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 7

Glóin had a son of his own Bilbo had found out, a few years younger than Kili and Fili by the name of Gimli. He had been told that he was turning out to be the spitting image of his father and it was clear to see how proud of him Glóin was. He also declared openly that he was glad he was nothing like Kili and Fili.

It was the opinion of most the others, Thorin included that he should be happy for that. Even Kili and Fili themselves would laugh and declared that Glóin had it much easier than their uncle. Apparently they had spent a good deal of time with Gimli, playing as well as training. He had been raised to be a craftsman and a warrior. The main difference as Kili and Fili had been raised mainly to warriors. It was because they were the heirs they had to be warriors before anything else. It was a good thing neither of them appeared to mind it.

Glóin as the father of their friend seemed to have insight in them that the others did not always have. He had heard stories from his own sons about what the other two were up to, and had seen them tumbling around together when they were not old enough for training. Gimli would trail after the other two, and they would include him in their games quite often. Of course this meant they included him in everything from harmless games to schemes of stealing pies.

One thing to be said in their favour was that if a scheme went wrong they never left the younger one to face it on his own. Fili would always take most of the blame on himself for being the oldest one. Then behind him Kili and Gimli stood looking worried and uncertain. Kili with his big dark eyes could melt any heart and Gimli being a mere babe made it hard for anyone to stay mad at them.

Glóin had always been glad that there were someone closer to Gimli's age for him to play with. It was hard for them all to live like refuges, but hardest for the children. Food was not as plentiful as it had been. Many children were ill and some did not make it. Gimli had been more fortunate than many of the others. He had been born healthy and strong and grown well. Kili had always been small for his age until eventually he caught up. Fili had been more of a sickly child even if he grew normally. Thorin had worried about them then he knew, in a way he never had to worry about his own boy. Perhaps it was why he viewed the boys the way he did. Older than his own boy, and yet not.

Having helped Kili to make a spare bowstring for his bow he ruffled his hair fondly and looked up to see Bilbo watching them with a soft smile. Kili laughed and ducked away, wrapping the bowstring securely before stowing it away carefully in his pack. He then joined the Hobbit on the ground, bringing out his pipe and accepting the tobacco that he passed him.

Bilbo looking up to where Fili stood not far away raised an eyebrow to let the older brother know there was a pipe for him if he wanted it. Fili though shook his head, focused on something else for the moment.

"He's just thinking," Kili told him cheerfully. "He does that at times, goes all quiet and is no fun at all. Says he's thinking. It makes everyone think he's so smart."

"But you don't?" Bilbo asked teasingly.

"Nah, he's just wearing out his brain for no good reason," Kili shrugged. "Fili is kind of smarter I guess, but I don't know if I think it's smart to think all the time."

"Hobbits tend not to dwell too long on things," Bilbo mused.

"Most of us don't," Kili agreed. "But he's gonna be doing it most of tonight." He gave a dramatic sigh. "Glóin says it's a good thing."

"Glóin is a wise Dwarf," Bilbo mused. He certainly had struck him as one.

"Oh yes, certainly," Kili agreed. "But wise is sometimes boring. I don't like it when things get boring."

"No you don't," Bilbo chuckled.

"At least Glóin realizes we're grown now," Kili spoke up. "A lot of the older Dwarves treats us as if we were children still." He gave a snort to show his disgust over this situation.

Bilbo sucked on his pipe and blew out a smoke ring. "I think it's the nature of adults to regret the growing of children," he mused.

"I suppose it is," Kili admitted. "Uncle Thorin likes to tell us how Gimli is much more mature than me and Fili though. He says that is why Glóin think we are grown when we are not, but Uncle can be rather grouchy."

"Yes," he can," Bilbo agreed. Thorin always struck him as grouchy.

"Glóin would take me and Fili along at times with Gimli," Kili suddenly added after some thought. "We were older, but well, there weren't many Dwarflings around and Gimli was really strong for his age."

"Some children are," Bilbo found he enjoyed this conversation. Kili was really easy to talk to especially when he was in a companionable mood like now. "We've had plenty of Hobbits small for their age, and some very big."

"I was small," Kili made another snort of disgust. "It took me ages to start growing. I was always told I was too small for everything and I hated it."

"I expect I would have hated it too," Bilbo admitted. "I was average I expect. Never nothing special."

"Fili was too I imagine, but he was sick a lot," Kili wore a thoughtful look on his face as he sought to remember. "So it didn't matter if he was bigger. He couldn't do all of it anyway. And Glóin was teaching Gimli a lot of things so he took us with him too."

