#barduilmonth2024

[ritartist42]

I cannot belive it already has been a year

First week's prompt - First Meetings- Different First Meeting

Thank you so much for the event @bi-widower-dads

[bi-widower-dads]

Barduil Month is back! Running from 1-30 April, this year we have four themed weeks each with a handful of prompts for you to choose from (or use them all!)

Week 1, Monday 1 to Sunday 7 April: First Meetings

different first meeting | differences and similarities | Battle of the Five Armies | first impressions | uneasy allies

Week 2, Monday 8 to Sunday 14 April: Getting Together

overcoming differences | finding common ground | diplomatic incidents | first date | introducing the family

Week 3, Monday 15 to Sunday 21 April: Established Relationship

blended family | anniversaries | parties, festivals and holidays | downtime, time to relax, days off | family traditions

Week 4, Monday 22 to Sunday 28 April: Endings (happy or otherwise)

happily ever after | loss and grief | hope and despair | reunions and reincarnation | memories

As always, any kind of fan creation is welcomed and encouraged, whether that's fic, art, crafts, meta, or anything else. The AO3 collection is here if you want to post there too. We just ask that you stick to our rules of conduct, tag us in your posts and enjoy yourselves!

[lost-or-dead]

Let's conspire to ignite all the souls that would die just to feel alive

Summary:

"You have reminded me how to live."

- Thranduil all but suffers through the anniversary feast of the Battle of Five Armies before Bard comes to save him.

For #BarduilMonth2024 over at @bi-widower-dads <3

If there is one thing to know about the elves of the Woodland Realm it is that they would use every opportunity for merrymaking - much to the dismay of their King.

So one would have to excuse Thranduil for not exactly being delighted when a stray barrel of the many that were being carted to one of the clearings in the woods for the festivities tonight came loose, fell as in slow motion, and then smashed right next to him, drenching him in sweet red wine.

The laughter and singing on the barrow ceased immediately and the two Elves responsible for the sloppy knotwork stuttered profuse apologies since they knew of the temper of their King. But Thranduil only told them to keep going through grit teeth and turned to leave so quickly he missed their perplexed faces.

It was his own fault anyway. He should have known better than to wander the grounds on a day like this when the whole realm was in a fever of excitement and things were bound to go wrong. The preparations for the one-year anniversary of the Battle of Five Armies were in full swing.

Now one might wonder how it even came to the Elvenking agreeing to this festivity and to it being held in his realm as well when he originally hadn’t even intended to participate in the battle and wasn’t particularly fond of most of the parties involved either.

There was one man however who could make his principles waver and that was unfortunately Bard the Bowman, King of Dale and therefore the people who had started the debate on an anniversary feast in the first place. Thranduil had known he would have been hopelessly outvoted in the question of whether or not such a feast would take place so he hadn’t even tried and might have come to regret it in the meantime.

His folk, on the other hand, was delighted and who was he to deny Woodland elves their merrymaking only because of his own aversion to it? Maybe the time had come to end their self-imposed isolation and return to friendly relations with the rest of Middle-Earth that surpassed the exchanging of wine barrels. This was a beginning at least.

And if it meant he would have to fulfil his already neglected royal duties and make small talk with self-important nobodies so exhausting it cost him perceived centuries of his life then that was so. The least he could do after that was make sure it was a feast to remember.

Dale wouldn’t work as a location since Bard and his people were doing the best they could with the aid of the Elvenking and the Dáin of Erebor but rebuilding a city is tedious work and they still had a lot of it ahead. Some had suggested the glorious halls under the Lonely Mountain but although Thranduil knew of their splendour and beauty he had not been unhappy when Dáin had declined, justifying it with the fact that even after a year the dwarves were still sorting through the treasures and were not in a position to accommodate guests even though everyone had known he was simply wary of strangers getting to close to what was his. It had left the Elvenking to make the generous offer of hosting the feast in Mirkwood and his very own halls.

This had surprised but delighted everyone (although they wouldn’t have dared to refuse him anyway) and it was settled. But oh, how wrong had Thranduil been to think that this concluded the plans and measures stage of the feast. Everyone wanted a say in it - What would be served? Who would get to supply the wine? What if it rained? Would there be music?

There had been an endless amount of committee meetings and Thranduil would have been on the verge of sailing not to the Undying Lands but down the Forest River into Celduin and the Sea of Rhûn to drown himself on one of his many trips to Dale if it hadn’t been for Bard.

In the aftermath of last year’s battle, he’d had many a meeting with the leader of the new city of Dale, amending mistakes from the past and concluding new arrangements among their respective realms. And if one of those arrangements was a touch more private and only concerned themselves then it was really nobody’s business.

After their rather rocky start, Bard had come to know the Elvenking better and had begun to understand that his sometimes crooked ways and cool demeanour were a product of experience, a way of self-preservation and protecting his people. He grew on him. Of course, Thranduil’s flawless elven looks contributed to that.

And even an Elvenking wasn’t immune to a man as charming as Bard, even if he was in fact a man and not one of his own kin. He affected Thranduil in a way he had not experienced since the death of his wife and naturally, his first instinct at that was to shut himself off. One has to give Bard great credit for not surrendering their arising bond right then and there.

It still wasn’t easy and only Bard’s family and Thranduil’s closest advisors knew about them but they were determined to make it work.

