Hobbit and Lord of the Rings oneshots, Book 1

Our Babies (Nori)

You held your little sister's hand as you led her out the front door of your small house. You lived in the Blue Mountains, and only a few blocks away from Dori and his two younger brothers, which was good, because they were some of the few friends you actually had there.

Nori and Dori would often look after your baby sister, Jetta, as well as their own little brother, Ori, when you left to work at the local bakery. Your parents had died soon after Jetta was born, so you were left to look after her, much like Dori's situation.

Luckily for you, today was your day off, a day to relax and enjoy yourself. So you decided that a playdate at your lover Nori's house was in order.

"Are you ready to see Ori?" you asked Jetta.

"'ri? 'ri?" she asked frantically, excited to see her best friend. She was a mere 23 years of age, and just learning to talk, your name and Ori's being two of the first she said.

"Yes," you grinned at her as you swung her up to perch upon your hip. "We're going to see Ori! And Nori and Dori, too."

After some walking and some talking with Jetta, you arrived at your friends' front door. You knocked a few times, and heard little Ori shout, causing you to smile. You let Jetta down to the ground.

The door opened soon after, and you were met with the handsome face of your consort, Nori. "Hello, love!" he cried happily and kissed you quickly before pulling you into a hug.

"Hello!" you responded with a laugh and squeezed his sturdy torso. "How is everything going today?" You broke the embrace to look him square in the eyes. "Have you been naughty as of late?" you asked in a suspicious tone, though your eyes sparkled with the same mischievous light as his own held.

"Maaaaaybeee.." he drawled out, smirking as you glared at him.

"What did you do, Nori?" you prodded as Jetta trotted past you and ran to Ori, where they squealed and hugged.

"Nothing, nothing. Mahal, just take a joke for once, woman." You frowned at this and pushed past him and into the house, but he only laughed at your reaction.

"You better not have gotten yourself into trouble again, mister," you growled, taking your long courting braid in your hand and holding it out to him, "or I'm going to take these courting beads and shove them straight up your-"

"Ah ah ah," Nori wagged his finger at you and attempted to hold back a laugh, "no naughty words, not in front of the children."

You looked down to see Jetta and Ori playing with some carved wooden animals given to little Ori by Bofur on his 20th birthday, and sighed. "Fine." You turned back to Nori with a fierce look in your eyes. "But we will settle this tomorrow, thief."

He simply beamed at you, striding closer and closer until he was but inches from your face, his arm snaking about your waist. "Sounds good to me," he whispered and leaned in to kiss you. But you smirked and put up a finger to his lips to stop him.

"Not in front of the children," you quipped with a smile.

Nori and you burst into laughter, dissolving into a hug, and soon after decided to play with the little ones.

After all, they were your babies.