Chapter Text
When Bilbo Baggins was younger, he had a massive crush on Thorin Oakenshield-Durin, but then again he wasn’t the only one. Almost everyone in and around Bree County loved Thorin. His family was one of the oldest and richest in the country and the whole town was positive that Thorin was going to do great things.
However, much to Bilbo’s consternation, the crush did not dissipate the older they got. In fact, it got worse. They had gone to school together for all their lives in the small town of Hobshire, but never had much interaction until secondary school and even then it was limited to a history class they had together. Bilbo had been on the debate team, while Thorin was captain of the football team. They had never interacted beyond working on class projects together. Bilbo lost track of Thorin until years after University and by then, Bilbo had acquired a boyfriend, Merimas Fleam.
It seemed Thorin had made it big in business, taking over the family company, Erebor Industries, and raising its profits higher than ever before. The whole town watched as Thorin dated everyone from actors to models, regardless of their sex. Gossip and rumors ran rampant as many of the people that went to school with Thorin said they had dated him or wanted to date him. Bilbo said nothing when asked by others, ignoring the way his heart speed up at the mere mention of Thorin’s name.
"Don't give up dear," his cousin Primula told him every time Thorin appeared in the papers. "Perhaps he'll notice you tomorrow."
"Doubtful," Bilbo had scoffed and took a sip of his tea.
Thorin hadn't noticed him throughout school, why should he start now?
****
When Bilbo turned thirty-four, he promptly forgot about anyone other than his young cousin, Frodo. His parents, Primula and Drogo, had drowned in a horrible boating accident and they had left Frodo with Bilbo. Frodo was only five at the time, so he wasn't quite sure what was happening. Bilbo hated to be the one to tell him that his parents weren’t coming back.
Frodo sobbed into Bilbo’s shoulder. “What about me?”
“Why, my dear Frodo,” Bilbo said softly. “You shall come with me.”
Bilbo fought his vicious cousins, the Sackville-Baggins, not only for custody of Frodo, but also sole ownership of Bag End, the Baggins family home. Once that was secured, Bilbo and Frodo settled down.
****
"Uncle Bilbo?" Frodo asked one morning over breakfast soon after they moved into Bag End.
"Yes?" Bilbo replied absently as he moved about the kitchen, cleaning it.
"Where's your boyfriend?"
The plates Bilbo was washing clattered into the sink and he spun around. "My b-b-b-boyfriend?" he stuttered out in a high pitch.
Frodo nodded as he ate his cereal. "Mummy said you and..." Frodo scrunched up his face in thought. "Merimas? Yes, that’s it. You and Merimas were gonna get married."
"Oh," Bilbo breathed out. "I didn't know that you knew."
Frodo rolled his eyes.
"Uncle," he said crisply. "Mummy never lied to me. When I asked why you didn't have a wife, she told me you wanted a husband."
"I never lied to you!" Bilbo said hotly. "I was, just waiting until you were older to tell you."
"What about Merimas?"
"Well, Frodo, he left."
"Left?" Frodo asked in confusion. “Like mummy and daddy left?”
"Oh, no, no. He didn't want any children and didn't take kindly to me taking you in."
"Good riddance to him then," Frodo scowled into his empty bowl.
Bilbo laughed and ruffled Frodo's hair. "Exactly. I shan’t marry anyone who doesn’t love you as much as I do.”
Frodo beamed up at Bilbo. “That’s a good idea!”
Bilbo smiled gently at Frodo and then picked him up. After a short walk to the front door, he handed Frodo his things and gave him a kiss on the forehead. “Off to school with you now."