48 Bagginshield Recs: The Quest (part I)
A rec list for quest-based stories. There might be a some references to BoFA, but overall the fics are focused on the journey to Erebor and not what happens afterwards.
• fics are listed according to length
• warnings are not included
• my favorite stories are labeled with: ♫ ♫ ♫
Enjoy!
Update (5/15/14): This original entry got too big, so I've now split it into two parts. Stories listed here have less than 4000 words. Stories with more than 4000 words are listed here.
Para Bellum
Author: RyuuzaKochou
Pairing: B/T
Rating: G
Length: 3900
Summary: Hobbits always survive; even where trained and experienced soldiers don't. Has no one ever wondered about this? Thorin and the Company learn that it takes more than luck to be small in a big world. OR - Bilbo has unexpected skills and Thorin finds he likes them..
Comment: An amusing canon reinterpretation. Can be used as an antidote after the consumption of too many damsel!Bilbo stories.
Riddle Me This
Author: redcarrigan
Pairing: B/T
Rating: T
Length: 3700
Summary: Bilbo loves riddles, Thorin hates games.
Comment: A bad-tempered, sulking Thorin who accidentally blurts out that he loves Bilbo - oh, this is so good!
The Quite, Quite Scandalous Series: A Cold Bath Or Three, A Long Night, Limber Up, Hard as Rock, Two Can Play at That Game, Stress Relief
Author: Chamelaucium
Pairing: B/T
Rating: T
Length: 3700
Summary: Where everything Bilbo does is particularly flirtatious, and Thorin just can't help himself.
Comment: Highly amusing! You have to love the amount of foot and ankle fetishism in this fandom. Thorin showcases a Victorian level of prudery - mysteriously, this leads him to take many walks. And baths.
Here’s a little excerpt: [Spoiler (click to open)]Well, Thorin wasn't falling for it. The hobbit could flash his ankles as much as he liked in that lewd manner of his, but Thorin would not fall prey to his wiles! He was of the line of Durin, he was noble, he was strong and unyielding and hard as rock (in fact he really was, and he shifted in the saddle to try and ease the pressure).
Unknotting
Author: Lipstickcat
Pairing: B/T
Rating: T
Length: 3500
Summary: It turns out that Bilbo is rather talented with his hands, and Thorin gets to enjoy his first ever massage. Bilbo would enjoy it more if the rest of the company weren't gathered around taking notes, though.
Comment: Bilbo, you shamelessly opportunistic thing! Thorin moving so stiffly just "wouldn’t do"? Massaging him is for the greater good? Right. Right.
Customary
Author: an_odd_ducky
Pairing: B/T
Rating: G
Length: 3400
Summary: Hobbits rub noses to greet each other - a fact the dwarves don't know until they arrive in Rivendell and Elrond greets a surprised Bilbo by rubbing their noses together. Some of the company find it quite amusing, but Thorin is less than pleased. Fluff! Fill for the Hobbit Kink Meme.
Comment: Thorin is a smooth operator. According to himself. Sssshhh. Don't say anything.
Azaghâl
Author: Ephemeral16
Pairing: B/T
Rating: T
Length: 3400
Summary: The five times Thorin felt fear and the one time he didn't.
Comment: This is a moving character piece that perfectly captures the severity of Thorin’s personality, the events that shaped him and his burdens. Beautiful and unbelievably bitter. prepare to cry your heart out
Shaving
Author: Comedia
Pairing: B/T
Rating: T
Length: 3200
Summary: Master Baggins will stare at members of the company when he thinks no one is watching, of course, he has failed to notice that a certain dwarven prince is always watching.
Comment: This is for all the beard kink people in the world! A typical culture clash fic. I liked the tense undertones between them at the end.
Thrust and Parry
Author: bendingsignpost
Pairing: B/T
Rating: T
Length: 3000
Summary: All Bilbo wants is a nice, pleasant breakfast, but Thorin insists he learn to fight.
Comment: This is lovely! Thorin is so serious and stern, determined to increase Bilbo’s probability of surviving…and Bilbo at least knows to stick’em with the pointy end. Loved the lights moments between them, where it’s apparent how much they are at ease with each other and trust each other.
