Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Once Upon A Dream

  Prologue

Elves live a long time. Too long, some of them feel. Time stops holding meaning for them. They stop counting the days, the weeks, the months, the years – it all melds together anyway.

Elves have notoriously good memories, too. It’s hard, when there are things you want to forget, events you wish you could leave behind so you can move on with your life. 

Tauriel spent five winters in Mirkwood after the Battle of the Five Armies, as it was called. It was too much time. Too much time to mourn the loss of Kili. Too much time to pick up her bow and arrow, take her place as Captain of the Guard again, discover that she couldn’t do it anymore – and not just because the bow and arrow reminded her of her dwarf.

For three winters she tried, and on the fourth she set her bow and arrow down and did not pick them up again. She spent one spring, one summer, one autumn wandering Mirkwood like a ghost desperately in search of rest, of peace, of respite from her thoughts and her memories and her pain, turning the runestone over and over and over in her hands even as she worried that her fingers would wear the stone out until the markings that were carved into the otherwise smooth surface would no longer be there. 

On the fifth winter she sailed to the Grey Havens, the stone still clutched between her fingers.

But even Valinor was of little comfort to her.

Time no longer had meaning for her there, and for that she was grateful. It meant that she didn’t have to think about how long had passed since she had lost her Kili.

But the ache, the pain of loss never truly went away.

An idea planted itself in Tauriel’s head, one that stemmed from a singe-minded desire to be with Kili again.

It was unheard of for an elf to do what she was doing – to go up to the Valar and plead with them to send her back to Arda. The dwarves believed in reincarnation, didn’t they? Couldn’t the Valar find a way to send her back too? 

She was sure that they would turn her down, call her impertinent and foolish and send her off. After all, who ever heard of elves reincarnating?

But they acquiesced.

Arda was not the same as it had been when she left, they warned her. Eons had passed since she had sailed, and in that time Kili would have lived many, many lives. She would be mortal, and Valinor would be closed to her.

But none of that mattered to her, as long as she would get to be with her Kili again.

It would not be so easy, they warned her. She would have to find him on her own because that was beyond their power. And they couldn’t be sure if she would remember him, or much she would remember.

She accepted. Even the faintest glimmer of hope of being reunited with him was more than she could’ve asked for.

And so they sent her back, and Tauriel was reborn.

- end of prologue -

Chapter Text

Once Upon A Dream  

Chapter One

Showing off was probably one of the best ways to make tips in the bartending business, especially when one worked at a high-end nightclub – so it was a good thing that Kian Davenport liked showing off.

The teal shirt he usually wore – a button-down with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows – was enough to draw attention to himself, even if he did tone it down with the black vest and tie that made up his uniform. But Kian was flashy in other ways. 

Put him behind a bar, give him bottles, mixers and glasses, and that was where he shone best.

It helped that he had the personality for it, too. He was what you would have called a people person – he gave away his easy grins without hesitation, and was almost always armed with a wink and a cheese pick-up line. Add the Irish accent – a remnant of his childhood that he stubbornly held on to – and he was always popular with the ladies.

Most importantly, though, Kian was good at what he did.

The sun was just coming up as Kian left the club after another gruellingly long shift. (Hey, just because he enjoyed his job didn’t mean he couldn’t feel tired.) All he wanted right now was food and bed.

A muffin sounds really good right now. Mmmm, or a sandwich. Should probably ask Fee if he wants something. Assuming he’s even awake, he added silently, chuckling to himself as he pulled his phone out of his pocket.

He dialled his housemate’s number, waited for him to pick up, and almost hung up right before Finn Riley picked up the call.

There was an incoherent mumble on the other end, one that Kian had learnt to recognise as The fuck do you want, you fucking prick? It’s too fucking early, and he grinned.

“And a good morning to you too, Sleeping Beauty,” he replied. “I’m getting breakfast, do you want anything?”

Another incoherent mumble, that Kian deciphered as Sandwich and coffee. Can you call me when you’re coming back?

He glanced at his watch. “You going in late today?”

