"May I have this dance?" (BilboxReader drabble)
Family member: Thorin
Character: Bilbo
Word count: 1,023
You wake up, the sounds of birds trailing through the open window above your head. A sense of excitement is settled in the pit of your stomach, and, for a moment, you don’t remember why. You sit up quickly, a grin pulling at the corners of your lips.
Today is Bilbo Baggins’ birthday!
Everyone in the Shire, especially on this side of the Water, knew how special today is. Bilbo is coming of age, and he always threw the biggest parties. He came from a wealthy line of hobbits. In fact, probably the wealthiest. He and you used to play when you were children, running through the green hills and slaying invisible dragons. As you grew older, you grew apart, the adventures the two of you went on seeming more and more silly.
But he always invited most of the Shire to his birthday parties, and the uninvited usually showed up anyway.
You hurry out of bed, shuffling quickly through your clothes and dressing at a speed you didn’t know you possessed. You grab a loaf of bread on the way out, shoving a portion of it in your mouth. “Hi!” you wave to your neighbor, who shoots you a weird look from their place at the garden, and then you head down to where they are setting up for the party.
“How can I help?” You ask the closest hobbit, who is working on setting up one of the bigger party tents. You can already tell this is going to be a night to remember.
_
The party is in full swing. There is plenty of ale to go around, and already half of the Shire is swaying with intoxication. The hum of the instruments fill the air, and you sit at one of the tables, laughing and eating with other hobbits. All in all, it’s a comfortable evening. There’s even fireworks!
You are in mid-sentence, joking with one of your friends, when a small cough interrupts you. You look up, your eyes darkening in irritation, when your gaze meets the pale blue eyes of Mr. Bilbo Baggins himself. He is dressed in party clothes, and a small smile is settled on his lips, something that isn’t a common sight other than on his birthday.
“Oh sorry. Here, you can sit.” You move to stand, giving Bilbo a place to sit so that he can chat with his friends, but his shakes his head.
“No no. I came over to ask for you to come dance with me.” You tilt your head, slightly confused, but you accept, allowing him to lead you over to the area where everyone else is dancing. As you start the customary moves for the type of song that’s playing, you remain silent. You’re suddenly shy in front of your former friend. You haven’t spoken to him in years. Not since he came into his inheritance and received Bag End.
“How have you been?” Bilbo asked, a kind twinkle in his eye. It brings a smile to your face, and instantly the awkwardness is broken. You both dance and talk for hours. So long, in fact, many of the other party guests get irritated that they haven’t had a chance to speak to Bilbo yet.
Finally the two of you decide to take a break. You sit on the edge of the party, watching Gandalf the wizard shoot off his infamous fireworks. You and the rest of the Shire had almost forgot about the old wizard. You hadn't seen him since Old Took died, but he had explained that he couldn’t miss old Bilbo’s coming of age, and that he would be departing again in the morning.
Bursts of red, orange, and various other colors spiral and twist across the sky, and your eyes light up as you watch. “Hey,” Bilbo whispers, and you turn your head to notice that he isn’t watching the magnificent fireworks in front of him, but is rather studying you.
“What?” You feel a blush creeping up towards your cheeks, reddening them. You’re thankful that it’s too dark for Bilbo to notice.
“I have my present for you.” He pulls out a small box, and you look down at it, curious. It is custom for a hobbit to give presents rather than receive them on their birthday, and you had wondered earlier why you hadn’t gotten yours yet, even if you didn’t mind all that much.
“What is it?” You ask, and his smile is small when he hands it over to you. You open it slowly. It reveals itself to be an old necklace, but the jewels sparkle and shine. It is like nothing you’ve seen before, and it is gorgeous beyond measure.
“I don’t know how it came to be in my family, probably something from the Took’s side, as I think it is dwarvish make, but I want you to have it.”
You shake your head, trying to hand it back to him. “Oh but I cannot take it. It is too precious.” Why was he giving this to you? You can understand giving it to someone he truly cares about, but he hasn’t spoken to you in years.
“I will not take it back. If you do not keep it, then sell it. But I have given it to you, and it would be rude of me to take it back.” He pauses, as if hesitating, and then he grabs your hand. “I care for you, and I hoped that we could spend more time together. I do not know what has happened between when we were kids and now, but there hasn’t gone a moment that I haven’t thought about you.”
You can feel your heart beating rather rapidly in your chest, and you start grinning. Slowly, you take the necklace out of the box and turn around. “Put it on for me, and yes, I’d love to spend more time with you.” You can feel Bilbo’s smile and after he clasps the necklace to your neck and you turn around, he presses his lips to your forehead.
“I’m glad to hear it. Now, let’s watch some fireworks.” And that’s just what you do, only Bilbo’s hand finds yours again and you lean your head on his shoulder.