~Arrows And Dragonhide~

~Arrows and Dragonhide~

Kili Durin x {Dragonshifter}FemOC Part 3/?

A/N- its one in the morning and my brain is broken

Word Count- 3.2k

Summary- Bofur calls Eyja a witch, and trolls are stanky.

Warnings- Cannon typical violence, mentions of torture, mentions of death, will be 18+ in future parts, cursing/foul language

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As the morning sun rises and the forest around them begins to come alive with animals, Eyja wakes slowly, feeling an arm resting over her shoulder and another around her waist. Her eyes slowly drift upwards, finding the youngest of the Durin brothers leaning back against the rock wall, head tilted to the side, lips parted and hair askew, his dark eyes hidden behind closed lids, and she feels his breaths as she leans her head farther back trying to figure out how to untangle herself from the arms and the blanket holding her to Kili's side. Gently she raises her hand and pushes lightly on the dwarven princes shoulder, seeing his brow crease slightly and his eyes flutter but remain closed. "Kili," her voice is barely audible, a mere breath of noise in the quiet morn but it is enough to rouse the dark haired dwarrow she leans against. As his eyes crack open he is immediately met with the sight of the brunette woman entangled in his arms, and his face reddens almost instantly, his hands fly away from Eyja's body and she sits up as he begins whispering an apology.

"I am so sorry, I hadn't meant to fall asleep, I swear I meant no disrespect-" the woman in front of him cuts him off quickly.

"it's fine Kili, besides, its not everyday I wake up in the arms of a prince." Her voice is lilting and she grins at him as his face remains the color of a ripe tomato. Kili laughs, causing his brother, who sleeps mere feet away to shift in his sleep.

"Yes, well it's not everyday I wake with a beautiful woman in my arms." His joking voice matches her own and they both chuckle softly, beginning to feel the sleep rise from their bodies. Kili sits up, groaning softly as his back cracks after being in one position for so long. The two slowly start to pack up their belongings, strapping it once more to the back of Kili's pony. As the sun gets brighter, shinning over the treetops and illuminating the rock the company rests on, the dwarrow begin to stir, slowly awakening in the warm sunlight.

Eyja drapes her dark green cloak over her shoulders in an effort to preserve some of the heat still remaining from Kili's body, as the morning air nips at the rings of metal in her exposed skin.

"Are you cold?" Kili's voice is louder than it probably should have been and the dwarfs around him grumble, as they are still half asleep and do not appreciate the loud voice.

"Just a little chilly, I'll be fine." Kili's brow remains furrowed but he moves on to rousing the rest of the company. As the dwarfs begin to move around her, Eyja remains at the edge of the cliff, looking out over the forest, the large poplar tree leaves lay turned down, barely rustling in the breeze. "It's going to rain, do be sure to cover anything you don't wish to get wet."

Bofur turns to her, eyes still weary from sleep and large hat askew, "How do you figure that lass?" His head turns up to the cloudless sky above them, "there aren't even any clouds." Eyja points to the leaves on the large trees below them.

"When it is going to rain, poplar leaves upturn." The hat wearing dwarf nods still looking confused. Fili walks over dropping his bag on the ground at his feet.

"I couldn't help but notice your sleeping situation with my brother last night," His lips turn up into a sly smile, "might there be something there?"

Eyja chuckles at the dwarrow's antics, "Fili, what may or may not be between me and your brother will remain between the two of us, now I'm pretty sure Bombur has some food so I'm going to get some breakfast." Walking towards the small gathering of dwarfs, she watches as Kili and Fili laugh about something that did not reach her ears, the wide smiles worn by each of them bringing a strange warmth to her. As a bowl of the fire warmed stew is placed in her hands, she steps out of the rowdy crowd of dwarrow, walking back over to the dwarven princes.

Kili steps back creating space between the two ponies for Eyja to stand, the shifter nods her thanks as the dark haired dwarf ties her bag atop the horse. Each of the ponies surrounding them is quickly mounted by their respective dwarf and the ashes of their fire are quickly doused and stamped out. Gandalf once again rides to the front of their procession and starts down the mountain trail. Eyja matching pace with Kili's horse.

True to Eyja's earlier prediction soon the sky had begun to unleash a torrential downpour, the dirt road quickly turning into slick muddy mess. Eyja grimaces at the thought of having to clean her boots of the grime later, pulling her hood farther over her head in an attempt to save her hair from the water. Bofur turns in his saddle to call back to Eyja, "Lass that is some mighty witchcraft you pulled to guess this was coming."

Eyja laughs at his remark knowing he is just poking fun, "Master dwarf I have been on the continent for a good many years, I have learned to read the signs nature provides, that is not witchcraft, merely being observant." The few dwarfs around them chuckle at the exchange, before they continue to ride on in silence. they only ride for a short time before Dori calls out over the pounding noise of the rain.

"Mister Gandalf, can't you do something about this deluge?"

Gandalf spares not even a glance as he replies, "It is raining master dwarf, and it will continue to rain and it will continue to rain until the rain is done," the grey cloaked wizard pauses before continuing, "if you wish to change the weather of the world you should find yourself another wizard." Dori slumps down in his seat, accepting that he will continue to be pummeled by the weather. As the hobbit and wizard discuss the other great wizards of Middle Earth, Kili leans down to speak close to the shifter ear.

"Eyja pretty soon the mud is going to swallow your boots, I do believe it would be in your best interest to get on a pony instead of continuing to walk." Eyja sighs at the dwarfs continued pestering of the subject, Knowing he will not give it up as long as he has breath in his lungs she stops walking and nods to the dwarven prince.

"Fine, but only because the mud is making my boots weigh twice what they should." Kili grins down at her before shifting forward in his seat patting the space behind him urging Eyja to sit. She climbs up onto the horse resting her hands in her lap, unsure of close she should be sitting behind the prince.

"You should hang on, it would be a shame for you to fall." Eyja can hear the smile in his voice and shakes her head with a quiet laugh as she places her hands lightly around his torso, his back pressing against her front. He turns his head as much as he can trying to face her, "Have you met any of the wizards Gandalf speaks of?"

Nodding her head her cloaks hood shifts back a tad, and she quickly pulls it back to its proper place, "I have met Saruman, he was quite the stern fellow, the only other wizard I have met was Radagast the brown, he was quite peculiar, but a pleasant enough person if a little odd." The dwarf in front of her hums in acknowledgment and they ride in a peaceful silence, the only sound is the quiet murmurs of the company, and the shower of the rain.

