Title: Shoemaker's Children - Bifur
Fandom: The Hobbit
Rating: G
Length: 250
Content notes: N/A
Author notes: Thanks go to Zana, & Morgynleri for encouragement & sanity-checking. Part of Iron and Light. This goes with Thorin, Bilbo, and Bofur.
Summary: Bifur is more perceptive than many (including himself) give him credit for.



Bifur was carving tiny wooden shoes, meticulous pairs, boots and clogs and slipper-socks, pattens and polishing-scuffs. Seeing Thorin Oakenshield mending his gear had set Bifur’s hands moving. Watching Bofur watch Thorin (with that look in his eye, that nearly but not quite imperceptible quirk of lips, it wasn't the King he was focused on, no indeed) had kept him at it, a plethora of footwear. Bifur’s own gear was all in good order, so he could make rather than mend. He could make now, his fingers remembering their old skill, finding shapes in wood, bringing them forth.

Thorin tucked his mended sock neatly into his boot, then freed his other foot from encumbrance. His toes wiggled briefly, unconsciously, in the short grass of their camping spot, and Bifur saw the flash of startlement, of [want] in Bofur’s eyes before his cousin carefully focused on the bit of cloth in his hands. So that was the way the ore-seam tended. And, it appeared, there truly was a Thorin under the armor and reserve of the King.

Of course, Bifur knew there had to be, but knowing and seeing were not at all the same. Following Thorin's lead, Bifur soon had his own boots off, toes curling happily in the soft grass. It was nice to have a moment of simple connection with the ground. The ground seemed happy to connect with them as well. A good sign, Bifur thought, a very good sign.