Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Dwalin’s eyes are on him. Nori’s slinking in the shadows of the ballroom, at least that’s what the guard would likely call it. No, he’s watching. Thorin and Bilbo are newly married, the couple having held off until Erebor was settled enough to host the traditional week of celebrations. Tonight is for the nobles, especially those of their closest allies, a ball. It just so happens that in his newest role as spymaster, he is expected to do far more than mingle, far more than dance. So he watches. And, as he always has since the first time Nori was locked up, Dwalin watches him. Honestly, the worst part wasn’t the watching, it was the way his hair brushed against him. He had it down, nondescript braids speckled throughout with even less important beads on the ends. It was the perfect costume, no one ever thought to memorize what he really looks like when his hair is so distinct, and tonight he simply cannot be Nori.

The room is largely still, very few nobles still dancing, but it would likely pick up again soon. These things always go in waves. Close to the column he’s using to hide there’s a quartet of dwarrow, laughing easily. He doesn’t catch much of what the dam with golden hair all done up in a million cascading braids says, but he does hear Bilbo’s name. There’s a glint in the other dam’s eyes that she clings to that sets Nori on edge. He slides out from the shadow of the column and sidles up to the four. For just a moment, before he realizes who the two dams are, he worries that there’s a flash of recognition in the blonde's eyes. Lady Ailel and her wife. Oh this may be perfect, he’s been itching to get her off the council for awhile. “Good evening,” he tilts his head with a smile as he steps into their circle and snags himself a flute of champagne from a passing tray. There really are certain advantages of having Dori as an older brother, most of which he’s only beginning to see with his new job. “Everyone here looks especially lovely for this occasion, and what an occasion it is.” He doesn’t spit out the word ‘what’, not even nearly, but he does lace it with a certain amount of venom. The dwarrow around him light up in what they believe to be like minded company.

One of the dwarves across from him, with a rather unkempt and bushy red beard, responds with a grin, “Oh yes, quite a spectacle. I thought letting the runt stay after the quest was bad enough, but it seems the King is far more than mad, what with marrying it as well.” There’s a knife up his sleeve that he could slide into his hand without anyone noticing. But no, calling Thorin mad and Bilbo a runt is not a crime punishable by death, especially not in the middle of a ball. To stay his hand he takes a sip of the champagne with a faint smile. It’s disgusting.

The other dwarf is nodding as he speaks, and then Nori is forced to endure another distasteful opinion, “I’m surprised that the Lady Dis so readily approved, I’ve always preferred her to Thorin. I am not so surprised the rest of the company did, however, as they were likely manipulated at the same time as the King.” The others are nodding emphatically, and so Nori easily matches the three while staring just over the dwarf’s shoulder at Dwalin. The guard is stiff as a board, just as he’s trained to be, but his eyes are focused on Nori and have been this entire time, which is not how he was trained. He takes another sip of champagne and fights back a grimace at the taste. A crash and cut off screech stops Lady Ailel from whatever she had been starting to say. Dwalin is immediately off the wall and heading towards the rascal princes, and the quartet Nori was with is dispersing. More than mad, huh? No, Thorin has overcome madness. This is just love.

He doesn’t slink further into the crowd, he just walks. And watches. He sees Dwalin swiping something off the front of Kili and it almost sends the prince tumbling back down to the ground. An elf brushes against his arm and pulls his attention away. Nori weaves through the crowd with ease, but by the time he’s behind Dwalin he’s heard nothing of interest. The guard is in a circle of their friends, listening to a rather boring Dori tirade about silk caravans. Nori takes up his right side and brushes his fingers along tense shoulders. Silk. He listens to Dori’s words while he tosses back the rest of the blasted champagne and grumbles. Dwalin doesn’t quite snort at his complaints, just puffs really. Where do the silk caravans usually come from? He slips the empty flute onto a tray that is being carried by as he listens to his brother bemoan his misfortune at the timing of this order.

When Dwalin is finally released from duty that night Nori nearly weeps. There would be very little time in the morning to give a rundown, but he would have much preferred to be asleep a few hours ago. He walks with the other dwarf in silence, a knife now in his hand as he cleans under his nails. He’s paying far more attention to counting doors than cleaning his nails though, and at the right one he tugs them both into a small closet. The guard huffs at him, arms crossed as he leans against a wall. Nori leans into Dwalin’s space and brushes cobwebs off his shoulders, “Seems I have you all alone, hmm, Captain?”

“What’s the rundown, scoundrel?” Dwalin’s voice is gruff, doesn’t rise to the teasing.