Bard would of course also be at the feast and was the only thing making it bearable for Thranduil (except maybe for the idea of chugging two barrels of wine on his own and blissfully passing out). He was supposed to arrive soon, just before the beginning of the feast, with the rest of the committee.

After having to get redressed due to his wine accident Thranduil welcomed them in his throne room. He thought it might do well to remind those people who they were dealing with. From Bard’s knowing grin he saw right through him.

They discussed some last-minute things that had come up, which took so long that Thranduil and Bard didn’t even get a second to themselves before the actual feast started. The committee greeted the arriving guests - men, dwarves, and elves alike and even a few adventurous hobbits - and showed them to the clearing in the woods where the feast would be held. They had agreed that they would only make use of the Elvenking’s halls if the weather thwarted their plans which Thranduil found very unfortunate since he was proud of and would have liked to flaunt them but it proved to be a beautiful early autumn day.

At first, Thranduil almost enjoyed himself. He revelled in the way people stared at him like an apparition and seemed entranced by his grounds. Guests were still arriving and only starting to mingle so he had time to relax for a moment and drink a first glass of wine in preparation for what was to come. It felt a bit like in the earlier times when his father was still the King and his only duty during merrymaking was exactly that: merrymaking. He should have savoured it more. Now it was all spoilt with diplomatic relations, stiff politeness, and making sure things ran smoothly. As a king one was simply in a different position.

Just as he was about to reminisce his last truly joyful feast, Thranduil saw one of Dáin’s folk examining the trees lining the clearing while mindlessly stroking the hilt of his axe. Damn dwarves. Why did they decide to bring axes to a feast anyway? They could have at least had the decency to hide them as Thranduil did with the long white knife covered by his tunic.

He asked Feren to have an eye on the suspect and was about to go find Bard and his children if only for a quick hello but was intercepted by some brave man who mistook his bared teeth for a smile and wanted to know all about the wine they were serving. Thranduil waved goodbye to any notion of enjoying the night.

He only saw Bard again about two hours later when dusk was about to fall. They had planned a small ceremony (that Bard had vehemently protested against but had been overruled) for the central figures of the winning side of the Battle: Dáin, the rival turned reinforcement, Bard for the army of men, Thranduil for the army of elves and Bilbo the hobbit standing in for the late Thorin, looking intensely uncomfortable. There was a moment of silence for the fallen heroes of the Battle, especially Thorin the former King under the Mountain (It seemed to Thranduil that everyone forgot very quickly that it had been Thorin who had sparked the Battle in the first place, but he didn’t say anything, recalling the diplomacy and politeness required of him.).

Gandalf was mentioned and how sad it was that he could not join the festivities tonight for he had important business to attend to (as usual) but that he had sent something to make the evening even more memorable. Yes, Thranduil had seen the cartons of wizard fireworks and they had led to a very heated (hah) fire safety discussion between him and some daredevils on the committee who apparently wanted to see his forest burn. In the end, they had resolved to use the fireworks far enough off so that Thranduil wouldn’t throw a tantrum but close enough that everyone could still see and enjoy them.

After this little interception of the festivities, Thranduil exchanged a few words with the hobbit for he didn’t meet many of his folk and found them quite interesting, especially his unusually venturesome fellow. It was nice to catch up with him for a while but as they ran out of things to say Thranduil remembered that he was actually still rather cross with Bilbo for managing to free the dwarves and flee from right under his nose. He wondered if he still had the peculiar talent of turning up and vanishing almost without a trace.

Bilbo seemed to sense the tensing mood and excused himself. Just as Thranduil caught Bard’s eye from across the clearing and brightened up a big round head slid into his view. It was a dwarf, one of Thorin’s company if he wasn’t mistaken, and he wanted to talk about tree felling. While standing in the middle of Thranduil’s forest. He wondered whether he could diplomatically fell this dwarf.

He shot Bard an obviously desperate look but the other one was being talked at by some woman now and didn’t look all too happy himself. He could only give him a tiny helpless shrug.

Another two hours later Thranduil was fuming. He’d had more dull conversations than he could count, only one miserable bread roll from the extensive buffet and fewer glasses of wine than during a regular dinner. He regretted this whole affair more every second.

Just as he had finally gotten rid of yet another of the women of Dale who ‘just wanted to meet him’ he saw an elderly hobbit making a beeline for him and was filled with dread. Thranduil had only seen him once before, seeming rather uncomfortable and not straying a millimetre from Bilbo’s side but since then he had apparently flourished (Thranduil strongly suspected the wine).

“Mr Elvenking, sir!” the hobbit called out excitedly and continued speaking before Thranduil could decide what to make of this titling, “I have to admit that this forest made me queasy at first, it did. This is my first time ever leaving the Shire and it’s only for Mr Frodo. You see, I’m not very used to dark, gloomy trees like these.” Whether it was Tharnduil’s intentionally towering stance or the clenching of his jaw, the hobbit seemed to sense that insulting the Elvenking’s woods wasn’t the best idea, so he changed course: “That is of course only the dim talk of a hobbit who has never travelled before, sir. Or is it King?” He left Thranduil no time to reply before he babbled on: “My name's Hamfast Gamgee but everyone calls me Gaffer. I’m Mr. Bilbo’s gardener, you see, so I like to think I know a thing or two about plants and those French roses you have growing over there…”

He seemed to completely forget who he was talking to and started pulling Thranduil along with him to the edge of the clearing. The Elvenking was so perplexed he simply went along. And it was lucky he did so because a few steps before reaching the silly rose Thranduil didn’t care about anyway, they passed Bard who was eyeing him with way too much amusement.