Days pass and they slowly establish a routine, of waking with the sun before riding all day before setting down for the night. The group rides through the hills before coming to a burnt building. "We'll camp here for tonight," Thorin's deep voice carries through the small valley, "Fili, Kili, look after the ponies make sure you stay with them." Nodding the two princes dismount, Eyja following after them, they tie their horses up to the small pieces of fence left unscathed by the flames. beyond the trees, Eyja's ears pick up Thorin arguing with Gandalf over whether they should move on from this abandoned home. Suddenly Gandalf shouts about being the only one with sense and she hears him storm off.

Kili and Fili sit against a fence post quietly discussing things Eyja pays no mind to, instead she wonders over why a farmer would leave their home, was there something dangerous lurking in these woods, if so what had it been and was it still residing close by. Her blade lays a comforting weight across her back, and she lowers herself to the ground across from the two dwarves. Looking down at the sorry state of her once brown boots, she begins prying at the mud caking them, hoping that it will fall off easily now that it had dried. The trio sit there listening to the bugs fly overhead and the ponies shift and whinny as the sky overhead grows darker.

The sounds of the forest suddenly stop, leaving an eerie silence hanging in the air. The silence only lasts for a mere moment before suddenly a deafening crack of a tree falling pierces the air, the shifter and dwarves shoot to a standing position, and the three rush towards where the ponies are tied. The sound of footsteps behind them soon comes with bilbo standing between them all.

"What's the matter?" His question comes with a bowl of stew pushed towards the two dwarves.

Kili's voice comes out low, "We're supposed to be looking after the ponies,"

Eyja continues the sentence, "Only we've encountered a slight problem,"

"We had 16," Fili speaks now voice uncertain, "now there's 14."

After a quick search to find which horses had vanished, the group reconvened with Bilbo still trying to offer the princes the stew. "Daisy and Bongo are missing." Kili paces to the group brow creased and frown on his face.

"That is not good," the hobbit lets out a nervous chuckle, "that is not good at all, shouldn't we tell Thorin?"

Fili turns quickly speaking even quicker, "No no lets not worry him. As our official burglar we thought you might want to look into it?" Eyja paces around the fallen tree, finding a large footprint and her stomach drops. She knows those tracks, and the foul stench they left behind.

Bilbo's face drops, and he nods pointing to the fallen tree, "Right well, um, it looks like something big uprooted these trees. Something very big indeed."

Eyja speaks, her voice even toned and flat, "Trolls."

Fili and Kili turn quickly to face the skin changer, and something in the trees catches the elder brothers eye, "Hey, there's a light. come 'ere." he gestures for the other to look and he starts towards the light, and Eyja sighs heavily before unsheathing her dagger and following after the blonde headed dwarf. Kili launches over a fallen log quickly followed by his brother and Eyja, Bilbo trailing after them, stew still in hand. As the four hide behind a tree, a troll stomps past a pony beneath each arm, and Eyja's hand flies to the sword strapped to her back unsheathing it quickly.

"He's got Myrtle and Minty, I think they're going to eat them we have to do something!" Bilbo's voice is hushed and tense with worry for his pony. The two dwarven brothers turn to him and nod simultaneously.

"Yes, you should, mountain trolls are slow and stupid and you're so small, they'll never see you, it's perfectly safe." Kili takes a bowl from the hobbit, Fili doing the same. Eyja has to repress the urge to smack her hand to her forehead, but Kili's plan isn't terrible and was currently the only idea they had other than just storming the trolls camp.

"If you run into trouble, hoot twice like barn owl and once like a brown owl." Fili speaks quietly as he shoves the hobbit towards the light of the mountain trolls fire, Bilbo protesting the whole way.

"Don't worry Bilbo, I will remain in the trees, and will intervene should it be needed." Eyja's words seemed to comfort the hobbit a tiny amount as he nods and starts quietly towards the sound of voices.

Eyja turns to shoot one last unhappy glance at the Durin brothers but the two dwarves had already disappeared. so she walks as close as she can, leaning against a log, watching as the trolls bicker over the food an Bilbo tries to free the horses. As the hobbit tries to grab the blade off the troll who seemed to have some sort of disgusting cold, Eyja hisses out a breath watching as bilbo is hoisted into the air and covered with troll snot.

"Ah, blimey, look what's come out of me hooter!" the trolls high voice shrill in his shock. The skin changer huffs unhappily at the development of the plan, and steps into the light of the fire.

Her sword shining in the light of the fire, she readies it and calls out towards the trio of trolls. "Put him down!" her voice cuts through the creatures bickering and they turn to face her, their faces twisting into scowls. As the largest of the three moves towards her, Kili bursts from the trees, blade spinning as her slices at the legs of the foul beasts. He stops beside the shifter, sword raised.

"She said, drop him." His blade twirls in a circle and he places both hands on the hilt ready to take another swing at the much larger beings. The mountain troll holding the companies hobbit, growls before throwing the poor burglar at Kili, his arms open in an attempt to catch him. Instead they both go tumbling to the ground, Eyja standing over them with her blade at the ready. The quiet of the camp is broken by the shouts of the company as they rush out around her, each of them holding their weapons high. Eyja charges forward with them, swinging her sword into the thigh of the smallest troll, then cutting upwards with her dagger as he bends over in pain, effectively catching him in the mouth with the small blade. Thorin steps beside her also bringing his blade to meet the skin of the monster. Eyja catches sight of Kili fighting the largest of the trolls with his brother and she turns to go help him. But before she can make it three paces, meaty hands encircle her limbs, raising her above the dwarves head, pulling them till they are ready to pop out of her sockets.

As the two trolls lift her even higher, the dwarves freeze. Kili lurching forward at the pained expression on Eyja's face, "Eyja!" Thorin grabs his nephew before he can move farther, knowing that should they move Eyja will lose her limbs.

"Lay down your arms. Or we'll rip hers off." The trolls sneer down at the dwarrow, and Eyja golden eyes meet Kili's earth toned ones. He frowns as his uncle lays down his sword, and Kili throws his at the ground beside his brothers many blades.

Soon, half the company lay tied up in sacs, while the rest lay tied to a spit over the fire. Kili lays beside the skin changer, who scowls deeply at the foul creatures. "I fucking hate trolls." Her harsh words are quiet but Kili's ears catch them and he nods his agreement. "The bloody wizard told me I wouldn't have to deal with any of these nasty things."

Bilbo stands awkwardly in his sac, "Wait, you are making a terrible mistake." the company protests calling their captors all sorts of foul names, but Bilbo ignores them, "I meant with the, uh, with the seasoning. You're going to need something a lot stronger than sage to plate up this lot." Gloin and Kili start yelling at the hobbit but Eyja stays quiet, realizing the burglar is stalling for time.

