A couple of weeks had passed as Bilbo and Thorin slowly explored their newfound feelings. Quiet, hidden kisses had turned into experimental touching and it soon became clear that these feelings were bound for something greater. Sooner or later someone would have to be told.

It was on a carefully scheduled scouting mission that Bilbo and Thorin sat quietly under the shade of a tree, snuggled close as they listened to the sounds of a nearby stream. They had yet to go beyond tender kisses and explorative fondling, but both were quite content with this for the time being.

"Thorin?"

The dwarven heir glanced down at the Hobbit nestled snugly in his arms who returned the look with an inquisitive gaze.

"Are we going to tell them?" he asked, his fingers trailing softly up along Thorin's chest over the tunic he wore. Thorin didn't answer immediately as he looked back up and out through the forest. It was obviously a question that took some thinking, and initially Bilbo assumed the worst. "If... if you don't want to, if you're embarassed..."

Thorin quickly quieted these fears by taking Bilbo's chin suddenly in his hands and turning the paranoid Hobbit's face toward him.

"Don't think that. Don't ever think that," he replied firmly, his voice stern with no room for argument. "I never knew love until that night by the fire, and I can assure you I am not embarrassed. I simply..." he paused a moment before continuing, "I simply do not know yet how to proceed."

This made sense, Bilbo supposed. It had only been a couple of weeks, after all. And it was a bit of a sudden and unusual development. Bilbo smiled and rested his head on Thorin's chest, hugging close to him as he enjoyed the steady warmth of the day and the comfort of Thorin's arms around him.

The day passed into evening around them, and their blissful state caused them to be unaware as new loves often did. They did not hear the softly approaching footfalls or immediately notice the shadow that fell over them in the shade.

"Well, this is a curious sight," a gentle voice said, and Bilbo and Thorin nearly jumped out of their skins as they scrambled to their feet and turned to face Balin, the gentle silver haired Dwarf of the company. Both looked rather sheepish as they glanced between each other, but Balin chuckled softly. "Fear not, laddies, for if it's secrecy you're after, I can hold a secret better than any," he reassured them, though with a note of something more in his eye.

"Thank you, friend," Thorin replied, and Balin smiled kindly.

"But would I be steppin' over my boundaries if I were to make a suggestion?" Balin asked, and when Thorin and Bilbo glanced up curiously he felt safe continuing. "Tell the company, lad. I take it you're worried about their reactions, but I reckon they'll be more accepting, even if a bit surprised, than you give them credit for." he advised, and Thorin contemplated this quietly. Giving him a friendly pat on the shoulder, Balin shrugged.

"'Course, you're quite free to do as you like, but that's my suggestion as well as this," Thorin glanced up. "I came to search you out because it's near dinner time and the Company is gettin' a mite concerned." Thorin glanced surprised at the sky and nodded.

"Thank you, I suppose the time had gotten away from us..." he mused, and Balin chuckled before turning and heading back to the camp.

Later that evening the Company were seated comfortably around the fire enjoying some of Bilbo's cooking, for if there was one thing Hobbits were good at, it was making a good meal. Nori and Dori finished first and soon had their flutes out to play a relaxing tune as the others finished. Thorin and Bilbo were seated comfortably next to each other, but as Thorin had been the last to accept a bowl of soup nobody found this strange as Bilbo had settled down with his after serving it out. As the meal drew to a close, Thorin rose to his feet and the group glanced at him curiously.

"I have something to say," he said, somewhat hesitantly at first, but Balin offered him a comforting smile as he continued as he looked about at the puzzled Dwarves. Nori and Dori had immediately stopped their playing, and the sudden silence was almost nerve wracking as Thorin felt his heart flutter in his chest. Taking a deep breath, he continued. "I'm sure some of the more observant of the company have noticed Bilbo and I spending a bit of time together, and whether or not any of you have questioned this, I am ready to explain it all."

The Dwarves looked around, some looked puzzled, others looked curious. Bilbo shifted nervously, almost afraid to look up and see the reactions of the Dwarves and Gandalf as Thorin spoke his next words.

"Bilbo and I have discovered feelings for each other, and though we've kept it a bit quiet here in the last few weeks, it's obvious that they are not going away, so... there yeh go." He nodded and settled back down before the fire and glanced at Bilbo with a smile. Smiling was the last thing the panicked Hobbit felt like doing, but he gave a weak one back and the pair waited for the reactions.

Nori and Dori were quite silent, seeming unsure what to think, but Ori piped up immediately with a big grin.

"Well, that's brilliant!" he exclaimed, chuckling as he glanced around at the rest of the company, seeming to pull them out of their stupor with his cheerful agreeable nature. Bifur was quick to follow with a steady couple of thumps to his chest and a firm nod, his expression showing obvious agreement with Ori's statement. Bombur seemed a bit confused and unsure of what to say, so he reached for the pot of soup and poured himself another bowl while Bofur smiled gently.

"Well, that's quite nice. I wish the both of you much happiness," he said, and Thorin smiled appreciatively to the comment and the others, relaxing with each show of approval or acceptance. Óin seemed to have missed the whole thing, but upon seeing everyone else acting happy he nodded and returned to a conversation he'd been having with Glóin who was equally silent and didn't appear to know what to think yet, an uncharacteristic thing for the usually highly opinionated Dwarf.

Dwalin didn't seem surprised, and Thorin suspected Balin had already discussed this with his brother, and whether or not Dwalin approved was hard to tell, though he hadn't spoken out against it yet, which seemed to Thorin to be a good sign.

All these various reactions happened within moment, and the first words of shock came from Kili.

"Wait, what?" he asked, and Thorin glanced at his nephew. "What do you mean feelings?" Fili rolled his eyes and jabbed his brother in the ribs with his elbow.

"Real smooth, Kili. What do you think he means?" he said, though his expression showed an equal amount of shock and surprise. Obviously neither of them had expected this from their uncle, and Kili settled back to contemplate this.

"Well, I... I hope you two are happy," Kili finally said hesitantly, still trying to sort this out in his mind.

Thorin smiled and glanced around at the group.

"I thank you all for your openness to this situation, those all who accept and to all who are still mulling it over," he said, and the Dwarves nodded. Gandalf had remained silent, but this had not surprised Thorin and he assumed if the Wizard had any qualms about it then he would have spoken up, or he would be hearing about it later. "I can assure you, it is still a new thing to Bilbo and I as well, as we are working our way through it, but it had to be said to all so I wouldn't feel I was keeping secrets."

With this all done and the Company seeming relatively accepting of this news, Nori and Dori returned to playing their flutes and lulled the group back into a comfortable calm to relax their recently startled minds.