The Hobbit / LOTR -oneshots

Just friends - Thorin

Warnings: battle, orc death, and blood
Word count: 1253
Other: Gender neutral! Can be read as platonic.
Requested: nope

Your and Thorin's friendship is long-standing, and the two of you are always there to back each other up. But is there something else?

Thorin just wanted you to be safe. He knew that Daic was a good fighter and could keep you safe, but every time you strayed outside the walls of the kingdom, he grew more and more restless for every minute you were gone. Endless nerves plucking at the back of his head, worrying. Were you safe and unhurt? Could you find your way home before dark? He only calmed when you returned, and still, he made sure, through friends or from a distance, that you were okay.

Because that's what friends did. Right?

This morning, when you and Daic had left for your usual Wednesday walk, there was an uneasy feeling in Thorin's stomach like he did every time you left. But this time it was different. Normally, it was an eerie whisper of 'what if something goes wrong', but today, it was more of an insistent 'I know something will go wrong'. He didn't think much of it at the time, just shifting his weight from one leg to another, fidgeting with one of the rings on his finger.

As always, you waved at Thorin over your shoulder just before the two of you disappeared into the forest. He expected the uneasy feeling to fade when the two of you disappeared out of sight, but today, it heightened. The restlessness seemed to just grow when he continued to stare at the small clearing in the forest you two had walked through. In the end, he couldn't take it anymore.
"Dwalin, gather a couple of guards. We're going after them." Dwalin raised a brow at his king but didn't say anything, gesturing a few of the men around to join them.

Thorin didn't say anything as they exited the kingdom, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword.
"You do know that this is incredibly impolite and can be easily seen as offensive?" Dwalin asked Thorin once they reached the edge of the forest.
"I know, but I have a bad feeling."
"And that justifies this quite brazen insinuation that Daic is not capable of keeping Y/N safe?" Dwalin asked, kicking a pinecone with his heavy boot, watching with satisfaction as it pounced on the ground and rolled to a stop.
"No. But we are friends, I am allowed to be worried for my friend." Thorin muttered, and Dwalin coughed, but it sounded quite like he was using it to cover a laugh.
"What?" Thorin snapped, yanking his head towards his friend.
"Thorin. It's me. You can't hide your feelings for Y/N from me." The warrior crumbled, earning a glare from Thorin.
"Why should I hide them? We are allowed to be friends, even if they are courting someone."
"That's bullshit and you know it, Thorin. You've loved that dwarf since the two of you have been little. Just buck up and open your mouth before there is a Daic's bead hanging in their hair."
Thorin chose not to answer, instead kneeling to study the ground. The footprints the two of you had left clear on the damp ground, the endless rain in the past few days preserving them almost perfectly.
"There is nothing going on between Y/N and me." His tone carried a sense of finality, and he turned to follow the tracks deeper into the forest. Just as Dwalin opened his mouth to argue, there was a rustle the under a bush.

A panting, frenzied Daic appeared. Thorin straightened his back, expecting you to come running after him, but the bush settled down and you were nowhere to be seen.
"Where's Y/N?" Thorin asked when he reached the warrior, who was leaning against a rock, gasping for breath.
"There were so ... so many orcs ... more just ... k-kept coming." Daic was trying to catch his breath, his sword gleaming black from the orc's blood.
"So you just left them there?!" Thorin cried out, jumping to his feet and storming towards the forest, ignoring the calls for his name from behind. His heart was pounding, blood rushing in his ears as he ran through the forest, pushing himself faster.

When he reached you, you were pressed against the ground by an orc, a foot resting on your chest, your sword was laying on the ground out of your reach. Twigs and leaves littered your hair, and your cheek had a cut on it. But what was worst, your shoulder was bleeding, a jagged cut marring your flesh, blood flowing in a steady stream down your clothes, sticky and red against the first leaves of the year. But you were still fighting, even if the orcs outnumbered you vastly.

Thorin stormed forwards without even thinking, sinking his sword deep into the neck of the orc that was pressing you against the ground. It fell to the ground unceremoniously, and Thorin kicked your sword towards you as he hoisted you up by your shoulder, swinging his blade again as an orc got a little too close for comfort. The rest of the orcs grasped the situation, attaching the two of you, weapons raised. You and Thorin exchanged a look over your shoulders, both of you were wearing smiles. There were only fourteen of them. Peace of cake.

The two of you worked as a seamless unit, cutting down the assailants, not stopping until the last orc was dead. The small forest clearing was strewn with orc bodies when you sheathed your sword, the birdsong and small sounds of wildlife were gone, replaced by the stench of death, black blood oozing out of the orcs onto the deep green moss. The two of you inspected the orcs, making sure none of them lived before you started making your way back to the others, who were probably growing restless during their wait.

When you reached the edge of the forest, where the rest of Thorin's unofficial search party and Daic were waiting. You marched straight towards Daic, who was looking sheepish.
"'Ibinê (my gem)," Daic started but didn't get the chance to continue as you raised a finger, eyes cold.
"If you are going to apologize, save it. I don't want to see you again." You stated simply, crossing your arms. Thorin couldn't help but shiver in compassion. You were definitely not the dwarf to mess with. You had great expectations for Daic but had been let down.
"B-But-"
"No. You left me alone with fourteen orcs. The two of us could have taken them down easily, but you left me alone, bolting to the forest with nothing, not even a warning, leaving me to fend for myself alone. They were just about to finish me off when Thorin arrived."
"What were you doing here anyway?" Daic asked, eyeing the dark-haired dwarf with a look.
"We were hunting," Thorin stated simply, and Dwalin nodded behind him, going along with his friend's story.
"Goodbye, Daic," you stated simply, turning around on your heel. Thorin and Dwalin stared at the completely astonished dwarf for a while before they turned and followed you, Thorin scooping you under his arm, making you laugh.

Something different for a change!
Requests are coming along, I will work on them now that I have (maybe) gotten back on the writing train.