This is still unedited. With my computer down it'll be harder to update weekly, bear with me here.

A little Fili/Bilbo but nothing seriouse and Bilbo is still oblivious. The next chapter will be dedicated to action and badass Tookish Bilbo. Until next time, enjoy the chapter.

~Old Hate And A Moment Of Relief

The day had past by when their company finally exhausted their energy. By the time the sun was setting their camp had already been finished. Quick and smooth which came hard for such a thrown together group. Thankfully they had one who knew every rule of order.

"Those chopped one go there. No Kili the chopped wood goes there not just everywhere." Our favorite king of hobbits had been helping out in cooking their food. It was no joke when he said he had skill with a knife.

Their stew cooked over the fire. Hands tried to grab a spoon and take early sampled but the keen eyes of their hobbit slapped them away. Bilbo threw in each ingredient as if it was a delicacy. Course he and Bomber had one giant debate about mushrooms as they worked, boring anyone close to sleep. It had been three days and Gandalf felt glad to note some progress had been made between his hobbit and the dwarves. Bilbo was never one to sit while everyone worked. He was king and had a habit of being a workaholic.

Giving out instructions came as a second nature to him. Being closer with his travel companions made it much more simpler. Thorin let it pass without a breeze, either due to the fact his cooking was unmatched or there was some doubt starting to grow after Bilbo discussed the history of hobbits. The sundering of hobbits had reminded him all too well if an experience he never wished to repeat. Halflings might have some fight in them after all.

"There, that should be the last of it." Bilbo wiped the sweat off his forehead and sighed. The second the dwarves heard the sentence come out of his mouth they surrounded the boiling bowl of stew he created with much help. Still wished he added more mushrooms but turns out dwarves can't stomach those he described.

He long ago had learned to give up on teaching them table manners. Not even the most boring proper hobbit could compel them to use the right spoon and fork. He would have more luck teaching a bird! Sighing, he sat by the fire with his closest acquaintances enjoying dinner and a few sharing old stories and jests. Bofur on his right and Ori to his left. Bofur seemed to accept him the easiest out of all. The merrier one out of all of them and Ori was interested in hobbit lore. The more he talked about it the more questions popped up.

Bilbo figured it out, they wanted to thank his race this way. The hobbits were the only one who had answered their call if help from the dragon. Once every thing was over they have another reason to be grateful of the hobbit race.

Although he wasn't a king here, he could always try and make a suggestion of treaty. He would strive to learn more about dwarves as well. This would be the first time his race interacted with those of the outside world. But things were changing, and they might need to change if they want to survive the problems they were facing now. He asked numerous question on trade and how they did it.

Hobbit trade was quite the funny business even in his perspective. Instead of arguing for the highest sum or product to trade they did it the complete opposite. In the end there were never hard feelings, usually ended up a laughing matter. Bilbo was concerned on how they were going to trade with those outside their race. They had a partnership with the elves of Rivendell and had a weekly exchange of resources especially during winter but ever since the fall of their king and queen, they were to traumatized to deal with anything outside anymore.

Bilbo did his best, he settled down the commotion about the rangers coming around The Shire every now and then. The bounders saw it suspicious and followed suit were the citizens. Bilbo shook his head when the option to defend was brought up, he ordered his more polite and easy going bounders to talk to the rangers. Once the misunderstanding was cleared the people of his had pitched in to make sure rangers got nothing but respect from them once entering the kingdom. Not a lot came but those who did were pleasant enough.

It gave some hope the world outside was not so dark and scary as everyone thought it was. Bilbo heard before from a wise gentlehobbit how good still lived in this world, they needed to realize it was worth fighting for.

As he sat lost in his own thoughts again, a pair of blue eyes were watching him. Amidst the ruckus his friends were making he had a lot of his focus on the dazed hobbit who had finished his food faster than they were capable of.

The hobbit wasn't speaking as much as he did yesterday and the day after that. Said he was out of stories to tell but humored the others to share theirs. A lot had stories of scandalous affairs which made a blush appear on the burglars cheeks. Fili chuckled at his sensitivity to such things. He wondered if things about Bilbo were just regular hobbitish antics or maybe he was just unique.

There were several failures of trying to converse for more than minute with the halfling. Bilbo was always moving here and there doing something. He was glad he tried to help but one night of just him and the burglar to get to know each other wouldn't hurt.