While Bilbo tries to think of ways to stall the trolls from eating the company, a flash of movement in the trees catches Eyja's yellow gaze. looking up to the sky, she see a faint pinkish tinge to clouds floating past, signifying dawns near approach. As the cross eyed troll picks up Bombur, dangling the poor dwarf over his mouth, Eyja rises to stand beside the hobbit.

"Not that one, he is, he's infected," she pauses as the trolls turn to face her, "Ya he's got worms in his tubes." Bombur is promptly dropped atop the pile of dwarves, and the troll stumbles back a step. Eyja continues, "In fact, they all have them, they're infested with parasites, truly I wouldn't risk it."

Kili turn indignantly to face her, "We don't have parasites!" Eyja rolls her eyes helplessly as all the dwarves yell at her, not understanding that she's is trying to keep them alive. Out of the corner of her eye she sees Thorin pull back his leg and deliver a swift kick to his nephews back. Quickly Kili's complaints are replaced with remarks about how he has parasites the size of his arm. Eyja sends a silent thanks to the gods for blessing Thorin with enough brains to understand her plan.

The troll lumbers towards her and Bilbo, "What would you have us do then? Let them all go?" Bilbo nods and shrugs his shoulder slightly. before any more words can be exchanged a voice rings out over the camp and Eyja lets out a sigh of relief.

"The dawn will take you all!" Gandalf raises his staff, bringing it down swiftly, breaking the stone in two, allowing the trolls to be bathed in sunlight. As they shriek and begin to turn to stone, the dwarves begin to cheer and shout. The wizard quickly cuts down the dwarves suspended over the fire, and frees them from the sacs. As Thorin questions Gandalf of his whereabouts, Kili approaches Eyja as she slips her blades into their proper spots.

"Are you alright, how are your arms and legs feeling, do you need me to get Oin?" Kili's words are spoken quickly with panic lacing every syllable as he looks over her, trying to find any injuries.

"I'm alright Kili, just a tad sore nothing some stretching can't fix." Eyja rests a hand on his shoulder trying to get him to relax. "Relax, everyone is alright, there is no need for worry."

Kili takes a deep breath, gives her a final onceover before deciding that she's right and stepping back. The two share a long look before Fili calls his brother over to help him pick up all his knives. "Make sure to get Oin to help you if you don't feel better please, for the sake of my sanity." Eyja nods with a small smile, and lets her eyes trail after him as he walks away. A familiar warmth is growing in her chest, and she does not wish for things to end as they had the last time she felt this way.

AAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH YEESSSSSSSSSSSS

The Younger Kind Part 25 | Rooster x Reader

Summary: Bradley doesn't know how he will be able to function if Meredith wins custody. As Noah cries in the courtroom, he whishes he would have done more to ensure this never happened. But when he watches you, terrified but supporting him anyway, he knows what he really needed this whole time was you. 

Warnings: Angst, swearing, fluff, and age gap (18+)

Length: 4100 words

Pairing: Single dad!Bradley "Rooster" Bradshaw x babysitter!female reader

Check out my masterlist for more! The Younger Kind masterlist.

The courtroom was freezing cold. Your blazer was scratchy against your arms, and Noah was already crying. As soon as Bradley had to hand his son over to the court appointed counselor, Noah's tears started flowing. And now you were seated in the front row, right behind Bradley, but you couldn't slide down the bench to get to Noah. You couldn't even look at the back of Bradley's head for too long without feeling like it was suspicious. 

So you sat there and listened to Noah softly ask for his dad over and over again while Judge Greene listed everyone who was present today. When your name was called, Meredith and her lawyer both turned back to look at you with identical sneers.

Stay strong. Stay strong. You kept telling yourself you would handle this, but you didn't even have to do anything yet, and you already felt ready to fold. But the soft sobbing from Noah and the fact that Meredith hadn't looked at her son once kept you motivated. 

Both lawyers gave statements which were largely identical, each one claiming their client would be the better option to raise Noah. But you noticed that while Bradley was fighting for zero visitation rights for Meredith, she was doing the opposite. She seemed willing to have Bradley visit with Noah if she won today. And that made you nervous, because even to your untrained ears, it sounded like she was more flexible than him. She also made it clear she was going to fight for financial support. 

"Lieutenant Bradshaw, please stand and give your statement," Judge Greene commanded. You had listened last night at Bradley's kitchen table while he read over his personal statement with Tracy, but hearing his deep, raspy voice shake now had you squeezing your hands to keep calm. 

"My son turned four on April twelfth. For every single one of his birthdays, I have been the only parent involved in his life. If something needs to be done for him, I do it. I pay for everything. I care for him in every way. He only knows me," Bradley said, taking a deep breath. "His mother abandoned us. Both of us. And I know he's sitting right behind me and listening to everything I'm saying. And I can hear him crying, which is making it really hard to stand here right now. But I also know he has no idea who his biological mom is. I do not think it would be in his best interest to remove him from his home and the parent who loves him."

When Meredith stood to give her statement, you could tell she felt defensive. It was rolling off of her in waves. Her voice was harsh as she tried to make claims that you just couldn't believe. "Bradley has kept my son from me. For years I've tried reaching out to him, and I'm lucky to even get a response. So the idea that I could have abandoned them is preposterous. He never asked me for money, so I never gave it. Had he asked, I would have been more than happy to help provide. But along with that, changes in my lifestyle have meant that I'm ready to take full control of my son's custody. As his mother. And I'm more than willing to work with a court appointed counselor to ensure that visitation rights would be granted. I'm being more than fair. A mother is better equipped to care for her child than a father."

You were shivering in the cold room now, and while Bradley's posture had only incrementally changed, you could tell he was angry. But Tracy looked completely relaxed. How could that be? Meredith was a fucking liar! And Noah was whining for his dad! And nothing that was going on in this room was fair or just. 

The lawyers were going back and forth like a verbal wrestling match now. It was impressive. Mesmerizing. When one of them seemed to have the upper hand, the other made a swift comeback. The only problem was, Meredith was being made to sound like a saint. You couldn't understand why Tracy wasn't going for the kill right now. The sooner this was over, the sooner you and Bradley could take Noah back to his house and let things go back to normal. The three of you eating dinner together would help Noah forget about his tears. You wanted your boys to pretend today never happened.

You watched Meredith's profile as she sat there, completely aloof when Judge Greene called the counselor and Noah up toward the bench. Noah pulled his hand away and ran right for Bradley, tears in his eyes again. 

