Kir, tired of waiting, decided to go after Nib. He found her alone in one of the gardens.
"Hi Nibin," he said, suddenly shy.
"Oh, hello Kirinke."
"I did not expect to see you here."
"If I had a real choice I would not be here, believe me."
"Right… well…"
Nib glanced at him. "It is not as if I have ever received a warm welcome when I do venture to come. If Thranduil had it his way…" Nib didn't finish the thought.
"Well, I am glad you are here," Kir said, and instantly the tips of his ears glowed red.
Nib looked at him again. She was startled by the way he was looking at her. No one had ever looked at her quite in that way before. That look made her nervous. "Well… um… I am rather tired… I think I shall go rest."
"Then I will walk you to your room."
"Um… all right then." They walked in silence to Nib's room, where they stopped outside.
"Well… I… I guess I shall see you later?" Kir asked hopefully.
"Fine… If I am still here."
"You are going to leave?"
"You know I never stay long. According to the king, I am not welcome. I leave as soon as Legolas is ready." Nib walked into her room.
"Legolas is leaving?" Kir asked the closed door.
Nib waited several minutes before opening the door a crack and peering out. After seeing all was clear, she slipped out and went to Avery's room. Nib knocked, and walked in. Avery was sitting, probably waiting for Legolas, Nib thought.
"Oh, hello Nib," Avery said. "Something on your mind?"
"You know about these things, right?"
"What things?"
"I have a question to ask you. A hypothetical question."
"Hypothetical?"
"Yeah. Let's say there is this… a… 'hypothetical' male elf and um… let's say that he hypothetically um… likes me. What do you think I should do, hypothetically?"
Avery could barely contain her laughter. "Well, do you like this other a… hypothetical male elf?"
"I… I do not know. How would one tell? Hypothetically of course."
"You want to know how you know if you like someone?"
"Yes, it is not something I am experienced with."
This time Avery could not help laughing. "I am sorry Nib. This is something I cannot help you with. It is not something you can teach someone else."
"Why not?" Nib asked.
But Avery couldn't answer. She fell onto her bed, laughing. There was a knock, and Legolas came in. He blinked at Avery on the bed laughing, and Nib scowling at her. "What did I miss?" he asked.
"Nothing," Nib said quickly. "I was just asking Avery's advice."
"It must have been about something funny," Legolas said.
Avery stopped laughing and stood up. "Oh it was just-"
Nib grabbed a pillow and hit Avery over the head with it. "It was nothing," she repeated.
"Nib's got an admirer," Avery said, laughing again. "And she does not know what to do." Avery ducked as Nib threw the pillow at her.
Legolas raised his eyebrows. "Say that again?"
Nib scowled. "I just found out that Kir liked me. That is all."
"You just realized this?"
"You knew?"
"Of course; the way he looks at you…"
"Wait a minute," Avery said. "You knew Legolas and I cared for each other less than five minutes after we met, and you have known this elf how long without knowing he likes you?"
"How would I know a thing like that?" Nib asked.
"I knew," Legolas said.
"Yes, well you have known Kir longer and have been around him more. I have barely ever seen him, so why would I have considered that he would like me?"
"You have eyes," Legolas said dryly.
Nib looked between Legolas and Avery, and a smile hovered on her lips. "Indeed I do. And with them I can see that you two wish to be alone." Nib grinned and ducked the pillow Avery threw at her.
"You think you see that but you cannot see when someone likes you."
"Well, when something is this obvious…" The next pillow was thrown by Legolas and hit Nib square in the face. She fell backwards and lay sprawled on the floor in mock pain. She lay on her back, eyes closed and arms spread eagle.
Legolas bent over her. "Are you all right Nibin?"
Nib opened one eye to look at him. "I may be mortally wounded, but I think I shall live."
"Good." Legolas bent, picked Nib up, and deposited her outside the door. "As long as you will live. Nice of you to stop by, I shall talk to you later. Namarie."
"You never told me what I should do," Nib yelled through the door.
"Just talk to him," Legolas yelled back.
Nib stuck her tongue out uselessly at the closed door, and then stood up. She was heading back to her room when she ran into Kir.
"Oh, hello Nib. I thought you were resting," Kir said with a slight hint of accusation.
"Oh… I needed to talk to Legolas."
"He is back? How did it go with his- um… your father?"
"Oh… I did not ask."
"You didn't ask?"
"I did not think of it. I was thinking of other things."
"Such as…"
"What does it matter?"
"I was just wonder," Kir muttered, looking away.
Nib sighed. "Never mind. Besides I… I think we should talk."
"All right," Kir said a little too eagerly.
"Listen Kir, uh… we have been friends for a while and-"
Kir leaned forward suddenly and kissed Nib on the lips. Nib stared at him wide eyed as he pulled back. "Does that make us more than friends?"
Nib opened and closed her mouth several times before she found her voice. "Um… well I…I…"
Kir went to kiss Nib again but she held him off gently. "So how about it?" Kir asked. "Do you like me as more than a friend?"
"I… I do not know. I have never really… You are the only male elf… besides Legolas of course."
"It would make me happy if you did," Kir said.
Someone cleared their throat and they both looked up to see Thranduil watching them.
