Salvation|| Thorin Oakensheild x OC

4

It had been a year for Thorín since he had last seen Ariadne. He had begun to think he would never see her again so he was caught completely unawares on his 20th birthday when he found her laying at the end of his bed looking completely relaxed, wearing the oddest trousers he had ever seen and a thick form-fitting sweater that was highly inappropriate!

He blushed and coughed. She sat up and grinned at him.

"Thorín!" She greeted, scrambling off the bed and throwing her arms around him, despite him being dirty, covered in soot, and smelling like smoke.

He hugged her back after a few seconds. "I thought I would never see you again..." He whispered.

She pulled back and frowned. "I was overworking myself, turns out when I am too tired, I can't travel in my dreams... I am so sorry. I missed you. Can you forgive me?"

He smiled faintly. "I missed your company as well. I can forgive you if you don't do that again. Going so long without returning to me."

"Aren't you like technically ten in human years?" She teased.

He blushed. "You are making a fool of yourself. You're human and I am a dwarf."

"I am only playing with you, of course, I will return. I consider you one of my best friends!"

Ariadne is still kicking herself over her first impression of Thorín. He was technically four years younger than herself... and she found him so attractive. Though he had aged two years since she met him and she was still fourteen years old...But! She was willing to cut herself some slack. He did look way older than a boy should. Dwarves are just built differently.

His eyes sparkled. "Truly?" He asked.

"Yeah," She breathed. "It's just you and my friend Ellie in my world. I am... regrettably not good at making friends... so there's not really much competition for the position."

"I shall take it with pride," he said regally and looking mighty serious. Ariadne snorted. He grinned. "I think you are good at making friends with Dwarves if it matters anything. The race of men just doesn't know fine quality when they see it."

"Oh, stop it!" She smacked his chest and turned away her cheeks bright pink.

"Tis' true!" He chuckled.

She grabbed a large bag off the floor and plopped it on the bed and motioned to it. His eyes widened.

"A year of gifts!" She grinned. "And for the birthdays, I am sure I missed."

"You didn't miss mine, you're here," He smiled softly. She froze.

"Today is your birthday? Today?"

He nodded. "It is."

"Well... Happy Birthday, Thorín!" She tackled him into another surprise hug that knocked him off balance. They fell in a heap on the floor, both of them laughing as he pushed her off.

"You are quite... The hugger..." He wondered if his ears would stay permanently warm.

"I love hugs," She sighed. "They're worth more than a thousand words and they're always the right size. The bigger the heart, the bigger the hug!"

Thorín smiled at her. He never really thought of it like that. Dwarves loved affection from their family and friends but hugs were rarely given, due to it being a very serious embrace even between family. Yet this strange girl from another world had given him many hugs. He slowly wrapped an arm around her shoulders and brought her into another one, enacting his first embrace to share with her.