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gatheringfiki · 10 months ago

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The following ficlet was written by @miaulady based on this photoset.

Fili/Kili, Rating TBC

You might also be able to read this story on AO3.

If you’ve enjoyed this story, please leave a comment either in replies or on AO3. :)

An arrow, a ring and a dance is all it takes

---

A nightmare had been announced to him. A nightmare of three evenings without a break in between. Which meant it was going to be an ongoing nightmare.

“What did I do, Amad? What did I do to upset him so?” Kili groaned in his misery.

“It isn’t that bad,” his mother continued on with her stitching, ignoring his dramatic pose on the couch. “And you are in the right age now to look for a partner.”

He grimaced. Not that he didn’t want to be married. But he really didn’t think that one ball going three evenings long would be helpful for him to find a partner. Not when every single dwarf around his age and available had been invited. Of course the will to bear children (not bound to gender for dwarves as it was for humans) was expected, after all Kili was the prince and so at least one child was part of his future. It didn’t change that it just wasn’t possible to sort through them all and fall in love that quick, no matter what his mother claimed about their family always knowing at the first look. Something about the Durin blood in them. Kili didn’t put much believe to these words.

“He could have just told me to look about myself. Keep an eye open, you know?”

“In the elven wood? Kili, really.”

“Ahha!” Kili sat up. “I knew it. I knew I upset him somehow. That was it, wasn’t it? All I did was go on a hunt with them. Good way to keep our fragile friendship with them stable.”

“No one said that your work with the Mirkwood-”

“Greenwood,” he corrected her automatically.“Greenwood, isn’t praise worthy. But your uncle thinks and I must agree, that you are spending too much time there. Our people might think that you don’t want to be king.”

“Uncle Thorin is going to be King for a long time. There is no need to rush anything. Least of all a the birth of a child.”

“Kili,” she threw him a heavy glance. “You know that that isn’t what this is about.”

“Feels like it,” he grumbled and stood up. “Come, take a look at your prince as if he is a price winning stallion!”

“Kili!” she gasped loudly.

“Don’t bother. I am leaving to take a walk anyway,” he slammed the door shut behind him.

——-

“And?” Thorin sat down next to his sister, who was apparently trying to murder her stitching work.

“He is upset.”“How upset?”

“He said he is a price winning stallion,” she rammed the needle through the cloth and almost ripped it apart. “And then he left for a walk.”

Thorin sighed deeply and leaned back.“You should have gone about it differently,” she snapped at him. “You know how it felt for you when father did a similar thing to you.”“That was completely different!”

“Not really. I just hope it will go differently than yours. Most of the guests left crying and it took months for Balin to fix the bridges you burned. But the chances are slim. Kili is so much like you.”

“He is nothing like me!” Thorin at least hoped Kili wasn’t. For everyones sanity.“In all the parts that matter, he is,” she grumbled and stabbed her cloth again. “I bet he is hunting as we speak. Just like you were.”

——-

Fili liked to be in the outer edges of Mirkwood.

No dwarfs came here and that meant he could rest for a few minutes without being called lazy or his name being yelled through the house for some odd job.

He listened to the trees rustle in the breeze and the birds singing. Here it was peaceful.

An arrow thunked into the tree trunk he was sitting against, right next to his head and interrupted the harmony.

Fili turned his head slowly and starred at it.

Who the fuck was shooting at people who just wanted to take short nap?

He grabbed the arrow and carefully pulled it out of the bark. The length and the feathers at it’s end proved it to be a dwarven arrow and not an elven one.

Well, who ever had shot that arrow would get a piece of his mind.

When he stood up and walked into the direction of where it had to have come from he heard voices.

“No, I swear, it is horrible.”

“I think it sounds fun.”“That is because you like dancing and such big feasts. Which I understand. Your feasts are wonderful. Very elegant and fun and yet still very … let’s say manageable. This will be like the worst mass of chaos you will have ever seen.”It was an odd pair he discovered. A young dwarf, in hunting garp. And a tall elven woman in the usual uniform of the soldiers from Mirkwood.

His approach wasn’t noticed until he held the affronting arrow under the dwarfs nose.

“What have I done to deserve your ire?” he asked.

Brown eyes stared at him in surprise and maybe shock.

“What?”

“You shot at me. Why?”

“I didn’t shoot at you!”

“In that case,” Fili put the arrow back in the quiver of the hunter. “You are a terrible hunter.”

A snort came from the Elven woman and the dwarf’s mouth opened and closed in disbelief.

“I am not a bad hunter,” he settled on. “I am one of the best.”“Mmh,” Fili hummed and pursed his lips. Well, he might not get a nap in but he could have some fun here. “If this is the best,” he paused at the moment to look the hunter up and down. “Every deer in this wood breathes out in relief and thanks you for your hard work.”

He could hear how the other one clenched his teeth.

“I did not shoot at you,” the hunter repeated. “And I never miss my mark.”

“You hunt trees?” Fili raised his eyebrows. “In that case, I applaud your skill.”

“No!”

“So you were shooting without looking? Because you hit a tree. Either way you are not a good shot.”

“Bastard,” came the hissed reply.

It was so easy to rile this one up.

“How did you know?” Fili asked surprised, trying not to laugh at the shocked face. Ah, but making the proud archer believe he had just made blunder, was hilarious. He could feel the corner of his mouth twitch.

“You are making fun of me!” The archer called out and the elf next to him started to laugh, her head turning towards the sky.

“You are making it very easy,” Fili grinned and patted the hunters shoulder. “If you do shot again in this area, could you aim at me? That way I can live knowing I am save from your arrows. Just like the deer.”

An angry red blush formed on the archer cheeks and Fili decided to stop at this point. He had gotten a punishment and would probably never shoot without looking again.

“Point and I will shot.”

