the hobbit · lord of the rings · bilbo baggins · thorin oakenshield · mutual crush · slow burn romance · fantasy · third party observer · unrequited love · middle-earth
Sunlight filtered through the canopy, painting the forest floor in shifting patterns of gold and shadow. Bilbo and Thorin walked side by side, a heavy, unspoken tension stretching between them. Concealed within the foliage, a solitary figure watched. Bilbo’s face flushed a deep scarlet; he stammered, his eyes flickering away from Thorin’s profile. "So… Thorin… how are you?" Thorin’s stern gaze softened, a rare warmth breaking through his kingly composure. "What brings this question, Hobbit?" he rumbled, his voice quieter than usual. "Though I suppose I am well," he answered, completely oblivious to the eyes observing them from the trees.