So this chapter was written on the day I wanted to eat everything in sight, cwtch everyone who loved me and kill anyone who looked at me funny. You know the day guys, you know the day. So this is super cheesy and contains KayFi, a name penned by 3insteinComplex!
Right, my beautiful reviewers are:
blazingwing (I understand your pain! In fact I think I wrote you a long, detailed message about it.)
Vault108 (I keep killing you x) I kind of feel bad :P
kaaayyytteee
Lovely (who cares? No big deal. I want more.)
Beinedhiel (he would definitely be the one the show was actually created for!)
Kili's girl forever
Guestgirl (I am the Queen of Subtlety :D
Leggylover27
run4life
justiceintheworldofhip-yearight (woah! They'll redeem themselves I promise!)
Keeper-of-the-Cheese (I would have written the SMAJESTASS-OFF but I couldn't handle the pure awesome of it!)
Guest
SaintAequitas x100000 (welcome back dear!)
That night we made camp in a very large clearing. Large enough for an archery competition between myself, Kili and Legolas. Naturally I would be the first out and I had a very sneaking suspicious Legolas would win. I mean he had at least a two thousand head start on us. When I remembered this I started calling him 'Old Man'. He very diplomatically said nothing. As we set up camp Fili stuck as close to me as possible without inciting my ire. He accepted being in the dog house and said nothing to me apart from to ask if I could be pulled aside later for a chat. We were definitely long overdue a feels chat. This was always the worst part of relationships for me but I was determined to do it. I loved Fili even if I wasn't entirely sure I was in love with him without wanting to sound cliché. We'd never had any private time together yet nor a conversation that hadn't been eavesdropped by someone. It was frustrating and gave me so many doubts. So yes, a discussion would definitely be in order.
"Lady Gallagher, if you would like to shoot now?" Legolas called me from my camp activity of pretending to look busy so that no one called upon me to do some actual work. I joined Kee and Legolas grabbing my weaponry from my pile. This was going to be part lesson too since the Elf Prince had been given permission to alter my stance should the occasion call by a spitting Fili. Was it a bit weird to be kind of proud of him for that? Almost as soon as I'd made my way over all camp activity stopped and two barricades of audience set themselves up, rubbing their hands in glee. I'd warned Kee that he might lose to which he shrugged and told me that Fee had bet on the Elf Prince. Only somewhat influenced by their family neither of the Durin lads held elves in the same contempt and were willing to see logic... sometimes. It was me first although why I actually took part at all is beyond me. It's not like no one knew this was all about Kili and Legolas having a showdown. So basically I just shot off into the trees, curtsied and sat down.
"Don't strain yourself too hard now Old Man. We understand if your joints are getting a bit achy." I shot Legolas a wink that he ignored. I'm positive he didn't know exactly how to take me, so different from the dwarrows he was told about by his father. He has since grown much more used to me. In fact I'm pretty sure he actually likes my sense of humour. When I sat down Fili shuffled closer and very bravely took my hand in his. Even when Dwalin tried to bat it away he didn't move. You're a confusing wee thing my Golden Lion but I appreciate the gesture. I squeezed back and watched the competition. It literally lasted two seconds. Kili shot dead in the centre. Legolas shot through the arrow. Legolas shot dead in the centre. Kili shot through the arrow. This happened four times before it was considered a draw. It took all of five anticlimactic seconds but the haggling of bet money took a lot longer. It here Fili and I decided to make our escape to the further reaches of camp, staying firmly within the firelight that had been set up all around. This conversation was going to be way more important than archery lessons. We stood awkwardly for like ten minutes. Finally Fee took the first move by sitting down against a well lit tree, taking my hand and guiding me to sit in front of him, just how we'd sat in front of Beorn's fire. We both found it hard to be serious when facing each other. After more awkward silence I began with,
"Okay, let's start with the big stuff. Why? Why do you even love me? Or think you love me. Either one."
"Because you're my-"
"If the next word to come out of your mouth is 'One' I will actually cut you. It's such a cop out answer and you know it. Like just because we're fated or whatever doesn't mean we should actually be together. Maybe we're just fooling ourselves with that and really we're just too different." His arms that had rested on his bent knees tightened around me and his whole body shifted forward until his chest rested on my back. He tilted his head so that the side of it pressed into my hair. We both ignored the arguing that was occurring on the other side of the clearing. Bilbo was searching for his neutral party friend before resigning himself to the fire when he found me having a Moment with my man.
"I was going to say Partner in Crime as you like to call it if you'd let me finish. There now. You're impulsive, beyond silly, downright rude sometimes and overly fond of bathing. Let me finish!" He chuckled when I moved to interrupt again, "Add cannot stop talking." There was a playful poke to my side. "Those are all compliments. With you I'm not a prince with no kingdom or son of Dis. I'm Fili. I've not performed any great deeds or crafted you any beautiful jewels but here you are. When you arrived at Bilbo's glaring at Uncle and smiling that big, fake grin of yours I couldn't help it." I could practically feel his blush through my hair and his hesitance to say all this was palpable. But it was stroking my ego big time so I wriggled into him with a giggle for more, "I just- I don't know. I needed to know you. And then I did and I woke up one day just thinking of you. And I knew. Now you say."
"Oh Aulë help me I'm so bad at this. Okay well back home I've met steadfast people, impish people, loving people and passionate people but you're the only one I've found with a combination of all of them is all. Accepting almost to a fault, a sweet idiot really and really quite clever. You love me which helps- oh and you're super good-looking." I wasn't going to add that I wasn't in love with him yet because I knew I would get there. Just give me time and I would. Spoiler alert: I did man. I fell in love with him so hard. But that's for another time, "I guess I'm just finding the courting rituals really hard too. It's not like that where I come from." Fili gave a disheartened sigh like he knew this already. Like I said before, I've never been exactly subtle about my displeasure with things. He shifted against me. Please don't do that, it's ridiculously hot. Especially with your muscles dear.
"You're a dwarf in Middle-Earth now though. This is your culture and we're your people. I'm your people."
"You're right Fee. It's just... I'm a tactile person okay. I touch to communicate. I hug all the time to show how much I care. And I can do it with Kili but not with you. And I love Kee – he's my brother – but it's not the same. Yes we're hugging now technically but it's still not the same alright."
"Then we compromise. We arrange for a courtship for the both of us. Hugging allowed but above the waist." Add willing to compromise and understanding to his list. It just gets bigger and bigger.
"You know it's a bit like you don't even want to touch me." I teased slightly, pulling forward and out of his embrace to face him. Those dark fire-lit eyes flicked over to where Dwalin and Thorin were nursing their black eyes after the fight with the elves (well Bilbo was fussing over Thorin of course). As if on a cue Kili settled himself in between their lines of sight and us, all rehearsed like. Then the dark eyes were on me and my lips were being completely drowned in his. His grip was firm and my travelling tunic rode up a little, enough for his fingers to touch bare skin at least. I swear god for someone as frustrated as I was it was like a drop of water to a dying man. I all but wrapped myself around him. Not only is my man an earthquake of epic proportions but he's an honest kisser. Nothing held back, not even sounds. Not going to lie, I totally would've tried to push him to the floor had we not run out of breath. Then he peppered my face in playful kisses.
"Never think I don't want to touch you. Now I think we can sneak in a few more if you like."
Well if you insist.