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The morning after at Beorn’s hall had been a hot and sticky affair. Bilbo barely managed to suppress his horror at himself for having gone to bed so positively soiled, and was left rubbing frantically at the dried white patches that were still splattered across his face. Fili had chuckled and taken a scrap of cloth, licking it and using it to rub off the lingering remains of his release from Bilbo’s cheeks, despite despite all of the hobbit’s spluttering protests.
Once the three of them were half decent enough they snuck into the rest of the building to wash more completely. Afterwards Kili had beamed like an idiot as he framed Bilbo with his brother, inevitably drawing the attention of their dwarven company as they began to rise one by one. No one said anything directly, though Bilbo did catch wind of some crude, teasing comments as the morning dragged on. Soon, however, such trivialities were forgotten as the troop’s attention returned to their task at hand: making their way back to Erebor.
They left Beorn and Gandalf after they packed up their supplies, accepting the ponies offered to them with gratitude. Bilbo couldn’t help but wince upon his mount as they rode on, Kili and Fili teasing him quietly about his flinches whenever they slipped out of ear shot of the others. He had scoffed and shoved at the boys as they leaned too close, a flush burning across his nose in spite of the wide smile on his lips. He was finding poor spirits much more difficult to uphold in the company of the brothers, a building warmth settling steadily across his chest as the three of them bonded on the road.
That was, until they reached the forest.
They sent the ponies back to their master, taking the twisting, rooted paths on foot with slight grumbles and drooping shoulders.
The journey through Mirkwood was trying on all of them, and despite all the warnings Beorn and Gandalf had instilled upon them prior to leaving the great man’s large abode, the company found themselves driven off the path and right into the jaws of impending danger. Bilbo had fought bravely, even if he did say so himself, in his efforts to free his dwarven friends from the spiders. When he’d slain the mighty eight legged beast he felt a changed hobbit, a different man, stronger and more adventurous than ever before.
Fili and Kili had been particularly impressed, the brothers pausing to look him over thoughtfully as they searched for outward signs of injury, before nodding at him to show their approval. Bilbo was positively elated, or at least he had been, until they discovered that Thorin was still missing from their party. The brothers instantly fell into worry for their uncle, but despite the company’s best efforts, all attempts at rescue fell short as they once again found themselves captured; Bilbo only just managing to avoid detection by slipping on his ring.
Which was how he found himself in his current predicament, carefully tiptoeing his way through the grand halls of Thranduil’s elvish kingdom, his heart lodged hard in his throat despite his added stealth advantage.
He’d found the dwarves’ cells easy enough, and with no small deal of effort he’d managed to track Thorin down too. The King had been more than surprised to see him (well…to hear him at any rate) as he braced himself at the bars of the cell. Bilbo, of course, had to explain his sudden ability to vanish into thin air, feeling flustered and ashamed that he had not earlier mentioned the ring. Thorin let his omission slide for the moment, their attention turning instead to ideas for escape.
From there he’d carried their plans of conspiracy down through Thranduil’s prison blocks, stopping at the cell of each dwarf as he imparted on them news of their king.
He was at Bofur’s cell when the dwarf reached out, somehow managing to find Bilbo’s invisible hand where it was clenched around the thick, metal bars. “Yer being careful, are ye not?”
Bilbo floundered for a moment; it was the first anyone had asked of him since he’d discovered their holdings. Initially he just nodded on instinct before he realized with slight self-depreciation that the dwarf could not in fact see him. “I am, I promise.” He gave his friend’s hand a small squeeze, drawing away as he made his way down to the last of the cells.
Now there was only the Durin sons left for him to speak. He felt his chest constrict tightly as he tiptoed along the hall, feeling flustered and off-kilter and desperate to see Thorin’s two nephews. They’d had rarely a second to themselves since Beorn’s hall, and even now he knew that his meeting with them would be brief. If he was to avoid detection, he could not risk lingering with either of the young dwarves.
He approached Fili’s cell first along the way, his hands curling tightly around the prison bars as he pressed his face forward, eyes searching the blonde out in the darkness. “Fili!” He called, keeping his voice a hushed whisper. “Fili, it’s Bilbo!”
There was a rustling as the dwarf drew himself up from where he’d been crouched, cautiously making his way to the bars. As he approached the blonde’s lips quirked up in a weak smile, decorative beads on his moustache jingling slightly. “I don’t think I’ll ever get used to that.” Fili admitted as he reached the bars, running his hands along the metal until his fingers caught Bilbo’s own. Instantly the dwarf enveloped the hobbit’s hand in his larger grasp, squeezing assuredly. “What news do you have of Uncle?”
