Have some Thorin and nephews fluff, cause i haven't posted anything Hobbit-related in far too long.
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Rain hit Thorin in the face and he sat up, growling. One was not supposed to be rained on when in the middle of the first comfortable sleep in the first bed in weeks.
Swearing softly in Kuhzdul, he kicked off the covers, stood up and went to the window, grabbing the swinging shutter and slamming it closed. He felt for the leather tie to keep it in place and snarled quietly. It was broken.
Perfect timing. Heck. Why did I put off fixing this? Still grumbling, he felt around in the dark, bashed his knee into a chest, grabbed the limb and struggled to not break into profanity, and then gingerly made his way to the pile of saddle bags he had dumped in the floor. He slipped on a puddle of water that had trickled off them and just managed to catch his balance.
If I hadn't come home so late, I would have put all this away. Ugh…
Searching by feel and the dim glow from the fire, he eventually pulled a length of cord from the bag and made his way back to the swinging shutter. He grabbed it, struggled with it, shoved it into place and tied it down with a knot that was a tad stronger than necessary.
"And let that teach you a lesson." He muttered at it, climbing back into bed and then groaning as he realized that half the warmth had seeped out. Pulling the woolen blankets up to his chin, he curled up underneath them, wondering how long it would take to fall back asleep. Thunder roared overhead and lightening split the sky with ear-shattering cracks. Rain poured down in buckets.
Confounded sea weather. Why did we pick the Blue Mountains, of all places? You'd think after all this time I'd be used to it by now. Despite his ill-natured grumbling, he actually felt comforted by the storm. It reminded him of the thunder storms that used to come out of the north down onto Erebor. Beginning to feel a little warmer, he closed his eyes and started the drift towards sleep.
An especially loud thunder crack was followed soon after by several sharp bangs and the sound of thudding feet. Thorin raised his head, frowning in sleepy confusion as two small figures threw open the door to his room and raced in, clad in under-shirts and trousers like he. They stopped by the bed and two white little faces looked up at him from tousled heads.
"What are you two doing up?" he asked, propping his head up on one hand and frowning at them.
"Nothing." Answered the taller one, who twisted a lock of blond hair around his finger nervously.
Thorin raised an eyebrow.
At that moment there was a flash of lightening that cracked so loudly it seemed that the house roof was splitting in two. There was a sudden squeal of fright and Thorin cried out the two figures leapt onto the bed, nearly crushing his ribs with the sudden weight, and a second later all but disappearing from view.
The thunder passed. Thorin sat up against the wall, smiling down with sudden understanding at the two quivering bundles under his blankets. He raised the edge and peered under at his miniscule nephews, who smiled back sheepishly.
"Are you afraid?"
"Us? Afraid? Never!" indignant, Kili - tousled hair almost hiding his eyes from view- poked his head out. His brother followed a second after, still glancing about warily.
"Ah. I see." Thorin said, smiling. "Well then, I suppose you should just go on back down the long, dark hallway to your own rooms."
"No!" Kili yelped, and then colored.
"If you don't mind, we'd rather stay here." Fili filled in.
Thorin raised an eyebrow at the two, attempting to look serious. They looked back at him, trying not to be nervous about the thunder that rolled down the mountain like an avalanche about to inundate them. Thorin smiled.
"Alright. Fine. Just this once."
Relieved and eager, they snuggled back under the covers, one on each side. He put an arm around each and they leaned against him.
"I'm glad you came back. You gone an awful long, long, long time!" Kili peered up at him.
"why did you leave?" Fili asked quietly.
"I had a long journey to make. Very important business. You needn't worry about it."
"Did you fight any orcs?" Kili emphasized his question by pantomiming a sword swing.
"Not this time, no. Thank Aule."
"where did you go?"
"away south."
"I wish you wouldn't leave. We are always worried about you."
"Maybe, next time, you can take us with you?" the dark one looked up at him eagerly, imitated by his brother.
"Here. I promise I'll take you on a very long trip. An adventure. How about that?"
"GREAT!" Kili literally bounced in bed. 'Where will we go? What will we do?"
"When?" Fili's eyes were shining.
"Hold on now. Not for a long time yet. When your older and bigger and stronger."
"Aw man…' they said together, slumping back down with identical looks of disappointment. It was so comical Thorin could barely keep from laughing.
Thunder rolled by again and they each flinched, glaring up as one at the rattling shutter.
"What's going on up there? It's driving me nuts!" the dark one grumbled, covering his head with the pillow.
"You mean the thunder and lightning?" Thorin asked him.
"Yes! Why can't they go away?"
"They always stay until the storm is over. You will have to wait."
"Uncle." Fili had a look of concentration on his face, as though he were trying to figure something out. "What is it that makes the thunder and lightning?"
Thorin looked down on him, face gentle. "well, I'll tell you what my father told me when I was little. It's a good story."
" Story? What story?" Kili demanded, pulling the pillow off his head and sitting up with a face of intense interest.
"Well, sit back and I'll tell you." Thorin said, ruffling his hair. He ducked and sat back, looking up eagerly.
"Whenever there is a storm in the mountains, a great storm with howling wind and lashing rain and thunder fighting with lightening, there is something happening in the heavens, high above the clouds. Aule is walking high in the sky, and he opens his forges. He only opens them during a storm, because if he opened them at any other time the heat and fire would burn the earth. So he waits until there is a storm, so that he may work well without having to worry."
"All the Dwarves in the Mansions of Aule go with him, for it is their joy to work in those forges. Many work the bellows, which creates so much winds that the some flies out of the forges and down onto earth, and it blows the trees and the rain about. The thunder comes from when Aule and the Dwarves strike the hot metal with their hammers, and the lightening is the sparks that fly in showers."
"What do they make?" the blond one murmured.
"Anything they please. Swords, mail, objects of great beauty and power."
"Wow." They said together, looking over at the shutter with new respect. The thunder rolled again, but it was fainter now, and the rain kept falling.
"They are moving away."
"They will come back again, wont they Uncle?"
"For sure. They always do." Thorin sighed softly, and then looked down at the funny sight of Kili yawning so wide he could have fit his whole fist into his mouth.
A few minutes later they were asleep, heads pillowed on his shoulders, clutching hands across his broad chest.
With a soft sigh Thorin laid back, holding them both close and looking at the ceiling. They are so young, Aule. So small. I can't protect them like this forever. Please, take care of them. Keep them always innocent, always loyal. Help me take care of them. Don't ever let me let them down.
