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STARS AND HAMMERS

Climbing Trees

No one needs to know that you let me in tonight

That you let me see the world behind your eyes

I want to see us work, dear, to reach the other side
My treachery is love, dear, we're on both ends of the fight

We're fighting for ourselves, we're fighting for our lives
Won't you let me see the world behind your eyes

"Behind Your Eyes" Jon Foreman

Kili sighed in exasperation.

"Surely, master dwarf, you can climb." The elf-maid smiled at him with a wicked gleam in her eye.

"It's not something I'm incapable of," He said with his fists on his hips. He could still recall vividly when Thorin's company had been forced into the pine trees beyond the goblin caves, cornered by Azog. Kili tried to hide the shiver that ran through him at the memory. "But I won't be heading quite as high or moving quite as swiftly as you."

Kili reached out a hand to a branch and lifted his foot against the trunk, bouncing for a moment on the heel that still stretched from the ground. Leaping and shifting his weight to hang from his arms, he managed to make it up a portion of the tree before panting and looking up at his companion. "Is this sufficient?"

"You are still on the first set of branches." Tauriel smirked down at him, body leaning far from where her hand anchored her and a single foot held its placing while the other dangled weightlessly in the air. Kili glanced down—she was right, he was about his own height of distance from the ground.

"You are more nimble than you give yourself credit for. Come higher." She goaded.

Though he knew she was learning to speak it, he chanced a grumble in Khuzdul and hoped she didn't catch it when he called her a wicked seductress who enjoyed torturing him.

Kili felt his determination kicking in and leapt through several more branches, earning him a few gasps from his elven companion when he risked a few perilous looking jumps. He might not have much experience with hauling himself up by his arms, but he certainly had it where it counted in hurdles and leaps.

One more jump—further and higher than the others—and he felt his weight straining the branches.

"I believe, daughter of the forest, this is where I stop." He grinned dumbly at her while clutching a swaying branch. "Did I risk my life in getting here for no reason or am I due some sort of reward?"

He saw a nervous smile on Tauriel's face as she bit her lip and thought about it.

"Or maybe I should hazard a drop and see if you'll offer me sympathy." His eyes crinkled with his mischievous smile.

"Always playing." Tauriel whispered with a shake of her head. "But the reward is mine—you are teaching me to undo the stiffness I have learned in seclusion with my kin."

"If you want to learn to play properly," He said with a wavering frown as the branches around him cracked and whined, "I can think of a much less deadly approach to that lesson."

Part of his support broke and Kili gasped as he felt himself plunge a little lower, changing his footing and grunting while grasping for something more solid.

"Kili!" The elf called his name, leaning forward.

The dwarf let out a cry as he descended toward the ground when his second support collapsed, sending him to the dirt like a heavy rock.

"Kili!" She called again, dropping from branch to branch as though she weighed nothing.

He thought she looked like a cat, pouncing from each branch as though they were steps made perfectly for her to perch from. Enjoying the scene while it lasted, he forgot to breathe until she came to kneel beside him.

Gasping loudly, Kili realized he'd had the wind knocked out of him. He was lying on his back in a pile of leaves and dirt, a numb soreness taking over at his hips. "Oh, Mahal, that was no fun."

"I'm sorry!" Tauriel cast him a worried glance as her hands hovered over him, looking unsure for fear of hurting him further. "I shouldn't have—"

"It hurts," He moaned while he squeezed his eyes shut, slowly rolling his head to the side.

"I'm sorry," She said with wetness in her eyes, hand to her mouth. "Where are you hurt? Tell me where you're injured!"

"Legs, hips, arms…" He groaned again and twitched his arms, holding one of them out to hold her hand. "Shoulders, head, back… everything."

Tauriel gasped softly and Kili wondered if she really believed him.

"All that and no reward," He smiled weakly, but followed it with a pained expression. "And to top it, I'm afraid of heights—"

Kili never finished, though, as Tauriel was pressing her lips to his and winding her fingers through his hair, murmuring apologies between each kiss and stroking at the roots of his scalp. He savored the soft skin at the corner of her mouth, licking it before running his own hands through her hair and pulling her to him in a strong hold.

She paused. "I thought your arms were injured."

"Not really," He laughed softly, pulling at her lower lips with his. "I'm fine."

"Kili," Tauriel stiffened and pulled away, standing over him with her hands on her hips. "You're not injured at all, are you?"

"Dwarves are made of stone," He chortled. "Do you really think a fall like that could hurt me?"

Her eyes were slit open as she frowned at him and he wondered how badly he was going to pay later on for his prank. "Well," Kili waved a hand at her. "I did warn you beforehand that I was going to hazard a drop to play on your sympathy." Kili jumped to his feet and bounced on his heels, crossing his arms and smiling widely as she shook her head at him.

"And these are the lengths you will go for a kiss?" She looked at him incredulously.

"I'd risk more than that for your kisses," He admitted truthfully and was surprised—as well as pleased—to see a blush come over her cheeks and a small smile. "Is that what it will take?" He added, wondering how much convincing the she-elf would need to accept that he'd already become so fiercely loyal to her.

It was a characteristic of dwarves to be incredibly devoted to their friends, family, and eventual spouses, but he began to wonder if elves did the same. Perhaps this explained was why Tauriel was always so hesitant. That was the crux of the matter, wasn't it? Elves made their decision once, therefore the making of that decision would take an incredibly long time—weighing the cost, assessing their partner, even comparing them to others…

"I'm sorry I'm so tentative." She muttered, as if reading his thoughts, and took a step toward him. "Please do not think that I don't..." Tauriel fixed a scrutinizing eye on her dwarf companion. "You thought I was still deciding whether or not I wanted you?"

The question pierced Kili deeply. He hadn't been expecting that she would see through him so clearly, but nodded his head, inwardly relieved that he hadn't had to voice his concern, a conversation he knew he would have ruined.

"Of that, never fear, master dwarf." She raised an eyebrow and let the corner of her mouth climb into a mischievous smile mimicking his own before pressing her lips against his in a crushing kiss.

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Want a Kili and OC humorous parody? Try HOW TO WRECK A MARY SUE

Kili and Danika are tired of being pushed around in fan fiction stories and make a pact to defy writer's prompts, but do they have any idea what will happen if they don't play by the rules? Guest appearances from Luna Lovegood, The Doctor, Sherlock, and others!

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Want some Fili/OC romance/adventure? Try GOLD AND FIRE

Fili and Princess Nur of the Iron Hills marry in secret just before he leaves for Erebor, but what is a lonely wife to do while her husband is braving life and death for their future? Covers the Battle of Five Armies and afterward. Explanations for some of the actions within the movies as well as some behind the scenes! A sequel to GEMS AND POISON- the first big adventure of Fili and Kili!

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Want some Thorin/OC romance/angst? Try JEWELS AND DAGGERS

Just as Thorin becomes engaged to be married, the dragon attacks Erebor and all is thrown into chaos! Thieving men take captive some of the wandering dwarves- will Thorin, Frerin, and Dwalin be able to rescue the enslaved dwarves, including Runa, Thorin's beloved?