The Tenth Ringwraith: a Sauron x Bilbo

Tears

A year passed rather uneventfully, as did a second and third, most hobbits were content to let life repeat in a seemingly endless cycle through their entire lives, but now that Bilbo had a taste for adventure, he was getting restless.

It was strange, to be bored by weekly parties and merriment and things always going well.

The Shire no longer felt like a paradise, it was a bit like a spoiled faunt that acted a bit rotten -everyone else was waiting to see how long until the indulging parent snapped and corrected their behavior.

He felt himself longing for the archaic beauty of Erebor, and for a moment he pondered going to visit the surviving members of the Company and meet King Dáin and Lady Dís, but he could not find it in him to do so without the ever present pain -which was typically numb on most days- of Thorin's death making it hard to breathe.

In another life he might have married Thorin and been Consort Under the Mountain, if he had not been too much of a coward to admit his feelings before it was too late.

The golden ring on his finger purred soothingly, offering comfort.

Bilbo smiled softly, feeling grateful he had found Ash in the Misty Mountains that day by chance.

"Did you ever talk to Gollum?" Bilbo asked as he curled up on his armchair, trying to take his mind off his lost love

"No, I could have, but I did not want to." Ash replied

That made the hobbit feel a bit special, that Ash had only spoken to him, "I would not want to talk to him either. I cannot imagine being trapped with him for however long he had you."

"It was rather torturous." It agreed, "Just promise me that you will never write about 'fishies' and call me 'precious', I do not think I can bare it again."

Bilbo giggled at that, wiping the tears from his green eyes, "I promise."

They sat in silence together for a few moments while Bilbo collected himself.

With one final sniffle, Bilbo sat up enough to place his head on the armrest, "I wish you were real, Ash."

"Well you are real, I mean had a physical body." The hobbit quickly amended, "You have been such a dear friend to me, I feel sorry that you must be trapped with me when you would be happier with another."

"I am not unhappy." The Ring replied, suprising even itself

***

The One Ring was confused with itself, it should have used Bilbo's admittance in addition to his restlessness to get him to quest to Mordor so it could return to the Master's hand.

But it had not, the thought had not even occurred to it until after supper and Bilbo had fallen asleep.

Its loyalty was for the Dark Lord alone, it was supposed to use and discard every being in its path back to said master.

Ash would have sighed if it had lungs, but as it stood it did not, instead it slipped into Bilbo's dreamscape to examine his dreams to learn more of his desires.

***

In the late morning of the following day, Bilbo was just finishing second breakfast when there was a knock on his door.

Opening it, he was greeted by the sight of Cedric Featherbottom.

"Good morning." Bilbo greeted and was then greeted in turn

"What can I do for you, Cedric?" He asked

Cedric shuffled on his feet slightly, "Well, um, we have been dancing together at every party we both go to and um, would you like to go on a stroll with me?"

Bilbo blinked once, then twice, before accepting the offer and emerging from his smial.

The two blonds began to walk through Hobbiton together, eventually reaching the end of town where the spattering of smials gave way to fields of crop.

"It is a nice day we are having." Cedric commented, trying to break the awkward silence that had fallen over them

"Indeed." Bilbo agreed, putting his hnds in his pocket

"You got back from that adventure of yours six years ago, I think, where did you go?" The trader asked

"To Erebor, a dwarf kingdom known as the 'Lonely Mountain'." Bilbo began, "I joined the company of the displaced king to help vacate the dragon that had taken over their home."

Cedric stared at Bilbo as if he had grown a second head, "Dragons?"

"Yes, rather a rude one at that. He was called Smaug and he was very full of himself." Bilbo added, standing straighter, "I tried to riddle him to distract him but that plan fell apart rather quickly."

Shortly after that, Cedric remembered he had promised to escort his aged mother to the market and excused himself after rather uncomfortably walking Bilbo back home.

"He did not deserve you anyways." Ash commented as soon as Bilbo re-entered Bag End

Bilbo put the kettle to boil and retreated to his study, opening his newly started manuscript to where he had been working on writing the dinner party he had unwillingly hosted.

"That's what Bilbo Baggins hates." Bilbo softly sang as he wrote the words of the song down, before adding, "'Oh course, they did none of these dreadful things.'"

His green eyes got misty as he described the knocking on the door that followed as the leader of the company arrived at last.

***

Hours later, Bilbo was sitting by the fire after dinner, smoking his favorite Old Toby from his pipe, when there was another knock on his door.

Extinguishing his pipe, he put it back on the mantle and made his way towards the door, opening it to see Cedric Featherbottom was outside, holding a small box.

"Good evening, Bilbo." The other hobbit greeted, "I am sorry for my behavior earlier, I was awfully rude. I was a bit cowardly in the presence of your bravery and I am sorry to have treated you strangely."

He then gave Bilbo the box he held, "I saw this in my collection, the paper and inkwell are of dwarvish make. I hope you can forgive me, I would like to hear more of your adventure."

"Thank you." Bilbo said automatically, hobbitish manners deeply instilled, before truly saying, "Apology forgiven. Would you like to join me for supper?"

As he led Cedric to the dining room, he could feel Ash burning on his finger in a silent plea to get him not to do this, but Bilbo mentally apologized and made no other move to listen his dearest friend.

"Bilbo, he will upset you again." Ash said in his mind

Getting out a second set of silverware, Bilbo replied, "It is just one meal. If he is rude again I will not forgive him next time."

The Ring huffed, "That is what you said when you first danced with him. And then you started dancing with him frequently at all the parties."

"Are you jealous, Ash?" Bilbo asked

"No, of course not." It lied, fooling no one and especially not itself

Bilbo had to hide his giggle since they had company, "Then I suppose you do not mind the name Bilbo Featherbottom then."

Ash did not rise to the bait, but the hobbit knew his point had been made all the same as he ladeled the stew he had made into two bowls.