Fili hated it when he was proven right, especially because it usually happened with his more negative predictions. Kili couldn't have been sleeping for more than an hour when the first dwarflet woke up and shuffled up to Fili. Taking into account the facial features and the hair colour, Fili recognized him as Oin.

"What is it little one?"

"I need to pee."

Not exactly surprising and if he was honest with himself, sort of cute to watch Oin jumping in place, his little chubby legs crossed to presumably delay the inevitable. Standing up at once, Fili took one outstretched hand knowing that if Oin went to him to tell him about the problem, he clearly needed help taking care of it. Leading the child short ways from the cave to some trees where Fili could help him and still keep an eye out on their hideout, business was fast taken care of, after all Oin's little bladder couldn't hold all that much just yet, and soon, Oin was tucked back into the sleeping mass of dwarflings.

This time, the calm barely lasted half an hour when what simply had to be Thorin walked up to him and poked him in his side none too gently. The sour look on his face was probably the cutest thing Fili had ever seen and it took a lot not to burst into chuckles.

"Aye?"

"There is a stone under my bag, it pokes me and it hurts."

"Why don't you take it out of the way then?"

"What are you for?"

Fili didn't have a reply right away, Thorin's tone was far too commanding if not really effective coming from a 5 year old.

"Oh no wee mister, you can do that yourself, I ain't your servant."

If looks could kill, Fili would be found burned to ashes by his brother the next morning but he had grown under the stern if loving hand of Thorin himself and won every staring contest against his brother, he wouldn't flinch away. Sighing, Thorin shuffled back to his bedding in defeat and threw the stone Fili's way. He lacked the strength to hit him but the intent was clear and raising one blond eyebrow, Fili made a mental note to keep a close eye on his uncle. He didn't even have time to call the silence peace before another dwarfling woke up and demanded help with peeing. By the time they got back, Oin was up again and Fili made another trip to the trees suppressing a long suffering sigh.

Oin only barely fell asleep when whimpering could be heard coming from Balin and deciding to solve the problem before it woke *everybody* up, Fili gently shook him and sat down holding an armful of sniffling dwarf that was more of a grandfather to him than anybody else ever could be. Not having the mental energy to contemplate that irony, Fili rocked him back and forth, reassuring the distraught child that it was only a dream, that everything was ok, that Balin was safe. What words didn't solve was finished by another quiet lullaby and soon, Balin was back in the land of dreams.

An hour later that only brought two thirsty dwarves, Fili shook his brother awake to tell him it was his turn to guard and help the little ones. Kili didn't understand at first but before he was fully up, Oin tugged on Fili's pants again and beckoning his younger brother to watch and learn, Fili took one last trip to the trees before his shift was over. When he was finally ready to collapse and sleep, he heard another dwarf walk up to his brother and explain that he needed to poo. Smirking at his brother, his eyes clearly saying "your shift, your problem", Fili snuggled into his bedding to the sounds of Kili's panic. He fell asleep with a smile on his lips.

Promising bitter retribution, Kili braced himself all the while repeating a mantra of "you fought orcs and trolls, you defeated wargs, you killed goblins, you can do this" and taking Bifur's little hand, he led him further into the trees and helped him crouch behind some bushes. He praised himself for doing good so far, that is until Bifur was finished and needed wiping. Kili forgot to bring anything with him for that use and had to improvise, his eyes falling on the nearby coniferous tree.

Fili was woken from his light doze by loud screams and ordering the now woken children to stay in the cave and keep together, he grabbed his swords and ran out of the cave. The sight that greeted him was absolutely pitiful. Tears streaming down his face, Bifur ran to him and hugged him tight, begging to be held as he told him what had happened, his tale often interrupted by loud hiccups. Kili had the decency to look ashamed as Fili threw him a murderous look even Thorin would be proud of and ordered him to go put the others back to sleep as he handed him his swords. Once Kili was out of sight, Fili began reassuring Bifur that everything would be alright and clutching to poor child to him, he trudged back into the cave. So much for catching sleep, he clearly couldn't count on Kili to take care of the kids on his own.

Praying for all of this to be just a terrible dream, Fili set Bifur back down and hoped that tomorrow, everything would be back to normal. He knew it was wishful thinking again as Oin shuffled to Kili with his constant problem. Wondering how his mother had ever managed to do this, he fell into restless sleep Kili occasionally woke him up from for help. At least he had learned his lesson.