Chapter Text
Bilbo stood staring out at the Lonely Mountain for a long while after most everyone else had gone down the steps of the Carrock. Thorin stayed with him, the two of them standing in a companionable silence as the wind blew gently around them.
“We should- we should probably join the others,” Bilbo mumbled eventually, and Thorin nodded.
“That we should,” the dwarf replied, and he winced slightly as he turned to go.
“Are you alright?” Bilbo asked, frowning slightly. Despite Thorin’s uncharacteristically upbeat attitude and his continued existence, the hobbit had still seen how he’d been flung around like a rag doll by Azog. He’d probably suffered at least some bruised ribs, though judging by how he was holding his right arm there was some injury there too.
“Of course,” he answered a little too smoothly, and Bilbo’s disbelief must have been plain on his face because Thorin paused for a moment, then sighed and continued. “I have suffered worse.”
Bilbo’s frown deepened. “I’m not sure if- well-”
“What is it, Master Baggins?” he asked, and his eyes were soft.
“Call me Bilbo, please,” said the hobbit without thinking. His face went pink a moment later, but he pushed on. “And I was going to ask if you’d like me to tend to your injuries for you. I know a bit about- and before you laugh it off, just hear me out- elvish medicine-” Thorin scowled anyway “- and I’d just like to help. If that’s alright.”
Thorin’s scowl had softened again, and he inclined his head. “I would welcome it.”
Bilbo swallowed and nodded. “Thank you,” he said, and then shook his head. “No, sorry, that’s-”
Thorin chuckled softly and then winced, his left hand creeping up to press against his side. “We should probably get down those stairs first.”
Bilbo nodded, then gently touched Thorin’s shoulder. Oh, it would be so easy. A simple Oh by the way, I love you, just thought you ought to know before you go scaring me like that again! like he said in his head every morning. But of course he kept his mouth shut, and instead focused on not slipping on the stairs as they made their way down. Thorin’s breathing was tight behind him, like he was focusing all his energy on keeping it steady, and the hobbit felt something tighten in his chest along with it. At last there were no more stairs, and they stood side by side on the ground at the bottom.
Bilbo pointed to the river running near them. “Would that- I mean, it would be easier to wash them, I think.”
Thorin nodded and carefully pulled off his outer jacket and armor, removing the layers one by one till he was clad in nothing but his breeches. Bilbo pulled off his own coat and folded it carefully before setting it down next to Thorin’s, and he took a deep breath. Thorin had already moved over to the river and sat down on a rock on the bank, and the hobbit sucked in a breath at the welts across his back from what appeared to be a whip (though Bilbo of course had never seen the effects of one firsthand).
“That looks like it hurts,” he said quietly. He’d meant to say it to himself, but Thorin heard him just the same.
“Most of the goblins panicked upon discovering the identity of my sword,” he said quietly. “Many did not like what they saw, the Goblin King included.”
Bilbo carefully tore a strip of cloth from the bottom of his shirt and dunked it in the river. He’d quite liked the garment, but seeing as it was likely ruined anyway there wasn’t any harm in doing a little more damage.
“This is going to hurt,” he warned, then gently pressed the cold cloth against the fierce red marks. Thorin hissed sharply but held still, his hand clenched tightly on his leg.
“Talk to me,” Bilbo said without thinking.
Though he couldn’t see his face, Thorin sounded surprised. “What about?”
“Anything,” the hobbit replied. He paused, then pressed on, “I won’t force you, but… if you’d like to talk about Azog, I won’t tell the others. … You have my word.”
Thorin was silent for a long moment while Bilbo carefully cleaned the bite marks on his back from where the warg’s teeth had sunk in.
“I had a brother,” he said at length, and the hobbit stayed silent, listening intently. “Balin never mentioned him, but he was there. Through all of it, he was by my side. He stood with me against the dragon, and he lived with us as we made our way through the world of Men to the Blue Mountains.” He was silent for a long moment. “He was there when we made our stand at Moria. He should not have been.” Bilbo blinked at the ferocity in his voice. “He was-” Thorin’s voice broke- “He was young. Only forty eight.”