Then morning came, they were back on the road. Bilbo's wary was full from his hunt last night. The forests around them were filled with howls of a great predator and soon silence, as if to say the game was over. Some swore they saw the warg by a cliff and howling at the moon. They also swore they saw a small silhouette approaching the beast and scold it. The howls immediately stopped after that.

Fili road behind Bilbo as usual and watch as the hobbit was fiddling with his red coat. Curious and thought it would be a good excuse to talk crept up behind the hobbit to see what he was doing.

"Bilbo, what are you doing?" He asked, eyeing the needle in his fingers.

Bilbo snapped his head up to see him. Realizing he had crept up behind him while busy must have surprised him. Fili laughed and pointed at the needle.

"Oh." Bilbo held up his coat showing one of the buttons were loose and hanging off a thread. "Fixing my jacket. No excuse for lousy attire, unacceptable for a gentlehobbit."

Fili amused, shook his head. "Hobbits and your clothes."

"Dwarves and your weapons." Bilbo retorted, rolling his eyes as he did.

Fili did a mock-offended look. "You did not just say that!"

The hobbit laughed, "Well you wax them every chance you get. They are sharp enough!"

"No excuse for lousy weaponry."

A bell-like laugh escaped the burglar's lips. "Alright, you got me there."

"Are you sure you should be doing that while horseback?"

"These fingers have been making crochets since I was but a babe. I can handle this."

Relenting he watched as the hobbit did his work. Elegant hands, thin but a few cuts there. So he had faced battle before. Preferably with a knife and maybe a sword but from how soft they looked Bilbo might also prefer long distance assault and so might like using a bow. Yet he did not bring one. Strange. When they did stop for a rest, Bilbo had come over to talk to Bomber about lunch when Fili passed by and his eyes caught a tear on his sleeve.

He was at his side in a blink of an eye.

"Fili, your jacket has been damaged!"

Fili almost jumped when he saw it was Bilbo. Then looked at where the hobbit gestured. Seeing the small cut on his sleeve made him laugh. Way too hard. Bilbo seemed

affronted by his reaction and waited fr him to finish.

Fili regained his composition and said "You hobbits. What are you going to do about it?"

"Me?! Aren't you supposed to take care if your clothes?" Bilbo did a grand gesture to his fixed cloak, as if it never was damaged in the first place.

"You actually warriors such as us know how to sew?" Fili asked, as if he should know the answer already.

Bilbo felt his mouth open and close to find a retort but could think of none. This simply could not do.

"Give it here."

"Huh?"

"I'll fix it."

The taller male was taken back.

"That...you shouldn't- it's nothing really!"

Yet he would have none of it. The hobbit held out his hand, tapping his foot impatiently.

Seeing as Bilbo was not budging, Fili sighed and took of his jacket and handed it over. Though Before he could leave with his jacket, an idea popped into his head.

Grabbing his shoulder, Fili turned the halfling back to him.

"How about I make this even. I do something for you in return."

Bilbo opened his mouth to say no payment was needed then hesitated.

"Your not taking no for an answer are you?" He asked but knew what was going to be said.

Fili grinned, "Glad to see you understanding more about dwarves."

"Yes, you are stubborn."

"I'll take that as a compliment."

Bilbo thought on what he could possibly have Fili do in return. It's not like he doesn't help Bilbo already. Whenever he needed someone to get more firewood the blond was the first to volunteers, or whenever he couldn't carry anything too heavy he would find the weight gone and in Fili's hold. Maybe he wanted to befriend him.

"Fine. You sure you would do anything?"

Fili nodded. "Yes, anything."

Bilbo grew serious, narrowing his eyes. "Anything I want?"

Anything I want? Sudden thoughts spread through his mind such as things he could do for Bilbo. Controlling the heat threatening to rise on his face he banished those thoughts away. Focus!

"Yes." He swallowed, throat suddenly dry.

"Alright then." Bilbo looked around to make sure no one was looking. Then whispers to him. "But this will just between you and me. No one must know."

When he saw him raise a brown the hobbit explained.

"I have something beneath here that needs to be taken care of."

The dwarf's eyes widened as a blush finally showed itself on his face. His heart beat quickened and the atmosphere suddenly felt hot. Could he possibly be suggesting..., those thoughts came back with a vengeance and excitement mixed with shock made the butterfly in his stomach to summersault.

