"If you'll just bear with us folks we will do our best to get these technical difficulties sorted out so we can come back and play some more music for you." Fíli called out to the crowd assembled before the band. It wasn't a big crowd, just an intimate gig, but it was still a crowd and the faces he could see illuminated by the stage lights were clearly disgruntled.
It definitely hadn't been their best show; Kíli had strained his voice in rehearsals which meant that he had been slightly pitchy here and there but so far they had made it through, at least until the main sound system had fried half way through their last set.
The Durin Brothers stepped of stage to where their livid manager and uncle stood gnashing his teeth. "This is what we get for doing small time jobs." Thorin spat. "Here," he thrust a bottle of orange liquid into Kíli's hands. "You sound like you need this." Kíli gulped it gratefully, finishing it within few seconds.
"Do they think they can they fix it?" asked Fíli, peering around Thorin's back to where the crew were franticly moving about backstage.
"It will take a while." Thorin scowled. "But they say we still have the use off one mic and a guitar."
"But what about the fans? We can't finish there, not like that!" Kíli rasped his throat still raw. Thorin thrust another bottle into his hands.
"Maybe it's for the best; Kíli can't go out there again, it's not good for his throat." Fíli reasoned.
"I'm fine, honestly." Kíli swallowed another gulps and tried to smile but Fíli and Thorin could see that it pained him.
"Don't be an idiot. Your brother's right and you will only do yourself more harm than good." Thorin ordered.
Kíli looked mutinous. "Thorin we can't finish like this, they came all this way for a full show; It's not right to take their money after a half finished and less than perfect show, the least I can do is try and finish it for them."
He certainly had a point; they could hear the unmistakable sounds of grumbling coming from the crowds around the stage curtain. The Durin Brothers prided themselves on putting on a quality performance and together with their band they had slowly gone from small gigs to concert performances. But despite the attention and the dedication of their fans they were far too proud and talented to let that become an excuse for slacking off.
Suddenly Thorin's scowl disappeared and the outrage in his eyes was replaced by the same dogmatic determination that had gotten them into the professional music industry. He turned to Fíli. "We will finish this show, or at least Fíli will. He can give them one last acoustic solo to end the night."
"Are you joking?" Fíli yelped. "I can't do a solo."
"Yes you can and you will." Thorin said stubbornly.
"Uncle…" Kíli gave his brother a sympathetic look. He knew Fíli preferred being a guitarist to being a vocalist. It wasn't that Fíli wasn't any less gifted but he just wasn't comfortable with all the attention, in fact he was grateful that Kíli humbly revelled in being the star; drawing fans in with his voice and keeping them there with his cheeky humour and rugged good looks. That was how the Durin Brothers and their band worked. "Uncle you can't force him to do it."
"I'm not forcing him to do anything." Thorin said folding his arms and looking Fíli dead in the eyes. "But your brother will agree to do it because he knows that the fans deserve it." Thorin was right and he knew it. But secretly he also knew that all Fíli needed was to be pushed out of his brother's shadow and let his immense but quiet talent would speak for itself.
Fíli's skin felt clammy. He had never been on a stage by himself before; his brother had always been there besides him. No matter where they were when they played together or with the band it always felt as if they had travelled back in time to when they started out of their mum's garage. It made Fíli comfortable as the crowds had started to grow because he could block them out and lose himself in the music. But if he was alone on the stage…
"Fíli, all you have to do if play them one of those covers you've been tinkering with and they will be eating out of the palm of your hand. Trust me." Thorin clapped Fíli on the back and turned around to find someone to yell at about the sound system.
The disgruntled sounds of the crowd were getting louder and Fíli could feel his knees shaking.
"I'm sorry for letting you down brother." Kíli croaked, giving his shoulder a sympathetic squeeze.
"Not your fault." Fíli managed, feeling the bile in his stomach churn uncomfortably.
"Why don't you play them that one about seeing the girl on the subway? I heard you playing it this morning and it sounded pretty good." Fíli didn't respond, he just started at the curtains that hid the crowds from sight. "You can do this Fí."
