It was already late by the time Belladonna got home that night. The weather had been downright miserable all week, and the hopes that it might ease off a little had detained her for longer at the Chubbs' smial than it might have otherwise. No wonder there was such a range of ailments going around right now, not least with half the children in the Shire being laid up with colds and fevers— much longer out here in the torrential rain and Belladonna suspected even she might get sick, hardy Took constitution or not. Then Bungo would be left to worry over both her and Bilbo, the poor thing.
But no sooner had she wrestled their front gate shut against the wind than she turned to find the front door opening, with all the light and warmth of home spilling out over the doorstep and Bungo there to greet her. She wondered if she’d ever been so grateful to reach home before.
"What good timing!" she said, fighting to get her ever stubborn umbrella shut as she stepped into the hallway.
"Saw you heading up the Hill," he explained, taking her umbrella and putting it neatly in the stand so she could deal with her wet coat. She knew he must have been checking through the sitting room window to spot her on her way back. "Come into the kitchen, I've put the kettle on."
A cup of tea right then seemed like the best idea ever, Belladonna decided happily. She followed him through to the other room, crowding as close to the stove as she could without getting in Bungo’s way as he bustled about with the kettle and teapot.
“How was the visit?” he asked as he passed her a cup. She cradled it in her slowly warming hands and chanced a few sips.
"It went well enough. Marigold Burrows's two are getting better, but Lily Chubb said her boys are still at the coughing stage." she said. "Speaking of which, how's our lad been?"
"No change, really.” Bungo said. “Still, he’ll be back to normal and charging around the place soon enough.”
Belladonna hummed in agreement, then asked, “I suppose he’s in bed by now, right?”
But Bungo shook his head. "Oh no, I have him working on something." When she frowned in confusion, he smiled and said, “He’s still in the sitting room, go see.”
She’d always enjoyed a surprise, that much was certainly true. She accepted the challenge with a playful look and headed back the way she’d come, out across the hallway and paused in the doorway to look in to the sitting room.
Bilbo was still huddled on the sofa where she’d wrapped him safely in a nest of blankets before leaving earlier in the day, but he didn’t appear quite so drowsy or frustrated by his illness as he had been when she’d left; in fact, he was deeply occupied in something or other. He seemed to be counting something off on his fingers, muttering to himself and gesturing absently in the way that always made Belladonna smile for how identical it was to Bungo’s own habit.
“You’ve got him solving riddles.” she murmured, half to herself, a smile slowly coming to her lips as she sensed Bungo coming to a halt behind her.
“Yes, well... you always come up with the best games for him,” Bungo said quietly. “I thought... well, now he’s had to stay still for longer than ten minutes at a time, maybe this was my area of expertise, so to speak.”
Belladonna turned at that point, eyebrows raised as she took in the sight of her husband looking somewhere between sheepish and very pleased with himself. “Well, you always come up with the best riddles in the Shire, Bungo Baggins, so don’t sell yourself short.” She paused for a moment, grinning at the sound of Bilbo stumbling over one leg lay near— no, no, two legs sat near on three legs— “It sounds like you’ve got him on some tricky ones.”
“Yes, he got through the easier ones very quickly, considering how unwell he’s feeling.” Bungo definitely looked proud now; Belladonna just knew this would be the first thing he’d be telling any of their guests within the next month at least. “I wouldn’t be surprised if he starts coming up with one or two of his own, you know, he’s had quite the competitive look about him.”
“Oh, and I can’t possibly think where he’d get that from.” Belladonna said pointedly. Bungo glanced away, still smiling and turning slightly red around the ears. He even seemed surprised when she suddenly reached out to wind one arm around his neck— the other carefully positioned to hold her tea out to safety, he was always reminding her to be careful with the cups— and pull him in for a kiss, as though she could have had any other reaction.
A moment later, somewhat distantly, she heard Bilbo call triumphantly “Oh! Papa, Papa, I know what it is!”
Notes: Bungo and Belladonna are somehow one of my favourite ships, despite the fact we never see them except through passing mentions from other characters!
I kind of wanted Bilbo to carry forward something from his dad as well; it’s the Tookishness that drives him onto the quest in the first place, but I really liked the possibility that it was a Baggins trait that saved him in the caves.
You will probably recognise the riddle that Bilbo is mumbling, as it’s one that he comes out with when confronted by Gollum. I chose it because it’s the one he blurts out even though he should have said it another time; I kind of figured maybe it’s a fall back option he’s got stuck in his mind for whatever reason.
