Author's Note:This is a story from the Hobbit. Movie inspired. It is about those who help us grow and shape us as they prepare us for life. A father is not always the one responsible for your birth, a father is someone you can look up to, no matter how tall you get. Fili and Kili never lacked for a father.

Warning: The warning is placed here for vinsmouse, who wanted a spew warning here, claiming it might be a bad idea to drink while reading the funnier parts. So please keep in mind that drinking any kind of beverage while reading this, might be hazzard'ous to the health of your screen.

Disclaimer: I do not own the Hobbit, nor the actual dwarves. All I own is my own three inch high Fili and Kili and they shall suffer naught for my stories…

No Matter How Tall You Get

Chapter 4

Bilbo wasn't sure of Nori at all. He was quiet and mostly kept to himself. He did look out for his brothers, especially Ori who was the baby of the family. Even so he never quite seemed to interact with him. Certainly not like Kili and Fili did with one another, but then the two of them were somewhat special. Balin and Dwalin were brothers too, and would sit in comfortable silence or keep an easy conversation. Bifur, Bofur and Bombur would enjoy the company of one another. They all were like Bilbo was used to family being like, except Kili and Fili, and Nori.

Kili and Fili were more, one was never without the other and what they did they did together. Fili had no thought for himself before Kili's needs were seen too. Something that Kili apparently took for granted. It was the way it was supposed to be according to the two, and Bilbo was not willing to stick his neck out and tell them otherwise.

Nori though never spent much time with anyone beside himself. He sat on his own to smoke his pipe and did not appear to long for company.

Sure enough, he would laugh just as heartily as all the rest at the antics of the younger ones. Once more, Kili and Fili. Ori would not allow himself to be drawn into such mischief as those two did. He was much too calm and too sensible to even ponder it.

When Bombur woke with flowers stuck everywhere into his beard and Bofur found a garland of flowers wrapped around his mattock no one had to wonder who was responsible. No one cared who had done what, who had done the beard and who had decorated the mattock. It did not matter to them either. Both victims bore it with grace, allowing the others to laugh for a moment but swearing vengeance.

Kili gazed at them with wide eyed innocence no one believed while Fili met their eyes with something of a challenge. They might take revenge on him for the deed, but it only meant he would take revenge in turn.

Nori laughed just as hard as the others did, and he applauded when Ori found his book had been used for pressing flowers. Between every page were flowers and leaves. All placed there with great care it appeared. Even so he was quite flustered. Torn between his annoyance and his delight over finding such fine specimen. No one could say that Fili and Kili did not take care in what they did.

Nori laughed and teased his younger brother as he sought to work it out. Kili was rolling on the ground as he could not even sit for laughing so hard. Dori scowled at him while Dwalin chuckled happily. Glóin, never more grateful that his own child was much calmer shook his head in amusement. Bofur was slapping his knee, never missing a chance to laugh and Fili had first only worn a smirk on his face but was now doubled over with laughter barely held in check.

Finally Ori was able to decide on a course of action and the camp settled down to quiet again. Ori giving his full attention to his book while Thorin sent Kili and Fili to the ponies with a deeply felt sigh. Bilbo didn't blame him, as amusing as the boys were they could wear on your patience from time to time.

Ori joined them, apparently curious about some of the fauna they had found. Though Bilbo doubted they would be able to give him a satisfying answer. They two paid no more heed to flowers than to note the colour.

They were only called back later when it was remembered that none of them had eaten, and by then there was not much food left. Bombur had made short work of it with the aid of the others. Balin was just finishing while Nori was still eating.

Ori went to Bombur to fetch the bowls after Bombur had scraped the pot clean in an attempt to fill them. Kili and Fili had settled down on their bedrolls and Fili was stripping off the top layer of weapons to make ready to sleep. Bilbo doubted he removed them all just because he meant to sleep. He found it hard to be sure not knowing how many he carried, but there was quite an impressive pile on the ground.

Ori took all three bowls in his hands, balancing them carefully back to the two brothers. He picked his steps with much care but even so managed to trip and the bowls went flying.

Kili spun, attempting to catch one but failed. Fili holding no hope of saving their supper simply ducked instead.