“What?” Fili asked surprised.“Point and I will shoot,” the hunter repeated, determination written on his face. “You pick a target and I will shoot it. For the sake of argument, let’s say you pick three targets, each one harder. And when I hit them all, you admit I am a good shot.”Fili blinked a bit confused and then shrugged. Alright, if he needed some sort of moment of success to recover his pride, Fili would not begrudge him.

“And if you do not hit them all?” The elf asked with mirth in her voice. “What does our friend get for his trouble?”

“Then,” the hunter said. “I will give him the ring I won in the last hunt.”“And apologize for the arrow,” Fili added, because why not. The dwarf had to be a good archer when he was allowed to be in the woods alone and only with one escort from the elven Guards.

“Fine with me.”

“Good,” the elf nodded. “That sounds like a fair gamble. First target, Master Dwarf.”

Fili looked around, trying to fulfil the demands of the bet. He had to pick three in total. Each one more difficult. It was just that Fili didn’t know much about archery, he had always preferred close combat.

He pointed at the direction he had come from.

“The fallen tree trunk?” the hunter snorted. “Make it harder.”

“I meant, the Mushroom growing crooked on it,” Fili smiled.

“The small one with the broken off right next to it?”

“The same.”

The hunter nodded and knocked an arrow. Not the one that had almost hit him, Fili noted.

The arrow was let go, flew and a mushroom was successfully killed.

“First hit,” the elf said. “Next target.”

Fili looked around again, this time the other direction and found a target quickly. He pointed up and the hunter followed his finger.“The birds nest?” he guessed and Fili nodded.

“It is empty in this time of year, so don’t worry about that.” And should be further away so the aiming would be harder than with the mushroom.

“How kind of you, Master Dwarf,” the elf said just as another arrow flew through the air. And a second later an empty birds nest fell to the ground.

“Second hit. Last one,” the hunter smiled. “What do you got?”

He looked around, trying to find something. What he noticed that the sun had reached the point where he had to head back if he wanted to avoid getting in trouble. This had to be finished fast.

“Over there,” he decided on a whim. “The acorn. Shoot that and I will admit defeat.”

The elf hummed, “Trully a challenge.”

Mahal, damn it, Fili thought, hopefully he could just tell the hunter he was a good archer and leave without a fuss. That way he would make it in time.

This time the aiming was done more carefully and took longer. When the arrow flew, Fili prayed it would hit.

“Missed,” the elf said. “You lost.”

“I did,” the hunter said. “I am sorry for my bad shooting and the arrow that almost hit you.” He turned to look at Fili and bowed rather stiffly.

“It’s fine,” Fili waved him off. He was not comfortable with people bowing to him. It always made him feel awkward and somehow guilty. Luckily it didn’t happen anymore on a normal day. “I am sure you didn’t mean it.”

The hunter handed his bow to the elf and pulled a silver ring from his finger, offering it to Fili.

Fili must have stared at it as if it was a poisonous spider because the hunter said: “You won. And I said I would give you this ring. It is yours.”

Fili took a step back, waving his hands in denial.

“No,” he said. “I- That- I am very pleased with the apology. That is enough.”

“I gave my word,” the hunter followed him and grabbed his left hand. “And I keep my word.”

The ring was put very gentle on his hand and there it glittered cheerfully, as if laughing at him. Fili could feel the soft leather of the glove and through it the warmth of the hunter. It felt right, his hand in the hunters. As if it belonged there.

He pulled it out of the soft hold.

The hunter frowned and opened his mouth but a commotion behind him, pulled his attention. Fili could see that it was King Thranduil on his elk, looking like out of a children’s story where the warning was to not enter the woods because of the beautiful but very deadly King there.

“King Thranduil,” the hunter said and bowed.

Fili used the opportunity that no one payed him any mind and he slipped away.

——–

Kili huffed and pulled at the fancy blue jacket again. It was too tight around his neck.

“Stop that,” his mother hit his hand and arranged the collar again the way she wanted it. “You look very handsome.”

Kili hummed but didn’t go into an answer. His mind was thinking about the blonde dwarf from yesterday.

He had just vanished when Killi had turned his back for five seconds. And Tauriel admitted to not having noticed him leaving either.

And now he had a problem. He had no name, no way to know if this dwarf even lived in Erebor or was a traveller and if they would meet again.

The words “-don’t you agree?” cut through his busy mind and rang the alarm bell that his mother wanted an answer. He tried to get his ears to replay the last minute or so. Something about the ball that would soon start and … dancing?

“Sure,” he nodded, hoping it would suffice.“Where is your head?” she put her hand on his head and patted some of the escaping hairs back down. “You just agreed to dance your shoes through each night.”

Normally he would have scrunched his nose up in disgust but his mind pulled a scene up where Kili was dancing with the blonde dwarf, and dancing through the night with him didn’t sound like a punishment but like a lot of fun.

“With the right person,” Kili shrugged quickly, trying to overplay the abnormal behaviour of his.

His mother’s mouth was hanging open, gawping at him.

“Where is this change of mind coming from? What happened on your,” she coughed. “Walk?”

“Nothing.” That had been to quick given. He flinched inwardly as he saw her eyebrows raise in doubt.

“Pull that with your uncle, it might work, but not me, your mother.”

“Just,” he pulled at his collar again and his hand was slapped away again as well. “Just met someone, that is all.”

“Who?”

“I don’t know,” he mumbled and plucked at his sleeves. The ornamentation was excessive in his eyes. He would feel more comfortable in his hunting outfit but that would not do on a ball, not for the Prince of Erebor.

The only thing that could give him a lead to finding the blonde were his clothes. Kili could see that they were off good work, sturdy and thick, but had seen some years already. There had been stitches at certain places and it was clear the clothes were taken care off religiously. So not someone who could buy a good jacket every year.

Kili sighed, that wasn’t much to go on. Erebor was huge and many dwarfs had started to spend less money.

