Bofur was waiting at the bottom of the steps. I smiled nervously when he saw me, then descended the stairs and took his hand, pulling him along with me as I walked with as much determination as I could muster.
I wanted this, didn't I? My memories slid back to when I first experienced physical intimacy on the road to Bree all those years ago. When I was taken advantage of, blinded by the poor excuse that I thought was love. I had not been with another man since.
"Everything alright?" Bofur asked after a few moments, breaking the awkward silence that had arisen as I had lost myself to my thoughts.
"Yes." I replied with confidence, but still he tugged me to a stop, forcing me to turn and look at him and bringing me back into focus.
"I thought we were just going for some air?" he enquired slowly with raised brows.
I smiled slightly and cast my eyes to the ground in embarrassment. I wasn't sure how to tactfully explain my new intentions. Instead I took a calming breath and grabbed hold of Bofur's other hand so that I held both within my own.
"Well... instead I thought we could spend the rest of the evening together... alone." I suggested, trying not to bite my lip. "Unless you would prefer to just stay at the party?"
A dawning realization spread across Bofur's face before turning into an expression of concern.
Mortification began spreading through me as I worried my advances were completely unwelcome, but then Bofur squeezed my hands and his eyes softened. "Lead on." he said simply.
I let out a small sigh of relief and nodded, then began pulling him along with me once more, pointedly looking ahead. He said nothing for a few moments, but then slowed and said my name to get my attention.
"We don't have to, you know." he offered seriously.
"But I want to." I replied breathlessly, casting him a quick glance.
After a few more moments of agonizing silence we were finally at my front door.
"This is it." I said, undoing the lock and stepping inside. "It's not much." I added self-consciously as he came in behind me.
I quickly swept over to the fireplace and brought the low embers back to life while Bofur cautiously stepped further into the room, surveying it thoughtfully. Still feeling somewhat hesitant, I then ducked past him into the kitchen area where I pulled out my nabbed bottle of brandy and poured out two small glasses. I smiled slightly as I stepped up closer to him with my offering. He took it wordlessly and chinked his glass with my own before tipping back the harsh liquid – not bothering to pretend to like it this time. Bofur frowned at me but then drank his down all the same.
He made a noise of amusement, however, when he was through."Now where did you get that?" he remarked, his voice sounding suddenly impressed as he stepped over to pick up the flask for closer inspection. "It's a finer quality brandy than anything I've ever tasted... sort of wasted on you, seein' as you don't even like it."
I couldn't help but laugh. "Friends in high places." I remarked with a dismissive shrug. "Consider it a welcome home gift from the Master of Laketown. Please, help yourself to it, I don't think I'll be wanting more."
Bofur grinned and tapped his nose before pouring himself another dram. I wandered back over towards the fire and removed my coat, then simply stood twirling my hair as I pondered what next to do.
Bofur, seeming to notice my unsure state, finished his drink and then walked over to stand in front of me.
"You're nervous." he alleged, his eyes creased with a knowing worry as he took up my hands then gently pulled me over to the sofa. He eased me onto it then sat down beside me while keeping a careful distance between us.
I shook my head, finally registering his words. Truthfully I was mostly just anxious because I did not know what to expect, nor what was expected. My limited experience with men was dismal and I was worried that I would disappoint him, or worse - that he would disappoint me.
I became aware that he was still studying me as I pensively chewed on my lip. I lost myself for another moment in the warmth of his eyes and I realized that this time would be different, it had to be. I had grown to love him, slowly and truly.
I trusted him. I knew him.
I only hoped he felt the same.
"How long have we known each other?" I asked him suddenly, breaking out of my musings.
Bofur thought for a moment. "Near on five months now." he replied with conviction.
I nodded. "Five months... it may not seem like a long time to you. But now, for me, I can hardly imagine a life without you in it." I began, somewhat tentatively. "It feels like I have always known you, or like I was always meant to..." I shook my head, feeling like I wasn't quite correctly expressing what I was feeling. "What I'm trying to say, is that you don't make me nervous. I've trusted you since the moment I met you."
Bofur smiled warmly at me and my courage blossomed, so I took a breath and then continued. "I'm nervous because I don't really know what to do, and what's allowed."
"Allowed?" Bofur repeated slowly, tilting his head somewhat.
"Between us now." I tried to clarify. "I'm not sure what I'm allowed to do, what's acceptable in your eyes. I've spent the whole journey here making mistakes and upsetting you."