"It's okay, Bub," he soothed, dropping down from his chair to kneel in front of his son. "It's okay to go with them. It won't even take long."

"I want to go home," Noah hiccupped, looking between you and Bradley, knowing the comfort that one or both of you usually provided him. But none of that came right now. Bradley picked him up and handed him over with a soft kiss on the cheek. Noah wailed as he was carried off to the judge's chambers for some one on one questions with Judge Greene. 

And Meredith sat there like she hadn't a care in the world while Bradley cradled his head in his hands on the table in front of him. Tracy tried to get him to drink some water from her bag, but he wouldn't. You reminded yourself not to look at him too much, and that's when Meredith caught your eye again. She was fighting to try to keep the smirk from her face as she tried to appear serious. You knew what she was probably going to have her lawyer ask you. You knew it was going to be ridiculous. But you didn't like the way she was looking at you like you were the only thing between her and what she wanted. 

When Judge Greene returned empty handed, Bradley scrambled to his feet. "Where's Noah?" he asked, and Tracy was immediately trying to get him to sit down.

"In my chambers, coloring. He's just fine. Now, I'd like to call up some character witnesses."

You waited while three separate people spoke about Meredith like she was sunshine incarnate instead of a woman who left her son behind like he was nothing to her. Then your name was called. You made your way up to the seat near the front, and Meredith's lawyer wasted no time in trying to break you. 

"You're a character witness for Bradley Bradshaw?"

"Yes," you replied, mortified by the way your voice shook. "I am."

"And how do you know him?"

You swallowed hard. "I babysit Noah on occasion." It was the truth, but it felt like a lie. Saying you were just Noah's occasional babysitter was a wholly inadequate representation of what the two of them meant to you. Of how much you loved them. You had to swallow against the sick feeling in your throat.

"Is that all you do when you're watching Noah? Or do you stay? Earn some money by doing things for Lieutenant Bradshaw?"

Cold sweat broke out along your neck and chest, and your eyes shifted to Bradley without warning. He looked irate and red in the face, and you were already embarrassed after less than a minute of questioning. 

"I object!" Tracy called out, waving her hand in the air. "That's hearsay. And irrelevant." 

"Sustained," Judge Greene said calmly, as if there was no reason for you to feel like you were going to vomit right now. "Any further questions?"

But of course Meredith's lawyer had more questions for you. And they were all designed to make you look bad. 

"How did you pay for nursing school? Did Lieutenant Bradshaw offer to give you an outlandish salary to spend time with him? Do you actually have any experience watching a child that age? How are you qualified to spend time with him? What sorts of questionable things did you find in that house?"

You tried to answer each question with calm composure, but soon you felt like you couldn't breathe. Your eyes were burning. You turned to the judge, but she gave you a bland look. You were on your own. So you took a deep breath, determined to finish this even if your voice was shaking again.

"As a nursing student, you must have access to prescription drugs. Do you use them?"

"No!" you said, having had just about enough of this. Bradley was rubbing his hand along his face, barely keeping it together. Tracy was looking at you, eyes pleading with you to hold it together. "I do not steal or use prescription drugs. I'm studying pediatric nursing. I'm more than qualified to take care of Noah."

"Would you be willing to be drug tested?" the other lawyer asked. 

"Absolutely. You want blood? Urine? Hair? Depending on the lab, you could have results by the end of the day." Your jaw was clenched tight. 

"One last question," he said with a smile. "Is it true that you seduced Lieutenant Bradshaw? And that you're pregnant with his child?"

The audible gasp that came from you mirrored Tracy's. Bradley was now gripping the edge of the table in front of him. You were shaking as you said, "I'll take a pregnancy test, too."

You would do it if they made you. But it didn't seem fair. Your relationship with Bradley didn't have anything to do with how he cared for Noah. It didn't have anything to do with how qualified you were to babysit. Tears filled your eyes, but you had promised Tracy you wouldn't cry. You watched through blurry vision as she jumped to her feet and approached your seat. 

"He's badgering the witness with irrelevant questions!" she said, and Judge Greene told the other lawyer to sit down. 

Tracy must have been able to tell you were shaken up, because she asked, "Can we take a short recess?"

"No," Judge Green replied with a sharp shake of her head. "Let's carry on with your questioning."

Tracy took her time walking back to the table and gathering her notes, giving you a moment to catch your breath. Your hands were still shaking when Tracy asked you, "Did Lieutenant Bradshaw ever make you feel uncomfortable?"

"No. Never." 

"Did he ever criticize the way you cared for his son?"

"No," you said, your voice sounding stronger now. 

Tracy shuffled her papers and asked, "Does Lieutenant Bradshaw seem to be a loving and caring parent to Noah?"

"Yes," you replied with conviction. 

"Now, can you tell me a little bit about how you injured your arm in the parking lot at Meyer Park?"

You watched the color drain from Meredith's face as you recounted the way she had scared you, forcing you to run to safety with Noah.

"And was that the only time you saw her prior to this morning?" Tracy asked. 

"I saw her yesterday," you replied. "At the grocery store. I thought she was following me."

"Objection!" shouted the other lawyer. 

"Sustained," responded Judge Greene. Your head was swimming with what you were supposed to say and what you were supposed to stay away from. You couldn't remember. And you could barely focus on Tracy. But she wanted you to get to the point. You could tell.

So you blurted out, "Meredith asked me if I was sleeping with Bradley to get to his money. She mentioned a life insurance payout and his expensive car."

"It's actually a Bronco," Bradley muttered, raking his fingers through his hair as Meredith slammed her hand down on the notebook in front of her and started whispering to her lawyer. 

Tracy asked another question quickly while everyone else was distracted. "And what did you do when you left the grocery store?"

She was giving you an encouraging look, so you said. "I looked some things up online. About how her business filed for bankruptcy. And her home went into foreclosure. And she said in an interview after Noah was born that she doesn't have any kids."

"Objection!" the other lawyer shouted again. 

"Overruled," said Judge Greene, and Tracy looked like just won the lottery. "Please continue," she said, brow creased in concern now.

You felt like an idiot as you told Tracy that you used Google to search for information about Meredith, but you just kept going. 

"I found articles that suggest that her business went into bankruptcy because of mismanaged funds. And insider trading with her business partner. They were married, but it appears that he left her."

Every single time the other lawyer tried to object to what you were saying, the judge overruled it. And then Tracy urged you to continue. But you were shaking from a combination of anxiety and fear. 

"It sounds like she has no money," you said, voice quivering again as you met Bradley's eyes. You'd never seen him look so distraught or so hopeful before. He was silently cheering you on, like he knew how strong you could be. So you kept going.

