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In dwarf tradition, offering a precious stone of your family color to someone is the proper way for declaring your love, and it also goes as a wedding proposal. Dwarves only love once and for their whole life, hence accepting the stone is accepting the proposal. This was exactly the reason why Kili needed the one he knew Fili had brought on their quest “just in case”.
“But why don’t you want to lend it to me!”
“Firstly because I know exactly that you’re planning on using it as a wedding proposal and that isn’t lending brother, this is giving!”
“By I need it!”
“And for whom, uh?”
A tender smile grew on Kili’s lips as he whispered the name “Ori” to his brother. Fili rolled his eyes.
“He’s a shy baby with two overprotective brothers, there’s no way he’s going to accept it anyway.”
“That’s why I need the stone! To show them how much I respect tradition and how ready I am to give away a jewel for him!”
“To give away my stone. I’m sorry Kili, but you had to take your own one with you. Or you can still ask uncle, he’s never going to give his to anybody anyway.”
Kili seemed to be considering the last option, to Fili’s great relief. If things had been different, he would have given his stone to his baby brother, but he had already plans for that little precious stone. Giving it to your love interest could either be done in person, or left by the other’s side during their sleep. And he was definitely going for the subtle part.
Dwalin grunted, the sun blinding him as he merely opened his eyes, this morning. He put an arm over his face and tried his best to find his sleep again, when he just froze and straightened up. There was something in his hand, and that something had not been there when he went back to bed after his watch, the previous night. He frowned and slowly opened his hand, before all air left his lungs. Oh no oh no oh no. That was definitely not good, no. He had no time to let himself be distracted from their quest. But Mahal, that was the Durin’s color.
That could not have been worse, oh no. He hid the stone in one of his pockets. He would refuse it as politely as possible when he would wake up.
“Thorin, I need to talk to you.”
“What is it, Dwalin? You look terrible today.”
“Well, err, hm. I don’t want to sound rude to you or anything, and you know, you are very important to me… as a friend.”
Thorin frowned, looking back at the warrior.
“Where are you getting at?”
“You’re my best friend and would not risk losing it for anything in the world.”
The king’s eyes narrowed.
“Dwalin, what are you even talking about? Did you sleep well last night?”
The evidence struck the dwarf like thunder.
“Mother’s beard, it’s worse than I thought.”
“… It’s worse that I thought too. Do not feel offended but I want you to have a full night’s sleep for the following days. That’s an order.”
“Of… Of course, yes.”
Dwalin tried to convince himself that after all, maybe it had just been a mistake. That maybe Kili had just mistaken his bedroll for Ori, yes, they were the same color, and he had done it at night so he could have been mistaken. Everything was fine, no dwarf he felt attracted to was actually involved, nobody would get hurt, and nobody would get killed by members of the royal family. Perfect.
A relieved smile on his face, he took the stone out of his pocket and walked towards Kili. Seeing the shining pale purple, the prince frowned, however.
“Hey that’s not fair! Why would Fili lend you his stone when he did not even want to help me with it!”
Most of his blood left his face.
“Balin.”
“Hold on brother, I need more time to study this map once again.”
A short silence.
“Balin, I really need to talk to you.”
The older dwarf sighed. “Can’t it wait?”
“The more I wait the worse it gets. Please listen to me.”
“Fine,” Balin sighed once again. “What is it?”
Dwalin made sure no one was looking before taking the precious stone out of his pocket once again. Balin’s eye widened, and a smile grew on his lips.
“Well, I don’t see where the problem is. Haven’t you been yearning for him for quite a long time already?”
“How do you kn… I mean, Excuse me?”
His brother chuckled. “Don’t worry, I am sure to be the only one to have noticed the way you look at him. So he made the first move, that sure is interesting.”
Seeming lost for a moment, Dwalin’s eyes went several times from the stone to his brother’s smile.
“What should I do? I cannot… I shouldn’t answer this. He’s too young, and I… Mahal I grew up with his father!”
“That’s a problem he does not see. Besides, if you did not hand it back yet, doesn’t it show that deep inside, you want to answer the proposal?”
Dwalin opened his mouth to protest, but nothing came out of it. Balin was right. He was hoping that it was really Fili’s stone. That it had not been a mistake.
“Do you think I should tell him something?”
“Oh you sure should.”
“Why?”
“Because I bet with Gandalf that you would end up together before we reach the lonely mountain!”
The warrior sighed. “I should have seen this coming.”
“Don’t feel offended, it means I trust you! Now go, before he worries you never noticed the stone!”
He was still really worried and had not dared to go talk to the prince yet. He was so nervous that Bofur had to joke about his loss of appetite to make him realize that he had stared at his plate for fifteen minutes without moving an inch. Why were feelings so difficult. Why was the lad so young. Why did he choose him. Of course, the thought of it made him feel warm somewhere in his chest, but he was still worried and convinced he was definitely not the fitting choice for Fili.
“You know, you’re not really useful when all you’re doing during your watch is staring at the ground and mumbling.”
He knew that playful voice too well, and almost jumped to his feet when he recognized it.
“It’s the middle of the night, shouldn’t you be sleeping?”
Fili smiled and sat right next to the warrior, who froze. Dwalin tried his best not to show his embarrassment.
“I can’t, actually.”
Ah, there was an opportunity for him to start a normal, and casual conversation. He had to take it, maybe it would ease him down.
“What keeps you awake? You shouldn’t worry about anything; according to Gandalf we’re safe and only need to reach the… domain of the kind creature he knows, or something like that.”
“Oh no, I am not worried actually”, Fili smiled again. He had not looked at the warrior since he sat down.
“Then what is it?”
“Nothing really important. Just wondering what takes you so much time to answer me.”
And with that, he turned to the older dwarf, who was somewhat convinced that should have been the time when he got up and ran away. But he did not, and only scratched the back of his head to try to hide his face to the prince, in a way.
“So, it was, hm. Yours.”
“Come on, you knew it, don’t play that game with me. I’ve noticed how strange you’ve been acting today, always lost in your thoughts.”
Dwalin grunted, and definitely kept his hand on his own neck, still trying to hide himself.
“So, are you going to answer me or break my heart and cause me to try to die in the next orc attack?”
He abruptly turned towards Fili, eyes full of fear.
“NO! I mean, yes! I mean… what?”
The young prince laughed softly as he saw how lost the older one was.
“O Dwalin, don’t tell me you are blushing…”
“I am not,” grunted the other one again. “Don’t you dare laugh at- …”
And there Fili took the opportunity to sit on one of his thighs, his right knee so near to a so improper place to approach that Dwalin’s breathing became really hard. He stared at the younger one, looking for an explanation, trying to tell him it was definitely not helping, he did not really know.
Hands on the warrior’s shoulders, Fili smiled kindly at him.
“I’m not a child anymore, Dwalin. And it’s alright for you to accept the stone.”
Dwalin closed his eyes and sighed. It took him a while, but he finally spoke again.
“Then I shall accept it with great hon-…”
And he opened his eyes in shock as he felt lips against his. But he smiled and answered to the kiss eventually. Only when they parted away could he see the younger prince’s grin. He chuckled himself, slowly caressing his hair.
“Your uncle is going to kill me,” he whispered softly.
“Oh I don’t think so, you know. But my mother will surely.”