Bofur shook his head and began to spout reassurances, but I cut him off.
"It's true though." I insisted. "Yet now, I think something has changed." I smiled somewhat coyly and scooted slightly closer to him. "Still, just for clarification, and so I don't make a fool of myself anymore, would I be correct in thinking that I am now freely allowed to do this?" I took up his hands and laced my fingers through them.
Bofur smiled. "Always." he said cheerfully.
I nodded and grinned. "And what about this?"
I leaned forward and pressed my mouth to his, kissing him more passionately now that we were alone, running my tongue along his lips and opening my mouth to him. I felt warmth spread throughout my body but managed to pull away, then backed up and looked at him questioningly.
"Aye. You can do that whenever you like." Bofur responded rather huskily.
"Whenever I like?" I repeated with a questioning smile. Bofur nodded, tracing slow circles on the back of my hand with his thumb.
"And... what about this?"
He looked at me in confusion as I moved to stand up, then his eyes widened when I proceeded to hike up my skirts, clamber onto his lap then straddle him entirely. My heart was pounding in my chest and I realized that I was truly scared - not of him, but of becoming intimate with someone new... of their reactions to me... of rejection.
Bofur, however, seemed far from objecting as he placed his hands on my hips, gripping them lightly as he stared up at me with dark eyes. Emboldened, I carefully wrapped an arm around his shoulders and placed my other hand on his chest. Then I leaned into him, beginning to slowly kiss up his neck. My worries began to disappear as I realized that this was entirely new in comparison to the experiences I had in the past. With Bofur, being close to him, it felt good, and I genuinely wanted to be with him, in any which way I could. My growing enthusiasm must have become apparent as Bofur sighed, moving a hand onto my lower back in order to push me closer against him. When I reached his lips I kissed him again with growing need. Then he shifted and turned his head.
"Stop." he whispered, clearing his throat. I pulled my hands away and sat back, instantly tense.
"Not allowed?" I questioned softly, trying to keep my voice from sounding hurt.
"Definitely allowed." he replied, looking at me sheepishly but with a heavy glint in his eye, his hat crooked upon his head. "I just don't want to rush anything," he continued, "but in this position, Mahal, I might not be able to help myself."
I relaxed as his hand slowly trailed up my side, and then up to my neck, barely avoiding the curve of my breast as it moved up the front of my shoulder to my collar. He guided away a tress of my hair and rubbed it gently between his fingers.
"Your hair; it's so different than the dwarrowdams." he remarked distractedly, letting it slide over his hand.
"How so?" I asked curiously.
"Well it's much softer, like silk almost... smooth and straight. And it reflects the light, reminds me of gold..." he mused, still playing with it. "Dwarves have course hair, so thick and curly. It's a mess to work with."
"Would you braid it for me?" I asked hesitantly, meeting his eyes.
He looked surprised for a moment. "What do you mean by that?" he asked carefully.
I shrugged and looked down at his chest. "I'm not sure. Kili, he just told me I should ask you to braid it. Is that some kind of tradition? Though he and Fili braided my hair once and it didn't seem to mean anything..."
He tilted my chin up and looked at me, his eyes warm and inviting. "Many braids are meaningless, just decoration or for daily convenience, and they can be done by anyone, though it is often a form of bonding between dwarves... But yes, there are particular braids that are done as homage to ancient customs among my people." he explained gently, reaching his hand up once more to run his fingers down through my own strands before tucking them behind my ear. "If a dwarf man is courting a maiden, for instance, and his advances are accepted, his will put a courting braid in his lady's hair - she might even put one in his - as a way of... publicly displaying their intentions, and laying claim to one another."
I frowned, my cheeks now feeling somewhat hot, and began to mutter a broken apology for presuming I would be entitled to such a thing, but Bofur cut me off before I could embarrass myself further.
"Lass, don't be so worried! You know I've dreamed about putting a braid in your hair for longer than I care to admit!" he declared happily, but then cleared his throat and appraised me more seriously. "That is, if you're willing, of course, now that you know the meaning behind it?"
I nodded, feeling slightly overwhelmed. "Yes. Yes, of course." I replied breathlessly with a smile.
"I even made you something." Bofur added as he reached in his coat and then placed a small dark wooden bead in my hand. I held it up between my fingers; the surface was adorned with miniscule floral carvings.
"You made this, just for my hair?" I asked incredulously.
"I could usually do better, but time and materials were somewhat lacking." he admitted guiltily.