“I’m sorry,” said the hobbit softly, with as much feeling as he could muster. He stood and shifted around to sit in front of Thorin, studiously avoiding his gaze as he started to clean the bite marks on his chest.
Thorin regarded him for a long moment, then nodded his gratitude.
“Do you have any siblings?” the dwarf asked abruptly.
Bilbo nearly dropped the cloth in his surprise. “I- me? Well- no, I don’t. I’ve got a lot of extended family, but no siblings.” He looked down at his hands. He was thinking of the Shire now, and his hobbit hole, and the night the dwarves had first arrived. Thorin touched his arm gently.
“Are you alright?”
Bilbo smiled at him and nodded. “Yes, absolutely!” He paused. “I do have one question, though.”
Thorin inclined his head as the hobbit started cleaning the scrapes and bruises from Azog’s mace. “How did you possibly manage to get lost twice on the way to my hobbit hole?”
The dwarf gave a startled laugh and his eyebrows shot up. “I… Well. To be honest with you, I was… a little behind schedule.”
It was Bilbo’s turn to laugh now. “So you decide to make the excuse that you got lost? Thorin, there’s only one main road!”
The two of them laughed for quite some time, until Thorin eventually sighed and began to pull his hair back into a quick braid. Bilbo watched as he worked on it, tracing the movements with his gaze. He hadn't even realized he’d been staring until Thorin cleared his throat and smiled at him, at which point the hobbit’s face ignited and he looked away at the river, fishing for some topic of conversation.
Thorin seemed to take pity on him. “What happened to you in the goblin tunnels?”
“Oh,” said Bilbo, and he shuddered as he recalled two pale eyes glowing in the dark. “Well. I managed to slip away from the goblins, and I was about to follow the rest of you when I was caught by another goblin, blasted thing! We had a bit of a tussle and next thing I knew I was falling down a hole off the bridge. I happened to land in a patch of mushrooms so I was hidden, but while I was down there this little creature happened upon us. His name was Gollum, or so he said, and while I was laying there he came up and beat the goblin to death!” Thorin’s gaze was fixed on him, listening intently. “I didn’t know where I was or how to get out, and before I could think twice I’d run into the creature again. He was actually far more civilized than any goblin, and we had a game of riddles. If I won, he’d show me the way out, but if I lost, he’d eat me whole.” Bilbo shuddered again. “Anyway, I won easily enough and he took me to the entrance.”
He wasn’t sure why he’d left out the part about finding the ring and Gollum chasing him furiously down the halls, but something told him to keep quiet about it. Of course, later it would be known his silence was due to the ring’s influence, but in the moment he’d thoroughly convinced himself it was because he was keen on impressing Thorin.
“When I got there, I’d just seen all of you run past, so it wasn’t long before I found you all again.”
Thorin nodded. “I am sorry for what I said, again. It was wrong of me.” He cleared his throat. “I believe I owe you now, for saving me.”
Bilbo smiled. “No, I don’t think so. I think we’re even. You saved me from those stone giants outside of Rivendell, remember?”
Thorin frowned. “That was different. I knew there was little risk to my safety. You threw yourself unprotected into battle to save me.”
“I’d do it again,” the hobbit said immediately. “The quest needs you, Thorin.” I need you, was the unspoken truth in that sentence.
The dwarf gently reached out and brushed one of Bilbo’s stray curls behind his ear. Bilbo faintly wondered if Thorin could tell his touch had set his pulse racing.
Say it now, said a voice in his head. Tell him you love him.
Just as he opened his mouth to say it, though, someone called to them.
“Ay, Thorin!” Nori yelled. “Come here, else there won’t be any supper left!”
Bilbo was abruptly sent crashing back to reality and he shut his mouth with a snap. He gave Thorin’s injuries another quick once over, then nodded. It wasn’t much, but it was better than nothing.
Thorin smiled at him. “I suppose we should rejoin the others.”
Bilbo nodded sagely. “Aye,” he said, and they both laughed as they made their way over to the fire.