[ yet again, 'coming soon' means in a few hours ]

☽

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AT YOUR SERVICE, I SUPPOSE.

CALYPSO BAGGINS was tired after a long breakfast shift at the Green Dragon Inn. There was syrup in her hair and tea staining her white shirt from where Dally, the other waitress, bumped into her during the morning rush. She was already dreaming of the long, warm bath she'd have at home, dying to wash the sticky mess out of her tangled white locks — though she'd probably run back to the markets with her brother, Bilbo, before doing so just to keep from getting too dirty again.

Bilbo may not have really been her brother, but he was as good as blood relation in her mind. He'd always been her brother — her very predictable brother who was sitting on the bench just outside their shared Hobbit hole, smoking a pipe and blowing smoke rings just as she knew he'd be.

As she approached, Calypso watched as he blew a rather large one that was quickly swept away when a yellow butterfly flew through the edges, making Bilbo frown.

"That'll kill you, you know," Calypso spoke up once she reached the front fence.

Bilbo just looked at her flatly, not even lowering the pipe from his lips. While making eye contact, he made a point of taking a deep drag, making his sister scoff in amusement.

"Fine by me," she shrugged playfully. "Means the house goes all to me."

As she snickered, Bilbo rolled his eyes and pat the spot next to him on the wooden bench, knowing she'd been on her feet all morning.

"You'd waste away without my pleasant company," Bilbo informed her as she sat next to him, folding her skirt underneath her. "What with you having no friends or suitors."

Calypso gaped at him as he chuckled — the pair always made teasing remarks at each other as a ways of showing affection.

"I'm hardly old enough for suitors for all we know," she scoffed, rolling her eyes. "And you're one to talk given that you're fifty years old and still on your own. Mother is likely pitching a fit in her grave."

It was true — they didn't really know much about how Nymphs aged. Any books on the subject were far away from Hobbiton, and it wasn't as if Calypso or Bilbo were going to find themselves outside of the Shire anytime soon to find them. But Calypso had started to resemble a fully-grown, adult Elf who just lacked in height just two years ago.

Looks were all they had to go on as they didn't know how old Calypso was when dropped off.

As for suitors, Calypso hadn't been swayed by anyone in town. Of course, there were a few Hobbits that tried to catch her attention given that she was part of the prominent Baggins family and wasn't exactly horrible to look at. But she'd never been interested in Hobbits and their gentle features.

Not to mention their large, hairy feet that never seemed to be covered made her a bit squirmy. She didn't mind body hair, but on their feet? She couldn't stand to look at it close up.

Growing up, if they were in a fight, Bilbo would put his feet in her face to make her uncomfortable. That always ended with her nearly waterboarding her sibling.

"Then enough of suitors for the both of us," Bilbo said with a grimace — he'd told Calypso on many occasions that he'd never marry. It just wasn't something he was interested in despite societal pressures. "How was work?"

So, Calypso broke into a small story about the visitors that'd been staying at the Inn — mostly Hobbits from other towns visiting family. A few humans were there was well, though. But other than the incidents that got her covered in food, nothing all too spectacular happened, so it was a short tale.

After that, they discussed plans for supper. It was agreed upon that out of the seven meal times of Hobbits, she only joined Bilbo for breakfast, elevensies, and supper. Though if she had an early morning shift, she'd opt for an earlier dinner instead.

Once fish was decided, the siblings sat in silence. Calypso went in to retrieve a book on Elvish healing and began reading it as Bilbo continued to smoke.

Calypso was so entranced with the book, thinking healing was fascinating even if she'd never been any good at it herself. Elves had a way about them that reminded her of herself. Even if she wasn't as tall as them, she dreamed of meeting one so that she could make comparisons in her mind. Did they move as elegantly and stealthily as she did? Were their ears pointed in the same way? Would they know if she was immortal or if she'd die someday like Bilbo?

So engrossed with the book, she didn't notice the ancient, tall figure in gray robes and a matching hat who approached. Nor did Bilbo, whose eyes were shut after just having blown a fresh smoke ring.

But Calypso did notice when a smoky butterfly swept past her and then landed on Bilbo's nose, startling him as it disappeared. Both siblings then looked at their guest with confused eyes. 

