Chapter 12 – Closer
"What is it?" Bilbo asked as they walked towards his quarters.
"Well, if we told you, it wouldn't be a surprise anymore, would it?" Fíli told him with a playful smile.
Bilbo returned the smile, wondering what they could have prepared for him. Luckily he didn't have to wonder for very long, because they soon arrived at his door, where the four dwarves stopped with expectant expressions. Thorin beckoned him to go first, so Bilbo did, opening the door to find that his sitting room was now occupied with the large frame of a brand new weaving loom. Forgetting about his company for a moment, he took a few steps forward to admire the instrument.
It was slightly bigger than the one he had used in the Shire, about five feet wide and four feet tall, and made out of beautifully polished cherry wood. He reached out his hand and touched the wood reverently, noting the smoothness of the surface and the expert craftsmanship of the carpenter who had made it.
Remembering the dwarves, he turned back towards the door to find them all watching him with smiles on their faces. He gave them a smile of his own, knowing that the appreciation of their gift must be visible on his face.
"Do you like it?" Kíli asked.
"Do you need to ask?" Bilbo replied. "I think that should be obvious." He turned back towards the loom, running his hand along the wood. "This is a beautiful instrument. Far superior to anything I had at home."
"So I have told them, but they wouldn't believe me," Kíli said, throwing an affronted look in Thorin's direction.
"Since you are to be working on a royal commission, it is only reasonable that you should have the best available means at your disposal," Thorin said, looking a little uncomfortable.
"I appreciate that," Bilbo told him earnestly. His eyes caught Thorin gaze and held it, trying to convey his thanks. He only broke the gaze when Balin shifted next to Thorin with a discreet cough.
"I think we should leave Bilbo to enjoy his gift in peace." He threw a pointed look at the two young dwarves. They looked from Balin to Thorin to Bilbo, something like understanding entering their expression.
"You are right," Fíli said, tugging at his brother's sleeve. "We can come visit you in the morning. Come, brother, let's see if we can beat the Tooks at cards."
"Thank you all for doing this for me," Bilbo told them before they could leave.
"You are most welcome," Balin said, herding the young dwarves out of the door with one last look at Thorin. Bilbo had the distinct idea that he had just missed something important.
To his surprise, Thorin remained in the room with him, looking a little ill at ease once the door closed behind the three.
"You really like the loom, then?" Thorin asked, taking two steps closer. Bilbo gave him a smile.
"Yes, it's beautiful." He turned away and went to rummage through the bags full of threads he had brought from Dale. "I have planned to spend the evening in the common room with the others, but now I'm sorely tempted to just stay here and weave."
"Surely, nobody would begrudge you if you did."
"Did everyone know about the loom?" Bilbo asked, carrying a bundle of black threads into a nearby armchair. He realized that he needed a place to keep them on hand, so he took a nearby table and started to push it towards the loom. Thorin seemed to realize what he was trying to accomplish, because he stepped forward and took the table out of Bilbo's hands, carrying it over to where Bilbo pointed him.
"Yes, the entire company contributed to the gift," Thorin said, putting the table down. "They all wanted to give you something to welcome you to Erebor."
Bilbo made a detour into his bedroom and came back with a small stool that he put in front of the loom. Satisfied with the position, he went to gather the threads and placed them on the table, picking up the first one so he could fit it between the frame of the loom. He belatedly realized that the dwarf was still standing in the middle of the room. Bilbo had no idea why Thorin wanted to spend the evening in his company, but it seemed terribly rude to throw him out after the dwarf had given him such a magnificent gift.
"Sit down wherever you like," Bilbo said, not looking up from his work. "You can borrow one of my books, if you wish. This stage of weaving is the most boring part, since it's just preparation, so there's nothing interesting to see yet."
Thorin took his words as a permission to explore Bilbo's living space. Bilbo didn't mind. He was aware that Thorin had only been in his quarters once, very briefly, and was probably curious about the place. He let the dwarf peruse his library and look at the drawings on his desk.