---------------------------

Bradley was practically ready to crawl out of his own skin. He couldn't stand the way Meredith's lawyer kept yelling at you. He hated that he had to sit here in this horribly uncomfortable seat and just listen as your character got ripped to shreds. He wanted to take you and Noah home, order a pizza and watch a movie. You looked like you wanted to cry, but you didn't. And Bradley was so proud of how strong you were.

When Tracy started asking you questions, you sat up a little taller. You sounded a little bolder. And then Meredith was the one in a state of panic. 

"It sounds like she has no money," you said, as you met Bradley's eyes. "That doesn't sound like the right reason to fight for custody of a child."

The room went silent for a second after that. And then Meredith stood up and said, "I've lost everything, okay? Everything! But Noah is my blood, and I have a right to him, too!"

Then chaos broke out. When Bradley stood and said, "Why do you want him now that you're broke, huh?" he felt Tracy's hands on his arm, pulling him back to his chair. 

"Let her sink her own ship," she whispered, keeping a firm hand on his forearm. You were still sitting up in the front, perched on the edge of the seat like you wanted to run. He wanted to scoop you up like he always did, for your own comfort, but for his as well. 

He listened to Meredith rant and try to blame him for everything as her lawyer begged her to sit. He listened to her call you a slut and claim once again that you were pregnant. She said she knows you bought pregnancy tests at the grocery store. So what if you were pregnant? It didn't have anything to do with Noah or Bradley's ability to take care of him. It didn't have anything to do with that fact that Bradley would never abandon a child like she had. 

He watched Judge Greene remain completely calm as Meredith's lawyer finally got her to sit down. Then she stood and said, "Please bring me all written evidence. I'll have my decision shortly." Both lawyers handed her folders before she disappeared into her chambers. 

"Where's Noah?" Bradley asked Tracy immediately, accepting a bottle of water from her. 

"He's with the counselor. He's fine. And you did great."

"I barely did anything!" he growled, worried he hadn't done enough today. He'd done nothing compared to you. As you stood and made your way to the rows of benches behind him, you never met his eyes. He loved you. All he ever wanted to do was protect you from all of this. You shouldn't be here right now. If he lost Noah today, he didn't know how he was going to continue to exist. And you should have had no part in this nightmare. 

He'd forced this on you in a way. Every step he took since he met you led you here. Bradley had tried so hard to cut you out, end things with you, but he was so fucking weak. He should have been more focused on Noah. But he had been. He'd been trying to find someone to date who would make him and Noah complete, or at least better. And despite his initial reservations, that was you.

When he turned to face you, your eyes snapped up to meet his. He'd never be able to thank you enough for everything you'd done for both of them. But he wanted to have the chance. He wanted you to know what you meant to him and to Noah. 

"How long is this going to take?" he asked Tracy, wiping his sweaty palms on his suit pants. He could hear Meredith talking, but he kept himself focused on his lawyer.

"Hard to say," she told him calmly. "Just keep breathing. Focus on your breathing." 

So he did, and when he started to feel sick again, Tracy talked to him. And then Judge Greene was coming back out, and Bradley could see Noah through the door before it closed. Dread rose inside him as the judge had everyone in the room stand. He felt like his limbs weighed a million pounds as he faced the front of the room. 

Every second of silence made the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. He almost had to reach for Tracy when Judge Greene said, "In light of today's testimonies and evidence plus the collection of evidence I reviewed leading up to the trial, I have reached a decision regarding the custody of Noah Bradshaw."

Bradley had to close his eyes. All of his senses were overwhelmed, and he was afraid he was going to breakdown. 

"The following decision is a reflection of what is in the best interest of the child. Full custody is to be awarded to Bradley Bradshaw. There will be no visitation privileges. There will be no child support owed. The child's biological father is to be his sole guardian."

Bradley collapsed back down onto the chair as he cried. "Oh my god," he groaned, cradling his face in his hands. He was gasping for air as he felt Tracy's hand on his shoulder. He could see Meredith storm out of the room. He could hear you laughing and crying at the same time behind him as the counselor walked back out of the judge's chambers with Noah. 

And then he was out of his chair again, rushing toward his son and scooping him up. "I colored you a monkey," Noah told him as Bradley smothered his whole face in kisses. 

"I love it," Bradley promised him without even looking at the coloring sheet. "It's perfect, and I love it so much." He buried his face against Noah's neck and inhaled. 

"And I colored a unicorn for Princess."

"Yeah?" Bradley asked, holding him tight. "She's gonna love it, too."

"I know," Noah replied confidently. "I told them about how she brings me coloring books and cooks food like spaghetti. And how she plays blocks and reads and can sing good."

"You told them about Princess?" Bradley asked, turning to the back of the room. You were waiting patiently for them, a huge smile on your face as you bounced a little bit on your feet.

"Yep. I told them that she loves me and that you do too. Can we go home yet?"

As much as Bradley wanted to keep you separate from all of this, he needed you the whole time. And so did Noah. He rushed toward you and took you by the hand. "Now we can go home."

------------------------

You unlocked the front door with your key, and Bradley kissed you again. A huge smile was still plastered all over your face as you watched how much he loved his son. He ended up on his back on the living room floor while Noah sat on top of him and laughed. Bradley's suit was a wrinkly mess now as you knelt down next to them. 

"You want spaghetti for dinner, Noah?" Your appetite was back, and you were ravenous. There was no doubt in your mind that Bradley could do with a good meal as well.

"Yeah! And ants on logs!" 

You kissed his chubby cheek and said, "Let me check on the raisin situation." Then you leaned down to kiss Bradley's lips, and he pulled you back for a second and a third. 

He murmured, "I love you," before briefly swiping your tongue with his. You ran your fingers back through his hair and let your forehead rest on his. 

"I love both of you." Then you kissed his nose and went to the kitchen, letting them have a little more time alone as they laughed on the floor. 

As you set a pot on the stove to boil some water, your eyes filled with tears. It felt like a combination of stress and relief and happiness. You sank to the floor with your back to the cabinet and cried. When you left the courthouse with Bradley, Meredith was nowhere to be found. Bradley had hugged Tracy with tears in his eyes, and she promised to be in touch with him soon to take some final actions. And then she told you that you had done a great job of staying calm and presenting evidence against Meredith while acting as a character witness. "I wish everyone was as professional as you."

