Bilbo Baggins has two great loves: molding young minds and baking. So it comes as a bit of a shock to him when at his nephew's 7th birthday party a third love is added to the list. A pair of dazzling blue eyes that are constantly looking in his direction. Of course, they could just be looking at Bilbo's cupcakes - they were outstanding if he did say so himself.

Humming lightly to himself alongside the tunes blasting from a wireless speaker, Bilbo wasn’t sure what prompted his eyes towards the gate leading to his front yard. At first the fond grin that had formed on his lips was similar to the one he wore when greeting his students each day. Then suddenly it wasn’t. While he recognized the two kids marching their way into the yard, it was the fellow they were tugging along with them that had Bilbo rooted to the ground with his mouth agape. Fili and Kili, sons of Dis Durin who had…lost her husband last winter, if Bilbo remembered correctly. This couldn’t be a new man in her life already, could it? Then again, who was he to judge? Swallowing thickly at the implication, Bilbo took another glance towards the exasperated fellow being dragged along through his yard. He looked far too much like Dis now that he was getting a second glance. Perhaps a brother? Or a cousin, perhaps? Whatever it was, Bilbo desperately wanted to know– “Something on your mind, Bilbo?” Prim asked, smacking him square in the chest with a bag of cheese puffs. “It’s not every day you’re standing there looking like someone twisted your tongue into knots.” “I’m–I was just unaware that the Durin boys were invited, it’s a nice surprise.” “Especially the big one there, huh?” Feeling an elbow nudge into his arm, Bilbo was suddenly grateful he had no siblings. This was the type of annoying teasing he could have expected from a brother or sister…but even still, he hadn’t escaped it entirely. “Hardly.”