"Ori has returned some of my translations, and I have a few more volumes that might interest you," Bilbo told him, concentrating on fitting the strings correctly. "Some of the Old Tales are riveting, even if you don't like elves." He threw Thorin an amused glance. "It might please you to know that they weren't always so noble and haughty as they are now. There used to be times when the elves murdered each other out of sheer hunger for power."
"Did they?" Thorin appeared interested.
"Oh yes," Bilbo nodded. "In fact, you might appreciate the irony when I tell you that their greatest battles had been fought over a couple of gems." He paused in his weaving for a moment, turning to give the dwarf his full attention. "True, they were the most splendid gems the world had ever seen, said to contain the very light of the sun and moon, but it still seems a little hypocritical of Thranduil to scoff at the dwarves' love for gems, when his father and grandfather probably fought wars over jewels."
Thorin snorted, looking at Bilbo's library with renewed interest.
"Go ahead, borrow whatever you like," Bilbo encouraged him.
The dwarf spent another moment examining the book titles before he walked over to Bilbo's desk to look at his drawings. He pulled one large sheet of paper out of the pile, lifting it up to see the details.
"You draw maps as well?"
Bilbo shrugged, focusing his attention back at the loom.
"I like maps. I like to know where I am going when I travel. I think I loved maps even before I started travelling properly, because to me they contain a promise of all the lands I could discover. It doesn't matter that I will probably never travel that far. Just knowing that the possibility is there is exciting enough."
"Are you still planning to go travelling in the spring?" Thorin's voice suddenly sounded a lot closer. Bilbo fought the temptation to turn around and find out just how much closer that was. Instead he continued his work, pretending he hadn't noticed.
"I am not sure yet," he answered honestly. "It all depends on whether I will feel like travelling. The past few years I always felt antsy in the Shire and set out at the first sign on spring, wandering until the autumn rains became too unpleasant. Since I am here, I mind find that I don't need to travel at all, because there are plenty of people and things here to keep me occupied."
Thorin didn't say anything to that, just kept standing behind him, watching Bilbo's hands as they pulled the strings tight between the frames. If Bilbo concentrated for a bit, he could almost feel the heat of the dwarf's body against his back. It sent his mind in wild directions, making him wonder whether Thorin was going to touch him again.
That thought sent a ball of burning fire into his navel, causing his muscles to tense in anticipation. He felt every breath acutely as he drew it in and his heart picked up speed, thudding against his ribcage with so much force that Bilbo became convinced Thorin must be able to hear it. Bilbo reached for another thread, barely able to pick it up because his hands were suddenly sweaty and he heard Thorin shift behind him, probably completely unaware of the effect he had on the poor hobbit.
They spent several moments caught in an impasse, neither one of them making any move, until Bilbo thought his head would explode from the tension in the room. Finally, he couldn't stand it any longer.
"Are you planning to stand there all evening?" he blurted out and immediately fought the urge to smack himself when the dwarf took a step backwards.
"Does my presence here bother you?" Thorin asked, sounding hesitant. "Should I leave?" He turned toward to the door.
"No, wait!" Bilbo cried, mentally cursing himself for ruining the moment. "You can stay, if you wish. I just meant that this part really is dreadfully boring to watch. It will be few days yet before I start working on a pattern. You don't have to be here if there's something more interesting you could be doing." He was fully aware that he was babbling, but despite his nervousness he didn't want the dwarf to leave.
Thorin gave him a searching look, probably trying to ascertain whether Bilbo meant his offer seriously.
"I would prefer to remain here, if it is not an imposition."
"No, of course not," Bilbo said. He remembered his manners. "Would you like a cup of tea? I was so excited about the loom that I forgot you were a guest."
He didn't wait for Thorin's answer, hurrying into the kitchen to put together some tea and a plate of cookies. After a moment he realized that Thorin was standing in the doorway, watching him. Bilbo reached into the back of a cupboard and pulled out a metal container, feeling pleased when he found the contents intact.
"I baked these cookies yesterday," he explained as he pulled out the teacups and plates. "I didn't believe they would survive for so long, what with your nephews and my cousins always around."
