Chapter Text
The first time he’d met the mollycoddler the Dwarf had come to bring his brother home. He had a pouch of gold in his hands and a dingy cloak around his shoulders, though it didn’t exude the sort of air Dwalin thought the Dwarf was going for. He mumbled under his breathe and pulled at the strings of the thing as if insulted he had to wear it at all.
Dwalin was a high ranked guard and although he didn’t really need to be present, he found it useful to take note of new criminals. He’d learned over time how these thieves tended to be repeat offenders. So there he was, being passed a bag of coins for the thief’s bail and no more than an uninterested glance before Dori turned an icy gaze to Nori, a frown on his lips. Nori rolled his eyes and Dori huffed, his foot beginning an aggravated tapping.
Oh. Dwalin had been watching the scene unfold but had been drawn back from the resounding cling of Dori’s boot. He grunted and fiddled with a ring of keys, found the appropriate one and swung the jail door open.
Dori’s arm twitched, wanting to grab Nori and drag him back home like a babe. He restrained himself though and only glowered at his brother who expressed the same right back. Dori swung an arm for Nori to lead. As they left the only acknowledgement Dwalin got that Dori realized he’d been there at all was half a bow in his general direction, though Dori still wouldn’t look at him, his concentration and mind fully encompassed by the stress of his brother’s criminal behavior.
Dwalin could only assume that Dori had to go find his brother more times than should be necessary, and that the cloak he’d strung over his shoulders was in an attempt to lie about his station so that the ruffians who squatted low in street alleys would leave him alone.
Yes, thought Dwalin, the half-lidded eyes and up-turned nose were clear signs that Dori was of a higher station than he could admit when trailing after his brother.