The carriage rambled through wintry streets on its way to First Avenue as Fili and Dwalin explained that Thorin Oakenshield was the reason why Kili had been arrested. Dwalin was disheartened as he spoke, Fili was simmering with rage, but Kili wasn't even faintly surprised. Having heard the entire story including Thorin's self-hatred and denial, the man's actions sounded very similar to johns Kili had endured in the past. Men, who were ashamed of their own proclivities and would belittle and beat Kili after taking him, in what he had believed to be an attempt at reestablishing their own self-perceived manhood. Kili could only imagine that if he'd entertained Thorin, the man would have no doubt treated him the same as the others. He shuddered at the thought and scooted closer to Fili, receiving a strong arm around his waist in response.
"Right, here we are," Dwalin said as the carriage stopped. "I'm sure he'll have a room for the two of you."
"But, my things are in my room over O'Kelly's," Kili replied as they climbed out and into the slushy street. "My blanket and Fili's books and…and my money. I-I can't leave them." Those few possessions and the money under the floorboard were all Kili had in the world, and the sentimental value of the items Fili had given him was worth as much as the money under the floor to Kili.
"You're not going back there, lad," Dwalin ushered them along the sidewalk quickly. "We'll get you settled and I'll retrieve your things later. Here, it's this one."
The trio stopped in front of a sprawling yellow house with a white picket fence and a green door. There were lace curtains in the windows and the red poinsettias by the door were covered in a light dusting of snow. Small, elegantly trimmed evergreen shrubs lined the red brick walk and a holly wreath hung on the gate. Kili stared at the home with wide eyes, he'd never beheld such a perfect scene; it was as if the entire house had been taken right off a Christmas card. He stood there until Fili tugged his arm gently, pulling him past the gate and up the walk.
Dwalin knocked loudly on the brass door knocker and after a brief moment it swung open to reveal a very small man. He had sandy curls and twinkling hazel eyes; he was smartly dressed in tan slacks and an emerald green waistcoat. His sleeves were rolled up to his elbows and he was completely barefoot. When the short man looked up to see Dwalin standing before him, his plump cheeks suddenly grew very rosy.
"Why, Mr. Fundin! I say, it's been quite a while since I've found you on my doorstep!" He all but twittered, his cheeks seeming to glow.
"Hello, Mr. Baggins, it's…uh, it's been too long," Dwalin chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck with a meaty hand and shifting his weight. Fili shot Dwalin a sideways look; he'd never heard the man sound so…giddy? The short little man gazed at Dwalin with a glint in his eye for another moment before realizing there were others standing in the doorway with him.
"Oh, where are my manners? Please, do come in, all of you," Mr. Baggins stepped aside and waved the three of them into his home.
Dwalin and Fili eagerly stepped inside but Kili hesitated. The house was so lovely, so clean and well-kept, he felt like his very presence inside the home would befoul it. His old clothes, his unwashed body, the stench of the prison that still clung to him; how could he even think of stepping into such a pristine place in his current state?
Mr. Baggins noticed his hesitation and smiled kindly, holding out his hand, "Come little one, it's far too cold to leave you on my doorstep. Come inside and we'll get you all warmed up."
His words made Kili feel somewhat better and he quickly stepped inside but kept his eyes on the floor.
Ushering them into an inviting parlor, Mr. Baggins quickly left after promising tea in the blink of an eye. Fili made himself comfortable in a plush, burgundy armchair close to the fire; there was an identical chair on the opposite side of the fireplace but Kili did not take it. Worried about the condition of his clothes ruining the soft velvet, he instead sat on the floor in front of Fili's knees. When the blond leaned forward to ask why Kili had chosen to sit on the floor, the boy motioned to the fire and muttered something about being cold. Fili seemed to accept his answer and relaxed into the chair, his hand stroking Kili's hair gently.
Dwalin paced the room almost nervously. His hands fidgeted between his pockets and his pipe, almost as if he couldn't decide if he wanted a smoke or not. The two younger men watched him with curiosity until Mr. Baggins returned with a tray laden with a silver tea set and enough baked goods for an army.
Sitting the tray down, he smacked away Dwalin's hands as the larger man rushed to help him, before turning to the other two who sat beside the fire. "Well, hello, my name is Bilbo, Bilbo Baggins, proprietor of the Bag End Boardinghouse."
