Sorry this has taken so long! Things have been a bit hectic with my law school graduation and all. Now the only thing I have to do is study for the bar, and since that won't be any fun, I'll hopefully be posting often-ish, haha.

Chapter Twenty

Seventh grade passed by in a blur for Kili, seeming to go by faster and faster the closer the end came, probably because he was dreading it being over. He knew it was silly, but he didn't want summer to come, because after summer, he had to go into the eighth grade, while Fili went into ninth.

And ninth graders went to high school, while eighth graders were still stuck in middle school.

"You're not concentrating," Legolas admonished, giving him an unimpressed look as he lowered his bow. "Your form is sloppy."

"Sorry," Kili mumbled, his own bow falling to his side with a sigh. He still wasn't sure about this whole archery thing, but Tauriel had pestered him until he gave in to at least letting her and Legolas teach him. With Fili still going to jiu-jitsu lessons after school twice a week and homework being ridiculously easy, it wasn't as if he had anything better to do.

Besides, after Tauriel had mentioned it to Thorin, prompting his pop to buy him all the necessary equipment and set up a practice area for him in their backyard, it was hard to say no.

"I think it's time for a break anyway," Tauriel remarked, setting her bow down next to her quiver before plopping down on the ground next to Gimli, Faramir, and Aragorn, who had been half-watching while working on their homework under the shade of a large oak tree.

Kili gratefully followed her, muscles burning from use. He had been practicing for a couple months, but still body still wasn't quite used to the strain of shooting the bow. Thankfully, he ached less now than he had when he first started so he knew he was getting better. Just not as quickly as he would like.

"Did you guys see where the Assembly passed the Marriage Equality Act?" Faramir asked, looking up from his book as the three archers joined them.

Kili's face scrunched up in confusion. "The what?"

His question was lost, though, as Legolas spoke over him. "It won't pass the Senate," he stated in confident resignation. "It didn't two years ago when the Democrats controlled it, and it won't now when the Republicans do."

"Some Republicans have pledged their support for it," Aragorn pointed out. "And they changed the Senate rules so Diaz can't put the vote off."

"Do we have to talk politics?" Tauriel asked in exasperation, sharing a commiserating look with Gimli. Kili suspected that they both often were subject to political conversations because of Legolas' interest. Kili himself didn't know much about politics, mostly because he tended to tune out that kind of thing, but he knew that Legolas often found willing conversation partners in both Faramir and Aragorn.

"This directly affects all of us!" Legolas protested.

"None of us are posed to get married anytime soon," Gimli replied with a roll of his eyes. "No reason to get so up in arms about it."

The blond glared at his boyfriend but refrained from saying anything else. Kili did, however, notice that, when he stretched out across the grass, he purposefully put more space between the two than normal.

Kili cringed internally at that. He had noticed that the two had started to bicker more and more throughout the past year. At times, it was good-natured, but most of the time it ended in Legolas closing himself off from the redhead, who seemed to have little patience for the blond's cold shoulder. Kili could see the end of the relationship coming and was a little apprehensive over what it would do to the dynamic of their friend group.

"Where are Eowyn and Eomer?" he asked, changing the subject in hopes of easing the tension.

"Theodred was taking them to a movie for some sibling bonding," Faramir was quick to volunteer, catching on to what Kili was trying to do.

"That's nice of him," Kili remarked, racking his brain for something else to say. "How are he and Boromir doing?"

"Good!" he answered, more cheerfully than probably warranted. "Boromir graduates this year and is planning on moving straight in with Theo, I think. I don't think Elrond is really that thrilled with the idea, though."

"Why not?"

"Dad's a firm believer in living independently for a substantial period of time before cohabitating with a significant other," Aragorn stated with a wry grin. "Which is shrink-speech for not moving in with your boyfriend until you've lived on your own for a year or so."

Kili imagined living alone for a moment and shuddered. It sounded so lonely.

"I think I can understand where Elrond is coming from, but it doesn't make sense when they'd both have roommates anyway and would likely spend every night together regardless," Faramir remarked.

Aragorn shrugged. "He doesn't want them becoming codependent or anything."

"And codependent is bad?" Kili said, vaguely remembering hearing the word in a negative context before, but not recalling when.

