The Middle Earth Wonderers (The Hobbit/LOTR)

Chapter 5.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, we finally decided to stop and set up camp. The sky had turned a deep orange, and the shadows stretched long across the forest floor. Sitting beside Mike, I let out a heavy sigh. The day had been long, and the weight of our secret was starting to gnaw at me.

"So, when are we gonna tell the group?" I asked, leaning into Mike's warm, dark fur. It was comforting, being close to him like this.

Mike exhaled, settling his massive form next to me. "Soon, I reckon. We can't keep hiding this forever. They're good people, but... damn, we need to pick the right moment to tell 'em. They deserve to know the truth, but it's gotta be on our terms."

The memories of my past surged up, unwanted but persistent. Mike was the only one who knew. He was the one who had found me after I was exiled, broken and lost. The images flashed in my mind—my father, executed by his own brother's arrogance; my mother, burned alive at the stake... all because they loved each other. All because I was born, a contradiction, a freak. The humans and undead both said I shouldn't have existed. Some days, I believed them.

I felt Mike's arm wrap around me, his strength grounding me in the present. "You are not a contradiction," he said, his voice low and steady. "You're proof that love is stronger than hate, stronger than all that bullshit. What happened to your parents, it was a tragedy, but it doesn't define you. You're here because they were strong enough to fight for you."

"Thank you for finding me... for saving me," I whispered. My voice cracked a little, the words barely holding together under the weight of everything I felt.

Mike gave me a warm smile, his dark eyes full of affection. "I'm just glad I was there when you needed someone. The moment I found you, scared and alone, I knew I had to take you in. You became my kid that day, no questions asked."

I buried my face into his fur, feeling the warmth radiating from him. I probably looked pathetic, hiding like this, but I didn't care.

Suddenly, I felt the weight of eyes on us. Glancing up, I spotted Kili and Fili nearby, trying—and failing—to act casual. They had overheard everything. I could see it in their faces, the way they exchanged awkward glances and shuffled around like they didn't know what to do with the information they'd just absorbed.

Mike noticed them too, and with a smirk, he called them out. "You two lurking again?"

I groaned and buried my face even deeper into Mike's side, my cheeks burning with embarrassment. I could feel my entire face turn red. "Fuck..."

Mike chuckled, ruffling my hair playfully. "Look at you, hiding like a damn tomato."

"Shut up," I muttered, my voice muffled by his fur.

Kili and Fili shared a look, then started chuckling themselves. They knew they'd been caught.

Kili cleared his throat. "Uh, yeah, we, uh... might've overheard a bit of that conversation."

Mike raised an eyebrow, amusement dancing in his eyes. "Figured as much."

Fili stepped up, leaning against a tree with a shit-eating grin. "Sorry for eavesdropping, but it was kinda hard not to overhear when you're having a whole moment like... right there."

I pulled myself up slightly and sighed. "Fine, whatever. Just keep it between us, alright? We've been trying to keep this as low-key as possible."

Fili raised a hand in mock salute, still grinning. "Lips are sealed."

"Thanks," I muttered, still embarrassed but feeling a bit better. "And yeah... this big ol' bear over here is my adopted father."

Kili's eyebrows shot up. "Adopted, huh? So... not blood-related at all?"

Mike nodded, his hand still resting on my head. "Yep. Blood don't mean shit when it comes to family."

Fili looked intrigued, his grin fading into something more thoughtful. "How'd that happen? You two don't exactly... scream 'family' when you look at each other."

Mike leaned back, looking up at the sky for a second before answering. "It was years ago. I was roaming, minding my own business, when I stumbled across this kid—abandoned, scared out of their mind, looking like they hadn't eaten in days. The moment I saw 'em, I knew I couldn't leave 'em behind. Took 'em in, gave 'em a home... and the rest, as they say, is history."

He glanced down at me with that proud, fatherly look I'd grown used to. "And we've been through hell and back together, but there's nothing stronger than what we've got."

Kili and Fili's expressions softened. They weren't grinning now, just... understanding.

Fili nodded slowly. "That's... wow. No wonder you two are so close."

Kili looked like he was still wrapping his head around it. "Takes a lot to do that—to take in someone and make them family when you didn't have to."

I took a deep breath. "It's because of what happened to me... to my parents. Mike already knows, but I can explain it to you if you really want to hear it."

Fili gave a small nod, his voice soft. "Yeah... we'd like to know. If you're okay with telling us."

Kili nodded as well, his usual playful demeanor replaced with genuine interest. "We're all ears."