Prompt Post 2 (Closed to new prompts)
Prompt post 2
Welcome to the Hobbit Kink Meme! Here you can post prompts for anything related to the Hobbit!
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Welcome to the Hobbit Kink Meme! Here you can post prompts for anything related to the Hobbit!
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The new barista was terribly distracting and Bilbo finally set down his clippers with a sigh, knowing that he wouldn't get any more work done before he found out who that was.
Normally he didn't mind the large glass panels in the wall between his florist shop and the coffee shop next door and in fact they had been rather good for business. Ever since Cafe Erebor moved in, Bilbo's sales had skyrocketed because nothing seemed to remind people that they needed love or forgiveness like staring at a bouquet of roses, coffee in their hands.
However, from the moment that he came into Baggin's Bouquets that Monday morning, Bilbo had been able to see the new employee walking around out of the corner of his eye and it was driving him crazy.
Although no sound crossed the wall between the shops, the young man was visibly bright and cheerful even when wiping down tables and Bilbo had always been too curious for his own good. So when the morning coffee rush was over, he finally he gave in and turned his sign around before ducking next door to meet the new arrival.
The bell rang with a gentle chime as he entered the cafe and Thorin looked up, giving him a nod when he saw who it was. When the florist had first met his new neighbor, the older man had terrified him, for he was not given much to talking or to smiles. However, Bilbo eventually learned that this massive exterior hid a gentle heart and now he considered Thorin something of a friend. A silent, glowering, strangely attractive friend but a friend nonetheless.
So Bilbo correctly interpreted the man's raised eyebrow as a question and shrugged in response, “It's been a slow morning so I thought I would get my tea early and meet your new hire while I'm at it.”
He didn't bother to order since Thorin knew his usual, instead sitting at a small corner table by the window where he could watch the street flow by. Now that all the early morning commuters had gone on their way, the coffee shop was nice and quiet with only a few other customers sitting hunched over their laptops in the back.
Bilbo lost track of time as he watched the pedestrians scurry past outside and so jumped slightly when a cheerful voice spoke by his elbow. “Your order, sir.”
When he turned to look, Thorin's new employee was standing there smiling down at him with the warmest brown eyes that he had ever seen. He was tall, at least a few inches taller than the florist but probably a few years younger judging by the irrepressible grin on his face. The new barista was also far too attractive in the same irritatingly oblivious way that Thorin had, and Bilbo blushed when he realized he was staring.
“Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you,” the young man apologized, setting a plate and cup down on the table. “Uncle always used to say that I walk like a cat.”
“Um, what?” The florist stammered, somewhat confused by this seeming non sequitur and distracted by the truly astounding dimples in the other's cheeks.
“Thorin over there is my uncle and he says I need to walk louder to avoid startling customers, though considering how much I talk that's not usually a problem,” He explained, waving towards the older man behind the counter and giving Bilbo a wink. “Do you mind if I sit?”
“Um no, go ahead,” he replied in surprise, taking a sip of his tea while he regained his composure. “Though I hope you don't ask all your customers that.”
“Of course not,” the barista said, sliding into the chair across from Bilbo with a grin. “You're special.”
His voice was so sincere that the florist found himself blushing again and he hid his embarrassment behind another drink of tea. “Special?”
“Yup, you work next door right? Boggin's Bouquets? So obviously we should get to know each other since I'm sure I'll see a lot of you over the coming months.”
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“Killigan Prince at yours, but everyone calls me Kíli because Killigan is a stupid name and it takes too long to yell.” Thorin's nephew introduced himself with a bow of his own and Bilbo had to blink against the young man's blinding smile. “Although you might have me beaten there, even if it isn't Boggins, what were your parents thinking?”
The bluntness of the question caught the florist off guard and he faltered for a moment as he tried to think of a response. However, Kíli waited patiently for him to speak and eventually Bilbo managed to spit an answer out, snark overcoming his surprise. “Well, my father said they meant to name me Balbo after his grandfather, but the doctor couldn't read his handwriting. What's your excuse?”
