~ Based on this imagine from imaginexhobbit: Imagine sharing a tender night with Thorin under the stars. ~

Last night the Company had left the safety of Laketown and was now setting up camp near the Lonely Mountain. During the day you had covered quite the distance and finally the mountain came into full view. Your mouth had dropped and you couldn't believe you had gotten so far. There was a shared, mutual silence when the dwarfs looked at their lost home. Thorin had been particularly silent since then, his eyes never leaving the mountain nearby. When the moon began to rise you suddenly felt fear.

What if the dragon would come out tonight to hunt? Of course Fili and Kili stayed awake to guard the sleeping Company but where were they supposed to hide if the giant beast flew above them? You shuddered slightly at the thought when a warm, fur cloak was draped over your shoulders. Quietly Thorin sat down next to you and stared at the mountain. 'Thanks' you muttered and buried yourself further into the cloak. Thorin nodded absent minded. The two of you just sat there in silence, but it wasn't uncomfortable.

You had spend many nights sleeping next to each other, enjoying each other's presence without talking to one another. For some reason you didn't need to tell him how you felt, he always knew, somehow. Just like you just knew how to act around him when he was brooding or how you could tell him he was going the wrong way without making him angry. You felt relaxed when he was close to you, knowing that no harm would come upon you as long as he was there. But you never dared to dream that your feelings might be returned.

He was a king and you knew you would never be more to him then a member of his company. You had never noticed how he smiled when you were acting stubborn, how he never scolded at you when you did something wrong nor had you ever noticed how he draped his arm around you when you were fast asleep. Thorin wasn't sure how he felt yet. He knew that there was something special about you that drew him towards you but he couldn't explain what it was. Every time one of the other dwarfs sat down to close to you or just touch your arm accidentally, Thorin would feel jealous.

He told himself that it meant nothing, but a voice in the back of his head told him that this wasn't true. It meant a lot to dwarfs, to find their One. He noticed that you were cold so he had taken off his fur cloak and draped it over your shoulders without thinking twice. Now, as he was sitting next to you, he wasn't sure what he wanted to say. On one hand he wanted to tell you how he felt, slowly closing the distance between you and locking lips in a slow, passionate kiss. Often he had imagined them being soft against his own, but he doubted about how long it would last before you would push him off.

He looked at you with a mixture of love and concern in his blue eyes. You didn't notice him staring at you before you turned your head and met his eyes. On the other hand he wanted you to go back to Laketown. Balin had pointed out that you would be safe there, under the care of Bard. But Thorin had refused to leave you behind. Right now it was saver for you to stay next to him, however it was also more dangerous at the same time.

Thorin stubbornly thought that no one could protect you like he could, therefor you would be safe next to him. He just didn't want to acknowledge the fact that there was an Orc pack chasing him which made it dangerous for you to stay next to him. As long as you were next to him he knew you were safe, which eased his mind. In Laketown there could be man asking for your permission for them to court you, Thorin didn't want to risk to lose you. It didn't matter to him that you weren't officially his. You were his One and no one else was allowed to touch you or even bring up the idea of courting anyone but him.

'The stars are beautiful, aren't they?' you asked, your eyes locked at the sky above you. Thorin followed your gaze but didn't understand why the lights in the sky were at all interesting to you. He would show you emeralds and diamonds when they had taken back his mountain. Those were beautiful. 'Aye, they are' he replied instead. You sighed and without realizing you leaned your head against his shoulder. For a moment he froze before wrapping his arm around you, pulling you closer. You sighed content while you felt your cheeks turning a light shade of red.

Thorin could feel his heart beating faster, how could you not feel this? Unsure of how to proceed he stroked his hand on your back once. When you didn't object he continued and he felt your muscles relaxing. He couldn't help the smile forming on his lips. If you would have faced him he would have noticed the bright blush on your cheeks, instead you still faced the mountain in front of you. He buried his nose in your hair and for the first time he realized that he may lose you in the next couple of days.

He planted a soft kiss on your head before pulling back slowly. 'The view is beautiful, isn't it?' he asked, admiring his view. You nodded, your eyes still on the mountain. 'I understand why you've missed your home, it is beautiful, like you said' you whispered. Thorin smiled before placing his free hand under your chin, forcing you to look at him. 'I wasn't talking about the mountain' he said before closing the distance between you and finally tasting your lips with his.