“Chin up,” his mother laughed. “Remember, everyone is invited. Find your mystery person you are so eager to dance with through the night. And then introduce them to me! I want to see who holds your heart.”“Holds my heart?” Kili laughed. “Isn’t that a bit early?”“Do they not?” His smiled cheekly at him. “I told you, we Durin’s know when we see our Amral, our heart.”

Kili nodded as he always did at that. This time he didn’t think that his mother was just a romantic but that there might be something to it.

He had to find the blonde. And he had three nights for it. Should be possible, not many dwarfs were blonde and even less would dare tell him that he was a bad shot.

——-

Fili put his hands on his hips, stared at the kitchen and let out a long deep breath.

Of course, he was stuck with scrubbing the pots and pans and what not while the others got to go on the ball.

He hated his step mother Runa and wondered for the uptenth time why his father had remarried, and why he then seemed to have fully forgotten Fili’s existence as his son. Grief and Runa’s words in combination had transformed his father into a different person.

Fili started to organise the pile of dirty dishes. Some, he noticed, not even from their own household. Runa had probably volunteered to help out for the royal ball and the preparations of the food. She would go on the ball, with Ulmo and Senica (already married but she wouldn’t miss a party for the world) and father would trail behind, his purse ready to pay for anything and everything, get the thanks for helping out and the wonderful work over the days, while Fili stayed back and did the work for her.

One big pot would function as a wash basin and collection place for all the cooking utensils. On the right counter where dirty pans and on the ground all the dirty pots. On the left counter he could place the cleaned up versions.

The front door was pulled shut upstairs and Fili was now fully alone.

He froze in the middle of turning on the water, staring at his hand.

The silver ring glinting on it. Shit. He had forgotten it was even there. Had any of them seen it? They couldn’t have, none of them would have let him keep something that was so visibly precious. He had been lucky to keep his old clothes and payed close attention that he wouldn’t need new ones anytime soon. How much money was on his right hand, he wondered. It was a a very subtle silver ring, a bundle of three arrows engraved in it, each different in length. Maybe a way to show that the owner had bested all dwarven, human and elven archers. The hunter had said he won the ring in the last hunt. He hadn’t looked like a noble and rich person (in Erebor these could be used as synonyms). But Fili heard that some people where so high up that they could afford to look like Fili.

The door to the kitchen banged open and Fili turned in shock, watching as and old human man walked down the stairs.

“Uhm,” Fili said. “Can I help you?” He took a step forward, ring forgotten and wondering how this old guy had come down here.

The man only looked up when he had reached the bottom of the stairs and then looked at Fili.

Thick, bushy eyebrows, just as grey as the mantle he wore, and light grey eyes that stared into his soul.

“I must have gotten lost,” the man said and smiled. “I am not as young as I once was.”

Fili pulled his stool he kept in the corner over.

“Take a seat, you look exhausted.”

“Thank you,” the man nodded and sunk down on the small stool. For Fili it had the right height for peeling potatoes and resting his feet. For the human it was comically tiny, his knees almost to his shoulders.

“You are in the living quarters,” Fili said and turned the water on to finally start scrubbing. “In a private home, actually. Where did you want to go?”

“I just wanted to take a look around. Everything is in high spirits and decorated to the nines.”

Fili nodded and decided that he should do a bit more than just give the old man a stool. He checked the cupboards and found one of the old tin mugs.“Tea?” he asked over the shoulder, already preparing one anyway.

“If it is no bother.”“Not more than I already have to do,” he gestured at the pile of dirty dishes. “A cup more won’t be my death.”

“Why is everyone so excited, do you know?”

“You don’t?” Fili stared surprised at the old man. “It is the three night ball that the King is throwing. Preparations have been going on for months.” And he had seen his father pay ungodly amounts for dresses, jewellery and professional hair dressers. Nothing else but the most expensive would do.

“Really?” hummed the old man. “And I guess these are what is left of preparation?”

“Meals have to be cooked and prepared.” Fili poured the boiling water into the mug and watched the tealeavess dance. “And when you cook there is the clean up to be done.”

“Right. But you are not in the royal kitchens here.”

“The household volunteered to help the kitchens out,” he handed the mug to the man. “Peppermint, I have nothing else.”

“It will do plenty,” the man nodded at him. “And you are the household by yourself or why are alone?”

Fili shrugged and turned off the water that was starting to run out of the pot in the basin.

“I got stuck with it. That is all.”

“So you are not going to the ball then, my boy?”

“Right,” Fili snorted. “Like this?” He gestured at his outfit. Brown pants and a grey lose shirt. “I would be the fairest of them all.”

“Surely you have some other outfit.”

“Only one for when I have to go outside. And why should I go anyway?”

“Because you want to.”

The statement surprised Fili. He wanted to go to the ball?

“Do I?” he asked and stared at the man. “That is news to me.”

“Come now,” the man took a sip of his tea and scooted closer. “You thought of it.”

“Thought, yes,” Fili heard himself admit. “But, it isn’t going to happen. So why dwell on it? And who would do all this work?” he gestured at the kitchen.

“Oh, don’t worry about that,” the man waved him off and drank again. “You worry about what you would like to wear to meet your huntsman. Tell me, what do you imagine?”

Fili laughed freely at that, it was rather nice of the man to keep him company and to play this game. Only a small part in the back of his mind wondered how the old man knew of the hunter and how he had never been far from Fili’s mind.

“How about,” he thought for a moment. “a dark blue jacket with silver accents?”

“Silver,” the man hummed nodded and closed his eyes. “Good shoes, of course.”

“Of course,” Fili agreed. “Wouldn’t want to get cold feet.”

The old man snorted in good humour, “Surely, a concern to keep in mind.”

“A slim waist. Mother always said I had hips others would kill for.”

——–

Kili was going through the crowd, smilling and nodding and smiling some more.

