secret santa submission for prompt candlelight (#5)
A cold draught whistles through Ereborâs stone hallways as the days turn darker and colder. A myriad of torches and lanterns fight the darkness inside the mountain, and great heaters, powered by the forges deeper down, combat the cold in the main halls and the dwarvesâ living quarters.
The royal chambers especially are being kept as meticulously warm as possible, with a roaring fire to boot, and yet, for the one Hobbit in the Lonely Mountain â who thankfully isnât lonely at all â a pervading sense of ice in his veins remains, be it physically justified or not.
Bilbo fights the chill by stuffing himself into more and more layers until he might as well be a dwarf whose tendency to wear a ridiculous number of layers he now finally begins to understand if winters are usually this cold in their mountain halls â so far has he deviated from common Hobbit fashion.
(Though there have been some unexpected benefits to said necessity, as Thorin seems most appreciative of his changed attire. Trust a dwarf to be possessive enough to have heat flaring in his eyes every time he sees his lover clothed in the traditional garments of his own people.)
The end of the year and with it solstice is nearing, and where usually Bilbo wouldâve been full of cheer and energy to prepare for the holiday, he now spends a lot of time in his and Thorinâs chambers, burrowed under a mountain of furs and blankets. He has never particularly liked the cold, even as a little fauntling and memories of the coldest winter the Shire had ever seen, bringing with it death on silent paws donât exactly help.
The first time Thorin found him huddled in their bed, shaking miserably, the dwarf went into a fretting fit worthy of Dori â Bilbo was too worn even to feel bad about worrying him so much. Within the hour he found himself with more blankets than he knew what to do with (FĂli and KĂli may have been a little overenthusiastic when having been told to get their Uncle something to warm him up) and a very warm dwarf next to him who refused to move for the whole day and threatened to do so indefinitely until Bilbo felt better again. Bilbo is sap enough to say later on, that that warmed him more than anything else.
Bilbo burrowed deeper into the blankets covering their spacious bed, hiding the trembling of his limbs beneath furs and wool. Dimly he thought he heard a wolfâs howl drifting in from the outside and shuddered once.
Too preoccupied with the cold and his unreasonable dread he didnât hear Thorinâs approach and jumped when a familiar deep voice sounded next to his ear, filled with worry and concern.
âBilbo? What is wrong?â
In response Bilbo only turned his face farther into the blanket, imagining his loverâs distressed frown rather than looking upon it.
âKurdel? Talk to me, my heart, what is the matter?â Thorin sounded even more worried now, a large hand coming down to rest gently on Bilboâs hair, the only part of him that peaked out from his warm nest.
It takes another pleading whisper â âPlease, Bilboâ â to make him gather enough will to turn up his face and look at Thorin. He had never been able to resist the stubborn dwarf when he said that word, rarely as the King used it.
For a moment Thorin simply studied his face, brow drawing together even further as his concern increased at what he saw in the hobbitâs face.
âTell me,â he simply said.
Bilbo looked into warm, warm blue eyes â he remembered them being cold once, but not anymore, not for a while â and opened his mouth. He meant to say âIâm fineâ or maybe âdonât worry about meâ but what comes out instead is, âItâs cold.â
Thorinâs face instantly softened in understanding. Theyâd talked some about painful histories and private fears and Bilbo mustâve mentioned the cold and that winter at some point.
A moment later the bed dipped with Thorinâs added weight as the dwarf wriggled under the blankets until his body cocooned Bilboâs from behind. A hand came to rest on the hobbitâs hip while another found his hair again, stroking slowly and languidly and Bilbo could feel himself melt into the heat Thorinâs body radiated.
âIâm here,â Thorin murmured, âthe mountain is safe. Itâs warm. Youâre warm.â
The shakes began to subside.
The armchair next to the fire soon became Bilboâs favourite place and he would often sit there with a blanket and a book in his lap, and a cup of tea in easy reach.
