Tumblr : make-me-imagine
30 Day Writing Challenge Day 13 - "Secret Admirer"
Pairing: Thorin Oakenshield x G!N Reader
Triggers: None
Word Count: 1.8k
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As your eyes fluttered open, you let out a yawn and looked around, seeing the early morning light spreading across your campsite.
Turning your head, you see something lying in front of your face. Sitting up in your bedroll, you blinked a few times as you looked at the object. Reaching over, you picked up the bright red flower. You remember seeing some just like it yesterday, not too far from where you laid down for the night. Someone went and picked one for you? Perhaps they saw you admiring them as you ran your fingers over them as you passed them. You didn't realize anyone had seen you.
You smiled at the bloom, your mind flashing back to the multiple occasions along your journey in which you found various small gifts left for you. Looking around the campsite, you see that everyone is still asleep, scattered around. Looking up on the nearby hill, you see a familiar silhouette.
Quietly getting out of your bed sack and slipping on your boots, you walked up the hill, your eyes grazing over the horizon as the sun slowly began to rise. The soft warm light hitting you as it slowly reached across the valley.
Stopping next to Gandalf as you stared off at the horizon, he seemed to jump slightly when he noticed you "Oh, Y/n, good morning." He greeted, with an amused tone.
You smiled at him "Good morning Gandalf."
You saw his eyes flick down to the flower in your hand, and you saw something in his eyes. You turned a bit towards him as you lifted the flower, admiring it again "You wouldn't happen to know who left this by my pillow would you?"
Gandalf looked at the flower again and smiled "Perhaps I do, perhaps I don't."
"That means you do." You said bluntly.
He chuckled "Well, either way, it is not my place to tell you. If they leave the gifts in secret, then it means they want to remain a secret as well." He said with a nod as he looked back at the sunrise.
"Gifts? So you know about the others as well?" You asked and you saw him silently curse himself a bit as he looked at you from the corner of his eye.
"I will speak nothing else of the matter." He said simply.
You smiled lightly, amused, yet also disappointed. Hearing rustling at the campsite, you turned to see some of the others stirring as they all began to wake up. You let out a sigh as you began to head back down the hill. Your eyes grazed over all of them as you wondered who it was that kept leaving you gifts. Your eyes hesitated on one of them for a bit longer, but to you, he was the least likely to do so. Much to your disappointment.
During breakfast, you eyed all of them carefully. Seeing if any of them acted differently around you, or seemed to find out if you had the flower. But no one seemed to be acting any different, no one seemed to care.
You thought back on the previous gifts you had received over the course of your journey with the Company. The first was a perfect bright red apple, left by your bedroll after you washed yourself in a river. It was flawless and tasted perfect. You had no idea where it came from, or who left it, none of the others had any fruit with them. And only that previous day had you complained about being tired of just meat and bread.
The next gift was a piece of braided fabric to tie back your hair shortly after your own band broke. Then, not long after leaving Rivendell, you found a small satchel of fruits and vegetables left by your bag that someone had filled while in the elven kingdom. And now, the beautiful red bloom placed by your head while sleeping.
Part of you was aware that it could be more than one of them. You were fond of all of them, and you knew they cared for you. So maybe this was all of them taking care of you in their own way. But, the certain way each gift was handled, and how secretive each one was left, made you think it was one in particular. But who, you were unsure.
You were unsure of what to do about it, or how to find out. You were just outside of Greenwood, and your journey would surely get harder from here. Was there time to be spent on finding out who was leaving them? Are you sure you wanted to know? No, you were not. So for now, you would wait, and let the days play out as they must.
- - - - -
It was over. It was done.
Azog had been killed by Thorin, who had been injured gravely in the process. So he, along with Fili and Kili spent a long time in the healing rooms, their wounds nearly taking all of their lives. But they had lived, and the battle was over.
