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Each morning began the same that year – Fili awoke to find Kili wrapped tight around him. He'd stare at his younger brother and stroke a finger to his sweetly drawn lips until Kili woke, kissing the finger that gentled at him. They spent a few moments together, a hand in hair perhaps, or resting gently at the waist, supping on the other's image so close and beloved. Then they'd smell breakfast and know that the day had to truly begin. Kili would kiss Fili's wrist, his pulse quickening at the touch of Kili's mouth, and Fili would press lips to Kili's hair, sliding down to catch his forehead. Any more was too much temptation.
Then it was a hurried breakfast and work at the forge, or more days at Thorin's side. Throughout it all, they made time to produce gifts for each other. Fili constructed real arrowheads, fine and sharp and lethal in Kili's hands. Kili forged a boot knife, with Fili's name upon the handle. It fitted perfectly in Fili's favourite boots and lay even better in his hand.
Fili produced boot buckles for Kili and Kili presented him with a bag of beads and metal finishes and spent an evening combing out his brother's golden hair and rebraiding it before tackling his beard. The plaits were tight and neat and one in particular signalled that Fili was now courting. The earth-coloured beads shone in the firelight.
They lay at each other's sides every night, their eyes hungry. But no matter the pull, they didn't dishonour each other or their uncle. Those who disobeyed the rules of courting weren't allowed to continue, and those who continued wilfully anyway became like tortured songs. Kili was not going to be Fili's tragedy.
Some nights Kili looked at him with astonishing eyes and whispered 'My King' over Fili's lips. Fili swallowed and tugged at his brother's hair.
On the night their first year ended, Kili looked as though he'd fall out of his skin; such was his fervour. Fili squeezed his hand and pulled him close to breathe in his ear. "Do you want uncle to lengthen our courting? More than a year remains before I can drive myself into you."
Kili crooned in response and wore a filthy look on his face when he replied. "And how long is it before I can drive into you, brother?"
Fili's grip on Kili's hand tightened at that image. His brother was going to kill him. "Too long."
Dwalin and Balin were waiting with Thorin when Kili and Fili arrived, hands clenched together. Thorin looked at them for a long moment.
"Your year is near up, and passed remarkably without trouble. You wish to continue?"
Kili nodded vigorously and Fili grinned sharply. "Without question."
Balin laughed into his beard. "You haven't killed each other yet; I'd say it's a fair courting to continue."
Dwalin nodded. "Stubborn to the end, aye, lads?"
Thorin motioned for his nephews to raise their joined hands and pulled a rope from his belt. He bound their hands together tautly, with a great many knots and mutterings of appropriate words. Either brother could easily slice themselves free, but that wasn't the point. The last night of their first courting year would be uncomfortable and testing. But they would be together.
Later, as they readied themselves for bed, struggling around the rope bindings, Fili couldn't help laughing; they both looked ridiculous. He pressed fond fingers to Kili's jaw and pulled him down onto the pallets without warning. Kili cursed at him through the bedsheets. It would be easier to lie on top of each other whilst their hands were so bound. But that way, great temptation lay. With much effort, Fili kissed Kili's bound fingers so close to his own, and ensured they slept side by side.
One more night, and another change would be upon them. There would be kisses and hands and even more closeness. It was a miracle that either of them slept at all. Kili twitched throughout the night but was the first to wake, kissing and sucking at Fili's bound fingers with great sly enthusiasm. Fili groaned.
"You couldn't wait until after we see uncle?"
"You could?!"
Still, the mention of Thorin was enough to drive them from their beds and into a meeting with him. Their hands had remained bound and away from each other. Thorin rested his hand briefly on their bindings, then cut through them with his own knife. He sliced the rope into two pieces, giving one to each of them.
"Your next year begins."
Fili let out a shuddering breath, allowing Kili to drag them away to some immediate place of privacy - a small room used for arms that no one would enter for a while. Once the door closed, Fili took control, desire lighting like a spark within him as he grasped Kili's arms and pressed him against the cool stones of the wall. His lips found Kili's without pause or announcement, eager to at last taste what had long been denied him. Kili groaned into his mouth, opening up for Fili's eager tongue and tasting with equal enthusiasm.
They stayed fused together for some time until Fili began tasting the sweat on this brother's jaw instead. Kili whimpered, echoing exactly how Fili felt.
"I may drown in a year of this," Fili breathed, yearning to continue kissing where he could see his brother's pulse jump.
Kili bit at the finger that rested on his lips but submitted beautifully. "The nights will be most enjoyable, brother. I've gathered many ideas."
Fili squeezed his neck, then tugged at his hair – because he would always tug on Kili's hair, especially when it caused Kili to make that noise. And they were still in their uncle's house. "Then we'd better start soon, preferably away from here."
They spent many long nights together that year – kissing mouths, questing tongues. Kili discovered a spot on Fili's thigh that made his brother buck wildly, and Fili always made sure to kiss behind Kili's ears, laving at places that caused Kili to gasp so sweetly. They lay side by side, eyes fixed on each other and mouths gasping each other's names.
"Mine," Fili hissed into his brother's skin, a weight rolling from his shoulders as he uttered the word. At last he was able to give voice to what he'd known for so long. "Mine."