Nori sighs, “Well I’ve got a list of people. No plots seem to be brewing yet.” Where do we import silk from? It keeps itching inside his skull even as he rattles off the people on his list. Mahal damned! Silk comes from the Iron Hills and Volir has been there for a little too long. Oh there may just yet be a plot, but not one against Thorin and Bilbo. With force he shoves the knife that has been dancing in his fingers back into the folds of his clothes. There’s a question on Dwalin’s face, but he won’t be answering that until the guard bothers to ask. “You on duty tomorrow?”

“No.” But he would always be acting as Thorin’s personal guard unless given reason not to.

Good thing Nori has a reason to give. “Perfect. I need you to stick with me at the games.”

“What? Why?” Dwalin barks.

“Because,” Nori draws out, “I can’t exactly pretend to be anyone other than Nori there.” What with the participation requirement for the company to show their support for the new union. Even as he says that Dwalin already looks far more open to Nori’s needs.

“How would having the captain of the guard around help you do your job?” Because Dwalin will be paying attention for plots against the crown, giving Nori time to figure out why his brother just got an order with so much silk in it.

“Trust me.” Dwalin doesn’t trust him.

Dwalin huffs, “Fine. If you were any worse at your job though.” Or, maybe he’s starting to?

Well, this just means that Nori can’t go to bed yet. He peels open the door to the closet and glances both ways around the hallway before taking his leave. Dwalin walks one way, off to his room, and Nori the other, towards Dori’s workshop. With all the ease of a thief he slips through small side hallways until he meets up with the massive, and empty, hall that houses Dori’s shop. The door is, as expected, locked, but it only takes a moment for Nori to get it open anyways. He breezes through the front room and into Dori’s office, the private one, not the one he uses mostly for fittings. It isn’t locked, not like the front door, and so he pushes the door in and rounds the desk. Quickly he pulls open the thin drawer Dori keeps active orders in and his fingers flick through the small stack. At the very bottom is the order for a silk tunic. It’s certainly an odd order. No dwarf that Nori can think of would ever actually wear such a thing, not even the most vain. Not even Thror at the height of goldsickness would think to wear this. The name of the customer is a dwarf name, no doubt about it, even if it doesn’t ring any bells. There’s nothing much of interest in the order, other than the name of the dwarf who ordered it, but that only makes his concern all that much stronger.

The next day nothing of interest is happening at the games either. A few commoners who laugh at the prospects of a hobbit as consort, but before even he or Dwalin can interfere they are shushed by their companions with tales of what Bilbo has done for the mountain outside of being part of the company. It seems that the people of Erebor largely support Bilbo and the marriage. Good. It’s during one of Dwalin’s games that trouble arises.

“Seems your little guard has abandoned you,” sneers a voice in Nori’s ear. He doesn’t flinch, doesn’t even turn for a moment. Instead he quickly finds Dwalin in the crowd of participants tossing hunks of stone up and over the 8 foot bar. Then he finds Dori, who will easily win. That’s when he turns to the dwarf beside him who is utterly unremarkable. Being utterly unremarkable is exactly what makes him remarkable to Nori. No one tries to blend in to that degree that doesn’t have cause to. He stays quiet, just raises an eyebrow at his newest companion before turning back to the competition (while keeping this dwarf in his peripheral of course). “If you and the guard are over here, who is watching the King and his consort?” Balin, of course. And he’s far more than capable, as is Thorin himself. There’s very few competitors left, and the weight of these stones (boulders, really) is massive. Dori has yet to even break a sweat, Dwalin is beginning to struggle, and the others are all shaking and uncertain. The dwarf beside him is jostled about by a passing group and Nori catches the movement of him pocketing something afterwards. “I just wouldn’t want anything unsavory to happen, what with all the unrest surrounding his choice in consort and all.” All the unrest? Now that feels like a stretch. Now there’s just Dori and Dwalin left. Shouldn’t be too much longer now. Fili, Kili, and Ori run around the perimeter of the game, clearly laughing together as Fili holds Ori’s notebook just out of reach. When they finally come around to what everyone else already knows, those two will make a good pair, both before and after Fili becomes King. “I take no issue with the consort, but one must wonder how someone so small could possibly defend themself if people lash out?” Oh, there goes Dwalin. The stone falls short of the bar and Dori has officially won. Dwalin is already making his way back to Nori, and he sees the exact moment the guard takes notice of the odd dwarf beside him. The other dwarf seems not to notice Dwalin's approach though, “I mean, there’s already enough worry about his choice in spymaster, I wouldn’t be surprised if this will be akin to taking out a load bearing wall.” Nori sidesteps the rage of Dwalin with ease who a moment after hearing the insults has this dwarf by the front of his shirt.

