I'm sorry this took me so long. I just couldn't get back into it. Thank you for everyone's patience.

It took time for him to finish the second drawing. Everyone in the company was asleep, and the fire banked. There was still enough light for him to see where he was going. The two brothers were curled around one another, and it took some delicate finger work to slide the drawing into Kili's tunic. He couldn't wait for the younger brother to discover it.

Kili felt so lost. His brother still rode ahead of him. He wouldn't even make eye contact this morning. Kili felt he was starting to go mad with tension. He had only been separated from his brother for short periods of time before. Ever since they had wrestled two days ago, Fili had been pulling away slowly.

He felt so alienated. His brother was his tie to the group. Without him he was nothing. He had fallen back to the rear of the company. Kili didn't want to hear the quiet laughter at the front, or listen to the stories of old. Kili felt something scratch across the skin of his chest as he stretched and reached into his clothes to right his tunic. And found parchment. His brow knit as he pulled it out and unfolded it.

And was very glad no one could see him. Kili glanced furtively at the company. He didn't know anyone who could draw – so who would draw this? It was obviously drawn last night when everyone else was asleep. Kili felt his blush spread from his neck to his face. He wished what as drawn on this picture was true, but he doubted it.

He was asleep in the drawing, with Fili on his side behind him. That wasn't out of the norm. What was new was the fact that Fili was up on his elbow over his shoulder and his arm wrapped around Kili's chest. Fili looked so tortured, as if what he wanted most was right in front of him but he couldn't have it.

Kili felt his heart skip as he thought about his brother. He wished what he saw in the drawing was true and not wishful thinking.

Fili was nervous as the company set up camp from the night. He was worried about his brother. Kili had hung back from the group all day, and didn't even speak during the short break for lunch. Which was abnormal.

What worried the older brother even more, was that when he glanced back to check on his younger brother he saw Kili holding a piece of parchment. The same type of parchment that he had found on him the day prior that showed him and Kili drawn together. Was Kili the one who drew it?

Fili shook his head at his foolishness. Kili couldn't draw. He could barely carve. The only artistic ability his younger brother had was fletching arrows.

So if it wasn't his brother, why did his brother have the same type of paper? Unless…

Unless someone had given him the same drawing. Fili felt his blood drain from his face. What if Kili now knew how he felt about him? The whole point of him pulling away so that Kili wouldn't know how much he needed him. His worst fear was that Kili would hate him. After all, Kili was young and could have anyone he wanted. Why would he was his older brother when he could have a lass and a life and children?

Sitting across the fire, he couldn't believe his nephews. Thorin shook his head. The angst was killing him. If those two morons didn't figure it out by now, the whole company would have to take a rest day and tie them together. This was ridiculous. Maybe he would have to put the two together on watch tonight. Maybe the tension would finally get them talking. And admitting to certain feelings.

Thorin called the two brothers over to him and fought to keep a straight face. Neither brother would look at the other or stand close together. "The two of you have the dawn watch."

Their eyes flared open simultaneously, and they looked at each other before looking back at their uncle. "But uncle…"

"No Fili. You have the dawn watch together. Perhaps the last two days apart during watch have worn on you. I'm just putting things back to the way they were. You two have been distant with each other for a couple of days now. This is unacceptable. You are brothers. The company does rely on you, and you need to be able to rely on each other. Now eat, and get some rest. I expect you two to behave like adults and heirs of Durin tomorrow."

"Yes uncle."

The brothers were very quiet that night. Duly chastised by their uncle, they set up their bedrolls and faced away from each other. Each was in a panic about what the next morning would bring.

One thing was for sure, it was going to be a long night.