“Get me out of here!” Thranduil hissed at him through a distorted attempt at a smile.

Thranduil might have vetoed them before but he had rarely been so glad about something as he was about the fireworks going off about two minutes into the very one-sided gardening talk with the hobbit.

The Gaffer was immediately mesmerised and stared into the night sky with his mouth agape. Thranduil yet heard him whisper “Gandalf…” before bolting, desperate to get into his halls before anyone got bored with the light show and realised he was leaving.

The cool quiet that encompassed him the second the gates closed was heavenly. Thranduil heaved a relieved sigh.

Then suddenly: footsteps. His head shot up. Did someone notice his flight?

“I was only- oh.” he started to make up a dignified excuse as Bard rounded the corner with a smug smile on his lips.

“Only what?” he asked with raised eyebrows.

“Only looking for you to tell you I will forever be in your debt,” Thranduil replied gravely before breaking into a smile. A real one. “Thank you for saving me.”

He wrapped the surprised Bard in a hug. While Thranduil had significantly warmed up to him and had become less reserved in general, random hugs like this were still a rare occurrence. He rubbed small circles into Thranduil’s back. “I’m glad I could help.”

Thranduil broke the embrace only to press a soft kiss onto Bard’s lips. He leaned against his forehead and sighed again: “What would I do without you?”

Bard chuckled and gently pushed a strand of Thranduil’s hair out of his face. “I think you were doing pretty well over the last few centuries.”

Thranduil drew away to look at him and said earnestly: “I was a shell. You have reminded me how to live.”

Bard gulped. This was definitely more than after-feast-banter and it moved him that he was the one with whom the Elvenking entrusted such intimate words. “It is my pleasure.”

“However I do not want to keep you from the feast, so if you would like to return-”

“Return?” Bard huffed a laugh. “I was as miserable as you. Or close to it at least. I have no desire to return.”

“But your children…”

“Oh, do not worry about them. Sigrid can take care of them for the evening,” Bard decided. He was lucky that his eldest daughter was so reliable. “And last I saw them they were talking Feren's elf ears off, so maybe you should rather worry about him.”

“If Feren is distracted then I might return to worrying about those dwarf axes threatening my trees.” Thranduil almost turned around but Bard pulled him back.

“I am certain that Feren will not be derelict in his duty.” As Thranduil’s doubtful expression didn’t entirely clear he added: “You have done enough. You and I both, honestly. We also deserve to dodge responsibility every once in a while.”

“I am still not even certain I deserve you, meleth nín.”

Bard all but melted at this. Never would he have thought that the Elvenking was capable of such beautiful words when he had first met him. But those had been different circumstances.

“I have something for you.” Thranduil pulled out a small wooden box, the other thing next to his knife that had been covered by the tunic. He opened it and Bard was almost blinded by the jewel inside.

“What is this?”

“It is a ring.” Yes, obviously, now that he wasn’t dazzled from it anymore, even Bard could tell that. But Thranduil was not yet done with his explanation. “It is of mithril and the jewel is said to be made of pure starlight.”

“I do not doubt that,” Bard murmured, still enchanted by the ring. It really was a thing of beauty.

“It belonged to my mother.”

“What?” Bard’s head shot up. “I cannot accept that.”

“I insist.” Thranduil’s eyes were earnest. “I want you to have it.”

He took the ring from the box and laid it into Bard’s hand. Bard was immediately afraid he would drop it; never had he handled something so precious. He still searched for reasons why he could not accept this gift, how it was too much, no matter how much he appreciated it, whereas Thranduil already thought about something else.

“You do not have to put it on,” he said slowly, “It doesn’t have to mean anything if you don’t want it to. I just want it to be yours either way.”

In want of words that could explain how he felt Bard simply put the ring on his finger. Thranduil’s eyes almost shone as bright as the jewel as Bard wrapped his arms around him and squeezed tightly, hoping to so convey what he did not have the words to say.

Thranduil’s kiss was all the answer he needed.

[scary-grace]

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: The Hobbit - All Media Types Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: Bard the Bowman/Thranduil Characters: Bard the Bowman, Thranduil (Tolkien), Legolas Greenleaf, Sigrid (Hobbit Movies), Bain of Dale, Tilda (Hobbit Movies), Thorin Oakenshield, Dís (Tolkien), Alfrid Lickspittle, Feren (Hobbit Movies), Galion (Tolkien) Additional Tags: Alternate Universe, Jurassic World AU, POV Bard the Bowman, First Meetings, Dinosaurs, operations officer!Bard, raptor expert!Thranduil, Bard is living on coffee and spite at this point, Divorce, sick kid content (again), my dinosaur phase was a long time ago so some of my info is out of date, Thranduil is a dinosaur whisperer, I'm Sorry Tolkien, Barduil Month 2024 Summary:

Running the world's only dinosaur theme park was never going to be the safest job, but thanks to the park's newest attraction, it's become an accident waiting to happen -- and like all accidents, it happens at the worst possible time. For Jurassic World's chief operations officer Bard Bowman and resident raptor expert Thranduil Oropherion, Take-Your-Kids-To-Work Day just got real.