“Oh I don't have one, my mother's just crazy like that. She named my brother Fílipek so I count myself lucky that I got the Irish phase. Actually the whole family's like that if you haven’t noticed.” Kíli retorted with another laugh, before leaning forward on the table and asking under his breath. “So tell me the truth, does uncle Thorin scare the crap out of you?”
“I, what? Why don't you ever ask any normal questions?” Bilbo asked in bemusement, the other's conspiratorial expression making him grin behind his hand.
However, the younger man just leaned back, his long limbs sprawling across his chair in a manner that the florist found quite disconcerting. “Where's the fun in that? I already know your name and where you work, and considering that Baggins is printed on the door I'm pretty sure you run the place. Besides, this question made you smile didn't it?”
“Well I suppose it did,” The florist had to admit, “But that's not the normal way people get to know each other. I don't even know why you're here.”
“Because I work here,” Kíli teased and the older man huffed in annoyance when he blushed again, “Oh you know what I meant.”
“Of course I did but normal is boring and I have to leave some mystery to keep you coming back, don't I? However, if you really must know I'm in the masters program up at UH and uncle was kind enough to give me a job while I'm in school.”
“A job you should be doing,” Thorin called over as another customer walked through the door and his nephew hopped up at his request.
“Sorry Bilbo, duty calls. But I'll see you around and I expect you to answer my question next time.” Kíli said cheerfully as he walked back to the register.
The florist nodded absently, watching the other leave while he tore his cranberry muffin in half and nibbled on the corner. He knew that he should get back to the shop soon but he wanted a moment to collect his thoughts first because no one had managed to fluster him that badly in years. Though if Bilbo was honest with himself, it may have more to do with the warmth of Kíli's smiles than the teasing and next time he was resolved to hold his own.
He finished his muffin and left his payment on the table, nodding to Thorin and his nephew on his way out of the door. If the florist was slightly distracted for the rest of the day then no one called him on it and if they had he could always have blamed it on the last minute order of six dozen gardenias that filled up his afternoon.
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This is the fic I write when my angsty WIPs get too depressing so it won't be the fastest updated but I will definitely finish it at some point.
And I do have some idea where it's going now, I just haven't worked out how exactly it's getting there yet.
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However, when he went up to the counter to pay for his standard order he found himself asking, “Is Kíli not in today?”
“'Fraid not, had some registration stuff to deal with. But he should be back tomorrow and then he'll be working mornings Monday thru Friday and some weekends to fit around his classes,” Bombur told him cheerfully as he handed the florist his change. “Do you want me to pass a message on?”
“Oh no, that's all right,” Bilbo refused, embarrassed to think that Kíli would find out that he asked. “I was just curious.”
The florist quickly turned the conversation to more innocuous topics, chatting with Bombur about his day until his tea was ready. Then he took his mug and his muffin and walked over to his standard table to perform his daily ritual.
However, for the first time since he started coming to Cafe Erebor, Bilbo felt as though something was missing and after awhile he couldn't take it anymore. This is ridiculous, he told himself, frustrated with his own stupid thoughts. You had one conversation and you barely got a word in edgewise because you were too distracted by Kíli's truly ridiculous dimples. You cannot seriously be pining already.
Indeed he refused to believe that this was the problem, deciding instead that it had simply been too long since he had dated and so he was reading interest into what was only a friendly chat.
I'll come in next time and once I actually manage to have a proper conversation, I'm sure I'll see that our connection was nothing special. Kíli was just interesting, and playful and far too pretty for his own good and I only got flustered because I never actually go out. So it's really not a crush at all.
The more Bilbo told himself this the thinner the argument sounded even in his own mind so it was actually a relief when Thorin sat down across from him, although the relief was somewhat reduced by the older man's terrifying frown.
“Um, hello?” He squeaked in surprise for the other had never once sat down with him in all the months the florist had been having tea beneath his roof. They were friends yes, but not the kind that talked, hung out or did that sort of thing, more the sort that nodded from afar.
“You seemed to be getting along with my nephew yesterday.” Thorin said, staring at Bilbo intently and the florist flushed beneath his steady gaze.