Her words echoed in your head as you remembered that you didn't live here with Bradley and Noah. Not really. You were still going to need to finish writing your final papers for school and start looking for a job to support yourself. Because contrary to what Meredith thought, you hadn't been fucking Bradley to get him to pay your tuition. You had a mountain of loans to pay off now. And really, it would be better if you left after dinner tonight and went home. You'd have to get used to a routine where Bradley was your boyfriend with his own space. 

Noah came running in a minute later as you wiped your eyes. "I'm hungry," he informed you, sitting down on your lap. Bradley walked in without his suit coat on. His shirt sleeves were rolled up. His tie was loose, and his top few buttons were undone.

"How about I make dinner and you just supervise?" he asked, pulling you to your feet. "You had a long day, too."

So you nodded at him, and he picked you up and set you on the counter. And then he set Noah on your lap and started the playlist you made. You showed him how to brown the meat and add the sauce. You showed him how to keep the spaghetti noodles from sticking together.

And as he was plating the food, he paused and looked at you. "I forgot. I picked something up at the store the other day for us to celebrate with. Wait here." He dashed out of the room, and you slipped down off of the counter with Noah in your arms. You finished getting the spaghetti onto plates and pulled out the carrots to make him some ants, and then Bradley was back in the kitchen with the biggest bag of Skittles you had ever seen.

Laughter bubbled out of you along with another sob. "I'm happy, but I can't stop crying."

He tossed the Skittles aside and grabbed you by the hips. "That's because you really care about us. You always have. And you saved us today."

The prickle of his mustache against your skin had you parting your lips for him. He held you close, his thumbs stroking you through your pants as you worked your fingers through his hair. "I love you," he rasped, releasing your lips in favor of whispering the sexiest, loveliest things in your ear while Noah made a huge mess of spaghetti at the table. 

--------------------------

Ahhhhhhhhh! Ahhhhhhhhh! Hope you enjoy your fic, @beyondthesefourwalls And thank you @mak-32 !

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The Beauty of Chance

Pairing: Thorin Oakenshield x Dúnedain!Reader

Summary: Whilst finding respite in Beorn's home, certain relevations are had. Or; you and Thorin do a little more than just talk things through.

Word Count: 3.4k

Warnings: feather-light smut, the reader smokes a pipe

a/n: Reader is Dúnedain because I'm physically incapable of writing a middle earth fic where the reader isn't Dúnedain. Once again I used Irish as a replacement for the Dúnedain's native tongue because trying to translate Númenórean Sindarin is a nightmare :)

Beorn's home offered a sense of comfort and safety of the likes you hadn't felt since leaving the Shire. The high walls eased your nerves and you found your hand no longer instinctively reached for your sword. It served as a quaint port amidst the storm, a chance to catch your breath. And it had come long overdue.

After a breakfast sweetened with berries and honey and made up of foods far finer than anything you'd seen since passing Bree, you decided on spending the morning exploring Beorn's home in all its subtle splendor.

Everything seemed to dwarf you in size, from the furniture to the settlement itself. It was an odd feeling, one that stirred up a strange sense of nostalgia; wandering into your father's forge as a child and toying with tools far too large for small hands. You supposed it also offered a glance into the life of your companions.

You reached to undo the lock to the back door, vowing to never poke fun at Bilbo's height again when the plank of wood fell snugly back into the lock despite your best efforts.

You passed through the stables instead, petting the manes of the mares that resided there as you did.

The gardens, just like the rest of the skin changer's dwellings, were evidently tended to with no shortage of care. A small warren of rabbits dozed comfortably in the ryegrass and blooming flowers brushed your knees. You simply stood among it all for a moment, feeling the soil beneath your feet and the sweetened air in your lungs.

The outskirts of the garden were bordered by two oak trees, mature and proud. Their canopy provided a small shadowed patch and you quickly found respite against its bark and beneath its leaves.

With the company out of sight, you breathed a pained sigh.

Your muscles ached and your body felt stiff. It was somewhat difficult to convince it to relax after so long spent prepared to fight at a moment's notice. Shifting against the tree bark, you undid your shirt enough to reveal the unpleasantly long gash that ran across your shoulder and coiled down your arm. The fine work of an orc blade. The bleeding had all but stopped now, but the wound's edges were jagged and an angry red. And the horrid stinging that accompanied such injuries was yet to go away.

You undid the bandages and bound the wound in fresh cloth. It was by no means your finest work but others in the company had sustained far worse wounds during the scuffle on the cliffside and Oín only had two hands and a very limited amount of supplies. You wouldn't seek out care when your friends needed it more.

Besides, the blade had caught your weaker arm. You could still hold your sword, still carry out your purpose.

You'd manage.

Relacing your shirt and silently vowing to put your stubbornness aside and seek help should a fever set in, you sat back against the bark, shifting until you found comfort.

It felt nice to finally rest. To close your eyes and not fear for your company's safety. You reveled in the quiet. For all of two minutes.

The sound of brambles snagging on leather and stones shifting beneath heavy boots had you up and alert and despite all logic, your hand still grasped at your empty sword belt.

You calmed when Thorin rounded the tree. He seemed startled at the sight of you.

“Forgive me, I did not mean to intrude,” the dwarf said, words genuine. He stepped back, as if ready to turn on his heel should you ask him to.

“Searching for some peace and quiet?” You asked instead. Such moments were few and far between. “It would seem we both had the same idea.”

The king's head fell forward in a nod and when still he made no move to leave you motioned to your side.

“Sit.”

His hesitation was brief. He settled beside you, then all was quiet again. A sudden breeze, warm and tinged with the scent of autumn, rushed through the leaves. Thorin took a deep breath before releasing it in an uneven sigh.

It was an odd sight, seeing him at ease. You'd go as far as to call it unnatural. His relaxed shoulders and gentle expression seemed foreign and uncanny. But you couldn't deny the youthfulness that seemed to soften his features now. It was not unlike the glimpses you'd caught of him during your shared night watches when both of you were too stubborn to let the other stay up alone.

A quaint stillness began to settle and when Thorin still said nothing, you decided neither would you. You were happy to sit in silence at his side.

From your pocket, you produced your pipe, old and worn around the rims but still trusty enough to serve its purpose. You ran your fingers along the polished wood, all the way down to its blackened base. Generously stuffing it full, you held a match to the green leaves until they kindled and began to smolder.

Bilbo, bless his heart, had offered you what was left of his pipe-weed. ‘The finest you'll find anywhere south of Bree,’ he'd promised as he handed it over without a second thought after discovering yours has been lost to the greedy hands of goblins.

The first exhale of smoke left lips that were turned up in a smile. The generosity of halflings would never cease to amaze you.

