This is the fourth chapter for a little fic that I now like to call; 'Through the letters of my heart'. And this amazing cover that was made by sherhobbit .

Last time in our grumpy but sexy teacher;

When he finally arrived in the library he was disappointed to see you didn't sit in your usual place. During the few short weeks you had been working at the school, you had developed a habbit of spending your breaks together.

At first you had sat with the other teacher' at the teacher' lounge. After a while Thorin noticed that you came to the library first.

Somehow it felt different when you didn't share your break together.

Thorin would sit and wait for you to arrive while 'reading his book'. He read significantly less now that he met you.

He couldn't find himself to care too much though.

The best feeling was when he arrived late in the library and he would find you waiting for him. Sometimes you talked about books, sometimes you read in silence and at other times you went outside for a walk.

He had never taken the time to get to know the other teachers. Now he found himself wanting to find out everything there was to know about you.

His shoulders sank when he didn't see you waiting for him. "Has miss Reynales left the library already?" he asked the librarian.

She smiled kindly at him as she put a book away on a shelf. "I last saw (y/n) at the fantasy section."

"Thank you" Thorin said before rushing off.

The librarian chuckled watching the usually gruff teacher eagerly rush to the fantasy section in the library. Hopefully the students had done their job already. She would have to prepare her library for the joined lesson soon.

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Thorin checked his watch for what felt like the twentieth time that night. He was not supposed to arrive at the other teacher' house for another two hours. And yet here he was sitting in his car two houses removed from hers. "Idiot" he chastised himself.

He wasn't sure what he was going to do next.

The only reason he drove up here earlier than planned was because... well, in all honesty he himself wasn't even sure why he left too early. 

On his way to miss Reynales' house he had stopped at a flower shop. The lady had talked him into buying a bouqeut of red roses.

It had nothing to do with Thorin ordering them before hand. 

He looked to his right where the bouqeut was resting on the passenger' seat. Now that he was waiting near her house with the roses, he started to feel a little awkward.

Thorin wanted to hit himself on the head or for the ground to just swallow him whole. They were supposed to be planning their class together. The one that they were going to give together.

For some reason the students were very excited for it. They only had two weeks left and Thorin had insisted on doing all the preparation together. Not that miss Reynales minded. As soon as he had told her about the plan she had agreed eagerly.

After a pink blush had appeared on her cheekbones. 

"Focus Oakenshield" Thorin reminded himself.

Lately he felt like maybe, there was a small chance that he felt something for the new teacher. Hence the red roses that he was or wasn't going to give to her tonight.

This would be the first night that they would meet outside of school. 

He hadn't listened to his students who suggested they would talk about it in the cute bakery across the street. Thorin felt that maybe it would feel a little too much like a date.

"As if it doesn't now, you fool" he said out loud. 

Tonight he wanted to focus on the class they had to prepare. And maybe found out a little something about miss Reynales along the way. Maybe she would even ask him to stay for dinner...

*Ring, ring, ring, ring*

Thorin grabbed his phone immediately, happy with the distraction. "Yes?" No one answered so he pulled his phone away from his ear to look at the touchscreen. It was a text. Now he was even forgetting what the ringtone meant.

Dwalin; Hey! Do you want to come over to my place tonight? I've got chips *eating smiley*

Thorin; I can't tonight

Dwalin; ...did I mention that I've got food?

Dwalin; Don't tell me that you are going to work on Friday night. I need to drag you out more often, I swear Thorin

His fingers hesitated above the letters he wanted to type. Well, his best friend was going to notice anyway so he might as well spill the beans early on.

Thorin; I am going to visit a fellow teacher tonight. We are planning on teaching a class together

Dwalin; HOLD IT!

Dwalin; YOU ARE ACTUALLY GOING TO VISIT ONE OF YOUR CO-WORKERS? HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

Dwalin; Seriously, what is going on?

The third mistake he had made that day.

Dwalin; Oooooooh, I get it. Are we talking about that new teacher? What was her face...

Thorin; *frustrated smiley* Her name is (y/n). 

Dwalin; So it is a date?

Thorin felt the need to bang his head against the steering wheel. 

Thorin; We are going to plan a class together. It is called work

Dwalin; It is called a date 

Thorin; ...

Dwalin; Did you bring her something?

Thorin; ...

Dwalin; ?

Thorin; ... it is not a date

Dwalin; So you did then. I call that a date my friend.

Dwalin; Tell me, red roses or chocolate?

Thorin; I have to go

Dwalin; Hahahaha, red roses it is then. And I bet you arrived there too early? :P

Thorin; Remind me, why do I still talk to you?

Dwalin; Because you wuf me. 

Dwalin; Seriously though, does she have a fire blaster or something?

Thorin; Excuse me?

Dwalin; I'm just saying that you haven't had a date since... since I have known you. I kind of assumed you just weren't interested in people. Like, maybe the Eiffel Tower or something. Not another human being

Thorin; ... where does the fire blaster come in?

Dwalin; At the point where she apparently melted your frozen heart and snuck her way in. 