Bilbo smiled, flicking his gaze up and down the hall before he leaned into the cell door, pressing his face right up to the bars. When he spoke his breath kissed Fili’s throat, causing the dwarf to swallow hard. “He is well, the elves have left him unharmed. He has also told them nothing of our mission.”
Fili’s sigh was caught on a slight tremble, his forehead gently falling forward until it connected with Bilbo’s invisible one, pressed between the bars. “Good, I’m glad. It has been trying, not knowing.” The prince admitted, his smile turning a little sad. “Have you spoken to my brother yet this night?”
Bilbo let his eyes slip closed, shaking his head against Fili’s as he made a small noise of dissent. “No, he’s the last on my list. I’ll be to his cell next.” He enjoyed the feel of the blonde’s skin against his own, though it did nothing to ease the sharp ache of his heart in his chest. “Is there something you’d like me to pass on to him for you? A message perhaps?”
“By Aule,” Fili groaned, relief flooding across his features as he nuzzled slightly against Bilbo’s face, “if you could- I would be forever in your debt. It has been some time since we’ve been so far apart, and against our will, never. I just-” The dwarf swallowed hard, his throat bobbing with the motion. “I miss him terribly.”
A hard throb of Bilbo’s heart answered the confession, and he found himself shifting his grip so that their fingers were laced together around the cell bars. “I cannot even begin to fathom.” He leaned forward, shifting to press a kiss to the tip of Fili’s nose. “Whatever you need, either of you, I am here.”
Fili reached out, grasping blindly with his free hand until he had it curled around the back of Bilbo’s head, threading in his hair lightly. “Thank you.” He murmured, his breath ghosting lightly across the hobbit’s mouth. Bilbo shifted slightly at the bars of the cell, his heart thrumming hard in his chest. He waited breathlessly for Fili to continue. “Could ask him how he is? See that he’s been fed and properly looked after. And…if it’s not too much of a bother, could you give something to him for me?”
Bilbo sucked in hard, his whole body flushing. “Anything.”
Fili smiled and leaned forward as he dragged his hand around from the back of Bilbo’s head. The dwarf’s movements were careful, searching until he managed to grasp the hobbit’s invisible jaw, his thumb flicking up to rest at the swell of Bilbo’s lips. For a moment the Halfling felt confused, scowling slightly though he knew Fili couldn’t see it. Then the dwarf leaned in, pressing their mouths together firmly, all pressure and no tongue; yet still wrought with an extreme degree of emotion, the intensity of which leaving Bilbo reeling.
After what felt like a lifetime Fili finally dragged himself back, catching Bilbo’s lower lip lightly between his teeth as he did. “Give that to my brother.” He whispered, yet he did not relent his grip on Bilbo’s chin.
The hobbit felt flustered, suddenly intensely grateful for his invisibility as the other couldn’t see the embarrassment written across his features. He licked his lips, a slight pang settling deep in his belly as he realized that the gesture was not meant for him, but for Kili. Immediately guilt flooded through him. It had never been his intention to get between the brothers, and in his heart he knew he would do anything to insure that the two of them were happy. Taking in a low, trembling breath he forced himself to look up at Fili, though he knew the dwarf could not see him. “Is there anything else before I attend to your brother?”
Fili seemed to contemplate the hobbit for a moment, his expression fierce as his grip tightened on the smaller man’s chin. “Just one more thing.” He leaned in quite suddenly, pressing hard into Bilbo’s mouth and nearly knocking the Halfling back from where he’d leaned against the bars. When he pulled away this time the hobbit couldn’t help but to let out a gasp, his entire frame trembling.
“Wha-” He managed after some deal of effort, “what was that for?”
“For you, little one.” Fili murmured, affection lacing in his tone as he brought their foreheads together by feel once more. “For treating my brother and I with such kindness, for your loyalty to my kin and our company,” he licked his lips, stealing one last quick kiss before he drew back completely, “and for saving us all once again, as you have so many times before.”
“T-thank you.” Bilbo stuttered out, his heart swelling in his chest and a stupid smile blooming across his lips. “I’ll see to your brother, and I’ll get you all out. That I can promise.”
“I know you will.” Fili stepped away from the bars, nodding his head in Bilbo’s general direction even as he shifted back into the darkened cell. “Now go, Kili will be anxious for news.”
Bilbo nodded, once again realizing that he would not be seen, before he made a small sound of accent and drew away to hurry down the hall to his last stop. He kept his footfalls light, stopping to press himself against the wall as a group of elven sentry moved by, talking amongst themselves quietly in their mother tongue. They strode right past him, disappearing deeper into the prison and leaving Bilbo alone once more.
Breathing in hard through his nose the Halfling forced himself forward, padding carefully along until he reached the final cell, his fingers already seeking out the metal of the bars as he leaned forward. The archer sat near the front of the prison, his knees tucked up with his arms wrapped around them, his expression tired and lonely. Bilbo felt his chest seize slightly at the sight, his breath hitching as his grip tightened around the bars. “Kili.”
