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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If nothing else, he found the young man fascinating and while most of the florist's questions were more normal than the first one, he always wanted to hear what Kíli had to say. So Bilbo learned that the barista was getting his Masters in Management Practice- “because someone has to take over from uncle after all”- and he was indeed almost always that happy. He discovered that Kíli's favorite color was silver and his favorite dessert was pecan pie but he hated all nuts by themselves.
Later on the florist learned that Kíli was obsessed with archery and thinking of starting a club at UH since he had been captain of the team at ELU. “We even made it to Nationals a few times, though we always lost out to the guys from Mirkwood in the end,” he admitted and when Bilbo expressed an interest in watching him sometime, the barista lit up like a Christmas tree
Eventually the florist ventured into more personal questions and discovered that the other man had never known his father- “died before I was born you know” -but he thought the rest of his large extended family filled that space just fine. Kíli even happily admitted to being something of a mama's boy, saying that his mother was the best person that he knew even if her choice of names left something to be desired.
In turn, the other man made his own inquiries and while he never asked what the florist would have expected, the barista slowly captured an image of just who Bilbo Baggins was. Sometimes shy, often snarky and fiercely protective of those few he considered friends.
So Kíli learned that the other man was only a few years older than him but had never been to college, instead taking over the family business when his parents died. But the florist had never minded because he loved his job and had an entire library of books on interesting topics that he read when he got bored. The following week Kíli discovered that morning fog made the other smile while rainstorms made him frown, though Bilbo liked the patterns lightning made across the sky.
Periodically, the younger man would give in and ask a normal question, thus also finding out that the florist liked to cook but hated baking, enjoyed long walks and stargazing, but usually spent his evenings reading in his favorite chair. Finally the barista asked Bilbo why he drank Jasmine tea every single morning, and learned that despite his prime location, the florist hated coffee of all kinds.
This last became something of a mission for Kíli since he refused to believe that the older man could really dislike it all and he made it his goal to find a blend which the other would enjoy. So every morning when Bilbo came in for his tea, the barista would hand him a new sample cup filled with some exotic flavor for him to try. And every morning, Bilbo would drink it and be far too amused by Kíli's disgruntled face when he said that it was not the one.
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Even Thorin pulled him aside once and asked why he was continuing to drink it if he really hated coffee so very much. However, Bilbo just shrugged and told him, “It makes your nephew happy, doesn't it? And to be honest now I'm kind of curious if he'll ever find one that I like.”
Besides, it kept his mind off his own cowardly refusal to ask the other out, that strange line in their relationship that they were both dancing around. Because while the florist considered them friends now and they talked nearly every day, the pair had yet to spend any time together outside of their respective shops. What they had now was comfortable and safe and Bilbo just couldn't bring himself to change things and risk ruining it all.
Kíli had started stopping into Baggins' Bouquets to say farewell after his shifts and the younger man seemed to be facing a similar conundrum. Every few days he would begin a question only to pause mid word and after a week of this, Bilbo was dying to find out what his friend wanted to say.
True it could just be something innocuous, perhaps an invitation to hang out somewhere else which Kíli wasn't sure if he'd accept. However, the florist rather hoped that this nervousness meant something different, even if he was surprised by the other's uncharacteristic hesitance. Although Bilbo had to admit that there was a difference between flirting and intent and he could hardly blame the younger man for being unwilling to cross the same line that flummoxed him.
Still the florist was starting to wonder if they'd ever make it out of this holding pattern or just keep dancing around each other, cowards to the end.
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By the time the florist managed to right himself and the furniture, the Durins had finished their conversation and Kíli was shoving his uncle towards the far tables in the corner. “-yourself useful and I'll do this my way,” The younger finished as Bilbo reached the counter, giving Thorin one last push and then turning to the florist with an apologetic grin.
“Sorry about that.” Kíli said, ringing up Bilbo's usual order before filling another sample cup. However, instead of handing it to the florist as he always had before, the younger man hesitated, eyes flicking over to where his uncle stood and then he downed the cup himself.
What the hell? “You just drank my coffee.” Bilbo said, mouth hanging open in surprise. It's not fair to change the rules on me now. I was just starting to get the hang of this.
“Yes, I did. What are you going to do about it?” Kíli replied with a smirk, regaining his normal composure even as his words caused the florist to lose his quite completely.
Indeed, the older man just stood there frozen, mouth hanging open in shock, until the barista finally asked: “Well, are you going to try this new flavor of coffee or not?”