Fili was on his feet and extending his hand quickly. "It's a pleasure, Mr. Baggins. Fili Durin."
"Just Bilbo if you please. Fili Durin…hmmm…why does your name sound so familiar?" He looked closely at Fili's face, as if trying to place it.
Dwalin nearly choked on an iced cookie trying to get his response out. "Thorin Oakenshield's nephew."
"Oh, yes of course. Well, don't worry, Fili, I won't fault you your relations," he leaned forward and winked as if it had been a secret and the blond couldn't help but smile. "And now who is this shy thing hiding behind my armchair?" Bilbo asked as he peered around Fili toward the brunet.
"Kili," the boy said quietly as he rose from his seat and offered his hand. Bilbo took it in both his and shook gently. His smile was warm and made Kili feel a little more relaxed in this new setting.
Sitting down in front of the spread Bilbo had put out made Kili realize just how hungry he was. He had eaten nothing all day, having been pulled from his room before he was even fully awake, and he had given Ori his portion in the jail.
The tray before him was laden with iced cookies, thick slices of sweet bread, and dainty cucumber sandwiches. Kili wanted to taste everything on the tray but didn't know the proper etiquette for tea. Would he look rude or greedy if he took too many things? Bilbo placed a steaming cup of tea in front of Kili which presented its own problem; he'd never used such a delicate, fragile piece of china before! He was almost afraid to pick it up. What if it slipped from his hands? What if he crushed it under too firm a grip? Kili glanced to his left to see Dwalin fisting his tiny cup like it was a mug of ale, relaxing, the brunet picked up his cup and sipped the warm liquid politely. He chose a slice of sweet bread and upon breaking off a small piece to nibble discovered it was pumpkin bread. He ate the slice in small pieces as his belly rumbled and demanded more. The iced cookies and tiny sandwiches seemed to call his name but Kili didn't reach for them, fearful of embarrassing Fili by acting like a starving savage.
As Bilbo leaned across the table to refill everyone's tea, Kili used the opportunity to see what the other three had on their plates. Fili and Bilbo both had several pieces while Dwalin had piled his plate with more than Kili could count and the older man's mouth was full of what the brunet assumed was an entire slice of pumpkin bread. Feeling a little more secure, Kili took a sampling of each treat onto his plate but continued to nibble as if he weren't hungry as Dwalin explained to Bilbo the boys' situation and that they were in need of a room.
"They'll need one for the next five months or so, after that they'll be off for the Tour," he explained around a mouthful of scone.
"Well, my largest room is available; it comes with a private bath and plenty enough space for two," Bilbo wrote a number on a small piece of paper, pushing it across the table to Dwalin. Fili didn't miss that their fingers touched and lingered before Bilbo pulled away. "Of course, the price of the room includes three meals a day plus tea." He sat back and sipped his tea as Dwalin reached for his wallet.
"Dwalin, what are you doing?" Fili quickly reached for his own wallet but the older man held up in his hand.
"Please son, let me do this for you," Dwalin pulled out several bills and passed them to Bilbo. "Let me do this to make up for not being able to help you sooner," there was regret in his voice and Fili nodded solemnly, tucking away his wallet.
"Good heavens, Dwalin! This is enough for more than a year in that room!" Bilbo sputtered after counting the bills he'd been handed.
"Take at it as an incentive to take extra care of these two," Dwalin countered casually before draining his tea. "Now, have some hot water sent up to their room for that bath you mentioned. This one here spent the morning in the tombs; I reckon a warm soak would do him a world of good!"
/
The room Fili and Kili were given was indeed large enough for two, it was on the second floor with a wide window that overlooked Bilbo's garden, which was currently covered in frost and snow. The walls were painted a soft peach that seemed to add to the warmth of the room and a large ceramic bathtub sat behind a paneled screen in the corner next to the stove. Kili imagined the spacious bed to be even more comfortable than the feather mattress Fili had given him and felt butterflies in his stomach knowing he would get spend each night in it wrapped in his lover's arms.
"If I didn't know better," Fili mused as he stripped off his jacket and waistcoat. "I'd think there was once something between Dwalin and Bilbo." He stepped over to the steaming tub and tested the water with his fingers.