Ori rose to his feet, a look of horror on his face as he realized that he had lost all their supper and knowing there was no more to replace it. He ducked his head as if he expected them to be angry but the brothers only sighed.

"Was likely as not fit for eating anyway," Fili declared with a sigh as he poked at a patch of messy grass where traces of soup lingered.

"Actually it was really good," Bofur grinned as he drew a finger inside his bowl to get the last drop.

Thorin gave the three youths a sympathetic look as he put his empty bowl aside. Going hungry one night would not do them any harm. Since there was no more food there was little to help it, but he still felt sorry for them just the same.

"I'm terribly sorry," Ori apologized. His face was red with shame as if he feared that the two brothers would be angry with him. Bilbo understood his fear for it seemed likely that they would blame him and his clumsiness for their lack of supper.

"It is of no matter," Fili assured him, settling down.

"Not your fault," Kili played with one of the spoons before tossing it down again. He wore an annoyed scowl on his face but it was not directed towards Ori. It was just that he was not used to being denied supper. If there was little food to be had Fili would always ensure that he had enough. Now he looked up at his brother, a small childish part of him wondering why Fili had not fixed it yet.

Fili who knew the look on his face simply grinned.

"I did not mean to be so clumsy," Ori apologized again. The scowl on Kili's face did nothing to comfort him.

"Only a misfortune," Fili declared. "Pay my oaf of a brother no heed Ori. He is cross over the growling in his belly. Not with you. Not even he is a big enough fool to think you'd lose your own supper just to spoil ours."

His words seemed to calm Ori somewhat though he still blushed and looked flustered.

Bilbo found himself wishing that he had something, anything to give them for they certainly looked miserable. Ori sat down beside the two while Fili attempted light hearted teasing and Kili studied the inside of a bowl to see if any scraps or morsels could be saved. The smallest drop would give him comfort.

The problem was that there simply wasn't any more food to be had.

Putting his bowl down with a sigh Bilbo noticed that Nori was simply watching them with a bemused smile. He knew he cared for his brother and expected he felt sorry for him. Dori was looking both crossed and annoyed. He was upset that he could not set things to right for his brother. An older brother who could not see to the need of his younger charge was disgusting to him.

The shouts from the others about how good the soup had been were met by glares, scowls and eventually rude gestures from Kili while Fili only shrugged. Then a few calls referred more to Ori's clumsiness than the quality of the soup and to Bilbo's surprise Fili acted. He was still seated and did not move, but the glares he sent them silenced them instantly. There was such a challenge in the glare that all quieted instantly and Bilbo thought that never had Fili looked so much like Thorin. Ori was no real relation to him, but the instinct of an older brother was clear. It was fine to make fun of their hunger, but not of Ori.

It gave him a new respect for the golden haired Dwarf. He had seen Fili as a troublemaker, a very friendly one but a troublemaker just the same. One who protected his brother fiercely but he was pleased to note he would include others into that protection.

Nori appeared to think so too, he gave a small smile. Dori had looked flustered as if he had been about to step in when Fili had beaten him to it.

Nori stood with a glance into his own bowl, half full and with soup by now gone cold. Still he took it over to the three and handed it to Ori. His younger brother looked up at him with surprise, then smiled shyly.

"Hold on to it this time," Nori urged, ruffling his hair. "And do not let them two eat all of it. It's not much stretched between three, but better than nothing."

"Thank you," Ori beamed happily.

"Can't let my brother go hungry, can I," Nori winked at him before he retreated back to his own seat.

"Thank you Nori," Fili spoke while Kili was picking their spoons from the ground. He had not bothered to clear the mess up before, but now he passed one to his brother. Ori took the spoon Nori had left in the bowl and then all three crowded around it. Taking a spoon each in turn until the soup was gone. It was possible that the other two did not notice, but Bilbo saw how Fili allowed them both to have their turn first. He also took only a few drops in his last spoon so that the other two would have one last each.

He'd never seen Nori treat his younger brother with such kindness before, and he had certainly not seen him include the two Durin brothers in it.

It was nice and comforting to know that even Nori who was so hard to understand would undoubtedly look out for the younger ones.

TBC

Please review, the Cricket is hungry….