A/N: I'm definitely going to be continuing this, but not in a while as real world responsibilities such as college and job and things take precedence. Thank you wonderful reader. For making this AU so much fun to write, I'll be thinking about the continuation throughout the hiatus! So enjoy this extra long chapter :)

By the time the three roommates made it home, it was nearly four in the morning. Fili was dead to the world as soon as his head hit the pillow, determined to get at least two hours of sleep before having to drive to work.

After making sure Tauriel was comfortable, Kili idly sat at his desk, having decided that he would take work off for the next week in order to take care of his injured girlfriend. He was in no hurry to rest up, and after the last dream he'd had, he really didn't feel like sleeping.

"You don't have to stay up just because I am." Tauriel said, having noticed how tired Kili looked as he tried straightening up his desk. Despite having gone straight to bed after they'd gotten home just an hour ago, she was wide awake.

"Who needs sleep?" Kili mumbled incoherently, lazily quoting one of his favorite songs in a pointless and half hearted attempt to argue.

"Someone who's going to be taking attentive and loving care of me while I rot in this apartment after having been wounded in battle." She said very matter-of-factly.

Kili twisted in his chair and looked at her with a half smile. "Well when you say it like that..."

Having obviously lost a battle of wits in record time, he still remained at his desk, looking at its disarray of papers and folders. "I don't think I'm cut out for this job." He said quietly, without giving much thought to it.

Tauriel's mood shifted at his distanced tone. He hadn't actually talked much about his new job since receiving it, let alone his insecurities about it. Now that she thought about it, they hadn't had much time to themselves for some weeks now with both of their jobs being so demanding.

Tauriel decided to pursue this topic, not wanting him to fall asleep distraught. "What makes you feel that way?"

"The...formality of it all, I guess." Kili tried to explain. "I'm a sportsman, and a metal worker. I've never had to manage finances or organize shipments. I'd much rather work with my hands then pencil push all day."

At that, he sighed heavily, raising a hand to his mussed head of hair before he continued. "They want me to cut my hair to look more professional, and I have to wear that suit five days a week."

"I thought you liked your suit." Tauriel said.

"So did I, but not all the time, apparently."

"Is that all?" She pressed on, not meaning to sound condescending, she was simply trying to have him get all of his frustrations out.

"I...I don't know. I should be feeling grateful. Finally, our family business is back to being successful like back in the day. And I can't say I'm under a lot of pressure to do extremely well or to be some sort of prodigy leader, that's all on Fili's shoulders, next in line for ownership and all." He paused, trying to get to the point. He slumped down in his chair rather ungracefully. "I guess it's just an adjustment."

"A lot of big adjustments." Tauriel amended, reassuring him that she understood his frustrations. "See what happens in time. If it's still unsettling, I'm sure Thorin won't forbid you to quit."

Kili gave a small breath of laughter. "Maybe. But like my mother always says, 'Durinson's don't quit.' Maybe that's the pressure I'm feeling, the phantom words of my mother shaming me into perseverance."

Tauriel smiled at his words, happy that he was at least in good humor. "You could stop working all together, focus on archery, be my house husband, cook and clean while Fili and I are hard at work."

Kili gave her a playfully skeptical look, finally getting up from his chair and sitting beside her on the edge of their bed. "That sounds wonderful, darling, but aren't you afraid I'll become a 'desperate house husband?'" He was laughing at his own joke now, that brilliant smile of his reaching his eyes and making them squint slightly. "Once you leave for work, there would be no stopping the lady across the hall from jumping me, and I'd be crazy enough to give in."

Tauriel tried not to laugh. The thought of Kili cheating on her was hilarious. He was nothing if not hopelessly faithful.

"You've forgotten that I am a police officer with exceptionally good detective skills." She said, playing along. "I'd find out about your little affair quite easily. And besides, you wouldn't dare think of cheating on me if I threatened divorce."

"We'd have to be married for that to work."

"In this version of the future, we're married, 'house husband.'"

At that, Kili quickly became flustered. He still had the question of marriage on his mind and had yet to decide what to do about it. Instead of dwelling on his uncertainties further, he got up and started undressing.

"You're right, I do need sleep." He said, the playful tone he'd adopted earlier half faded from his voice. "Too tired to even banter."

Tauriel gave him an understanding look.

