"I think the two of you should talk in private." Thorin gently suggested, and pushed both wolves towards the house. Nori and Dori noticed at the smart maneuver Thorin did, but there was no way they could intervene.
Ori followed Dain with a low head, but he knew he had no choice.
"So it that true?" Ori asked in a shaking voice. "Are you really my father?" He was on the verge of crying.
"I am." Dain made it short. "I'm sorry."
"Are you sorry for abandoning me, or for being my father?" Ori asked with spite in his voice.
"I never abandoned you, and I'm not sorry for being your father. I'm sorry you had to find out this way, if it was only my choice I would have told you ages ago." Dain tried to explain to the crying wolf.
"Then whose choice was it?" Ori's voice was bitter.
"Frerin forbid me to acknowledge you as my son." Dain spoke with pain in his voice. "He couldn't forgive me for what happened between your mom and me, and you're the reason we weren't together for the last twenty-four years."
Ori looked at him clearly in pain.
"I love you. I always have, the day you came over as a teenager to ask me to teach you the old languages of the tribe, I realized how big a mistake I made by not having you fully in my life." Dain spoke with pain in his voice. "You are my son, my only child ever, and you are special to me." He reached out and the boy hesitantly accepted the embrace.
"That's why you paid for my studies?" Ori asked in a shaking voice. "That's why you insisted I move into your house?"
"I would have paid for your studies either way." Dain told him. "You're special, you're smart and strong. Being my son makes you even more special in my eyes. I'm very sorry for not being there for you for many years."
"I need some time alone." Ori spoke in a breaking voice.
"I'll always be there if you need me." Dain assured his son yet again, and after wiping his tears he left him.
Ori rushed upstairs into one of the bedroom, he threw himself onto the bed and cried.
Do you think Ori will be fine? Kili asked his mate.
As fine as he'll ever be about it. It hit him pretty badly. He loved Dain as an idol, and finding out he is his father changed a lot of things. Fili replied.
But you have to admit Thorin played it well. Kili spoke warmly.
He was great! Fili admitted. That makes me wonder, but we'll talk about that tomorrow.
Tomorrow. Kili replied.
Eomer and Faramir approached Fili with smirks on their faces.
"What are you two up to?" Fili asked unsure of himself.
"We heard a rumor and we were wondering if it's true." Eomer spoke calmly.
"What kind of a rumor?" Fili asked but he already knew what they were referring to.
"That you are Kili's only weakness especially when you get drunk…" Faramir noticed with a smirk. "And for that reason both of us will keep you away from Legolas and Tauriel who have plotted to test it."
Fili glanced at the vampires surprised with their idea. "I'd enjoy your company." He admitted with a grin and allowed Faramir to pull him towards his wife Eowyn.
Dwalin was glancing towards the house. He liked the small wolf from the first day, he was kind, he was calm and he was extremely cute. Contrary to Bofur the smell did not bother him that much, and the small wolf was always polite and helpful. He was amazed with the innocence in the wolf, as if he was still a child, pure and inexperienced. The way the boy found out the old wolf was his father was difficult to say the least.
"You should go to him…" Kili hung on his shoulder for a moment and whispered to him. "He trusts you."
Dwalin looked at his friend surprised with the initiative. "You think so?"
"I think you can help him deal with it." Kili told him again and gently pushed him towards the house.
You're playing matchmaker my dear leech… Fili whispered to him warmly.
They just need a gentle nudge into the right direction. Kili replied and moved towards Bombur and his family.
"You know what Kili, you need to tell me that recipe of your for cranberry sauce, my customers keep asking about it!" Bombur smiled at the vampire warmly.
"I don't have the exact recipe, I just play it by ear. So why don't I come in on Thursday and show you?" Kili proposed.
Book a table for me and our friends. Fili immediately added.
"Actually I've missed working in the kitchen, I was thinking since Dainy asked me to teach her around the kitchen, I'd like to regularly drop by and teach her." Kili told the surprised family. "That is if you don't mind."
"That's a great idea!" Mathilda noticed. "Dainy and Rili are the only ones with a drive towards cooking, so if you help out by teaching the kids a bit, it would be great!"
"I was thinking, we could take over the kitchen one day a week." Kili suggested shyly. "So that Bombur could spend more time with you and the youngest."
"I don't know what to say." Bombur looked at the vampire in shock. "We can't really afford a new chef…" His voice was trembling with emotion.