“Couldn’t sleep,” Finn told him with a yawn.

“Don’t tell me someone kept you up,” Kian teased. “I’m the only one allowed to do that, y’know.”

“Fuck off and let me sleep, asshole,” Finn grumbled, and Kian laughed.

“Alright, I’ll call you later.” He hung up right as he stepped into the café that he usually wound up in on his way home – the only one open at this godforsaken hour, between the club and his apartment.

The front door jingled as he entered. He took a moment to relish in the warmth of the café before he made his way to the counter.

“Morning, Daisy,” he greeted the waitress, a warm smile on his face. “How’s your shift going?”

“Morning, Ki. Blissfully uneventful, thank god. Managed to get all my homework done, too. What can I get you?” Daisy asked, leaning against the counter.”

“An egg mayo sandwich, a turkey one and a cappuccino, please. Are you even getting enough rest, Daze?” he asked with a concerned frown as she moved away to warm up the sandwiches and make the coffee. “You college kids need your rest, y’know.”

She shot him a weary smile, shrugging. “We also need to pay for college. So how was your shift? How many numbers did you get tonight?” she teased.

Kian chuckled, the grin taking its place again. “Far too many,” he answered with exaggerated solemnity. “But you know my heart beats only for you, Daisy. Daisy, Daisy, give me your answer, do. I’m half crazy, all for the love of you,” he sang, breaking off into laughter as Daisy tossed a scrunched-up sandwich bag in his direction.

“You’re such an ass, Kian,” she laughed, handing him the sandwiches. “See you around.”

“Until next time, my lady love,” he grinned as he paid, then turned to leave. “Have a great day, Daze.”

“You too!”

With a smile, Kian left the café. Juggling everything in one hand, he sent a missed call to Finn, then carried on home, humming to himself.

He had a habit of making way more noise than was necessary whenever he got home – unless Finn had the day off and was sleeping in, that is. Sometimes slamming the door shut and announcing, “Honey, I’m home!” in the most obnoxious way possible were the best ways to either wake Finn up or let him know that he was home – just in case he had a special friend over and things got awkward.

(It had happened. More than once. Finn evidently enjoyed doing it around the house.)

A quick peek into Finn’s room assured Kian that the older man was awake and in the shower (although just how awake Finn was, he didn’t know, because he wasn’t belting out ‘80s songs like he sometimes did). So Kian kicked his shoes off by the door, shrugged out of his jacket, let his hair down and flopped down on the couch with his egg mayo sandwich, desperately trying to fight off sleep until Finn had left.

“You don’t have to stay awake until I’m gone, y’know.”

Finn’s voice broke the silence, startling Kian, who looked over the couch with a tired grin (and tried not to ogle Finn’s just-out-of-the-shower-ness. They’d tried once, but it hadn’t worked out, and that stupid infatuation that Kian still had really need to go away. Like, yesterday.). “This way I make sure you actually get out of the house instead of going back to sleep.”

“That only happened twice,” Finn retorted, “and one of those times I was sick.”

“Whatever helps you sleep at night, Fee,” Kian grinned, fighting a yawn. “Got you a turkey sandwich, by the way. ‘S on the table.”

The two carried on in idle conversation, talking about mundane things like Kian’s shift and grocery shopping to the sounds of Finn getting dressed, then Finn eating breakfast (sitting next to Kian, their legs stretched out on the coffee table, Kian practically resting against Finn), until Finn finally got up to leave.

“Don’t fall asleep on the couch again, alright?” Finn reminded him, ruffling Kian’s dark hair. “You know it leaves you aching all over when you wake up. And please, eat something other than over-processed junk today. There’s leftovers in the fridge, have those. Okay?”

Kian brushed him off, nodding. “Yeah, whatever. Go before you end up late.”

Finn took a last look at Kian – the smaller brunet was curling into the couch, grabbing the blanket that was draped over the top of the couch and wrapping it around himself – and sighed. “See you later, Ki.”

Kian didn’t reply; sleep had taken over him, and he would be dead to the world for the next six hours.

- end of chapter one -