I shook my head. "No, it's perfect."
"Sit on the floor then, and I will claim you as my lass." Bofur ordered teasingly, causing me to smile once more as I obliged and got down to kneel on the rug in front of him. "I'm warning you though," he said from behind me, "I'm not an expert, it will just be a simple braid. Besides, you're hair looks best as it is."
He swiped most of my hair over my shoulder and grabbed a small section off to the side at the base of my neck. I felt his fingers brush against the skin on my shoulders as he worked. I handed him the bead when he asked for it and after a few moments he proclaimed he was finished.
I tenderly brought the braid over my shoulder and looked down to examine it. Simple perhaps by dwarvish standards, but to me it looked quite intricate, for it wasn't simply one braid, but three; two tiny ones encompassing a third slightly larger one, weaving around and through it in a delicate pattern and secured at the bottom with the bead and some sinew.
I turned around and looked up at him in awe, emotion flooding through me. I was quite at a loss for words and so I simply pushed myself up using his legs then planted a gentle kiss on his mouth. Yet as I leaned up into him, the kiss deepened. I wrapped an arm around his neck, my fingers bunching in his thick hair, but then my knee tangled in my skirt and I stumbled slightly forward. I was forced to break the kiss as I tried to rebalance myself in the awkward half-kneeling, half-standing stance I was using to properly reach him from my seat on the floor.
"Sorry." I mumbled, as I let go of him and tried to tug my dress out from under my legs, but I quickly became paranoid about damaging the fabric so I gave up and pushed myself to my feet.
"I just don't want to ruin this dress." I explained as I tried to straighten out the bottom.
Bofur grinned and nodded in understanding as he stood up as well and stepped up close to me.
"Then maybe we should take it off?" he suggested lightly, though his gaze was serious.
I smiled timidly as he took my arms and turned me around. I felt his fingers begin to undo the lacing at the back and I stood very still, my heart pounding, as the dress gradually loosened. He moved on to the belt, undoing the fastenings and then tugged at it until it was loose enough to fall to the floor at my feet. Soon enough I knew the only thing holding up my dress was my own grip on it. I was still wearing a sheer shirt underneath, plus a long underskirt besides, but still I clung it to my breasts. Bofur stepped back in front of me and I looked at him with uncertainty.
"Bofur, I won't really look like the women you're used to." I said quietly. "Are you sure you'll find me... attractive enough?"
"You're worried about that?" Bofur asked, his voice laced with equal parts exasperation and concern. I nodded once and looked down, but he reached up a hand to my cheek.
"You. You are beautiful, you know." he said softly. "I wouldn't change a thing about you."
I smiled and brought a hand up to cover his.
"And I can guarantee," he added more fiercely but with a cheeky smirk, "that you are more than attractive enough."
I let his words fill me up, let myself believe them, and then finally had the courage to let my other hand down.
My dress fell to the floor.
After a final steadying breath, I stepped out of it and fought the urge to shrink in on myself.
Bofur picked up the gown, laying it gently over the back of the chair before returning to me and taking up my hand once more. I met his eye then, and suddenly knew in that moment that I merely had to shake my head and he would back away, that I had all the power in the world to change my mind, and that he would respect my decision no matter what. I felt such comfort in the notion that whatever small hesitation I might have still been harbouring disappeared entirely.
With more confidence then I believe I had ever felt before, I squeezed Bofur's fingers and then led him wordlessly upstairs.
When we entered the bedroom I released Bofur's hand and went around the room to light a few candles, then I stopped near the foot of the bed and turned to face him with a wry smile.
He slowly closed the distance between us and reached out to brush my hair behind my shoulder.
"Are you sure?" he asked, his voice uncharacteristically gruff as his fingers rubbed down along my collar bone.
"Yes." I said heatedly, taking his hands and placing them on my waist where the hem of my blouse had come loose from my skirt.
"Have you ever-?" he began, swallowing hard as he allowed his fingers to graze upwards against my bare skin.
"You don't have to worry about hurting me." I interrupted, grabbing the collar of his coat with both hands and pulling him up into a passionate kiss so he wouldn't have the chance to ask more questions.
Once the kiss began, I found my hands were hardly needed where they were, so they trailed down his chest to where the broad belt fastened his over-large coat onto his body. I tried to work the buckles, but my hands were shaking slightly and I was too much involved in the kiss to think straight.
