Navy Feather

Optional prompt for your Bagginshield event, if it strikes your fancy? Something including both a squirrel + the line (in some form or another) "That's not how my mother used to do it."

This one turned out in an unexpected way but I’m quite content with it. It’s different from what I’m used to write so that’s nice. Thank you for the prompt, it was a very interesting one!

(Btw, here Joli is Dís’ husband.)

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“That’s not how my mother used to do it.” Said Thorin for the hundredth time in the span of one hour.

Bilbo’s eye twitched and didn’t bother looking at his husband, Yavanna forbid he ended up killing him. “I know Thorin, you tell me this every Yule and yet you don’t tell me the exact recipe so you’ll have to conform with my lowly excuse of a pork pie,” Bilbo said scathingly.  

“Your pie is delicious Bilbo, I’m merely stating that that’s not the way my mother used to make it.” Thorin turned the page of the book Bilbo was sure he had never actually begun reading. “If I knew how she made it I would have prepared it myself, but I can assure you she didn’t add cinnamon to it.”

Bilbo snorted as he made a show of adding more cinnamon to his pork. This was a discussion they had every year, at this point, it was more for the theatrics than anything. Both knew that Frís pork pie recipe was a secret she had taken to her grave and that was it. Still, it was nice to include her in some way on their traditions, it made Thorin happy and prone to talk about the happy memories he had of his mother, something Bilbo always looked forward to. “As if! As sad as that sounds, you can even burn water. You have many talents dear, but cooking is not one of them.” Bilbo put the lid on the pan and turned to look at his husband, who was still pretending to be reading. 

He met eyes with Thorin and unable to hold it anymore they burst into laughter. The first time Thorin had told that Bilbo had been offended but after time it had become a tradition. Kíli liked to comment about their weirdness but for them, it was special, just another way to include the family that could no longer be with them in presence. It was similar to the way Dís sometimes liked to wear the well-worn cape Joli had given her during their first anniversary, the one with the buttons shaped like squirrels, or the way she and Thorin drunk a mug of chocolate spiked with rum when telling anecdotes of Frerin.

So it was okay if Kíli didn’t fully understand it, as long as Thorin and he did, it was enough.

If you are still doing promts, how about Bilbo being a vet and Thorin coming to him with his sick pet raven

I think this has been sitting on my inbox for almost an entire year?? I’m so sorry it took me so long nonny. 

This is the first of the five prompts I have filled for Valentine’s day. I’ll post the next one in a couple of hours and you’ll find all the prompts tagged with Bagginshield’s Valentine, in case you want to read the rest. Hope you enjoy this ficlet and happy Valentine’s day for you all!! 

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“Uhm…” Hamfast hesitated.

“Yes?” Asked Bilbo without looking up from the blood test results he was holding. When the vet nurse didn’t say anything Bilbo finally looked up. “What is it?”

“He’s here again.” Said Hamfast, at last.

Bilbo sighed, putting down the papers. “Did he tell you what happened this time?”

“He said Burack is making a weird breathing noise.” Explained Hamfast.

Bilbo snorted, his mouth curling into a smile involuntarily. “Of course he is.”

Bilbo stepped into the waiting room, and sure enough, Thorin and his raven were there. They came to his clinic so often everyone was more than acquainted with him and Burack.  Except for the very first time Thorin had no reason to come back, his raven was the healthiest bird Bilbo had ever seen, despite his owner claims.

It was time to end this, Bilbo was sure the poor bird was tired more than a tad fed up with all the hassle that was coming for a check-up and as much as he liked Bilbo no one enjoyed to be prodded on a daily basis.

“Thorin please come in,” exclaimed Bilbo, a soft smile planted on his face.

Once they were both inside the consulting room, Thorin pulled Burack out from his rather fancy carrier. “Hello, Bilbo.”

“Hello Thorin, and hello to you too Burack,” added Bilbo, brushing his thumb against the raven’s beak. “Hamfast told me he’s been having trouble with his breathing.”

“Yes. He’s been like that for a couple of days, I realized one night when he came to snuggle with me. I want to discard the possibility of it being aspergillosis.” Explained Thorin in a monotone tone, not quite meeting Bilbo’s eyes.

Bilbo simply hummed and pressed his lips together when they threatened to turn up in an amused smile. “Well, let’s see what’s wrong with you, my boy.” Bilbo carefully put his stethoscope against Burack’s chest while Thorin rubbed feathered back comfortingly.

The bird, for his part, remained unbothered; too used to being auscultated by now and with how often he came by he probably knew he would get delicious treats if he stayed still.

Unsurprisingly, Bilbo found absolutely nothing odd with his breathing. At twenty years old Burack was in the prime of his life and with how well Thorin took care of him it’ll a cold day in hell before Burack got aspergillosis. Sure enough, it was common for birds to have infections in the respiratory tract but Bilbo highly doubted Burack would be getting them anytime soon.

Bilbo eyed Thorin as he mechanically checked Burack for what must have been the fifth time that month. Bilbo knew why he kept coming back — and so did all his staff, Bilbo was sure they had a bet going on — but he didn’t seem to be about to ask Bilbo out today either. He wasn’t quite sure why he was so hesitant, Bilbo had made sure to give him all the right cues to show he was receptive to Thorin advances.

Very well then, Bilbo had never been one to wait meekly for others and he wasn’t about to start now. “What do you say about this Friday at seven?”

“Excuse me?” Asked Thorin, his brow furrowed in confusion.

“I think —” Bilbo trailed off, licking his lips and feeling his face starting to heat. “— Burack would appreciate that we meet without him being in the middle of it.”

Bilbo took out the treats he kept especially for Burack and gave him some. Thorin’s face was taking a very endearing red tinge and Bilbo wanted nothing more than press a kiss in one of his bearded cheeks. “Burack has nothing wrong, by the way. Although you probably already know that.” Bilbo added with a teasing smile.

Thorin looked down, idly rubbing the back of his neck, in obvious embarrassment. “I apologize for that. I wanted to talk more with you but I wasn’t quite sure how to ask you for your number and I was afraid you might find it improper since Burack is one of your patients.”“Well, I’m not going to date him, am I?” Said Bilbo. “I thought I was making my interest in you quite clear, I think I did everything but throw myself in your lap,” Bilbo admitted quietly with an embarrassed smile.

“I’m not used to the intricacies of flirting, I’m afraid,” Thorin explained with a chuckled. “It’s been a long while since I’ve been interested in someone.”

“I would say you did pretty good, I’m quite taken with you,” Bilbo said as he walked towards Thorin and took his hand. “So… Dinner at seven?”

“Yes. I- Yes, I really would like that.” Thorin replied, intertwining their fingers and brushing the back of Bilbo’s hand with his thumb.