"A blind man would have seen that, Fili. I think they must have had a love affair," Kili replied wistfully as Fili walked over to him, kissing him tenderly before pulling at Kili's clothes.
"Come, let's get you naked and into this hot water," he murmured against the soft lips, pushing Kili's trousers off his hips. Once the boy was stripped Fili helped him step up into the tub.
Kili sank into the hot water up to his shoulders and the sigh that escaped his lips was positively erotic. The tension in his muscles instantly began to ease and couldn't help but sigh deeply again. He couldn't remember anything feeling so wonderful and wondered if he would be allowed to have a bath every day while staying in the boardinghouse.
Fili felt his own trousers tighten as he watched the brunet close his eyes and relax against the back of the tub. He took a moment to enjoy the sight of his beautiful boy and remembered how close he came to losing him today. The thought of Kili sentenced to jail time or hard labor due to Thorin's actions caused the anger to rise inside him again but Fili shoved it down; he would have time to confront his uncle soon enough, but right now Kili needed him.
Rolling up his sleeves to the elbow, Fili picked up the small, paper-wrapped soap from the table beside the tub. Once unwrapped, Fili dipped the soap underwater and rubbed it between his hands, filling the room with the scent of lavender.
"You don't have to," Kili said softly as the blond began to wash his body. He dropped his eyes demurely; no one had washed him like this since he was small enough for his mother to put him in the laundry tub. And being attended to like this somehow made him feel self-conscious.
"You've had a trying day, my love," Fili replied, soaping his chest and arms. "Let me take care of you, I enjoy it."
The words helped him to relax and he lay back against the tub again, enjoying the feel of Fili's hands working the sweet-smelling lather over his skin. The day had been so eventful and overwhelming; he was too drained to do much more than obey. He dunked his head underwater when Fili instructed him to do so in order to wash his long tresses; Fili's nails scratching along his scalp gave Kili delightful chills and he felt his member begin to fill from the sensation. But all too soon Fili was pulling him from the now lukewarm water, and Kili blushed when he rose from the tub with a half-hard erection.
Fili was struck with the image of Kili rising from the bathwater, his skin rosy and his cock stiffening; he realized it was the picture he had imagined their first night together, when he had first experienced Kili's intoxicating scent. "Oh Kili," he breathed, toweling off the brunet's glistening skin, his own member beginning to throb. Nothing was quite as arousing as knowing he was able to cause such a reaction in his lover with just his fingertips.
"I'm sorry," Kili murmured, biting his lip as color rose to his cheeks. "It felt so good when you washed my hair, I couldn't help it."
"Shh…" the blond continued to dry the boy off, patting his skin gently with the towel before wrapping it around Kili's long hair. When finished he picked the brunet up, bodily, from the tub and carried him bridal style to the bed. Kili made a small noise of surprise and wrapped his arms around Fili's neck, the towel slipping off his hair and falling to the floor.
Laying his lover gently on the bed, Fili stepped back to remove his shirt, taking in the beauty before him. Kili stretched out on the sheets, skin still flushed from the water and damp locks clinging to his forehead and shoulders; he was Adonis to Fili's eyes. The blond climbed onto the bed, not bothering to take off his trousers, and captured Kili's lips in a fierce kiss. The boy sighed softly and Fili used the opportunity to push his tongue inside that sweet mouth, ghosting his hands over the heated flesh beneath him.
"So lovely, so perfect," he breathed against Kili's collarbone as he kissed lower, over the flat abdomen and sharp hip bones. Kili giggled softly as Fili kissed a knee and the blond raised his eyes, "ticklish, are we?"
"I didn't know I was til now," the boy breathed, writhing and giggling when Fili showed the same attention to the other knee. The sound of Kili's laugh was musical and knew his life was complete hearing that beautiful sound.
Fili smirked devilishly and moved lower, he planned to worship every inch of Kili's body tonight, starting at the bottom and working his way up. He picked up one of Kili's feet, licking a slow stripe from his heel to the tip of his longest toe. Kili squealed then quickly covered his own mouth, clearly surprised by his own reaction.
"Did you like that?" The blond managed to rasp, watching as Kili's member filled to full hardness. The boy nodded; his eyes wide and expressive as ever. Fili smirked again before taking a pinky toe into his mouth and swirling his tongue around it. He repeated the action with each toe, delighting in the way Kili's eyes rolled back in his head and his cock leaked onto his stomach. The blond's own member was uncomfortably hard but paid it no attention; tonight was about Kili.