Fortunately, Bofur slowly broke away to take matters into his own hands, but this time remained close, his forehead pressed up against mine. His hands deftly removed his belt, and the moment it loosened my hands worked their way under the fabric of his coat. The belt clattered to the floor, and thus unhindered I slid my fingers quickly up his body to remove his outer layer.
Bofur let the coat slide off his arms, but that was all the time he allowed before his hands roughly grabbed my hips. His mouth kissed against the underside of my jawline and he pushed me back a step. My hand lifted to the back of his head and held him close, my fingers entwining with the locks of his hair.
Another step.
My free hand reached out behind me and confirmed we were nearly at the bed. Another step and the bed's mattress pushed into the back of my legs. We pulled apart from each other briefly while I sat down. Bofur's gaze studied me in that moment. His eyes met mine, saw the want - the desire - the need, and he kissed me again with a desire all his own. His hands wrapped around my slender frame and guided me onto my back, shifting me upwards on the bed as he climbed on as well and carefully positioned himself over top of me.
He lowered his face next to mine, then moved down and kissed my neck. The feel of his warm lips and moustache trailing along my sensitive skin caused small jolts of energy to course through my body. I closed my eyes and tilted my head, my breath escaping me. He shifted his weight to one arm and let his other hand rub down my side where it then slipped under my shirt and I felt his warm touch begin to slide back up my body. The feelings, the overwhelming cacophony of sensations, it was totally new to me and I felt completely alive in that moment. I gasped as his hand grazed the side of my breast and was tempted to guide his hand back towards it. Instead I freed the scarf from around his neck and moved to toss it aside, in doing so I accidentally knocked his hat off as well and it tumbled gently to the floor. I paused slightly, but Bofur did not. His hand had settled just under my arm, his thumb barely teasing the skin under my breast as he continued to kiss along my neck.
Suddenly he extracted himself somewhat and moved to grab the hem of my blouse.
"Wait." I said, my voice low and husky. I stilled his hand before he could tug my garment up. He immediately stopped, pulling away from me with a frown.
"You first." I said with a smirk, sitting up in order to reach out and take the bottom of his shirt in my grasp. He smiled and sat up a bit as well.
"If you insist, m'lady." he said as he helped my efforts and pulled it over his head.
I stared at him a moment. His dark waves hanging down against his large bare shoulders. His wide chest rose and fell steadily, slightly glistening with sweat. I reached out and placed an appreciative hand against it, feeling the curves of his muscles as I trailed across it, up to his shoulder then down along his bicep, marvelling that I was able to do so, that he was actually mine tonight.
My hand slowly continued down his arm and I felt truly in awe of how strong he was, and how safe I felt with him. I truly knew the extent of his power, and, though he was not trained as a warrior, I realized most human men would not have survived the trails he had gone through to get to this lowly town on a lake.
Bofur brought me back to the moment as he pulled my hand up to his mouth and kissed my knuckles."Now you," he said with a grin, "are overdressed."
He took the bottom of my shirt with both hands and began to ease it up. I stiffened, just slightly, but he noticed and stopped once more.
I took his hands in mine, pressing them into my hips where they lay - to keep him close, to show him I didn't want to stop - while at the same time biting my lip nervously. It only took me a moment to make up my mind, and so I slipped my hands into his, relaxing their hold on my shirt while I placed a lasting kiss on his lips. When I broke away, my teeth tugged at his bottom lip, and when I finally let go he was smiling perplexedly.
"Let me." I said, and then rose up from the bed. He moved to sit as I took a step away towards the middle of the floor. I took a deep breath and looked Bofur square in the eyes as I slowly raised the blouse, revealing the slight point of my hip bones above my skirt, my pale stomach, the bottom of my ribcage. I set my jaw and tried to breathe normally as I completed the motion and fully lifted it over my head. I then dropped my hands to my sides and let my shirt fall from my grasp to the floor.
Bofur inhaled sharply, his eyes somewhat widening. I bit my lip, somewhat worried that he was disappointed, or maybe even startled, by my human form - though his actions this evening suggested otherwise.
I looked down with a rueful smile, my hair falling over my shoulder as I did so.
"You best get your pretty little behind back here." he growled with mock seriousness, pointing at the bed with a mischievous grin. "Or else you may find yourself tackled to the floor."
I laughed and climbed slowly back onto the bed, pushing Bofur against the pillows as I did so. I watched his expression change from surprise to longing as I stayed overtop him, settling down onto his lap again, my legs bent and pressed close on either side of his body. This time I was able to relish the feeling of his warm skin against mine as I leaned into his chest and kissed him. His hands explored up and down my bare back, gripped my sides, pushed me into him as our kissing grew more languish, as our desire grew hot. I felt him beneath me, his eagerness, and shifted my hips against him, eliciting a deep groan and an even deeper kiss.
