AN: I originally came up with this idea when in-the-love-of-durin posted their rain/thunder prompt on tumblr, but it took me a really long time to actually get around to writing it. Here it finally is!
Pairing: Fili/Kili
Sunshower
One day, long ago, a little boy was born beneath the moon on a stormy evening in the spring. He was born of the trees, the flowers, of the sky and clouds. He was born of the earth, and the air, the water and all of the gods and goddesses around him. He too was a god, and he possessed the gift of rain.
His name was Kíli, and he was the curious sort. Pure hearted, but playful, and the other gods and goddesses watched him grow fondly. He splashed in the puddles he made, and jumped over the rivers and streams as they rose and ran throughout the forests. He left rain pattering down wherever he went, bringing forth life and lush wilderness across the lands. Sometimes, Kíli would look up towards the sky and let the droplets land on his skin and cling to his dark eyelashes and hair. He would grin and laugh, and nature always laughed with him, until he settled down to sleep for a few days to gain back his strength.
The cycle continued, and Kíli brought forth the rain for many years, never tiring of his duties, a smile ever present upon his face. But often, just after he woke, or in the moments right before he walked inside his cave to rest, he heard the others conversing about something that caught his interest. They told stories of a Sun god, with hair pure as gold, and a heart to match it. They spoke of the warmth his brilliant rays of light provided, and the way he shone so brightly up above them all. The tales made Kíli frown in confusion, for when he looked up towards the sky he only saw darkness and the rain that fell towards him.
Kíli wondered why he had never met the Sun god. After all, he'd seen nearly everyone else. He'd danced around Tree goddess in the early morning, and laughed along with Cloud and Sky. He'd dug his toes into the Earth, and played heartily beneath the booming sound of Thunder. But not once had he seen a golden ray of light peeking down from the sky above, nor had he ever felt the pleasing warmth upon his skin that came from such a wondrous being.
Kíli did not understand why he could not see Sun while everyone else could, or why he could not make the world as bright and beautiful as everyone seemed to love so very much. So he approached the Tree goddess, and sat beneath her shade, watching as the droplets bounced against her upturned leaves. Tree was wisest of them all, and older than time. Her roots ran deep within the earth and her branches grew tall towards the sky. Surely she would know.
"Tree goddess," Kíli spoke, reaching out to touch her bark with the fingers of one hand. Tree creaked as the wind blew threw her branches and she leaned ever so slightly as if waking from a dream.
"Yes sweet child," she answered, and Kíli felt the kind embrace of her branches as they wrapped around him, the ends catching in his hair.
"When will I make the sky bright like Sun god?" Kíli asked, his eyes open wide. He wanted the gods and goddesses to speak of him in such a way, to tell fond tales of his actions even after he was gone. But her words did not soothe his mournful soul.
"You will never little one," she spoke simply, shaking the water from her leaves, and Kíli blinked as the stray droplets fell into his dark hair and eyes.
"Why not?" Kíli muttered with a frown. His fingers slipped from her bark, and he pushed his wet bangs away from his brow.
"We must only do what we are meant to child," Tree explained, and she straightened her trunk and gestured towards the sky.
"The Sun god will remain up above, and only he shall make the sky bright and beautiful. As I am a Tree goddess I shall stay here as a tree, growing, spreading my roots beneath the soil. You are a Rain god, and so you will only bring the rain," she elaborated, and Kíli nibbled at his lip as he took in her words. He felt saddened, knowing that his rain would never be as bright or warm as the Sun's light. He wished more than ever that he might meet Sun himself, and wondered what Sun was like. Was he kind? Was he friendly? Did he like jumping in puddles and playing beneath the clouds? Perhaps, if Kíli could not be bright and warm as he, then he might at least feel the rays of light upon his skin, and the warmth within his bones. Perhaps they might even be friends. Kíli perked up, grinning at the idea, and he leaned back and glanced back up towards the Tree goddess's leafy branches.
"Will I ever meet the Sun god?" Kíli asked, his voice light and airy, and the raindrops pitter-pattered all around him, bouncing as they landed in puddles and against the rocky surfaces atop the ground. Tree sighed and again shook the water from her leaves, staring down at Kíli seriously.
