(That last bit – AUGH OUCH but also spot on, yep. MERRY AHHHH, FRERIN IS GONNA FLIP HIS LID)

Welp, Sam is Fili’s favourite. Absolutely. He thinks Sam is the most sensible Hobbit he’s ever seen: calls him an ‘honorary Dwarf.’ 

Pippin is actually extremely popular amongst the watchers. He manages to impress everyone when he lets the brooch of Lorien slip – that’s a bit of cunning that Dwarves can appreciate. There’s a certain ‘Oh, you!’ attitude, along with indulgent smiles and shaking of heads that happens when he is around: Hrera calls his antics his ‘nonsense’, but for many of the Company Pippin reminds them very strongly of Bilbo. Of course, Pip is very young whereas Bilbo was not, but they were both hopelessly out of their depth when they began, and they both grew so very fast and very far. Also: Tooks and disasters. Heh. 

Yeah, Thorin is obvs very fond of Frodo. He’s watched him for a LOT longer than the Ring Quest, after all – he’s known Frodo from a young tween, 21 years old, all those years ago when Bilbo adopted him. But he also feels rather protective towards Merry and Pippin (no points for guessing why aha more pain). He calls Merry ‘brave little laughing warrior’, and Pippin ‘little Bullroarer, child of adventurers.’ And then there’s Sam. He admires Sam: calls him ‘lion of the Shire’; ‘a lion under his soft skin.’ He admires his care for Frodo, his refusal to give up, his steadfastness in the face of nightmares.

Ori is generally amazed at how Hobbit eyes go all sad and big and teary. How do they DO that?!

Frodo is also very important to Thrain and Thror but for a very VERY different reason. 

They actually understand (in a way that the others cannot) what Rings of Power can do to you, all unknowing, whispering constantly in your ear. 😦