back to Dwalin. "Hungry?"

"Are you?"

"I'm a Hobbit. I'm always hungry."

#

Bilbo smiled all night. It was a beautiful sight. If I could see it always…Bilbo looked at Dwalin, noticing him staring. Dwalin returned the smile before Bilbo continued his conversation with Bofur.

"Well this is a pleasant turn of events," Balin said, catching the glance between them. He smirked at Dwalin. "Did something happen?"

"No." Dwalin thought Balin should mind his own business. Nosy brothers shouldn't have so much free rein.

"Looks to me that you're finally accepting you're a married man. Soon you'll be refusing to leave your room and won't let our burglar out either."

"That's not your business, Balin. Keep your nose from where it's not wanted."

"Well fine. Be that way. Just trying to be friendly, brother."

"You're trying to be an annoying busybody, brother." Balin shrugged, turning back to his dinner.

Dwalin caught Thorin's gaze. He motioned to the deck outside before dismissing himself to go outside.

"Thorin wants to talk to you about something?"

"Probably important," Dwalin said, standing. Balin followed. "It's not that important."

"You know what this is about? Not the quest?"

"Not the quest," Dwalin assured Balin, patting his shoulder. He went outside and approached Thorin. "What do you want to talk about?"

Thorin didn't answer. Not immediately. "He seems happier tonight."

"I thought you let this go."

"I said I can't do anything about your marriage to him, despite how much I want to," Thorin hissed. "I never said I wouldn't do what I can—"

"You don't trust me?"

"I don't want to see him hurt, Dwalin."

"Why are you convinced I'll hurt him?"

"You already have! I never want to find him crying in the hallway in the dark hours of the night, Dwalin, not like I did at Rivendell!"

"Rivendell was a month ago."

"So you dismiss it? Do you deny hurting him?"

"No, I don't. I never will deny that. But you have no right to question my marriage! I love Bilbo."

Thorin appraised him, eyes dark and furious.

"So it took me a while to figure it out. But I do love him. And for whatever hurt I put him through before I figured that out, I intend to make it up to him. I know my marriage is unconventional, but that doesn't mean it won't change and it has changed. Honestly, I know now I was scared—"

"And you're not anymore?"

Dwalin scoffed. "I'm terrified," he admitted. "Of all the things I faced, the battles I fought in…nothing has scared me so much as how I feel for Bilbo. I love him. And he loves me."

"Really?" Thorin asked. "Then tell me what it feels like to have your love returned, because to know it's not and to know the one you love belongs to another…" He turned around and headed back inside.

Dwalin pulled him back. "I don't expect it's easy for you, Thorin. By right as the King you can take him from me. But you haven't and I thank you for that, and for being honest with me."

"A king who abuses his power in that way has no right to be king at all." Thorin pulled out of Dwalin's grasp. "Besides, you're my best friend. All I can do is be honest with you, Dwalin. I don't even want to be honest to you at this point, but I'm trying to make the right decisions—"

"Thorin, I appreciate that and I really do understand it's not easy."

"Just stop. Leave me be." He entered the house, doors banging behind him.

Dwalin crossed his arms. He dared not go back inside. Not yet. He found the feelings rolling through his mind difficult to decipher.

He was in love with his husband (nothing wrong about that). His best friend was also in love with his husband. Dwalin wasn't sure what he ought to do about it. He refused to feel guilty about marrying Bilbo and falling in love with him.

Bilbo stepped outside. "Dwalin?" Dwalin turned to him. "Everything okay?"

"Yes," he assured him.

"Beorn said we should stay inside."

"Aye, he did." Dwalin followed Bilbo back inside and they returned to the room they had been given. The door closed behind them.

"Dwalin," Bilbo began. "W—" he clamped his mouth shut, shifting his gaze to the ground, blushing.

"Yes?" Dwalin asked, laying his fur overcoat on the chair.

Bilbo swallowed. He looked up and met Dwalin's gaze. "W-when we were married back in Bag End, you said we were equals."

"We are. What is this about?"

"I think the same, so if you do not object…could we…" his blush returned. "I'm not a virgin."

"Nor am I."

"What I mean is I'm embarrassed for feeling embarrassed asking my husband to have sex with me," Bilbo said, running a shaky hand through his hair. "You've every right to refuse, if you don't want to…"

Dwalin approached him, pushing him toward the bed. "You're sure you want to do this now?"

"Do we know when we'll have another chance?" Bilbo stopped, back resting against the bedpost.

"No, we don't," Dwalin said. He cupped Bilbo's cheek.

He understood Thorin's attraction to their burglar. Perhaps the qualities Dwalin loved about Bilbo Thorin also admired.

Dwalin had known Thorin since they were children. They studied together in warfare, politics—Dwalin could name many times he and Thorin had pulled a fast one on Balin as children.

They fought together at Azanulbizar. Dwalin mourned the loss of Thror, Thrain, and Frerin alongside him.

Dwalin stood by Thorin as he led their people west to Ered Luin, the only mountain pass large enough to hold the Refugees of Erebor who did not have families anywhere else.

How strange it is that two people—two best friends—loving the same person could turn them against each other. He let his hand fall.

"Is something wrong?" Bilbo asked, frowning.

"I don't—"

"Dwalin," Bilbo stomped his foot. "Tell me what's wrong? I know we haven't been together long, but we should at least try to know each other a little better and talking to me about what's bothering you is a good place to start. I know what you like and such, but I want to know everything. I wan to know about the things that bother you also so I can help, if I can." He took Dwalin's hand in both of his. "We can worry about consummating our marriage later."

Dwalin sat on the bed, head bowed. Bilbo sat beside him.

He started in Rivendell, explaining his doubts about Bilbo's love for him, as he did not understand how love can come into a marriage of convenience. He told Bilbo about his conversation with Thorin before Goblin Town in the caves and the one he recently had outside on the patio.

For a long time, Bilbo was silent. "He did well trying to push me away. Now I know why and I can't help feeling grateful."

"Grateful?!"

Bilbo stood on his knees, kissing Dwalin's cheek and locking his arms around his neck. "It may not have been intentional, but would you have realized you loved me back if not for this journey? Would you have kept pushing me away if he said nothing or avoided getting you angry? I'm not saying I like what he's said to you. I don't. If I had confidence enough to dare it, I'd throttle him."

Dwalin smirked. "That'd be interesting to see."

"You're as angry about it as I am, aren't you?"

"Just a bit," he laughed, pulling Bilbo on to his lap. "So I can rest assured that you're mine."

"Indeed you can. And I am quite confident that you are mine as well, Love."