Today is no different, as he waits for Thorin to return from yet another council meeting, though he has given up on his reading after the fire has burnt so low as to only leave a few glowing embers. A single candle flickers lazily next to him in the cosy darkness and he may have drifted off for a while until the sound of the door closing startles him awake again.
He leans around the back of the armchair and has to stifle a giggle at the rather comical sight of Thorin attempting to tiptoe towards the bedroom in his clunky, furry boots.
Bilbo mustâve made some noise for Thorin freezes, turning his head towards Bilbo, and then slumps, a rueful smile tugging at his lips.
âIâm sorry, I didnât mean to wake you,â he says, voice slightly raspy from talking all afternoon.
Bilbo only smiles at him with the simple joy of having his beloved home for the night. âItâs all right, I was only napping anyways. Join me?â
Thorin apparently doesnât need to be told twice for heâs moved across the room and slumped down into the chair next to Bilboâs with a weary sigh before the hobbit can do much more than blink.
He reaches out with one hand, content to feel Thorinâs enveloping it promptly. âLong day?â
Thorin only groans in response, his eyes closed. Bilbo canât help but stare a little at the play of shadows on the planes of Thorinâs face, the golden candlelight caressing the dwarfâs face in a loving way that Bilbo can understand entirely. Dark lashes throw delicate shadows on his cheeks, regal nose accentuated sharply by the occasional flickers and when Thorin opens his eyes their piercing blue reflects pinpricks of light.
Thorinâs lips curl up in amusement and Bilbo wouldâve been more embarrassed to have been caught staring if he didnât have the right and reason to. His dwarfâs profile his striking on a bad day, but with the light playing over the smooth expanse of skin⊠well, fluttering butterflies in his stomach it is.
âSee something you like?â
The only time that Thorinâs smooth, velvety voice can be any more joyous to listen to than usual is when amusement tinges its rich timbre.
âAlways,â he answers frankly, and is rewarded by a soft kiss on the back of his hand and one of those rare, almost blinding smiles.
For a while they sit in content silence, revelling in each otherâs presence. Thorinâs unoccupied hand has come up and is lightly stroking Bilboâs hair, thick fingers carding through slightly messy curls with infinite gentleness â and itâs all Bilbo can do not make embarrassing noises.
Finally Thorin speaks once more, his gaze on the embers in the hearth. âDo you want me to stoke the fire?â
âNo, leave it be.â Bilbo glances at the lone candle. Admittedly, it doesnât do much in the shedding light department, but it flickers so merrily, reminding him of times when he was young and his parents still alive, telling stories by golden candle-light. âThis is rather cosy, isnât it? I havenât encountered much solstice cheer in this mountain yet.â
Thorin looks faintly regretful, his fingers tightening a little around Bilboâs hand. âWeâre still rebuilding.â
âAll the more reason to take at least a day off and celebrate. Yavanna knows we can all use it.â
Thorin hums thoughtfully. âYou may be right. At the very least, we can decorate these rooms to look more festive. FĂli and KĂli would love the chance to make a mess.â
âDo you mean youâre intending to let them anywhere near the tinsel?â Bilbo asks in mock-horror, and the candle-flame flickers with the gusts of Thorinâs quiet laughter.
âIt would take a greater might than mine to keep them from it.â
Bilboâs smile turns teasing. âWhat, you mean the King under the Mountain cannot control his own nephews?â
Thorin nods solemnly. âThatâs exactly what I mean.â He leans closer conspiratorially. âDonât tell anyone.â
âNot even FĂli and KĂli?â
Thorin leans even closer, his face inches from Bilboâs own so that he can see the slightly predatory glint in those blue eyes. âEspecially not FĂli and KĂli.â
Before Bilbo can come up with a suitably cheeky reply, warm lips touch upon his and he isnât ashamed to say that he loses the plot for a while.
And who could blame him, when kisses by candlelight are the best kind there is?