Imagine Dwalin bringing you flowers. 

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The stems were tightly squeezed together in his firm grip as he walked up to your door. His hands were a little sweaty as he finally released the death grip on the poor roses when he knocked on your door. One red rose after another dared to take a deep breath. 

He fidgeted with one of the rose petals. "White tulips would have been nice too" he muttered. 

Before he could run back to the store to return the red roses, the door opened. 

You appeared in the door. His mouth dropped open. "You are breathtaking" he whispered.

A blush appeared on your cheeks. You tucked a strand of hair behind your ear. "Thank you. You look very handsome."

You stared at each other. A sweet smile crossed his lips. Something dawned on him. He shoved the flowers into your hands. "Here. I brought these for you." Now he started blushing. "I hope you like them."

To show him your thanks, you smelled the flowers and smiled. "That is so kind of you. I'll be right back. I just have to put these inside and then we can go." Before you went in, you remembered something. "Here, I baked these. Would you like one?"

He gladly accepted one of the cookies that you offered him. He loved cookies. The smell that came off the cookie was amazing. It was finished in mere seconds. The cookie was soft on the inside and crunchy on the outside. And was that a bit of honey that he tasted?

Dwalin walked around a bit in front of your door. He stopped as soon as he heard you were getting back. "Ready?" he asked. He received a nod and your new life together started when you walked out the door.

Four years later.

The candles were all lit. Check. He was wearing his good shirt. Check. The baby was asleep and being watched by Thorin. Check. Did he forget something? Check. Quickly he ran downstairs to get the wine. He couldn't believe he almost forgot that.

He rushed back upstairs. Just in time because the front door opened only a couple seconds after he ran up the stairs. The nerves returned. 

Now all you had to do was notice the letter that told you exactly what to do. 

And if that didn't help, then surely the rose petals that would lead you right to him would give you a clue. Some time passed and Dwalin was starting to feel nervous whether or not you were coming up. 

Then, he heard soft footsteps coming up the stairs.

He puffed out his chest a bit, and tried to smile through his nerves. You started smiling when you found your boyfriend waiting for you on your balcony. Soft candle light flickered in colorful glasses. 

"Good evening m'lady" he said softly.

"Good evening sir" you replied. Your face was positively beaming. Some people thought your boyfriend was a difficult man, with you he was a cuddly teddybear. "What is all of this?" you asked, still smiling. There were also rose petals scattered around the balcony floor.

He opened his arms when you got close. Without hesitation, you moved in for a hug. His hugs were the best. His strong arms would envelope you and make you feel like no one could hurt you when you were with him.

You pulled back a little so that you could kiss him. "Did I forget some kind of anniversary?" you asked when he broke the kiss. 

He smiled. "No, but maybe it will become one from now on."

You were about to ask him what he was talking about, but that is when he bend to one knee and pulled out a small, black box from his pocket. "Oh my God, Dwalin! Yes!"

"Wait until I ask you" he said, already starting to tear up. He grabbed your hand with his free hand, caressing your skin with his thumb. "My love, will you-"

"Yes I want to marry you" you blurted out. 

You both laughed. "Let me get the sentence out" he teased you. You nodded. "Will you make me the happiest man alive and marry me?" His eyes were sparkling. 

"Yes" you said softly.

Dwalin put the ring on your finger. It was a golden ring with a small, red rose sitting on the top. He got back up and hugged you close to his chest. "I don't think you're the happiest man yet though" you said.

"What do you mean?" he asked, confused.

You pulled back so that you could look into his eyes. "I'm pregnant" you whispered.

Ten years later

"Daddy, why do we have to go here first? Mommy said she was going to bake cookies and I'm hungry!" little Benjamin cried. He followed his dad around the flowershop in his pursuit to find the red roses. 

Dwalin looked back every now and then to check if his son was still following him. His right hand was currently occupied by his younger daughter who was very adamant that she should hold his hand the whole time that they were out. And his other hand was holding onto the head of his smallest child in the baby carrier on his chest.

"We just have to grab some roses and then we can go and eat cookies" he said for the tenth time since they walked in. Finally, there they were. Dwalin grabbed a bouquet and walked back to the front to pay for them. 

But before they reached it, his daughter Ava pulled him towards another shelf. "Look, daddy, carnations!" 

"They sure are princess" Dwalin said.

She reached for them. They were only slightly out of her reach. Dwalin helped her and handed her the bouquet. "Can we also get these for mommy?" 

"Of course we can. What do you think Ben?" 

The little boy shrugged and walked over to the counter. "Can we just leave?"

Dwalin walked over with his two daughters in tow and paid for the two bouquets of flowers. He knew that you would be so happy that you now got two bouquets instead of just the red roses.

He had never missed a week since he met you.

Many years later

His walking stick tick-tick-ticked on the cobblestones. A small bee was traveling up the hill with him. Maybe he was simply following the scent of the flowers that would enable him to make some more honey. Maybe the bee wanted to see the look on your face when you saw the roses.

Whatever it was, he was still there when Dwalin reached your house. 

The door let out a soft - creak - when he went inside. "Welcome home love!" he heard coming from the kitchen. He put his walking stick in the holder and walked further in. 

"Hello my sunshine" he said, watching you busying yourself in the kitchen. You were baking his favorite cookies. The honey cookies that he loved from the very time he tasted one. 

You put the tray in the oven and turned around. Your eyes widened and you started smiling when you saw the red roses in his hand. "Oh how lovely! Thank you my love." You smelled the flowers. "I know just the spot for these."

Three years later

He put the red roses down on your grave. The ones he had burried around your grave were blooming. The smell was amazing. The reason for being here was not.

"Good morning love. I brought you some new roses. I will take the old ones with me." He looked around. "I brought the sun with me, thought you might enjoy that. But I'm sure that you're somewhere the sun always shines."

He put his hand on your headstone. "You have always been my sunshine."

Nearby a couple of birds started chirping. A song of beauty and rain.

"I read your favorite book yesterday. It felt as if you were sitting beside me." He reached over to his backpack. "So I brought it with me. I know how much you liked it when I read to you."

He put his picknickblanket down and sat next to you. He opened the book and started reading; "This is a story of long ago."