Wrong Path, Right Choice

Credit to Fantasyinallforms

Modern AU

Bilbo sat in his car, gripping the steering wheel with both hands. This was not at all how he wanted this trip to go. His GPS told him this was a shortcut through the wooded area. After driving for over an hour and not seeing any sign of...well, anything, he knew he was in trouble. He was only on this road trip because four months of intense writer's block had put a dead stop to his next novel. His editor recommended he take an adventurous holiday to get the juices flowing. Well recommended was a strong word. His editor and cousin Prim had a car and cabin in the mountains booked for him in under a week of his tentative agreement. He had started coming around to the idea as the trip approached. He didn't mind driving, and the scenery between Michel Delving and the Misty Mountains was beautiful. However, 30 hours in a car is still 30 hours in a car, and a lot can go wrong in that time. Like right now as he sat at the side of the road in a steaming car that would not start. Not that he wanted to try after the sound it made right before it died. The icing on top of the cake...no cell service.

Bilbo got out of the car and did a cursory inspection of the vehicle. He couldn't tell you what he was looking for, but it seemed better (and maybe safer) than sitting in the car. Eventually, he just kicked the tire and sat on the trunk with his head in his hands. He had surprisingly little time to wallow in his misery when a beat-up dark blue truck pulled up behind him. Bilbo tensed.

"Hey, are you alright?" He was not expecting to hear a low, gruff baritone voice, and it temporarily shocked him out of his suspicion.

"Yes, I'm fine. I don't know if I can say the same for the car." The man stepped fully out of the truck, and the look of him made Bilbo falter. He was very attractive. He had long silver-streaked black hair currently spilling out of a messy bun. He was big with broad shoulders and a stern disposition. Very fit but not in a bodybuilder way, more in a practical way. Bilbo looked back at the still-steaming engine to hide the shock and blush on his face.

"Have you called a tow truck for it yet?" Bilbo couldn't tell if he was annoyed or just not a conversationalist. He sounded very matter-of-fact. He waited to hear Bilbo's explanation of no cell service before ducking his head back into the truck. "My name is Thorin Oakenshield, by the way." He placed what looked like an odd walkie-talkie in his lap and walked to the front of the car to pop the hood. Bilbo was distracted by the way Thorin's muscles seemed to ripple under the very thin shirt he was wearing. He sat there stupidly for a moment until he remembered himself.

"I'm Bilbo.....Baggins! Bilbo Baggins. Thank you for this?" He held up the little phone. "I'm not sure what it is or how to use it, however." He felt the weight on the car shift as Thorin walked back around.

"It's a satellite phone. You should be able to use it like any regular handheld phone." Bilbo was getting a little agitated by the man's clipped tone.

"Well, thank you, but I don't have the number for a tow truck memorized." Bilbo held the phone back to him with perhaps a little more attitude than usual. This was already a trying day, and his patience was thin enough already without being made to look the fool.

"Press and hold three. That should call the forestry service. Tell them you're half a mile past road marker 14 on the River Running Crossroad." Thorin returned to his truck as Bilbo made the call. Twenty minutes and a frankly ridiculous amount of money later, a tow truck was on its way. The ETA was two hours. Bilbo let out a long-suffering sigh and leaned back onto the car's back windshield. He heard Thorin laugh for the first time since meeting him and sat back up. His annoyance overcame his manners, and he snapped a little.

"I very much appreciate your assistance, Mr. Oakenshield, but I'm not in the mood to be laughed at." Bilbo hopped off the trunk and pushed the phone into Thorin's chest. "You can go back to wherever it is you live and pat yourself on the back for your good samaritan work for the day."

"Let me guess. It'll take two hours for the truck to arrive, and it costs three times as much as you thought it might." Thorin sounded very sure of himself.

"I...Yes," Bilbo replied sourly.

"Well, come on then. You might as well wait in the back of the truck. It's better than standing around." Thorin started walking back towards his truck.

"Wait! You're not leaving?" Despite his outburst, there was a pinch of relief in his voice. He was surrounded by dense trees on both sides and if he was being honest, he had absolutely no idea where he was.

"It'll be dark in less than an hour. Would you rather I left?" His voice conveyed he knew exactly what his response would be, and he scrambled over to the truck bed. He looked at it wearily. He had just met this mysterious mountain man and was apprehensive about climbing into a truck with him, regardless of how unbelievably attractive he was.

He crossed his arms over his chest. "I've noticed there are not a lot of people on this road. Why were you on it?" Thorin had the gall to look amused.