"Who said anything about hiring me? I prefer to do it more on a freelance basis." Kili told them with a grin.
"We'd love that!" Borin replied before his parents could refuse. "Actually we'd all love to learn more, so that we could help our family more."
"Let's call it Kitchen Experiment evening!" Farin replied.
"So book a table for the wolves, and let's start next week!" Kili told them with a huge smile.
"Are you okay?" Dwalin gently asked the sobbing little wolf. Ori was clutching a pillow and laying on his side.
"Not really." The boy relied. "Leave me alone please!" He could take anyone's presence but not that vampire's. He was so tall and strong, he would never cry. Ori felt so weak and pathetic. He felt lost and the presence of the one person who allured him could only bring trouble and make him embarrass himself.
The vampire closed the door and the small wolf thought he had left him. A deeper sobbed escaped his mouth. Then he felt a gentle hand touch his shoulder. He nearly jumped off the bed surprised.
"Being alone is not always a good thing." The vampire calmly told him and sat on the bed next to the small wolf. "I know everything of being alone. I was alone for many years thinking I've lost everything in my life. My family, my home, my profession. After I became what I am now, I thought my life was over, I thought there was no place for me. I abandoned everything and everyone. I roamed by night trying to hide what I was. Until I met Thorin. He gave me a chance, he talked me into trying his training. He was strong, and he proved I could be strong as well. But the idea that I was alone was always there." Dwalin paused for a moment. "Years later I learnt that my brother never stopped searching for me, that he always felt I was somewhere and he felt the need to find me. The day he saw me, looking exactly the same as the day when I became a monster, and he was already frail and old, he proved I was wrong. I never lost anything, nor my humanity, nor my family. Balin accepted me for what I was, and he convinced Thorin he wanted to be turned just to spend the rest of eternity with me. Do you know what's funny? He is the younger brother, there used to be a twelve year difference between us, now he seems to be the older one." Dwalin gently patted the wolf's shoulder.
"I understand the connection you have with your brothers, but you can have the same now with your father. From what I understand he has always been there for you, he has always supported you in any way possible. And today he officially made you his son, and gave you more than any son could ask for." Dwalin paused as Ori moved to face him. "Today he made you his heir, he proved you are worthy to be called his son and to take his place on the council. It should be a reason for joy, not for crying." The vampire gently brushed away tears from the wolf's cheek. The wolf didn't say anything, he just reached out and hugged the vampire closely and who sobbed yet again.
"I'm so stupid…" Ori gasped with emotion. "You must think that I'm pathetic and weak…"
"There is no shame in crying." Dwalin gently brushed his back. "And you will never be pathetic and weak. You are smart and strong. You are special." The vampire spoke with conviction in his voice.
"Do you really think so?" Ori looked up to him with hope in his eyes. Dwalin could only think the boy looked cute with the slightly red cheeks and eyes.
"You're beautiful…" Dwalin whispered just before his lips met the lips of the small wolf. He gently pulled away from the innocent wolf. "Let's go and have a great time!" He urged the wolf to get up. "It's time to celebrate! You finally have a father!"
"You're right! I do have a father. A father I could only be proud of!" Ori realized for the first time.
"Are you okay?" Nori asked as Dwalin was leading Ori back to the garden.
"He's fine!" Dwalin told him with a smirk and continued to guide the small wolf to his father.
Dain looked at Ori surprised he returned to the party, but when the small wolf launched at him and hugged him tightly, he could only exchange the embrace with all his strength. He glanced at the tall vampire who led the wolf back to him, and nodded with a smile.
"Have you ever drank whiskey?" He asked him son with a smirk. "I think it's time to celebrate!"
"I can try…" Ori mumbled with a shy smile.
The vampires were slowly leaving when the wolves began drinking. Somehow the idea that you had to watch someone else get drunk and being unable to drink yourself put them a bit off. Dwalin stayed around to keep an eye on Ori, while Bofur never left Nori's side. Soon most of the wolves were fairly intoxicated, and they began singing old tribal songs and dancing.
You look funny! Kili scolded his mate. And if you get a hangover I'll kill you!
No hangovers! I'm barely drunk… Fili replied.
Last time it was just a few beers, so now you're like super drunk… Kili replied evilly. If you get us a hangover I'm going to fuck you as a wolf.. He threatened.
I'd like to see you try… Fili taunted back.
Tomorrow we've got important things to deal with, so no more drinking or I'll break all the bottles! Kili informed him dully.
Crystal clear… Fili replied grimly.