The man just looked between them while leaning on a wooden staff, all without saying a damn word. Finally, Calypso nudged her brother to break the awkward silence.

"Good morning."

"What do you mean?" the traveler asked, tilting his head. "Do you wish me a good morning or do you mean that it is a good morning whether I want it or not? Or perhaps you mean to say that you feel good on this particular morning? Or are you simply stating that this is a morning to be good on? Hm?"

"What?" Calypso whispered under her breath in confusion. Who talked like that?

"All of them at once, I suppose," Bilbo mumbled, louder than she so that he was heard. The old man just hummed. Feeling a bit awkward, Bilbo turned to the side, almost like he wanted to run away before looking back at the visitor. "Can we help you?"

"Some tea?" Calypso offered halfheartedly. While she had a good heart, she wasn't nearly as good at caretaking as Hobbits were. But she'd picked up on a few things like always offering a refreshing drink to visitors.

"That remains to be seen," he said, ignoring her offer. "I'm looking for someone to share in an adventure."

Though Calypso perked up a bit with interest, Bilbo's face went slack as his pipe dropped from his mouth, clearly unsettled.

"An adventure? No, I don't imagine anyone west of Bree would have much interest in adventures. Nasty, disturbing, uncomfortable things," he said while nervously moving toward the mailbox, checking it for letters. "Make you late for dinner." Once he had the letters to sort through, he cleared his throat awkwardly. "Oh. Ah. Good morning."

The man let out a 'harumph' of displeasure as Bilbo signaled Calypso to get off the bench and follow him, which she did. "To think that I should have lived to be 'good morninged' by Belladonna Took's son as if I were selling buttons at the door."

That gave Bilbo pause, wondering how this man knew their deceased mother. "Beg your pardon?"

"You've changed, and not entirely for the better, Bilbo Baggins," he said, clearly disappointed before his blue eyes traveled to Calypso. "And you, Calypso Maethion? Don't tell me you've lost yourself while coddled in this Hobbit hole?"

At being accused of 'coddling' Calypso, Bilbo let out a scoff. "I'm sorry, do I know you?"

"Well, you know my name, although you don't remember I belong to it. I'm Gandalf. And Gandalf means... me."

Calypso gasped excitedly and took a step toward him as memories coursed through her mind. Gandalf hadn't been to the Shire since she was first learning to walk and Bilbo was still playing with wooden swords. But he was a powerful wizards who had countless tales written about him and had amazing fireworks.

"Gandalf? Not Gandalf the wandering Wizard who made such excellent fireworks?" Bilbo asked excitedly. "Old Took used to have them on Midsummer's Eve. No idea you were still in business."

Looking a bit offended at the comment that no doubt had to do with his aging appearance, Gandalf frowned. "And where else should I be?"

"Well, dead — ow, Bilbo!" Calypso hissed as he pulled harshly on her braided hair to keep her from being rude.

An uncomfortable silence fell over them all as Calypso smiled sheepishly, not stepping away from Bilbo to keep him sated. Then Gandalf broke the silence once again. "Well, I'm pleased to find you remember something about me... even if it's only my fireworks. Yes. Well, that's decided. It'll be very good for you both."

As Gandalf pointed to Bilbo and Calypso, they frowned.

"And most amusing for me. I shall inform the others," he finished.

Bilbo's eyebrows shot up. "Inform the who? What? No. No. No," he said while going closer to the door. "Wait. We do not want any adventures here, thank you. Not today. Not — I suggest you try Over the Hill or Across the Water. Good morning!"

Calypso wasn't expecting for Bilbo to yank hard on her hand and drag her into the house, slamming the door shut behind them. She narrowed her eyes at him in annoyance while pulling herself free, knowing they shouldn't have been so rude to Gandalf. And that was saying something given that she loved to be rude to those deserving of it.

Bilbo locked the door only to hear a faint scratching sound. Sharing a confused look, the siblings knelt down and listened, wondering what in the world could be causing it. Then Bilbo peeked out the window, only to flinch back and hide around the corner when Gandalf appeared suddenly, startling him.

