"Wait. Before you say anything. I just need to know that no matter what happens you will always stay close to me. You'll always be my brother."
Fili turned to face his brother. "Aule Kili, you'll always be my baby brother. Nothing will ever change that."
The brothers shifted their position closer to each other. Fili reached down and picked up the drawing and held it between their bodies.
"Remember when we used to spend every minute together? No matter what, we were never more than a foot apart?"
Kili smiled. "That wasn't that long ago brother. We still spend all of our time together." His eyes became sad. "Well, except for the past few days."
Fili sighed. "I never meant to hurt you."
"Then what happened? What did I do?"
"Oh little brother. You didn't do anything. I just couldn't wrap my head around something."
Kili got annoyed, and pulled the drawing away from Fili. "What was bothering you so much, you couldn't talk to me? We always talk about everything. By Aule, I probably know more about you than you do."
"Not this. It's shameful."
"Shameful?" Kili shoved his brother down onto the boulder. "What could be so shameful that you couldn't tell me? I love you. You're my big brother."
"That's the point. I'm your big brother. I'm supposed to protect you, not…"
Kili knelt down and was shocked to see the fear and sadness on his brother's face. His usually calm, completely in control of his emotions, brother looked so lost and alone. He swallowed hard, and gathered his courage.
"Is it because you found out that I don't like lasses?"
"What?" Fili gasped. "Don't joke Kili, I'm trying to be serious here."
"I'm not. I've never been with a lass."
"But all the stories at the pub that are told about you. You always leave the pub with a new lass when we go out, and don't return for hours."
Kili shook his head. "You're talking about you, not me. You always leave the pub before me, and I can never find you for hours."
"I don't understand. I always thought the lasses were all over you."
"No. I could never do anything with them. Or anyone."
"Why?' Fili whispered.
"They weren't you. Everyone I met, I always compared them to you." Kili leaned into his brother, and rested their foreheads together. "My idiotic older brother. Don't you know that I love you?"
Fili squeezed his eyes closed, and felt a tear fall.
Kili's heart broke, and brushed his lips over his brother's cheek to catch the tear. "Please don't cry. Just help me understand what's going on. I can't sit by and watch your torture yourself. Whatever this is, we can figure it out together."
Down on his knees in front of Fili, he felt his brother finally rest his weight against him. His strong arms wrapped solidly around his shoulders.
"I love you too brother. I always have." Fili nuzzled into his brother's shoulder and breathed in his brother's scent. "There will never be anyone for me but you."
Kili chuckled. "What a pair we are."
"I got a drawing of us a couple days ago. Showed us asleep wrapped around each other."
"I got one yesterday. You were wrapped around me watching me sleep." Kili shrugged. "I knew after I saw that, that I had to do something. That maybe it was why you pulled away. Maybe you felt the same as me."
Fili pulled back and wrapped one hand around his brother's jaw. He traced his brother's lips with his thumb. "I want to try something."
Shifting his eyes from his brother's eyes to his lips, Kili's breath hitched. His brother's tongue had flicked out to wet his lips.
The first thought that went through Kili's mind was how soft his brother's lips were. Next: Oh Aule I'm finally kissing Fili!
The brother's separated for a breath of air, before deepening the kiss. Hands were starting to wander. Fili slid off the boulder to kneel in front of Kili. Fingers were just starting to slip clothing ties apart, when someone cleared their throat. And saw the entire company standing in the tree line.
Thorin was trying really hard not to laugh at the brother's obvious discomfort. Neither brother had noticed that the entire company had been standing in the tree line watching the exchange. Their faces were bright red, and they were looking anywhere but at the company.
Oblivious siblings. Thorin couldn't believe that it took them four days to figure out that they were in love with each other.
"You finally figured it out laddies?" Dwalin barked at the brothers.
"Enough." Thorin stepped closer to his nephews. "Granted when I put you two on watch together, I was hoping you would sort this out. However, I would like to remind you that watch means looking out for the rest of the company while we sleep. Next time? Try to focus."
"Yes uncle." They both whispered.
It was later in the morning, when Thorin heard purses' of money being thrown behind him. The hobbit was gleefully pocketing each purse. Thorin shook his head. Cunning little hobbit bet four days for the brothers to get together.
Wait…
Thorin had seen that parchment before in the hobbit's journal. When Bilbo's eyes finally met his, he winked and watched the hobbit blush. Thorin wondered what else the innocent looking hobbit could draw.
While Fili and Kili knew that the company stared at them throughout the day, they had eyes only for each other. They rode with fingers laced, and soft smiles. All they could think about what how right their kiss had felt. Maybe Thorin would put them on watch together again.