Fíli swallowed, nodded, and then walked forwards in a daze to pick up his guitar before stepping back out onto the stage very much alone.
A cheer rose from the crowd at the sight of movement on stage as Fíli stepped up to the microphone, his lips dry.
"Hello folks, well it seems that we won't be able to continue as we had planned tonight due to some technical difficulties so instead I'm going to finish up the night with a cover." He paused to gage their reaction and was thankful that he didn't' see anyone get up and leave. In truth the crowd were curious and a little excited to hear more from the more enigmatic Durin brother.
Ori rushed onto the stage with a stool and Fíli sat down, grateful to not be standing anymore.
He strummed a few cords to test the guitar's tune before leaning into the lone microphone before him. "This is a song you guys have probably heard a million times before but I'm going to play it for you anyway and I hope you enjoy."
His fingers found the familiar opening chords with ease and he began to play, and with a surge of courage he lifted his eyes from the strings to meet the crowd. And then, as the words began and the haunting beauty of his voice pierced the crowd, Fíli's eyes were captured by another's.
My life is brilliant.
My love is pure.
I saw an angel.
Of that I'm sure.
When his eyes found hers Sigrid felt a jolt in her stomach, his blue eyes piercing hers and holding her there, transfixed.
She smiled at me on the subway.
She was with another man.
But I won't lose no sleep on that,
'Cause I've got a plan.
Sigrid felt a nudge in her side from where her sister Tilda sat but she didn't look away. She didn't see that many people in the crowd were looking her way, trying to see who it was that Fíli Durin was singing to.
You're beautiful. You're beautiful.
You're beautiful, it's true.
I saw your face in a crowded place,
And I don't know what to do,
'Cause I'll never be with you.
Looking into the eyes of the girl in the third row Fíli didn't feel so alone anymore and as he sang all that mattered was her and the music; the rest just seemed to fade away.
Yes, she caught my eye,
As we walked on by.
She could see from my face that I was,
Flying high.
And I don't think that I'll see her again,
But we shared a moment that will last 'til the end.
You're beautiful. You're beautiful.
You're beautiful, it's true.
I saw your face in a crowded place,
And I don't know what to do,
'Cause I'll never be with you.
Thorin walked slowly to join Kíli by the side of the stage, listening in awe to the exquisite agony and perfection of his oldest nephew's music. "He's singing to someone." Thorin whispered.
"And it's working. Look and them, look at him!" Kíli exclaimed excitedly.
"Shush!" Thorin whispered as Fíli continued to perform, the authentic passion in his voice taking the crowd with him as the music swelled.
You're beautiful. You're beautiful.
You're beautiful, it's true.
There must be an angel with a smile on her face,
When she thought up that I should be with you.
But it's time to face the truth,
Fíli tore his eye away from hers to find the final chords on the guitar, his heart breaking as he sung the line.
I will never be with you.
For a fraction of a second the room was still, as if holding its breath but then the applause thundered and the crowd got to its feet cheering and screaming their approval. But through all the other faces he couldn't see her anymore, not through all the other sets of eyes that weren't the ones he wanted. The applause continued and that night Fíli Durin stepped out of his brother's shadow and after that the Durin Brothers could do no wrong.
But Fíli never forgot her face and it wasn't until a year later when they were at the same little venue in Laketown, at Fíli's insistence, that he saw her again. Only this time he invited her up onto the sage as he sung their song, changing the word of the last line just a little:
Will I ever be with you?
And this time when he finished and the crowds screamed in approval Sigrid leaned forwards and kissed him for all to see.
AN:
Yes I know we have all heard James Blunt's You're Beautiful a million times before but who am I to resist such an opportunity for fluff?
To the other Figrid Music-AU writers out there, I don't mean to crash your territory but I had the idea at a concert and wrote it all down on a train ride home but then I just had to share it. So if you liked this type of Figrid AU story go and read the other AMAZING works out there!
PS. I don't have a musical bone in my body so if I made any mistakes please try to excuse them and I hope you can still enjoy this fluff-fest of a fic!