Dwalin’s face is pressed in close, chin tucked down as he bends over the dwarf and growls, “What does your mangy ass want?” The other dwarf shrinks but doesn’t respond. Nori glances back to Dori, who should be finishing up with the brief winner celebration right about now, and finds a group of dwarrow approaching his brother. He lays a hand on Dwalin’s shoulder and immediately the other dwarf is shoved away and Dwalin is turning to follow his eyes. Nori tugs the two off at a decent pace, weaving through the crowd with ease but out of sight of the group. They get there at the same time, and Nori takes up Dori’s left while Dwalin takes the right. Dori, to his credit, doesn’t question their sudden appearance with more than a slightly too high greeting. Nori sees the moment the group registers who they are, and they breeze past the trio.

“Tell me more about this silk order?” Nori leans against his brother while his eyes flick over the sea of dwarves.

Dori chuckles and starts walking back towards Balin, who is with Thorin and Bilbo. “Well,” his brother starts, “It’s rather a simple tunic. I won’t be needing your embroidery for this one, Nori. The client is from the Iron Hills, but it seems he’s planning on staying here for a while and there was an incident with the one he brought here.” A dwarf from the Iron Hills wearing silk isn’t unreasonable, but asking an Ereborian tailor to make it seems a little far fetched. “He is rather understanding of the delay regarding my lack of material, and altogether insistent it must be made of silk.” Insistent, huh? Dori doesn’t bother asking why Nori cares, he knows full well that Nori doesn’t say anything except of his own free will and this is not the place for an argument.

Nothing happens for the rest of the week except boredom and stress. Between Dwalin and himself there’s a comprehensive list of all the truly unhappy nobles in all of the kingdoms, which means it’s time to report to Balin. Nori’s pacing the back of Balin’s office as he rattles off the list of names, the kingdoms they come from, and positions where necessary. Dwalin is sitting in one of the chairs Balin has for meetings such as these, happily munching away on the chocolates his brother bribes him with. He keeps going through the list as he leans over the back of Dwalin’s chair and snags himself a chocolate. Dwalin barely even reacts, only really moving to shield his box from further thievery. Balin’s eyes dig into his own when he stands back up and there’s a crinkle in his brow that wasn’t there moments ago. Nori finishes off the list and sits himself on the corner of Balin’s desk. There’s a pause. “When’s the next silk caravan coming?”

“I already told Dori when to expect it.” Balin huffs as he shuffles papers around.

“Not asking for Dori.” Well, not in the way Balin thinks.

“It should be here in three weeks. Why?”

“Good.” Nori hops off the desk and gestures with his head for the door. Dwalin stands and gives his brother a gentle goodbye before following Nori out of the office without question. It’s not long until Nori is pulling the two into yet another little closet. Dwalin immediately takes up post with his back to a wall and arms crossed. The silence builds for just a moment before the guard grunts at Nori in lieu of actually asking a question. “I need you off duty when the caravan arrives.”

“Why?” The guard barks.

Nori rocks back onto his heels and looks up at the mountain that is Dwalin, “Better than me dragging you from your post.”

Dwalin growls at him before he’s pushing Nori up against the opposite wall in an attempt to keep him here until he answers the guard’s questions. Well, isn’t this nostalgic. “Give me a straight answer and I’ll make sure I’m free.” Nori slides under Dwalin’s arm and slips behind him with practiced ease. Would it be easier if Dwalin actually knew what’s probably going on?

Nori takes in the sight of Dwalin’s back before he turns around to face him. Anything for Dori. “I need to make sure someone isn’t there before Dori gets there. You will be doing whatever I need.”

“Are you going to tell me who?”

“Someone that has a history with Dori and I will be keeping away from not only my brother but Erebor.”

Dwalin stares at him for a moment, eyes searching. “Fine. But I expect at least a description of this dwarf by then.” Nori can do that, eventually. He shoos Dwalin out of the closet shortly after, and he honestly complies easily to Nori’s surprise.

Finding Ori afterwards genuinely proves difficult. Where the hell does that boy go other than the library and their house? Well, as it turns out, the training circle to watch Fíli. Nori stands in an archway and watches his brother draw and steal glances of the golden prince. He can't help but wonder how much longer they can both play at oblivious. After a moment he sits beside Ori, his hands folded in his lap in the way Dori taught him that he never actually got rid of. Ori only gives him a sideways glance before settling back into his sketching. They sit like that for a while as Fíli tires himself out learning adjusted footwork for his injury. Not that he’s doing enough adjusting, Dwalin doesn’t understand how to teach that effectively.

Nori leans into Ori conspiratorily, “I need a favor.”

Ori grins up at him, “Knew it.”

Nori just stares at him. That little sneak has gotten way too good at reading him. “Whatever you say. But either way, I need you to keep Dori away from the silk caravan as long as you possibly can.”