He had met tons of people, shakes hands and said empty pleasantries. But no blonde cheeky dwarf had been under them.

The first night was already in full swing, Kili trying to avoid the many people who wanted a dance with the prince of Erebor, from the line of Durin.

And then he saw him. The blonde dwarf. From the wood. It had to be. But he looked so different. In the wood he had looked and acted confident, like he belonged there and nothing and no one could tell him what to do. Now Kili saw him pluck at the sleeves with a silver trim, selfconscious, and look around unsure of where to go. The way he eyed the big doors leading back out was oddly similar to the way a drinking man viewed the shore. Kili would not let him leave, not yet when he had found him.

“I do hope you are enjoying the ball,” he stepped right into his way, blocking the door. “I would not have a guest leave displeased.”“You??” Blue eyes wide with surprise stared at him.

“Why are you the one surprised? The prince at the royal ball isn’t very unusual.”“You are the Prince?” The question was asked with such shock that it stunned Kili as well for a moment. Everyone knew the line of Durin and how they looked. It was very rare to find a dwarf that did not recognise him from the royal blood he was born in.“Wait. You didn’t know?” he took his arm, stopping the blonde from backing away and leaving again.

“Of course not. I wouldn’t have-” his mouth fell shut with a click and he pointedly stared past Kili. He wouldn’t have done what?

“Yes?”

“Nevermind. Your ball is wonderfull, your highness.” He was still not looking directly at Kili but at something slightly above his left shoulder. And the answer was short and clipped.

“No, no,” Kili chuckled. “What would you have done differently?” Would he have fawned like all the others and now didn’t know how to rectify the situation?

“You really want to know?” Now he finally was looked at again and there it was back. Kili saw it in the eyes, the way they twinkled, just like in the woods. But this time with a certain burning character. A challenge had been offered.

“Oh, but I do,” Kili almost sneered. Hating that the blonde was falling like all the others and yet he couldn’t stop wanting to have him right here, with him.“This,” hissed the blonde and turned away sharply and, there was no better way to say it, stomped away.

Kili grinned at the back with the swinging blonde hair. From here it catched the candle light just right and made the hair shine like gold.

And then the worst thing happened. Just as Kili wanted to follow the golden haired beauty, he was stopped by a dark haired woman bowing deeply to him and introducing his two children.

When he had finally freed himself from them, the blonde was gone.

And once more, Kili had no name.

———-

Fili closed the door behind him and hurried to the kitchen.

No way, no way!

He opened the door and went down the stairs, “I am never going there again.”

The old man looked up, his arms elbow deep in the soap water. Most of the dishes sparkling clean on the left counter.

“What ever are you talking about?”

“You,” Fili pointed at him accusingly. “You with your,” he stopped and gestured at his new outfit. “Magic hands. Not that I don’t appreciat your help,” he added quickly. “You did an amazing job with these pots.” Fili picked one up he remembered had burned fat in it. Nothing of that showed, it was gleaming.

“Thank you, an olf friend of mine showed me a trick or two.”

“You have magic,” Fili put the pot down. “Why don’t you just do the” He copied the flimsy hand gesture the man had did before to change Fili’s clothes without any warning earlier that night. “thing and be done with it.”

“Ah, well,” the man coughed slightly. “It is a bit awkward but…”

Fili felt something change on him. The clothes, that had just seconds earlier, hugged him like a glove, were now lose on him again. When he looked down, he was wearing his old clothes.

“It is only for a certain amount of time?”

“Three o’clock, precisely.”

“You couldn’t have told me that before sending me off?!”“There was no time left to lose,” the man dried his hands off and grinned at Fili. “It was almost midnight already when you finally agreed to head out in it.”

“I had my reasons,” Fili crossed his arms. And now he had one more reason to add.

The hunter was the prince. He wanted to die, sink into the earth Mahal had created him from and never return.

“Right,” the old man took his place on the stool again, together with the sill steaming mug of peppermint tea (magic again, Fili thought) and then he gestured at the few remaining dishes. “I would start if I were you.”Fili grumbled and before he plunged his hands into the soap water, he remembered to take off the silver ring and placed it in his pocket.

“Now,” the old man sighed deeply. “For whatever reason should you not return there tomorrow night?”

“I can’t.”

“Let’s say you can. For the sake of argument.”“He is the prince,” Fili glared at the man. The intimidating effect was probably lessened immensely by the bubbles climbing up his arms. “He is the prince and I am - This.”

“A son of a Lord.”

“Now,” Fili grabbed a pot and started to scrub it, imagining it to be the old mans face. “How would you come to that stupid conclusion?”“I knew your lovely mother, the Lady Adelina.”

Fili stopped and looked at the man in surprise.

“You did?” his voice was so quiet he might as well not have spoken.”“Wonderful woman,” the man lifted his tea. “Always helpful and kind. Her laugh was a bit clunky but who cares about that when it is a true one.”

Fili looked down at the pot.

“She was wonderful,” he agreed.

“And she left a wonderful son,” the man said. “Now, why should it stop you from going to the ball just because your hunter is a prince?”

Fili shook his head and started to scrub again.

“A huntsman I could see myself with. A prince?” he scoffed. “A Prince doesn’t marry the scullery boy.”

——–

“And remember to dust the books,” his stepmother Runa said fixing the overlay of her skirts. “The prince talked with Ulmo yesterday and we have high hopes.”

More like high expectations, Fili thought, but nodded dutifully. The lists of tasks for the night was already three hours long.

“And the dishes from the royal kitchen should arrive in a few minutes.”

Wonderful, he would not get any rest at all. But that also meant he had no time to think about the hunter who was the prince. Or was it the other way around?

“Ah, Ulmo!” she clasped her hands in delight. “What a picture, I just knew orange is your colour. And it will go so nice with the dark blue of the royal family.”