"Mm-hm. I need you to be gentle with it."

Oh Mahal, Fili felt his heart ready to burst out if his chest. Blood rushed down his veins and as he stared at the smaller form in front of him he froze in place.

"Bilbo, I promise I will take this slowly"

"Great." Bilbo fished out a knife from his pocket. It's hilt made of gold and the blade double-edged. There were designs of roots and leafs decorating the hilt. "This is a gift from my mum and I need you to polish it for me. I have little skill in that but I know you know a lot about weapons!" He placed the knife in his hand and happily walked away saying to return it to him once he was done.

Bilbo returned to his warg and unloaded his things. He petted Trevor's furred head. Outbid nowhere Gandalf came stomping out of the abandoned farm house muttering under his breath about dwarves.

Uh oh, seems someone had a bit of a disagreement.

"Gandalf, where are you going?"

Fili remained staring at the knife in his hand.

"Fee?" Kili came. "Why are you just standing there?"

"Oh! Nothing, definitely nothing. Um, I need to polish this for Bilbo." He showed the knife to his brother.

"Okay then, but you seemed space out just then. That's been happening a lot since we started this journey. Be honest with me Fee. What's wrong?"

The two had a major staring contest. Fili surprised his brother noticed. He must have been doing it far too much but he appreciated the concern his sibling showed. Between them, no secrets are kept after all. That was a promise made over since they were children.

"I...I think I have some sort of attraction to Bilbo." He confessed, scratching the back of his neck sheepishly.

Kili stayed wide eyed for a moment. Then whirled around to check for anyone who might have heard.

"Well I can't blame your for attraction but how far?"

Fili shook his head, "I don't know."

Bilbo massaged his temples and prayed they would make it out this night without their wizard. They had no need for Gandalf's magic the night before.

He turned to talk to his dwarves majesty. Unsurprisingly he found the dwarf brooding inside the ruins of the house.

"Mind telling me what that was about?" Bilbo pointed at the retreating form if the wizard.

"The wizard says we need to make it for the elves. I shall not have it!" Thorin growled.

"I see, I remember the wood elves not coming to your aid during the dragon attack." Bilbo said thoughtfully.

Thorin clenched his fists. "They have betrayed us and the treaty, these elves won't be any different."

"But the elves Gandalf were referring to were the elves of Imladris. They aren't wood elves whom I've heard to be quite less wise and more rash."

"I cannot deny that but elves shall remain elves." He spat, malice showing in his striking gaze.

"Funny, I remember those elves in Rivendell being quite resentful to the ones in Greenwood as well." Bilbo mused, guileless to Thorin's intense hatred.

"You have made contact with those elves?" Thorin glared, pacing around.

"Yes, well used to. Not since my pa- er King and Queen's death. Hobbits were too scared then. But before we had a healthy trading partnership." Bilbo recalled on a memory. "My mum knew their Lord. He came to her and her husbands funeral, sent me his condolences."

The dwarf thought over what he had just said, obviously found it unexpected.

"Now I know your mad and you have a right to. But know not every individual can be judged by their race. I see this dwarven company and I notice the toy maker, the cook, the thief, the scribe, the scholar, etc. Most are having it hard accepting me but others have not. Every individual is different and has their own unique opinions and thoughts." Bilbo turned to face the direction of the camp. "At least give the elves who had sent aid to us when the wolves attack a chance. I would like to thank them for saving a few of my friend's life."

He left after saying all he could. He had no clue whether they had some influence over the leader but he prayed to see Rivendell. He had amends to make and a visit long overdue.

Thorin on the other hand, fell silent. These new piece of information causing his mind to think.

"Hhmmm..."

That night, Bilbo had finished cooking and decided to check up on the boys who were sent to watch the ponies. Carrying two bowls of dinner he headed into the woods to find the brothers. They seemed adamant to leave camp for some reason. When he came close, there was sometimes that felt wrong. An alarm in his head told him that there was trouble close by. Fearing for the two boys he quickened his pace. He came close to sighing his relief when he saw them still there together. Walking up to them he said cheerily.

"Dinner's ready." He appeared between them

"Bilbo!" Fili yelped and backed away.

"We have a problem." Kili stated, ignoring his brother. "We were supposed to watch over sixteen ponies-"

The blond remembered the situation they were in and finished "now there are fourteen."