"Bofur please be careful! If anything happens text me. Or tell someone. Just stay safe!" Bilbo shouted into his phone.
"Lad I'll be fine. I'm sure it was nothing." Bofur said as he walked into the restaurant. "Gotta go. Bye."
Bofur smiled as he saw Nori.
"Hey Bof. Ready to eat?"
"Yea, I am." Bofur said following Nori and a waiter. As they sat down Bofur felt himself start to sweat. He tried focusing looking at the menu.
"Bo-"
"What would you like to drink?" A overly happy waitress asked.
"Uh coca-cola please?" Nori said leaning back in his chair.
"Bud light. My favorite." Bofur said straight faced.
"Ohh we're doing that? Okay well in that case I'll have what he's having." Nori said with a smile.
The waitress smiled and walked away. Nori looked at Bofur and noticed his uneasy look.
"Are you okay?" Nori asked, leaning on the table.
"I'm fine." Bofur said looking back at the menu.
"Are you su-"
"Why were you on trial for murder?" Bofur asked suddenly.
"What?" Nori asked, face going white.
"N-nothin." Bofur squeaked out.
"How did...who told you...?" Nori asked, turning whiter.
"Hm. Bil-Bilbo text me and told me he was snooping around and found out ye were on trial fer murder."
Nori stared at Bofur for a moment before looking down at his menu. The waitress came back with the drinks and asked if they were ready to order. Both men shook their heads and she bounced off again.
"I wasn't on trial. I was a witness." Nori said, looking at his drink.
Bofur sighed. "I'm really sorry fer askin'. It's none of my bus-"
"It's fine. It was my parents' trial. Dori and I were witnesses. Ori was literally too young." Nori said taking a drink of his beer.
"Nori I'm so sorry Bilbo didn't tell me that. I'm so...I didn't...I'm..."
"Bofur it's fine really. You were bound to find out eventually." Nori said shrugging.
"Are ye...sure?"
"Bofur it was four years ago I'm over it." Nori said looking back at the menu.
"Mine died when I was twelve. They were driving somewhere and got hit by a truck. Died on impact." Bofur said, looking at the candle on the table.
"Oh Bofur I'm so sorry." Nori said looking up at the man.
"It's fine." Bofur said looking up.
"You were how old then?"
"Twelve. It was sixteen years ago."
"So you're twenty-eight?"
"Aye?"
"We're the same age!"
Bofur laughed and looked back at the candle.
"Just to get it out of the way my parents took Dori, Ori, my brothers, and I out for dinner and when we left we got jumped. Our parents jumped in front of us and the guy shot my mom and stabbed my dad. Unfortunately they didn't die on impact. My dad died first, on the way to the hospital. Then my mom died in the hospital. I'm just glad Ori doesn't remember it. He was two at the time. I was twenty-four and Dori thirty-four. The age doesn't really matter that much but I just always say it. I'm just glad that the judge let Ori stay with Dori and I." Nori said biting his lip and looking up at Bofur. He used his napkin to wipe his eyes.