One of his hands moved down and slid under my skirt. He grabbed my leg possessively and rubbed up my thigh, yet then paused, breaking away from me and tilting his head.
"What's wrong?" I asked almost irately, my body thrumming in frustration at the interruption.
"Your leg, it's so smooth." he exclaimed with a weird grin, his hand easing over my thigh once more.
I smiled. "Well, I should hope so. I spent near an hour on them earlier."
"What do you mean?" he asked, his features turning to confusion.
I furrowed my brow. "Shaving." I clarified with sarcastic emphasis, looking at him as if he were daft, but when no recognition graced his features it suddenly dawned on me. "Oh... I guess it must just be a human custom then." I explained with a sheepish smile as he looked at me rather incredulously. "It's not as proper for our women to have excess body hair..."
"And here it would be blasphemous to even suggest a dwarrow shave at all." Bofur remarked with a laugh.
"Is it off-putting for you?" I asked with a grin as I ran my fingers along his moderately hairy chest. "I would have saved myself the trouble if I'd have known."
"No, love, don't worry." he said in a low voice, smoothing his hand up the length of my leg again before pulling me back down into a kiss. I soon melded into his body once more, kissing his neck and jaw and up by his ear. His other hand travelled up my side, and eventually moved over to cup my breast. He gently massaged it, causing me to quietly moan. I slowly rocked my hips against his, my body becoming warm and flushed with need as his other hand caressed the upmost reaches of my leg.
When he next kissed my mouth, I gripped at him, pulling him as flush against me as he could get. He placed a hand on the back of my head and held me firm as he kissed me deeply, roughly. Suddenly he wrapped an arm around my waist and, in one swift motion, flipped me over onto my back, hiking my voluminous skirt up as I fell into the mattress with him overtop me. His hand settled between my legs and I gasped as his fingers deftly moved against me, slipping under my smallest undergarment and pleasuring me with an expertise I wasn't quite expecting.
I felt my need build and couldn't help but lift my hips against him, moaning slightly as my body began to ache for a release that I realized only he could provide.
I frantically began undoing the ties on his pants as he pulled my skirt even higher about my waist, but then he slowed, and kissed me softly, bringing his hand up to gently cup my face. His breathing was heavy, his eyes heavily lidded and glassy with desire.
"You sure, love?" he asked hoarsely.
"Yes." I replied in a quiet, unsteady voice as I widened my legs a bit and pulled him further down onto me.
He wasted no time in claiming my mouth once more as he tugged down his trousers and positioned himself between my legs. I turned my head and buried my face in his neck as our bodies joined. I couldn't prevent my breath escaping in a slight hiss as I adjusted to the unfamiliar feeling. Bofur, recognizing my discomfort, paused immediately, his whole body tensing.
"Keep going." I whispered into his ear, rubbing my hand along his arm and trying to ease his hard muscles to relax. "Please, I need you." I trailed my lips down the side of his neck, and raised my hips slightly.
He hesitated for a moment, then brought his hand down under my thigh and held me firm as he began again more slowly, and soon the ache was replaced by a more pleasurable sensation as my body began to accept him, want him... want more. I lifted up my knee around his hips, and then moaned into his neck as he moved his other hand down between us and worked his fingers against me. I clung to him as I felt myself building up to something... to some precipice I knew I wanted to go over. It was beautifully agonizing, I never wanted it to end, and yet I so badly desired the reward I felt certain was coming. All too soon, I found myself gripping him even tighter, whispering his name, before tossing my head back onto the pillow as I felt my muscles shudder around him. A wave of pure ecstatic relief spread throughout my whole body. A few moments later, Bofur bunched his hand into my hair as his body released as well.
He allowed himself to rest down on me for a moment, sighing in contentment next to my ear. Then he pushed himself up a bit and placed a lingering kiss on my mouth before he gently pulled away. I arranged my skirt as he did up his pants, then he flopped down beside me. After a few minutes rest he propped himself up with his elbow, placing his head on his hand and he looked down at me with gentle concern in his eyes. I turned to face him and offered a small, tired smile.
"Did I hurt you?" he asked quietly.