Calypso looked through the other window, watching as Gandalf left them behind without bothering them again. Then she glanced to the side and saw Bilbo hiding in the study.

"He's gone, Bulbo," Calypso said in a soothing tone, seeing how unnerved he still was. She only broke out the nickname when he was really perturbed or she was feeling sappy. "We'll give it a few minutes before traversing outside once again."

"What if he stays in town?"

"What in the world for? There's nothing exciting ever happening in Hobbiton," she reminded him. "Just think of that fresh fish we'll be buying later. It'll be so delicious that it'll wipe Gandalf's oddness out of your mind."

"If the fish will be delicious, I presume it means you won't be cooking it?" Bilbo asked flatly.

Calypso, ever the horrible cook, scoffed and reached for a nearby book, ready to throw it at Bilbo, who put his hands up innocently. "Take it back."

"Can't. I'm a horrible liar," he said with a smirk. "You'd practically poison me if you cooked the fish."

With a dramatic huff, Calypso dropped the book and turned on her booted-heel, marching away from Bilbo. "Just for that, I'm not going to the market with you. And I sure hope Mr. Gandalf finds you there."

Bilbo grumbled under his breath while looking out the window. "Well, that's just a cruel desire."

☽︎

Supper had finally arrived, and it couldn't have come any sooner for Calypso. She'd already bathed and changed into a white chemise, throwing on a patchwork housecoat similar to Bilbo's. Then she sat across from her brother who served up two pieces of fried fish on plates accompanied by potatoes and carrots — uncooked on Calypso's plate because she preferred them fresh.

"Thank you," Calypso said as Bilbo handed her a plate and some lemon to add to her fish.

"No, thank you," Bilbo said with a smirk, "for staying out of the kitchen."

"Fuck you," she scoffed, enjoying the scandalized look on Bilbo's face. Since starting working at the Inn, she'd learned a rainbow of inappropriate words from the patrons, much to Bilbo's horror.

"Calypso Maethion!" he said in a warning tone, only using her real last name when she was in trouble, something he'd picked up on from Belladonna and Bungo before they passed. "Watch your language, young lady."

Calypso just snickered while squeezing some lemon onto her fish before cutting into it. However, just as she raised the first bite to her lips, the doorbell rang loudly.

Bilbo froze and looked at Calypso in confusion, neither used to having visitors so late. They both valued bedtime greatly.

"Have you invited someone?" Bilbo questioned.

She raised an eyebrow. "Who've I got to invite?" she shot back.

With a sigh, Bilbo pushed his plate away and got up to answer the door. And because Calypso was curious — and wondering if Gandalf was back — she got up and followed after him, staying back in the doorway as her brother opened the door.

Revealing a Dwarf.

He stood short and yet taller than both Hobbits. He had a long, black beard and a shining, bald head. There was a menacing expression on his face, and he was loaded down with weapons and covered in tattoos.

"Dwalin, at your service," the man said with a deep voice, bowing a bit.

Feeling mortified, Bilbo quickly tied his robe shut. "Uh... Bilbo Baggins, at yours," he mumbled. Then the Dwarf found his way into the house without an invitation. "Do we know each other?"

"No," Dwalin said simply. "Which way, laddie? Is it down here?"

"Is what down where?" Bilbo questioned as Dwalin removed his fur coat and tossed it at him somewhat rudely.

"Supper. He said there'd be food and lots of it," he seemingly recounted.

"He... He said?" he asked with a frown. "Who said?"

Calypso, who already had a good idea of who said there'd be dinner, finally caught Dwalin's attention as he looked around the tidy Hobbit hole.

"And you are?" he asked in that rough, aggressive tone.

Calypso, if she were some meek Hobbit, might've flinched. But Belladonna had raised her and Bilbo to be a bit more fearless even if Bilbo hadn't kept that trait.

"His sister — Calypso," she said, crossing her arms and nodding toward the dining room. "There's fish in the dining room. You can have the plate with the cooked carrots. Don't touch my food."

"Fair, lass," he nodded before stomping in the direction she gestured.

