Title: An Unexpected (and Somewhat Lovely) Apology
Fandom: The Hobbit
Pairing: Bilbo Baggins/Thorin Oakenshield
Rating: G
Challenge: 'rose'
Length: 1515
Summary: After fleeing Erebor in the aftermath of the Battle of the Five Armies, Bilbo never expected to see dwarrows at his door again....

The last thing that Bilbo expected to see when he returned from Bree was to see a huge crowd of hobbits gathered around Bag End and he couldn't help the trepidation that washed over him. The last time that there had been this many hobbits gathered around his smial, it had been upon his return from Erebor and they had been selling off his property having assumed that he was dead. Clicking his tongue, he urged Myrtle II on a bit quicker, anxious to avoid a repeat situation; he simply wasn't in the right frame of mind to do battle with Lobelia Sackville-Baggins today. He had just reached the turning for Bag End when he was met by a somewhat anxious Hamfast and forced to pull the cart to a standstill.

"Hamfast, what on earth is going on?"

"I'm sorry Mr Bilbo, they just appeared out of nowhere and they wouldn't leave when I told them to. Then all of the hobbits started to turn up and well, none of them will leave now."

"Wait, the hobbits came second? Well, who was here first? And what do you mean they refused to leave?"

"You'll see, Mr Bilbo."

Bilbo hurried up the lane and through his gate, shoving his way through the gathered crowd and pointedly ignoring the shrill tones of Lobelia as he did so, only to come up short at the sight that awaited him. Hovering in front of Bag End amidst a multitude of flowers was a very apprehensive-looking King-under-the-Mountain. Knowing Thorin as he did, Bilbo was positive that he wasn't alone and, sure enough, hiding just out of sight - or trying to, in the case of Dwalin and Bombur - were the rest of the Company.

"Th-Thorin? What are you doing here?"

"We were once told that tea is at 4 and that we were always welcome. Is that no longer the case, Master Baggins?"

It had been over a year, closer to two, since Bilbo had left Erebor but he fancied that he heard a thread of nerves in Thorin's voice and hurried to speak. "No, no. Tea is still at 4 and of course you're always welcome, I just ... well I just never expected to see you here. Wh-who's looking after Erebor?" A quick head count had told Bilbo that both Fíli and Kíli were in attendance and so was Balin.

"Dís was more than happy to act as regent in my stead. She has just as much authority as I and plenty of experience after ruling the Blue Mountains in my absence." Thorin cleared his throat somewhat awkwardly, "in fact, she seemed positively eager to get rid of me. I might have difficulty getting my throne back when I return."

"But what are you doing here?" Bilbo wasn't afraid to admit that he was more than a little bewildered by Thorin's sudden appearance.

After all, things had hardly been good between the two of them when Bilbo had left. Whilst Thorin had apologised for his behaviour and Bilbo had accepted said apology, it had been done on Ravenhill while Thorin lay gravely wounded from his battle with Azog. Immediately after the battle, the healers had whisked Thorin away deep into the mountain along with Fíli and Kíli and no one was permitted to see them. No one knew of the conversation that had passed between the two of them and none of the Company knew that Thorin had revoked Bilbo's banishment. There had been so much to do in the days following the Battle of the Five Armies as it was apparently being called and nothing that Bilbo could help with. Instead, not wanting to make anything more complicated or a scene of any kind, he had packed up his things and quietly slipped away. Since then, everything that he knew about the dwarrows of Erebor came second hand in letters from King Bard of Dale. More than once, he had considered writing but had taken the silence from Erebor to assume that relations between him and the Company were well and truly dead.

So, Bilbo had resigned himself to the fact that he would live out his life alone in Bag End and, when he died, his home would revert to his cousin Drogo. He knew that he would never marry, never have children of his own. Thorin had been it for him and Bilbo had mourned the love that he had lost. Only, now that he was face to face with Thorin once more, Bilbo was coming to the swift realisation that there would never be enough time to mourn the relationship that could have been and the sense of loss that he thought he had dealt with came flooding back. Reluctantly tearing his gaze from Thorin, Bilbo suddenly became aware of what surrounded the dwarrow king, "oh!"

The flowers around Thorin were roses in all shades and hues, each colour saying something different in the flower-language of Hobbits. Bilbo’s eyes roamed over the blaze of colour, taking in the mix of reds, white, deep pinks and lavender before he started to apply the knowledge that he had learnt at his mothers skirts as a faunt.

Love, longing and desire.

New beginnings.

Deep gratitude and appreciation.

Enchantment.

Heartfelt regret and sorrow.

Love at first sight.

This time, when Bilbo looked up at Thorin, it was through a sheen of tears.

"I may be a dwarrow but I did listen to you on our Quest when you spoke of the traditions of your race. Hopefully I have interpreted them correctly, Master Burglar."

"Thorin...." Bilbo trailed off with a sound of mixed frustration and exasperation at the fond tone in Thorin's address to him and instead grabbed Thorin's hand, leading him inside Bag End and slamming the door resolutely shut behind him. This was not a conversation that he wanted to have with an audience. Particularly not an audience of hobbits that had all but ignored him - except when they were giving him derisory looks - since his return.

“Thorin, what are you doing here? I haven't heard hide nor hair from anyone in Erebor since I left. You bloody Durin’s with your inability to talk about your feelings. I thought you hated me, you stupid dwarrow!"

"Hate you? How could I hate you when you are my One? How could I hate you when I love you like I do? Though I would not blame you if you hated me."

Thorin let out a groan and paced up and down a couple of times. "I can never apologise enough for what I did to you after all you have done to help myself and Durin's Folk. All I can do is promise that it will never happen again, I swear it on Mahal himself. The Arkenstone is gone. I know not where and neither do I care. All I know is that, while I may have my birthright returned to me, it is a hollow victory without you beside me.

Bilbo ... ghivashel, I know that I do not deserve you but I will happily spend the rest of my life proving how much I love you. I will willingly give up the throne of Erebor and live out my days here if you ask it of me."

Bilbo couldn't help the sob that escaped from his throat at that. "Would you really leave the throne of Erebor in the hands of Fíli and Kíli?"

"If it meant that I could call you mine then I would willingly give my crown to that poncey King of the tree-shaggers."

Tears spilled over Bilbo’s cheeks as he realised the sincerity of Thorin’s words and he knew that, when the members of the Company returned to Erebor with Thorin, he would be returning with them. How could he stay here in the Shire when his heart resided leagues away beyond the Misty Mountains? No, far better that he returned to Erebor with Thorin and live out the rest of his days happy with the dwarrow that he loved.

“Well, I don’t think that you need to go that far. It would be a shame for you to give up everything that you’ve fought for. Besides, I rather want to see what you’ve done with the place.”

It took Thorin several long minutes to work out what Bilbo was saying and Bilbo resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Had Thorin always been this slow and oblivious? Then again, Bilbo already knew the answer to that question. Finally, realisation dawned on Thorin, much to Bilbo’s relief.

"You'll come home with me?"

The sheer hope in Thorin's eyes was almost overwhelming and more than a little humbling. Still, Bilbo nodded resolutely. "I will."

The words had barely left his mouth before Thorin was sweeping him off his feet and into an embrace. As Bilbo clung to Thorin, feeling the prickle of Thorin's beard as his mouth was all but devoured in a claiming kiss, Bilbo couldn't help but wonder what the Shire was going to make of Mad Baggins now.