A new fic I have been thinking about. This will be an Omega Bilbo fic, but in this story, hobbits are the only ones who have secondary genders. There is a bit to it, but all will be explained throughout the story. But just be aware that it is slash and there will probably be mentions of MPREG and male lactation at some point later on. Updates will be slow on this as I have other stories to work on and life is crazy. Oh, also I've made Bilbo a little younger, for no particular reason, just wanted to, will not have any impact at all throughout.
Also, I haven't decided on a pairing, at the moment I'm thinking a group pairing from within the company but if there is someone specific you really want to see Bilbo with, let me know!
I do not own anything.
Chapter One
Bilbo let out a soft sigh as he heard a loud knock at his door. He had just sat down to his supper, a quiet dinner after a quiet day. He was expecting no visitors and his mind immediately went to one of his more bothersome relations, trying once again to force a marriage upon his shoulders. They had become even more persistent the last few years. The idea of a Baggins omega living alone and unmated was enough to shock the whole of The Shire to its core.
He had refused most ardently every overture of marriage and mating that had come his way. For if one of them were meant to be they would have surely set off his heat. But seeing as how he had not experienced a heat in his whole life, he gathered that he just didn't view the hobbits in The Shire as being suitable mates. Lobelia Sackville-Baggins had been most insistent on getting him married off, no doubt hoping that he would move out of Bag End and she could take ownership. She had even offered to procure unmentionable herbs that would force Bilbo into a heat so that he could be mated, why the nerve of that hobbit!
So, it was with irritated anticipation that Bilbo pushed his chair out from the table and walked to the door. He swung it open, preparing to give Lobelia a rather loud piece of his mind, when he found himself face to face with none other than a dwarf!
The Dwarf was tall and muscular, with a long dark beard and a balding head. He seemed to be covered in armour and weapons and cut a very imposing figure on Bilbo's doorstep.
"Dwalin at your service" the dwarf said, his voice deep and rough.
Bilbo stood perplexed for a moment before remembering his manners.
"Bilbo Baggins at yours."
Bilbo moved to the side, allowing space for Dwalin to enter.
"Ah, come in, come in. I wasn't expecting company though."
Dwalin just grunted as he walked in, pulling off his cloak and throwing it at the small hobbit.
Bilbo rubbed his tired eyes as he hung the cloak on a hook and made his way back to the dining room where the unexpected visitor was currently eating his supper. He sighed, but before he could say anything there was another knock at the door.
He hurried back and was equally surprised to find another dwarf standing before him. Just what was going on here, he thought wonderingly.
This dwarf was much older with long white hair and an equally long white beard.
"Balin, at your service" the dwarf said with a bow.
Bilbo smiled a little unsurely. "Bilbo Baggins at yours."
Balin made his way into the smial greeting the other dwarf – Dwalin, with a large smile and a clashing of heads.
Bilbo followed behind, smiling a little bemusedly, he had never met a dwarf before.
"Is there any more food?" Dwalin grunted.
"Oh, yes of course!" Bilbo said hurrying to the pantry. Where were his manners?
He began pulling out seed cakes and fresh bread and cheese, laying it on the table with plates for the dwarves.
"Would you like a cup of tea?"
"Nah, wouldn't say no to a beer though" Balin said as he shoved another seed cake into his mouth, crumbs falling into his beard.
"Make that two" Dwalin said.
Bilbo nodded and went to pour two beers from the barrel in his pantry. He plopped them down on the table getting appreciative grunts.
There was another knock at the door, causing Bilbo to squawk "More!?"
"Fili" "and Kili at your service" the two dwarves said with a flourishing bow and broad grins.
"Just, hold on one moment!" Bilbo said as the two tried to make their way inside. Fili and Kili just pushed their way inside, "the others are right behind us" Fili said with a smile.
Before Bilbo even had time to shut the door, five more dwarves stumbled through, falling in a heap in the entryway.
"Now see here!" Bilbo cried rather shrilly, causing all present dwarves to pause and turn to him. He cleared his throat and started again. "This is my home! If you want to enter it take off your boots and hang your cloaks on the hooks. Two of you" he pointed to a white haired and red haired dwarf "you will get some more chairs, third door on the right, and bring them through to the dining room."
The dwarves stared in shock for a moment before hurrying to obey. Removing their boots and cloaks before several hurried off to get more chairs.
Bilbo walked into the kitchen to be greeted by the sound of cheering happy dwarves. They were hugging and banging heads, all with broad grins on their faces. None of them paid Bilbo any mind. Bilbo went to his pantry and started pulling out more food, a cooked chicken, wheels of cheese as well as a full leg of ham. He placed them all on the table as well as plates and cutlery. He pulled down more mugs and poured more beer, to loud cheers all round.
"So, this is our supposed burglar?" Dwalin said doubtfully as he ran his eyes over Bilbo.
Bilbo flushed at the discerning look he was suddenly being given by nine dwarves.
"Excuse me" Bilbo sputtered indignantly, "I am no burglar." Him a Baggins of Bag End, a burglar. The very idea was preposterous.
There was another knock at the door before anyone could respond and Bilbo groaned in exasperation.
"Oh, just come in!" He cried. "But take off your boots and cloaks!"
He looked up to find three more dwarves and Gandalf making their way into the kitchen. Fili ran off to get some more seats, as one more dwarf entered.
He was large and muscular with long dark hair and a short beard. He had the aura of a male who was used to being in charge and Bilbo found himself quite intimidated by his very presence.
"Ah, now that we are all here, shall we begin?" Gandalf asked with a small smile and a puff of his pipe.