“I...yes, we were. He seems like a nice lad.” He replied hesitantly, feeling as if the older man could read his indecent thoughts right off his face.
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“You'd approve of that?” The florist asked in surprise, unsure why the other man was talking to him if not to warn him off.
“Of course I would. My nephew is old enough to make his own decisions, even if he does always assume the best of everyone, and he doesn't need me chasing his friends off. In fact you might be good for him because Kíli has always been a flighty one and he could stand to learn some responsibility from your example. That said, if you do hurt him somehow I promise I will make your life a living hell.”
There was the terrifying Thorin that he expected and Bilbo quickly nodded his agreement beneath the other's ferocious stare. See, there's one good reason right there to nip my crush in the bud, he told himself as the Erebor's owner stood up and walked away to greet another customer.
Kíli sounds like he just flirts with everyone and even if he does like me I'm hardly the type for one night stands. In fact the florist was seriously monogamist, though he'd gone off dating for several years now after one too many unfaithful bastards broke his heart. So there was no point in risking either Thorin's wrath or his own sorrow by taking Kíli too seriously, and he resolved to just relax, have fun, and see how things played out.
With this decision made Bilbo found that he was finally able to appreciate his meal properly and he sent Bombur a smile on his way back out the door.
Baggin's Bouquets was unexpectedly crowded that afternoon so the florist was kept busy making flower arrangements while he took phone orders and reminded old Mr. Boffin yet again that his wife was deathly allergic to begonias. While Kíli crossed his mind sometimes, usually when someone brought in their coffee from Cafe Erebor, these were casual thoughts and Bilbo was sure that being nothing more than friends would be just fine.
At least he was sure until he walked into the coffee shop and saw Kíli standing there once more.
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This second meeting actually occurred a week after the first because Bilbo's life decided to throw one disaster after another in the way of his standard morning tea.
First the florist woke up on Wednesday to a shrilly ringing phone. When he answered it, the woman on the other end of the line declared that she had eloped to Fiji and wouldn't be back for a month. Through his sleep-filled haze Bilbo recognized the voice of his flower delivery woman but she hung up before he could get a word out in reply.
Her news had him shooting up in panic because the florist did not own a car and without Marianne he had no way to pick up his stock at all. While he might be okay that morning, his shop was running low on a number of popular flower types and the more delicate species needed to be bought fresh everyday.
In fact Bilbo had thought about hiring a second deliveryman for emergencies and holidays before, but Baggin's Bouquets was such a small shop that he had never been able to justify the expense. So he tumbled out of bed with cost analyses running through his mind, and the florist was all set to run into work until he saw the rain pouring down outside, decided that it was a sign and went back to sleep instead.
Once he finally did get up, the rest of the day was spent calling other drivers and flower sellers, trying to find someone who could pick up Marianne's slack. However, it seemed that she had bailed on everyone and all the usual drivers were already booked by larger florists that could afford to keep them standing by.
Bilbo's frustration grew with every unsuccessful phone call and by the time he got his tenth rejection he was nearly growling into the speaker as he slammed it down in disgust. While business had been good lately, there were always bills to pay and the florist needed to stay open to keep himself in the black.
Crap, I think I have to call Gandalf after all. He thought in dismay, dreading the coming conversation. The old man was a friend of his parents who had been around as long as he could remember but did not seem to age and while Bilbo was sure that Gandalf could not be his real name, the florist had never learned another.
If anyone could find someone willing to deliver flowers last minute it was him, for the old man had contacts with all sorts of people and was a wizard at creating miracles. However, Gandalf was also a old busybody who was far too interested in the state of Bilbo's love life and firmly believed that he should get back out there to find romance once again.
I don't know why he's so keen on me dating again when he's the one who's had to comfort me after every broken heart. Crap I need more friends...
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Okay fine, maybe I deserve the lecture since I apparently don't have a life. So I'll listen to it this time but if he says I told you so I'm hanging up and perhaps Kíli will save me from ever having to hear those words again.
