Inspired by this post by kaciart on Tumblr - post/42559435139

And now also in French! s/9192080/1/Sleep-Deprivation-FR

Thanks to KiiTa56 for her translation, I am very honoured!

I'm supposed to be working on a longer fic about them but this one just kind of exploded into my head and wouldn't leave me alone. I wrote it all in one sitting, so hopefully there aren't too many mistakes. Enjoy!


He loves sharing a bed with Kíli. Loves almost everything about it – the way each other's faces are the first thing they see in the morning and the last thing at night, the way they fall asleep with their limbs tangled together, soaked in each other's sweat, the intimacy that only comes from sleeping this close, even the strange muttered language that Kíli speaks unawares in his sleep, which sounded at first like it might be some hitherto lost dialect of Khuzdul, but turned out to be just Kíli-nonsense.

There is one thing, however, that Fíli does not love. It is Kíli's constant fidgeting, thrashing around, tossing and turning that wakes him up ten times a night with Kíli's elbow in his ear or his knee in his back.

They've been lovers for only two weeks and they are both dizzy with bliss, wide-eyed with wonder at this amazing unexpected love that has just descended on them, obscuring everything else in their world. They want to spend every second naked together and there just aren't enough chances to be alone without arousing suspicion. They're getting precious little sleep as it is.

At first, he was concerned. Surely it's not normal to be performing these acrobatics in your sleep? As a child, Kíli was plagued with nightmares and the family spent many a sleepless night comforting him. They haven't shared a room for years and Fíli assumed the nightmares had disappeared of their own accord as strange childhood afflictions often do. Gently, he questioned Kíli about it. Are you OK? he said. You can tell me anything, he said. But the look of surprise on Kíli's face hid no deceit. As far as Kíli was concerned, he was sleeping peacefully in Fíli's arms all night. My only dreams are of you, Kíli promises, his eyes filling with desire at the memory, and suddenly they're having frantic, messy sex right there in the kitchen, with Kíli whispering all the things he wants Fíli to do to him and which they just cannot wait to try out.

So Fíli stops worrying and relaxes into this new intimacy. Another night of bliss and he's lying in Kíli's arms, feeling their heartbeats return to normal pace, feeling Kíli's eyelashes flutter against his cheek as they both slide all the way down into sleep, dreaming together of - and Mahal above, can this dwarf not keep still? Fíli removes Kíli's fingers from his eye socket for what feels like the millionth time and seriously considers smothering him with a pillow, but decides he is not driven to murder quite yet. Although another few nights without sleep and he might be. He pins Kíli's hands under the pillow, puts his head firmly on top of them and tries to get some sleep.

Three weeks of this, and Fíli's pretty much reached his limit. He wakes late one morning so grumpy that not even Kíli can cheer him up.

"Get off," he says heatedly. "Leave me alone. I spent all bloody night being kicked by you. You're like some kind of sharp-toed wriggling octopus thing. I hate you."

"Oh Fíli, I'm sorry! I can't help it," Kíli points out reasonably, trying to hug him.

"Get off me! Go and sleep in your own bed. And it's not funny! I'm so sick of your… oh… Stop doing that! It's not…mmm…you're not helping…that's...not…oh god…what are you doing…mmmm… oh Kíli don't stop…"

Because Kíli's incredible tongue is now licking the inside of his thigh, and soon nothing else, not even sleep-deprivation, seems to matter. By the time they're done, Fíli feels much happier. And is very late for work.

The next night is the worst yet. Kíli seems to be performing some kind of furious war-like ballet in his sleep. His legs are everywhere. Fíli's patience has been tried to its limits and finally he snaps. He shoves Kíli roughly, so hard that he tumbles out of the bed and on to the floor. He braces himself for the wail of anguish, already feeling guilty. However, silence reigns. It is too good to be true. Curiosity wins out and Fíli dares a look over the side of the bed, ready to dodge whatever angry missile may be heading his way.

Kíli is sleeping peacefully on the floor, one arm curled beneath his head, his long legs tucked up neatly. He looks the very picture of restful sleep. Result, thinks Fíli, as he snuggles into the blankets and enjoys a few hours of peace.

It backfires, of course. When Kíli wakes up on the floor, confused and aching, and above all freezing, he crawls back into bed and warms himself up by wrapping around Fíli, who wakes with a gasp at the sudden intrusion of a dwarf-shaped ice-block into his cosy, sleepy world. Knowing it's his own fault, Fíli hasn't the heart to push him off. In not too long, Kíli is warm and feeling sleepy again. He kisses Fíli's hair, murmuring how much he loves him, and rolls away.

But Fíli just cannot get warm. It seems all the chill of Kíli's stint on the floor has been transferred to him. For once, it's not his brother's thrashing about that's keeping him awake – though undoubtedly it is not helping. He shivers, considering whether it's worth getting up to grab his fur coat. But the thought of his already icy feet hitting the freezing floor is not in the least appealing. He rolls over, wrapping himself in as much of the blanket as he can. Inevitably, Kíli's elbow chooses this moment to make its presence known to his ribs. He shoves him off with a growl. He's in no mood for this. The momentary contact surprises him – Kíli is as warm as a furnace, radiating heat from his glowing skin.

Fíli has a brilliant idea. Hooking his hands under Kíli's armpits, he tugs him close, then rolls him over the top of his own body. He wraps his legs over Kíli's ankles and places Kili's arms so they're pinned under his own. The warmth is delicious, and held down like this, Kíli's not going anywhere.

Kíli wakes, finding himself in the process of being immobilised. "Mmmm… Fili? What are you doing?"

"Using you as a blanket," says Fíli determinedly. "Now shut up and lie still."