Thorin; Not funny

Dwalin; You're not denying it

Thorin; ... *blushing smiley*

Dwalin; Look, just be yourself. She has survived you so far so she is probably not going anywhere. Be nice, give her those flowers, and try to hold her hand when you've got the chance. It shows you are interested.

Thorin; Sounds easier than it is

Dwalin; You've got that right

Thorin; That doesn't help...

Dwalin; How early are you anyway?

Thorin; ... 2 hours

Dwalin; Oh my lord... do you need me to come over and keep you company?

Thorin; That would make it more awkward if she sees me...

Dwalin; True. 

Dwalin; Go to her house and ring the doorbell.

Thorin; No

Dwalin; Yes

Thorin; We can do this forever but I am not going there now. She would think I am desperate

Dwalin; Or she is very nervous herself right now and a surprise early visit will spare her some anxious hours. You would be doing her a favor. And if she feels the same than she is probably wondering if you like her. Show her that you do.

Thorin; Fine

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"Spaghetti for the dinner that we are not going to have." You looked at your counter. "Check." 

Walking to your living room you mumbled; "Candles that are not going to be used because he won't stay that long. Check." 

Your hands reached for the bow around your waist for the hundreth time that afternoon. "And the dress that I feel beautiful in but that I am going to change right now because I don't look in it... check" you said. Your voice dropped to a sad whisper.

It always went like this whenever you were meeting a man you liked. A few hours before the date you would put something on and feel great in it. 

And then, for some reason, you would start criticizing yourself and change it. Going for the lesser option in which you felt decent.

Your last boyfriend hadn't been the nicest to you. This dress was one of the dresses that you had owned for a long time. He always told you not to wear them because he said you looked horrible in them. 

The relationship had ended eventually with some help from friends. 

Moving away from that town had been the best decision you ever made. Now was the time to start over. And you wanted to do it right.

"Well, normal trousers and shirt it is then" you said disappointed. It was back to the drawing board to come up with a new outfit. One that wouldn't yell your feelings at Thorin but just bury them before they could grow.

You didn't want him to think that you had illusions about your body. So the only option was to go with the outfit that looked alright on you. 

That was a strategic plan to be proud of.

Your foot touched the first step of the stairs when the doorbell rang. *Who could that be?* you thought as you went to open the door. 

You opened the front door expecting to find a deliviry man on the other side, but instead Thorin stood there with a bouqeut of roses in his hand. His smouth slowly fell open. "You look breathtaking" he spoke breathlessly.

The two of you stared at each other.

"I-I mean, you look good. You look good." He shook his head. "No, you look great. Beautiful. Uhm, here, flowers." He almost shoved them into your hands.

Butterflies were fluttering around in your lower abdomen. "Thank you" you said quietly.

Thorin was trying not to stare at you but he couldn't help to notice how good the dress looked on you. And he couldn't help but to notice how badly he wanted to spend the day with you. The entire night on the couch, just talking and being with you.

"I am not... you don't have to say that" you said as you stepped away for Thorin to enter.

His eyes went up to meet yours. "I wouldn't say it if it was not what I felt" he said. His let his hand rest on your upper shoulder. "This dress, and especially the color, bring out your best features" he said earnestly.

Your cheeks heated up. His hand felt nice but it was burning on your skin. You were very aware that it was laying there.

"Do you want tea or coffee?" you asked. Compliments weren't something you were used to, so another subject felt more comfortable for you. 

His brows furrowed for a split second before he let his hand drop. "Tea for me, please. Do you want to sit outside? The weather is beautiful" he offered.

You nodded, already making your way to the kitchen. "The chairs are already standing outside. You can move them around if they are in the wrong spot" you said a little louder now that you were in another room.

Thorin stood in the doorway, watching you busy yourself with the kettle. "Why would they be in the wrong spot?" he asked confused.

"Well, I don't know... Maybe you don't like where they stand?" you offered weakly. 

"I am sure you picked out a good spot. And otherwise we will notice and we can change them if we want" Thorin said.

A calmness came over you when he said that. Your last boyfriend wanted everything in a particulair way. Nothing you did was the way he wanted things done. There was a correct way and your way, he used to tell you.

You closed your eyes, tightening your hands. *Thorin isn't your boyfriend. He is a co-worker who came here for work* your brain reminded you.

On the other hand... he did bring you red roses.

A big, colloused hand landed on your shoulder. "I said, the chairs are sitting in a perfect place. Don't worry about it." Thorin smiled at you. "Can I help you carry something?"

"M-maybe the platter with the chocolate chip cookies? Then I carry our mugs" you suggested.

Thorin' nose went up in the air to sniff. "I was already wondering where that amazing smell was coming from. Did you make them yourself?" he asked, walking over to the platter. 

"Yes, I did." Why was he being so sweet? Normally he was a bit more reserved even after spending so many breaks together. *Which he wouldn't have done if he didn't like you* your heart said teasingly.

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Read more in the next chapter. Coming soon.