"No Kíli, never. The sun and rain are not meant to be together," she insisted, and Kíli wilted, his mouth falling open as his eyebrows knitted together.
"Whenever you walk the earth, the sky shall be dark and gray, and water droplets shall fall to the ground. Only when you disappear to rest will the sun shine brightly down upon the land," she murmured, and then her body slackened, and Kíli knew that tree had gone back to sleep, leaving him to muse alone.
Kíli woke slowly the next time he was meant to make it rain, and he poked his head out from within his cave carefully, gazing up at the sky with hopeful eyes. For a moment, he thought he saw something, so bright and brilliant it could not possibly be real, but then his foot slipped out onto the soil, and rain fell in front of his body. The sky darkened, and the clouds increased in size, and whatever light he thought he saw, was long gone.
As more days passed by, Kíli heard many great things about the mysterious god in the sky. Sun was happy and carefree and Sun brought life to the plants and trees of the forest. Sun lifted everyone's spirits even in the worst of times, and everyone loved Sun in return. Kíli desperately wanted to meet Sun, but whenever he reached out towards the disappearing rays of light, great clouds filled the sky and blocked Sun from his vision. The rain fell harder than ever, and Kíli's vision blurred, his tears quickly whisked away by the falling water. He tried again and again, sometimes making it rain for days on end, just so he might catch a glimpse of the Sun god up above, but never did he see more than that fading ray of light in the moments he first stepped out from the shelter of his cave.
It seemed that Rain and Sun truly were not meant to meet.
Kíli grew morose at the thought. He stopped skipping, he stopped playing. No longer did he jump in the puddles and dance beneath the falling rain. His silly songs did not echo throughout the lands, and the droplets falling from the sky came quicker, and heavier than ever before. He sat alone atop the mucky ground, growing colder and wetter for days on end, his eyes directed towards the dark clouds strewn across the sky. Kíli narrowed his eyes as the lands remained cast in darkness, and frowned determinedly. The little Rain god just wasn't one to give up, and he pondered endlessly. Perhaps…if Sun would not come out and meet him, then Kíli would just have to find him instead! After all, if the other gods and goddesses were able to meet the Sun, surely they might be willing to help him do so as well.
Kíli asked Tree first, for if anyone could help it would most certainly be her. He strolled towards her eagerly, shouting out towards her as his feet splashed atop the ground.
"Tree goddess! Tree goddess! Please, just this once. Help me see the Sun god! Surely you can lift me up in your branches!" Kíli cried, and he narrowed his eyes as she struggled to turn her attention towards him. Tree's branches were weighted down and when she shook out her leaves droves of water fell down and soaked Kíli's long hair. She studied him sorrowfully and swayed slowly back and forth.
"Impossible, I've told you already, the Sun and Rain can never meet," Tree insisted, her voice weary as her trunk creaked and groaned. Kíli's eyes widened and he splayed his fingers against her bark, standing on his toes as he peered up into her branches.
"But….but why! I don't understand! Surely there must be a way! Your branches are so long, and you reach so high in the sky," Kíli asked. Tree sighed, slumping where she stood fixed in the ground.
"So long as you are here Kíli, I can never reach high enough for you to meet the Sun. The Earth beneath my roots is far too wet and mucky, and my back grows weary without stable ground. So long as Earth is sulking, I will never be able to aid you," Tree finished, and she turned away from him, far too tired to help him further. Kíli's hands fell to his sides and he lowered his eyes as he considered her words. Perhaps then, Earth might be able to help.
Kíli flew across the pebbles and rocks towards the place where Earth often opened his eyes, and the brunet stared down at the ground, trying to make out the shape of his great hilly nose. Kíli's feet sunk into the mud, and he fell to his knees when he found it, poking his fingers into the god's soft cheekbones.
"Earth god, please cheer up! Help Tree lift me up, help me see the Sun god!" Kíli shouted, and he waited and waited, until Earth groaned and shifted beneath him.
"Me? Cheer up? In this weather?" Earth asked, his voice low and gravelly, and Kíli's eyebrows knitted together as he watched the murky ground open and close with the movement of his mouth.