I really have no excuse for this one, but if you’re into Barduil, sexual tension, parenting issues, and dinosaurs, you’ve come to the right place. This is my first attempt at a fic for Barduil Month 2024 @bi-widower-dads!

An excerpt:

Alfrid looks up at Bard. A nasty grin crosses his face. “I was looking for you,” he says.

“I’m off,” Bard says. “As of – three seconds ago.”

“Well, get back on,” Alfrid says. “There’s a problem with the new attraction.”

“No, there isn’t.” Bard checked on the aviary first thing this morning. The Dimorphodon are settling in just fine. “The new keepers and the old ones might not be getting along great, but that hasn’t got anything to do with guest experience.”

Dis checks his tablet. “Bard’s right. All our guest polls are coming back positive on the new attraction.”

“Not the new attraction,” Alfrid says. “The new attraction.”

[redeemer46]

The Lives They Are Convening - Reedemer46 - TOLKIEN J. R. R. - Works & Related Fandoms [Archive of Our Own]

@bi-widower-dads I humbly offer week three contibution...

[nocompromise-noregrets]

prompt me (please!)

I am, as is by now customary, apparently not at home to the Idea Fairy this Barduil Month, and I am rather in need of some nice specific prompts. I've had a request for a look at where the dads are in All I Want Is You-'verse and/or a kiss in the cold and dark-'verse (and I'd love to do something for Dancing in the Dark-'verse, which is what the band AU has turned into), but I haven't a single solitary idea.

This week's theme is 'established relationship' with sub-themes blended family | anniversaries | parties, festivals and holidays | downtime, time to relax, days off | family traditions, and next week's theme is 'endings (happy or otherwise)' with sub-themes happily ever after | loss and grief | hope and despair | reunions and reincarnation | memories.

Any and all prompts and ideas very gratefully received, for these or any of my other 'verses. Help a poor blocked author out!

(I am, it has to be said, still working on another fic for last week, but I couldn't get it to behave itself in time so it's just going to have to be late)

[bi-widower-dads]

bi-widower-dads' February Fic Rec: AUs

Thank you to everyone who submitted recs for us! We've done some sorting and collating, and we've got two posts for you: AUs and Canon-'verse - and a whole load of excellent fic for you to get stuck into while we wait for Barduil Month in April! So without further ado, here are the AUs for you, with a little bit about why our recommenders love them...

Header image by mod @piyo-13!

(a note about tags and trigger warnings: tags are selected from those on AO3 as being those that best describe the story for the purposes of this event; trigger warnings are supplied by the recommenders and may not be comprehensive - your mileage may vary. We've tried our best to include Tumblr handles wherever we can, but if we've missed yours out and you want it included, just let us know!)

One-shots

In the Wake of the Second Horseman by EldritchMage / @eldritchmage | M | 2272 words | tags: angst with a happy ending, implied/referenced drug use, post-traumatic stress disorder - PTSD, implied warfare/violence | trigger warnings: mention of drug use, mention of violence in a war zone, PTSD, nightmares

Summary: When addiction threatens to consume Thran, his lover Bard is desperate to help - but Thran isn't. Yet in ending his relationship with Bard, Thran savages both of them, not just himself. Four years later, Thran's about to discover what remains from his cruelty. What he finds is a surprise - and humbling. What do you love about this fic? Even when things fall apart, redemption is possible if you give it half a chance. Out of tragedy comes hope and a chance for a better life.

love remains by likethenight / @nocompromise-noregrets | G | 11,093 words | tags: alternate universe - modern setting, grief/mourning, Thranduil never sailed west, mythical beings & creatures, folklore, alternate universe - reincarnation | trigger warnings: none

Summary: There is a legend in Dale, that somewhere deep in the forest that borders the city lives the forest king, an ancient being with a special care for archers, and for all things that grow. Bard, camping in the woods after his finals, finds a place that isn't on any maps and begins to dream of something - someone - familiar; and years later, after the heaviest loss he has ever had to bear, he goes back out there again, hoping to find something that might help him recover. What do you love about this fic? Absolutely beautiful fic, such a touching story and excellent writing!

Petrichor by b_ofdale_archive / @beesinspades | G | 14,598 words | tags: alternate universe - reincarnation, alternate universe - modern setting, alternate universe - bookstore, books and cats | trigger warnings: slight mention of past life character death

Summary: It's been six thousand years since Thranduil last laid eyes on his husband - Bard. The world has changed and the great Elvenking with it, lingering in the shadows of Men; as hope for a miracle festers within his heart that grows weaker with every passing day, the only thing keeping him going is a promise he made, many moons ago. What do you love about this fic? I love its overall theme, and the thought that Thranduil will meet Bard again. A lovely and poetically written reincarnation AU, well worth the read!

