AN: This is for a prompt on the Hobbit Kink Meme, in which Kili gets hit by an arrow and basically suffers. I can't really imagine any of the dwarves dying from just an arrow wound, so I elaborated on it a bit. Also…so many Thorin/Fili/Kili requests. I dunno guys, not sure if I can handle that. It might have to at the very least include Bilbo.
Warnings: Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Incest, Blood
Pairings: Fili/Kili, lightly implied Thorin/Bilbo (if you squint real hard)
Kindred
Kili was running. The goblins were still upon them, and the company was desperately trying to escape. Kili gasped for air, he'd never run so hard in his life and he could feel his lungs burning. In the distance he saw his brother's blonde hair, near Gandalf's pointed hat. He watched Fili's strong back as he led the way, it kept Kili strong as well, it kept Kili running. He desperately pushed himself in an effort to catch up. Too many times had they been separated in this journey, too many times had one of them almost died. Goblins were attacking them from all angles and Kili had long given up on aiming his bow. There were far too many to shoot them down, and it required too much of his focus. He'd settled for knocking many of them aside, or stabbing them quickly with his shorter blades. He was unpracticed with them by comparison, and much of his fighting was clumsy. But still he pushed ahead, and fought with the rest of the company.
He'd breached a corner and looked anxiously ahead to catch sight of his brother again. They were too far from one another. He'd always been a bit annoyed by Fili's overprotective nature, but now, he desperately wanted it, he needed it. He wanted his brother to turn, to come grab him and keep him by his side until they escaped. He scoffed at his childish behaviour. When an arrow whizzed by his head Kili froze in shock. Unfortunately the goblins had the advantage of range, and bows were well within their capability to use. Kili breathed out in relief then quickly grabbed a nearby ladder in defence. He managed to deflect several of the arrows. A shout pulled his attention behind him and suddenly he felt a searing pain in his right shoulder. Time seemed to freeze as Kili felt his flesh tear to accommodate the head and shaft of an arrow in his body. Kili dropped the ladder in shock, tripping slightly and almost falling into the endless pit beside him. A strong hand grabbed at his shirt, dragging him along the rest of the path. Which dwarf it was he couldn't be sure.
Kili burned, his shoulder throbbed, and he felt tears come to his eyes. He could hear voices, yelling all around him but could not make out what they said. His vision blurred and he stumbled, pushed along by what he hoped was a fellow dwarf and not a goblin. Where was his brother? He needed his brother. Kili reached out blindly in front of him but his hand touched nothing. Someone grabbed the back of his jacket and pulled, then he was falling and screaming with terror. When his stomach had settled, only just slightly, Kili struggled to breathe. He couldn't seem to get enough oxygen no matter how hard he tried. Kili startled at the fact that he could no longer feel his left leg, though the wound in his shoulder felt as though it was on fire.
Then it happened, he was crushed beneath a great weight, and his head flew back and hit the ground hard. The arrow in his shoulder shifted in his body, penetrating the tissue deeper. He knew he yelled out. There had been a sickening crack somewhere, which he vaguely hoped hadn't been one of his bones. His vision had cleared slightly, though it was riddled with black spots, and he could see the shaft of the arrow in his chest bent and cracked in the middle. Then he saw them in the distance. Hundreds of goblins, running at them. Was he hallucinating? He stuttered something, he knew not what and soon they were up again, someone gripping at his arm and pulling him from the debris. Kili hobbled after the company, his sight set on Fili again, though it was difficult since he could only feel half his body. And the limbs he could feel didn't seem to be responding properly. He wrenched the broken part of the shaft from its other half in his shoulder, cringing at the pain. He suddenly felt so very weak. But Kili forced his body to move on, to follow, and not fall behind.
Kili felt the hot sun on his skin and almost passed out, but suddenly his brother was there, holding him up and dragging him down a hill. Thank goodness. He wanted to tell his brother, that he wasn't okay, that he needed help, but Fili was watching Thorin, and Kili could not make his lips move in speech. So Kili waited, and he watched, his vision fading in and out. He vaguely remembered the hobbit reuniting with them, then all was lost again as they had started moving once more, running from what, Kili knew not. His brother's hand was strong around his wrist. Kili thought he might throw up, but he forced it down.