Mind Your P's And Mind Your Hobbits
Author: fideliant
Pairing: B/T
Rating: G
Length: 3000
Summary: Bilbo has had quite enough of stepping on toes where dwarven customs are concerned. He decides it's time to play the role of the steppee rather than the stepper, with the help of a couple well-crafted untruths on his part.
Comment: Bilbo, fed up with dwarven customs and sensibilities, decides it’s time for a payback. After all, waking someone else in the wee hours of the morning is a taboo in hobbit culture! ("“I did not want to be difficult, but I’m afraid that I cannot stand having such an important part of my culture trampled upon on a daily basis.”). The result of Bilbo's new attitude is hilarious at first and cringe-worthy at last, when Bilbo overdoes his little prank.
A Great Battle Won in Silence
Author: mithen
Pairing: B/T
Rating: G
Length: 3000
Summary: With Thorin and his company imprisoned, Bilbo spends difficult days invisible in the halls of the Elvenking..
Comment: Part 4 of the Slumbers Deep and Dreams of Gold series - loosely connected fics which are all highly recommendable. I don’t think you need to start at part one and then work your way through the series chronologically (they are not listed in a linear order). Just read them in any order you like!
As for part 4, varieties of “Bonding in Mirkwood!” have been done many times - but this take is complex, in character and still brings something fresh to the table. Loved the Ring moment.
I Would Feel Like You Would Feel
Author: lembasanddebauchery (vodkaanddebauchery)
Pairing: B/T
Rating: E
Length: 3000
Summary: Halflings do not have the right word for Mine like the dwarves do.
Comment: Elegant and hot; a study of the differences between dwarves and hobbits.
The Scent of Sun-Warmed Stone
Author: mithen
Pairing: B/T
Rating: G
Length: 2800
Summary: In which baths are taken, hair is braided, and Bilbo and Thorin take turns being embarrassed.
Comment: Part 5 of the SDDG series. It’s bath time for the Company! This somehow results in Thorin getting his hair braided by Bilbo and Kili pondering if he should call the hobbit ‘uncle’. Oh, and there’s also piggyback riding! In short, a very fluffy, fun episode in which Thorin realizes that his downward regal glower needs training. Here’s a little excerpt: [Spoiler (click to open)]"Quarreling over a bar of soap," Thorin huffed. "Is unseemly." He crossed his arms and looked regal--a bit of a trick when naked in barely-waist-deep water. "I am your Prince and the leader of this expedition, and thus I claim this bar of soap as rightfully mine."
Two Songs for Harp
Author: mithen
Pairing: B/T
Rating: G
Length: 2800
Summary: Two songs played on two harps: one in Laketown, one in the heart of Erebor before the Battle of the Five Armies.
Comment: Part 7 of the SDDG series. The first part of this fic put a huge smile on my face. (Thorin serenades Bilbo, that is…the best thing ever. And the family feels were glorious, let's not forget that!). The second part is set shortly before the BoFA and sharply highlights the change in Thorin’s character. Here’s a little Thorinism for the road: [Spoiler (click to open)]"It's no dwarvish harp," he growled. "It's built for a man's hand and a man's form, and its tone is crude at best." Cradling it in his arms, he stalked toward the door, then stopped. "Thank you," he said without turning.
The Bearded Hobbit
Author: Mynuet
Pairing: gen
Rating: G
Length: 2700
Summary: Respectable hobbits don't have beards. Unfortunately, Bilbo is out of shaving cream and still on the road.
Comment: A delightful, very amusing culture clash angle! Loved the group interaction, everyone’s puzzlement (and morbid curiosity). I read this as preslash B/T. No regrets.
Gold Gift of Atonement, Golden Gift of Love
Author: HallsofStone2941
Pairing: B/T
Rating: T
Length: 2600
Summary: The gift of a Golden Lily means different things in Hobbit and Dwarf cultures; undoubtedly only one of many misunderstandings on the quest for Erebor
Comment: Highly charming!
Want
Author: Comedia
Pairing: B/T
Rating: M
Length: 2600
Summary: "Bilbo was not sure when sitting by each-other’s side had turned into him sitting between Thorin's legs - his head resting against the dwarf’s chest and his arms lazily on his raised knees - but it was not a change he objected to."
