Fic Rec Fridays 2018 - part 16

Things I Have Loved I'm Allowed to Keep (6433 words) by Irrealia
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: The Hobbit - All Media Types, The Hobbit (Jackson Movies), The Hobbit - J. R. R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings - All Media Types
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Relationships: Bilbo Baggins/Thorin Oakenshield, hints of other ships in the background
Characters: Bilbo Baggins, Thorin Oakenshield, Thorin's Company, Fíli (Tolkien), Kíli (Tolkien), Dwalin (Tolkien), Balin (Tolkien), Bain of Dale, Gandalf | Mithrandir, Ori (Tolkien), Thranduil (Tolkien), Dís (Tolkien), Dáin Ironfoot, Thorin III Stonehelm, Brand of Dale, Gollum | Sméagol
Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Alternate Universe - Dark, Dark!Bilbo, Dark!Thorin, Dark fluff, Lightly Smutty, a tiny bit of bondage, Everything is terrible, except for Bilbo and Thorin's love, that's still pretty beautiful, Minor Character Death, references to violence, Mercy Killing, let me reiterate that everything is terrible, Thorin is awful, Bilbo is awful, Everyone is awful, Except actually Thranduil, you don't live to be 6000+ without being pretty perceptive and canny

Summary:

Bilbo has the ring. Thorin has the Arkenstone. Which one of them is worse?

Middle Earth probably doesn’t want to think too hard about that.

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Now, let me introduce you to an underappreciated gem that needs more love.

This is the kind of what-if that keeps me reading fanfiction. A well-thought-out, well-researched, well-written tale that moves from the mostly harmless to the truly terrifying with the ease and inevitability of the dawn and the rising tide.

And like the dawn and the tide, the tale too has its share of beauty. There's love in it, so much love. And dark deeds done in the name of most noble intentions. Wonder and horror blended in measure.

If not for anything else, read it for the dark fluff, because the world needs more of it ♥ (And please thank @irrealis for bringing us this story.)