Once A Thief

Summary: Nori knew that he was in love with him. He had known for a long time. He had thought about it before... taking the youngest prince and keeping him as his own, but he knew, if he went through with it, that he could never let him go...

Chapter 7

Nori let his eyes settle on the toymaker, and he had to admit, he felt guilty. Bofur was innocent in this. In fact, all he had done to land himself in this mess was care about Nori.

"This isn't about that." The thief said finally.

Kili looked up at Nori, and he saw him take a deep breath and stand up as tall as possible. "I'm not staying here, Nori." He said firmly. "I can't."

"Kili, can you at least give me a private conversation?"

"We have nothing to talk about, Nori. I want to go home."

"I'm afraid I must insist."

"No." Kili's voice was stronger, and Nori could see the anger coming out in him. Something about it was very sexy to the thief. Bofur stood, and moved to stand beside the prince. He looked up at Nori, and it made his heart ache a bit to see the same spark was still there, under a hint of sadness. Nori just sort of rolled his eyes, and reached out, taking Bofur's wrist. He yanked him toward the door, and Kili's strong demeanor fell instantly.

"Nori, wait! I'll talk to you! Don't hurt him!"

Nori huffed, and shoved Bofur out of the room, knowing the front door and windows were locked tight. He slammed the door closed and locked it from the inside. Bofur was on the door immediately. He slammed his fists into it. "Nori!" He yelled, as the thief turned to the prince. "Nori, don't do this! Please!"

Nori did his best to drown him out, and stepped toward Kili, who didn't move but watched him closely. "Leave with me." Nori said.

"What?"

"Leave with me. Let's go from this place. Kili, I will love you with a passion that will never die. Please..." He took his hands and held them tightly to his chest. "Give me that chance. I know that you have love for Thorin, but I know I can give you just as much. I would give you everything you want and need. Please..." He released his hands, and wrapped them around the young prince's waist. Kili placed his hands flat on the thief's chest, but didn't push away.

Kili looked into his blue eyes, and he could see how sincere he was. His own brown eyes were starting to well with tears. He could feel the love in his words, and his touch. He felt absolutely horrible, and almost obligated. Nori had always looked out for him, and been there whenever he had asked. He loved Thorin, and had never considered being with anyone else, but as much as he hated to admit it, Nori had been right about Thorin. He was cold, and very specific about what he needed. Kili felt a bit overwhelmed at times, trying to satisfy what Thorin thought was best for them, and perhaps Nori was making more sense than he thought. Not to mention, the lack of relation was a big factor.

He tried, sincerely, to imagine himself not loving Thorin, and attempting to let go of the idea of being with him forever. The thought brought him to complete tears. His head hung and he tried to to cry as hard as he wanted to, and managed to speak, even though it was low and emotional: "I can't, Nori... I'm.. too in love with him. I can't just forget him like that. I'm sorry. I believe you when you say you love me... I really do."

Nori leaned down and kissed him sweetly. Kili did kiss him back but he turned his head when Nori just to go beyond pressing their lips together. "Kili, please..."

"I'm sorry." He let his hands fall and he tried to step back, not at all surprised when Nori held him there. "I can't be happy this way..."

Nori let him go, feeling sad and didn't want to force Kili. He wanted him to love him back. He didn't want to make him cry anymore, but how could he go one more day without him? He turned from the prince, and had to take a shaky breath to keep his own tears at bay. "Do you really think that he can love you more?"

Kili spoke quietly, his sobbing had calmed. "This isn't about how Thorin feels. It's how I feel... I love Thorin, Nori." The thief turned around and it pained him to see a thought smile on the dark prince's face. "Whatever he may be to anyone else. He's beautiful to me, and I love him." He looked at Nori now with pleading eyes. "I can't give you what you want."

"You won't consider it? Kili... I need you."

Kili looked at the ground. "I'm sorry."

"What does he have that I don't?"

"It's not a contest, Nori. Please, listen-"

Kili was cut off by an ear splitting crash. It was glass shattering. Nori whipped around and threw the door open. He was certain Bofur was long gone. He'd broken the window, and he was rushing through the halls to tell the king everything, but when he got out of the room, Bofur was in front of him staring at the window. Nori looked over to see two large dwarfs climbing in. He recognized them immediately. Two thugs that worked for the shop owner with the nicely stuffed lockbox that Nori had been too distracted to even sell.

He grabbed Bofur's wrist and tossed him into the room. He slammed the door and was able to slip the lock in it's place but not push it closed before he had to dodge some throwing daggers. He tossed a couple of his own, catching one of them in the hand. He yelled out and that was when Nori heard the toymaker's voice from the room: "Nori! Open the door! Nori, we can help you!"

Nori saw the larger of the two goons look over at the door and smirk. "Keep 'im busy." He said to the other, who was wrapping a dirty cloth around his bleeding hand. Nori moved quickly in front of the door and pulled out two long knifes.

"As I recall..." He said, trying to sound calm, but his breath was heavy, "this didn't go well for the two of you last time."

"Keep on talkin'." The thug said, eyeing him carefully, "We're not here to scare ya this time."

"Please." Nori listened for Bofur and Kili, but they were silent. "You've scared no one."

"Who are you protecting in there?" The other one spoke, his injured hand shaking.