He put together the tray and carried it to the sitting room, putting it on the low coffee table between the chairs. They both sat down in the armchairs on either side of the coffee table and Bilbo poured them tea, gesturing for Thorin to help himself to the cookies.
Bilbo's fingers itched to get back to his work, but he figured that it would be rude to ignore his guest when the king had taken the effort to visit him. Besides, he quite enjoyed talking to Thorin, awkwardness notwithstanding, so putting off his work was not that much of a hardship in this case.
"So, what do you do for entertainment when you are not hiding away in my quarters?" Bilbo asked, raising the cup to his lips.
"Reading, mostly," Thorin said, reaching for a cookie. "Though in my position, there is very little time for frivolity. There is always someone at my door, bringing in a report or asking me to decide something. I rarely get any time for myself."
"Why are you spending it with me, then?" Bilbo couldn't help but ask.
Thorin gave him a look that was a mixture of disbelief and frustration. He smoothed out his features quickly though, taking a sip of his tea.
"Because I enjoy your company," Thorin said. There was warmth in his eyes that caused the fire in Bilbo's belly to come back and spread upwards until it filled his chest.
"Oh," Bilbo said, feeling at a loss. He gave Thorin a smile. "I am glad we were able to put the past behind us and become friends."
Something in Thorin's eyes shuttered and his smile turned a little strained.
"Indeed."
Bilbo could have kicked himself for reminding the dwarf of their complicated history, right when they had been getting along so well.
"You can come here again, if you like," Bilbo said, trying to repair the damage he had caused with his words. "My door is always open to visitors."
"Even unpleasant ones?" Thorin cocked his head to the side, his momentary bad mood leaving.
"No," Bilbo admitted. "Those usually get ignored, if possible. I must say that such a thing was much easier to do in the Shire, where I could see who was behind the door through the windows. On the other hand, there are much fewer people here that I would want to avoid. Hiding from visitors was a nearly daily occurrence for me back at home."
"Was it?" Thorin raised his eyebrows. "I thought you were fond of visitors."
"Did Gandalf tell you that?" Bilbo raised an eyebrow of his own. "He did, didn't he, when he tried to convince you that I would be perfectly happy to have thirteen dwarves bunking in my house."
Thorin coughed a little, looking a bit embarrassed.
"He assured me that you knew about our visit."
Bilbo chuckled despite himself, finding the entire situation amusing in retrospect.
"No, he came to my door, being all cryptic and mysterious and talking about adventures. Then he announced that he would be around for tea and left. I had no idea there would be a treasure hunting party at my home the next day."
"I suppose I should apologise for that," Thorin said. "I am afraid some of us may have acted rather presumptuous that night."
Presumptuous would be an understatement, Bilbo thought with amusement as he remembered Thorin's own haughty manner, but outwardly he gave Thorin a nod and a smile.
"Apology accepted. I must say that I find the entire anecdote rather amusing, now that I have had enough time to reflect on it, though it didn't seem that way when it was happening." He took another sip of his tea. "There is one thing I have always wondered about."
"What is it?"
"Was the entire quest your idea, or Gandalf's?" Bilbo asked. "You seemed very determined to get your kingdom back when you came to my house that night, and yet it always struck me as strange that it had taken you more than hundred and fifty years before you decided to reclaim Erebor. From what Balin told me, you all had been quite content with your life in the Blue Mountains." He gave Thorin a curious look. "What made you change your mind so suddenly?"
Thorin shook his head, muttering something that sounded like:"How can you be so sharp and yet so clueless at the same time, I will never understand."
Bilbo leaned forward, unsure if he'd heard right.
"Pardon?"
Thorin straightened, clearing his throat.
"I had always hoped that I would be able to return to Erebor one day," he said, "but I had almost given up hope of it happening in my lifetime. The meeting with Gandalf was...fortuitous. He told me of the secret entrance and my father's key and helped resurrect a very old dream. I suppose that it was the height of foolishness, to try and take back the mountain with fourteen people." He grimaced. "Yet at that time, I would have killed the dragon myself, if I could."