Kili gasped into his mouth, gripping Fili's waist hard enough to leave bruises. He was saying the same thing as Fili, only without words.
The gifts continued to be exchanged between them – the ropes that had bound them were used, as was tradition. Fili used his as part of a new sling for Kili's arrows, whilst Kili had his piece adapted into a cloak for Fili once his own one became too torn for practical use. Both wore the gifts proudly and Thorin watched them searchingly, as though scouring for any hint of trouble. He did not complain that Durin's line would dry out with his nephews, though he did take many meetings with advisors, meetings that Fili was not invited to.
Dis didn't look troubled by this. "Durin's line always finds a way," she reminded her sons. "It came sideways to you, it can do so again."
Fili and Kili continued to work hard – if their work suffered because of their courtship, the consequences would not be pleasant. Their eyes were almost always on each other though, focusing on their sweating forms and coiled muscles. More than once, a drink was thrown at them by friends or relatives. They sat together in the taverns, arms locked around each other, lips never far away.
It was not yet the end of the year when Thorin sent for them and told them news of a different kind – the quest to reclaim Erebor would begin soon and he wanted his nephews to be part of it. Kili and Fili exchanged identical expressions and immediately agreed. To undertake such a mission was exactly the adventure and excitement they'd always sought together. Dis argued with her brother but hugged her sons tight and told them seriously to be wary of gold-fever working its poison through Thorin's veins and that they would find no greater treasure in the Mountain than what they already possessed together.
As they walked great distances and camped out for the night in rain and sun, surrounded by friends and kinsmen, they shared the same blankets and endured teasing from the group with mostly good humour. Several of the company had completed courtings of their own and had no end of advice, some of which got them pelted with whatever was at hand. Thorin watched, a smirk curling beneath his beard and something pleased and sad in his expression. Fili remembered then, with a pang, that his uncle had never completed a courting of his own.
The end of their next year came not long after the burglar had joined the company. Thorin took them aside one night and told them they were excused from taking watch until morning. Fili's heart pounded; this was not where he'd imagined he'd claim more of his brother, but oh, he couldn't wait for such touch now. Kili squeezed his arm and ran so quickly, he likely didn't hear the laughter from the others. The pair took care not to be too far out of earshot, finding a suitably private thicket of trees with soft ground at the roots.
Kili's skin appeared to glow in the moonlight as he shed his clothing, his expression greedy for Fili to do the same. Fili's hands felt clumsy as he bared himself, then his thoughts and arms were full of the enthusiasm of Kili, who pressed him against a tree, nipping at his neck, running an eager hand down to grasp his backside. Fili fought not to drown; he pushed back.
Kili ended up lying out on the ground, Fili crawling on top of him to feast. Kili was breathless as he panted out endearments, in the tongue of men and Khuzdul. Fili ran his hands down Kili's body and smiled at how Kili's length jumped at his touch, at the eagerness of his One. Kili bit at Fili's nipple, and his wicked laughter turned into groans when Fili buried his hands in long dark hair.
They were not inside each other yet – they had a little more time to wait before that was permitted – but they could now eagerly grasp each other's lengths, and kiss and bite until they both spilled over happy joined fingers. They gasped into each other's mouths, when they had breath to, and the lights slowly cleared from behind their eyes.
Kili clumsily wrapped his arms around his brother and rested his head against Fili's chest. Their laughter bubbled joyfully as they warmed each other in the cooling air. Their kin had likely heard much, but there was nothing to be done about it. Fili couldn't have waited another moment, not once he'd known the year had passed for them. He slithered down and kissed Kili's hipbone reverently. Kili mewled and sank his nails into Fili's back.
They didn't return to the fireside circle for several hours and once they did, they were greeted by many lewd comments. Fili made a rude gesture back and kissed Kili's forehead before settling down at his brother's side. Mr Baggins was looking at them, flushed and curious. Hobbit courtings must be different. Everything else about hobbits seemed to be.
At Rivendell, when surrounded by the iciness of the elves, Kili did not leave his side. He stood always on Fili's right, every inch of his clearly-positioned body shouting I am at his side, I have his back. It was only right he should do so; it was what he would do once Fili became King Under The Mountain. It made Fili smile and curl a pleased hand at the nape of Kili's neck. It made Mr Baggins look even more curious.
The brothers displayed their courting gifts obviously. Hobbits might not know what it all meant, but elves would glean it. Curious sneering eyes gazed at the brothers, but none touched them. Thorin's gaze was proud. It made Fili glow; Thorin needed their strength and support here, surrounded by those he trusted least.
Once the dark evening fell, Kili sat beside Fili, his body curled devotionally towards his brother as Fili's hand stroked through his hair. Bilbo's eyes only filled with more questions. Elrond offered them a room together unquestioningly and without any judgement in his eyes, or perhaps it was just very well hidden. On the private side of the door, Kili pressed desperate kisses to Fili's skin.
"You were…by Aule, I wanted to claim you in front of those tree-dwellers." Kili's eyes were almost feverish in their shine.
His hips rolled against his brother's and both of them strangled their words. It didn't make them any less true.
"Men lananubukhs menu."
"Menu tessu."
From some online researching, Kili and Fili's exchange in Khuzdul should translate as:
"Men lananubukhs menu." - "I love you"
"Menu tessu." - "You are everything"