Bilbo listened intently as Kili spoke softly over the pipe.

Glóin was waiting with Gimli when the two brothers joined them. Kili looking far smaller than he should given his age was walking by Fili's coat. He tended to hang on to his brother with a small hand if he was a little unsure. Fili who had a proper size for his age still moved slowly as he was just only recovered from a bout of illness. Gimli called out cheerfully to them and they waved in turn. Kili forgot his shyness and released his brother to run forward. He grinned as he caught up to his friend, giving Glóin a cheerful greeting as well. Fili when he caught up to them smiled and perfected a bow, offering a more formal greeting. He was being trained by Balin and took it quite seriously.

"Well, come then lads," Glóin smiled. He would be taking them to the forge to work. They were yet much too small to truly work the forge, all three of them. Yet Dwarflings learned early and they were all big enough to start their training. They would be sharpening knives and polishing. He'd show them how it was done, and what could be accomplished by hard work.

He'd made three crude blades, rough and dull yet. They would be given one each to work on. He did not expect them to turn out perfect. He was well aware that they were likely to be bored but still they would learn. Allowing them to keep the small blades would give them an accomplishment that was palpable. It would also serve to remind them in the future what they could accomplish if they were willing to work hard.

Really Kili was the perfect age for it, Fili was perhaps a little old and Gimli a little young. It was the way it was though. He expected Gimli could handle it. The Dwarfling was eager to try anything, especially what the older ones did. Fili was slow only because he didn't have the strength and stamina he should have had.

They should be ready now he thought so he had agreed to take all three. They worked together to teach their young ones.

He sat them down and gave them the blades, explaining to them what the wanted them to do. Kili instantly waved his around as if he was already carrying a sword and fighting goblins and orcs. Gimli frowned thoughtfully as he contemplated the task and Fili ran his fingers over the metal.

Most of his attention went to Gimli and Kili, explaining and aiding. He allowed them to pause and play a game for a few minutes when they grew too restless. Noting that Fili often refrained from joining them. This time it wasn't tiredness after illness that was stopping him. He was focused hard on his work and Glóin smiled. Balin had told him that when Fili devoted himself to a task he showed a stubbornness any Dwarf would be proud of. He would not stop before it was completed. In that determination he was a lot like his uncle. It also gave Glóin a few minutes to aid him.

Gimli was devoted to his work but a little young and there was no shame in that. Kili had a surprisingly steady hand and his work was good. He was chattering happily with Gimli since Fili was quiet. The two of them broke out in giggles and Fili looked up, then turned his attention back to what he was doing.

Glóin took them home to feed them lunch, but the work in the afternoon was easier. He showed them tools and how to use them rather than keep them at their work. They would continue the next day, and the day after that until the blades were finished. It wouldn't be so many days given how diligent they were and he praised them as he saw they deserved it. When every day was a struggle to survive it was good to see the promise of the future.

When he told them they were free to play they left together, Kili and Fili talking about some game they wanted Gimli to play with them. He urged them not to go far though he knew they were wont to stray. Adventurous lads, all three of them. Neither hesitated for a challenge and they often came back wet or covered in mud.

Bilbo marvelled over how Kili told the story. It wasn't a life and death adventure that had impressed him. It was just the simple every day way that Glóin looked after them as well as his own son. Yet it was perfectly obvious that it had left a strong impression on Kili. Bilbo thought it was no wonder the way he looked up to Glóin. The Dwarves certainly knew to respect their elders he decided.

It also explained why Glóin wasn't angry later when the two boys played one of their jokes on him. Nothing worse than covering the ground under his bedroll with dry twigs that cracked and popped as he settled down on it. The noise was quite loud in the evening and caught the attention of everyone. Glóin frowned, shifted, and frowned again. Kili was leaning against his brother while Fili watched with a smug grin.

The others were laughing as well, even Óin had noticed the cracking sound. Then with a sigh Glóin shifted his bedroll.

The look he gave Kili and Fili carried no anger. It was simple amusement and perhaps some puzzlement concerning when it had been done. They were crafty the two of them and it could be hard to tell when they were up to something. Especially Fili could be very sneaky. The quiet one of the two was harder to catch at it. You constantly found yourself dropping your guard against better judgment.

Bilbo smiled himself, Glóin certainly cared for the boys just as much as they respected the older Dwarf.

TBC

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