Their childish behavior never stopped. The next time it brought them trouble was something, the two brothers would never forget.
They were supposed to look after the ponies. Well, they did. In the beginning.

Until they got into this little argument.

"I know something is troubling you, why don't you just tell me?!", Kili shouted, his face fierce.

"It's nothing. There is nothing to talk about!"

"Yeah, right. I know I'm the youngest of the group and your younger brother, but I've always been with you. Do you think I wouldn't knew if there is something going on? Something troubling you? Do you think I wouldn't notice? Ever since we left Mr. Baggins house, there is something troubling you."

Fili gasped. He would have never thought that his little baby brother - who is always so happy-go-lucky - would notice him being troubled by something. Not like he thought, that Kili didn't care enough to notice, but just that he isn't adult enough yet to trouble himself with the seriousness of things. He'd rather take things head on, not looking for a deeper meaning. After all his big brother Fili would always look out for him and save his ass if he got himself into trouble. Somehow Fili even prefered it that way. He'd rather see his brother smiling than worried and all serious in such a young age. One of them being like that was more than enough.

It actually shocked him. He didn't want to trouble Kili too. And it still ended up like that because he wasn't able to hide his feelings and thoughts and showed them so openly. He really had to work on that. Pushing the dark thoughts further into himself.

"I ... there's ...", Fili was at a loss for words. He'd always talk with his brother, but he didn't dare speak to him about his deepest thoughts, his biggest troubles. His fears about not being able to go home again, dying on this trip, losing his uncle, losing his baby brother... How could he tell him and show how weak he actually is, when Kili and also Thorin were proud of him for being a good dwarf prince, being strong and taking care of the younger of them?

He looked up to his brother and saw the mix of worry, love and anger in his eyes.

"Can't you or do you simply not want to talk to me?", there was a bit of hope in Kilis question. Wanting to hear that it was the first.

Filis eyes narrowed a bit. Reckoning what the best answer would be. Even though Kili was never one to think much, he still wasn't as dumb as most people might think. Especially when it came to his beloved older brother he has been with since birth.

Fili sighed and stepped forwards to close the space they had created while shouting at each other.

He moved to take Kilis hands, who also approached easily when he saw Fili move.

When their hands found the other's they just stood there for a bit. Then their heads moved towards each other until their foreheads touched. They often did that as children, when they got an earful after playing pranks and Fili was telling Kili they would have forgotten by tomorrow and there is nothing to worry about. It has always been a sign of calmness for them. The world stood still in that moment.

"I'm sorry, Kili. I don't want to trouble you, too. I want to keep you safe from all the dangers out there. If I can take the pain and darkness darkening this trip, just so you aren't burdenend, I'll gladly do it. You're my baby brother and we should have never come along on this trip. So please let me keep these thoughts to myself, be your usual self and stand by my side. That will help me."

Kili had closed his eyes. It took him some seconds to nod slowly.

"I'll trust you. But I want you to talk to me, when you have the urge to. I'm your brother and will always stay with you, so please don't let me out of your problems. ... Please."

Fili squeezed his brother's hands, moved by the love and bond between them. Kili never failing to say the wrong things when it came to his brother. No matter how many pranks they played, how much trouble they got into or how much Thorin and their mother lectured them, Kili was always thankful to his brother to stick with him and protect him no matter what.

"Thank you."

They continued standing there in silence for several minutes, not caring for the world around them.

When they heard the ponies nicker, they stepped apart and looked shocked at each other.

Going back to the ponies they noticed soon that they were missing two of them.

Thinking about what to do, Bilbo found them shortly after just like that.

After being caught by trolls, nearly eaten alive and saved by a Hobbit and wizard, they went to check the troll cave. Thorin, Gandalf, Dwalin, Bofur, Nori and Gloin went into the cave. The others waiting in front of it, running all over.

Fili and Kili stood close together right in front of the entry to the cave.

Fili studied his brother for any after effects from the earlier event. Actually he looked pretty fine. More like he had a fun game instead of his first meeting with trolls.

"Are you okay?"

The question caught him off guard. Kili looked at him waiting for an answer.

Fili raised an eyebrow and nodded.

"You?"

Kili grinned. "Yes, of course."

"You always see the fun side, don't you?"

Kilis grin dropped instantly as he noticed the seriousness in Filis voice.

"We survived."

The older one sighed. "Yes, but we were lucky... You shouldn't try to get so much attention. No one cares if you have the biggest parasites."

"It was like some sort of competition who could be the loudest.", Kili explained, stepping from one foot onto the other, like a little kid trying to excuse his mischievous behaviour.

"You just jump into everything. Trying to get Bilbo from the trolls, while I was getting the others. What if something had happened?"

"I knew that you'd be right back. You're always there to back me up and take care of me, to save me."

"I'm doing my best not to leave you alone for too long. But you have to take care, when I'm not around. Promise me?"

Fili knew that Kili thought he was babysitting him too much. But Kili didn't seem to care, nor was he annoyed by it.

Not that much would annoy him, he usually showed it quite openly, when something annoyed him.

Kili stepped closer and locked eyes with his brother.

"I'm doing what I can to help uncle and protect the company. I can't always be protected by everyone, especially not you. I want to be able to stand with you as an equal that can fight back to back with you."

Filis face softened. "You know I'd trust you with my life, don't you?"

Kili nodded. "I do. But it's still more likely that something will happen to you while protecting me. Having to fight and at the same time looking after me isn't that easy. So I have to become stronger."

Fili smiled at the trying-to-look-serious grimace of his baby brother.

"You're archery is already a big help. We'll just have to get your other skills a bit more polished up. We'll do some training the next time we rest."

Kilis remarkable grin appeared and he nodded.

Their uncle decided to come out of the cave in this very moment, just raising an eyebrow on his smiling nephews.

More to come. I'm writing the chapters when Im running around all day and can only type them when at home. Any comments are appreciated 3