I shook my head and took his free hand, interlacing my fingers with his. "No, of course not, that was... I didn't know it could be like that." I admitted wistfully with a smile. Bofur looked at me in confusion so I decided to elaborate. "I've only... been with one other person, a long time ago." I wrinkled my nose as I remembered the man's somewhat indelicate and rushed actions. "It wasn't very enjoyable. But that... that definitely was." I smiled in contentment, my body now settling into a deeply relaxed state.
Bofur frowned slightly. "How old were you?" he asked softly.
My smile faded slightly. "Eighteen." I admitted and Bofur's face fell. "I was old enough to know better. Many girls are married at that age." I added quickly with a shrug, but his eyes bore into mine.
"It shouldn't have been that way..." Bofur said, still frowning. I smiled sadly at him and then shifted forward and pressed my forehead into his chest. He draped an arm over my waist.
"You're alright though?" he asked after a few moments.
I smiled against him. "Never better."
Although I did not want to leave the warmth of his embrace, I slowly forced myself out of bed, wanting to run down to freshen up and get a drink.
"Leave it." Bofur said with a grin as I was bending to pick up my shirt from where I had dropped it on the floor. "Let me look at you a while longer, while I still can."
I smiled then tossed the blouse at him before sauntering off downstairs without it. After a quick wash, I checked to ensure the door was locked then headed back up to see that Bofur was already under the blankets. He pulled down one side when I arrived, waiting for me to crawl in beside him. I smiled, blew out the candles, then happily joined him and snuggled into his warm side. It was novel to be in an actual bed together, though at that point it was novel to be in a bed at all. I almost found it difficult to get used to, and couldn't help but shift about trying to find a comfortable position.
"What's the matter, lass?" Bofur asked as I turned, yet again, from my side to my back.
I looked at him with a goofy smile. "It's this bed. I'm not used to it. And the pillows. It's just so very... soft."
Bofur laughed out loud and took up my hand, kissing the back of it with fervour. "I don't believe it! You're complaining because the bed is too comfortable? You've been too long on the road, love... We could move to the floor if you like?"
"That would be silly." I retorted, shaking my head. I'd likely sleep fine once I was tired enough, but I felt strangely energized. Conversely Bofur seemed ready to fall asleep at any moment.
"So... was it the same for you, with a human?" I enquired with a smirk, turning into him and beginning to trace my fingers along his chest hair, hoping to keep him awake with me.
He chuckled and kissed the top of my head. "Well, I imagine the premise is the same no matter what." he teased. "Though you are certainly not like any dwarf woman."
"Was it worse?" I asked in mocking accusation.
"Of course not." he laughed, and then paused in thought. "Not for me anyway." he continued musingly. "Though it was, to tell the truth, faster with you, probably too fast for you to enjoy it proper - but it's been a while and I'm, ah, not used... that is to say... you are quite a bit... well, in a lot of ways you're much smaller than a dwarrow." he stammered.
I giggled at his discomfort and reached up to plant a small kiss on his lips. "Don't worry, like I said, it was good for me too."
We lay in silence for a while and I tried to fight the exhaustion that was now beginning to creep up on me. I knew that, come morning, he would have to leave me, and I didn't want the night to pass as quickly as it would if I fell asleep. Bofur slowly rubbed his thumb along the edge of my hipbone.
"Is my body strange to you?" I asked him, managing to stifle a yawn.
"In some ways." he replied, his voice getting slightly heavy with tiredness as well. "Your smooth legs and underarms are a bit unusual, aye, and you have less hair in other areas too." he added with a small smirk. "Yet I find you very pleasing to look at... and very pleasing to touch." At that he ran his hand up the curve of my side for emphasis. "You're very slender compared to dwarf women, I worry most that I'll hurt yah... you seem so fragile to me."
"I'm not that fragile." I said, reaching up and letting my fingers gently touch his facial hair. He grinned and closed his eyes as I felt along his chin. "Don't fall asleep." I urged in a whisper. "I don't want tomorrow to come."
He lifted his own hand and clasped my own, bringing it up to his lips.
"Me neither." he agreed, planting small kisses on my fingers. "Don't worry, amrâlimê, tomorrow will not be the end. I promise." he said, squeezing my hand comfortingly.
I nodded and was glad for the dark to hide the tears that pricked the corners of my eyes.
"What does that mean?" I asked as I settled into the crook of his shoulder and tugged the covers up. "That word that you called me?"
"You'll know soon enough." Bofur responded quietly.
And despite my best intentions, we both fell asleep.