"Without you, Rain, I would be dry and stable. Without you, Rain, it would not be mucky and slippery beneath Tree's roots. And without you, Rain, my beloved Sky would not look so dark and gloomy all day long," Earth grumbled, spitting up mud and dirt as Kíli watched him in dismay.
"I dislike opening my eyes to see her sorrow, tell Sky to brighten, and perhaps then, I might try harder to aid you," Earth muttered, before rolling back over, leaving Kíli stranded on his grassy back.
The brunet nibbled at his lip, glancing up towards the melancholy Sky, and he wondered if she at least, might be willing to help him. He ran to the highest hill he could find, and stood atop a fallen log, shouting up at Sky with all his might.
"Sky goddess, please oh please, will you brighten, so I may see the Sun god, just once!" Kíli bellowed, his voice echoing around him. He waited, watching as Sky remained grey and sullen, and then her voice shouted down at him in return.
"It's you that makes me this way Rain. Because of you, the clouds block my view of the earth below, and I can no longer witness my beautiful reflection in the sea," Sky moaned.
"Tell Cloud to move aside and perhaps then I might consider offering you my assistance," she sneered, and Kíli's shoulders slumped. Still he did not give up, and the brunet hurried to the cliffside where the clouds sometimes hung low enough to touch. He waited for one to come close and reached out, letting his fingers run through the wispy trails.
"Cloud god, please, can't you move just to the side so I might see the Sun god, just once!" Kíli pleaded, and he was shocked when the Cloud god blew a gust of wind in his direction, huffing loudly in displeasure.
"I can only move after you are done! While you are here, Thunder grumbles in my belly, and I cannot float away so easily. Hurry up and finish raining, so I might go on with my day and see the Sun myself!" Cloud snarled, and before Kíli had a chance to speak, the god floated away from him across the sky. Kíli breathed out through his nose impatiently, and tightened his fingers into fists. But he still had hope, and so he followed the low rumbling sounds until they became loud and frightening booms that shook him to the very core. Kíli swallowed nervously, studying the looming presence of Thunder for a moment before finding his voice.
"Thunder god, can you please stop rumbling so that I might see the Sun god, just once!" Kíli begged, and his body jolted as Thunder crashed and shook the land around him.
"Me? It's your fault!" Thunder roared, clearly angered by the request.
"Without you, I needn't exist at all. Without you, I wouldn't feel the need to rant and shout and weigh down the clouds with my terrible mood," Thunder snarled, rumbling and grumbling all the while.
"If you wish me to disappear, then so too should you, Rain god," Thunder suggested, his voice bitter as he crashed away. Kíli wilted at his words, and skittered away to find shelter. His head hung low as he stared at his dreary surroundings woefully. He saw how high the river water had risen, how the lakes had begun to overflow and take over the land. He noticed the drooping plants and trees, soaked and far too wet to go on living, and he felt the cold wind upon his face. It wasn't fair that everyone else should suffer, just for his sake. No one liked the rain, and with rain, no one else could see the Sun god either. Kíli sniffled, inching towards his cave silently. Suddenly he disliked the feeling of raindrops falling upon his skin, and he hated the puddles his feet stumbled upon as he walked. He huddled into the darkest corner of his home and curled up on the ground. Kíli tugged his knees beneath his chin and let the tears fall from his eyes to mingle with the raindrops that spattered around him even still. And it was there that he hid away, no longer willing to darken everyone's days.
The gods and goddesses rejoiced initially, finally cast beneath the Sun god's brilliant rays once more. But as time passed by, and Rain remained absent, things began to change. Tree goddess wilted, her leaves drying and falling away to the ground, while Earth god crumbled, cracking and breaking apart in the drought. Sky goddess grew weary, never having a single moment to rest, and Cloud god became large and dark, increasingly grumpy as water lingered inside with no way of falling to the ground. Even Thunder god was restless and wild, angering as he stewed and stewed, unable to make a single peep no matter how upset he became.
And Sun god noticed, as he shone down upon the land. He saw how his rays began to hurt the plants they had always helped to grow, and how the warmth he provided began to make cracks along the paths and in the soil. He stared at the other gods and goddesses and listened as they spoke of another, one who laughed and sang and played in puddles as he brought the rain. So Sun lowered in the sky until he met with the cliffside, and for the first time ever he set foot upon the ground and walked.