Five minutes later, Calypso was only four bites into her fish as she watched Dwalin inhale Bilbo's food. Bilbo was sitting just behind Dwalin, his face pale as he eyed him. The Dwarf was making quite a mess, grease from the fish smeared over his face.

"Very good, this," Dwalin said, bits of food falling out. "Any more?"

He dared to look from Calypso to her plate, so she narrowed her eyes and shoved a carrot into her mouth, chomping down on it loudly to rub it in while keeping her plate close.

In response to Dwalin and Calypso's rudeness, Bilbo got up and found a plate of scones that had been cooling in the windowsill. Calypso watched as he snuck one for himself before handing the plate to Dwalin.

"Ah. Help yourself," he told him, and Dwalin didn't need to be told twice as he dug in, shoving food in his mouth.

"What are you doing here?" Calypso found herself asking bluntly while finishing her fish.

"What she means, uh," Bilbo stuttered, "it's just that, um, we weren't expecting company."

Before Calypso could state that, no, she in fact, meant to rudely ask what Dwalin was doing in their home, the sound of someone else at the door hit their ears. They looked from the door to the Dwarf, who stared coolly at Bilbo.

"That'll be the door," he said as if they were stupid.

"Who'd of thought," Calypso huffed while shoving one more forkful into her mouth before following after her brother to see who was at the door.

This time, when he opened the door, it was another Dwarf. This one was much shorter with hair as white as Calypso's and a beard that was long and neatly curled at the ends. He was old with a kind smile on his face as he greeted the two siblings.

"Balin, at your service."

"Good evening," Bilbo mumbled.

"Yes. Yes, it is," Balin said with a nod, coming in. "Though I think it might rain later."

"Feels like," Calypso said in agreement. She always knew when rain was coming. Since it gained Balin's attention, she introduced herself. "Calypso Baggins."

"Nice to meet you," he nodded before asking, "Am I late?"

Bilbo frowned deeply, not liking the sound of that. "Late for what?"

Suddenly, Balin glanced over their shoulder and spotted Dwalin, who'd left the dining room and was trying to pull some fruit out of a decorative square glass piece.

"Oh! Ha, ha! Evening, brother!" Balin exclaimed, approaching him.

Calypso frowned, not really seeing any relation between the aging and seemingly gentle Dwarf and the one that was undoubtedly a warrior with a terrifying aura.

Yet Dwalin smiled at the man that was clearly his sibling. "By my beard — you're shorter and wider than last we met."

"Wider, not shorter," he insisted. "Sharp enough for both of us."

As they shared a laugh, Dwalin grabbed Balin's shoulders. Then they smacked their heads together harshly, a thud ringing out. Calypso winced and put a hand to her forehead in horror, unable to believe they'd greeted each other that way.

"Sounds empty to me," she muttered to Bilbo, who was even more distressed by the arrival of a second Dwarf. A second Dwarf who was making himself right at home as he and Dwalin went to the pantry.

"Uh, excuse me? Sorry, I hate to interrupt. But the thing is, I'm not entirely sure you're in the right house," Bilbo said, going completely unheard as they broke into a barrel of ale.

"Have you eaten?" Balin was asking his brother.

"It's not that I don't like visitors," Bilbo went on. "I like visitors as much as the next Hobbit. But I do like to know them before they come visiting."

It was clear the men weren't listening, Calypso thought, as Dwalin smelled some aged cheese.

"What is this?" he asked.

"I don't know. I think it's cheese," Balin observed. "Gone blue."

"It's riddled with mold."

Before Calypso could explain that it was aged cheese and meant to be eaten once you peeled the moldy parts off, Dwalin tossed it far over his shoulder. And poor Bilbo was still going.

"The thing is, I don't know either of you. Not in the slightest. I don't mean to be blunt, but I had to speak my mind. I'm sorry."

Both Dwarves paused and looked at Bilbo over their shoulders, and Balin nodded civilly.

"Apology accepted," he said before looking at Dwalin, who was filling his cup of ale. "Now, fill it up, brother, don't stint."

And again, the doorbell rang.

Bilbo looked blue in the face as he looked between the door and the pantry, not wanting to leave the two unattended at first. So, with a sigh, Calypso went off toward the door to answer it, tying her robe tighter as she did so to stay covered up. And Bilbo trailed behind her silently.