Multi-chapters: in progress

Love in a time of change by myeaglesong / @myeaglesong | M | 22,840 words | tags: eventual relationships, eventual romance, elf/human relationships, fluff, romance, slow burn, alternate universe - regency, oblivious Bard | trigger warnings: none

Summary: For the longest time, Thranduil has wanted to find a good match for his son, Legolas, to marry. His search leads him to consider Arwen for Legolas to marry, but what if Legolas has already got his eye set on another match that Thranduil may not approve of? What will will happen when Legolas finds out about his father's intentions to marry him off? What would happen when the question of if Thranduil were to marry again was to come up, who could he marry? What do you love about this fic? I am not usually one for Regency AUs but this one is so adorable, and between the kids and the dads there is plenty of potential for shenanigans and some tentative romance! I'm really looking forward to seeing how events unfold…

The Moth Effect by BiSquared / @scary-grace and Dogblessya / @dogblessyoutascha | M | 35,658 words | tags: mothman is real, mothman Thranduil, mothbaby Legolas, park ranger Bard, non-graphic violence, but there is still gore so you've been warned, twilight references | trigger warnings: mothman lore, gore

Summary: (in chaos theory) the phenomenon whereby a mothman moving into your place of employment can have a large effect on the rest of your life. What do you love about this fic? I love the Supernatural/Horror element to it and Park Ranger Bard trying to make sense of all the really weird s**t that's happening around him. Lovely bits have to be the introduction of Mothman Thranduil and adorable Mothbaby Legolas. But best of all is that Mothman Thranduil isn't the weirdest thing happening in Olympic National Park 👀….

Vena Amoris by Patch / @patchoffeathers and Piyo13 / @piyo-13 | M | 72,843 words | tags: crossover with Dracula Untold, alternate universe - vampires, Bard is Dracula, canon-typical violence, slow build, alternate universe - some people live/not everybody dies | trigger warnings: none

Summary: Bard has a secret, one that stems from far to the east, in lands far forgotten and times long past. It's one that no one must know—but times are changing for the people living on the lake. Even for those who, technically, aren't alive. What do you love about this fic? The author does such a great job at merging Luke Evans' two characters here (Bard and Dracula) while still keeping Bard distinctly canon-shaped. Because Dracula!Bard is an immortal, there's a unique comparison of mythological immortalities and the relative costs of them that reflects back onto the plot.

show a little faith, there's magic in the night by BiSquared / @scary-grace | M | 342,922 words | tags: alternate universe - modern setting, slow burn, music industry AU, indie musician Bard, opera singer turned pop star Thranduil | trigger warnings: none

Summary: Bard Bowman's not the type to give up on his dreams easily, but when DJ Smaug's dirty tricks leave his family band stranded in Denver with a forfeit fee the size of Mt. Everest crashing down on their heads, there's really nothing to do but drink about it. The last thing Bard expects is to meet a beautiful stranger in a similar predicament -- and the last thing either of them expects is a rescue. Luckily for them, Thorin Oakenshield's feeling heroic this evening. What do you love about this fic? I am such a sucker for the rock scene (I've spent my entire adult life kicking about there) and it's not often I see it portrayed so realistically in fic (or indeed in original fiction). The characters are all beautifully drawn, the humour frequently makes me chuckle, and Bard going head over heels while trying to tell himself he isn't, it's not happening, not really, because he can't believe his luck, makes my heart go all funny.

Multi-chapters: complete

Followthrough by ofplanet_earth / @ofplanet-earth | M | 26,737 words | tags: alternate universe - modern setting, alternate universe - military, alternate universe - spies & secret agents, snipers, sniper Bard, military captain Thorin, mob boss Smaug, revenge, character death | trigger warnings: violence

Summary: Bard and his children have been living in a little cabin on the edge of Laketown for five years, hiding from Bard's dangerous past. But when that past comes back to haunt them, Bard will have to team up with Thorin and his company to face down his demons, confront the man who killed his wife, and fight to save the people he loves. What do you love about this fic? Great spies/military AU with Bard and the gang!

The grey sea and the long black land by Black_knight100 and Blueberryrock / @blueberryrock | T | 29,702 words | tags: alternate universe - modern setting, alternate universe - cruise ship, first kiss, angst, fluff, angst with a happy ending, eventual romance | trigger warnings: quite angst filled but has an eventual happy ending

Summary: Bard Bowman is thirty-seven years old, widowed and heckled, and he's had enough. If his children want a cruise trip with their lottery money, then so they will have. Bard will only have to work twice as hard to take them out of their little corner of the world. It has been three years. Three years of him raging, and sobbing, and grieving. Three years in which he has turned away from his children. Three years to reach this ship, to put together whatever snapped that day. And the first morning, Thranduil wakes up late. It is going fabulously. Or, in which the two meet on a ship, and there are ups and downs. What do you love about this fic? Thranduil and Bard getting together in the end

Modern Love by Shampain / @abner-krill | M | 65,267 words | tags: alternate universe - modern setting, alternate universe - coffee shops and cafés, alternate universe - human | trigger warnings: none

Summary: Bard is a down on his luck single father working a thankless job as a courier, eternally worrying over when his daughter is going to start sneaking out of the house with boys. As if that wasn't bad enough, his assignments delivering files to Greenleaf Acquisitions puts him in contact with Thranduil, a stern businessman whose only champion is his assistant, Tauriel. And finally, to make matters worse, his friendship with Bilbo Baggins sends everything else into a tailspin. The summer is just beginning, and it's going to be a weird one. What do you love about this fic? Lovely, lighthearted modern AU that is a delight to read!

hands; eyes; voice by bishkebab / @bishkebab | T | 70,163 words | tags: slow burn, alternate universe, accidental cottagecore, governess/single dad romance but make it gay, autistic Thranduil, Thranduil and Bard both have physical disabilities | trigger warnings: mention of autism, fire accident, PTSD