So Bilbo gathered his courage before dialing the old man's number and indeed the conversation went exactly as he thought. The old man was glad to hear from him, greeting him cheerfully before starting in on his life choices and it was nearly half an hour before the florist managed to turn the conversation toward the actual reason that he called.
However, once he did Gandalf came through once again, saying that he knew a guy whose brother had a van and a desperate need for work, and was sure that the fellow would be happy to oblige.
“Nori's a nice man, just a little down on his luck, and asked me to keep an ear open for any such opportunities. I'll give him a call after I'm done with you and then let you know what he says, but he should be able to start this week. However, don't think this means I've let you off the hook about starting to date again. I know you love your flower shop but the world's out there, Bilbo, and you're going to miss it if you're not careful.”
The florist promised to think about Gandalf's words as he always did, although this time he actually meant it. While he certainly had no intention of throwing himself back into dating willy-nilly, the last few days had convinced Bilbo that it might be time to test the waters once again. Cautiously for sure, but once he had this crisis dealt with, he would dip a toe in and see what it was like.
Of course, even once the old man called back and said that Nori would meet him Friday, things were not so easy as all that.
Bilbo woke up at 2am on Thursday to find that the weather had only worsened, the winds of the storm shrieking around his house. He wasn't sure what woke him at first, but then he heard the silence where there should be glugging and he shot up with a curse.
It's just one thing after another, isn't it? He thought, throwing on some clothes and running to the basement. When he got there, the florist found the cellar flooding, four inches of water already on the ground as his sump pump spluttered uselessly in the corner. Bilbo slogged over to it swearing under his breath all the while and just groaning when he got close enough to see what was wrong.
Figures. It just figures. He thought, resigning himself to a long and uncomfortable night manually pumping out the flood. At least the damn thing wasn't broken entirely, but having to sit here working it manually was not his idea of a good time.
Several hours later, the sun peeked over the horizon as the storm died down at last and Bilbo stood up with a groan. Well that was fun. I better start calling around to get this fixed and maybe if I'm lucky I can still get into the shop today.
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The florist did a double-take when he saw the man waiting in front of his shop for he had never seen such vertical hair nor such an interesting style. However, the man had a kind smile and Bilbo didn't care what he looked like as long as the man could drive, so he held out a hand to shake as he greeted him warmly.
“You must be Nori then? Or do you prefer Mr... I'm sorry, I'm afraid Gandalf never gave me a last name.”
“Just Nori is fine.” The other replied, shaking his hand firmly. “I understand you're looking for a deliveryman.”
“Yes, yes. Thank you so much for coming.” The florist pulled Nori inside to explain his new duties and within a few hours his shop was ready for business once again, shelves covered with flowers in full bloom. Bilbo made a few sales that morning and had just started hoping that he might actually manage to have his tea today when the bell over the door jingled.
He looked up and then slumped down with a groan, resting his head against the counter top. Seriously, could this day get any worse, Bilbo wondered as the Sackville-Baggins' swaggered into his shop, gazing around them with disdain.
“Aren't you supposed to call before you bother me?” He asked his relatives, wondering what exactly he had done to deserve this imposition.
Lobelia just sneered, somehow able to look down her nose at him despite being the shortest of the bunch. “You don't answer our calls dear cousin as you well know. So Otho and I thought we'd treat you to lunch, give you a proper meal for once and discuss our business.”
Bilbo had an unpleasant feeling about this because there was only one thing his relatives ever wanted from him, and the Sackville-Baggins' attempting to be nice was never a good sign. But he had learned from experience that Lobelia never took no for an answer and refusing would only make them stick around until he changed his mind.
So the florist sighed his agreement, closing his shop back up and hoping desperately that he managed to get his business back to normal soon. All these disasters were cutting into his bottom line and he was never happy to see his greedy cousins for no matter how much they had it was never enough.
As he followed them to their car, gawdy and ostentatious like everything they owned, Bilbo looked back at Cafe Erebor wistfully. Kíli hadn't come in yet and the florist doubted that his relatives would let him go in time before the young man left for class.
One of these days, I am going to have my tea again. I swear it.