Fili grimaced and quickly tidied his face back to neutral. But it was too late, she had seen it and the slap rang through the room.

“Into the kitchen with you,” she hissed at him. “And don’t you dare leave a spot on those dishes. I want them all cleaned and polished.”

“And polished,” echoed Ulmo with a snigger.

Fili closed the door of the kitchen and sank down on the stairs, hugging his knees.

Even if he wanted to go again, there was no way to get the tasks done in time.

He thought he had some time to rest, a few minutes to be in this gloom mood, but the kitchen door opened and an avalanche of pots and pans flew through the door and crashed into the kitchen.

If Fili would have not sat on the stairs, going down sideways the wall, but been in his usual place, they would have hit him.

He let several minutes pass by in the silence. But no one came to check if Fili was unhurt or even alive.

His hand wandered to his cheek, it still stung and felt warm. Tears started to form in his eyes and he hated himself for it. Crying wouldn’t change his life or get the work done. And someone had to do it.

He sniffed and wiped his eyes and nose on his shirt.

Right. He had a long list of things to get down through the night before Runa returned and she would punish him if even one was left undone.

He started to sort the pile of dishes and heard the door upstairs close just like the night before.

When Fili had sorted all the dishes he decided to start with the extra tasks Runa had told him about. They would be checked first thing after her return, giving him some precious extra minutes for the dishes.

As he reached the bottom of the stairs, the door to the kitchen opened and the old man smiled down at him.

“Well, my boy, ready for the second night?”

“I have more tasks,” Fili gestured at the kitchen. “Cleaning and dusting upstairs.”

“I can cover it for you again. Do you have ideas for another outfit?”

Fili shrugged, “Do I need a different one? Isn’t it all the same ball just in three nights?”

“A good point, a good point,” the man gestured to him to come upstairs and Fili did. “But might I just suggestion a small change in it?”“What?”“Instead of silver, gold.”“Gold?” Fili asked. “Isn’t that … excessive?”

“Three o’clock and it is all back to the old clothes. Money is not an issue,” the old man reminded him.

“Right. An illusion,” Fili mumbled and picked up the books that had been strewn around for some reason. “I am not going anyway.” But it sounded weak even for him.

Why not go? His life was a nightmare by now and the ball was a welcome escape from it. An illusion of the life he could have had, just like the clothes.

“That was a weak lie.”

Fili started to place the books in the shelf and felt his clothes shift again to the more fitting ones. True to his words, the ornamentation was no longer silver but gold. And it looked very subtle and reserved.

Apparently it was settled that he would go to the second night of the ball.

———–

Kili stretched his head to see over the heads, trying to spot the golden hair again. He had been here last night, surely he would come again.

“Stretch anymore and you can join the snakebirds at the lake.”

Kili turned his head slowly at the voice. He knew who it belonged to.

“Hello, again,” he grinned. “I see you returned.”

“I did,” came the quiet reply. “What is it you wish of me?”

“Wish of you?” Kili shook his head. “Nothing. Except your company. Any maybe a dance. Or two.”

“I am afraid my talent in dancing is as good as your archery.”

“So we dance two dances perfectly and just not do the third one,” Kil took the blonde’s hand and pulled him to the dance floor. People cleared the way for them, each one looking at the first partner Kili had chosen for a dance in curiosity and envy.

“Wait,” the blonde hissed behind him. “I really don’t know how to-”

“I will lead,” Kili turned and pulled the blonde close. “All you have to do is follow along. Which might be a challenge for someone so pig headed as you are.” He flinched as a foot stomped down on his.“My point still stands,” Kili laughed and then listened to the music to find the right rhythm.

He moved them both over the dance floor and the blonde followed each of his movements, almost docile. He could feel the uncertainty and the tension in the way he was holding himself.

“Relax, it is just me.”

“Says the prince,” mumbled the blonde and shook his head right afterwards. “Let’s not think of that, okay?”

“You brought it up,” Kili pointed out and saw his mother smiling widely next to his uncle, who was looking at them with a frown. “But yes,” he agreed, remembering his promise that he would introduce his mother to the blonde. “Let’s not talk about it.”

“Right.”

Kili twirled him, watched the way his hair moved and pulled him close again. He had never had so much fun while dancing. Even the occasional times where his feet were stepped upon was not putting a damper on his mood. The quiet and cute “Sorry”s that followed each time were actually improving the whole experience.

When the first dance ended, he lead the blonde to the side, where his mother was already waiting. The tension that had slowly left the blonde during dancing was there again in a second, worse than before.

“Mother,” Kili smiled. “If I may introduce you to…” he looked at the blonde who was blinking in shock at Dis and then in utter disbelief at Kili.

“Your name,” Kili said.

“Kili,” his mother hit him lightly with her fan. “That is hardly proper manners.”

“How is it my fault he never told me his name?”

“You never asked for it,” the blonde said.

“I am asking now,” Kili lifted his eyebrows, hoping it would have the same effect it had on him when his mother did it.

“And I don’t feel like giving it to you. Not yet.” The blonde turned to his mother again and bowed in perfect form. “An honour, Lady Dis. It is a wonderful ball and,” this time a glance was given to Kili. “I am sure all thanks to your organisation.”

“I am the prince and so the host of this ball,” huffed Kili. “Officially, at least.” The ‘Not Yet’ was spooking around in his head, turning round after round of what the reason could be to not reveal his name.

“It is not my fault you do not look nor act like a prince.”“Well, you are certainly not acting like noble either!” He could see his mother smile behind her now opened fan.“I have an excuse, you do not.”

Damn, when the blonde lifted his eyebrows it had the same effect as if his mother did it.

“And that would be?” he snitched back.

“I wasn’t raised right. You, on the other hand, have a lovely mother that is trying her best.” The blonde nodded at his mother.

“Oh, thank you,” she blinked her eyes at the blonde.

“Don’t encourage him, Amad!”