Summary: An isolated life in a too-small cottage was never what Bard dreamed of for his children – especially sharp, scholarly Tauriel and sensitive, insightful Tilda. But school is a distant dream for a large family living off the land – at least until a storm and the subsequent house fire bring a former scholar to their doorstep. Wealthy recluse Thranduil could never have anticipated leaving his family's manor for a shack in the woods and a single father with five – FIVE – children who can barely write ten words between them. But when disaster strikes, he is left with little choice – and maybe close quarters with a handsome widower won't be so bad after all... What do you love about this fic? This is a rare work of art in which Bard is the loveliest dad ever, stubborn, strong and gentle and Thranduil is an introverted autistic lonely lad. The author writes their story in a very poetical way and family is the main protagonist of the story, as is their small cosy cottage. I do love the gentle feeling this story conveys from the start. It feels like a warm cup of tea after a very rainy day and each word is carefully written. This story deserves to be read and reread and rereread. Slowly. (With a nice cup of tea. &lt;;3)

Those Colours We Share by b_ofdale / @beesinspades | M | 84,709 words | tags: alternate universe - soulmates, alternate universe - post-war, set in 1956, Bard owns an animal shelter, slow burn, fluff and angst, disabled character, asexual characters, period-typical homophobia | trigger warnings: none

Summary: Had anyone told them, Thranduil Oropherion and Bard Bowman would never have believed they would see the world painted in colours again. Until that fateful day of December 1956, when one little boy entered a former soldier's animal shelter. What do you love about this fic? I'm a sucker for two lonely people who find each other and forge a new life together.

Beast by Nuredhel / @nuredhel | M | 132,354 words | tags: alternate universe - modern setting, all humans, Bard is a cop, Thranduil is a profiler, mentions of suicide, slow burn, crime and investigation, bonding while working, romance, past problems | trigger warnings: gore, violence, abuse, human trafficing, child abuse, murder, suicide

Summary: Bard Bowman is the leader of a team of investigators trying to solve a very complicated case, when the serial killer they are chasing proves to have a far longer history than they expected the feds call in a profiler. Bard has never believed he could feel attraction again but now he does, how can he express what he feels when they are chasing a beast which seems to defy the very laws of nature? Can Thran feel the same way? The road to love can be bumpy, in special when it is surrounded by murders. What do you love about this fic? It is very exciting, very romantic and intense.

seeking a friend for the end of the world by BiSquared / @scary-grace | M | 238,799 words | tags: alternate universe - modern setting, apocalypse, road trips, family issues and family bonding, opera singer Thranduil, Bard and Thranduil are good parents who are having a bad year, or years | trigger warnings: disease-apocalyptic setting, zombies, major character death, medical injections

Summary: Between dealing with his boss, getting over his ex-wife, and keeping his kids fed and clothed, Bard has more than enough on his plate. He doesn't have time to worry about the frightening rumors coming out of New York City or the lunatic in his service bay who tells him to take his kids and run. But when he stops to help a mysterious stranger on the side of the road, he gets a lot more than he bargained for -- a sexuality crisis, a partner in crime, and maybe, just maybe, a chance for all of them to make it out of this mess alive. What do you love about this fic? Incredible worldbuilding and an edge-of-your-seat plotline! The bonds between all the characters are just beautiful, and it has great worldbuilding. The action is also really well written, and it does tension/dramatics right.

In The Woods Somewhere by Ias / @hubristicfool | M | 249,074 words | tags: alternate universe - modern setting, vampires, vampire Thranduil, mechanic Bard, blood drinking, slow burn, dark, angst, violence, horror, psychological horror, unhealthy relationships | trigger warnings: vampires, blood, angst, sexual content, violence

Summary: These country roads were rarely traveled by any that didn't need to. When Thranduil pulled up beside the man's stopped vehicle and offered him a smile and a ride, there was no one to see the man's grateful expression as he slipped into Thranduil's car. No one to stand by and call out a warning as the taillights were swallowed by the dark branches of the trees. What do you love about this fic? The writing is excellent

Angels and crooks by Nuredhel / @nuredhel | M | 259,072 words | tags: sequel to Beast, alternate universe - modern setting, all humans, Bard is a cop, Thranduil is a profiler, solving crime, family, violence, drug abuse, everyday life at a police station | trigger warnings: violence, abuse, dark stuff, murder, blood, evil, deviousness

Summary: Bard and Thran are getting used to their new life as a married couple, and their new responsibilities as a family. But they still have their jobs and my oh my does that bring some interesting situations and challenges into their existence. Having both experience and special gifts does help, but at times reality can be more bizarre than anyone can expect. What do you love about this fic? It is a good story with very interesting twists and many great characters

When The Pale Swan Flies by EldritchMage / @eldritchmage | E | 290,646 words | tags: alternate universe - modern setting, circus performer Thranduil, cabinet maker Bard, Thranduil's name is Luka, Bard's name is Taliesin (which is Welsh for Bard), slow burn, Thranduil needs rescuing and Bard is happy to do it | trigger warnings: sexual abuse mentioned, underage sex mentioned, prostitution/pimping mentioned

Summary: A year ago, when a carpenter met a caged bird, his good intentions left despair in their wake. Is he a fool to hope he can atone for his missteps? What do you love about this fic? It's got circus acts! It's got two sad men learning to trust and love again! It's got an epic visit to a grocery store! It's got bad guys getting their just desserts, and everyone else getting delicious Spanish teacake! It's got a cute little boy who finds his voice while making puppets! There's a sad short-story prequel to set the stage, as well! And who doesn't like a parade?