It took Bilbo a moment to realize exactly what the other meant but when he did, he thought, you know what, screw propriety, before leaning across the counter and kissing Kíli for all that he was worth.
The younger man's lips were just as soft as he'd imagined and when the florist finally drew back, the entire cafe burst into cheers as his cheeks flushed with heat. But it was hard to worry about embarrassment when Kíli was smiling at him like that, soft and happy and Bilbo whispered, “I suppose some coffee tastes all right,” against the barista's mouth.
He simply laughed in response, saying “I told you that I'd find one,” and when he leaned in again, Bilbo did not resist. The second kiss was as sweet as the first, the younger man sighing softly against the florist's lips before pressing in closer and it was only Thorin's amused voice that pulled them apart.
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The regular customers sent them off with one last round of applause and the older man had to blush again at the thought of how invested all of them seemed in his burgeoning relationship. But as the door swung shut behind them, those worries were replaced with a more immediate wonder when Kíli leaned in to kiss him once more. Bilbo couldn't believe that this was finally happening, but no matter how the florist blinked, the sight before him didn't change and joy grew in his chest when the other man cupped his cheek.
“So I guess I should actually say it, shouldn't I? Would you like to go on a date with me, Bilbo?” Kíli asked with another grin and while the florist knew exactly what his answer would be, he paused for a long moment just to make the barista sweat. Serves him right for all the anxiety he's caused.
Only once a hint of uncertainty replaced the smugness in the other man's eyes did Bilbo relent and give him a smile of his own. “I would love to.” He said, lacing their fingers together. “But why did you finally ask today?”
“You can blame my uncle for that.” Kíli told him with an slightly embarrassed laugh. “This morning he said he was tired of watching us dance around each other and if I didn't get my act together, he would do it for me.”
“That's slightly terrifying.” Bilbo replied, the thought of Thorin asking him out in his nephew's place making him twitch. “But I should probably thank him anyway. I was starting to think we were never going to make it here.”
The barista laughed again and pasted a look of mock offense upon his face. “Hey I would have managed it on my own eventually. Well probably.” He shrugged, putting the thought from his mind as he wrapped an arm around Bilbo's shoulders. “So when should I pick you up?”
“Pick me up? You already know where we're going?” The florist asked in bemusement. “Do I not get a say?”
“Of course you do... next time.” Kíli promised with a wink. “Trust me. I've been planning this for awhile and I have the perfect surprise in mind. So does Friday work for you?”
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“It's a date.” The younger man said, kissing the florist on his cheek before grabbing a pen and writing his number on his hand. “Now I should get back to work before uncle gets annoyed.”
When they slipped back through the door, most of the customers from that morning's show had moved on to other things, so only Thorin gave their reappearance any mind. When he nodded at them in amusement, the florist mouthed his thanks and then finally grabbed his tea and headed back next door.
Bilbo spent the rest of the afternoon humming to himself as he arranged bouquets and advised apologetic husbands on their wives' favorite flowers. Though he got a few odd looks and old Mrs. Stranthenberg asked him what had him so happy, the florist simply could not stop smiling and wasn't sure he'd want to anyway. His smile only grew when Kíli stopped by to give him one more kiss before heading off to class and the florist whistled as he waited for the bus to take him home.
Over the next few days Bilbo's phone rang more than it had in years and the hobbit started to wonder if he should actually get one of those mobiles that Gandalf was often on about. Although he had always refused before because he rather liked being unreachable sometimes, anything that would allow him to contact Kíli more often was starting to seem like a great idea. For while they never talked about anything too important, the florist found that it was rather nice to have someone with whom to share his thoughts, someone who simply cared how his day had gone.
Their routine changed little otherwise, though they added kisses to their greetings and when Kíli was on his breaks he often walked over to Baggins' Bouquets to chat. However, it was their coming date which filled Bilbo with flustered anticipation and he prayed that it would go well.
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Out of desperation, Bilbo even attempted to grill Thorin, but the barista's uncle just looked at him and smirked. “You'll have fun, I promise.” He said, before handing the florist another cup of tea and shoving him out of the door. “Try not to worry too hard.”
It was good advice but hard to follow, and so when the evening rolled around, Bilbo was afire with nerves. In fact he found himself quite unable to sit still, changing his outfit again and again until forcibly reminding himself that Kíli had never seemed to mind his casual clothes before. But the florist didn't have too much time to work himself into a frenzy because at precisely half-past six, his date knocked on the door and as soon as Bilbo opened it, he had other things on his mind.