He blacked out, and when his sight came back he was in a tree, not sure how he'd managed to get there. He was so disoriented. His brother was next to him, his arm around his waist. And finally Kili was able to look him in the face. Fili's eyes narrowed and he looked at Kili with worry, his hand stroking across his brow.
"Kili, Kili! Are you alright? Your face is so pale, Kili?" Fili hurriedly spoke, trying to lift him further into the tree. Still Kili couldn't force his mouth to move with words. He swallowed, his throat so very dry. He was so thirsty. Fili's attention was quickly drawn towards other things, but he made sure to keep Kili with him. Kili was shaking. Tingles ran up his back, and he felt sweaty everywhere. His right arm hung limply at his side. Kili could hear so much yelling, and he felt his brother hoisting him along with him, but he had no idea what was happening. The clanging of swords rang in his ears and Kili reached to cover one with his left hand. Anything to stop the pain, to stop the ringing in his ears.
A terrible pain lurched through his body and then Kili felt vertigo as he collapsed on the back of a creature. He rolled on his side, barely able to see the sky and wings of the creature he was on. They were flying. That seemed rather impossible, and Kili was sure he must be hallucinating now. He heard his brother yelling for their uncle and suddenly was overcome with incredible nausea. He could hold it down no longer, and he leant over the side of the bird, eagle, whatever it was, and retched. His heart beat fast and loud in his ears, and he brought up even more bile. His brother's arms wrapped around him from behind and held him tight.
"Kili, by Durin, what's happened, what's wrong?" Fili was whispering quickly in his ear and pushing the sticky hair from his face. Kili shook in his embrace, tears finally overflowing from his eyes, and blissfully he fainted.
When the eagles landed Fili collapsed over his brother on the rock. His uncle was hurt, who knew how badly, and now he'd lost his brother too? Fili refused to accept that. He hadn't seen Kili get injured, unless the fall back in the goblin cave had hurt him. Or was it an orc? A warg? Things had been so chaotic he couldn't say for sure. He was unaware of the dwarves landing around him. He searched Kili for the source of his pain, and found the sticky remains of a broken arrow shaft protruding from his right shoulder. Fili gripped the wood in his hand and pulled hard. It was slippery and he had to wipe his hands against his pants to gain a grip. He was grateful his brother was not awake for this. The arrow pulled at Kili's skin, and made sickening sounds as Fili tugged on it. He was hard pressed not to vomit at the sight and sound of it. The arrow released in a rush, and with it came blood, so much blood. Fili threw the arrow head to the ground, and then rushed to stop the bleeding wound. His hands were covered, and soon his arms, and the rest of his clothes as well. He was sobbing over his brother, yelling, screaming, and the other dwarves were surrounding him.
It seemed that Thorin had awoken, he was fine, standing above him and Fili looked desperately up into his eyes.
"Thorin! Please! Please! We must save him! I can't lose my brother!" Fili rushed out. Thorin looked at him, eyes filled with worry and shock. He knelt down next to his nephew, placing a hand upon Fili's shoulder.
"Hush, calm down, you need to just calm down," Thorin spoke and Fili did his best to breathe in and out evenly while still applying pressure to the wound on Kili's shoulder. Thorin's eyes moved to Kili, narrowing at the gruesome sight.
"Is this the culprit?" Dwalin spoke, and somewhere along the way he had picked up the discarded arrowhead. He held it in front of his eyes with curiosity.
"Give me that!" Dori shouted, grabbing it from Dwalin's hand. He sniffed at it briefly then his eyes widened.
"Poison! Spider venom!" He yelled then rushed forward pushing Fili out of the way.
"Move aside Fili, stop pushing on the wound! He's been poisoned! And Dwalin, clean your hands, if there's poison on them and you get it in a scrape…" Dori spoke with authority for once, as he implied the obvious. His knowledge in medicine was greater than Fili's or any of the dwarves' for that matter. Dwalin rushed to wipe his hands on a cloth, taking the dwarf's advice seriously, only slightly scandalized at being ordered around by someone smaller than him. Fili regretfully pulled his hands away from the wound, watching as blood pulsed from it. His brother's blood, his life. He felt sick at the sight. His brother was bleeding, hurting. And he had not been there for him. He stared blankly at his hands, drenched red in his brother's lifeblood then clenched them tightly closed. Fili knew the arrow belonged to a goblin. He mentally berated himself. He should have stayed next to Kili in the caves, never let him go. He was so stupid. Fili felt wet tears against his face again, and Thorin's hand gripped him gently.