The young dwarf startled violently, scrambling up to his feet and looking around, confused. Then his eyes locked on the cell door, his expression confused and hopeful. “Bilbo?”
“It’s me.” The hobbit nodded despite himself, biting at his lip hard. “I’ve come with news from Thorin, and from your brother.”
A shaky smile quirked along Kili’s lips as he cautiously made his way forward, squinting as though to try and make out Bilbo’s form from the thin air. “Don’t think I’ll ever get used to that.” The archer admitted after a moment, stepping right up to the bars.
Bilbo couldn’t help but chuckle.
“What?” Kili questioned, his smile twitching up despite himself.
“Fili said near the exact same thing.” Bilbo’s grin widened. “You two are similar in many ways.”
That seemed to make the archer happy, his smile beaming as he reached out blindly towards the direction of Bilbo’s voice. The Hobbit stretched his arm out in turn, catching Kili’s hand and making the dwarf start slightly. After a moment he relaxed again, allowing Bilbo to squeeze his palm as he stepped right up to the cell bars. “What news do you bring? Good tidings I hope.”
“Yes,” Bilbo tightened his fingers around the young dwarf, “I have found your Uncle, he is safe and well. We are working out a plan of escape down the river. The elves no nothing of our plans to retake Erebor.”
Kili let out a small huff of breath, but his expression remained eager. “And of my brother?”
“Fili is fine.” Bilbo drew himself, if at all possible, closer to the bars, his hand still clutching Kili where he stood within them. “He asks about you, wants to know if they are feeding you, treating you well?”
The young dwarf scoffed, and stepped forward a bit more, reaching out with his free hand to feel for Bilbo where he stood outside the cell. His thick fingers landed on the hobbit’s shoulders, curling there in a firm squeeze. “I’m as well as I can be, given the circumstances. Plenty fed and watered, just a little strained being isolated from the others.”
Bilbo made a noise of understanding, feeling warmed by the heavy weight of Kili’s hand on his shoulder. “He misses you, you know.” He murmured, his voice soft. “Fili, I mean. He’s as well as he can be, considering, but he would feel much better if you were at his side.”
“It’s hard, being so far from him.” Kili nodded in understanding. “And you, you’ve been alright? Not had any mishaps with the guards have you?”
“No no, the ring helps well enough with that.” Bilbo felt flustered, delighted by the young Durin dwarf’s concern. “Though Fili asked me to do something else for him, while I was here. To give you something, as it were.”
Kili looked surprised, blinking a bit. “Oh?”
The hobbit sucked in a hard breath, stealing himself as he released his grip on Kili’s hand, snaking his fingers around the archer’s neck. Pushing up on his tippy-toes he dragged the dwarf closer, pressing their mouths together through the thin slots of the bars. He felt Kili’s breath catch against his lips, the taller man letting out a soft groan of surprise. The kiss was short, sweet, and Bilbo tried his best to put as much feeling into it as he knew surely Fili would have.
When he pulled back he felt rather silly, his teeth digging into his lower lip and his hand still curled around the back of Kili’s head. The dwarf, on the other hand, was simply beaming. He leaned in, missing Bilbo’s mouth with his kiss and landing instead on the hobbit’s brow just above his eye. “Thank you.” Kili murmured against his skin, giving his shoulder a quick squeeze. “It means the world to me, it really does.”
Bilbo couldn’t help but smile at that, tightening his fingers in the hair at the back of Kili’s neck for a moment before he drew away. “It’s my pleasure really.” He coughed slightly, mustering up his courage before he spoke again. “Just as you and your brother are at my service, please know that I too am at yours.”
Kili blinked at that, his expression shifting to something serene and thoughtful. However before he could speak again they heard a slight rustling from down the halls. The elves moved so quietly that their footfalls were almost non-existent, but their cloaks made just enough noise to alert Bilbo of their approach.
“Go.” Kili gave his shoulder a small push, but his expression was impossibly fond.
Bilbo wanted to reply, but knew he couldn’t risk it. Instead he simply enjoyed the warm flush that enveloped him at the thought of being so wanted by the brothers before slipping back into the shadows to wait and plan.
It was some time later before they could manage their escape, Bilbo orchestrating it so that he had smuggled the Dwarves away in Barrels, that the company might float away in safety. As he helped Fili and Kili into their sturdy wooden vessels they both beamed at him, leaving him flustered and grinning as he too hopped a ride down the coursing stream.
He could feel something building between them. What it was, he couldn’t be sure, and he didn’t quite want to chance giving it a name. Yet it was there all the same.
END.