“I- I- What are you wearing?” He stuttered, hard-won composure utterly destroyed by the sight of Kíli, who was decked out in far too much leather for his peace of mind. It was positively criminal how anyone could look that good and it took a great deal of will-power for the florist to keep his eyes fixed on the barista's face.
“It's nothing special,” The younger man replied, honest confusion in his voice, although he did preen slightly beneath Bilbo's admiring gaze. “Just the leathers for my bike. You know, safety first and all that. Are you ready to go?”
“Uh, yes, ready, I'm ready. I just need to grab my coat.” He stuttered in reply, eventually managing to stop drooling long enough to think again. “...wait, did you say bike?”
“Yeah, my motorcycle.” Kíli told him, waving one arm toward the driveway and now that Bilbo was looking he could see a gleaming silver motorcycle parked right by his porch. “Isn't she beautiful,” his date sighed and while the florist did have to agree with the sentiment, his thoughts were more focused on how close together they were about to be.
Valar give me strength to survive this fantasy. He prayed, grabbing his coat, locking the door behind him, and following the younger man down his front steps. Kíli handed the florist a helmet and put on his own before hopping astride his bike, gesturing for Bilbo to get on behind him.
“Watch the side-bags,” The barista told him as he swung a leg over the seat and settled himself gingerly, trying not to touch his date too closely. He was just so tempting wrapped in all that leather, but Bilbo refused to throw himself at Kíli before their first date had even started. However, his restraint was sorely tested when the other man looked over his shoulder with an elated grin.
“Better hold on,” He warned, snapping his visor shut and revving his engine, the purr of the bike vibrating all the way from the florist's head to toes. Then they were moving and Bilbo had to wrap his arms tight around Kíli's waist to keep from falling off. While the speed startled him at first, the longer they drove without crashing in a fiery inferno, the more the florist began to relax and enjoy the ride.
It was a beautiful evening, the air crisp and cool as it rushed by, though with Kíli pressed in a long line of heat against his chest, Bilbo was far from being cold. He knew his face must be burning furiously, but as long as no one else could see it, the florist didn't feel embarrassed, so he just rested his chin on the younger man's shoulder and watched the cars go by.
The pair was heading toward the outskirts of town and they drove for about twenty minutes before the motorcycle pulled up in front of a elegant old building. Bilbo hopped off and looked around while Kíli parked his bike, and to his surprise, he recognized exactly where they were.
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“Closed is a relative term,” Kíli replied, taking the other man's helmet before grabbing a basket and a blanket out of the saddlebag on his bike. “But no, we're not doing anything illegal, I swear. One of my cousins works here and owes me a favor, so he promised to let us in. Now come on, this will be fun.”
He grabbed Bilbo's free hand gently and pulled him toward a side door, knocking on it impatiently until someone shouted something indecipherable from inside. Kíli backed up as the door swung open to reveal an enormous man, tall and broad and glaring fiercely, and he looked nothing like the astronomer that the florist had been expecting. Indeed the man looked far more like a criminal, but just when Bilbo was wondering if he should fear for his life, the man's craggy face split into a giant grin and he pulled Kíli into a hug.
“It's good to see you, you daft bugger. Still haven't learned any patience have you?” He said cheerfully while squashing the younger man against his chest and ruffling his hair. Kíli protested this encroachment mightily and Bilbo had to stifle a spasm of giggles at the sight of his wildly waving arms.
Absolutely adorable. He thought with a smile and it was nice to know that someone could throw the younger man off kilter just like the barista always did to him. Though eventually a snicker escaped and the cousin turned those dark eyes on Bilbo, who felt his shoulders straightening beneath that appraising gaze.
But he just smirked at the florist's reaction and muttered to Kíli, “So this is the one who has you all tied up in knots. Aren't you going to introduce us?”
“Well I was going to, Mister Dwalin, before you decided to strangle me instead.” The younger man replied as he extricated himself from his cousin's embrace and straightened his clothes with a huff. Once Kíli had regained a bit of his composure, he hooked his hand back through the florist's arm and drew him forward. “May I present my date, Bilbo Baggins. And this is Dwalin Fundinson, one of my many cousins. He works here as a guard.”
Bilbo reached out and shook the other man's hand, relieved when Dwalin didn't try to squeeze his fingers or any other stupid test of strength like some of his cousins always used to do. Instead, he just shook firmly twice and then opened the door wider to usher the pair inside.