Bilbo gave him an understanding smile.
"I know what you mean. I spent years convinced that nothing would make me leave my comfortable home and then Gandalf came along, filling my head with visions of faraway lands and adventures. I suppose he has that effect on people."
"He does," Thorin nodded. "It is a dangerous gift to have."
They drank the rest of their tea in companionable silence and Bilbo eventually went back to his weaving loom, to continue working on the tapestry. Thorin sat down in a nearby chair, watching him work.
"How do you create the tapestry?" Thorin asked, sifting carefully through Bilbo's mountain of coloured threads.
"This is called a warp," Bilbo said, pointing at the wall of vertical black threads he was creating. "It serves as a basis for the tapestry. The horizontal strings are called a weft. Usually when one weaves something you mix the layers together, but with a tapestry the vertical threads serve as a sort of canvas for the colours. I can show you how I create the pattern if you come here in a few days, but the work will be very slow. It takes a lot of time before I get the proportions just right."
"It is a fascinating skill," Thorin said with genuine admiration.
"I think the elves came up with it," Bilbo said, "but I learned it from my mother. Besides teaching me elvish, she also taught me how to weave and embroider. Some might think that those are skills more suited to women, but I consider those crafts just another way to create something beautiful. Since I will never have children, I think it's nice that there will be something left as my legacy when I die."
He saw Thorin's alarmed gaze and hastened to reassure him.
"Do not worry; I am not planning to die for at least another fifty years. In fact, I would like to outlive the Old Took, who holds the current record as the oldest living hobbit at hundred and thirty years. I still have enough time left for a hundred tapestries." He gave Thorin a reassuring smile. The dwarf relaxed a little, lifting a golden strand to examine it more closely. It reminded Bilbo of a distant memory.
"Do you still play the harp?" Bilbo asked.
Thorin gave him a startled look.
"You remember?"
"Of course I do," Bilbo said. "It was the song you played that night in my living room that finally convinced me to come with you on that foolish adventure. I was all prepared to tell Gandalf where he can stick his meddling when I heard all of you singing and playing and realized that I wanted to see that mountain for myself."
Thorin looked thoughtful.
"I did not know that."
"I didn't advertise it." Bilbo smiled. "Would you be willing to play again, some time? The elves played the harp a lot while they were here, but it wasn't quite the same."
"It has been several years since I last played the instrument," Thorin said slowly.
Bilbo shrugged.
"You don't have to play if you do not want to. I still have the flute that Bofur gave me a few years ago, but I haven't touched it since last winter. I wouldn't dare try to play anything in public, because it would sound like I am tormenting an owl. I'm not looking for a performance," he told Thorin with a look. "I just thought it might be something you enjoy. I am sorry if I made presumptions."
"You do not have to apologise. Your guess was correct; I am just a little out of practice."
"You can practice here if you like," Bilbo said before he could think about his words. "As I said, I am not looking for a performance."
Thorin was silent for so long that Bilbo thought he might have said something wrong. When the dwarf finally raised his head, there was something warm in his eyes when he looked at Bilbo.
"I will be glad to accept your offer. May I come here tomorrow?"
"Of course," Bilbo said. "I think I will be spending most of my evenings here anyway, working on the tapestry, so I will be glad for some company. Unless I am much mistaken, your nephews will relocate here the moment they find about my absence from the common room, so you will not be wanting for audience."
"No indeed," Thorin said, the corners of his mouth turning upwards. He stood up. "The hour is getting late. I believe I should take my leave."
Bilbo stood up as well, following him to the door.
"I am looking forward to hearing you play," he told the dwarf before he could open the door.
"Goodnight, Master Baggins." Thorin gave him a little bow and a smile and left, closing the door behind him softly.
"Goodnight," Bilbo told the already closed door, wondering what was wrong with him when a single smile from Thorin could make his head spin.
He remembered Thorin's promise to come for a visit tomorrow and grinned, the anticipation making him giddy for a moment. He belatedly realized that he probably looked half mad, standing in an empty room grinning like a loon, but couldn't bring himself to care because there was nobody to see it.