“Then I need you to tell Balin I need that morning off.” He says it while dragging his charcoal sharply across the page. Fíli stumbles with the swing of his sword in front of them. Does Ori have his own concerns about this order? It would seem so if he isn’t prodding for more information. Nori watches the prince embarrass himself for another minute before standing up and walking off. Ori will know to keep this secret without him having said so.

Nori’s waiting outside of Dwalin’s door bright and early the day the caravan is due to arrive. He’s busy cleaning under his nails with a knife while the guard takes his sweet time getting ready. Down the hall Bofur leaves his family’s rooms and disappears off to the company baths. Probably also getting ready for the market, he’s always looking for more wood after all, but he doesn’t need to get there quite so early. Not exactly a hot commodity as of yet, what with the economy still just barely starting up again. When Dwalin opens the door and steps out he startles at the sight of Nori. It’s subtle, his eyebrows raising and his head pulling just slightly back. Nori snickers at him, “Caught you off guard, hm?” He slides the knife back into the folds of his clothes and sets off at a steady pace towards the markets. Dwalin obediently follows at his side, just a step behind. The conversation is light, unimportant. Nori makes a joke about Kili’s supposed hunting trip that was clearly a ploy to visit Tauriel. Dwalin bites back with a quip about Ori always following Fili around.

The noise of the market just starting for the day greets them before they can see it. Just around the corner and somewhere in the crowd of stalls and dwarrow is the first dwarf Nori has ever truly hated. Certainly not the last, though. The two of them walk together through the rows of stalls, lazy eyes scanning wares and easy conversation about it all floating between them. Before they find the fabrics, the silk, they find a stall filled to the brim with wooden toys that’s manned by Bifur. Nori veers in and picks up a small ram. Its head is bowed low ready to, well, ram into anything a pebble would desire, one hoof lifted as if scuffing the ground in preparation of the charge.

“Bifur,” Dwalin nods at the other dwarf.

On the belly of the ram is Bofur’s mark, but Nori could have guessed that. Bifur tends to make the jointed toys, whereas Bofur’s tend to be still but with greater detail. Nori sets the toy back down and looks up at Bifur. “Dori’s got me doing his shopping for him,” Nori huffs while shaking his head, hating to lie to the company these days, but he reminds himself that it’s Dori’s privacy he’s protecting. That alone is worth it. He catches as Bifur’s eyes slide between himself and the guard and the other dwarf almost smiles.

“The fabric stalls are usually closer to the West wall.” He nods across the market towards the aforementioned wall. That makes more sense than the North side they had been wandering, the West wall is where the imported goods usually are, as the entrance over there connects directly to the front gates. Nori wants to kick himself for not thinking about that.

Nori scans the stall once more, this time looking for something. He comes up empty and looks back at his friend. “Care if I put in an order?” Bifur pulls a pencil out from behind his ear and a scrap of paper while nodding at him. “I don’t really care about the size. Anyways, if you could, I’d like a hare, not a bunny, that can move to stand up on its hind legs. If you can capture the knowledge of the Valar in its eyes that’d be perfect, but not essential.” Bifur is scratching down notes as he talks. Nori’s fingers trail over the toys in front of him absentmindedly and he can feel Dwalin watching the movement carefully. As if he would steal from his friends. “Any chance we can do payment when it’s done? Or at least later, haven’t exactly got anything extra on me.” He shrugs and offers Bifur a grin.

Bifur grins back, “That’s not an issue. I’ll keep in touch.”

“Perfect! See ya, Bifur!” Nori’s steering himself and the guard out of the stall and off towards the East wall. It’s with ease they find the fabrics from there. The two of them take up a spot two stalls over from the silks and begin a quiet conversation on the fabric surrounding them. It’s just a waiting game from here on out, and hopefully a short one before they get too suspicious. Nori snaps out a little complaint at one of Dwalin’s comments to spark a fake argument. The more they argue the longer they can stand here. Dwalin nearly ignores the bait, before recognition flashes across his face, and he bites. The two bicker back and forth about various weights and weaves. Nori attempts a compliment to the composition of materials but it ends up being beyond Dwalin’s knowledge so he reigns it back in. Right, not everyone grew up with Dori.

Out of the corner of his eye he catches sight of silver hair on a dwarf he recognizes. The nose might be the same as Dori’s, but that’s the only similarity Nori will ever acknowledge. Dori is a good dwarf, the same cannot be said about this one. “Hmm, what about silk instead?” He flicks his head meaningfully at the other stall before turning to stalk over there. Dwalin is right behind him with heavy footsteps. Just before Volir can disappear into the stall Nori snags his wrist and begins to tug him along to a little hallway. He has full confidence that Dwalin is using his mountainous build and mastered scowl to convince the dwarf to tag along for their little jaunt. Once they’re in the little hallway (it’s more of an alley, really) Nori all but throws the scumbag in front of him. He puts one hand on his hip and raises an eyebrow at the dwarf, “What are you doing here?”