"Well, yeah," the older brunet answered. "Codependent people are at risk of losing their own identity because they sacrifice everything for their partners. Not really a recipe for a healthy relationship."

"But I thought you were supposed to make sacrifices in relationships?" Kili might not have any experience with relationships, but he had heard his dad say as much a few times.

"But you can't be the only one making sacrifices," Aragorn pointed out.

"Relationships sound too complicated," he commented with a frown.

"Only if you talk to psychiatrist," Tauriel quipped with a smirk. "Or his son."

Aragorn laughed. "That's probably true."

"I wouldn't worry about it, Kili," Faramir told him with a smile. "You've always been so sure of who you are that I don't think you'd ever be in danger of being codependent."

Kili frowned at that as the conversation moved on around him. He had never really considered himself to be as sure of himself as Faramir seemed to think. If he seemed that way, he knew it was only because the people around him encouraged him to be himself.

"You okay?" Tauriel asked him softly, nudging his shoulder lightly.

"What if you're only yourself because the people you love tell you to be?" he mumbled in consternation. "Is that bad?"

"You mean is having loving and supportive relationships bad?" she said incredulously. "Kili, the people you love are supposed to do that."

"Oh," he sighed in relief. "That's good."

She shook her head in disbelief. "Kili, you are hopeless."

He pouted. "Why do you always talk as if you know something I don't?"

"Because I do," she replied simply.

"You could just tell me, then," he shot back with a scowl.

She just gave him a mysterious smile.

"I would give up, Kili," Legolas said with a roll of his eyes. "Whatever she thinks she knows, she's not going to tell you. She's annoying that way." Tauriel made a face at him and stuck out her tongue. "And oh so mature," he added with a smirk.

Kili figured Legolas was probably right, so he let it drop. Besides, Tauriel was not known for her patience. If she thought Kili should know something that he wasn't figuring out, she'd eventually cave and tell him. He just had to outwait her.

Not the easiest thing to do, of course, because he wasn't particularly good at being patient either.

#

Kili forgot all about the discussion about the Marriage Equality Act until Bilbo and Thorin sat him, Fili, and Frodo down a few weeks later after the school year had ended.

Kili glanced at Fili in askance, but the other boy looked just as clueless as he did. He didn't think they were in trouble. He didn't remember doing anything that would have put such serious looks on their parents' faces. Well, there was the incident with the snake he had snuck into his room, but it hadn't been poisonous and Bilbo hadn't even scolded him that much before making him releasing it outside. Besides, Fili and Frodo hadn't helped him with that.

"Boys, I don't know if you've been watching the news, but New York has recently legalized gay marriage," Thorin began. Fili nodded, understanding dawning in his eyes. At least Frodo seemed to still be lost, though Kili wasn't sure if it reassured him that he apparently understood as much as a seven-year-old.

"Well, your pop and I have decided to get married," Bilbo announced with a smile.

"Oh!" Kili exclaimed, feeling a little like an idiot for not realizing where the conversation was heading. "Does that mean things will change?" he asked, not really understanding what difference it would make.

"Well, I'll be changing my last name to Baggins," Thorin explained thoughtfully. "It'll make a few things easier, but nothing you need to worry about."

"Why are you changing your name?" Kili wanted to know. "Why isn't Dad changing his name?"

"I don't have any particular attachment to the name Oakenshield," he replied with a shrug. "It was just a name I chose to use on the spur of the moment. Besides, Baggins is yours and Frodo's name as well. It makes more sense for me to become a Baggins."

"Is Fili going to change his name too, then?" he asked, looking over at the blond, who looked startled at the question.

"That's up to Fili," Bilbo answered gently.

"I… would rather not change my name," Fili said slowly, shooting Kili an apologetic look.

"That is completely fine," their dad said firmly, not giving Kili a chance to ask why.

"When are you getting married?" Kili asked instead.

"Will there be cake?" Frodo asked excitedly at the same time.

They chuckled. "Of course there will be cake!" Bilbo answered. "But the wedding is just going to be a small thing with family and friends, but we haven't figured out a date yet."

"Not too small, though," Thorin disagreed with sly smile. "I want everyone to know you're mine."

"Because living and raising three sons together isn't sign enough," Bilbo commented drily.