°O°O°O°
"What did you do to Thorin?" Kíli asked him a week later. He was sitting perched on the coffee table next to the loom, watching Bilbo work with interest. His brother stood a few feet away, perusing Bilbo's books.
"I keep hearing that question disturbingly often lately," Bilbo murmured. "Why do you think I did anything to him?"
"We saw him carrying a harp the other day." The dwarves exchanged a meaningful glance.
Bilbo shrugged.
"Yes, he sometimes comes to my quarters and plays it while I weave. It's a pleasant way to spend the evening."
They both looked at him like he had grown a second head.
"Thorin hasn't touched a harp since the battle," Fíli said quietly.
"Oh." Bilbo had no idea what to say to that. Should he apologise to Thorin for making him do something he did not want to? But Thorin hadn't looked unhappy when he played the instrument in Bilbo's quarters. Quite the opposite. He seemed...content when he sat in Bilbo's living room, plucking at the strings of his harp.
"I did not force him to do anything," Bilbo said, meeting their gaze. "I simply asked him whether he still plays the instrument. I had no idea there was some taboo attached to it."
"It's not a taboo," Fíli said, making a face. "We're just a little surprised. It's true that he seems less on edge lately, more relaxed." They exchanged another glance that Bilbo couldn't decipher, before they both turned curious eyes on him.
"How often does he visit?" Kíli asked, trying way too hard to sound casual. Bilbo's eyebrows drew together.
"Every other evening or so. He has a lot of duties to attend to, as I understand it. And before you ask – no, I am not forcing him to come here as some sort of twisted penance for banishing me. He seems to enjoy spending his time here and I don't mind the company."
They both frowned a bit.
"So he just...plays the harp here?" Kíli asked.
Bilbo gave him a puzzled look.
"Of course. What else should he be doing here? I offered to lend him some of my books, but his dislike of elves keeps him from reading them. I had to recount some of the stories where the elves behave especially foolishly to get him to even open one."
"Right," Kíli said, looking like he was desperately trying to hold back laughter. Fíli looked torn between disbelief and amusement.
"What is so funny?" Bilbo asked.
Kíli started laughing, his giggles always starting anew whenever he looked at Bilbo. Fíli just shook his head in exasperation.
"Honestly," Kíli said once he got his mirth under control, "this entire situation is just ridiculous."
Bilbo felt utterly lost.
"If you do not believe me, you can just come by this evening and see for yourself."
The brothers exchanged another amused look.
"Oh, we believe you," Fíli said. "But I think we might come for a visit anyway, just for the entertainment value."
He put Bilbo's book back on the shelf and started towards the door.
"I have to go; my guard duty is starting in ten minutes." He looked at his brother. "Are you coming?"
Kíli shook his head.
"I'm not needed anywhere. I think I'll just stay with our favourite hobbit for a while and keep him company."
Fíli nodded and walked out, leaving them alone.
"Can I ask you for a favour?" Bilbo asked the dark-haired dwarf. Kíli shrugged.
"Depends on the favour." He gave Bilbo a playful grin. Bilbo smacked his knee.
"Not that kind of favour." He stood up to find his tape measure.
"Pity," Kíli said behind him. Bilbo turned slowly.
"Did you mean that?" He hastened to continue before the dwarf could say anything. "I don't mind the flirting. I really don't, but I would hate it if you thought that I was leading you on in some way."
Kíli's grin dimmed a bit.
"I won't deny that the thought crossed my mind once or twice before, but I'm not looking for anything serious right now and I'm well aware that your attention lies elsewhere."
Bilbo gaped.
"Am I that transparent?"
Kíli gave him a sympathetic smile.
"Don't worry, it's not very obvious. I just know where to look."
Bilbo didn't feel very reassured by that. If Kíli was able to find out that Bilbo was attracted to Thorin, what about the others?
"Does anybody else know?"
Kíli shook his head.
"I don't think so. Balin seems to be rather amused by the whole situation, but nobody else seems to have noticed."
