He Pressed His Hand To The Earth To Steady Himself… But Even That Felt Too Alive.

He pressed his hand to the earth to steady himself… but even that felt too alive.

There was nothing left to anchor him.

And still... he changed.

Thorin Oakenshield is no stranger to madness. He has seen it, heard it, lived it. Except now... now he feels it stirring within the stone, breathing, waiting in the corners of his mind. But he resists – for the sake of his people, his honor, and most of all, for his burglar. In the shadow of a mountain – and something darker still – Thorin tries to keep the sickness at bay, desperate to protect the hobbit who has become something far more precious than he ever intended. But the gold calls to him, the mountain whispers, and Bilbo… Bilbo shines too brightly to ignore.

Bilbo, ever brave and quietly brilliant, senses the change. He sees the cracks in Thorin's armor – the strain, the heat behind his gaze, the way his voice wavers, how his hands grip, hold, take. Still, Bilbo stays. He hopes.

But some reflections cannot be outrun.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/64684168/chapters/166177087

Beautiful art by Toxic Nugget!