"FILI!" Kili shouted, only his echoing voice answered. He ran from cell to cell, most were empty. The first of the company he found was Gloin and Oin, the fire bearded dwarf was fast a sleep, his brother was snoring on his shoulder. Kili huffed, moving to the next, Tauriel trailing behind.
"Kili keep you voice down!" Tauriel hurried forwards holding on to his shoulders, "There are guards near by!"
Kili stilled, allowing Tauriel to lead him to the more central cells. He saw Ori and Dori, Nori on his own, Balin and Dwalin opposite each other. Two guards readied their weapons at Kili, looking at Tauriel at in question.
"Hes with me. You may go."
"Yes, captain." both elves bowed their heads and departing.
As soon as they were out of sight, Kili tore from cell to cell, searching. On the second to last cell he saw a familiar face. "Thorin!"
"Kili! Are you alright?" Thorin ran to the bars, reaching out.
"Yes, I'm fine!" He glanced at Tauriel, "How long have we got?"
"As long as you need." Tauriel turned her back respectfully.
Kili lent forward, placing his forehead on to Thorin's. Thorin stiffened, eyes wide,
"What are you wearing?"
Kili's hand went to his circlet, he feel guilty for showing Thorin this, obviously painful, memory. "Thranduil gave it to me to wear."
"It was Frerin's."
"Yes, I know." Kili reached up, plucking the circlet from his dark hair, "Here. You should have it." He placed it in Thorins hands
A groan from the next cell made him turn, familiar blue eyes blinked from the shadows. "Kili? Is that you?"
"Oh Fili!" Kili almost tripped in his haste to get to his brother, "There you are!"
Fili took one look at his younger sibling, then burst out laughing. "What are you wearing?" he said through the gales.
Kili looked down at his elven clothing, "Oh be quiet! From my point of view I have the better deal!"
Fili chuckled in to silence, "Good point. How are you? I missed you!"
They embraced as best they could through bars, Kili breathed in the scene of wood and steel that always lingered around his brother. Nothing mattered. Nothing ever mattered when Fili was there. Kili was sent back in to his childhood when Fili had held his arms out to catch him as he climbed a tree. I will catch you, he would say, I will always be here. And he always was, there catching him. Even when it resulted in Fili nursing broken wrists or ankles, he would always be here. Because he always belonged to his brother.
They broke apart and Kili's dream spun back in to reality. In an elven prison.
"What have you been doing? Lapping up Thranduil's hospitality?" Fili tugged on Kili clean and brushed hair.
"Hey! Thranduil has been...well, I only saw him once at dinner." Kili gestures over his shoulder at the elf on guard, "Tauriel has been the only nice one so far! The prince doesn't like me much though."
Though her back was to them, Tauriel chuckled at his comment.
Fili raised his eyebrows, eyes flicking between his brother and the elf.
Kili read his mind, "No, no Fili. Not like that!"
His brother grinned, Tauriel huffed slightly. Frowning, Fili tugged at his siblings hair, "You haven't braided it."
Kili nodded, even though it wasn't a question. He knew that Fili knew why he hadn't done his hair. "I wanted you to do it. I can't reach."
This wasn't the real reason, Fili knew. Never the less, he spun the younger dwarf round, pushing him down to sit on the floor, practiced hands parting the brown curtains in front of him. He unclasped his clips and beads placing them on the floor in front of him. A small hand reached out and stole away on to the smaller clasps, Fili grinned. He remembered when he had first learned to braid. Braiding being a major part of dwarven sociality, he had first started on Thorin. The steady rhyme of the plaits lulled him in to the memory.
Dis poked her head over his shoulder, tutting at the uneven braids. "No no, Fili!" she reached over and changed his hand positions, "Under, over, under, through, under then you put it through."
"What is he doing to my hair?" Thorin asked, panic in his voice. Kili gurgled for his place on Thorin's lap, pulling at his beard.
"He's doing fine!" Dis lied, glancing at the tangled mess that was Fili first and second failed attempt. Fili finished the complicated braid, tongue between his teeth. He slipped the bead on to the end, reaching for the other.
"Ma! Ma! Theres one missing!" Fili looked frantically, standing up and running his hands over the rug for the stray piece. "Where did it go? U'cle! I lost one!"
Thorin scoped Kili off his lap, "I think I found it." He reached out and prided open the small dwarf's fingers. Inside the palm was the small metal clasp. The youngest Durin giggled.
I do like the idea of Kili and Fili when they were younger and more innocent. Sorry the chapters are so short, I am writing this when I'm supposed to be doing work.
Enjoy!