Once each toe had been given proper attention, Fili kissed his way over bony ankles and defined calves all the way up to Kili's thighs. Pushing the brunet's legs apart, Fili nipped at the tender skin of his inner thighs before cupping Kili's stones in his hand. He fondled them gently and then one after the other sucked them onto his mouth; Kili gasped and writhed, his cock twitching against his belly. Letting the orbs slip from his lips, Fili moved on to Kili's shaft, stroking it a few times with his hand before taking it into his mouth. Slowly swallowing every inch of Kili's length, Fili buried his nose in the coarse curls at the base and breathed in the delicate scent of his lover; it seemed amplified in the dark thatch, heady and intoxicating.
No one had ever touched Kili in that way. He'd been pushed to his knees plenty of times, with strong hands tangled in his hair, holding him in place; but never had he experienced what it felt like to be on the receiving end. Kili wanted to say something, tell Fili how good it felt, but he couldn't seem to form coherent thoughts. All he could do was lie there, panting and whimpering as wave after wave of pleasure coursed through his body as Fili hollowed his cheeks and sucked like a man dying of thirst. He could feel the heat pooling in his groin and knew his climax was rapidly approaching, but Kili couldn't seem do anything besides fist the sheets and arch his back as his orgasm edged closer and closer. Fili seemed to sense his impending climax and pressed the pad of his thumb against Kili's perineum; it was all Kili needed to tip over the edge and he cried out loudly, releasing into Fili's mouth.
The blond swallowed eagerly, the taste of Kili's very essence on his tongue as arousing as the sound of Kili's gasps and moans. He didn't release the boy's softening member, instead he continued to lick and suckle, tonguing the slit and the vein on the underside. After a few short moments, Kili began weakly pushing at his shoulders, whimpering softly.
"Please…it's t-too much…I can't…"
Letting the overly-sensitized flesh slip from his lips, Fili crawled up the bed to lie down beside the panting, flushed brunet. He unbuttoned his own trousers and pulled his own aching member free, stroking slowly as he leaned in to kiss Kili's slack mouth.
"Mmmph, Fili," the brunet gasped as he pulled away. "How do you want me? I can get on top…or…do you want my mouth?" He started to sit up, reaching for Fili's cock before the blond pushed him back down onto the pillows.
"Not tonight, my darling," he tightly took a handful of mahogany hair, holding Kili in place and leaning in until their lips were a breath apart. "I can handle myself tonight, just kiss me until I peak," not waiting for an answer, Fili sealed his lips to Kili's, slipping his tongue between the pliant lips as he stripped his own cock quickly.
It wasn't long before the blond found his own climax and due to their position ended up accidentally releasing onto Kili's chest and stomach. After catching his breath, Fili pulled back to look at Kili sheepishly; Kili traced a finger through the milky liquid and brought it to his mouth, sucking the tip with a sensuality that surprised the both of them.
"Look at you. Keep that up and I might take you tonight after all," Fili breathed as he rose to find the towel he'd used to dry Kili earlier. "I rather like the sight of you covered in my seed," he grinned lecherously, climbing back onto the bed. "Maybe I'll just leave you like this," he chuckled as Kili scoffed before wiping away the mess and tossing the towel back onto the floor.
Putting out the lamp, Fili settled into bed and pulled Kili onto his chest. Tomorrow he would have to confront his uncle, tomorrow there would be obstacles and harsh words, tomorrow he would leave the only home he's ever known. But tonight there was only Kili, his beautiful, exotic lover, warm and sated and wrapped in his arms. Fili was on the verge of dozing when a soft voice pulled him back from the haze of slumber.
"Um…Fili?" He whispered against the blond's neck. "It's only 6:30 and Bilbo said dinner wasn't until 7…"
Yes, Dwalin and Bilbo! I'm not apologizing for it! Doesn't it make sense that after being driven from Thorin's cold, unyielding arms, Dwalin would seek comfort in someone a little more…welcoming?
Boardinghouses were very popular in the nineteenth century; boarders received a room as well as three meals a day. Sometimes entire families lived in boardinghouses and some boarders stayed for years.