"Open wide!"

Kili begrudgingly opened his mouth. He felt the cold metal against his gums. Even though he was wearing a blindfold, the light was still very, very bright. How on earth could elves conjure up something so bright?

"Hmm. I see. So tell me, what did you bite again?"

"A wa-er-me-on" Kili tried to speak, but the elf's gloved fingers got in the way.

"A watermelon? That's peculiar." commented the dentist.

"So is anything wrong?" Dis couldn't hide the anxiousness in her voice. Kili usually overdramatised things, but she was really worried that he was in severe pain because of the way he complained on the way home. She never took her boys to the dentist, especially not an elven one, because dwarves were meant to be fierce warriors- not people sitting in elven chairs, complaining how much their mouths hurt.

"No, no everything seems to be in order." The elf turned off the light and removed Kili's blindfold. The elf smiled down at Kili, his perfect teeth glinting. "Just be careful next time, small dwarf." Kili dismounted the uncomfortable chair and walked over to Dis and Fili. His mouth felt weird. His teeth still hurt though.

"How much do we owe you?" Dis pulled out her money-pouch.

"That'll be five silver pieces, thanks." The elf smiled and extended out his arm gratefully. "Although... I could give the other child a check-up for free if you wanted."

Fili tried to hide behind Dis. He didn't like people examining him like he was a science experiment. He thought Dis knew this.

"Um... sure! A little bit of dental hygiene can't hurt, can it Fili?" Dis prodded him forward.

"Perfect! Just get on this chair please, sir!" The elf directed him to the chair. Fili tentatively hopped on top.

"Now.. open wide!"

Fili pulled the blindfold down over his eyes and opened his mouth. The edges of it started to glow- the light had been turned on. He felt the strange instruments against his tongue, tapping against his teeth. He felt like gagging.

"Oh... oh dear..." He heard the elf mutter.

Fili wanted to see what was wrong, wanted to know, but the elf continued working as if nothing had happened. Fili started to talk but the elf stopped him.

"Hush now."

Behind the blindfold, Fili rolled his eyes. What was going on? Why was the dentist worried?

The elf took the instruments out of Fili's mouth for a second, so Fili seized the opportunity and yelled "What's wrong? Why did you say oh dear?"

"Is there a problem?" Dis asked.

"Well... it's just... come here, Ma'am."

Fili heard his mother's footsteps come closer to him, her boots making clicking noises against the white marble floor.

"You see this?" Fili felt the elf motion to one of his teeth. "That's a cavity."

"A what now?" Fili heard Kili scramble over and stick his head over the arm of the chair.

"A cavity. It's a hole in a tooth."

"How'dya do that Fee?" Kili asked incredulously.

"Kili! Don't be rude!" Fili heard Dis give Kili a small slap.

"Oh no- he didn't do it on purpose, little one." The elf chuckled softly. "You get cavities from eating too much sugar."

"Sugar?" It was Dis' turn to be surprised. "We don't eat sugar."

"No, fair maiden, sugar can be found in many things. Cakes... biscuits... most sweet things."

"But I don't eat many cakes or biscuits!" protested Fili.

"Except those honey cakes." piped in Kili.

"What?" Dis said. Fili felt a rush of guilt run over him. "What honey cakes, Fili?"

"Um..." Fili wished Kili hadn't brought that up. The one time he had disobeyed his mother and done something for his own enjoyment- his own gluttony- and it had backfired. Now he had a hole in his tooth.

"Kili? What are you talking about?" Dis turned around and asked her youngest instead.

"Remember Fee? When you ate all those honey cakes." FIli felt like kicking Kili, or telling him to shut up, or clamping his hand over his mouth. But he felt Dis' stern gaze turn to him.

"Fili?"

"I'm sorry. I forgot to tell you- Mrs Avin from next door gave us honey cakes... and I ate... a few too many."

He heard Dis sigh reproachfully.

"What you did was wrong, Fili. You know that?"

"Yes, mum."

"And this is where your greediness has gotten you."

"I know, mum, I'm sorry."

Dis turned to the elf. "Is there anything you can do?"

The elf shrugged. "I can't fix it. But I can fill the hole."

"Fee... wake up Fee!"

Fili groggily opened his eyes. Kili was hovering over him, smiling widely. He shook away the sleep, but he still felt like there were clouds in his head. The elf had had to give him a special potion to make him fall asleep- he didn't understand why, although he had remembered something about the fact that he was 'only a dwarfling'.

"You ok, Fee?" Kili pulled his brother into a sitting position. Fili nodded. Ouch. He had a headache.

"Kili! Get away..." Dis trailed off, and her anxious face broke into a smile. "Fili! You're awake!"

"Yeah..." Fili said softly. Talking felt weird.

"Don't worry, child, the side effects will soon wear off." The elf helped Fili out of his chair and gently nudged him out of the room. "Now you children wait out here whilst your mother finishes the payment."

When they were outside, and out of earshot of the elf, Kili said "Elves are kinda weird."

"I know!" Fili said quietly.

"He looks really calm." Added Kili. Fili shot a quick sideways glance at Kili.

"Ok."

"Can I see?"

"What?" Fili turned his head sharply, but instantly regretted it. OW.

"The fill."

"I think it's actually called a filling-"

"Who cares!" Kili laughed loudly, but he instantly apologised when he saw Fili grimace. "Have you got a headache?"

"Yeah."

Kili leant in and whispered, "Can I see?"

Fili laughed. "Sure." He tilted his head backwards and opened his mouth wide.

"Woah."

"Wha?" Fili tried to talk without closing his mouth.

Kili smiled. "It looks kinda funny... it's blue."

"WHAT?" Fili clamped his mouth shut and stared at Kili incredulously. His head throbbed in response.

"Just kidding!" Kili stood up as Dis walked out of the room.

Fili smirked. He didn't understand it, but right at this moment, as he sat outside the elven dentist, his head throbbing in pain, he felt an inexplicable and overwhelming sense of pride and love for his little brother. He made himself a little promise- one he would never forget, even as he grew older- as he got up to follow Dis and Kili. He promised himself that he would always, always, always belong with his brother.