"What were you doing on a forestry road? When Bilbo didn't answer, he replied to his first question, "Look up and northeast of here to your left. That's a fire watch tower. My tower. You're not the first to turn off on this road and break down. Most people stick to the Greenway, but an unlucky few split off."

"Wait, so you live up there?" Bilbo had to admit a place in the middle of nowhere with peace and quiet for weeks sounded like a dream. It intrigued him enough that he made to climb into the truck only to realize that no matter how you sliced it, he was far too short to climb into the back with any level of grace. He looked nervously at Thorin, who lost none of his previous amusement. In one effortless swoop, he picked up Bilbo by the hips and sat him on the tailgate before climbing in after him.

"I live there half the year. I'm a fire lookout."

"Doesn't that get lonely?"

"Not on days like this when I have people to rescue from their own bad decisions." Thorin winked and reached into what Bilbo thought was a toolbox. "Soda?" Bilbo took the offered can and broke into a laugh.

"Arnt you supposed to offer me a beer in a time like this?" He popped the tab and was grateful for anything to drink. He was incredibly thirsty, and this was caramel-colored gold.

"Can't drink on the job," Thorin replied, opening his own can and settling against the cooler with his legs stretched in front of him. Bilbo fiddled with his can. So, was helping because he was obligated to do so. He had to admit he found that a little disappointing. They just sat and drank in comfortable silence, listening to the sounds of descending night. Soon, it was pitch black outside, with the only light source being the stars overhead and the sliver of moon that could be seen in the sky. Bilbo leaned back and marveled at the sky. The last time he had seen so many stars was at his childhood home. He could still remember his father pointing out the constellations and his mother telling him their stories. He could almost forget he was sitting on the side of the road. Almost, until Thorin moved to sit next to him, the hard line of his body pressed against his side.

"The stars are clearer here than at home. Like someone painted them across the night sky."

"That sounds like it came from a book," Thorin commented.

Bilbo chuckled, "Maybe it will one day if I have something to say about it."

"So you're a writer then?" Thorin asked. Bilbo shook his head yes.

"Fantasy novels. Nothing so interesting as your job, but I love it." Bilbo kept his eyes on the sky as he said it. "You must meet a lot of people in half a year. Do you make it a habit of sitting with all the people you rescue until the tow truck comes?"

"Only the cute ones." Thorin teased. Bilbo's face turned scarlet, and he was grateful the darkness covered the blush on his face.

"I bet you say that to all the cute boys you rescue."

"I do," Thorin replied. Bilbo tensed a little involuntarily. "Which would bring my grand total to one." When Bilbo turned his head to look at Thorin and found his face incredibly near. "Unless that's a ridiculous thing to say, in which case we can just go back to looking at stars." Bilbo was not someone who took spontaneous leaps, but isn't that what this road trip was supposed to be about? He was starting to grow a sense of adventure. Hoping this wasn't a mistake, he closed the distance between them. Thorin made a surprised sound and quickly recovered until his hands were wrapped around his waist. This man was a good kisser. Bilbo had never been held more gingerly and solidly than in this moment. His hands found their way into the mane of hair on Thorin's head, pulling it out of the tie used to pull it back. He was practically in Thorin's lap, now enjoying being lavished with deep kisses and soft touches. They made out in the back of the truck for about 10 minutes before the blinding light of the tow truck illuminated them. Bilbo groaned in disappointment. Thorin chuckled and affectionately smoothed the curls that had fallen into his face behind his head. He gave one last little peck before getting up and helping him out of the truck. Thorin went to speak to the truck driver, and Bilbo got all his necessities out of the trunk.

"Alright, here is a receipt and a number to call tomorrow. Let me know if you're riding with me or your friend here." He took the receipt and walked back over to Thorin.

"Thank you for all your help and for.... He fumbled for the right words, and they never came. Here's where I'm staying and my number if you're curious or...." Bilbo was getting frustrated with his inability to form sentences. "Thank you for passing the time with me." He decided to leave his embarrassing fumbling to that and turned to leave. A hand caught him around the forearm, and he stopped.

"It takes two hours to get to the service station and only 45 minutes to the fire watch station. It's getting pretty late, and you haven't even had dinner. I could take you to the service station in the morning. If that's something you want?" Thorin's face looked so hopeful, and Bilbo's chest swelled. He shook his head in agreement, and Thorin beamed. The duffle bag in his hands was taken from him and thrown into the truck bed.

"Hey, Bofur!" The truck driver looked up. "He won't need a ride!" The driver just gave a thumbs-up and a chuckle. They watched the tow truck pull away into the distance, and Bilbo climbed into Thorin's pickup.

So what if he never ended up making it to that cabin Prim booked? This was a much more interesting adventure.