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The Sackville-Bagginses drove him into the city for lunch, parking outside of the most extravagant building the florist had ever seen. Lobelia ushered her cousin out of the car and through the doors, barely giving Bilbo enough time to read the cursive script painted on the window.
The Greenwood Hall? Isn't that the fancy new vegan restaurant that just opened up? He wondered as they walked inside and looked around in awe. All the waiters were tall and blond and snooty, dressed in fine tailored green uniforms that looked like they might actually be silk. Bilbo tried not to gawk as their ridiculously attractive waiter led them to a table in the corner and he tried not to faint when he saw the prices on the menu.
“Don't worry cousin. We said that we'd treat you today; you look like you could use a proper meal for once,” Lobelia told him with false kindness, correctly interpreting the shocked expression on his face and Bilbo went back to his menu with a huff.
Because this is such a great meal. What is this vegan crap? Soybean spring rolls? Stone-cooked Lembas bread? They don't even have muffins.
The florist was surprised to hear his sentiments echoed out loud a moment later. “I don't want to cook this vegan crap father, I want to cook meat and lots of it. Gimli's been showing me how to use his barbecue and I think it has a lot of potential.”
Bilbo turned to look for the source of the commotion and saw a pair of men arguing across the room, as blond and skinny as the rest. One of them looked to be a teenager or not far from it and while the florist didn't recognize the older man, he heard Lobelia whisper behind him, “That's Thranduil, the head chef and owner. How scandalous, to be fighting in public like that. This restaurant is supposed to be high class.”
Owner or not, Thranduil looked like he was having a bad day, rubbing his forehead in irritation as he glared down at his young son. “We're a vegan restaurant, Legolas. This family has been vegan for generations and you want to throw all that away for what? To impress your common little friend?”
“He's not common, father and you know it.” The teen replied, crossing his arms across his chest and sticking his chin out stubbornly. “The Durins are fine people even if they're not as rich as us and Gimli's not just my friend, he's my boyfriend. We both got accepted to the culinary program at UH and we're going to open a restaurant together when we graduate. One that serves meat.”
The older man looked like he was going to pass out from shock at his son's defiance and he sank down into a chair as Legolas stalked out of the building. Bilbo quickly turned away before either of them could see him watching, though the sight of his own relatives did not improve his mood.
Their waiter must have come by while the florist was distracted because Otho was already drinking and Bilbo was briefly envious for some alcohol would make this visit slightly easier to swallow. But he needed his wits about him to deal with Lobelia so when their server returned he ordered some water instead, along with the most expensive thing off the menu just to annoy her when the bill arrived.
That business dealt with, Bilbo leaned back in his chair and asked with a sigh. “So to what do I owe the pleasure of this visit? The usual I suppose.”
“You make it sound so horrid cousin. I only want what's best for you and we all know that rattling around that enormous old house isn't it. An apartment would be much more your size: cheaper, easier to clean, closer to your work and that would leave Bag End for us. You know we deserve a place that fits our station.”
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Lobelia knew his feelings on the matter well because the first time she had brought it up was just after the funeral and Bilbo had rejected her quite harshly. However, despite being literally thrown out of his house on more than one occasion, the Sackville-Bagginses simply would not give up and every few months they would stop by to bother him again.
They had tried everything: guilt, money, reason and now they were apparently working toward bribery given the restaurant the group was sitting in. Of course, if they actually knew anything about their cousin, they would know that The Greenwood Hall was not the kind of place that would change his mind. So Bilbo picked at his salad, nodding and smiling as Lobelia rambled on and Otho drank himself into a stupor.
Once lunch was finished they would drive him back because his cousins would rather die than be overtly impolite and Lobelia would have no more reason to keep him there. So he hunkered down and endured and to be honest it was a pretty good salad, at least for something made entirely of leaves.
Eventually Bilbo finished his dessert and convinced his relatives to return him to Baggins' Bouquets, where they dropped him off by the door. Watching them drive away, the florist sighed, wondering when they'd finally get the hint and leave him alone, or worse, what ridiculous attempt they would make on Bag End next.