Volir sneers at him. “Selling silk. Last time I checked, that wasn’t a crime.” Nori can feel the moment Dwalin shifts to his full height behind him and crosses his arms, muscles surely bulging. He cuts an intimidating image, that’s for sure. Nori slides a knife out of his sleeve, its balance lending it to fidgeting. The blade spins across his fingers in an easy manner and Nori smiles as if nothing is going on. Volir’s eyes track the motion of the knife, unease easy to read in tense muscles and the tight expression.

“Let me ask again. What are you doing here?”

There’s a nervous laugh in the dwarf’s higher voice, “Nori, I’m just trading silk. Not sure what you’re trying to do here, other than get yourself arrested.” Oh this is perfect, he doesn’t know who Dwalin is. “I’m sure you wouldn’t want to get your friend in trouble, either.” Dwalin snorts behind him.

“I don’t recall mentioning my name?” He steps in closer, his eyes never leaving Volir’s.

“Oh come on! I’m just here trading silk, I don’t want nothing to do with Dori, it’s not like he’s anything important. He can’t be if he’s still got his bastard brother protecting him.”

Nori barely sees Dwalin move to get there, but the guard punches Dori’s father whose head snaps to the side. He shoves him up against the wall, gripping the front of his shirt so tight Nori is a little worried it might tear. “Get their names out of your mouth and answer his fucking question before I knock your teeth out,” he snarls. Something flutters in Nori’s stomach at that.

He steps back into view with a careful calm, knife now held ready to use. “I don’t remember mentioning Dori either. See, I thought it was ruled you have to stay quite far from him. And I’m fairly certain that this little endeavor of yours is directly in violation to that.” If Volir wasn’t pale before, he’s white as a ghost now.

If Nori hadn’t already known him to have a spine of tin this would have been all the proof he needed. “I’m just reminding Dori where he comes from, not like he’s strong enough to bother the guard about all this anyways,” he stutters out. Dwalin presses him against the wall with more force, a growl deep in his chest.

Nori chuckles and spares a glance at Dwalin whose face is flushed with rage. “I don’t think he’s who you have to worry about calling the guard,” He knows where Dwalin hid the cuffs earlier today at his behest. He slips behind the mountain of a dwarf and digs them out before appearing on the other side with them dangling from his fingers. “It seems my friend here might just be the captain of that guard, and you are out of time.” The guard snags the cuffs from Nori and snaps them into place. In just a moment the pair of them are hauling him off to the on duty guards with full confidence he’ll end up where need be. Dwalin is still fuming beside him, even as they approach the company hallway. His breathing is ragged, his hands keep clenching and unclenching, and he keeps throwing glances at Nori. “Let me walk you to yours?” Nori isn’t sure why he asks, and especially not why he also places a gentle hand on Dwalin’s shoulder.

The guard's head whips around to stare at him, almost incredulous. “Fine,” it’s a short, gruff answer. Nori’s hand trails down his arm and their hands brush. The two walk beyond Nori’s own door. The silence stretches, Dwalin seething, and Nori taken aback that the guard is this affected by words he himself has heard a thousand times before.

Chapter Text

When they get to Dwalin’s room, Nori walks into the common space shared with Balin without bothering to ask. “Pest,” there’s a fond undertone to his words. Besides that, he ignores the thief's presence, still stomping off towards his bedroom. Nori follows a few steps behind, and when the door swings open but isn’t slammed shut behind Dwalin he leans on the doorframe.

“What’s got you all worked up?” Dwalin grunts at him in response while he hangs up his axes. Nori smirks at his back, “Seems like you need to blow off some steam, if you’re catching my drift.” It’s bold and he doesn’t expect to get much more than a snarl for his efforts. He is however caught off guard when Dwalin grabs the front of his shirt and yanks him into the room. The door is slammed shut behind him and Nori is being crowded up against it. Dwalin’s head falls heavy onto his shoulder. He lets out a heavy breath and sinks further into him. Oh ok, this is probably the most they’ve ever touched when he wasn’t being arrested. 

The two stand there for a moment, and then another. Nori is stiff under the touch of the guard. Dwalin’s breathing is beginning to steady out, but his hands are shaking where they hold onto the spymaster. Tentatively Nori rests a hand on Dwalin’s waist, just to hold him steady. Dwalin’s hands run down his biceps until he’s gripping just above his elbows. His head draws back just enough to bring their foreheads together. There’s a shadow in his eyes, one Nori immediately recognizes as his rage. “He doesn’t have the fucking right to talk about you like that,” the words are quiet, but it doesn’t hinder the growl in them. There’s a heat in Nori’s stomach as he stares into his eyes. 