“You are clearly beyond all help. I am amazed that you got this far with him, Lady Dis.”

His mother’s laughter was ringing out like cheerful bells and heads turned to see what was so amusing.

Kili could not decide if it was a good thing that this meeting had happened or not.

“Tell me, Young Dwarf,” his mother put a comforting hand on the blondes arm. “Have we met before? You look so familiar.”

The blonde’s face started to become pale and Kili frowned at the spot on the cheek that was forming.

“We have not, your highness. I never had the pleasure until now.”

That was a handprint, Kili was sure.

“Anyway,” Kili grabbed the blondes hand and turned him so his mother wouldn’t spot it. “You owe me another dance. Two, remember?”

“Only two?” his mother called behind them. “I thought you wanted to dance the night through!”

Kili ignored her and pulled the blonde across the whole room, until he found a corner where few people stood about and shadows were plenty.

“Who hit you?” he pushed the blonde into one of shadows.

“What?” The blonde had looked around and was no focusing again on him.

“There is a handprint on your cheek,” Kili repeated. “Who hit you?”

“No one,” the blonde pushed him away, surprising Kili with his strength. “And if someone did, it is none of your business. I am leaving. You will have to find someone to dance the night through with, your Highness.” The bow was more of a headnod and Kili stared at the retreating back.

He noticed the clock hanging on the wall. It was almost three in the morning.

How had the time passed so fast?

“Wait!” Kili called and tried to follow the blonde but lost him in the end.

————–

Fili hurried down the stairs to the kitchen. His clothes had changed back to normal just as he had turned the first corner.

That had been close. If Kili hadn’t pulled them into that corner, Fili wouldn’t have noticed that his time had run out. Five minutes were far too short of a time to get out of the huge ballroom but he had managed.

“Ah, you have returned,” the old man handed him a sponge. “You can tell me all about tonight, while we finish this up.”

“I can’t go again.”

“How about you start with what happened this night?”

———

“I saw you!” Ulmo poked Fili in his chest. “You went to the ball, you little rat.”

“I did not,” Fili lied. “How could I have gone there and completed all of the tasks at the same time?”

“Who knows,” Ulmo growled. “But I saw you talk with Lady Dis.”

“He did what?” Runa gasped and stepped between them, her eyes glinting at Fili.

He swallowed, damn it.

“I was not there,” he repeated. “And I did not speak to the Lady.”

“I would hope not,” she faned herself with her hand. It was far less elegant then what Lady Dis had done. “Remember, you are a nobody. Just because your mother knew her does not mean anything. She wasn’t much anyway.”

Fili felt anger rise in him. She could run her mouth about him, slap him and pile tasks on him. But his mother was off the table.

“She was more than you could ever become,” he hissed at her. “No matter how much money you spent, you will never reach her.”

The slap echoed through the room and Fili could heard a quiet gasp behind him.

Runa’s eyes became big, “Oh, Oh no,” she said in a soft voice. “My hand slipped.”“Slipped?”

His father, Fili noted. But his mind was becoming blank, fuzzy. He knew this, it was a way for him to cope with his world, with the work and the pain. Don’t think and you get through it.“Slipped? You slapped my son, Runa! And that was clearly not the first time either.”

Fili went to the kitchen door and closed it shut behind him.

The kitchen was his room. And in it, he had some spots where not even Runa could reach into with her grubby hands, trying to erase all of his mother’s memory.

He kneeled down in one of the darkest corner, heard the argument upstairs and ignored it. His father would crumble under Runa, like he had done in the beginning where all this had started. A single slap that he had seen would not change anything, it would only make Runa more careful when he was around and more ruthless when he wasn’t.

Fili pulled one of the stones out of the wall and stuck is hand in the whole, pulling out a small blue box. The key for it was around his neck on a string and he made sure to not let anyone see it. He opened the box and placed the silver ring, that he had still in his pocket, inside with the other small items he had saved over the years. A tiny portray of his mother, one of her hair clamps and a fabric peace of her favourite dress. It was not much and the ring was definitely the most expensive item in the box. But each one had the same worth for Fili. He could not be without any of them. Each one bound to a memory and a dream.

He heard the kitchen door open and quickly covered the box and himself in the dark shadow. He did not want to be seen, his box could not be taken away from him.

Something thudded down the stairs and the door closed again, followed by the bolts snapping shut. He was locked away again in the kitchen, like so many times before.

Filli looked around and only noticed now the many dirty dishes piling on the counter, almost toppling over. He locked the box and pushed it back into the dark hole.

The dream of the ring was over and the dirty reality was back.

—–

Kili was pacing and looking at the crowd that was staring back.

It might have been a mistake to have made the announcement that he had found his love. But he knew, with all that he was, that he could not be without the blonde. It just put them all now in the awkward position that the ball could not continue until Kili’s chosen partner came to his side. And because Kili had no name, it turned into people coming forward and asking if it was them only to be turned away. Some even came more than once, Kili noticed. Especially the dwarf in an orange outfit, with his mother (Kili’s guess was as good as any) hovering over behind him, her hands wringing a tissue.

Kili tried not to sigh as he waved them away again and a young dwarfen woman stepped past them and right up to Kili with a confidence that did not fit into the situation.

“Your highness,” she bowed and Kili could here the mother of the orange dwarf hiss a name but he could hear it. Saneca? Seneca? He did not care.

“It is not you,” he said at her and looked again to the doors.

“I know that,” she smiled and lifted her head slightly, revealing a marriage braid. “My name is Senica, your highness, and I know where your intended is.”

“You do?” Kili stepped forward and helped her out of the bow.

The crowd started to murmur and Kili shouted “No, it is not her, would you people calm down?!”

“I do,” she smiled but her voice was wavering. “His name is Fili. And I am afraid that many wrong things have been done over the years.”

Fili, his name was Fili. What a lovely name! And so similar and close to his own!

