Bump in the Night

Kili hated living alone.

Okay, sure there were perks, like being to dance around in his underwear and singalong with Disney songs at the top of his lungs while making dinner, but most of the time it sucked.

It especially sucked the nights when Tauriel drags him to the theater to see movies like Crimson Peak. Which she did every time a horror flick came out that she wanted to see. She was too afraid to see them alone, and her boyfriend Legolas flat out refused to see them with her, saying that they were a macabre way for Hollywood to make money off of the twisted ids of society.

Kili, not being a psychology grad student that overanalyzed everything, was Tauriel's second choice for a movie partner. Lucky him.

Okay, so he really didn't mind the movies. There was something exciting about being scared in the safety of a movie theater and, if the movie were any good, the stories were always freakishly fascinating.

Coming home to a dark, empty apartment afterward, though, was a different matter altogether. Gone was the safety of the audience around him, gone was Tauriel's presence at his side, gasping and shrieking and then laughing at how frightened they were.

When he was alone, every shadow in the apartment seemed threatening.

Taking a deep breath and knowing he would get no sleep anytime soon, he turned every light in his one bedroom apartment on, making sure every blind and curtain was completely closed and every door to every room was firmly shut.

He plopped down on the sofa, glancing nervously towards his small kitchen that had no door. It made him uneasy, but there wasn't anything he could do.

He switched the television on and flipped over to the shows he had recorded on the DVR. He had a good stockpile of The Big Bang Theory. That was bright and happy and would help him get his mind off ghosts and murderers that might be lurking around the corner to get him.

This wouldn't be a problem if he could just work up the courage to broach the topic of living together with Fili, he thought with a scowl.

They had been dating for a year and a half, and Kili was so far gone for the blond, it wasn't funny. But Fili hadn't once mentioned them possibly taking the next step and moving in together. Not even a hint. There were many times when Kili wanted to casually bring it up. It wouldn't have been hard. They spent at least four nights of the week together at each other's places anyway, usually more. They both kept clothes at the other's apartment. Surely moving into together was the next logical step?

But Fili didn't say anything, and Kili was too much of a coward to suggest a bigger commitment to each other that might be more than Fili wanted.

He pushed thoughts of Fili away. The blond was working late tonight anyway. Even if they did live together, he wouldn't have been there to keep Kili from jumping at his own shadow.

He tried to focus on the show, eyelids feeling heavy and voices from the tv sounding louder to his sleepy mind. He really just wanted to go to bed, but every time he closed his eyes, it felt like there were eyes on him, watching him and waiting for him to let his guard down. His eyes flew open every time sleep was almost on him, heart pounding as he scanned the room desperately.

Why did he even watch scary movies? This always happened! He'd go, have a great time at the movie, then come home and cower on his couch with all the lights on.

He was just glad that tomorrow was Saturday, as he watched episode after episode. He was already resigned to go getting much sleep tonight.

A shriek ripped from his throat as something hit his door. It took his panicking mind a moment longer than he should have to realize that someone was knocking.

Feeling slightly stupid, he got up and looked out the peephole, sagging in relief as he saw who it was. He quickly unlocked the door and grinned.

"Fili."

"Hey, baby," the blond said with a smirk that only he could make look sheepish, stepping close and giving him a kiss, maneuvering them inside and closing the door behind him and locking it. "I saw your lights on and figured I'd stop by. What were you screaming at?"

"I was not screaming," Kili denied firmly. They both knew it was a lie, but Fili seemed willing to let him stay in denial. He was exhausted so he flopped back onto the couch as Fili peeled off his coat before slouching down next to him and pulling him close. "What are you doing coming this way, anyway? It's not on your way home."

"Maybe I was hoping you'd still be up," he admitted with a wink before he frowned. "Why are you still up? It's past three in the morning and you look like you're about to pass out."

"Couldn't sleep," he answered with a shrug, leaning heavily against the solid mass of his boyfriend, feeling safe and content.

Fili hummed thoughtfully. "Maybe it's because you have all your lights on. You trying to run up your electricity bill?"

"Nah," he said, shaking his head as he let his eyes slip close and he burrowed closer to Fili. "Shadows were creeping me out after seeing the movie tonight."

"Ah," the blond said knowingly. "Tauriel and you went to see another horror movie. Baby, why didn't you wait until I could go with you? Or at least until I could be here to help you sleep after? I know you like your independence, but I don't like the thought of you alone and scared."

Kili blinked up at him in confusion. "What?"

Fili sighed. "You're too tired for this conversation. Let's go to bed."

"No," he said, sitting up and putting a hand on Fili's knee to keep him from standing up. "What do you mean I like my independence?"

The blond furrowed his brow. "Kili, I know you're a free spirit and are all for spontaneity and living in the moment. And I love that about you. Hell, I love everything about you. I just think you get too caught up in it sometimes and you end up paying for it later. Like how you're too afraid to close your eyes when you're beyond exhausted."

All that was true, Kili had to admit. He didn't think things through sometimes. Okay, a lot of the time. Being too scared to go to bed was probably a minor thing considering the things that could happen to him if he leaped before he looked and ended up over his head.

"Is that why you don't want to move in together?" he asked sadly, fatigue making his brain to mouth filter non-existent.

"What?" Fili asked sharply, causing Kili to wince.

"Sorry to bring it up," he murmured, looking at his lap. "I just… I don't like living alone and I always want you around and it's okay if you want your space, but if it's because I don't think things through sometimes… Well, I can change."

"Kili, no," he stated firmly. Kili felt his eyes tear up at the edge in Fili's voice. He should've kept his mouth shut. However, Fili wasn't done. "I never want you to change," he continued. "And I don't need any space. I thought… I thought you wouldn't want to live with me."

Kili gave him a bewildered look. "Why wouldn't I want to live with you?"

Fili shook his head. "Because I'm so boring. I don't have the fire you have. I stick to my routine and rarely do anything spontaneous. I'm just… boring."

"I love that about you!" Kili protested before realizing how it sounded. "Now that you're boring, because you're not boring. But you're dependable! You keep me grounded. Fili, I…" He trailed off, not knowing what else to say.

It seems they had made a mess of things trying to guess what the other wanted.

Fili chuckled. "So we both want to live together." Kili nodded eagerly. "Well, then, I guess we should figure out where we want to live."

Kili grinned at him shyly. "Really?"

"Really really," Fili said softly.

Before Kili could make fun of him for quoting Shrek, Fili had captured his lips in a searing kiss, pulling the brunet up so that they were pressed so tightly together that Kili was practically in his lap.

Kili broke off the kiss with a yawn.

"Sorry," he said sheepishly, blinking owlishly to keep his eyes open. "I'm so sleepy though."

Fili shook his head. "Come on, Sleeping Beauty, let's get you to bed."

"That only makes sense if I'm asleep," he protested as he let Fili pull him to his feet. "I'm awake."

"You're practically asleep," Fili pointed out. "And I notice you're not arguing the beauty part."

"If I'm Beauty, that makes you the Beast," he muttered, eyes closed as he leaned heavily on Fili.

"You're mixing up your fairy tales," he answered, guiding him until he was lying down on the bed.

Kili felt Fili unbuckle his jeans and toss them on the floor. He cracked his eyes open a few moments later as he felt Fili slide under the covers with him.

He smiled as he met Fili's smiling eyes. "Hi," he said.

"Hi," Fili replied, snaking an arm around his waist and tucking Kili firmly against him. He dropped a kiss to his forehead. "Get some sleep. I love you."

Kili sighed as he pillowed his head on Fili's chest. Nothing could hurt him within the safety of Fili's embrace.

"Love you. Night."

Fin.