“Nothing I haven’t heard before.” 

Dwalin’s fingers dig in tighter and his lip curls up. “No damn right. I’d have him jailed just for that.” The guard is protective of the thief, who knew? Nori bites his tongue and brings his other hand to Dwalin’s waist and holds tight. Dwalin’s eyes are scanning everything they can see of Nori. He feels a heat rise in his cheeks under the careful examination.

“Look, Dwalin, I’m fine. Nothing happened.” 

“Nothing happened?” The words build towards a shout, rich with exasperation. 

Oh fuck it. He needs him to shut up anyways. 

Nori kisses him. It takes barely a moment for the guard to lean further in and respond. Nori pulls his hips closer as he kisses, mouth open and refusing to be nervous. 

Dwalin’s hand is on his chest pinning him to the door as he pulls away just so that Nori can’t chase. “You can’t just. Not after.” He’s breathing hard again.

“I can’t what? Steal something I want? I thought I was a thief, Captain.” 

There’s that growl again. The one that sends the heat in Nori’s stomach swirling. “You’re not just a damn thief.” He steps away from Nori and drags a hand down his face. 

“Then what am I? A bastard?” It might count as a low blow, but he already misses the weight of Dwalin’s body against him. It doesn’t exactly get him what he wants, but instead there’s a hand in his shirt tossing him around again. Not that he’s complaining about that, of course. He winds up sitting on the guards bed as he paces the room. He brings a leg up under him and watches. “Can’t deny that one, can you? You have called me a bastard before, after all,” he says it slow, and it definitely counts as a low blow now. Dwalin freezes, a grimace moulded to his face. Then slowly he turns to face Nori and stays just those few steps away. 

“I can do a lot more than deny it, Nori, I can prove you wrong.” 

The thief slides the knife back into its place and leans back. He lets the foot tucked under him plant itself on the floor, his legs spread when he gets comfortable. “How’re you going to manage that one? Gonna go find my father?” The guard growls and Nori doesn’t miss the way his eyes flick over his body, just short of dragging. He lets one knee fall further apart and bites the inside of his lip to stop a smirk. 

It’s a moment before Dwalin surges forward and leans over Nori to desperately catch his mouth with his own. Their teeth clack together with the guard’s eagerness but that doesn’t matter even a moment later. The wet slide of their mouths is easy to get lost in as Dwalin all but tries to devour him. One of his hands scrabbles at the wide back above him, fingers desperately searching for a place to hold onto as he sinks with the kiss. Dwalin simply chases his collapsing body, kneeling on the bed above him when his back meets it and never once truly breaking apart. He kisses him an inch from death before they finally part. His own breath is still carefully under control, but above him Dwalin is all but panting. 

“How’s that supposed to prove anything?” He eggs on. It earns him another growl, finally, his stomach swooping in response. Then there’s a mouth on his neck, all teeth and open mouthed kisses scraping over his skin. He traps a noise in the back of his throat as he tips his head back. Those same damn teeth dig into muscle and he hisses while he grabs at Dwalin’s hair, but he doesn’t pull him off. The sparks the bite sent down his spine reason enough to let the guard do what he pleases, so of course he doesn’t pull him off. Dwalin’s trailing kisses again, and presses the softest one yet to the hollow of Nori’s throat before pausing with his lips hovering just above the skin. 

“Can I fuck you?” Nori chokes in shock a little, not prepared for that level of bluntness from the guard.  

“Yes,” he doesn’t whimper, and he’s not desperate enough to add a please either.

Strong hands fist into his shirt and pull him up to sitting as Dwalin sits up and back the instant he’s got confirmation on where this is going. On just how he can prove that Nori isn’t a bastard, or whatever. Those same strong hands are working at his belt now, undoing it with only a little fumbling and pulling it away from his body before tossing it carelessly off to the side. Nori props himself up on one hand and threads the other into Dwalin’s hair and pulls his head towards him. He doesn’t pull him in close enough to kiss, just enough to share breath. Dwalin’s eyes can’t decide where to settle, flicking desperately between Nori’s own and his lips. Then finally, he gives chase. He tries desperately to find Nori’s lips with his own, to lose themselves in another kiss, but Nori dodges. He tucks his chin over his guard’s shoulder while he giggles at the little noise that escapes Dwalin’s lungs. An arm wraps around his back, supporting him easily as he’s drawn closer to the warm body in front of him. He sinks into it just a little, easing the tension in his shoulders into the grasp he knows won’t drop him, yet. They stay there for the moment, just the moment, a deep steady breath shared between the two when Nori sinks into the hold. 