Comment: Bilbo and Thorin getting closer is just the natural course of events. Or: when there is a campfire, Thorin and Bilbo will make out.
The Thing About Virgins...
Author: TanukiMara
Pairing: B/T
Rating: T
Length: 2500
Summary: In which Thorin is wilfully oblivious, Bilbo is a clingy virgin, Ori is a detached virgin, Dwalin is an asshole and everything ends well.
Comment: Hilarious! Features the most severe case of Thorin being in denial I have ever seen - and it’s still not out of character! You see, you have to pity Thorin. He is burdened with a clingy hobbit that brings him food and offers him sex and is all around awesome…it’s a terrible, terrible fate! Loved the canon divergence at the end.
Twisted allegories
Author: Comedia
Pairing: B/T
Rating: T
Length: 2500
Summary: The sickness is heavy on Thorin's mind, and he locks himself away, hoping that putting some distance between himself and the treasure will help him focus. When Bilbo seeks him out he's pleasantly surprised, but things such as love and greed keep blending together, and the hafling carries a burden of his own; they are broken people holding onto this single moment of clarity, until the abyss once again envelops them.
Comment: Exquisitely painful. Thorin knows he is going to succumb to gold-sickness, knows he is fighting a battle that is already lost. There is an air of finality about his fate, and yet he craves something simple and pure and true… wishes to steal a few moments before the waves crash above his head.
Bilbo, meanwhile, has his fair share of own demons to battle.
Almost
Author: Comedia
Pairing: B/T
Rating: G
Length: 2500
Summary: For a brief moment Bilbo turns to Thorin. Taking his eyes off the wall is outright silly, but he knows there is a sight more important than the keyhole appearing. He wants to see Thorin’s expression as he is once again allowed to enter his kingdom.
But instead of happiness there is confusion. The sun has set, the last light of Durin’s day has passed, and nothing has revealed itself to them. Around them there are whispers that quickly turn to shouts. Many of the dwarfs rush to the wall, searching every crack and crevice with an urgency beyond anything Bilbo has ever seen.
Comment: A nightmarish defeat scenario that ends on a hopeful note, with Bilbo and Thorin finding solace in each other and renewing their spirits.
Fevered Truths
Author: Chamelaucium
Pairing: B/T
Rating: G
Length: 2400
Summary: At Beorn's, Bilbo's bathing is interrupted by the last person he'd like to share the bathhouse with.
Comment: An homage to a similar scene in Game of Thrones/A Song of Ice and Fire. I liked the change of perspective halfway through! Bilbo and Thorin are more similar to each other than they realize.
A Small Song in the Dark
Author: mithen
Pairing: B/T
Rating: G
Length: 2300
Summary: The Company encounters the spiders of Mirkwood and Thorin's trust in Bilbo is tested again..
Comment: Part 8 of the SDDG series. Thorin suffers through a fever dream.
The Wild is No Place for Children
Author: thewitchoftime
Pairing: gen
Rating: n/a
Length: 2300
Summary: One pretty day Gandalf happily announces Bilbo's age to the dwarves but fails to mention that hobbits don't live half as long as the dwarves do and goes on his merry way. The dwarves are absolutely appalled how Gandalf tricked such an innocent youngling to join their trip. Thorin is especially annoyed since now all Bilbo's incompetence "totally makes sense". The dwarves start treating Bilbo according to his supposed age, going all mother henny and overprotective, like... taking his pipe away from him and silently promising to beat up Gandalf the next time the wizard shows up (because that too is obviously Gandaf's fault) :D Cue lots of awkward moments and a very confused Bilbo.
Comment: Aw, the feels, man! The feels! So many of them. This goes a bit in a different direction than the prompt insofar as there is no special focus on Thorin, but that doesn't matter in the least.
Breathe In
Author: keelywolfe
Pairing: B/T
Rating: T
Length: 2200
Summary: Hobbits cannot, in fact, swim. Drowning, however. That's something anyone can do.
Comment: The Company discovers a river suitable for bathing, Thorin discovers that hobbits can’t swim, and Bilbo discovers his backbone. Funny!