Fili made a face. "I don't' think we need to hear this part of the conversation."

Kili and Frodo nodded in agreement as they all shot off the couch and up the stairs as fast as they could, laughing at their parents' indignant cries following them.

"Why don't you want to be a Baggins?" Frodo asked Fili once all tumbled into the oldest boy's room. Kili focused his attention on Fili as well, keenly interested in hearing the answer.

The blond sighed. "Durin was my mother's name," he answered. "I don't want to lose that connection to her."

Frodo nodded in understanding, but Kili frowned. It sounded like a good reason, but something about Fili's voice was off, making Kili think that there was something else that Fili wasn't telling.

When Frodo had run off to his room, Kili turned to Fili. "Why do you really not want to change your name?" he demanded.

"I told you, Kee," he said, not meeting his eye. "I want to keep my mom's name."

"That's not the only reason," he persisted.

"No, but it's the only one I feel like talking about," Fili snapped, causing Kili to take a step back. The blond sighed and gave him a regretful look. "Sorry. I just… can't talk about this."

Kili frowned. "I thought we told each other everything."

He shook his head. "This is different, Kee. Something I gotta deal with on my own before I tell anyone."

"Will you tell me eventually?" he asked unhappily.

"Maybe," Fili answered noncommittally. "Can we not fight about it?"

"It's making you sad," Kili said mournfully. "I just want to help."

"You can't help with this, Kee," he replied sadly. "If you could, I'd tell you. You'd help me most by just dropping it."

"Fine," he grumbled with a pout. "As long as I'm not the reason you don't want to be a Baggins."

Fili gave him a wry smile. "Thank you."

#

The summer went by quickly. Too quickly, in Kili's opinion. He was pretty sure Bilbo would have agreed with that assessment, considering how frazzled he appeared with the wedding plans. It was scheduled for mid-October, and was apparently not going to be as small as his dad had originally hoped. To be fair, Thorin tried to help with the planning, but Bilbo always seemed more exasperated after his help than he was before.

Kili wasn't exactly sure why planning a wedding was so complicated, but given how grumpy his dad was lately, he wasn't sure he was brave enough to ask any questions about it.

Unfortunately, the day Kili was dreading came sooner rather than later. The first day of eighth grade.

Fili himself didn't seem too thrilled about going to a new school.

They were both quiet as they walked towards both their schools. When they reached the street where they would have to separate, they both hesitated.

"We're going to be late if we don't get a move on," Fili commented, making no move to continue walking.

Kili hummed in agreement, but stayed where he was.

"It's only a year," Fili said. "We've gone to different schools for longer before."

"I didn't like it then either," Kili sulked.

Fili nodded in agreement. "It's not like we'll be alone, though," he reasoned. "You'll have Tauriel, Legolas, Gimli, and Faramir."

"And you'll have Aragorn, Eowyn, and Eomer," Kili agreed morosely.

"We'll be okay," he assured.

"It won't be the same," he replied. "We won't be together."

"We'll always be together, Kee," Fili stated. "We just have to go to different classes for a few hours a day. We did that when we were at the same school too."

"Yeah…" But how was he supposed to stick close to Fili and make sure he didn't meet anyone he'd love more than Kili if he was at a different school?

"Come on, we better go," the blond said in resignation. "I'll meet you here after school, okay?"

"Okay," Kili sighed, knowing it was probably silly to be this upset over just going to different schools.

Fili pulled him into a hug. "I love you, Kee."

"Love you, too," he sniffled, slightly mollified by the fact that Fili wasn't any happier with going to different school than he was.

Fili let him go and smiled at him. "See you after school."

"See you," he replied weakly, reluctantly turning and walking towards the middle school.

He had a feeling it was going to be a long year.

Tbc…

So I'm unsure about NY law and the marriage of adopted siblings, so I'm having Bilbo and Thorin be unsure (because OF COURSE they suspect, haha) and not add each other's names to Kili and Fili's adoptions (meaning they would effectively only be step-siblings, who I KNOW the incest laws do not apply to). I don't actually think there would be a problem anyway (because an adoptive father is allowed to marry his adopted daughter) but I wanted to be sure. Regardless, there's no major ick factor anyway.