It took Kili what seemed an extra long time to fall asleep. Without his brother's calming presence by his side, he couldn't seem to calm his thoughts enough to drift to sleep right away. Kili laughed at himself, and turned onto his back to stare at the stars and moon through the break in the forest canopy.

His brother reminded him of the stars and moon. Always present, always watching even when hidden by clouds. Fili was steady, and calm. He never felt balanced without his brother by his side.

Ever since he could remember, Fili was always watching his back. From playground to battle field, he was never alone. Even though years separated them, they did everything together.

Kili remembered overhearing uncle Thorin speaking to Fili about the journey to reclaim Erebor, and the flash of jealousy and anxiety that accompanied the news. Hiding beneath the window sill quietly was the hardest task Kili had ever set for himself as he listened to his kin plan for their departure the next day

Kili could barely contain himself to not whimper at the thought of Fili traveling by himself. Utter panic and the shame at the paralyzing fear of being separated from his brother kept Kili hidden as he heard his brother agree to the terms of the journey and move upstairs to pack.

Seeing his uncle's back as he exited the house finally pushed Kili into action. Kili smiled as he remembered his uncles face as he all but tackled him to get him to listen to why he should be allowed to join the quest. Thorin let him rant and plead until he had to stop to catch his breath.

Thorin had gently placed his hand over his youngest nephews mouth to stop to endless stream of words from beginning again. Kili swore he saw his uncles eyes smile. When he was sure that Kili wouldn't begin his rant again, he removed his hand.

"Hush now. Did no one tell you eavesdropping would get you into trouble?"

Kili's eyes had widened at this. "But Uncle, how else am I to know what is going on?" Kili swallowed quickly. "Please don't make me stay here away from my brother. Please Uncle."

Kili remembered how Thorin's eyes had seemed to search through him to his very core. "Very well. Listen to my orders. Listen to your brother. Do not be foolish. I trust you understand the seriousness of this journey?"

"I may be young, but I'm not that young."

"You will always be young nephew. Go pack. Your brother leaves at first light."

Kili had bounded into the room he shared with Fili and threw his pack onto his bed and began to toss items into it. Needless to say, Fili wasn't surprised that Kili was coming along.

"Kili, calm down. I won't leave without you." Fili had walked over and pulled apart Kili's haphazard packing. Fili began to calmly fold and organize his brother's things and repack them into the ruck. "You'll thank me later when your pack is balanced."

Their eyes had met, and Kili felt the tension he had been carrying melt from his shoulders. Whatever would he do without his brother's watchful eye?

Kili thought back to supper and the look on his brothers face as he cleaned his blades. Fili had looked so distant and so sad in that moment, and Kili couldn't figure out why. What he did know, what that he hated seeing that look on his face. It made him want to do anything in his power to make him smile again.

Since his brother looked so distracted, he filled both of their bowls, and began to thread his way through the melee of dwarves waiting for their rations. Thorin stopped him on the way over.

"Kili, you have the dawn watch. Tell Fili he has first watch. Bofur is second."

"Why?"

"Why what Kili?"

Kili swallowed. "Why are we separated?"

When Thorin continued to just look at him, Kili cleared his throat, broke eye contact and carried on to his brother to deliver the news. Kili took devilish delight in surprising his brother with the bowl of food. And the sweet smile of thanks was the icing on the cake.

Kili was puzzled when Fili's smile tightened and turned almost into a sneer. The narrowing of his brother's eyes and tension in his shoulders radiated over Kili. Kili rewound the conversation in his mind to see where he went wrong. His brother always laughed at his jokes. Always lovingly answered back with a witty and sharp barb.

Comment on eating? Nope. Comment on boredom? Nope that was true. Comment on his looks and charm? Nope. Innocent banter. He had never touched anyone and his brother knew that.

Every time they went out together, other dwarves would always approach them and his brother would always make some excuse and disappear. Kili would look everywhere for his brother, eventually finding him hours later covered in sweat. Kili sighed. Fili's life was his own, but sometimes Kili wished that his brother would be content with him and not need to seek out the company of others.

Kili's heart sank to his boots, and he couldn't bear his brother's closed off posture. Remembering Thorin's instructions, Kili gave a light nudge to his brothers' shoulder, and told him of the watch schedule. Fili was as shocked as he was that Thorin had separated them. They had never been separated before.

Kili caught a glimpse of this brother on watch at the far end of the camp. By now the fire had reduced itself to glowing coals. The moonlight glinted in his brothers hair and caught the various beads at the end of his braids. His brother looked lost on watch by himself. And sad.

Kili curled onto his side and pulled his cloak over himself. The dawn watch would come soon enough, and Kili knew he needed sleep. At times, he regretted convincing his uncle to let him come along. His bed was a lot more comfortable than the rocks and various tree roots that were currently digging into his back.

Kili drifted to sleep and dreamt of his brother.

Hours later Kili woke in preparation for his turn at watch. The dawn watch really wasn't too bad. At least his sleep had been uninterrupted. Kili smiled at his brother. When their mother had decreed they were too old to sleep together in one bed, it had been a battle of wills of epic proportions. It was Thorin's edict that they separate that had settled that argument. His only concession being that they be allowed to share a room.

So Kili loved being out in the wild with Fili. It was the only time they were allowed to sleep beside one another. While hearing his brother's breath across the room maintained his sanity, it was never enough. Having his brother close enough to feel his warmth and breath whispering across his cheek always lulled Kili into a deeper and more content sleep.

Kili took an extra minute and shuffled his body closer to his brother to touch their foreheads together. Kili gently cupped his brothers cheek, before pulling himself out of the comfort of the warmth they shared and over to relieve Nori.

A new day, which always meant new trouble to find. Fili always said he couldn't live without mischief, which Kili resented at times. He could live without trouble. It just wasn't as much fun.

Kili smirked. He knew just what he could do while he sat on watch. There was prank waiting to happen, and this would be the perfect opportunity to plan it.