Daisies, Poppies, and One Red Rose
Author: mithen
Pairing: B/T
Rating: G
Length: 2000
Summary: Bilbo's birthday arrives while the Company is on the road, and hobbits and dwarves disagree on both birthday protocol and the value of certain gifts.
Comment: Part 6 of the SDDG series. Just a charming little ficlet about cultural differences...and then the ending packed a punch and almost had me choking on tears. Mithen has "bittersweet" really down, my god. So sad and joyous and so poignant and PERFECT.
Ink Will Have to Do
Author: mithen
Pairing: B/T
Rating: G
Length: 2000
Summary: While recovering from illness in Laketown, Bilbo discovers that Thorin has an unexpected gift for drawing. (Where did Bilbo get that portrait of himself we see at the beginning of the movie in his book?).
Comment: Part 3 of the SDDG series. Wistful, gentle preslash.
Fishtails
Author: Neyiea
Pairing: B/T
Rating: G
Length: 2000
Summary: Bilbo is unexpectedly good at braiding hair. One might even say that he is too good at it.
Comment: Cute and charming. Basically, Thorin expects Bilbo to be a braid!virgin and suffers a fit of jealousy when he finds out just how skilled Bilbo’s fingers are…
Of Dwarves Courting Hobbits
Author: GallantGeekery
Pairing: B/T
Rating: G
Length: 2000
Summary: Thorin attempts to court an unaware Bilbo..
Comment: Amusing courting!fail story.
It is like dancing
Author: Comedia
Pairing: B/T
Rating: G
Length: 1800
Summary: And so Bilbo moves closer, still shivering from the ice cold water and smelling of fish, he stands next to Thorin, keeping his distance yet always within reach, always close enough to touch, but never actually touching. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.” He tries to be respectful. To keep his voice mild. It is an intrusive question, and he knows as much. Had this happened at the beginning of their journey he would not have dared ask it at all.....
Comment: Bilbo and Thorin dance around each other. A study of the changes in their relationship.
The Desolation of Smaug
Author: anon
Pairing: Bilbo, Smaug
Rating: n/a
Length: 1700
Summary: Prompt: So...years of only living with gold all around him has made Smaug lonely and mildly insane. While Bilbo is sneaking around Erebor, he finds a mithril vest and puts it on (perhaps to return it to the dwarves and still be able to carry more). The sound it makes while he's moving catches the dragon's attention, but the way it sparkles in light makes him mistake Bilbo for a dragon hatchling. So Smaug decides to adopt Bilbo as his own.
Comment: Someone please explain to me why I am feeling sad for Smaug! Whhhyyyyy. This is utterly devastating.
In the Dark
Author: sigridhr
Pairing: B/T
Rating: n/a (est.E)
Length: 1600
Summary: N/A.
Comment: An angsty Mirkwood blowjob. I know what you’re thinking: aren’t all Mirkwood blowjobs essentially angsty? The answer is: yes. Probably. It’s a dreadful place. Doesn’t rank very high in blowjob-friendliness.. By all accounts, this should be a PWP (it's certainly hot enough to qualify!), but it's also sad and comforting and offers insight into Thorin's state of mind...
A Weapon Forged in Anger
Author: mithen
Pairing: B/T
Rating: G
Length: 1600
Summary: In Laketown, Thorin forges a new weapon for himself to replace the sword that the elves took from him.
Comment: Part 8 of the SDDG series. This is glorious! The faint backdrop of humor, Bilbo rendered speechless by the sight of sexy forge!Thorin, Thorin's anger quenched by Bilbo's presence - and the fact that Balin sent Bilbo precisely because he knew that would happen - Bilbo exposing Thorin's hypocrisy...the SDDG ficlets are a really unique blend of fluff, melancholy, and character exploration.
Splinters and Bruises
Author: mithen
Pairing: B/T
Rating: G
Length: 1500
Summary: As the party descends the Carrock, everyone in the Company seems to be complaining of their aches and pains. Well, almost everyone...
Comment: Lovely interaction between them and I'm generally a fan of the "hobbits are tougher than they look" angle! I can never get enough of that.
Of Mead, Rights, and Sleep
Author: GallantGeekery
Pairing: B/T
Rating: G
Length: 1500
Summary: Bilbo is propositioned by another dwarf. Thorin does not approve...