Kili looked closely at Senica, something was odd about her. She was not as confident as he had first thought. She was afraid. Not of him but of something.

“Where is he?” Kili asked. “What happened?”

“I-” she started and her eyes were darting around. She wasn’t afraid, she was terrified. “I think it would be best if you brought Captain Dwalin along.”

“At your service, My Lady,” Dwalin appeared out of nowhere.

“Mahal, Dwalin!” Kili cursed. “Don’t do that.” How could someone so decked out in armour and weapons be so silent on his feet?

“I am no Lady,” she said, her eyes cast to the floor. “But I wish to at least right some wrongs.”

“You said that many wrong things have been done over the years.”

“This night worse than any other,” she nodded.

“Worse?” Dwalin said.

“And this has to do with my intended?” Kili asked and again she nodded.

“I can lead you there,” she whispered.

“Your highness,” the woman who had hissed her name earlier stepped to their group, grabbing Senica’s arm. “You have to excuse my daughter. Since her pregancy she has had some … issues, if you understand.”

“I do,” his mothers voice rang out behind him loud, clear and cold as ice. “I do understand, Lady Runa, that you are terrifying her. Let go of her, this instance.”

“Pregnant?” Kili asked her. “Congratulations.”

“Thank you,” came the reply but he barely heard it.

“Let her go,” Dwalin repeated. “Or I will arrest you.”“Arrest me?” Lady Runa asked shocked. “Whatever for?”

“For resisting arrest,” said Dwalin with grim determination.

The hand was removed but with a sour face.

“Come her, good woman,” his mother gestured for Senica to come to her and she did. “Here, have some water. Now, you tell my son and Captain Dwalin where to go, while we two will rest here with everyone else. And where are you going, Lady Runa?” she called out. “I did not dismiss you or your son. You will stay right here, where I can lay my eyes on you.”

A sentence that normally was a compliment turned into a threat in his mothers mouth. Senica seemed to relax at it a bit though. Maybe a terrifying person on your side cancelled out the terrifying person that wasn’t.

Kili stepped over to her and leaned closer, “You can just whisper it. I know Erebor like my childhood room.”

“He is in the kitchen of our house,” she whispered. “It is in the living quarters, third section, number thirteen. And-” she stopped and again the fear entered her eyes and words. “there- He- It- He didn’t do it,” she whispered. “I will swear it in court if you so wish.”

“Do what?” Dis asked but Kili didn’t care.

He had an address!

I am coming, Fili, he thought, Hold on, I am coming!

——–

Fili was kneeling on the floor of the kitchen.

The dirty dishes behind him forgotten, just like the blood soaking through his pants.

He craddled his father in his arms, humming the lullaby his mother sung him when he had been little. He was growing colder and stiffer by the minute.

When Fili had noticed his father, lying limp at the bottom of the stais, his head covered in blood, he had tried to stop the bleeding. Only to find the pulse missing. There was nothing to be done. So he sung softly to him, wishing for once that he would cry but no tears came.

His father had finally noticed what Runa was like, tried to protect Fili for the last time and payed with his life.

The door snapped open and someone rushed down the stairs. Fili didn’t care. He knew the way it looked, he would be blamed for the murder and if he wasn’t Runa would turn it on him in one way or another.

“Well, we know what she meant when she said he didn’t do it. Ow!”

“Tact, Dwalin, you always lack it.”

He knew the last voice.

Fili looked up and into the face of Kili, standing on the stairs to the kitchen, a bigger dwarf behind him.

“You found me,” Fili whispered. “I don’t think I can dance tonight.”

“Of course not,” Kili jumped the last steps and kneeled next to him. “What happened?”

“I don’t know. I came in here to be alone. I did hear the door ope, something falling down and then close again. I only noticed Adad later in passing.” Fili saw Kili reach for his hands and felt their warmth when they covered his.

“I am so sorry.”

“I shouldn’t have gone to the ball,” Fili could feel the tears coming forward. “It made her angry. And I know how she is when she is angry. But,” at this point the tears were falling down his face and onto his father. “I couldn’t not go. I wanted to see you, talk with you. And I didn’t think, that–” he sobbed and pulled his father closer. “I didn’t think.”

“Dwalin?”“Yes, Sir?”

“Arrest Lady Runa for murder.”

“Gladly, Sir.”

The footsteps went up the stairs and away.

“Come, Fili.” Kili went through his hair. “Let us carry him upstairs.”

“You know my name?”

“Senica came forward,” Kili smiled. “It is a wonderful name.”“Father picked it,” Fili sniffed. “Said it would be good luck. Much that did for him.”

“I think,” Kili lifted his father out of his arm. “You made his life better and he loved you. Why else would he have gone against his second wife if not out of his love for the son who brought him luck?”

#submission #Gathering 12 Days 2023 #Fili/Kili #FiKi #Durincest #the Hobbit

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leagueofdccm · 5 months ago

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negan & maggie - ultimate ship meme

ULTIMATE SHIP MEME! || @nghtmarish

General:

How long will they last? - as i always say, for our ships forever

How quickly did/will they fall in love? - honestly. i know this version of (your)negan x (my)maggie is different from (my)negan x (your)maggie, which i think it's great cause it's like different versions of how they fell in love. or the relationship started & such. def didn't fall in love right away. the issues between them are a huge part of why, but I think the hate/the tension that clouds around them is too heavy for them to ignore. all that hate maggie has for negan. enemies to lovers on the real deal. cause while she spends a lot of time hating him, trying to kill him- we know that just ends in hate sex, fucking the hate out as the kids say. LMAO. but also what's our biggest enemy? the heart. because the way it would piss maggie off with the way her heart would ache for him. omfg. when she finally understands her feelings for HIM. that she loves this killer ? -- she's gonna avoid him like the plague LMAO.

