Hello again!
The events of this fic occur a year after Kíli and Tauriel first met in Mirkwood. Tauriel is still in Erebor, and Thranduil and Legolas visit sometimes.
Disclaimer: I don't own The Hobbit.
Tauriel, Kíli learned, had the skill of being able to make the most wonderfully ugly faces at people behind their backs. In retrospect, however, it might have been better if he'd learned that some other time and not when Thranduil was visiting Erebor.
Fíli elbowed Kíli discreetly as Kíli almost choked on a laugh. Tauriel was in a position where Kíli was the only one who could see her face, and what a glorious face it was. Kíli hadn't even known someone as beautiful as she could be so magnificently ugly.
"Fíli! Kíli!" Thorin called sharply. Kíli immediately straightened. "Please show Prince Legolas where his room is. King Thranduil and I have matters to discuss."
"Of course," Fíli replied, bowing. "This way, please, Prince Legolas." Kíli noticed Tauriel slipping away as well, walking towards the doorway. She met them in the hall outside the throne room.
"I hate you," Kíli told him, taking her hand and pressing a kiss to it, as he did when he couldn't reach her lips. Fíli made a noise in the back of his throat.
"Oh no, they're going to be all couple-y again," he told Legolas with a sigh. "Come on. I'll show you to your room, and we can leave these two to themselves." Legolas cast one more curious look at Kíli and Tauriel before following Fíli down another hallway. Almost before Kíli knew what was happening, Tauriel took his hand and dragged him off.
"Where are we going?" Kíli asked, laughing. "Tauriel, come on! Tell me where you're taking me!"
"Here," Tauriel finally replied, pushing open a door and letting them out into the small garden that rested on one of the crags of the Lonely Mountain. "No one comes here. We'll be alone."
"You're in an unusually good mood today," Kíli remarked, raising an eyebrow at Tauriel. "What's made you so happy?"
"You don't remember what day it is, then?" Tauriel asked, looking slightly exasperated. "Think for a moment, my love."
A slow smile spread across Kíli's face. "It was a year ago that we first met, in the forests of Mirkwood," he replied. "I remember it as if it were yesterday."
"A year since we met," Tauriel murmured, pressing a kiss to the top of Kíli's head. "As strange as it is, I must admit that I'm glad you were attacked by those spiders. If you hadn't, we may never have known each other."
"I'm certain we would have met somehow," Kíli disagreed. "A love such as ours is clearly meant to be. The gods would have found a way for us to fall in love." Kíli smiled slightly. "And yet, I would not change anything that happened between us for all the gold in the world. I would never take such a risk."
"You hold me to be more precious than all the gold in the world?" Tauriel asked, sitting down by the plants. Kíli sat by her side.
"Of course I do," he replied. "After all, gold cannot make rude faces as magnificently ugly as the ones you were doing behind Thranduil's back."
"You looked displeased," Tauriel replied, shrugging. "I wished to see you smile."
"We must simply be glad Uncle Thorin didn't see it," Kíli declared, leaning back and bracing himself with his arms. "I shudder to think what he would have done. Or Thranduil, which could possibly be even worse."
"I believe Legolas spotted me at one point," Tauriel remarked. "But he said nothing."
"Where did you learn to make such faces?" Kíli asked, looking over at Tauriel. "They were truly glorious."
"Legolas taught me," Tauriel replied, a fond smile on her face. "When my parents were first killed, I was nearly inconsolable. The only thing that could make me even do so much as smile was when Legolas made faces at me. Thranduil thought it was highly undignified, but I loved it."
"As do I," Kíli replied, leaning over to kiss Tauriel's lips gently. "In fact, I believe there is nothing about you I do not love."
"Is that so?" Tauriel asked, raising an eyebrow. "As it so happens, I feel the same way about you. I love everything about you, from your delightful personality-" Kíli preened as he pretended not to hear the playful sarcasm "-to your beautiful eyes. I cannot imagine a life without you in it."
"I'm glad I don't have to," Kíli murmured, plucking a flower from the ground and tucking it into Tauriel's hair. "The last year of my life would have been so dull without you in it."
"Dull?" Tauriel repeated in disbelief, picking a flower and holding it for a moment. "Even if we had not met, you would still have gone through the adventures to reach Erebor, and the Battle of Five Armies."
"Assuming that I didn't die from the Morgul arrow," Kíli countered. Tauriel's hand clenched into a fist, accidentally crushing the flower she still held.
"A fate which haunts my nightmares," she whispered, looking down regretfully at the blossom. "I thank the Valar every day that it did not come to pass."
"Tauriel." Kíli took the flower from Tauriel's hand and threw it away, intertwining their fingers. "I am right here. I am alive. You needn't worry."
"I know," Tauriel whispered, gently tracing Kíli's jawline with her other hand. "And I will do whatever is necessary to keep you by my side."
"I will not leave you easily," Kíli replied, grinning slightly. "There may come a day when you wish I weren't here."
"Blasphemy," Tauriel replied, pressing a kiss to Kíli's lips. "I will always love you," she whispered, punctuating each word with a kiss. "Always."
"And I will always love you," Kíli replied softly. "Now, come with me. I managed to sneak away a few of the honey cakes you love so much. They're hidden in my room, if you want them."
"I would love them," Tauriel replied, standing in a fluid movement and holding out a hand to help Kíli up. "They're nearly as sweet as you."
Kíli pressed a kiss to Tauriel's hand before releasing it. "Are you certain I'm the sweet one?" he asked, reentering the mountain. Even without seeing her, Kíli knew Tauriel was smiling.
"Fairly," she replied, toying with his hair. Kíli leaned into her touch.
"I don't think I've told you recently enough how much I love you," he remarked. Tauriel laughed.
"We just spoke of it!" she protested. Kíli nodded.
"And that was far too long ago. The love I carry for you is greater than the stars."
"And the love I carry for you is greater than all the riches in this mountain," Tauriel replied, pressing a kiss to the top of Kíli's head. Kíli smiled as he continued towards his room.
"Shall we see if we can find Legolas and Fíli?" Tauriel asked when they retrieved the honey cakes from Kíli's room. "We have enough to share with them."
"If you desire it, we will do it," Kíli replied, leading the way out of the room to Legolas' room. To his surprise, he heard Fíli's voice coming from inside.
"And what are you two doing?" he asked as he and Tauriel entered the room. Fíli looked up at them and burst into laughter.
"What?" Kíli demanded. Legolas smirked.
"We've been sharing escapades from your youths," he told Kíli and Tauriel. "Fíli has told me some very interesting stories indeed."
Kíli turned to Tauriel, who looked about as horrified as he felt. "They don't deserve any honey cakes, do they?" he asked her. She shook her head solemnly.
"How in Mahal's name do you have honey cakes?" Fíli demanded, jerking upright immediately. "Kíli-"
Not giving Fíli time to finish his sentence, Kíli and Tauriel took off running, Kíli holding his precious bundle of honey cakes to his chest. To Kíli's surprise, Fíli and Legolas raced after them. Kíli and Tauriel took each other's hands as they ran faster, laughing.
Despite all of its horrors, Kíli wouldn't trade the past year for anything.