"You staying up?" He asked.

She sighed. "Might as well try and sleep. It's a part of healing, isn't it?"

"A big part." Kili agreed. After he'd gotten on a tank top to sleep in, he turned off the light and climbed into bed, careful not to jostle her end too much. He waited for her to settle into a laying position before wrapping himself snugly around her, an arm gently embracing her middle while one of his legs settled between both of hers. He kissed her temple before she turned to face him, tenderly kissing him on the lips while her hand smoothed it's way up his arm.

Kili sighed contently after pulling away. "Maybe you're what keeps my nightmares away." He mused, his voice soft, almost a whisper.

"Why is that?" Tauriel asked, matching his volume.

"I fell asleep in the waiting room and had a terrible dream. Maybe it was partly because you weren't there. You know, I can't remember the last time I fell asleep without you near me." He smiled that lopsided way of his. "Maybe I'm a little addicted."

"To sleeping near me?" She asked. He shrugged, making her laugh lightly. "Maybe I am too." Tauriel added before receiving a kiss to the shell of her ear.

"Thank you, for listening to me complain about my job." Kili continued. "I really shouldn't be complaining, but I feel better now that I've talked about it. It'll probably be fine."

"Isn't that my job?" Tauriel replied. "Aren't we supposed to talk to each other about our problems? No matter how small? We can't be a team if we don't understand one another."

"Right." Kili said, a small smile on his lips at the thought of them being a 'team.' That particular term was special to him, it's how they'd started out, as team members in archery. Now they were in love and living together, a team of two ready to take on the world with all of it's challenges and uncertainties.

"I guess we just haven't talked in a while." He continued.

"Well, we'll have plenty more talks during my recovery." Tauriel said, sighing lightly. "That's one good thing that'll come out of this week."

"Besides your actual recovery?" Kili scoffed.

"Yes, besides that, that's not important." She waved off, sarcasm thick in her voice.

Kili shook his head slightly against the pillow. "I know you're joking." But I almost lost you last night. Determined now to settle down for the night, he nuzzled into neck, kissing her there. "I love you."

"I love you, too." She said only after a spilt second, having become accustomed to their nightly ritual. It used to be hard for her to say it out loud, now she was grateful for how easy it had become.

So Kili tried to relax, ridding himself of any further thoughts as he listened to Tauriel's breathing even out . And soon, he was in a dreamless sleep.

...

When he woke, the room was filled with the sunlight of an afternoon and he hoped to god Fili had explained his absence for him at work.

Groggily sitting up, the first thing he noticed was Tauriel's absence from bed. He wondered if she'd needed help getting up and felt a little guilty that he'd slept through her leaving.

Listening carefully, he heard voices coming from outside the hall, the bedroom door slightly ajar. Tauriel was laughing lightly - a sound he would never mistake for any other - and then he heard a lower voice. Legolas must have stopped by after all.

Remembering his state of undress as he stood, Kili pulled on a new shirt and shorts and combed a hand through his unruly hair before walking out into the living room.

Just as he'd predicted, Tauriel and her brother were chatting away in the living room. He looked at the clock and noticed the time was 1:00 in the afternoon.

"Well if it isn't the dwarfish archer, risen from slumber." Legolas greeted him.

"Good tidings to you as well, Prince of the Silver medal, I mean, the Woodland realm." Kili countered, relying on one of his default insults, too tired to think of anything incredibly new.

"Still not offended by that!" Legolas said, a bewildered look on his face.

"Can we go one day without this?" Tauriel said, actually sounding a bit irritated with them. She usually didn't mind their rivalry and was grateful that they could stand each other at any capacity, really. She was also aware that insults could actually be construed as endearment, in their own weird way, but today she had little patients for their debacles.

Without another word, both Kili and Legolas looked at each other seriously for a beat, nodding silent in agreement that, yes, they could go one day without being complete dicks to each other. For Tauriel's sake.

"Good to see you, Legolas." Kili amended.

"You too, it's been a while." Legolas promptly replied.

Tauriel was silently amazed by the exchange, seeing the power in her injury and the potential in abusing it.

"Actually, Kili," Legolas began as Kili headed to the kitchen. "I've just met someone who says he's your cousin."

"Really?" Kili answered, spinning around to face the blond from behind the kitchen counter. "Small world, but I do have a lot of cousins."