Nori widened his stance and held his knives tightly. He said nothing, warching, waiting for one of them to make a move. They always did, they were sloppy. He should have killed them before when he had the chance, but he figured there was no point in further bloodshed. He took one of their fingers and almost took the other's ear. He figured they wouldn't mess with him again, but here they were, at the worst time. There was no fleeing now. He knew if they got to Kili and Bofur, they would hurt them.

Suddenly, the injured one tossed two more daggers. Nori avoided them easily and held his place in front of the door. They closed in slowly together, and Nori tried to keep his breath even, watching their every movement easily. He knew he wasn't going to come out unscathed. They were hired thugs for a reason, but Nori knew what to do to come out alive... hopefully. He was about to make a move. Literally, half a second away from taking the injured one's hand the rest if the way off, when he heard the bedroom door shake.

Nori only glanced back. He just wanted to check the lock. Kili was skilled, he knew. Bofur could hold his own, even if a little less talented, but Nori knew that Kili had never come across dwarves like this, and Bofur did not have a good history of fairing well with them. They were his responsibility. He wasn't going to allow them to be hurt over something that had nothing to do with them. He was the one that had them there.

Of course, the thugs knew nothing. He knew why they were there. They were after the lockbox, and as it seemed, Nori's head, and that glance back was chance enough. The larger, and uninjured dwarf jumped forward, he shoved a long knife forward in his right hand, and tossed another small dagger from his left. Nori dodged the larger knife, but the dagger slid across thigh, slicing perfectly. Nori hit the wall, and slid down, keeping his feet flat, in case he needed to move. He dropped one knife on instinct, and gripped his leg, but he held the other tightly. He tried not to make a sound, but when his hand pressed on the wrong spot, he couldn't but yell out. "Fuck!"

"Nori?!" Kili's voice came immediately, and the thugs glanced at each other. The smaller one rushed for the door, as the other came at Nori, ready to make the final blow. Nori braced on the wall, and kicked straight out right into his shin. He yelled out, and toppled straight forward, smacking his face on the floor right in front of the thief. He shoved off the wall, and ran down his back, ignoring the pain that shot through his left leg, and snatched the other away from the door, just as he tossed the lock to the floor. Nori tried to stand tall in front of the door, but the large dwarf was on him instantly, and tackled him right through it.

The door flew open with a slam, and Nori had just a second to see Bofur, and Kili jump back before he hit the wall with a sickening thud, and his knife fell from his hand. The prince and toymaker acted faster than Nori had expected, and he found himself thankful they were there. Though, if they hadn't been this might be going differently. Bofur gripped the large dwarf's tunic, and, with almost all his strength, heaved him back. He managed to keep his balanced and ended up standing side-by-side to his counterpart in the doorway.

Kili snatched the knife off the ground, and stood in front of Nori, holding it out in front of him. Bofur stood with Kili, and Nori tried desperately to stand.

"Wait a second!" The smaller dwarf said, cradling his bloody hand to his chest. "You're the prince!"

"Well, well..." The larger goon laughed. "Never thought you'd managed to make it with royalty, Nori."

"Shut..up..." Nori was making his way up, bracing himself on the wall. He snatched another dagger from his coat. The two stepped forward slowly, each wielding large knives of their own. Nori reached out, and braced himself on Bofur's shoulder, and pulled himself to a complete stand. Bofur immediately wrapped his arm around him, and held him steady. Kili shifted, watching them closely.

"Wait..." Nori whispered, hanging his head, attempting to look more injured than he was. Kili listened, stepping closer to Nori, waiting for the order. The goons closed in closer... closer.. then: "Now!" Nori shoved Bofur to the ground and jumped over him, pushing the pain to the back of his minf. He slashed up, catching the large thug by surprise, just as he'd hoped. His knife connected from chest to shoulder. Kili moved as soon as Bofur spoke, ducking low and moving straight up with the blade, slicing right through the wrist of his injured hand.

Both dwarves screamed in agony. The smaller fell to his knees, clutching at the empty space where his hand once was. The larger only stumbled and rushed back at Nori with a new fire fueling his rage. He slashed, and Nori blocked it, though it caused him to step back on his injured leg, and he nearly stumbled. Bofur was up now, and he rushed over, thinking only of Nori, and not of the fact he was unarmed, and out matched. He stepped in between them, and caught him off guard enough to shove him backwards.

Nori was on him instantly, and shoved him back, nearly into Kili. He was standing, even though a bit shakily, between them and the larger dwarf. He held his knife firmly, and he spoke, never taking his eyes off of the thug: "Take Kili. Go, now." He sounded calm, but harsh, like a commander in battle.

Kili rushed to Nori's side instantly. "We're not leaving you here."

"How cute..." The dwarf mocked, holding his dagger tightly in his hand. His partner was writhing on the floor behind the three of them, shaking and yelling. "Does your uncle know you're here fucking a criminal?" He laughed as Kili looked to the ground. "Maybe someone should let him know, or would you not want to make him jealous?"

That was all it took for Nori. Without warning, or even the slightest bit of outside movement, he tossed his knife hard, and fast, and it hit it's mark perfectly between the goons eyes. He staggered a few steps and collapsed on the floor, lifeless.