Kíli still sat curled up into himself as he stared down at his wrinkly toes. His hair clung to his face in a matted wet mess, and his airy wisps lingered about his soaking wet frame. He sniffled lightly, his lip trembling in despair, but suddenly he heard an unfamiliar sound. Feet were splashing lightly atop the wet ground as someone fully entered the cave, and then there was a voice, soft and soothing.
"Rain god," the figure spoke, pulling Kíli from his thoughts, and the brunet peered around his corner cautiously, wondering who on earth would possibly wish to seek him out. The top of his head inched out from the rocks, and then just his eyes and nose. To his surprise, there were brilliant rays of light emanating throughout the cavernous space before the exit, and his eyes widened as he caught a glimpse of something so bright and beautiful it couldn't possibly be real. Almost immediately he gasped loudly and hid away again, his fingers digging into the moist stone.
"Rain god is that you?" the god spoke, for surely someone so incredible must have been a god. Kíli bit down on his lip hard and squeezed his eyes shut before he peeked out from his hiding place again. The god looked towards Kíli and tilted his head to the side, blond hair falling over his shoulders elegantly.
"What's your name?" he rasped, a small smile forming on his face as he took a step closer.
"K-Kíli," the brunet muttered, and he inched away a bit as the other figure approached.
"Who are you?" Kíli whispered hurriedly, his fingers tightening where they gripped the edge of his hideout. The golden form grinned and laughed, shining even brighter than before.
"I am Fíli," he said, and he lifted his hands and beckoned Kíli closer.
"Come out, please. Let me see you," he murmured, and Kíli swallowed nervously, but inched around the corner until he was fully facing the other being. He felt sudden warmth against his skin, and his hair began to dry, hanging over his shoulders in loose waves, even as rain continued falling atop his head. The wispy tendrils that wrapped around his body loosened, and he breathed in quickly as his skin became pleasantly heated. Kíli studied the blond closely, watching as light moved around his body, flickering like molten lava all the way down to his bare toes. He observed the way it reflected off of the puddles on the ground, and Kíli's eyebrows rose slightly as he gaped at the other god in realization.
"Sun god?" Kíli asked timidly, his voice unsteady.
"Yes," Fíli answered, and he stepped closer once again.
"B-but…we are not meant to meet," Kíli stuttered, and he lifted his gaze to meet brilliant blue eyes when the other god laughed heartily.
"Oh?" Fíli voiced, a single eyebrow raised as he ducked his head. Kíli frowned at him and clasped his fingers together tightly. Already he could see rain creeping towards the other's light. Already he was beginning to dull the other god's aura. Kíli quickly stepped backwards, his feet slapping loudly atop the wet stony ground.
"You should stay far away, I will only darken your brilliant rays, and make them disappear," the brunet insisted.
"But you are needed Kíli, and you are sorely missed," Fíli said swiftly, almost desperately.
"That can't be true," Kíli hissed, and he scrunched up his shoulders and pouted, looking away from Fíli in anguish.
"With me, Tree goddess grows weary and tired, and Earth god cannot see the sky, and Sky goddess cannot see her reflection in the sea, and Cloud god cannot float happily without a weight upon his shoulders, and Thunder god grows angry and shouts to the heavens," Kíli rambled. He felt his eyes burning again as tears formed against his will. He blinked several times to try and ward them off, but still they fell down his cheeks, far more apparent as the sunlight glistened off the wet trails.
"And without me they can see you," Kíli whispered, his watery eyes gazing at the Sun god woefully.
"Don't be sad, sweet Kíli," Fíli soothed, his expression filled with overwhelming kindness. Kíli felt the rays pushing out towards him, enveloping him in their warm embrace, and his shoulders slumped as he began to relax.
"You are loved, by all the gods and goddesses. When you are gone, it is all they talk about; their cute little Rain god, who fills their darker days with joy. Who dances and laughs and plays amongst the puddles, bringing a smile to all of their faces," Fíli described, and the brunet felt a flush rising to the surface of his skin. It couldn't possibly be true, but Kíli saw only honesty within the blue gaze directed at him.
