Tauriel hurried through the rain. She was so grateful for the umbrella that Kíli had given her. Kíli… she blushed. He was so sweet and friendly and very attractive, which surprised her. He didn't look like the men she usually fell for. But she had a hard time forgetting those shining dark brown eyes that twinkled like the stars. She liked his dark wild hair and 5 o'clock shadow, it gave him a rough edge, and she liked anything wild and rough. She hadn't been able to believe her luck when she saw him at the coffee counter. He'd left quite the impression on her during the training at Lothlórien Academy and she'd hoped she would bump into him again there soon. But knowing she could literally see him everyday made her heart beat quick.

She arrived at campus and ran down the hall to her classroom. Once inside she was relieved to see she wasn't late and that quite a few students were absent, but thankfully not her friend. Arwen Rivendell sat at their usual spot, her face buried in a book. Sensing someone approach her, the raven beauty lifted her head fixing her bright blue orbs on Tauriel. She smiled looking relieved.

"There you are! You nearly gave me a heart attack! You weren't there at the lecture and I was worried! Why didn't you text me?"

"I am sorry!" Tauriel replied, throwing her bag and umbrella beside her as she sat down and got out her books. "I woke up late this morning. Legolas and Thranduil had already left so I took the bus. But it was late too and went so incredibly slowly because of the rain, I figured it'd be faster if I walked."

"You walked through this weather? Why aren't you soaked?" Then Arwen's eye fell on the umbrella, the name Café Bree curving in white along the edge. "And where did you get that?" She got a look on her face that told Tauriel she had to tell her friend every single little detail, well almost all of them.

"So I ran, getting completely soaked, and after a while I realized I was gonna be late anyway so I might as well grab a coffee in a café to warm up a bit. The guy at the counter was really friendly. I'd actually met him at the Academy yesterday he was there for try-outs. So I decided to stay until this class would start. He let me use this umbrella for the remainder of the way. I am bringing it back tomorrow."

Arwen raised a perfect eyebrow.

"You just happened to run into a random café and he worked there?" She smirked getting a mischievous grin on her face and Tauriel knew she was doomed this girl was practically a mind reader. "Is he hot?" Tauriel felt her cheeks turn scarlet but tried to ignore it and waved her hand dismissing the idea.

"No…" She choked out, "He's actually quite…short? But Celeborn was impressed with him. I've never seen your grandfather so happy to accept someone in the Academy." She told her, trying to stir the conversation away from Kíli. Arwen leaned back into her chair at the mention of her grandfather.

Celeborn and his wife Galadriel were Arwen's grandparents from her mother's side, Celebrían. The parents of her father Elrond, Eärendil and Elwing, lived far away, and thus Arwen hardly saw them. But she had grown very close to Celeborn and Galadriel, even though she herself didn't care for archery and other fighting sports.

"What's so special about this boy then if granddad likes him so much?"

"He was able to hit my target." Tauriel admitted, feeling slightly ashamed of the fact.

"Your target? Did training go terrible yesterday or something?" Arwen asked looking surprised.

"Yes it went terrible." Tauriel replied moodily and her friend laughed.

"Let me guess, you missed the centre of one target out of god knows how many."

"Yes, and it's very frustrating, especially when some good looking rookie is able to hit it in one go!"

"So you do think he's good looking!"

"Wh…what? No I didn't say…" Tauriel tried to protest but the damage was done.

"Yes you did! Don't lie to me!" Arwen laughed looking way too pleased with herself for Tauriel's liking.

"Ok, I admit he's good looking."

"And does Mr Good Looking have a name?

"Kíli…" Tauriel almost whispered and Arwen's mouth fell open.

"Kíli? Kíli Durin?"

"Yes?"

"From Erebor?"

"Yes Arwen, Kíli Durin from Erebor." Arwen fell back into her chair gazing out of the window not having noticed Tauriel's irritated reply.

"Wow." She said and then smiled.

"What?" Tauriel asked finding her friends reaction very out of place for the normally very composed girl.

"I just find it funny, how after such a long time, when you finally like someone again instead of the other way around, you choose Kíli Durin."

"Why is that funny? Because of Thranduil?"

"Well he definitely won't be pleased."

"I don't care if he's pleased or not. I can decide who I like or not."

"So you like him?" Arwen flashed her a smile. Tauriel felt herself turn red and waved her friend away.

"Can you just stop? I just think he's cute, that's all." She opened her book and ignored her friend laughing. Their tutor walked into the classroom and they began.

Tauriel tried her very best to concentrate in class, but with Arwen poking her from time to time whispering Kíli's name it became very difficult. She also had to admit that yesterdays and especially today's encounter with the handsome brunette kept replaying in her mind. She sighed in frustration, annoyed that someone could so easily distract her. It was one of the reasons she always avoided liking someone too much. She liked being focused on everything she did and didn't want any distractions, but apparently she hadn't been able to protect herself this time. Stupid Durin.

She was glad when class was over. Arwen had gotten a text from her older brother Elrohir that he was close by with his car and that he would pick them up. They had to work on a big project together and Arwen had offered her place to work. Elrohir and his twin brother Elladan had turned 30 a few weeks ago. They both worked with their father but generally doing different jobs. They were beautiful men with lots of humour but also a sense of seriousness. They were fiercely protective of their six-year younger sister but also pestered her constantly, making some think Arwen was actually the oldest of the siblings.