Season of Light and Shadow by EldritchMage / @eldritchmage | E | 914,703 words | tags: alternate universe - modern setting, Thranduil is a ballet dancer, Bard is a building super and welder (and artist), slow burn, NSFW, blended family | trigger warnings: momentary violence, momentary mention of drug use, adult bedroom games

Summary: It's the week before Thanksgiving. In an apartment building somewhere in the middle of New York City, the mood is far from festive. Upstairs in Apartment 5B, an injured ballet dancer is having a rotten day. He's lost his job, he's had to walk home in the snow and rain, getting thoroughly soaked and frozen in the process, and the radiators in his rooms are as cold as the New York City streets. He limps downstairs to vent his fury on the night super who didn't fix the heat. Downstairs in Apartment 2A, the night super is also having a rotten day. No money, three overtired and cranky children, a slapdash boss, and not nearly enough sleep. And now someone is pounding on the door like a SWAT team. When an angel knocks on the door of a saint, neither finds what he expects. But with a little luck, the upcoming holiday season might give them both something to treasure. What do you love about this fic? It's two lonely men forging a blended family! It's got ballet! It's got home renovation! It's got four cutie children! It's got cooking! It's got an artist regaining the wherewithal to make his art! It's got lots of cool side characters (ten points to everyone who spots all the Dwarves :-). It's got lots of steamy love! It's even got 3 short follow-up stories! What's not to like?????? This was my introduction to the world of modern AUs with these two, and oh, it's SO GOOD. The kids are brilliant and so realistically drawn, and the dads are - well, they're incredibly hot. XD And the development of the relationship between them is beautifully done, as they go head-over-heels for each other while trying to take things slowly for the sake of the kids…oh, it's great. :D

[bi-widower-dads]

Barduil Month 2024!

This year we're opening it up to a vote about what kind of event you all would like to see this April!

If you chose "other", reblog and let us know in the tags what you're thinking of! And please go ahead and reblog in general, so we can reach as many Barduil fans as possible.

[bi-widower-dads]

Barduil Month 2024 Week 1, Monday 1-Sunday 7 April: First Meetings

Welcome to the first week of Barduil Month 2024! The prompts for this week are:

different first meeting | differences and similarities | Battle of the Five Armies | first impressions | uneasy allies

Happy creating! Don't forget to tag us in your posts so we can add them to our queue for reblogging!

FAQ | AO3 Collection

[bi-widower-dads]

bi-widower-dads' February Fic Recs: Canon

Thank you to everyone who submitted recs for us! We've done some sorting and collating, and we've got two posts for you: AUs and Canon-'verse - and a whole load of excellent fic for you to get stuck into while we wait for Barduil Month in April! Without further ado, here are the canon fic recs, featuring tags, links, summaries, and all the reasons why the recommenders think you should give these fics a try!

Header image by mod @piyo-13!

(a note about tags and trigger warnings: tags are selected from those on AO3 as being those that best describe the story for the purposes of this event; trigger warnings are supplied by the recommenders and may not be comprehensive - your mileage may vary. We've tried our best to include Tumblr handles wherever we can, but if we've missed yours out and you want it included, just let us know!)

One-shots

Scenes From a Not-So-Clandestine Romance by MasterofAllImagination / @cutlerbeckettt | G | 3258 words | tags: 5+1 things, so much fluff it's sickening, seriously don't even read this

Summary: As the relationship between Bard and Thranduil grows beyond merely that of two allies, they become proportionately blind to how obvious their displays of affection are to their people. Pretty soon their feelings are an open secret shared among everyone in Mirkwood and Dale-- except the kings themselves. (or, five times someone caught Bard and Thranduil secretly kissing, and the one time they did it in public) What do you love about this fic? The author's completely correct that this is just So Much Fluff. It's great, it's cozy, it's a palate cleanser that makes you go "aww" and giggle a little at how oblivious they are.

We'll lay here for years or for hours by bispecimen | M | 5000 words | tags: canon divergence, different first meeting, animal death, hunting, could be considered canon compliant since it still works w future events, dilf vs dilf parenting techniques, canon-typical violence

Summary: "The leaves were rolling, green and healthy. Swirling around the legs of the Bowman as if they were about to bring some magical creature in his presence. But Bard didn’t feel like anything good was about to be brought in front of his eyes. The stillness of the air was suffused with something nocive. This part was forbidden for a reason. The deeper he went, the longer he stayed. He knew, he knew that." What do you love about this fic? Am possibly biased because I did the art for this, but lovely and lyrical!

but the sun is eclipsed by the moon by RC_McLachlan | G | 5288 words | tags: none

Summary: The Battle of the Five Armies threatened to unmake the world, but The Negotiations of the Three Kings might actually succeed. Or, a short lesson on the lifecycle of dandelions. What do you love about this fic? Great writer I've followed for a long time!

more than words can wield the matter by BiSquared / @scary-grace | M | 5422 words | tags: cultural differences, love letters, miscommunication, accidental marriage, getting together, laws and customs of the eldar are somewhat followed, POV Bard the Bowman, post-BotFA, as canon-compliant as barduil gets

Summary: It might be uncommon, but Bard knows it’s not unheard of for humans to share a single night of passion and part ways in the morning – or if not to part ways, then at least never to meet as lovers again. Apparently it’s unheard of among elves, because the first letter that arrives from Mirkwood, two weeks after the elves’ departure for their forest, is significantly less businesslike than expected. What do you love about this fic? The premise is funny enough that it could have come across as crack, but it creates actual narrative tension and a satisfactorily cathartic ending.