"Without you nothing can exist. We must all live together in balance," Fíli explained, and his arms reached out towards the Rain god.
"Take my hand, trust me," Fíli said, his smile softening. Kíli stayed put for a moment, his toes curling against the rocks below, and slowly he stepped closer to the other god. He pursed his lips together and squeezed his fingers into fists as his skin dried, the raindrops barely landing on his arms before they were whisked away under the strong light. Kíli stopped just a few steps away, and Fíli closed the remaining distance, his hands held up at his sides, fingers splayed. The blond let the rain fall upon his face as well, smiling at the cool touch against his heated skin, and then they locked eyes. Kíli was entranced, and he couldn't help but reach out in return, his fingers not yet touching the other god's brighter ones. He thought for sure that Fíli would disappear beneath his dark cloudy aura, but the blond's light shone through, and the air about them mingled excitedly. Kíli allowed his fingertips to graze against the Sun god's, just for a moment, and he gasped at the strong feeling of heat within his palms. Raindrops fizzled above their joined hands, dancing along their arms, only to evaporate a few moments later, even as more followed in their wake.
And then he saw it. The most beautiful thing he'd ever witnessed. There was an endless array of colours that burst out from between them, surrounding their bodies in an entirely new aura altogether. His eyes widened as he took in the incredible sight, and he leaned unconsciously into the Sun god's touch, startling when their chins bumped together gently. Kíli shrugged his shoulders apologetically and Fíli chuckled and entangled their fingers together, holding the brunet's hands tightly against his own.
"Sometimes the greatest things in life are those we cannot always see," Fíli spoke, and Kíli smiled at him widely. The Sun god's blue eyes were alight with joy, and Kíli watched the myriad of colours dance across his irises. He could have stood there watching the sight for eternity, if given the chance, basking in the warmth of the other god, feeling happier than ever before.
"Come, they are all waiting for you dear Kíli," Fíli voiced, and the blond turned, tugging him outside. The two stepped out of the cave together, and Kíli was elated to see the other gods and goddesses were not angry about his return. Tree basked in the joy of cool raindrops falling again atop her drying leaves, and Earth chuckled as Kíli's feet hopped atop the newly formed puddles on his surface. Sky sighed in relief and closed her eyes happily, drifting off into the land of dreams, and Cloud puffed out and eagerly let the rain fall from his heavy tufts of air. Thunder rumbled loud and clear, finally able to put a voice to his thoughts after so long.
Kíli took off at a run, dragging Fíli along behind him as he ran across the lands. The two gods skipped and danced together, raindrops and light flying out around their bodies. Brilliant colours shimmered all around them, creating a sight unlike any other. It was magical, and Kíli laughed until he was out of breath. The two settled beside each other after many days spent together, their legs dangling over the cliffside as they watched the clouds change shape and move across the sky.
"Will we meet again?" Kíli asked, his hand warm in the other god's gentle grasp.
"Yes," Fíli said, and he turned slightly and reached up to brush a few strands of hair away from the brunet's face.
"Whenever you have finished, and you make to return to your home, I shall greet you here on the cliffside with open arms, and together, we'll fill the sky with such beautiful colours, for all to see," Fíli uttered, and then he leaned to the side and pressed a chaste kiss against Kíli's cheek. The brunet's skin tingled at the touch of warm lips against his face, and he closed his eyes and sighed wistfully. He didn't want to say goodbye, not just yet, but he knew it was time.
"Let us meet again soon," Fíli whispered against his ear, and Kíli's eyes flashed open, just in time to catch the vibrant smile of the other god as he floated away into the sky. That time, as Kíli watched the rays of light disappear behind the clouds, he did not feel sullen, but instead excited for the next time he would see the Sun. For he would see him again.
Whenever Rain waited for Sun atop the hills and mountains he was greeted by the warm touch of light. And for years and years the two danced around one another, singing, playing, and kissing ever so sweetly. First as friends, and one day as lovers, the two gods lit up the horizon with an archway of colours.
And that, is how Rainbow came to be.