While the florist still wasn't entirely sure about the legality of this, no one was likely to report them when the guard was on their side, and his curiosity was fast overcoming his remaining reservations. So he looked around in interest as Dwalin spread his arms and welcomed them to his domain, the arched ceiling of the planetarium rising high above their heads. In the low light of after hours, the exhibits seemed almost mysterious and Bilbo began to remember how much he had loved this place when he was young.
“All right, have fun you two. Just remember my shift is over at eleven so you have to be out by then.” Dwalin told them as he led the pair into the projection theater. “And if you need any help just let me know.”
Kíli thanked his cousin sincerely as he closed the door behind him, and then the younger man drew Bilbo toward the central stage. He lay down his blanket and gestured for the florist to make himself comfortable while he went to fiddle with the podium and finally the other simply had to ask.
“Not that this isn't neat, but what exactly are we doing here? And you did promise to feed me you know.”
“That's what the basket is for.” Kíli told him and the older man had to resist the immediate urge to peek under the lid. He had been one of those kids who always wanted to know what was inside his presents early and he was no different now.
However, Bilbo managed to resist his curiosity for the moment, figuring that he should at least let his date do the honors, and he was distracted from the temptation when Kíli continued. “As for the rest, you'll see in a moment. As soon as I get this... where is... ah, there we go.”
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“It's beautiful,” he sighed, leaning against Kíli's shoulder and the younger man's voice was almost hesitant when he replied.
“So you like it then?” He asked softly and once Bilbo turned to look at his face, he was warmed by the hint of uncertainty he saw.
“Yes I do. This is perfect.” The florist responded and Kíli's expression lightened in relief.
“Oh, good. I thought you might prefer seeing real stars, but there's so much light from the city around here that you can't see anything and I promised you dinner, not a ten mile hike. Though sometime I'll have to take you out to my family's place in the countryside because the stars there are amazing, so bright you could almost reach out and pluck them from the sky. But, um, yeah. So I did promise you food, didn't I?” He blushed as he realized that he was babbling and turned to open his basket, but before he could, Bilbo leaned over and kissed him on the cheek.
“Thank you. I appreciate the amount of thought and nervousness that you put into this.” He said with a smile while the younger man looked back at him quizzically. “Well of course I did, you're worth the effort, you know. And you're happy that I was nervous? Why?”
“Because it means you cared enough to worry. I like confidence as much as the next guy but it's nice to know that you aren't assuming you have me all figured out. I hate it when people assume they know exactly what I want.” He had had a few too many boyfriends who had done exactly that, planned his life out for him as though he were little more than an accessory to theirs.
Kíli was obviously surprised by his vehemence, but after a moment, his face softened and he clasped his hands gently around Bilbo's. “All right then, I think I can manage that. The way you keep surprising me, I don't think I'll have the chance to get complacent, but please tell me if I get too enthusiastic for your tastes. I know I can be a bit overwhelming sometimes, although I'd like to reserve the right to surprise you now and then.”
“That will be just fine and I like your enthusiasm, I promise. I don't mind being taken along for the ride as long as I get to pick the direction from time to time.” Bilbo was quick to reassure him because he didn't want old wounds to ruin this happiness he'd found. Besides, while the other did tend to bowl him over through his sheer presence, he never felt as though Kíli was taking him for granted or forgetting he was there. Rather it was more that the younger man thought the world was beautiful and wanted to share every little detail which caught his eye.
Though he can hardly drag me off my feet if we're running side by side, can he? And this is a journey that I want to take. But enough seriousness for now. Indeed, Bilbo was sitting beneath a gorgeous starry sky with a picnic and a handsome young man on his arm and he planned to enjoy it while he could.
“That said, I think it's time for dinner. So what exactly did you bring?” He asked brightly and Kíli accepted the subject change without a fight, opening his basket to begin laying out their spread. When he was done, there was a little bit of everything there for them to try, complete with actual plates, silverware and wine.
So for awhile there was no more talking, just the clinks of forks and glasses and the occasional delighted moan on Bilbo's part. Kíli had managed to find all of his favorite foods, or at least the ones that went together well, and the florist was nearly bursting by the time he lay down his plate with a sign of satisfaction. He eyed the last bit of white chocolate mousse for awhile before admitting that there really was no way that he could finish it, although this didn't stop him from feeling jealous when Kíli swiped it up.