Thorin had nearly been lost to the dragon sickness, he forced you away, along with Bilbo, and betrayed the people of Lake Town. But from his sick bed, he wished to make amends. So, a deal was struck, and now Lake Town was to be restored, and the gold they were promised was given to them. And Thorin was now, as he was always supposed to be, a good King, the King Under the Mountain.
You thought back on the weeks prior, as you stood on a balcony in Erebor, staring out at the water and land stretching out for miles. You wondered where you should go from here. Bilbo and Gandalf were to leave in a few days, and you were wondering if you should go with them. You didn't know where you belonged now, or where you were wanted.
"You seem to have a lot on your mind."
You spun around, seeing Thorin watching you from the doorway. His voice was soft when he spoke, and the smile on his face was kind. "Thorin. Are you sure you should be walking around?" You asked with concern.
Thorin smiled as he walked over to you, stopping beside you as he stared out at the horizon. Looking back over at you he nodded "I'm alright. There is no need to worry." You nodded with a small smile as you turned back and leaned against the railing. "Are you leaving with Bilbo and Gandalf tomorrow?" He asked softly.
Looking over at him, he was staring out again, and even from his profile, you felt as though there was something he was trying to say. You looked away from him and down at your hands "I don't know. I'm not sure where to go even if I do." You admitted. "I have no place in the world."
Thorin now looked over at you, seeing the sadness on your face. He felt his heart clench in his chest "Yes, you do."
You turned and met his eyes, somewhat surprised by the emotion behind them. "Where?" You asked with an almost desperation behind your voice.
"Here." He answered quickly. "You have done more for my people than was ever asked of you, you are more than welcome to make your home here. You need not be alone in the world Y/n."
You turned and looked out over Erebor and the ruins of the cities below you. Dwarves and man alike wandering through the land as they rebuilt their new homes. "Can I really make a home here Thorin?"
Thorin stared at you, watching you closely. "Yes, I do. And you need not do it alone."
You paused for a moment as you took in his words. Your mind quickly flashing back to the gifts left for you over the journey. The idea that someone cared for you to admire you in secret. Did Thorin know about them? Was it him?
You turned around to face him, and you saw a gleam behind his eyes. Taking a small step closer to you, he took your hands in his. You felt him pass something from his hand into yours before turning over your hand. Opening it, you saw a beautiful gem in the palm of your hand. It shone with an array of colors, similar to an opal, but brighter than any you've seen.
"What is this?" You asked, your voice almost a whisper.
"A gift. A promise. Just like the others."
Your eyes snapped up to meet his, and as he saw the realization cross over your face, he smiled at you. "So it was you."
Thorin nodded his head "Yes. It was me."
"But....why? Why me?"
Thorin tilted his head ever so slightly as he stared at you, "It could be no one else to move my heart so. I felt it the first time I met you, when Gandalf brought you into the company. At first I was determined to think you were not needed, but the second I laid eyes on you, the second I looked into your eyes, I saw it. Kindness, bravery, determination, beauty. And I knew in that moment, you would be more than I would ever expect. And I was right. You are not only more than what anyone expects, you are more than anyone deserves, especially me. But I am willing to risk the chance of rejection, simply to ask if you would stay. Stay here in Erebor, with me."
Your heart was beating rapidly as your chest was tight with emotion. You shook your head a bit "Thorin you are worth more than me, in every way, and I should....I should say no, and I should leave, and let you be the King you are supposed to be, to be with someone more worthy of you." Thorin's face began to fall, but you continued "But over the course of this journey, with each gift you left, I found myself wanting only one person to have left them. And that was you, Thorin. And though I should leave, I know that if I did I would regret it for the rest of my life. So...if you will have me. I will stay."
Thorin's eyes brightened as his smile widened, taking another small step closer, encasing your hands in his own again, his face now a few inches away from yours "I would have you. I will. Forever. And nothing would stop me."
You smiled at him now, as he leaned forward, pressing his forehead against yours, as he stared into your eyes. As you stared back into his, you felt nothing but joyous content, as you realized you now had a place you could call home, with someone who wanted you as you were. You could think of nothing else you could wish for.