Hobbit/The Lord of the Rings Imagines 2

Beorn ~ Slowly

This made you open your eyes and you blinked in the light, sunlight streaming in through the window and you found yourself oddly comfortable, it slowly dawning on you that you were on a rather large bed.

You sat up, a little stunned and stared at Oin and a rather large man that you assumed must be Beorn.

Oin smiles. "Finally Y/N, how are you feeling?"

You frown a little, looking down at yourself, finding your leg heavily bandaged and it came back to you what had happened. After what was said, you wiggled your toes, just to make sure that it was all still working.

"Okay," Your voice was a little hoarse. "I think."

Oin looks at Beorn. "See, she will be fine, she's stronger than what you give her credit for."

Beorn glanced at Oin before locking his gaze on you, something that made you swallow, recognising the fierceness that this man could behold and yet, also seeing his gentleness. "If you feel up to it, try and stand."

You looked at your leg again before staring at the side of the bed and shuffling carefully over. Slowly, you lowered yourself to the floor, testing your feet on the ground you allowed yourself to apply more and more pressure until you were fully standing.

It didn't last long though, pain bolting up your leg and you had to quickly take the pressure off.

Beorn nods. "She can hardly stand, let alone walk master dwarf, she will be safe here, it'll be quite alright."

Reluctantly, and after much talking from Beorn and Gandalf, it was agreed to leave you behind. You didn't like it, not in the slightest, but you also knew that you would be more of a hindrance than a help should you continue.

You watched them go with a feeling of apprehension in your stomach, Beorn promising to return quickly.

You still couldn't quite believe, injured or not, that you'd agreed to be left behind with a stranger.

Beorn was true to his word, returning with his horses and coming and ensuring that you were alright.

It took a little while to get used to Beorn, it wasn't that he wasn't friendly and took good care of you, but it was always in the back of your mind that he had the capable to turn into a bear should he so desire. He understood your caution, but it never stopped him from being civil.

Slowly, even with what your friends were going through in the back of your mind, Beorn got you standing and then walking again, admittingly with a bad limp for a while, but he seemed to always be there if you slipped or your leg gave out.

It made for more than a few awkward moments.

"Beorn?" You asked one evening as the two of you sat and ate together, something part of a regular routine that the two of you had built up. He didn't answer, just looking at you expectantly. "Why did you let me stay?"

He gave his head a curious tilt. "Why do you ask?"

"Well..." You didn't want to offend the skin changer, but this had been nagging you for a while. "I mean, from what I've seen of you, you like the quiet and you like your privacy. I can't imagine having me here is easy for you."

"On the contrary little one," You weren't entirely sure when the nick name had come about, but you weren't about to argue with it. "It has been nice to have agreeable company."

This made you smile, giving a small laugh.  "While I'm sure it has, it doesn't answer my question."

Beorn stares at you for a moment longer before looking away.  "I could hardly allow you to travel like that, as I said to your friends to begin with." His gaze returns to yours.  "You cannot say that you haven't enjoyed it here?"