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“Well, I could say yes, but that would be a lie. I can barely boil water.” Kíli told him with a laugh. “Another one of my cousins is studying to be a chef and I promised to help him move in exchange for this.”
“Well you can tell him that he's fantastic because I haven't had a meal like that in ages. Although, exactly how many cousins do you have?” He wondered idly as he lay his head in the younger man's lap and looked up at the stars. “I think you've mentioned at least four already.”
“It's actually a weird quirk of my family.” The barista explained, stroking a gentle hand through Bilbo's hair. “Technically I only have two cousins, but my brother and I also count all of Thorin's because it's too complicated to keep track of the different generations whenever the whole gang is hanging out. So I guess that adds in another five and we include the brothers Ri as well, even though I'm not actually sure how they're connected to the rest.”
“That sounds nice.” Bilbo murmured, wishing that his family could be as close as Kíli's sounded. “But speaking of cousins, Dwalin didn't seem all that surprised to see me. Have you told everyone about us already?”
“Well not exactly.” The other said sheepishly. “I mean I told my mum and my brother, and uncle already knew, of course. But I'm pretty sure the rest of the family has heard all about you because even though he doesn't look like it, uncle Thorin is a total gossip.” The florist gave him a wide-eyed stare at this news and the younger man continued quickly to take the worry from his eyes. “No, really, this is good thing, I swear. Uncle likes you so I'm sure he's only been complimentary and this way everyone gets to grill him instead of us. So hopefully by the time you meet everybody, they'll have gotten over their need to hover like a bunch of loons.”
The thought of meeting Kíli's entire family was mildly terrifying considering the way he tended to describe them, but at the same time it was nice to know that the younger man was thinking that far ahead. And it was nice to know that he saw nothing odd about bringing home a boyfriend, which was a hopeful sign for how his relatives might react.
Certainly better than mine did. Bilbo thought with a melancholy sigh. Though to be honest, that isn't hard. By this point it was nearing eleven, so he sat up to help Kíli repack their meal and soon the barista had him smiling once more.
He was just so incorrigibly happy that it was contagious and their work went by quickly, even interspersed with kisses as it was. On the way out, the younger man told him to wait by the door and went over to the podium again, saying that he wanted to show Bilbo something else before they left.
So Kíli pressed a few more buttons and then the skies opened up, virtual rain pouring down the walls. He ran back to the older man's side to wrap an arm around him just as the thunder started, a deep and echoing rumble from speakers high above.
And then the lightning came. Streaks of electricity flashing across the darkness of the ceiling and painting patterns against the lids of Bilbo's eyes. It was glorious, an endless chain of white lightning crackling in a latticework upon the sky, and it took the florist back to his fondest memories of watching storms with his mother on the porch. So he hugged Kíli tighter and blinked the tears back from his eyes, because the barista did not know what a gift this truly was.
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Their return trip seemed to take no time at all or maybe the florist simply didn't want it to be over, since he was flushed with food and warmth and happiness. But the younger man pulled up in front of his house soon enough and Bilbo had to say goodbye.
Kíli walked him to his door and kissed him goodnight, though when the barista turned to leave, the older man caught his arm. “Do you want to come in?” He muttered, somewhat startled by his own forwardness, and he blushed furiously when the other caught his eye.
“Do you want me to come in?” The younger man asked in return, reaching out to stroke Bilbo's cheek and the florist didn't know what he should say. He was hardly inexperienced but somehow this relationship felt different and he just didn't know if he was ready to cross that line again. So Bilbo hemmed and hawed and finally admitted the truth.
“I don't know,” He said with a helpless shrug, yet to his surprise Kíli didn't seem annoyed by his indecisiveness. Instead the barista just leaned forward and kissed him with a smile. “Then not yet. But I will see my boyfriend tomorrow if he doesn't mind?”
“Boyfriend? I like the sound of that.” Bilbo replied, something in his chest easing at the other's casual acceptance of his hesitance. “Give me a call in the morning?”
“Of course. I'll talk to you then.” The younger man promised, giving him one last kiss before walking down the front steps with a wave. Then Kíli got back on his motorcycle and drove off with a roar of the engine, Bilbo watching him until he disappeared into the darkness of the night. Once he had disappeared, the florist slipped inside and shut his door, leaning back against it with a sigh. I am so far gone. He thought, sliding to the floor and wrapping his arms around his knees as a silly grin spread across his face. I am absolutely twitterpated and it feels fine.
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