The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings Imagines

Mahal -Thorin Oakenshield

"You are crying." He didn't say it as a question—it was a mere observation.

You opened your eyes and saw someone handing out a handkerchief. Without looking up, you accepted it with a mutter of thanks. Just from the voice and the ring on his finger, you already knew who it was.

He was one of your closest friends. The King Under the Mountain.

Thorin Oakenshield.

"Yes, I am definitely crying," you said, rolling your eyes at his statement. "It is when tears fall from your eyes and run down your cheeks."

Thorin shook his head in amusement and sat down on the ground beside the rock you were sitting on. He looked up and his eyes held worry and curiosity.

"Why are you crying?" Thorin asked.

You snorted. "Have you not heard of the rumours yet?"

"Rumours?" His eyebrows met, the corner of his lips turned downwards. Thorin clearly did not hear of any rumours. You figured he was probably busy with his duties as the King. You immediately regretted saying anything. Petty things like this shouldn't trouble Thorin. He already had too much on his plate.

You sighed and shook your head. "It is nothing. Do not mind them. They are trivial things," you said.

"Trivial," he said, getting up from the ground and sitting beside you, "yet they have caused tears and sorrow. Tell me of these rumours."

You bowed your head, trying to make a curtain between your face and his sight with your hair. Fiddling with your fingers, you then whispered, "They say my love is expensive."

Thorin blinked. "Expensive?" he repeated.

"Yes, expensive.""Whatever do you mean?"

"Many have started to approach me after they heard of me turning down someone's confession." You missed the way Thorin's expression darkened and how his hands balled up into fists. "They have made it into a bet. The winner will be the one who could make me say yes."

He could barely say anything after that. But Thorin knew there was something else bothering you. Through gritted teeth, he asked, "And what made them say that your love is expensive?"

"They have given me precious gifts yet I do not accept," you whispered. "They say that I will live alone and regret my decision of not accepting anyone's declaration of love. Although I know that there is no love in them—only the thought of being able to brag that they have done what people deemed impossible."

With a loud thud, Thorin jumped off the rock and landed on his feet. You finally looked up and saw Thorin's seething eyes. His jaw was clenched and you knew that he might just explode if you say or do the wrong thing.

"Tell me their names, (Y/N)," Thorin growled, looking back at the mountain. His feet were aching to track down those who have hurt you. The regret of being buried in his work and not having any time to check in on you was making his temper rise. He was angry both at those who made you cry and at himself. "Tell me and I will have their heads off!"

For some reason, you found it appropriate to laugh. When a chuckle left your lips, Thorin's glare was then pointed at you. But instead of wiping away the amusement on your face, you smiled sadly at him and shook your head.

"I am indeed furious with their words and actions but they are not entirely wrong." You jumped off the rock and walked towards the edge of the lake. The water is calm and it reflected the beautiful shade of blue in the sky.

"Wha—How on earth are they not wrong?" he said. "They insulted you! Their actions tell me that they do not respect you, that they see you as some kind of experiment."

You looked back at him and smiled. "My love is indeed expensive." Before Thorin could say anything, you continued. "My love is expensive, but only to those who do not deserve to receive it.

"But to those who are kind, to those who I hold dear, to those who I truly care for, my love is something I freely give."

Thorin watched you look back at the horizon, the anger dissipating. He wanted to ask what then was the cause of your tears. He knew there was something else troubling you. But there was also something troubling him. So another question left his lips.

"Who are those, then, who you truly care for?" he asked.

"Friends, people who have been kind to me, my family. Those who need to see more love and kindness in this world," you answered.

"And where do I belong in those categories?"

Your eyes widened and you turned back to him again. Why is he asking this? "You are in all those categories, Thorin. You are a friend of mine who I consider family, a brother. You have been kind to me and I want to show you kindness too," you said.

"What if I do not want to be seen by you as a friend? What if I do not want you to see me as family?" Thorin's emotions were a mess, but you could see the fear in his eyes. "Would you still give your love to me freely?"

Tilting your head slightly, you clutched your hands near to your heart. "Then how do you want me to see you?"

A beat.

"I have been in love with you for years, (Y/N)," he said. "I wanted you to see me as a dwarf who has feelings for you, whose heart longs to call you mine and I yours. Now that you know this, would you still give your love freely?"

His eyes tell the truth and you smiled at how sincere he was. You walk towards him. When you saw that there was still fear in his eyes, fear for what you might say, you caressed his cheek with your hand and whispered,"You are still someone dear to me, so my love I will still freely give. But I must withhold my heart from you."

Thorin's face fell and he looked down in disappointment and sadness. But you lifted his chin up so he would meet your eyes for he had not let you finish.

"I will withhold my heart, until such time that I am ready to give it to you." You smiled. "I hope you will be patient enough, for to fall in love completely with someone takes time."

Thorin's eyes grew brighter and he mirrored the smile that you showed. Taking your hand in his, he pressed a kiss on your palm and said, "I will be patient, and I will gladly prove my love for you every single day for you have given me a chance I thought I would never have."

Mahal

—(Filipino; Philippines)

Meaning: as a term of endearment ("Good morning, love"); as an adjective: expensive; as a verb: to love