Bilbo breathed a small sigh of relief.
"What was the favour you wanted from me?" Kíli asked, putting the conversation back on track. Bilbo remembered the tape measure in his hand.
"I need to take your measurements."
Kíli's eyebrows shot up.
"This should be interesting."
Bilbo took a few steps closer.
"Not all of them, just a few."
"Go ahead." Kíli slid down from the table and spread his arms in invitation.
Bilbo stepped behind him, measuring the width of his shoulders.
"Really," Kíli said when Bilbo bent down to measure the dwarf's height, "if I didn't know any better, I would think you were coming on to me."
Bilbo looked up in alarm. Kíli started laughing.
"Oh, Bilbo, you should have seen your face right now. I should definitely do this more often. It's so much fun to rile you up."
Bilbo straightened and put the tape measure around the base of the dwarf's neck, pulling it a little tighter than necessary. Kíli's grin grew.
"If someone saw us right now, they would get the entirely wrong impression."
Bilbo couldn't help but smile.
"I think poor Ori is half-convinced that we are sleeping together, after the stunt you pulled at the tournament."
Kíli started chuckling.
"Oh, that's hilarious. Ori has always been awfully gullible. When we were younger, me and Fíli managed to convince him that dwarven babies are made of stone and their parents have to mine them from the rock. Poor bloke blushed for a month when he finally found out the truth."
"That wasn't very nice of you," Bilbo chided him. His serious tone wasn't very convincing though, because a grin kept tugging at his lips.
"No," Kíli agreed, "but it was a lot of fun."
"I bet you thought so," Bilbo said. His smile dimmed a bit. "It might be fun that you managed to fool Ori, but I am afraid that he isn't the only one who thinks that about us. I would hate it if your reputation suffered because of a rumour."
Kíli waved a careless hand.
"Everyone here knows I like to flirt and the local dwarves are awful gossips. Made-up affairs are their daily bread. Their tales have already paired me up with half the Company. It's a pity you had to be caught up in it, too, but if you give it a few weeks, they'll get bored and moved on."
His grin returned to full force.
"Should I tell you about the time when they thought I had an affair with Ori? They were convinced that we were having secret meetings between the bookshelves. Poor Ori was so flustered by the rumour that when he finally heard about it, he barricaded himself in the library for a week. Once, they even paired me up with my brother." He made a face. "That was really disturbing, but didn't last long, because mum announced that she would personally duel anyone caught spreading the rumour. I've never seen a rumour die so fast."
Bilbo smiled at the image.
"I can believe that. Your mother is a formidable woman."
"She is," Kíli said fondly. He gave the tape measure in Bilbo's hand a curious glance. "What do you need my measurements for?"
"That's a secret," Bilbo told him. Kíli pouted.
"That's not fair. Here I am, helping you out of the goodness of my heart and you won't even tell me why you need it?"
"You'll find out soon enough," Bilbo promised. "But if you need further incentive, I can bake you a few apple pies after lunch."
Kíli's expression smoothed out.
"You would?"
"Yes," Bilbo nodded.
"All right," Kíli agreed. "It's a secret."
"Thank you," Bilbo said, writing down the numbers. "Will you and Fíli come for a visit tonight, then?"
"We might as well."
They spent several pleasant hours in Bilbo's quarters chatting while Bilbo worked on the tapestry. Kíli left him after lunch, because he had a watch and Bilbo used the peace and quiet to go to the royal kitchen and bake a batch of pies and cookies under the ever-watchful gaze of Bombur's mother. He was quite pleased with his work when he finished and carried most of the food to his quarters to store it away for his guests.
Thorin arrived an hour after dinner and went straight to his usual armchair, laying his carefully wrapped harp into the chair next to him. He had stopped asking permission to sit several days ago, a fact that pleased Bilbo to no end. The atmosphere between them had become much more relaxed after they had done away with the formalities.
Before they could start a conversation, there was a knock on the door. Thorin looked up in puzzlement. Bilbo suppressed an amused smile and went to open the door.