"It is not your fault Fili, do not blame yourself," Thorin spoke. Fili closed his eyes in anguish, watching as Dori began to remove Kili's clothing. Bilbo gently pulled Fili towards him, wet cloths in his hands, and he cleaned the mess from Fili's arms and gently rubbed at Fili's fingers. The hobbit's care calmed him slightly, and he was relieved to see a light misting of tears on their burglar's face as well. Fili was not the only one worried for his brother.
"Nori, help me put him on his side. Here, like this, so his heart is above the wound, that's right," Dori ordered, and they moved Kili into the proper position. Dori continued to tactfully clean around the wound, covering it, but not applying much pressure.
"It's good that he fainted, anxiety would only worsen the spread. Though his heart rate is still far too fast," Dori mumbled while he continued working.
"What should we do? We can't remove the venom, and we have no cure for such an ailment," Gloin questioned them all, though his eyes were on Dori. The aforementioned dwarf thought hard for many moments.
"Is there nothing you can do Gandalf?" Bilbo asked, though even the wizard seemed puzzled as to how to proceed.
"I cannot heal great wounds," Gandalf admitted.
"But just now, with Thorin…," Bilbo started looking towards the dwarf king.
"I merely brought him back to consciousness, I'm afraid my dear Bilbo there is nothing my magic can do for poisons, perhaps Radagast, though I've not the faintest where he might be now," the wizard spoke despairingly.
"There is one thing we could try. It's not proven to work, but it might be our only option. We could make a Naregstone," Dori finally suggested. Ori's eyes opened in recognition and he opened his book to scribble in it quickly.
"A black stone! It's a good idea brother, I've read about them before. They supposedly draw venom from a wound," Ori said excitedly. Nori calmed him slightly, a hand placed on his back.
"We'll need some animal bones, and it will take time. Other than that, all we can do is hope," Dori stated. Bifur and Bofur left immediately to hunt an animal while the others began setting up camp, fetching water, and doing whatever else Dori commanded of them.
"Do you not wish to join them in their hunt Fili? It might help relieve some stress," Thorin suggested to his nephew, though he knew it would fall on deaf ears.
"I won't leave his side, I'll never leave his side again," was all Fili said in response, his gaze unmoving from Kili's face. Thorin patted his shoulder once more then helped the other dwarves prepare camp. It was an hour or so later that Bofur and Bifur returned with a few dead squirrels in their arms. It was the best they could do in the surrounding area. Dori left Fili with few instructions, a bowl of water, and a cloth for his brother's head.
"If he wakes, keep him calm, don't let him move. And do not feed him, or give him anything to drink," Dori ordered. Fili nodded, taking the cloth and soaking it in the water. He ran a hand across his brother's brow. His skin was so cold, and clammy to the touch. Fili placed the cloth there, brushing aside stray hairs. He leant down to kiss his brother's nose, which was frigid to the touch.
Dori and the other dwarves skinned the squirrels, removing and cleaning the bones. They chopped them into small pieces, and Oin ground and smoothed them with his carving files. Once the bones were polished into a small circular shape, it was wrapped in foil and placed in the embers of the fire.
Fili observed his brother, and noticed his eyes were struggling to open at one point. He nearly panicked, but remembered Dori's words, and put himself in front of Kili's face. Their eyes met, and Fili adored the sight, even though Kili's were glassy and unfocused. Oh how he would give everything up just to stare into those deep brown eyes for eternity. Fili gently stroked his brother's cheek and whispered soothing words to him when Kili started to panic.
"Shhh, Kili it's okay, don't move, I'm here, love, I'm here," he whispered and stroked his brother's lips. They were dried from thirst and chilled to the touch.
"Ss-so thirsty," Kili spoke, his voice cracking, and his body filled with tremors.
"I know brother, I know, don't speak, just rest," Fili calmed him and kissed his cheek until Kili passed back into unconsciousness once more. Fili forced himself not to cry again. He had to be strong for his brother now.
