Chapter Text
Based on the imagine "being courted by Bofur & not realizing it until another member of the Company points it out."
After doing your assigned duties of gathering firewood and grooming the ponies, you wandered away from the campfire's warm embrace to the nearby trickling stream. You sat at its bank and pulled of your boots and thick socks. A sigh of relief escaped you as you tentatively dipped your feet in the cold water, and dragged them along the silty stream bottom. You laid against the stream's bank, feet still in the water, and stared through the canopy's leaves to the stars above.
This was the first chance you were allowing yourself to think about the past few weeks' journey, which you had joined after the Company had traveled through your village. Finally, after escaping cave trolls, you felt like you were being accepted as one of the Company. Yet, you smiled when thinking of the fact that Bofur had always treated you as one of their own. It didn't matter that you were the only female of the bunch, he had gone out of his way to engage you in conversation and jokes, ensure that you were well fed for seemingly the first time in your life, and clear a twig-free spot for you to lay on when the Company settled for the night. The other members of the Company were slowly learning to engage you in conversation, but it still wasn't the easy relationship you shared with Bofur. He almost reminded you of a protective older brother. Almost.
As if your thoughts had summoned the charming dwarf, you heard the distinctive clumping sound of his boots coming towards the stream. You sat up as he came near, and granted him a welcoming smile.
"Well, don't you look the comfortable lass," he lilted.
You giggled and gestured to the spot beside you, "won't you join me? The water is freezing, but feels wonderful on aching feet."
He thunked down beside you, and you needed to suppress a grin at the grace of dwarves. "Don't mind if I do lass! By the by, I've brought you your supper from Bombur, although I must admit that it was my idea to toast the bread in the fire."
"Thank you," you moaned as you bit into the warm, charred bread. You intermittently dipped it into your stew as you watched your companion struggle off with his boots and put his largish feet into the stream-bed. You munched in silence as you listened to his idle chatter. You couldn't remember the last time you had felt so content. The two of you chatted once you had finished your supper, but you noticed him eventually beginning to yawn.
"We should go back to the others, I suppose," you suggested. He nodded, grabbed his boots, and offered you a hand, and ended up pulling you onto your feet completely. You walked back and each settled for the night. You were on second watch, and knew it was unlikely you would sleep for long before then, if at all.
As Balin held first watch, you sat near him and offered him quiet chatter and observations. He chuckled after a while. "Well, gel?" and was silent, but was looking towards you with a curious glint in his eye.
"Umm, yes? 'Well' what?" you asked, trying to think of what you had last said that would warrant such a vague question.
"And has it been settled?"
"Has what been settled?" you asked questioningly.
Balin chuckled, "Such a wee, shy thing ye are."
You blinked. What in Oromë's name..."I have to admit Balin, I'm not at all being coy, I genuinely have no idea what you're talking about."
The older dwarf reddened. "Oh, I see, I had just thought....with you and Bofur getting along so well, and him making his intentions well known..."
You kept staring, that is, until his final statement seemed to sink into your thick skull. "EXCUSE ME? What..." you retried faintly, "what intentions would those be?"
At this Balin did laugh, "Oh lass, surely you realized he wants to court you?"
Now you were the one turning red as a beet. "No, I did not at all realize...he didn't say a thing, and I thought...I thought.."
What did you think, exactly? Bofur had been treating you exceedingly kindly, but you could tell from his behavior amongst the others that he was in general a kind, warm, and welcoming dwarf. And yet, the way he treated you was somehow different. You tried to look back at the different kindnesses he had bestowed on you, the tenderness in which he had made sure you were always comfortable. You remembered that often, if you had glanced in his direction, he would be looking your way and grin towards you. Those grins had always filled you with warmth, making you want to giggle, but had also made you shy.
Your heart started pounding as you tried to objectively consider whether or not you would welcome his courtship.