A/N: Just a quick one-shot written for Ember Sorenson. Hope you enjoy! Also, for reference: in my head canon, 30 for Dwarves is roughly 10 (or a tad younger) for Humans. The timeline has been melded into my idea of somewhere between what is presented in the book & the movies, in case anyone is looking that closely. :)

As always, thanks for reading & reviewing!

The Best Birthday

Birthdays were often not fun.

Kili sighed, resting his chin in the palm of his hand, as if the weight of the entire world rested upon his shoulders.

He had been listening to the older dwarves in the caravan, and Bofur had mentioned a fondness for birthday celebrations that were held Before The Dragon Came. Kili had listened, wide eyed and open mouthed at the thought of such dazzling splendors of feasts and music and ale... Mum wouldn't let him have ale, even if they did have it, but lamb, and fish, and pork, and bread, and jam, and cake... his little heart sighed in both envy and delight.

Of course, Kili couldn't remember if he'd ever had such a magnificant birthday Before. He had only been just barely seven when they fled the Mountain. Birthdays that he had remembered since then could not even possibly hold a candle to the delights spun in golden fantasy by Bofur's tales.

When Kili had turned ten, they had been in Rhûn. The Men there were particularly unfriendly and Mum and Da had been hyper-vigilant against any threats that came near. So no great celebration.

Then Mum hadn't acknowledged his birthday at all when he turned fourteen. Duris had tried to distract him from the fact, but no one had been in the mood to celebrate. Not when his Da had been killed while fighting goblins only a month earlier. A similar pall had been cast over his birthday two years later, after Azanulbizar.

Battles that killed his family were not anything like the great parties Bofur described as birthday celebrations.

But this year was a special year. This year, Kili wanted a real birthday party more than anything. He would be nearly half grown and Uncle had promised that he would take him on for serious weapon training. Or, if Kili proved better at axe than sword, Dwalin would see to his training. Kili would finally have a real blade, not a blunted one, and he would be able to join Fili in battle practice.

The only thing that would make it better would be a party.

"Kee," a dwarfess ruffled his messy hair as she reached her cart where he sat moping. "What are you doing here, sitting so still and solemn?"

"Duris, I want a party."

She smiled. "A party?"

"Yes. With music and dancing and lots and lots and lots of food. Especially cake. Lots of cake, Duris."

"Cake is hard to come by, Kili."

"But Duris," he wheedled, "it's going to be my birthday. And it's an extra special birthday, too!"

"Oh?" she raised her eyebrow. "Are you going to be seventy, a strong, full grown dwarf?"

"No."

"Hmmm," she teased, "then maybe you'll be fifty, ready to begin an apprenticeship?"

Kili giggled, "No!"

"No? Then what birthday could this possibly be? I'm sure you're not going to be only ten years old!"

The young dwarfling could not contain himself any longer. "I'm going to be thirty!"

"Thirty?" the dwarfess confirmed, "well, my goodness, but you certainly are turning an important age."

"That's why I want a party."

"Hmm," she did not make any promise, but Kili knew he had chosen the right grownup to ask. Mum was often away, Uncle Thorin didn't particularly like parties, but Duris was his foster mum and she hadn't immediately said no. If he could convince Duris, she would surely be able to make it happen.

"And you'll make an excellent party, right? With sweets and everything?"

"We'll see."

"Today is my birthday!" Kili leaped from his bedroll before tackling his still sleeping brother. "Wake up, wake up! Today is my birthday!"

Fili covered his head with his hands. "Go back to sleep; it isn't your birthday yet."

"Yes it is, yes it is," Kili cried jubilantly, "and Duris and Uncle both promised that they would do something nice for my birthday. Something really special."

Kili leaned back on his heels, imagining what greatness surely lay ahead. "I bet Duris made me a cake. An entire cake, just for me! And maybe a little one for the rest of you. And Uncle probably made me a sword. A sword that will be great and mighty!"

Fili snorted. "Practice swords are not great or mighty. Especially not in the hands of Kili the Wimpy, not strong enough to even lift one by himself."

Kili scowled momentarily, but another prospect soon delighted his mind. "And what did you do, Fee? For my birthday?"

Fili turned back into his own bedroll. "I'm not telling until it's properly morning."

"Fi-li," Kili begged, "come on, it's my birthday! And I got up early for you on your birthday."

"When I also wanted to sleep."

"And don't you want to get up and see what Gimli is getting me? I bet it will be amazing. Because it's a very special birthday."

"Yes, Kili. You've been saying that."

"When do you think I'll get to see Gimli? Will he be coming in the morning, or will he have to wait until after noon?"

Lifting his head slightly, Fili glared one blue eye at his younger brother. "You should go check now."

"Now?"

"Yes. Now." Fili dropped his head back into his arms. "I'm sure he'd like that."

Kili grinned, liking that idea above all things. "Alright. And I'll come back and show you what he gave me!"

"You do that."

Scampering off his brother's back, Kili snuck around carts and tents as he made his way across the camp to where Gimli lived with his parents and younger siblings.

Gloin and Hwyne had already left on morning chores, leaving Gimli in charge. Goilin and Gror were helping, but Hwylla was screaming.

"Hi, Gimli!" Kili plopped down next to his younger friend. "Today's my birthday."

"Yeah."

A moment passed, when Baby Hwylla screamed with all her might and flailed her arms, hitting her eldest brother in the eye, before a gleam came into Gimli's eyes. "Kili, you only have one brother."

"Uh huh," Kili answered. It was really hard to stay excited for whatever present Gimli had made for him when Hwylla kept screaming, her face red and blotchy with tears running from her eyes. It was distracting. And not fun to be around.

"I have two brothers," Gimli continued, "and a sister. That doesn't seem fair. I mean, you don't have any younger brothers or sisters at all."

"No." And, before Hwylla had screamed loud enough to wake the dead, Kili had felt a little left out because of it. Now, by the mere fact of no adults running to comfort her, he had the sneaking suspicion that Hwylla did that all the time. She certainly had whenever he was around.

"Then, here," Gimli thrust the squalling baby into his friend's arms. "Happy birthday, Kili!"

"What?" Kili caught the baby on impulse, really not keen on the idea at all.

Hwylla whimpered, as if gearing up for another long scream. But instead, she blinked her murky greenish brown eyes and just stared up at him.

"See?" Gimli continued to push the idea on him. "She likes you. She'll make a great little sister for you, Kili. And then you can be the big brother."

Holding her awkwardly, Kili tried to bounce her like he'd seen other dwarves do. And the baby didn't holler. She giggled. Or gurgled. Kili wasn't really sure, but the baby seemed to like it.

Grinning, Kili took his eyes off the baby for a moment. "Thanks, Gimli! I'll be a great big brother, I promise!"

Gimli nodded. "It's only right to share."

Kili looked down at Hwylla again, grinning and quickly plotting all the things that Fili and he did, that he could now do, but be the bigger, stronger brother. "I can't wait to show Fee! This is the best birthday ever!"