Disclaimer: Anything you recognize from the Hobbit belongs to J.R.R. Tolkien and anyone who was involved in the making of it. Disrespect is not intended.

Author's Note: Thanks to all those who reviewed, and sorry for the long wait! Here are the scores from last time: A:3. B:0. C:2. D:1. 'A' wins, so that's what I'll be writing about in this chapter! Remember to review at the end of the chapter, pretty please!

Chapter Nine

Kili and Fili are 27 and 22


Kili sat sullenly as he watched Dwalin and Fili spar with wooden swords. He was particulary unhappy today. Someone sitting down beside him made him glance sideways. His uncle, Thorin, had sat down beside him and was now simply peering at him.

"Aren't you going to wish me a good morning?" Thorin said at last.

Kili glared. Thorin pressed his lips tightly together, and warned, "Kili."

Kili glared.

"Kili, what have I told you before?"

Kili glared.

"One."

"Sorry, uncle," Kili muttered, not sounding very sorry. His cheeks had flared in embarrassment when Thorin had started counting, and now he looked even more sulky.

Thorin stood up and crossed his arms over his broad chest, frowning. "Come back to me when you're in a better mood." And he strode away, calling, "Dwalin! I would like to train with you and my nephew as well!"

My nephew. Not 'my other nephew', or 'my eldest nephew'. My nephew. As if Kili wasn't there. Kili bit his tongue until he tasted blood, then stopped. He felt horrible inside, though he remained stoic on the outside. Every once in a while he would see his uncle give him a few glances then look away, the frown still firmly planted on his face.

After sparring was over, Dwalin called for Kili to stay behind, exchanging a knowing look with Thorin, which enraged Kili even more. He stomped over, bristling with anger. Dwalin handed him a wooden sword. Kili glanced up at him, confused. Dwalin raised an eyebrow, looking unimpressed. "You are going to stay with me until you feel better. Your uncle is sick of your temper that you've had for the last few days. Now, we're going to spar, and no excuses. Get into position."

Kili silently turned to get into his usual position. His uncle had left him. So had his brother. He was alone, and Dwalin's sharp and short tone brought angry tears stinging into his eyes. Kili angrily bent down and brushed them away as he pretended to tie his braces on his breeches. He stood up and faced his mentor.

Dwalin raised his sword. Kili rushed forward, though he knew full well that he was better at the bow and arrow than a sword. He swung and tripped when Dwalin ducked and gave his knees a sharp tap. "Focus! I've taught you better than this."

Kili growled and swung his sword once more. This time, instead of dodging, Dwalin blocked the blow and knocked his sword away easily. Kili, wanting to give up but unable to, rushed at Dwalin with no weapons. Dwalin threw his sword to the ground as well, obviously not wanting to hurt Kili. He easily pinned Kili to the ground as Kili thrashed beneath him.

For the next two hours they did something similar, and Kili still wasn't feeling any different. In fact, he had a worse temper than before. Dwalin stopped the session by throwing down his wooden sword, saying, "Enough. You're obviously exhausted. Go home, take a good shower and let your uncle take care of you."

Kili wordlessly turned, tossing down his own sword and heading home silently.


Thorin greeted him with a brief nod as Kili entered the house. Without even glancing at his uncle, he strode away to take a shower. After his shower and dressed in fresh clothes, he came back down to see his older brother sitting with Thorin, talking. He leaned against the wall quietly, listening. He was not eavesdropping, he told himself.

"Your younger brother has had quite an attitude for the past few days," Thorin was commenting as he pushed a cup of tea to Fili.

Fili sipped, looking thoughtful. "You know how Kili is," he murmured at last. "Rash, reckless, and audacious. But that's him, and I love him."

"So do I," Thorin answered. He paused to drink his own tea, then said, "We both know how this is going to end, hmm?"

"Yes," Fili agreed. "My poor brother will be sleeping with a burning bottom."

Not if I have anything to do about it, Kili thought, furious that his brother and uncle were speaking about him, and purposefully made loud noises with his feet to pretend that he had just arrived.

"Feeling better?" Thorin asked. He raised an eyebrow at Kili's cold silence. He sighed, stood up and finished the last of his tea. Then he gave Kili a curt nod and Fili a quick bump of their foreheads, and Kili felt a pang of jealousy. It seemed his uncle never was as affectionate with him as he was to Fili. Bitterness coursed through him, and he grumbled under his breath as he flopped down in an armchair in the living room.

Footsteps behind him sounded, and Fili sat down beside him, giving him a warm look. He put his arm around Kili's shoulders, saying, "What's wrong, little brother?"

Little brother. Kili huffed. He would always be 'little brother' or 'little Kili' or something similar. He wanted to be his own person, not simply 'Fili's little brother'. "That's enough of the attitude, you know," Fili said, suddenly sounding annoyed. Kili jerked away, staring into his older brother's face. A vexed look was on Fili's face, and it wasn't a good one. "Uncle and I are both sick of it. Either you fix it right now, little brother, or after Uncle Thorin spanks you I'll spank you as well!"

"You would not dare," Kili breathed. But Fili had the look of fierceness on his face, a firmness Kili had never seen until now.