He ruins it, of course, “Mm, still pretty sure I’m a bastard, y’know?”

The growl goes missing this time as Dwalin slides out of Nori’s lap and to the floor in front of the bed. It’s more of a clamber than a slide, honestly, but Nori watches with rapt attention either way. There, on the floor, between his legs, Dwalin is peeling off his boots for him. Oh Mahal be damned, this is a sight. When his boots are off he grabs Dwalin’s shirt and with all his hidden strength yanks him up. Their mouths meet again, no dodging this time, and at the same time Nori pulls off Dwalin’s belt. It hits something with a clatter, probably the floor, when he tosses it to the side without further ado before rucking up the shirts Dwalin wears and finally, finally, his hands meet skin. He grabs ahold of his waist like a lifeline and keeps pulling him up onto the bed again. 

He breaks the kiss with a gasp when Dwalin, who’s braced on one arm above him, slides a hand under his shirt, fingers splaying over his ribs. Right, he’s getting bored of this. Bodily he flips the two of them over, and now that he is straddling Dwalin’s hips he grinds down. Heavy hands cling to his own hips as a groan tears through Dwalin. Now that’s far better. He repeats the motion with a smirk and listens with delight to the noises beneath him. Dwalin’s head is tipped back and his eyes are screwed shut. 

“Might want to open your eyes,” Nori teases when he finds the hem of his own shirt. The effect is immediate, Dwalin’s eyes flying open and pinning to Nori’s body. So, he puts on a show, tugging first one shirt up and off, revealing nothing but another beneath it. And then the other, finally baring his skin to the room, to Dwalin. 

“Mahal,” Dwalin breathes out when the shirt is thrown to the side and his hands are immediately grabbing at Nori’s hips. There must be fire inside the guard because where their skin meet it burns, and it’s delicious. He sweeps Dwalin’s beard out of the way so that when he leans forward his lips find Dwalin’s neck with ease to press gentle kisses into. He sweeps them down the column of his neck and across his collarbones and listens to all the little sounds beneath him. He won’t be the one to point it out, but he swears Dwalin’s almost whimpering by the end. It’s when he lets up that the world tilts around him. Or maybe he tilted, because his back thuds against the floor and Dwalin hisses out an apology, “Might have overestimated there.” The air might be half stolen from Nori’s lungs at the fall but now his own laughter has stolen the rest of it. 

“I guess I can’t be a bastard if you break my neck, Dwalin,” Nori gasps out through his laughter. 

“Shut up and get back up here.”

“I don’t know, you seemed pretty adamant that you wanted me down here.”

He gets grumbled and growled at before Dwalin climbs off the bed and is hauling him up. Of course, Nori doesn’t miss the way his hands check him over and the quick scan of his eyes once he’s standing. He must have passed with flying colors though because Dwalin shoves him back onto the bed, all but dragging him further up to lay among the pillows. The hands on the waist of his pants finally hesitate when fingers start to dip beneath it. There are wide eyes staring up at him and so he nods. He already agreed, but it’s nice that Dwalin's asking again. The air in the room is cold when it hits the wetness between his legs and his body shudders at it. Eyes drag down his entire body, slow and desperate.

Nori props himself up a little further on the pillows and realizes Dwalin is still wearing all his clothes. This is unfair, so he demands Dwalin strips. With a little smile his guard listens obediently, reavealing all his skin to Nori quick as lightining. He struggles a little to kick his pants off without hitting Nori or falling off the bed himself. Once they're both naked Dwalin settles between Nori's legs on his hands and knees. The two stare at each other for only a moment before his guard dips his head down between his legs. Biting kisses are dotted up the inside of his thigh. Nori lets out a little sigh at the sting that quickly morphs into a whine when Dwalin licks a wide swathe up his cunt. He eats him out like a starved dwarf, hungry and desperate to please. Fingers slide into his hole and Nori gasps, ankles crossing behind his guard and trapping him there. When they crook just slow before slowly pumping in and out of him his whole body tense, a proper moan tearing out of him. Dwalin never stops giving attention to his clit either, the combination of sensations quickly ramping up in tandem until he's gasping and clutching at the blankets.

It's with ease that Dwalin pulls back despite the legs locked around him and the thighs squeezing his head tight. His face and beard are shiny, and he laps up what his tongue can reach before wiping the rest off with the back of his hand. Nori pushes himself up with one hand and wraps the other around his guard's neck. He presses their foreheads together for a moment, and Dwalin's eyes don't leave his lips once during it. He dips forward quick and presses a feather light kiss to the corner of his mouth before flopping back down on the bed, arm sliding out from behind Dwalin's neck. Dwalin follows as if he had pulled him down with a little whimper. He falls into the kiss as if it's his one life purpose.