"Good evening!" Fíli exclaimed merrily, striding into the quarters with his brother in tow. Thorin watched their approach with a frown.
"I forgot to mention that we might have some company tonight," Bilbo told the bemused dwarf. "Your nephews became convinced that I am holding you prisoner here and forcing you to play for me, so they came to investigate."
"Oi!" Kíli called, laughing. "You invited us."
Bilbo gave a dramatic sigh.
"I suppose I did." He shook his head in mock exasperation.
"Is that any way to treat your guests?" Kíli said, grinning.
"There are pies in the kitchen," Bilbo mentioned casually.
Kíli's eyes lit up.
"Apple pies?"
Bilbo gave him a look.
"I promised you pies, didn't I?" His gaze shifted to Fíli. "In case your brother eats all the pies, there are also cookies."
Both young dwarves shot to the kitchen. Bilbo chuckled at their antics.
"I am afraid your evening will not be as quiet as you had hoped," he told Thorin. The dwarf's frown disappeared and he gave Bilbo a small smile.
"I expected that they would find me sooner or later," Thorin said, looking toward the kitchen door. "I must admit that I am a bit surprised it took them so long to come after us."
"Do not worry, I made sure there would be plenty of cookies for everyone," Bilbo said. He raised his voice. "Kíli, bring the whole tray to the living room. You can eat it here and your uncle would probably like to have a few cookies, too."
They emerged a few minutes later, carrying trays with tea and baked goods. Kíli took a plate with an apple pie and went to sit in the corner, guarding his food jealously. Fíli sat down next to Thorin and watched his brother's antics with amusement. Bilbo went to pour himself a cup of tea from the pot and sat back down at the loom to continue his work.
The dwarves started a conversation about Erebor's mines that Bilbo found little interest in, so he turned all his attention to the canvas before him, trying to make sure he had the proportions right. He soon became immersed in his work, tuning out the company entirely. After a while, he realized that he was humming in tune with the harp that was playing one of Thorin's favourite melodies somewhere behind him.
He also realized that the room was conspicuously silent. He stopped his humming and turned to face the dwarves.
"Does my humming bother you?" he asked Thorin. "I didn't even realize that I had joined in. If you want to just play for your nephews, I can keep silent."
"We don't mind," Fíli shook his head. Both he and his brother had thoughtful expressions on their faces when they looked between him and Thorin. Bilbo looked at Thorin, seeking confirmation.
"You do not need to stop on my account," Thorin said, the corners of his eyes crinkling in amusement. "You have been humming for several days now. If I found it bothersome, I would have told you already."
Bilbo gave them all one more searching look to make sure they weren't just saying it out of politeness, but they all seemed sincere. He shrugged, turning back to the loom. Behind him, he heard Kíli whisper: "Wait till mum hears about this." He had no idea what that meant, but wasn't very eager to find out.
The harp picked up again and Bilbo soon joined in, humming the now familiar melody. Fíli said something behind him that made his brother laugh and the conversation resumed, creating a pleasant background noise for Bilbo's work. With his back to them, Bilbo smiled widely, his chest filling with a feeling of contentment.
He may have left his relatives in the Shire, but he had found a new family here. With a jolt he realized that he now counted Thorin among them, even though his exact position was still unclear.
As the tones of the harp carried around Bilbo's living room, filling the room with music, Bilbo found himself hoping that there would be many evening like this in the future.
To be continued...
Thank you so much for all the support you give me! I love reading comments with your insights about the story. Every time I see a new comment or story favourite, my day gets a little brighter :)
Writing this story is like being snuggled in my favourite warm fluffy blanket. It's fun and comfortable and I love playing with all the characters. This chapter practically wrote itself. When I first started the romance, I was a bit worried that Bilbo and Thorin would be awkward together, but luckily they have wonderful chemistry. I just plop them in a room together and they effortlessly fill pages on end with banter. I really adore these two :)
The next two chapters will be a little more serious in tone, as the anniversary of the battle (and other unpleasant events) approaches, but if you bear with me, I will make it worth your while.
Next chapter will be posted on October 5.