"His name is Gimli." Legolas further explained.

"Gimli?" Kili repeated. He laughed. "He's my youngest cousin. How on earth did you two meet? He's a regular lumberjack of a man, I can't imagine you two being on the same planet let alone running into each other."

"Right?" Legolas agreed. "It's a long story. A group of ally corporations along with my father's are participating in these team building groups. At least one person from every different company is in each group."

"Interesting. So you got talking and I was mentioned in there somewhere? How does that eve come up?" Kili had now abandoned the kitchen, invested in the conversation.

"Gimli recognized my name from talking with Tauriel, he mentioned he'd met you at a family gathering of sorts?" Legolas looked at Tauriel for confirmation.

"Family night, yeah, I remember meeting him now." She chimed in. "He's almost out of college, but works full time for his father's lumber business. He's a heck of guy, best when it comes to drinking games."

"I'll remember that." Her brother said. "This is a long term program, so we'll be traveling a lot together on assignments."

"Sounds like quite the quest." Kili remarked before laughing. "Glad we're not business partners!"

Surprisingly, hours went by with minimal name calling or teasing when it came to the two men. Tauriel wasn't fool enough to think it would be like this all the time, but there was hope that they could at least enjoy each other's company once and a while. And maybe Legolas befriending Gimli would bridge the gap even more. Only time would tell.

The group was talking about ordering dinner when Fili came back from work. The elder of the Durinson brothers made his way over to Tauriel first, kissing her cheek and asking how she felt. When he was satisfied by her adamant "I'm fine," he turned his attention to their guest.

"Hey, Leggy." The mustached blond greeted happily.

"Fili." The other blond replied curtly. Fili always acted familiar with him, he couldn't tell if it was to throw him off or if he was just being nice. It could easily be both.

Fili then turned to his brother. "Kee, I told Thorin about what happened, he's cool with you taking the week off."

"Brilliant, thanks." The younger said, relieved. "I woke up really late today and didn't think of calling."

Fili nodded. "I figured. Dain sends his regards, hope's the fiancé isn't in too much pain."

"Fiancé?" Legolas quipped, his eyes settled in a stony glad at Kili.

"Not real, that is not true, that is a lie I was forced to make!" Kili found himself stuttering. Flustering Legolas about something that wasn't really happening - yet - was not something he wanted. The time would come when he could break the news to Tauriel's overbearing sibling and relish in the frustration it would cause him.

Tauriel, sitting snug beside Kili on the couch, couldn't help but laugh at the way her boyfriend had reacted to Legolas.

"It's a long story." Kili said, sliding his arms around Tauriel's shoulders and squeezing lightly, chuckling at himself along with her.

"Uncle Thorin had Kee tell an investor he was getting married to impress him." Fili explained, wanting nothing more today then to mess with Legolas, even if Kili wasn't up for it. "Thorin can be funny sometimes."

"Yeah, thats hilarious." Legolas deadpanned, obviously not as amused as his peers.

...

After dinner, Legolas left, promising to come back later in the week. Fili made the resolve to going to bed early, not having gotten a lot of sleep the night before.

So Kili and Tauriel stayed up in the living room, just talking, like they said they would the night before. He sat sideways on the couch, his back to the arm of it while her back rested on his broad chest.

"Did you get any sleep before Legolas came over?" Kili asked.

"Nodded off for an hour or two, then I was just lying in bed." She answered. "What do I have to say to convince you that I'm fine?"

"You can't convince me, not when I have instructions from the hospital about how I have to treat you for a month." Kili answered stubbornly. There was a moment of silence between them before he went on. "Look, you're always taking care of me, it's the very least I can do."

"What? Asking me incessant questions?"

"To worry about you! And my questions are relevant. And you know you like the attention." He kissed her shoulder before pulling away and finding one of her hands to hold.

"We take care of each other." She reaffirmed him.

"Yeah." He agreed. "You know, I was always afraid of being alone. Like, alone alone, not just 'not in a relationship' alone. Being by myself scared me, it used to be my biggest fear."

"And now?" Tauriel asked swiftly, though not without a hint of sensitivity in her tone.

"Now my biggest fear is...well..." he thought back to the nightmare he'd had the night before. "Not being able to be with you or my loved ones. I mean, I can stand a few hours alone or going to work and doing hours of paperwork as long as I get to come back home to you and Fili."