"I most definitely would," Fili retorted. He pulled Kili to his feet with a sharp jerk and landed a swat on his backside, making Kili gasp. "Now go to Uncle and tell him what's wrong!"


(Thorin's POV)

My youngest nephew. My thoughts were all on him. Kili had been grumpy and bad-tempered for a few days now. And I didn't know why. Footsteps were heard, and Fili and Kili entered, Fili looking surprisingly stern and Kili looking sulky.

"Kili? Fili? Do you need something?"

Fili nudged Kili forward, and Kili shot him a glare before shuffling forward. He hesitated, looking unsure of what to do, and I decided to help him. I spread my arms and said softly, "Come here, little one."

Kili hesitated for only a few seconds before leaping forward and flinging his arms around my neck and climbing into my lap, which surprised me. I rubbed my hand in gentle circles on his back. He was trembling. Not yet crying, but still trembling and quivering.

"I'm sorry." Kili's voice was muffled as he buried his face into my shoulder. "I've been so grumpy and bad-tempered and sulky and so ... so bad ..."

"Nay, little one," I replied. "Yes, you sulky and inappropriately bad-tempered, but you were not bad. My Kili could never be bad." I gave him a firm hug, then drew back and carried him to an armless chair. Kili's eyes widened as I flipped him over my lap.

"Nooooo," he whimpered. "No, please don't! I don't want a-a spanking!"

"Hush," I said, pulling down his breeches and exposing his backside as I rolled his shirt up. Kili began to wriggle uncomfortably. "You know you earned this." And I brought my hand down. Kili let out a howl the moment the first swat landed, jerking violently, which surprised me. Kili was never this loud, at least at first.

And he carried on the same way, legs kicking and jerking and arms flailing. He thrashed on my lap until I paused and placed my right thigh over his own legs. "Nooooooooo!" Kili wailed. "No! No! No! Don't!"

"I have already done this deed," I told him.

"Undo the deed!" Kili flung a hand back and I paused to sweep into the small of his back, pin it there and continue spanking. As I warmed his bottom to a rosy colour, he continued to shout and wail. "It's not fair! I-It's not faiirrrr!" Kili howled.

"What is not fair, little one?" I asked, curious. "What do you find that is unfair?"

Kili moaned and his legs jerked uselessly under my own leg. "N-n-not l-little," Kili cried out. "I-I'm a grown up! I'm not a-a-a d-dwarfling! S-stop! Oh, Uncle T-Thorin, S-STOP!"

I brought my hand down hard, making him howl louder than before. He uselessly tried to escape, crying and sobbing and wailing. "Ohhhhh! O-ohhh," he moaned. "U-uncle, please, s-stop. Oh, I am sor-sor-"

"Shhh, little one. Are you trying to tell me you are sorry?" I asked, helping him along. He was in that zone, the 'I-can't-talk-properly-anymore' zone.

"Uh huh," Kili gasped out, gulping and crying. "S-sorry! Sooooo sooorrrryyyyy! Dinna mean to! R-really, I dinna!"

"I understand, little one," I said with an affectionate smile. Kili was just too adorable. "One last thing, little dwarfling. Why were you in such a bad, bad and naughty temper?"

Kili cried, not responding, and I felt a twinge of sympathy for him. I lightened my spanks and said quietly, "Come now, Kili. I shall understand whatever you say, and I shall still be proud of you as I always have been. Tell me, little laddie."

Kili burst into tears once more. "J-jealous!" he cried out. "Y-you like F-F-Fili b-better than meeeeee! Ohhh, p-please, st-stop! Uncle Thor'n! Hurts!"

I didn't answer, merely paddling away, though I did slightly lighten my swats. I continued spanking and let Kili's guilt and pain flow out of him. Kili drew a fist and pounded my thigh, twice. "Wa-wasn't f-fair," he cried as he pounded once more, making me wince slightly. "Y-you liked F-Fili b-b-better, and-and-" He coughed and hiccoughed, unable to say anymore.

I stopped spanking, my heart seeming to shatter. I drew him up close and rested my chin on his head, rocking him and rubbing his back comfortingly. When Kili's sobs and cries drifted off to sniffles and whimpers, and drew back slightly to look him in the eyes. Kili's eyes, swollen and red, were filled with unshed tears.

As our eyes met, a few tears escaped and trickled down his cheeks. I wiped them away with my thumb, melting into a soft mush of puddle as I always did after seeing Kili or Fili in pain. I gave him a tight hug and said firmly, "Listen to me carefully, both of you." I opened one arm and Fili hesitated for only a moment before hurtling my way and allowing the warm embrace to comfort him.

"I shall love both of you equally and be proud of you no matter what you do," I said, my gaze unwavering and firm. "No matter what you do," I repeated for emphasis.

"Mmmm." Kili yawned and snuggled closer to me, closing his eyes. "Love you too, uncle."

Fili hesitated once more before leaning back against me, and we stayed like that for quite a while. But I didn't mind.


End of Chapter Nine

Author's Note: Please review for me? I was so busy with school and all the tests we had! And I have another one tomorrow! Please, please review and make me feel better! Thanks and love you all. Tell me what you read about and I'll consider putting it in my story, because I'm not sure what to do next! Hope you enjoyed!