The taste of tobacco sat heavily on your tongue as you blew out wisps of grey smoke and watched as they were carried off on the afternoon breeze.

“I owe you thanks,” Thorin said suddenly, shifting beside you. “The courage you showed on the cliffside, your willingness to help this company, it's not something I take for granted. You have done a great deal for us and we- I am grateful.”

“You don't have to thank me, Thorin.” You exhaled another flurry of smoke.

“But I do. When I called on my own kin for help they turned away. But you, a soldier of Man, a ranger, you answered. You didn't have to, by all means of sanity you shouldn't have. But you did.”

You chewed anxiously on the tip of your pipe. “I know what it's like to be without a home,” you said simply. “And it is not a faith I would wish upon anyone.”

Thorin only nodded in response. His gaze shifted to the tree roots beneath his feet.

You hadn't spoken much of your past, although by the way you carried both yourself and your sword, Thorin knew that your life until this point had not been one without hardship. The race of men were as dependant on each other as a fawn to it's mother; venturing out on ones own was strange for your kind. Gandalf had not indulged him with your story, only what he needed to in order to convince him to accept you as one of the company.

But Thorin knew what a renegade looked like. He'd lived as one long enough to know what the dreariness in your eyes and your indifference to battle and death meant. Part of him wanted to tell you that, to form that middle ground and hope it offered some comfort.

“Regardless, I am glad to have you with us,” he said instead.

At your feet, a lone beetle made its way through the undergrowth. You watched in bemusement, shifting your boot to clear its path. You turned to Thorin and found his own eyes trained on the bug as it continued on its journey. In an odd moment of catharsis, you saw the dwarf beside you not as a king, but a friend and fellow soldier. You offered him your pipe.

When the dwarf noticed your extended hand he smiled almost fondly. The sight made the aches in your muscles ease. He took the pipe in gentle hands, pressing the mouthpiece to his bottom lip and filling his lungs with the finest pipeweed the Shire had to offer.

He pushed the grey cloud past his lips in one deep breath, the smoke taking the shape of a perfect ring before disappearing above the tree.

You raised an unamused brow. “I would not have offered had I known you'd take the opportunity to show off.”

“Lying is not becoming of you, master ranger,” the dwarf responded smoothly, his eyes closed and lips turned up in a satisfied smirk. His hair splayed out around his head like a darkened crown, white strands catching in the sun like silver.

For no reason other than to make watching him an easier task, you shifted against the tree so that you faced the king. The resulting pain that lashed up your arm in doing so had you hissing through your teeth. Thorin's eyes were on you in a moment.

“I'm alright,” you dismissed quickly.

The dwarf looked entirely unconvinced. He reached for the collar of your shirt and when you made no attempt to stop him, pulled the fabric down.

“Mahal,” he said the word like a curse, low and rough. “How long have you kept this hidden?” Struggling to fall somewhere between a convincing lie and an honest under exaggeration, you decided against answering altogether. With a grunt, Thorin pushed forward and onto his knees. He took the hem of his undershirt in one hand and tore off a strip with less than a second thought.

Just as you hadn't answered him earlier, you said nothing as Thorin began to tend to you.

The bandages, already tinged pink, fell away easily in his grasp. A single line of blood seeped from the open gash and trickled down the swell of your bicep. Thorin swiftly decided the best he could do was simply rebind the wound. Despite their broadness, his fingers worked nimbly, carefully gracing over your arm and masterfully retying the bandages.

“You're a fool,” he said eventually, finishing the bindings with an unnecessary tug. “I believed your selflessness to be honorable, now I'm more inclined to think it idiotic.”

You huffed a laugh and winced.

Thorin took up the torn strip of blue linen from his shirt and carefully looped it around your arm, tying it taunt against your shoulder.

“Where did you learn that?” you asked. With the added support, the aching throb in your arm had all but ceased.

“I learned many things during my time in the Blue Mountains and in the villages of Man. How to properly dress a wound was one. It would appear that was a skill you did not pick up during your time on the road.” He answered with a smirk.

“Healers usually work in silence,” you reminded him.

He smiled at your words despite himself. He looked younger when he smiled. His eyes brightened and shone silver. You found yourself wishing it was a sight you could see more often.

There was something about the way he tended to you that set a deep ache in your chest.

He finished his work with one more tight knot and a satisfied hum. “It will do for now. I'll have Oín treat it once he has a moment to spare.” His hand ran down the length of your arm before falling away at the bend of your elbow.

“I'll manage,” you said. The words were almost second nature now.

“You always do.” Thorin's voice was soft. He regarded you in a manner so gentle the ache in your chest flared, a pounding against your ribs. But when his eyes caught your own, the look vanished and he stood. “I've intruded long enough, I'll take my leave.”

“Why not stay?” You were embarrassed by how quickly the words jumped from your throat.

“Because if I do I fear I'll do something rash.”

“Thorin–” you rose to your knees, reaching out and grasping his forearms. The action surprised you both.

You failed to find any words to confront him with, anything that would translate the fierce fire he set in you. How he regarded you not just as an equal but as someone to be respected, admired. How he tore the very clothes on his back to stop your bleeding. How the action was almost instinctive. Even the simplest things. Like how he hadn't complained once about how the earth dug into his knees as he tended to you. How he still hadn't pulled away from you now...

Gravity seemed to give way beneath you and you pushed yourself up on your knees further till your lips brushed his. Thorin was still for a fleeting, terrifying moment; before he returned your affection with a fierce passion.

The earth bit into your knees and you rocked forward. Thorin's hands grasped your waist and anchored you against him. The feel of his palms against your side was grounding. You swore the world had faded into the great void at the end of time and this moment was all that was left.

When you parted, a shaking breath passed Thorin's lips. “You are far braver than I.” His voice was quiet, hoarse.

“Brave?” you grinned. “I thought you'd settled on idiotic.”

The dwarf laughed, full and hearty, and gods what you wouldn't do to hear it every day for the rest of your life.

“I think, perhaps, both can be true,” he said, and his lips were on yours again.

His advance was softer this time, fixed on feeling you against him, marveling at your touch. He kissed your neck, just above the beating of your pulse. His lips turned up in a smile.

You watched him in absolute awe; a descendant of Durin touching you as if you were carved from gold, a king willingly on his knees for an outcast.

The ache in your chest seized your heart.

Your hand rushed up his arm, fingers running past the swell of his shoulders and gently catching in his hair. Thorin gasped sharply, the bridge of his nose pressing tautly against the curve of your jaw. In a single grounding moment, you recalled the significance of hair in dwarven culture as well as the boundary you'd just overstepped.