How was their first kiss? - hot and heavy, teeth and all when. like no room to breath.

Wedding:

Who proposed? - negan def, cause i feel like he's one to say fuck it ! like yolo up in here and is always more daring.

Who is the best man/men? - gabe maybe cause lbr lmao.. carol ? AHHA !

Who is the braid’s maid(s)? - rosita !!!! our boo thang !

Who did the most planning? - maggie, does she get negan involved though ? yes, cause she wants it to be something they BOTH want. not just hers. also it's all new to her, so it's nice to have help.

Who stressed the most? - maggie i think cause from planning, and also negan being a pain in her ass. like MEN. I SWEAR. but also when isn't planning a wedding stressful ?

How fancy was the ceremony? - Back of a pickup truck | 2 | 3 | 4 | Normal Church Wedding | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Kate and William wish they were this big.

Who was specifically not invited to the wedding? - i have no idea !

Sex:

Who is on top? - no doubt negan is top. but lbr if anyone could handle negan in bed, it's maggie. she's just as feisty and daring. I think I imagine these two fighting over dominance.

Who is the one to instigate things? - negan def would be, especially in the beginning ? maggie would try her hardest to ignore him. but that don't work out. But the time she's like, imma give him a taste of his own medicine and instigates it when he's doing something important ? Yes.

How healthy is their sex life? - Barely touch themselves let alone each other | 2 | 3 | 4 | Once a couple weeks, nothing overboard | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | They are humping each other on the couch right now

How kinky are they? - Straight missionary with the lights off | 2 | 3 | 4 | Might try some butt stuff and toys | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Don’t go into the sex dungeon without a horse’s head

How long do they normally last? - a good ass while. all that sex drive !

Do they make sure each person gets an equal amount of orgasms? - of course they would. negan always wants a reason to be cocky. and maggie? i think maggie would want to remind him just on what she can do, and how she does it. and thrives to make him come apart like he makes her come apart.

How rough are they in bed? - Softer than a butterfly on the back of a bunny | 2 | 3 | 4 | The bed’s shaking and squeaking every time | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Their dirty talk is so vulgar it’d make Dwayne Johnson blush. Also, the wall’s so weak it could collapse the next time they do it.

How much cuddling/snuggling do they do? - No touching after sex | 2 | 3 | 4 | A little spooning at night, or on the couch, but not in public | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | They snuggle and kiss more often than a teen couple on their fifth date to a pillow factory.

Children:

How many children will they have naturally? - 1 ( jack ) / and if we do the same in our ( my negan x your maggie verses ) where tilly is also maggie's --- then also 2 ( tilly and jack )

How many children will they adopt? - well, they kinda adopt each other kids in a way. LMAO ! you know. like maggie with tilly, negan with hershel. also if we wanna add ginny. that also.

Who gets stuck with the most diapers? - maggie. but does she force negan to help ? fucking yes she does.

Who is the stricter parent? - maggie gotta be seeing that negan will be a kid along with their kids

Who stops the kid(s) from doing dangerous stunts after school? - maggie omfg. she's gonna go nuts with ALL of them. i imagine her being around when tilly is small and she's like TILLY NO ! and then with jack ( hershel ) lmao maggie gonna have a heart attack.

Who remembers to pack the lunch(es)? - maggie does. she packs one for negan also if he doesn't cook for them.

Who is the more loved parent? - both of them. they are both amazing in their own ways.

Who is more likely to attend the PTA meetings?- maggie. she had negan come with her once, never again.

Who cried the most at graduation? - maggie like a big baby. but lbr negan did too.

Who is more likely to bail the child(ren) out of trouble with the law? - negan cause if maggie knew she'd murder him for it. LMAO.

Cooking:

Who does the most cooking? - i think they take turns tbh. like some days negan does it, some days maggie does. though she prefers the days negan does.

Who is the most picky in their food choice? - neither one of them.

Who does the grocery shopping? - maggie. she's controlling. lmao.

How often do they bake desserts? - not as often but when maggie is in the mood.

Are they more of a meat lover or a salad eater? - maggie loves both meat and salad. negan is more towards eating meat. but he respects the salad from time to time.

Who is more likely to surprise the other(s) with an anniversary dinner? - negan probably would. he can be loving, he can be romantic. and this would be one of those times where he would be.

Who is more likely to suggest going out? - negan or maggie.

Who is more likely to burn the house down accidently while cooking? - distracted during sexy time ? yup.

Chores:

Who cleans the room? - maggie, but damn straight she puts negan to work.

Who is really against chores? - negan cause lbr who isn't ?

Who cleans up after the pets? - negan also, cause maggie says she does more of the house cleaning ( unless it comes to cleaning farm animals- she'll do it )

Who is more likely to sweep everything under the rug? - negan :|

Who stresses the most when guests are coming over? - neither one of them do. they have a handle over it.

Who found a dollar between the couch cushions while cleaning? - Maggie and she definitely puts it in her back pocket.

Misc:

Who takes the longer showers/baths? - maggie loves her baths, negan seems more into shower time- but loves taking baths with maggie. so if they are doing it together- they take a long ass time in the shower/bath -- but separate. i think maggie would take the longest.

Who takes the dog out for a walk? - negan would.

How often do they decorate the room/house for the holidays? - often ! maggie wants all the kids to enjoy the holidays and bring traditions to their house on things she used to do when she was little.

What are their goals for the relationship? - stick together like glue, don't go to bed angry unless hate sex is involved.

Who is most likely to sleep till noon? - neither of them.

Who plays the most pranks? - none. maggie isn't into that. and she'll murder negan LMAO.

#nghtmarish #❤️‍🔥◂Maggie x Negan┊what the heart wants┊nghtmarish #🖤◂Maggie x Negan┊OTP #🗡️◂maggie┊i don't want to be afraid of being alive┊inbox ic #🖤◂mun┊the queue is here┊queue

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