Aged Well Emsiecat

Summary:

Prompt by thaneuereborBilbo kissing age spots that appear on Thorin's handsThorin complaining when he feels like he's getting too old for Bilbo and then Bilbo just smacks him over his headTugging on grey braids and still kissing them nearly everydayBilbo teasing Thorin when he has wrinkles but always traces them with his fingertips and remarks how wise his old husband looksOld dwarf and Hobbit husbands (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧

Chapter Text

The first time he notices one, Thorin takes to wearing gloves again; just as he had done all those years ago on the Quest.

Bilbo wonders if maybe he has burned himself whilst working the forge and wants to hide the evidence from a husband prone to fussing and fretting.

It would be a valid reason after all; Bilbo would be the first to own up to his natural inclination to mother others now that he was older. It seemed to be an inevitable by-product of age, this mothering, much the same as his own father had been wont to do.

Or possibly a certain formidable dwarf might be a more apt comparison; for although Bilbo was as much a worrier as his dear father, he had a fierce streak as remarkable as Dori's.

Not to mention stubborn...

Which is why, that very evening when they are curled together on the garden bench enjoying the last lingering tendrils of sunlight and birdsong, Bilbo moves quicker than a snake and catches Thorin unawares, removing the offending gloves whilst Thorin squawks in outrage.

There are no burns or cuts, nothing there that would have Bilbo scolding his dwarf for hiding. They are the same hands he has loved for so long; large, warm, gentle, and callused through hard work. Age had graced them with new lines and characteristics, the odd scar here and there (but then who wouldn't be prone to those as Thorin worked as a blacksmith and before that, a warrior king).

Thorin is offering protest and wriggling at Bilbo's side in a vain attempt to extricate his hands from Bilbo's. The hobbit grumbles a quiet admonishment and lightly smacks his knee, trying to puzzle over what has Thorin so upset.

Ah, that could be it.

On his left hand, between the juncture of the thumb and forefinger was a mark Bilbo had not noticed before; not a scar, but Bilbo remembered his own great uncles and cousins developing them with age.

Men call them 'age spots', (hobbits however had a far more pleasant and in his not so humble opinion, accurate name for them: 'sun kisses').

They developed when one attained a certain age and had spent a lot of their life working outside. Gardeners and farmers were very prone to them, and so too were retired dwarf kings it seemed.

"This is what you're fretting over?" Bilbo gives a tolerant huff and taps the spot with his finger.

With some chagrined mumbling and hesitant explanations, Thorin confesses that yes, this is what he is concerned about.

"You do realise, darling, that this is nothing to be ashamed of?"

"Men view them as a sign of old age and weariness of the body. I thought that perhaps hobbits would think the same... that you would find it... distasteful?"

"Well you can thank your Maker that hobbits are a great deal more sensible than men! Distasteful indeed! This is nothing more than a sign of a life well lived, 'sun kisses' we call 'em. Now if you're quite done worrying yourself over something so-"

Thorin's smile is ridiculously charming and Bilbo is far too old to be feeling that age old fluttering in his stomach, as if he were naught but a foolish tween. "You really do not mind them?"

"Mind them? Thorin I just told you how hobbits see them, if you ask me things such as this only make you look distinguished and more handsome in my eyes."

Just to prove his point, Bilbo lifts Thorin's hand and brushes his lips over the mark and Thorin's answering grin is brighter than the sun that had kissed his skin.

"I am too old for you, you know."

"Of course you're too old for me, you're a dwarf. If I were nearing a century and a half, you'd still be thought of as too old for me," Bilbo's reply was decidedly matter of fact and it took considerable willpower for Thorin not to pout.

"That was... very blunt."

"Yes, because it is the answer such a foolish remark deserves. You are vexing yourself over minutiae again, my dear. What does it matter how old you are?"

"Because I cannot help but feel you deserve someone younger... better."

The light smack upside his head was decidedly blunt, and Thorin frowns at his husband.

"I am being serious. You are younger and look wonderful for your age, Bilbo. Why in the world did you decide to settle for-"

"Finish that question and I am withholding dessert. I made blackberry crumble, and if you wish to go without then please feel free to continue this folly in self-deprecation."

To Bilbo's amusement, Thorin stopped speaking immediately, though it seemed to be something of an effort.

Taking pity on the dwarf, Bilbo decided the least he could do was ease Thorin's concerns and answer the unfinished question.

"I did not settle for you, Thorin. To be quite honest I was astounded when you showed regard for me! Bilbo Baggins an unremarkable, fussy, grumpy, little hobbit of the Shire being chosen by a great king of dwarves; it is hardly something that occurs everyday. You do realise I could ask you the same question. Why did you settle for me? I realise now though, that you did not settle. You love me as I love you, and quite frankly I don't think our difference in ages has much to do with anything."

The hobbit paused to approach Thorin and push himself up onto his toes to peck the tip of his nose; his knees protested a little, but it was for a good cause so he paid the discomfort no mind.

"You know full well how over the years there have been a handful who have thought our relationship an oddity and unbefitting for whatever reason they chose to give us. Do not give them the satisfaction of having your own doubts, love. You are kind, loyal, brave, still devilishly handsome, and make a wonderful husband... well when you're not delaying our dinner with self-doubting remarks that is," Bilbo teased and rubbed his nose to Thorin's, grinning.

Slowly, Thorin's gaze grew wondering, and before Bilbo could stop him, Thorin had hoisted him into his arms and spun them around, laughing and gushing his own praises about his hobbit husband.

"If you throw your back out, I'm not being held responsible!" Bilbo shouted, but could not contain his own laughter.

It was fortunate that Thorin did not hurt himself, Bilbo thought a short time later as they shared portions of the aforementioned crumble. The dwarf always got so grouchy when he couldn't go into the forge.

"I thought we had sorted out this preoccupation with your age when we discussed the sun kisses?" Bilbo wondered at length.

"The worries over my sun kisses were put to rest well enough, but I have always had trouble in believing that you could still love and old dwarf so."

It was most unbecoming and as ill mannered as Thorin's now older and wiser nephews had once been, but Bilbo flicked a small spoonful of crumble at Thorin regardless. The dwarf yelped, but quickly swiped the smear of dessert from where it had landed on his cheek and shrugged before eating it.

"Do not doubt my love for you please, Thorin," despite the petty vengeance of flicking dessert at his husband, Bilbo's words were gentle. "It does not matter to me how old you are, I have loved you all these years and still love you. So long as you feel that way for me then so shall I for you. I'm afraid you're stuck with me."

Thorin ducked his head, cheeks flushing. "Well, considering you make such good dessert and say such lovely things, I don't think that's a bad fate."

After that, Thorin no longer lamented his age or questioned Bilbo's love for him. Just as Bilbo did not question his worth when he found that his hair was turning completely silver and starting to look more like cotton fluff than curls.

Bilbo would still lightly tug Thorin's braids and press his lips to them and the beads holding them in place.

Thorin would still insist on picking Bilbo up every chance he got and ignoring the complaints from his back and legs.

Now that they were both content with their age and the looks that came with it, Bilbo would gently tease Thorin for the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes. He would trace gentle fingertips over the furrows in Thorin's skin and claim they made him look old and wise. However, he would also swear that Thorin couldn't possibly smile that often to have developed such wonderful laughter lines, for he was as curmudgeonly as Bilbo was in most matters. To which Thorin would state it was largely Bilbo's fault they were there, thus causing the hobbit to blush and stutter complaints.

If you were to ask either of them, they would say they had aged very well, and intended to keep on doing so together.