You rightened yourself against the tree, forcing Thorin to pull away in turn.

“Forgive me, I didn't mean–” you swallowed. “Thorin if you want this to end you need only say so. I won't take offense.”

The silence that followed was uncomfortably thick. You sat unmoving as the dwarf regarded you with something you couldn't quite place. It left you feeling uncertain whether he was going to reach for you again or stand and leave.

“Why do you do that?” he asked instead. “Doubt yourself. Ask for forgiveness as if you have done something wrong. Do you truly find the thought of me wanting to touch you, to be touched by you, so difficult to accept?” He caught your chin with gentle fingers and raised your head. “I can think of nothing I want more.”

His touch ghosted your neck and you shuddered. Words could not tell him how much he meant to you, but you hoped your lips against his own and your heart beating frantically against his chest would.

Thorins knees began to ache, straining and giving way. You pressed a steady hand to his back and guided him forward until his legs slot over your own and your height balanced out. He surged closer, you could feel the tree bark biting into your back. You ignored it with ease.

The kings hand ran along the underside of your arm and the feel of it drew from you a soft breath. Your hand brushed over his braid, gently thumbing at the strands. You combed your fingers through the knotted locks behind his ear; the knowledge of what the act meant to Thorin, the intimacy of it all, made your head light.

Then, your fingers tapped almost unnoticeably against the base of his neck, right above his pulse where the dwarf's blood rushed so fast he was almost certain you could hear it. Your mouth parted in an unasked question and Thorin grunted a low ‘yes’.

Your lips traced his neck, kissing down his collarbone and ensuring to leave each of your marks below the collar of his shirt. Thorin steadied himself against you, breathing a sigh against your temple.

“Tá tú go hálainn, a grá,” the words were so raw, came from somewhere so primal within you, you hadn't noticed they'd left you in your mother tongue. “Tá m'chroí agat.”

Thorin managed a shuddering breath, a weak sound that caught in his throat. “I assume you will not be telling me the meaning of your words.” His hands shook as they moved against your back.

“Consider it reparations for each time you have spoken to me in Khuzdul with no intention of telling me what it is you'd said,” you smirked against his throat, recalling each time he'd addressed you in his native tongue. How the words always seemed natural and unmistakably genuine. He didn't feel the need to tell you the meaning behind those words now. He felt you already knew.

Thorin chuckled, boyish and light, and it set fire to your heart.

The sun had sunk behind the mountains and turned the air cold. But with Thorin laying by your side and a bed of grass at your back you swore you had enough warmth to last you the night.

The dwarf's arm rested beneath your head, hand tracing patterns you didn't recognize against your bandaged shoulder. Even now, his lips still brushed your head.

His other hand rested against your stomach and you bid your time tracing his palm, slowly and with purpose.

Thorin shifted beside you. You could hear the careful workings of his mind as he forged his next words on his tongue. “Should we succeed in taking back Erebor, where will you go?” He asked. His words were heavy.

“I don't know,” you answered honestly. “South? Towards Rohan and then wherever the road leads.”

It took the dwarf a moment to respond. Your words hollowed out his chest and set an ill feeling in his stomach. The thought of you alone stirred up a deep sadness Thorin had not felt in an age. You, with your spark for storytelling and devotion to others and your incomprehensible ability to simply make a difference. To bring light to whatever situation you found yourself in, to join a company that was all the better to have you. To stumble into the life of a downtrodden king and singlehandedly remind him he deserved his throne.

“If we take back the Mountain, I want you to know that you are welcome to stay, should that be something you wish.”

You took a deep breath, holding it till you were certain Thorin's words had not caused your heart to cease beating. As the true weight of the offer set in, you released Thorin's hand.

“I would not think I'd be wanted. I have no right-”

“You have every right,” Thorin said, his words instant and forceful, convincingly so. “As much right as any dwarf that refused to help us in our hour of need.”

You huffed a sigh that fell somewhere between disbelief and amusement.

“Someone like me staying in the sacred halls of Durin's folk. A lowly ranger...”

“You are so much more than that.” He said the words slowly, as if they were the most honest thing he'd ever spoken. “You are a descendant of the Men of the West, a member of this company.” He paused. “You are Amralimê. My love.”

You shifted to look at him. A dwarf who by all means of faith and sense you should never have crossed paths with. But by the beauty of chance, he'd entered your life and reminded you, in all his subtle ways, that it was worth living. That you were worthy.

You dared to retake his hand in yours. “You'd have me?”

Thorin simply smiled.

“Above all else.”

Thank you for reading! <3

authors notes:

Irish translation: tá tú go hálainn, a grá - you are beautiful my love. Tá m'chroí agat - you have my heart. Phonetic pronunciation for those interested - taw two guh haul-in, ah graw. Taw muh-kree a-gut.

Can we talk about all the times that thorin and bilbo are together in the Elven Kingdom??

First Thorin's face when he saw his lover bilbo was no longer with them

Also when OF COURSE bilbo let thorin out first and they just stare at each other just because they can (the fact that this scene is way longer with them just staring at each other)

And thorin is ALWAYS looking at Bilbo

Then their silent *babe help me* *of course babe*

Ando Bilbo triple checking only that Thorin is in the barrel??

Of course Thorin is proud of bilbo and waited for him to come down to smile at him like that. Plus, there are also some moments when we can see thorin looking at bilbo half-drowning and Thorin looking back and forth from the hobbit to the currents

I also think is funny how we get a frame of bilbo killing and orc and Thorin looking at his side

And of course we can't forget the outtakes where thorin was literally losing his mind looking for bilbo, he was screaming, searching every barrel and commanding others to find him. I can't put the gifs but in https://youtu.be/mzz2gtZMhQg (2:41) Thorin can be Heard screaming for bilbo (https://pin.it/zaYS9VP R13 is the creator of this gif)

And here (sorry for the Quality) we can SEE that Thorin is following bilbo with his eyes. He doesn't stop looking at him for one second

And at the end we can see how thorin and bilbo are getting more and more close with each frame??? Like can't they stay away from each other?? The answer is no

I have more scenes but I think this little Moments between them is what's makes them a great couple

What the fuck is this btw am i being mocked?! Are they taking the piss out of me for depression scrolling???

I read in one of your posts that Monty is eventually gonna follow Reader home. I’m looking forward to Monty reacting to objects he’s never seen in the Pizzaplex such as a toaster probably. That and this giant animatronic Gator having to be “sneaky” in the rickety old apartment reader stays in.

Y/n [gives her roomba an affection pat]

Monty, jealous: And just who in the Hell is this?