Tauriel smiled, looking down at their entwined hands. She'd been playing with his fingers without really thinking about it. "Any other woman would be offended being grouped together with your brother, but I know just how special that makes me."

"Makes you family..." Kili said softly, his mind racing now. He could ask her here and now. He'd been waiting for the right time, and although this wasn't what he'd expected the "right time" would be like, it felt perfect.

"Tauriel..." He began, scooting away from her so that he could situate himself to face her. She turned, adjusting with him until they were comfortably facing each other. Kili immediately went for her hands and they were at once clasped together.

"Yes?" Tauriel said, encouraging him to continue his thought.

He looked up into her eyes with purpose, and she was immediately taken by the sudden change their conversation had made.

There was so much he knew he could say, but also knew that she'd heard all of it from him before. He was nowhere near nervous like he thought he'd be, just a little indecisive on how exactly he wanted to propose.

"I'm not afraid of being alone anymore, because I have you." He began. Everything went through his mind at that point. I need you. I can't live without you. I love you. "I want to marry you" was what came out, and if his honest gaze wasn't enough to convey just how much he wanted it, his sweet, brilliant smile would sell it.

Once Tauriel processed the words, the only thing she could do was smile. He hadn't asked her to marry him, he'd only told her his greatest desire in hopes that she shared it. Without hesitating she replied, "I want to marry you, too."

"Soon?" Kili said, almost too eagerly. His grip on her hands had grown much stronger, and if it weren't for her injury, he's sure he'd have lunged at her by now to shamelessly kiss her senseless.

Having a similar feeling, Tauriel couldn't contain herself and leaned in to kiss him a few times before answering. "Isn't this something we have to plan for, announce to people and everything?"

"Only if we want to." Kili said. He was being silly now, she could tell by the twist in his smile. "We could just go and get the papers signed."

"That sounds rather foward. And very eager. I'm pretty sure your mother would throw a fit if we don't consult her about some kind of wedding."

"I know, I know." He laughed. "My family hasn't had a wedding in so long, the party would be huge." He made a face just thinking about what the reception would look like. "Oh god, my family is going to mob us."

"I don't doubt it." Tauriel admitted.

"It's going to be absolutely terrifying!" His hands were in his hair now as he leaned into the back of the couch.

She leaned into him, her head on his shoulder. "Wouldn't miss it for the world."

He turned to her and quickly kissed her. "I love you."

"That's been established quite a lot today."

"You know you love it."

They both heard Fili's door open. He spoke before even emerging from the hallway. "You are too much!" He said, exasperated. As he came into view, his hair was tossed from sleep and his eyes were barely open. "I can hear you from my room even when my door is closed."

"Fee, want to be my best man?" Kili asked, looking at his brother from over the couch, completely unphased by the initial complaint.

"Is that even a question?" Fili retorted, extending his arms and leaning onto the back of the couch as he tried to look more awake. "In all seriousness though...I'll only be your best man if Legolas is Tauriel's maid of honor."

"Deal." Kili immediately said, earning a punch in the arm from his fiancé.

"If he wants to be part of the ceremony, he'll be your groomsman." She affirmed, secretly knowing how terrible Legolas would be at organizing anything, let alone a wedding.

Kili, at this point, was feeling incredibly silly, especially now, seeing a perfect opportunity to annoy his brother. "Yes, my bride."

"Oh god, another pet name!" Fili groaned, keeling over as if he were sick to his stomach.

"Stop complaining, this is the pet name of all pet names, let me indulge myself." Kili retorted, lightly pushing his brother aside.

Fili straightened up and brushed Kili off. "Alriget, alright. This time in all seriousness, that has got to be the most laid back proposal I've ever witnessed."

"You've witnessed proposals? Or evesdropped?" Tauriel asked her soon to be brother-in-law.

"It's not eavesdropping if your door is closed and you're trying to sleep. And technically, in my situation, TV and movie proposals count, and they hype it up a ton." He pointed at his younger brother accusingly. "You were hyping it up too just yesterday, fretting beyond belief about it."

"What can I say, you give great pep talks." Kili shrugged.

Fili smiled at that, smugly crossing his arms. "What's a best man for?"