When they pull apart again his guard is out of breath and panting. Their hips are pressed together, and Dwalin's are twitching just slightly into him. Their eyes meet again, the air in the room heavy, and Dwalin asks, "Can I fuck you now, please?"

"Mmm, I dont know, you haven't proved much to me yet," Nori ponders. More of Dwalin's weight bears down on him when he makes a desperate noise.

"Please," he grinds into him a little more intentionally.

"Alright." It's a quick scramble that almost sends Dwalin tumbling forward to pull the oil out of his bedside table drawer. Nori uses the time to appreciate the stretch of thick muscles above him. Once Dwalin is back on the bed and stable his hand snakes between them, fingers dragging down Nori's side, grasping and feeling. His teeth dig into muscle at the same moment his fingers slide back into him. Nori gasps and it falls into a moan. All too quick he pulls his fingers back out and fumbles for the oil on the bed. He's generous as he slicks himself up but before he can even line himself up Nori is pushing him around to lie on the bed. His legs surround his guard's hips, legs stretched wider than he expected just to do so. It takes a moment, and more than one try, but he's sinking back onto his length. His own sound is drowned out by the way Dwalin groans, fingers gripping tight to Nori's hips.

He sits with the feeling of being full, perched happily on top of Dwalin, for awhile. Under him he can hear him whispering prayers that turn to whimpers when Nori grinds down a little. It's another moment before he rises back up and sinks back down a few times before starting to ride him in earnest. His hands stay on his hips, fingers digging into skin, but supporting and keeping him steady regardless. Nori leans forward, his hands finding purchase on Dwalin's strong chest. The slight shift in angle makes this whole ordeal easier on him. One of Dwalin's hands slides back, resting on his ass. Nori keeps swallowing his noises down, teeth digging into his lip while his head hangs loosely. Dwalin, on the other hand, only grows louder. His moans fill the space around them.

Something in his stomach starts to tighten when his arms begin to shake. Before they give out, he leans further down, his face tucked into the crook of Dwalin's neck. It's a little too warm and he knows Dwalin can hear all his little noises all the better now. He doesn't find it in him to care, though, when his guard starts to meet his thrusts with his own. The noises are almost punched out of him now as his fingers tangle into Dwalin's hair. He's rolled over then, Dwalin now on top and thrusting into with a desperate urgency. Just when he feels like he's going to burst his guard slows down and whines out something Nori can't quite understand.

"What?"

"Can I cum in you?" Dwalin asks, stumbling over the words.

Nori runs a hand down his back, fingers tracing his spine. Dwalin shudders above him and the thrusts slow a little more. Finally, Nori answers, "No. Pull out, now." He tried to say it softer than an order, but the way Dwalin rushes to obey doesn't make it seem like that bit got across. The weight above him disappears when Dwalin sits back on his haunches and stares at all of him. Nori brings his hand to his cunt and dips his fingers into his hole. It's all stretched out because of his guard. There's a choked whimper and so he slides his legs a little further apart. "Go on, you can cum now," he says, although it's more like a moan at the end when his fingers brushes over his clit. Dwalin's eyes are trained intently on what his fingers are doing, hand working over himself fast. Nori only has a moment to rub at himself, which isn't nearly enough to bring him back to the edge, before Dwalin is shuddering and moaning. His hand falls away when he's done cumming and he sways a little where he sits. It's enough for Nori to forget about himself and rush to sit up. He tugs Dwalin into him in an attempt to hold him steady. His guard's body sags into him as soon as his arms wrap around him. He holds him for a minute until Dwalin sits up on his own.

"Did you cum?" He asks, an excited lilt to his voice. When Nori shakes his head no he swears he hears him mutter "good." Dwalin is quick to pull him by the legs to the edge of the bed. He shoulders his legs apart farther when he settles on his knees between them. For the second time today Dwalin's mouth is on him like it's his last meal. Nori gasps immediately, and it quickly turns into a keen when his guard focuses his efforts on his clit as he had been himself before. Quick, sharp flicks of his tongue quickly shove him towards his own edge. His fingers are wrapped tight in Dwalin's hair, tugging him in closer. When he cums Dwalin is happy to lick him clean until Nori shoves him away.

His fingers tingle, his legs are far away. Everything is wonderful. Dwalin is carefully tugging him into his arms on the bed. They wrap around each other and stay quiet for awhile. When his eyelids are heavy and he's starting to realize just how sticky he is he says, "Y'know, I'm not quite sure that I'm not a bastard." Dwalin grumbles something that sounds angry into his hair. Nori laughs and snuggles further into his arms, "You might have to convince me further later."