The Well-Worn Path of Words by Ias | T | 10,725 words | tags: letters, slow burn, pining, miscommunication, love confessions, epistolary

Summary: It wasn't so strange that Thranduil would call him a friend. And yet the word seemed to draw them closer like a length of string, binding them together, yet still so fragile. [In which Thranduil and Bard begin writing each other letters over the long winter after the battle.] What do you love about this fic? Fantastic epistolary fic from a great Barduil author!

Multi-chapter (in progress)

Language of the Forest by BaccaratBlack | T | 1,095 words | tags: victorian flower language, sort of unrequited feelings, cultural differences, cultural misunderstandings, courtship, secret admirer

Summary: Bard is perplexed by elven courtship rituals. Thranduil is very determined and unaccustomed to not having his way. What do you love about this fic? Who doesn't like a fic with the themes of courtship, flowers and a "secret" admirer?

Multi-chapter (complete)

A Tale of Love and Longing (as told by Galion) by jotunblood | T | 39,288 words | tags: courtship, secret relationship, developing relationship, sexual tension, light angst, post-BotFA, slow burn, Galion POV, Galion is a good friend

Summary: Galion knew all the almost imperceptible ways joy, anguish, and hate could change his King’s face. He also knew-- Thranduil’s denial be damned-- exactly how he looked when he was pining. What do you love about this fic? We see Thranduil's and Bard's relationship develop through Galion's POV and he's the best BFF/Wing Man a King could ask for.

Blossoming Spring by SlytherinImpala | T | 56,210 words | tags: fluff, post-BotFA, snark, slow burn, healing, friends to lovers, scars, movie canon, first kiss, getting together

Summary: Bard and Thranduil meet again as winter gives way to spring following of the Battle of Five Armies. What do you love about this fic? I love the gentle snarkiness between the 2 characters and how they slowly learn to open up to one another. They feel very in character and when they fall in love it doesn't feel abrupt. Definitely worth a read if you love a gentle Barduil slowburn.

Series

The Kings of the North by Evandar | T | 14,240 words | tags: partial fix-it, interspecies romance, fluff, blind thranduil, self-esteem issues, communication

Summary: There is unease in the north, as old alliances must be rebuilt and leadership learned. Bard is confused, mostly by King Thranduil, and King Fili is determined to be the best king he can be. Sigrid, meanwhile, wishes things could go back to the way they were. What do you love about this fic? This was one of the first series I ever read for barduil and definitely played a huge role in getting me into the ship in the first place!

Boundaries 'Verse by Sir_Nemo | T | 30,967 words | tags: fluff, getting to know each other, getting together, family bonding

Summary: Bard has been working for the elves for years, never actually meeting one, until one day he notices an elf watching him work. The elf becomes a constant in his life, and the two of them slowly start warming up to each other. What do you love about this fic? Bard and Thranduil's personalities really shine through in their conversations, which I feel is a core component of the plot, and makes for a very stable relationship that the story can lean on.

[bi-widower-dads]

Barduil Month 2024 Week 3, Monday 15-Sunday 21 April: Established Relationship

Here we are in week 3 of Barduil Month 2024! This week's prompts are:

blended family | anniversaries | parties, festivals and holidays | downtime, time to relax, days off | family traditions

Happy creating! Don't forget to tag us in your posts so we can add them to our queue for reblogging!

FAQ | AO3 Collection

[bi-widower-dads]

Barduil Month 2024 Week 4, Monday 22-Sunday 28 April: Endings (happy or otherwise)

It's our final week! Here are the prompts for this one:

happily ever after | loss and grief | hope and despair | reunions and reincarnation | memories

Happy creating! Don't forget to tag us in your posts so we can add them to our queue for reblogging!

FAQ | AO3 Collection

[bi-widower-dads]

Barduil Month is back for another round!

This year we're running four themed weeks in April, each with a set of five prompts, and we'll be posting the prompts in the next couple of days. In the meantime, please see our updated FAQs and get ready to flail about our lovely bi widower dads all over again!

[bi-widower-dads]

Barduil Month 2024 Week 2, Monday 8-Sunday 14 April: Getting Together

It's Week 2 of Barduil Month! This week's prompts are:

overcoming differences | finding common ground | diplomatic incidents | first date | introducing the family

Happy creating! Don't forget to tag us in your posts so we can add them to our queue for reblogging!

FAQ | AO3 Collection

[redeemer46]

The Lives They Have Created - Reedemer46 - TOLKIEN J. R. R. - Works & Related Fandoms [Archive of Our Own]

@bi-widower-dads It's quite an honor, honestly, to post something where the TRULY greatest Barduil authors are. So, I humbly contribute...this.

[redeemer46]

The Lives They Have Consummated - Reedemer46 - TOLKIEN J. R. R. - Works & Related Fandoms [Archive of Our Own]

@bi-widower-dads My final offering for Barduil Month 2024. I hope you you enjoy.