But when she opened the door to reveal two more Dwarves, a little whimper escaped Bilbo's throat.

These two were younger — much younger and much more good looking, Calypso hated to admit. One was ruggedly handsome with thick, blonde hair. He had two small braids in his mustache, complete with shining beads. His shining blue eyes were fixed right on her curiously.

The other looked a bit younger and lacked a beard — he only had some scruff growing in though it was quite fitting. His hair was shorter and dark brown, matching the warm pools of brown that were his eyes as he studied her.

"Fili," the blonde said.

"And Kili," the other said.

Then both bowed in sync in front of her. "At your service," they said together.

Calypso's lips curled up a little bit, glancing between the two. "Did you two practice that?"

"Once or twice," the blonde said with a sly smirk. "And you are?"

"Calypso," she said, nodding a bit. "At your service, I suppose."

Though Kili had a smile directed at her, he seemed a bit confused. "Have we come to the right house? We're looking for a—"

Finally, Kili and Fili looked past Calypso and noticed the Hobbit behind her. Kili perked up and grinned brightly — by the Valar, Calypso thought, it was a blinding smile.

"You must be Mr. Boggins," Kili said, making Calypso giggle.

"No!" Bilbo snapped. "You can't come in. You've come to the wrong house!"

Bilbo pulled Calypso back and tried to slam the door shut, but Kili easily kept it open, a worried expression making its way onto his face. "What? Has it been canceled?"

"No one told us," Fili said with a frown that reminded Calypso of a saddened pet dog.

"Can — No, nothing's been canceled," Bilbo said quickly, not realizing his mistake.

"That's a relief," Kili sighed before letting himself in, followed by Fili.

Calypso watched as they stripped themselves of their coats and weapons. While Kili simply set his down, Fili began piling sword after sword after sword into Bilbo's arms. They seemingly came out of nowhere.

"Careful with these, I just had them sharpened," Fili warned the Hobbit.

"How many are there?" Calypso asked with a laugh of disbelief as he pulled another dagger out of a hidden pocket. "Surely you can't hide that many."

Fili looked sideways at her, smirking a bit. "You're welcome to search me if you'd like."

Bilbo gaped at the man. "Excuse you. Do not talk to her like—"

Kili cut him off with a laugh while looking around. "It's nice, this place. Did you do it yourself?"

Bilbo, as easily distracted as ever, focused on Kili. "Uh...no, it's been in the family for years."

Calypso cringed at Kili's lack of manners as he scrapped his muddy boots on the edge of a nearby box, thinking it was rather rude. And Bilbo wasn't pleased either, of course.

"That's my mother's glory box! Can you please not do that?"

Then Dwalin came into the entryway, catching the boys' attention. "Fili, Ki­li, come on, give us a hand."

As Dwalin threw an arm around Kili, the younger Dwarf smiled in recognition. "Mr. Dwalin."

Finally finished with unloading his weapons, Fili slid past Calypso, who could only follow to see what exactly Dwalin needed a hand with.

They seemed to be moving tables and chairs around, and had traversed into the living room to grab the coffee table as well as the chairs in there.

"Let's shove this in the hole, or otherwise we'll never get everyone in," Balin instructed.

"Ev - everyone?" Bilbo asked in alarm, still holding onto all the weapons. "How many more are there?"

Then, much to his horror, the bell rang once again. Calypso watched all the color drain from her brother's face as he turned toward the door.

"Oh, no! No, no. There's nobody home!" he shouted, not caring that it was so clearly a lie given that the lights were all on and visible from outside. As he walked, he carelessly threw down Fili's weapons. "Go away, and bother somebody else! There's far too many Dwarves in my dining room as it is. If - if this is some blockhead's idea of a joke, ha ha. I can only say it is in very poor taste!"

Calypso hung back and watched as Bilbo swung the door open quickly, only to stumble back as a horde of Dwarves fell over in a pile on the floor, all pushing and shoving each other as they fought to stand.

And right behind them was a very familiar wizard with a mischievous look on his aging face, making Bilbo sigh tiredly.

"Gandalf."