"Begin what?" Bilbo asked indignantly. "No one has bothered to tell me a thing. House just gets invaded with strangers, eating all my food and trekking mud everywhere, without a word of explanation."
Gandalf just smiled more broadly.
"First let me introduce our whole company. This is Dwalin, Balin, Fili, Kili, Dori, Nori, Ori, Oin, Gloin, Bombur, Bifur, Bofur and this is, Thorin" he finished with a flourish, pointing to the last dwarf. "And we, are on a quest" Gandalf explained. "To reclaim the lost Kingdom or Erebor."
This brought another round of loud cheering from the assembled dwarves, with many a mug of beer being brandished about. Bilbo dismayed at the state of his table. Without thought Bilbo went and retrieved some more mugs for the newly arrived dwarves. He also pulled out another leg of ham and wheel of cheese and sat it on the table.
"How is the Kingdom lost?" Bilbo asked as he puttered around pulling out food and filling cups.
"Well, it's not exactly lost" Balin explained. "More like stolen…"
"Stolen? By whom?"
"A dragon" Thorin breathed, his dark eyes intense as he gauged Bilbo's reaction.
Bilbo blinked heavily as his brain tried to process that piece of information, before he dropped into an empty seat with a heavy thud.
It took a while longer for the whole story to be told and Bilbo still wasn't sure what to say. The idea seemed crazy, but he could feel his Took side stirring beneath his skin. A part of him longed to go and see mountains, explore caves, hear the pine trees. He couldn't deny the idea of getting away from some of his more forceful relatives was appealing. He looked around the table to find everyone staring at him, some with doubt clear in their eyes.
"I'll do it" he flushed as his voice croaked.
"Wonderful" Gandalf said, ignoring the unsure looks from the dwarves. "The contract Balin" the wizard said, elbowing the stout dwarf in the side.
"Oh, yes yes. Here it is" the white-haired dwarf said as he pulled out document from within his pocket.
Bilbo read it all very carefully, doing his best to ignore the parts about incineration, before signing carefully at the bottom.
A collective sigh of relief passed around the table and Bilbo thought this was the quietest he had heard the dwarves since they'd arrived.
"Well, if you'll excuse me, I best go and pack and get some sleep if we are to be off tomorrow" with a slight bow Bilbo exited the kitchen, leaving the company to their own devices.
The dwarves remained silent until Bilbo's bedroom door shut behind him, then several started talking at once.
"Just what do you think you're doing Gandalf! Bringing us here of all places" Thorin grumbled. "That hobbit is no burglar, more like a grocer."
"A fussy little thing" Dwalin said, "it would be a kindness to leave him behind. The journey will not be an easy one."
A few of the other dwarves nodded in agreement.
Gandalf frowned. "There is no one better for this task then Bilbo Baggins. Do not underestimate hobbits, they may be small, but they are fierce."
"Fierce?" Gloin grumbled. "He looks like a strong breeze will knock him over. He will be more of a hinderance then anything."
"Probably start complaining that his feet hurt before we've even left The Shire" Thorin muttered, to general laughter around the table.
"Oh, so you've managed to find an abundance of help to come on this journey with us, have you?" Gandalf asked as he looked down his nose at Thorin. "You have someone else who is willing to risk themselves as burglar to see you returned to your home?"
Thorin at least had the good grace to appear chastised as he shook his head.
"Bilbo Baggins is an exceptional hobbit. Who is in need of an adventure. Who is in need of an escape from this place."
"Why?" Bombur asked curiously.
Gandalf let out a deep sigh. "These are not my secrets to tell, I will tell you part, Bilbo will have to explain the rest when he feels he can trust you."
The dwarves nodded gravely; they took secrets very seriously.
"You see, hobbits are very social creatures. They hold great stock in family. Bilbo wasn't even fully grown when his parents passed away. He didn't want to move away from Bag End so he stayed here, alone and he has been alone all this time. You see most of the hobbits around here find Bilbo rather… strange."
"Strange, how?" Fili asked blonde brows furrowed. All of the dwarves were listening intently.
"You see, it is not widely known, and it is most important that you do not spread this information, but amongst hobbits they have a secondary gender. They are born male or female, but they are also either an alpha, beta or omega. Bilbo is an omega."
Gandalf took a long draw of his pipe before continuing.
"Omegas are the caregivers, the nurturers, though they are just as strong as an alpha or beta, don't let their smaller stature fool you. They crave love and affection, and it is quite unusual for an omega of Bilbo's 40 years to yet be unmated and unmarried. His family have been trying to pressure him into an arranged marriage for years. They have become most - unpleasant. They, of course blame it on his Tookish side."
The whole table looked thoroughly confused and a little upset on Bilbo's behalf.
"I don't really understand what that alpha, omega business means, but what, none of the hobbits around here are interested in Bilbo?" Kili asked. He hadn't known the hobbit long, but he found the small creature to be quite handsome.
Gandalf chuckled. "Quite the opposite actually, Kili. Male omegas are rare and highly sort after amongst hobbits, but omegas have a way of knowing if someone is right for them and unfortunately for Bilbo no one has been what he's looking for."
"How do they know?" Balin asked at the same time Bofur questioned "what exactly is an omega?"
"Now that, I will leave for Bilbo to explain" Gandalf said imperiously. "Bilbo could be the difference between failure and success on this journey, if you just give him the chance."
Everyone around the table nodded, some more begrudgingly than others.
Ori and Balin looked completely lost in thought, no doubt puzzling over all the half answers and vague information that Gandalf had just provided.
"Now, I suggest you find a place to rest for the evening, we will be off early."
With that Gandalf swept outside in a flourish of grey.
Everyone turned to stare at Thorin. "Well, you heard him, go, get some sleep, you'll need it."