Author's Note: Oh yeah, it's Friday again! Here's something to start off your weekend with, guys. :) Here's Balin being wonderful, as promised. Also, I wanted to give a shout-out and thank you to all the Guests who commented on this story! I can't reply to you in person, so THANK YOU! You rock. And also for the steadily commenting Members. You guys are awesome. 3 You make me happy when skies are grey!

Disclaimer: Yup. Tolkien was the genius. And Peter Jackson is the wizard. I'm just a droolingly admiring little imitator. XD I don't own nothin'.

Just Want to Make Him Proud

"I'm sorry, Kili. He just...he's so selfish, and he made me so very angry."

Fili sighed. He ran a hand through his hair, trying to still his irate shaking. He loved his Uncle. He had been raised by him. But right now he was having a difficult time understanding him. And Thorin venting on Kili...well, that was simply unacceptable, and that's all there was to that.

"I've known Thorin a good deal longer than either of you," Balin said, "He loves you, Kili. I have seen it. That's part of why he is so furious; why he said the things he did."

"He needs a lesson in communicating, then," Kili said, jokingly. He gave a small, crooked smile. "I'm not sure 'you're a worthless failure' can be expected to translate as 'I'm proud of you', even in dwarvish."

He didn't say it bitterly; it was meant as a joke. He felt uncomfortable with all the strife he seemed to be causing. He hurt, (oh, how everything still hurt) and now that the goblin brew was no longer in his system, unsurprisingly he was beginning to feel worn out and drowsy from his ordeal. But he felt the mood deserved some lightening, before he tried to sleep. Kili never could abide gloom for long.

Nevertheless, Balin sighed and Fili made a strangled indignant noise in his throat.

Balin settled himself leaning against the wall by the two young warriors, wondering how he was going to explain Thorin's behavior.

"He said the things he said because Thorin's afraid. He's been afraid ever since you were born. You had no father to bring you up, yet you were sons of Durin and his heirs. One day Fili would be King. Thorin had the responsibility of raising you, and he felt it keenly. He's not blameless, of course; in trying to prepare Fili for kingship he did rather neglect you, Kili. But it was not because he loves you less. In his own way, perhaps he sees even his neglect as a way of protecting you."

The brothers gave Balin a questioning, sceptical look. He sighed again.

"Thorin's experience of life has been vastly different from yours. You've had each other, and your mother, Dis, and your Uncle, flawed though he is, to watch out for you and be there when you need them. Dwalin, or Bofur, or myself were always near, too, as you were growing up. But, Thorin. Thorin's grandfather King Thror lost his mind to the madness of gold. So in that way, he was taken from Thorin. Thorin's father, Thrain, soon after the dragon's coming went mad with grief and disappeared. He too, was taken from him. His brother Frerin, though they were very close, created a rift between them, and then died in battle without having first made amends. To your Uncle, to love means to lose. He couldn't afford to be distant with Fili; but his neglect of you, Kili, was a misdirected attempt at protecting both you and himself. It didn't work, because now he is afraid, Kili. Afraid of losing you."

Fili found himself regretting having shouted at his Uncle. When he remembered what Thorin had said to Kili it still angered him, but it didn't seem as important now. Kili himself was strangely comforted by Balin's words.

"I just...want to make him proud," Kili told Balin. The old dwarf's eyes gleamed suddenly with tears.

"You are, laddie. You are."

Author's Note: Balin based loosely off of my mother, here. She's always there to comfort and explain, so he's kind of an homage to her in this chapter. That's probably some of the reason I love him; his resemblance personality wise to my Mum. :) ALSO, to all the readers who commented on their feelings to hit Thorin in the head last chapter...YAY! That's exactly the goal. When I read it out loud in a reading-group, one of the girls went so far as to throw a stuffed caterpillar at the picture of his face on my notebook cover. XD He was also labeled "The Majestic Jerk-Face", permanently, I'm afraid, during the reading of this story. Just know, though, that I do love Thorin. Like, a lot. We're sort of in a serious love-hate relationship. But never fear, he'll improve before it's all over. Promise.