A dark blue Mercedes was waiting outside the campus for the girls and Elrohir rolled down his window smiling at his sister and Tauriel. Although the twins were almost 10 years older than Tauriel, she got along with them very well.

"Good day ladies! Who of you radiant sunshine's ordered this weather?" Elrohir had long raven hair like Arwen that was currently held up in a ponytail. He had chiselled features, a wonderful smile, and shining grey eyes. He was married to a woman called Elendiel and both were trying to cope with their three-year-old twin sons Elrohan and Elrodal. The young boys were currently driving everyone insane, except for their grandparents who couldn't get enough of them.

Arwen gave her brother a kiss on his cheek before telling him he looked terrible, and Tauriel couldn't say she was wrong. Elrohir laughed.

"Thanks sis. Just some advice both of you, don't get kids or at least not twins." The girls laughed as they got in the car.

"Well knowing my luck, all my children will be twins." Arwen said laughing, "We have a long history of twins. My lovely nephews, my brothers, dad is also a twin and so were his uncles." She said counting down from her fingers and Tauriel laughed.

"I am going to bet that your first child won't be a twin, but the rest will." Arwen laughed and winked.

"Deal!"

"You shouldn't even been thinking about having children." Elrohir said looking at them from his car mirror, his intense eyes boring into his sister. "Aragorn hasn't been talking about it has he?"

Aragorn Strider was Arwen long-time boyfriend and a good friend of the family. But he was four years older than her, making her brothers at times, especially with topics like marriage and children, very protective. She tended to make fun of them when they seemed to believe she and Aragorn were still only holding hands and could launch into rather descriptive stories of her sex life, not only embarrassing them but Aragorn as well.

They arrived at the Rivendell Estate. Of course Tauriel had grown up on that of Greenwood, which was just as impressive but she always marvelled at this place. It was so open and airy with fantastic scenery. It was very calming and she spent a lot of time here. While Thranduil loved her and took good care of her, Tauriel sometimes felt he had too many expectations of her, and at times their personalities and worldviews clashed and then Rivendell would be her refugee.

After grabbing some food and tea from the large kitchen and greeting Celebrían who was in the main living playing with her grandchildren the two girls went upstairs to Arwen's room. Palace mansion was so large that each member of the family could have their own wing. Walking through the hallways they passed the working room of Elladan, Arwen's other brother, the oldest of the twins. The door stood slightly ajar and music was following out.

"Your time will come if you wait for it, if you wait for it. It's hard, believe me…I've tried."

Tauriel stopped walking and kept silencing. She liked it. The sound of the instruments, the singers voice it all blended together rather nicely. She surprised herself because it wasn't the type of music she was usually attracted too. Why did it all of a sudden sound so nice and familiar to her? She didn't have to think long. With the coming of a new verse she knew why as a pair of chocolate brown eyes filled her mind. No way! She wasn't going to like some piece of music, just because it reminded her of Kíli, she was not that type of girl, and there was no way she was going to become one! The song changed and Tauriel wanted to walk away, but she was curious. She had never heard these songs before, but if she did like them with no affiliation to Kíli? She could always just ask. She pushed the door open and leaned against the doorframe. Elladan was sitting at his desk full of paper work. It was now or never.

"Elladan?" Tauriel asked and the raven turned his handsome face to her.

"Yes?" He questioned an eyebrow raised. When he saw her he smiled, "Oh hey Tauriel, what's up?"

"What's the band you're listening to called?"

"Imagine Dragons. Why?" he looked at curiously before smiling almost disbelieving. "You like them?"

"Yeah I do, never heard of them before. That a bad thing?" Elladan laughed.

"No not at all. I just didn't think it was something for you. But here," he said and handed her their CD. "I have them on my computer, so keep it." Tauriel looked at him in disbelieve.

"Really? You're sure?"

"Yeah positive."

"Thank you so much!" She said overjoyed and bent down to kiss his cheek. Elladan laughed and waved her away.

"It's nothing. Now get out I have work to do." He winked and she laughed giving him a mocking salute before closing the door behind her. Holding the CD out as if it was a precious treasure she went to Arwen's room.

Her friend had already positioned herself in her comfortable chair beside the window. She had her laptop and a few papers on the table in front of her. She looked up at Tauriel.

"Where did you go, and what is that? She asked as Tauriel dropped herself in the other chair.

"I liked the music coming from Elladan's room so I asked him who the band was. He seemed so happy I liked them he gave me their CD." Arwen looked at her in disbelieve.

"He, Elladan gave you his CD? Wow girl, you seemed to be having a great day with all these gifts. First an umbrella and now this."

"Hey! The umbrella isn't a present, and I am not keeping this either. I'll put it on my laptop and give it back."

"Sure." Arwen said, rolling her eyes at her friend before laughing. "Come on, let's ace this project!"

They worked diligently for about fifteen minutes until Arwen's father Elrond interrupted them to say hello. Another while later Celebrían came up, checking if they wanted more tea and that she was starting to prepare dinner. Then they heard the squealing of two toddlers running around the estate with Elrohir's footsteps and cursing following them. The naked boys burst into the room full of giggles. Elrohir apologised repeatedly as he tried to herd them out again, blaming the ever so terrible bath time. An hour hence and they weren't much further when Celebrían called for dinner.

Arwen sighed heavily, putting her head in her hands, groaning.

"Why can we never work here in peace?" Tauriel laughed and an idea popped into her mind.

"I know a place where we can study next time."

"Where?"

She looked at her friend, with a smile on her face.

"Café Bree."