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Fíli flops down onto Ori’s bed with a groan, flinging his arms wide. He’s aching from a day of manual labour mixed in with court duties, head swimming and feet stinging.
“Erebor wasn’t built in a day,” Ori says - sounding all too cheery for the dramatic entrance Fíli had just put all his effort into making.
“It’s been months,” whines Fíli.
The bed dips and he can’t hide his smile as Ori drops a soft kiss to his cheek. Ori’s beard is soft against his skin, and he turns to steal a proper kiss from their lips.
“Erebor looks better and better by the day and Thorin speaks so highly of you, as do the people.”
“And what do you think?” Fíli asks, grinning. Ori flushes, their freckles almost disappearing under the bloom of pink across their cheeks.
They press a quick kiss to Fíli’s mouth.
“Well, I think you’re wonderful, of course, before and after we got to Erebor. But you knew that.”
Fíli pulls Ori down so they’re laying side by side, noses almost touching. He traces his fingers along Ori’s lips as he begins to speak.
“Long does the night creep, lengthy the hours.
Cold does the stone seem, cracked are the diamonds.
You stole their glitter-gleam, you hid their light.
I long not for ale, I long not for meat,
Nor for the gold, never to glow,
When you walk beside me, wonderous gem.”
Ori blinks twice, their mouth a little open against Fíli’s fingers.
“Did you… did you write that…?”
Fíli crooks a sheepish smile. He moves his fingers to brush through Ori’s hair.
“No, I found it. But it made me think of you, so I memorised it while I was helping Mister Dwalin clear rocks.”
Ori laughs. It’s bright and delighted, and it draws a chuckle from Fíli, too. He sits up and rolls off the bed, holding his hands out to Ori to help them stand.
“Come on. I’m hungry and Kíli will be waiting, which is always dangerous.”
“Is she joining us? I thought Thorin had asked her to go down to Dale?” Ori says, pulling on a dark red woolen coat.
Erebor is cold, vast swathes of the mountain still lurking in darkness. Fíli takes their hand, leading them out of the room.
“He did, aye, and she went. But a spring snowfall stopped the hunt, so she returned to the mountain. Also, and don’t tell her I told you this, but she went out in those velvet trousers she found and split a seam all up one leg.”
Ori laughs again and Fíli’s heart trips against his chest to hear it. Even before the quest he’d known there was something incredibly special about Ori. But it wasn’t until the fight against the trolls, when Ori had stepped up with their catapult, trembling in every limb but still so determined to save their new friend, had it clicked.
They’d both agreed that a quest was the most clichéd setting in which to find true love. They’d also both been delighted by it.
The supper goes by easily and pleasantly, but not even the easy chatter between his love and his sister is enough to quell his growing nerves. He manages to keep Ori from guessing anything is amiss, though.
At the end he takes Ori’s hand in his and pulls them left instead of right at the junction to their rooms.
“Where are we going…?” Ori asks, quickly falling into step alongside Fíli. Their thumb brushes over Fíli’s knuckles.
“I’ve got a surprise for you. Come on.”
Ori beams. Their nose scrunches and Fíli feels that buoyant twist of love rocket through him at the sight.
It doesn't take them long to get to the great library, but Fíli makes sure he takes a roundabout path. It's not until they turn onto the main walkway before its vast doors does Ori gasp out a small laugh.
“The library…?” They ask softly, brushing their thumb over Fíli’s knuckles.
Fíli smiles wider and steals a kiss before tugging Ori through the gap between the huge doors.
The library is silent and dark. Fíli reaches for a lamp, his fumbling fingers finding the one he'd left here earlier after a second. He lights it and guides Ori’s hand up so he can kiss the other dwarf’s palm.
“I made you something. This is what I was doing when I wasn't doing general repairs or with you. Come on. I think you're going to like it.”
Ori’s expression is achingly tender. A thousand miners are picking at Fili’s insides, but the warmth of Ori’s hand in his helps to soothe him.
Before long they're walking towards the left side of the library, where most of the store rooms are kept. Fíli pauses to light a few lamps he'd placed there earlier near one small door.
“Oh…! The sign!” gasps Ori, pressing their hands to their cheeks.
Private Office of Ori, Keeper of the Records of the Legendary Quest of Erebor and Exalted Member of the Party of Thorin Oakenshield.
“I carved it myself,” Fíli says, excitement bubbling in his chest. He wraps his arms around Ori and holds them tight for a heartbeat before he lets go. “Open the door?”
Ori nods, walking slowly towards the wooden door. They take a moment to run their fingers over the carvings before slowly pushing the door open.
The little room is still warm, a small fire still glowing in the grate. Bookshelves line the wall and a desk and a chair fit snugly into the corner. There's a thick rug on the floor and a comfortable sofa against the wall, and the little vents carved into the ceiling help stop the room from becoming stifling.
“I only took things that were broken and fixed them myself, and I only put some books on the shelves that have copies,” Fíli murmurs when Ori doesn't say anything for a moment.
Then Ori turns and flings their arms around Fíli, kissing him like it's the first time in Beorn’s woods all over again.
“I love it. I love you,” Ori says, kissing him a second time.
Fíli grins, holding them closer.
Erebor is still dark and hollowed, but here there is light and love and warmth.
Here, this is home.