Comment: Dwarves are possessive and Thorin is no exception. Bilbo is his hobbit, dammit! Features general drunkenness and a short dubconish moment (not with Thorin).
Buttons of Diamond, Buttons of Wood
Author: mithen
Pairing: B/T
Rating: G
Length: 1400
Summary: A quiet day in Beorn's hall, in which Thorin finds his company spending their time frivolously.
Comment: Part 2 of the SDDG series. Loved the Company family feels and the humor in this little episode! - aka Thorin trying to act stern and aloof and failing miserably. He admonishes the others for indulging Bilbo and then goes ahead and...well. I'm sure you can guess what happens next. ;)
Given in Good Faith
Author: theskyeskye
Pairing: B/T
Rating: T
Length: 1200
Summary: Between two who hardly knew each other, the little things piled up and broke a silence.
Comment: Bilbo begins to court Thorin, leaving the dwarf completely confused and bewildered. A refreshing trope reversal!
How To Court A Hobbit
Author: stravaganza
Pairing: B/T
Rating: G
Length: 1000
Summary: A fill for The Hobbit Kink Meme: “I would like a fic where Thorin is just really really bad at flirting. And he tries really hard but somehow it just doesn’t work and he gets more and more frustrated which isn’t helping. It’s kind of ridiculous, really. He can face orcs and wargs and orcs ON wargs but whenever he tries to have a civil conversation with Bilbo the words somehow get switched around before he can speak them.
Comment: Bilbo is EVIL! And Gandalf is a major troll. But all is well in the end.
Where Does He Put It All?
Author: arroe13
Pairing: gen
Rating: n/a
Length: 1000
Summary: So, somehow, they all get a chance to settle down for a night and get an actual, full meal. No one expected Bilbo to eat more than all of them, even Bombur. Basically, they all start dinner, and the dwarves all slowly start to watch Bilbo in awe and horror as he just keeps getting more food. Bilbo is too hungry to notice/care.
Comment: We all know hobbits are a league of their own when it comes to food consumption, but the dwarves are in for a surprise.
Company Ponies
Author: KitKat76
Pairing: B/T
Rating: G
Length: 980
Summary: Myrtle and Minty are quite done with Bilbo and Thorin's emotional tension.
Comment: Bilbo and Thorin might try to keep their distance from each other, but their ponies have other ideas…
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Slap
Author: SarahAlex
Pairing: B/T
Rating: T
Length: 960
Summary: Prompt: Bilbo gets annoyed at Thorin for whatever reason and ends up slapping him. Thorin and co are stunned, but not as stunned as Bilbo when he learns that slapping is a very dedicated proposal in Dwarf customs.
Comment: This is an original, funny and strangely plausible scenario!
Courting Mr Baggins
Author: Lothlorien
Pairing: B/T
Rating: G
Length: 930
Summary: Thorin decided to court Bilbo. The only problem was, the hobbit didn't seem to have noticed.
Comment: A very charming take on a popular trope. (The style reminded me a bit of Jane Austen). Fanart included!
No Harm
Author: ThreeFeathers
Pairing: B/T
Rating: T
Length: 680
Summary: Thorin is not sure when exasperation stopped trumping attraction. Bilbo would like to keep his shirt, thank you very much.
Comment: Thorin’s bedside manner leaves something to be desired. (To be fair, Bilbo might not agree).
A Spot of Tea
Author: mithen
Pairing: B/T
Rating: G
Length: 600
Summary: When Bilbo Baggins discovers a tea shop in Laketown, he drags Thorin Oakenshield along..
Comment: GAH, this is so adorable! Thorin is helplessly out of place (a battle-clad dwarf in a tea shop is practically like a bull in a china shop), but he wants to please Bilbo and comes along anyway. He is so obviously and obliviously in love. No one can tell me different!
The Wandering Days
Author: TheLittleMuse
Pairing: B/T
Rating: G
Length: 450
Summary: During the journey the dwarves had all been entertained by Bilbo's stories. Once they reach Erebor they find Bilbo has one last story left in him.
Comment: Hobbits and dwarves are similar to each other in more than one aspect.