I'm sorry but this is quite angsty - I made myself tear up a little. I needed to write this but I hope that it will be the only angst in this fluffy little tribble of a fluff-fest.

/ / / Fralin \ \ \

Ori and Dwalin had been something of a surprise.

One day they didn't seem to be anything at all and the next day they were moving into Ori's chambers – the Royal Historian's chambers a little further away from the barracks for the soldiers but was larger than the Dwalin's. It was something of a mountain wide conversation about who was the most surprised – Nori, Dori or Brina – a female dwarf who had been flirting with Ori mercilessly since they had met – Or never quite seemed to notice. Balin had just smiled knowingly when anyone mentioned it but regardless it was obvious to anyone who saw the two together that while they were not overly affectionate they were utterly in love.

And then something else came along that was newer gossip than their relationship and eventually they just were Dwalin and Ori and no one thought about it.

They had a bonding ceremony after Ori's mother arrived in the mountain, it was lovely but at the same time there was an air of mere formality to the whole ceremony as there had never been any question that both dwarves were utterly committed to the other.

Then one day if Dwalin had smiled at even the weakest of his trainees, and if he had forgiven the rudeness of a dwarf on guard with a light reprimand no one questioned it hoping that things would not go back to normal. The good mood continued on and on and eventually the dwarves noticed a little more girth to Ori's stomach and they all understood – a blessing from Mahal.

Then the good mood ended.

The pregnancy had been normal, the birth began as it should and then it became hard. Ori had forced his body into doing what it did not want to until there was a small dwarfling in Dwalin's arms but the blood would not stop. Ori held his son thinking it may be the only time he would do so and he loved him more than almost anything he had ever beheld before. He whispered his love into Fralin's, his son's brand new name, ear and promised him that he would always love him. Then Fralin was handed to someone else and everything became very distant.

Dwalin trusted few with what he loved, very few, but he passed his son into his king's arms and rushed back to be by Ori's side. Nori, Dori and Shanis, Ori's mother, were sitting around him in the healing circle and Dwalin dropped down next to Ori's head and bowed his head in prayer to Mahal as he had never before in his life. He would have given his life for Ori, a million times over, he would have welcomed torture at the hands of an orc rather than lose the other dwarf and he poured every bit of his love and desperation into the healing circle.

Hours, or days, later Ori took a deep breath and opened his eyes and felt an ache in every part of his body. He reached for Dwalin and a presence that wasn't in the room with him. Dwalin tried to move away but Ori's weak grip kept him exactly where he was and Dori broke the circle to go and collect Fralin.

The dwarfling was pale and whimpering when he was brought back into the room and Ori's fingers let go of Dwalin only long enough for the warrior to go and collect his son, bring him back to Ori and place the crying babe on Ori's chest. Ori lifted an arm and tucked it around his son. Sleep claimed them both moments later and Dwalin took his spot next to Ori's head again watching over them both vigilantly.

Fralin was the first to wake, opening light brown eyes and blinking at Dwalin. Dwalin reached out for him and lifted him into his arms. The baby made some tiny content noises and pressed into Dwalin.

"You and your father scared me to death." Dwalin said, voice rougher than he had ever heard it. "Never do it again."

"Promise," Ori said weakly. "You saved me again, didn't you?"

"I did everything I could to save you," Dwalin said. "I always will."

"I love you too," Ori smiled very gently. "He's hungry."

Dwalin leaned over and kissed Ori, spent just a moment revelling in his miracle before he set himself to meeting his son's needs.

/ / /