He tried to push these worries from his mind, turning to reopen his shop one more time and he told himself it was natural to glance into Cafe Erebor long enough to notice that Kíli had indeed already left for class.
Well there's always next week, He thought to as he straightened the displays and helped the few customers that wandered in off the street to examine his flower arrangements. Bilbo wasn't very busy until the evening, the Friday rush always showed up right before closing, and while he normally appreciated the break, today the silence gave him too much time to think.
The combination of Gandalf's scolding and his relatives' visit had the florist feeling pensive, wondering if they were all correct and he actually was wasting his life away in solitude. It was not something he normally worried about because he was a generally content person, but he did have to admit that Bag End got lonely sometimes.
However, he would see Kíli again soon and the younger man seemed like the type who emitted joy like sunshine so if they did become friends Bilbo knew his life would probably change greatly and he was torn between anticipation and terror at the thought.
Even though he had decided to just go with the flow at their next meeting, the florist couldn't help but worry that he was getting his hopes up for nothing and he had misread the situation after all. What if Kíli changed his mind about wanting to be friends before they met again or had been less serious in his overtures than Thorin had implied? Maybe he was just that nice to everyone and had already forgotten about the shy man who worked next door in favor of his college life?
And yet, what if he was happy to see Bilbo? What if Kíli meant it all? While this might be the florist's chance to make a friend his own age, his life was comfortable in its familiarity and the thought of breaking out of that protective shell made his heart thunder in his chest.
However he could not deny the hope and he could not stop thinking about the possibilities, whether the two of them became casual acquaintances or friends or something, nothing more.
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With these thoughts spinning round his brain, Bilbo worked himself into quite a state and the days passed by in a blur of nervous anticipation as he waited for the week to start again. Although when Monday finally came, his hope had darkened more to apprehension and his heart rose in his throat with every step he took toward Baggins' Bouquets that morning.
No expectations, The florist reminded himself firmly as he unlocked his door. Expect nothing and it'll be fine. Thorin seems to think that Kíli likes me and if this is true, being friends would be amazing enough on its own without wishing for anything else. So you're going to be fun, casual and friendly instead of getting all flustered like you did before.
It was a good pep talk and by the time he walked through the door of Cafe Erebor, Bilbo was feeling ready for anything. In fact, he was feeling so prepared that when he walked up to the counter he met Kíli's eyes without fear, and then discovered that all words fled his mind at the warmth he saw within.
“Bilbo! You're back. I was starting to wonder if I had scared you off.” Kíli said, grinning at him brightly and the florist felt some of his doubts ease at the knowledge that the barista was glad to see him after all. However, he still couldn't find the words to greet him, too busy drinking in the sight of the other's features and Bilbo flushed deeply as he realized that his attraction had definitely not died.
But when another long moment passed without the florist answering his greeting, the barista's smile dimmed slightly and he drew back from the counter. “Mr. Baggins, are you all right? I- Did I do something wrong? I can be more formal if you prefer.” He asked, worry in his eyes and at the sight of his distress, the florist felt his heart clench.
Kíli distancing himself was the last thing that Bilbo wanted but he didn't know how to say that without sounding like an idiot. So he kept silent, staring at the counter as he shook his head because he couldn't bear the thought of seeing laughter in the other's eyes.
I can't believe I'm already screwing this up. He thought despairingly, but before he could sink too deep into recriminations, the barista reached out to gently touch his arm.
“Well in that case, did you want your usual or are you trying something new today?” Kíli asked softly and when Bilbo looked up in surprise, there was only kindness in the other's eyes. Kindness and a bit of laughter, but the sort that invited the florist to join in, and it did not feel cruel when the other added with an impish smirk: “Though if you don't speak to me at all, it's going to be the coffee of my choice.”
This teasing threat finally broke the florist's paralysis and he stuttered quickly in response, “No! N- no. Busy. I mean you didn't do anything. I- I was just busy and my usual will be fine.”
“All right then, I'm glad to hear it.” The barista replied, regaining his earlier cheer as he rung the other man up. “But I believe you owe me an answer before I can give this to you.”
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