The truth about the Birds and the Bees
Fili was regretting his decision to sit with Dru, his mother and Bodil as they talked in great detail about the plan for the birth of his child.
He'd read all the books he could find to keep himself updated, but some of the details were...a little new to him.
He'd seen the worst battle wounds and been in brutal fights that resulted in bloody scars and missing limbs but...hearing EXACTLY what Dru was going to have to go through made him love her all the more.
Luckily, Dru had already heard this before from Dis so she wasn't too shocked. In fact, she seemed surprisingly calm as she held Fili's hand and Bodil pointed out the 'after' facts.
"As soon as that babe is out, you'll need to get them on your chest. She or he will be able to sense your milk and get on to that tit. The quicker you do that, the stronger the bond will be," she paused and looked between her and Fili, asking, "Any questions?"
Fili thought back to what he had been told and whilst it was slightly overwhelming, he didn't have any concerns. Or at least, nothing he thought he-
"Well, it's not a question but I do want to say something," Dru shifted a little nervously and looked at Fili, "I know it's not tradition...and I KNOW it will probably go horribly wrong but...at the end, just before the babe comes out...I want you to be there."
Fili was a little surprised at her request. It was true, the husbands never really got to go into the birthing rooms until after the child was out and 'mess' had been cleared away. But...he had wished secretly to be there for her.
It was their mother that spoke up.
"Are you sure?" She tapped her chin thoughtfully and arched her brow at her daughter, "I mean, you know it will hurt-"
"Mam, I know. And I know you'll be there for me, but," she shrugged her shoulders and decided to be honest, "I'll be scared. This will be my first and I'd rather have my husband there. Sitting behind me. Holding onto me. Plus..."
She turned back to Fili with a nervous smile.
"I-I want you to hold the babe first. After Mam, obviously," she quickly backtracked, knowing her mother would be the one to clean to swaddle the babe in a blanket, "that is if you want to?"
Fili smiled back at her and nodded.
"I'd like that. I'll be there for both you and the babe."
A cosy warmth spread between the two. They knew that their love was strengthened by their honest and-
"There will be a lot of screaming," Dis interjected and Dru rolled her eyes and looked at her.
"Mam-"
"And blood," Fili gave his mother a 'really, now?' look.
"Mother-"
"And you'll want to pull his beard out with your bare hands after you feel how big the head-"
"MUM!" Both of them cried out at her, but Dis, the mother to Fili and Kili and Dru and sister to Thorin Oakenshield, merely checked her nails and shrugged.
"Just a forewarning."