Dori kept watch on the fire, and pulled the stone from the flames when it was ready. He approached Kili, waiting for the Naregstone to cool. Fili watched as Dori gently pulled back the coverings on the wound. Mercifully the bleeding had slowed, though the skin around it was quite swollen and discoloured. Dori placed the stone against Kili centering it over the wound.
"Hold this in place for a moment," Dori requested, and Fili immediately put his fingers upon the stone. Dori wrapped a cloth around his brother making sure the stone would not move. It was tight, but not painfully so and Fili watched as the stone latched gently to his brother's skin, sticking there. When Dori pulled back with a sigh and an unsure expression on his face Fili couldn't help but inquire about the stone.
"How will we know if it's working?" Fili asked, his voice weak. Thorin approached them, sitting next to Fili and listening intently as well. Dori sighed heavily.
"If, it works, and the poison is removed from Kili's body, the stone will loosen on its own, and fall off. You must not touch it until then. It could take hours, it could take days. It's impossible to tell how far the poison has progressed," Dori shook his head and stood.
"I'm sorry Fili, I don't know, that he will make it," He finally said and walked away to join the others around the fire. Fili could not accept that. He grabbed his head and choked and gasped, unable to hold back his sobs. They came with abandon. Fili sobbed even as he felt his uncle embrace him. He sobbed even as he felt his uncle's tears fall upon his shoulder. And he sobbed as Thorin rocked him gently through the night. He did not sleep, and his eyes did not leave Kili.
No songs were sung by the dwarves that night, and no cheer was to be heard.
In the morning, Fili's eyes were heavy with sorrow, and his face sticky with dried tears. Thorin had left him some time ago. Fili's gaze was far away when Bilbo approached him, a bowl of stew in his hands.
"You should eat," he spoke kindly, passing the bowl to Fili.
"Kili cannot eat, and nor will I," Fili spoke.
"What good would it do your brother if you starved yourself?" Bilbo asked him, though it was spoken in the gentlest voice Fili had ever heard. The dwarf looked at the hobbit and then took the bowl. Bilbo sat next to him while he ate humming gently.
"You can rest Fili," he finally spoke as the dwarf finished eating and Fili looked at the hobbit incredulously.
"I cannot!" Fili insisted. Bilbo placed a hand gently upon the dwarf's arm.
"I will watch over Kili, do not fear. I will wake you if there is any change, any at all. Rest yourself now so you can stay with him in the evening," Bilbo asserted. Fili wondered at the humanity of the hobbit. How lucky they were to have this burglar among them. Finally Fili nodded his thanks and lay down to rest, his head next to Kili's.
When Fili awoke, Mr. Baggins was still there, as promised. He smiled at Fili and then said there had been no change. Kili's fever had persisted, and the Naregstone remained firmly in place. Fili spent the remainder of the day next to his brother. Kili's head rest gently in his lap. He had placed a thin blanket over the younger dwarf with the hopes of stopping his chills, though he knew they came from something other than the air. His brother's shivering had worsened as the evening progressed, and his skin seemed stickier than usual. Twice he had woken only to throw up what little remained in his stomach, and Fili cleaned the mess and whispered to him until he fell back into a light sleep.
In the middle of the night Fili watched light flicker across Kili's face. The dwarf's fever was worse than ever and he was convulsing every now and then. Fili kissed his brother's brow and whispered against it.
"Do not leave me brother," Fili begged Kili, then continued to kiss all over his face.
"I would follow you into death," he kissed Kili's cheekbone.
"Your soul is one with my soul," then his nose.
"I cannot live without you," and finally placed a kiss upon Kili's dried lips. Fili could not stand to see his brother in this pain. He knew Kili would not survive this, and that his brother would pass and leave Fili here to suffer alone. Fili gazed hopelessly at the ground when a shiny glint in the dark caught his eye. His blade lay next to him and Fili picked it up with care.
He would do it this night. He would join his brother in death. With resolve Fili pulled the blade from its holster, the unsheathing loud in his ears. He twisted it in his hands for a moment then placed the tip at his gut while he shakily breathed in. He looked upon his brother as his hands trembled. He could do this, to be with Kili. He could do this. His grip tightened.
