Returning to camp after gathering firewood, Thorin could hear Kíli's quiet cries of pain. Now it wasn't the kind of cries that would warrant any kind of worry, it was the kind one would make when stubbing their toe or having splinters pulled out. Upon entering the camp, the dwarf king immediately scanned the area, looking for his youngest nephew, to make sure he wasn't getting into any trouble, like him and his brother are prone to do. What he saw, though, he hadn't at all expected.

Sitting on a rock was the Company's only hobbit member, and sitting on the ground in front of him, having his tangled mess of hair brushed, was Kíli.

"Ow! Mr. Boggins, be gentle." Kíli grunted.

"Oh, hush now, it won't hurt nearly as much if you would just sit still. And it's Baggins, not Boggins." Bilbo chided.

"...Boggins..." Kíli replied with a defiant little chuckle, thinking his teasing was so clever.

All it earned the young prince was a swift swat to the ear with the flat side of a hairbrush and a stern look from the burglar who delivered the swatting. Kíli concedes and sits still, allowing Bilbo to continue brushing out the knots in his hair. This exchange reminded Thorin of when his nephews were children and how difficult it was to get them to do anything that involved sitting still, hair brushing being the hardest.

"What's all this about?" Thorin finally asked, making his presence known.

"Oh, hello, Thorin. I am brushing the rats nest that is your nephews' hair." Bilbo answered, brushing a particularly painful knot out, judging by the grimace Kíli made.

"And you're next." he added, pointing at Thorin with the brush.

Thorin scowls, not enjoying being told what to do. Bilbo, since their journey began, has been the only one brave enough to fully speak his mind to the Company's leader. And their growing relationship has only made the hobbit bolder and bolder.

"Don't give me that look, your hair's condition is atrocious. Just because we're on the road does not mean you can just neglect your hair. Don't dwarves normally have the highest respect for their hair, after all?" Bilbo scolded.

"Well, yes, but we all have more important things to place our focus on than hair care." Thorin argued.

"So, you're okay with allowing your hair to potentially become so matted that you would have no choice but to cut it?" Bilbo asked, raising an eyebrow.

Thorin's scowl deepens, adding an annoyed growl. The idea of having to cut his hair was unacceptable, especially for a dwarf of his status.

"Mhm, exactly as I thought. Now, sit." Bilbo said, that no nonsense look on his face that Thorin secretly thought was very attractive.

"Do not command me like some...fussy spouse." Thorin muttered.

"If I were a "fussy spouse", I would have made a brush had been packed in the first place." Bilbo huffed sassily.

Still scowling (because Bilbo isn't the only stubborn one in this relationship), Thorin passes the firewood he had gathered to Fíli and sits where Kíli had previously sat.

"Psst, Uncle, if you behave, perhaps Bilbo will give you a "reward"." Fíli whispered, winking.

Thorin turned his head away from his snickering nephews, growling and grumbling under his breath. The usually very stoic dwarf, tried to hide the redness of his face and ears. He was a king, he couldn't be seen blushing like a lovesick teenager.

"You boys stop teasing your uncle and go take your mischief elsewhere." Bilbo told them, shooing them away.

"Yes, sir, Bilbo/Yes, sir, Mr. Boggins." Fíli and Kíli said together before running off.

"But they're right, you know." Bilbo hummed, running his fingers through Thorin's hair, looking to see where all the knots were.

"What are they right about?" Thorin asked.

"That your good behavior will be rewarded." Bilbo whispered lowly into his ear.

The hobbit's hot breath hitting the side of Thorin's neck caused a shiver to run down the dwarf's spine and his throat to choke around his words, that is if his brain had any current ability to form any. It was a mystery how a simple halfling from the countryside could reduce a mighty king to a steaming puddle of bashfulness.

Bilbo brushes Thorin's long, thick hair smoothly and gently. The soft strokes against his scalp felt soothing, allowing the tension to melt off his shoulders.

Sure, there were a few painful tugs when Bilbo came across any knots. And each time, an apology was softly cooed.

"It would do you a lot of good if you would allow yourself to be taken care of more often. You do so much for everyone around you, you should let them return the favor once in a while." Bilbo said.

"Hmmm, not sure I'd be comfortable with that....but perhaps I can be willing to compromise and simply allow just you to care for my needs." Thorin replied.

"I...think that would be a suitable compromise." Bilbo chuckled tenderly.

Out of the corner of his eye, Thorin could see half the Company giving him knowing looks. For some time now, many of them have been urging the king to make his and the hobbit's courting official. The others have grown impatient with Thorin and Bilbo's game of flirting and wish for them to quit dancing around their true feelings.

"There, done." Bilbo sighed, running through Thorin's hair with his fingers one final time.

"See how pretty your hair looks when you properly take care of it." he smiled, continuing to gently play with Thorin's hair.

Thorin leans his head back and looks expectantly up at Bilbo.

"You want your reward now, don't you?" Bilbo asked him.

With a cheeky grin on his face, Thorin nods. Smiling in return, Bilbo bends down and lands a quick kiss on Thorin's cheek. The dwarf king furrows his brow as purses his lips in a pout, disappointed.

"What? Was that not an efficient enough reward?" Bilbo laughed.

"Well, I was quite well behaved. I sat still and not once did I complain or whine, so I do believe a better reward is warranted." Thorin said, turning fully to face Bilbo, folding his arms across his broad chest.

There was such deep affection in Bilbo's eyes as he wordlessly cupped Thorin's face and pulled him into a proper kiss. Thorin relaxes against Bilbo's lips, grabbing the hobbit's shoulders in a firm grip.

When they pulled away from each other, Thorin noticed the other twelve dwarves staring at them. Balin was especially giving the pair a slightly disapproving look. In dwarven culture, it was considered improper to engage in public displays of intimate affection with someone without officially establishing courtship first. The older dwarf motions for Thorin to come over to him immediately.

With one final squeeze to Bilbo's shoulder, Thorin stands and walks over to his dearest friend and advisor.

"There's no need to scold me, I know what we just did was technically inappropriate." Thorin grumbled, stubbornly not meeting Balin's eyes.

"Besides it wasn't his fault. Fíli basically put him up to it." Kíli interjected.

"Big mouth!" Fíli said, punching his little brother's arm.

"Thorin's actions are his own. Being king he has higher expectations to uphold our customs. So, Thorin Oakenshield, you best take that courtship bead I know you have in your pocket and give it to the burglar already!" Balin demanded rather than told his king.

"Yes! Please, for Mahal's sake, just do it already!" Dwalin growled impatiently, agreeing with his brother.

Thorin shoves his hand in his pocket, then rolls the aforementioned "courtship bead" between his fingers, thinking of how to broach the subject with the hobbit he's grown to care for so deeply. He looks over his shoulder at where he left Bilbo and locks eyes with him. Seeing his beautiful smile, Thorin finally makes up his mind and decides to do as Balin and Dwalin suggested and just...do it.