Work Text:
It's Bofur's night to take the first watch, which always stretches into the second and sometimes third watch because he has such trouble waking the next in line, no matter who it is, from their peaceful slumber. He takes out his pipe, leans against the wall and watches their company slowly drift off until even the ever-vigilant Thorin is lightly snoring on his bedroll.
The night is slow and calm, which Bofur much prefers, and it begins as a quiet humming to himself as he stirs the fire, slowing morphing into a song, half under his breath. "A naoidhean bhig, cluinn mo ghuth Mise ri d' thaobh, O mhaighdean bhan.... And he trails off with a soft sigh, hums the next few lines before he becomes aware of big brown eyes watching him from across the fire and the rustling of bedclothes as Bilbo sits up.
"Keep going," the hobbit murmurs, standing and crossing the space between them, taking care to step over Ori, who is sprawled like a star fish on the ground, to take a seat beside Bofur, their shoulders touching, and Bofur is glad for the cover of darkness for the blush that dusts his cheeks when Bilbo prods him on with a gently furred hand atop his.
Bofur clears his throat, takes a deep puff from his pipe, and nods before continuing on, finishing the song in the quiet of the night with Bilbo's warm hand over his and their sides touching there by the fire. Bilbo murmurs drowsily that he has a beautiful voice, and the hobbit offers him a shy smile from his side, cheeks flushed and eyes full of what Bofur tries not to tell himself is love, for fear of getting his own hopes up.
When he was a young dwarrow, his mother had told him he would sing for his mate, open his mouth and they would appear, and although he is too old now to think of such things, it sparks a warmth in his heart as Bilbo shifts closer and asks to hear more, if it doesn't put him out.
Bofur slips an arms around the halfling's waist and lets Bilbo rest his curly head on his shoulder and sings into his pointed ear until the hobbit drifts off to sleep, and even past that until the dawn rises on the horizon.