"Fili! No!" The blade was torn from his grasp and Fili looked up in shock. His uncle's eyes were wide with shock and he threw the sword far away where it clattered to the ground. Thorin fell to his knees and pulled Fili into his arms. His uncle buried his fingers in Fili's hair as tears fell from his eyes.
"If you wish to follow your brother into death, I understand that. I understand your love for him. But he is not dead yet, not yet. Do not give up hope. Please Fili, do not be so reckless. Without your spirit here, your brother would have no chance at all," Thorin's voice cracked with his tears and he shook Fili fiercely in his arms.
"You would have me lose two nephews, in one day. Do not cause me such pain. Do not make me suffer so, you are like sons to me," Thorin whispered. Fili gripped his uncle's coat tightly, his arms wrapped around his back. He wept into his shoulder and allowed Thorin to comfort him and whisper in his ear. The other dwarves had awoken at the noises, only now realising what Fili had been so desperate to do. The hobbit watched with fright, wishing there was something, anything he could do to help, though his presence was more than enough. Another night of anguish passed.
When Fili woke he noticed someone had taken his weapons, hidden them away, to keep him safe, to eliminate any temptation he may have had. Fili knew however, that his uncle would return them to him when Kili's last breath came. It was better this way. Fili had promised to never leave his brother and so he would sit with him until his final moment. Fili's eyes were glassy, and he stared at the rising sun on the horizon, and the vision of Erebor in the distance.
Then he heard it, the soft knocking of stone against stone. When Fili looked down he saw the Naregstone resting a short distance from his foot. Did he dare hope? Fili plucked it from the ground, observing. It was stained with blood and an inky black colour. There were cracks along the edges and parts were crumbling away. Fili looked back at his brother, startled at first to see him not breathing. He checked his pulse in a rush. It was there, soft, but there. It was just not quick as he had grown accustomed to the past few days. Fili brushed a hand over Kili's forehead, his fever had gone down! Fili let out a soft moan of reprieve. His brother, was recovering, mercy be.
"Oh Kili, my Kili, you're alright," Fili murmured, his voice muffled against his brother's hair. Fili struggled to breathe for a moment before he pulled himself away.
"Thorin! Thorin! He's okay! Kili's okay!" Fili finally managed to yell out. And as his uncle and the rest of the company ran to him he repeated it several times.
"He's recovering," he gasped over and over. Dori checked Kili's wound with care.
"It's healing well…still a bit swollen, but, you're right Fili, he is recovering," Dori declared. He was smiling, and far more like his usual self.
"Well I'll be…it actually worked, that stone of yours," Dwalin joked lightly and patted Dori hard on his back. Thorin shared a strong look with his nephew and Fili knew his uncle was glad and also distraught at how close he had come to losing both him and his brother. Fili mouthed a thank you, and Thorin nodded at him in return. His uncle had been there for him, in his moment of weakness, and he would never forget that. The hobbit placed a comforting hand on Thorin's arm and it seemed the dwarf could no longer contain himself. He turned and pulled their burglar into his arms. Bilbo gasped as he was lifted and spun on the spot. And for the first time in many days, Fili laughed and the company laughed with him. The dwarves sang the day away, finally able to rejoice in the closeness of their long lost home. And they celebrated the life of their kin which had been spared.
It was not until much later that Kili awoke again and Fili was of course by his side, this time with water and food if Kili was able. Fili gently poured the water into his brother's mouth and stroked his neck to ease his swallowing. When Fili lay next to his brother the two smiled at each other as the elder ran his hands through Kili's hair. Their eyes connected as he leant closer to Kili, and then Fili tenderly kissed his brother. They were gentle, soft little presses of his lips.
"Fili," Kili whispered in between kisses, his eyes filled with love, and his voice scratchy from disuse. Fili did not stop to speak, instead he slowly kissed Kili's lips for a long while. Their tongues moved sensually against each other until both were claimed by sleep. Never again would Fili stray from his brother. Never again would they part.
AN: I'm not a medical expert though much of my information came from reactions to snake venom and snake bites, apologies if anything is incorrect. The Naregstone is my interpretation of a Black Stone, or a Snake Stone. They are not proven to cure a person of poison, but many believe that they can help and that they draw the poison from a wound. It seemed like a good option for the hobbit setting.