Work Text:
"I was told we could be left alone down here," Kíli said, leading Tauriel into the depths of the mountain.
She had not yet gone so far in any Dwarven kingdom, but there was a first time for everything. His One might not have stone sense, but Tauriel's feet were steady, and her body graceful as she moved everywhere.
Their hands were clasped, as they descended lower and the area around them became darker, save for the lantern Kíli had lit before leading them anywhere. He held it in his left hand, while his right was intertwined with her own.
"By whom?" Tauriel asked, her tone holding a hint of suspicion.
"Fee. He brought Ori down after the ball. Seems they worked their problems out."
Tauriel huffed a laugh.
"I think they did more than that, but I'll leave my thoughts on the matter for you to guess."
Kíli grimaced.
"Please do."
Kíli was happy for his brother, really. However, Fíli's love story or anything involving it were the furthest thoughts from his mind at that moment.
Instead, Kíli was intent on devoting a portion of unscheduled time to the Elf he loved most ardently. Anything else could be dealt with another day. Kíli certainly spent a large portion of his weeks on matters of state or others' problems. This was for him and Tauriel alone, to enjoy one another.
Tauriel's tinkling laugh filled the air, and he knew it was at his expense, but Kíli didn't mind. To hear her exhibit joy aloud was a gift all its own, and one he treasured more with each passing day. Their love was a miracle in and of itself, that they continued to work at, years after having found each other. Though it hadn't always proved easy, Kíli would have no other in the way he had found then continued to choose Tauriel and their relationship.
"It's a lot quieter here," Tauriel murmured, after they had trod much further than before.
"Aye. The miners were given time off after the announcement ball, so there shouldn't be much movement, especially this far down."
"I can hear droplets of water, and…." she trailed off, then shook her head. "No, that can't be right."
"What?" Kíli asked, swinging towards her. When he noticed her reel back, he realized belatedly he was holding the lamp, still. Quickly, he removed it from her line of sight, then said, "Sorry."
"It's alright, it was simply unexpected."
They lapsed into silence for a while, until she whispered, "The rocks, they're humming. Or vibrating. I'm not sure how else to describe it. However, I can hear them and it's like music."
Kíli grinned, broadly, then all but exclaimed, "You've got stone sense."
"That should not be possible," Tauriel said.
Kíli shook his head, buzzing with the knowledge of what their bond had given her. They continued walking, but eventually, he responded, "Your One is a Dwarf, Tauriel. I do not think it such an absurd idea."
She remained quiet, even as they came to a stop at a wall, which spanned from their feet to high above them both. Fíli had warned him about this part, so Kíli broke their self-imposed silence to relay, "It'll be easiest if one of us goes first, and the other follows. There's little room for one body, let alone two, to cross here."
"Of course. I shall follow," Tauriel replied.
So, Kíli slowly stepped across the narrow pathway, and eventually made it where his feet could freely move without fear of falling. He held the lamp, then awaited Tauriel to join him. She did so with ease, then came to stand beside him.
"We're finally here," Kíli said, then nodded towards his left, where there was an opening just a bit taller than himself. Tauriel would have to duck, but once within, the cavern was large and many Elves tall, even, so she would have no issue there.
He let go of her hand, then gestured towards the natural threshold created by Mahal, and said, "After you, my lady."
Tauriel shook her head, smiling as she did. However, his wife did as he asked, and Kíli followed suit.
"This is a wonder to behold," Tauriel whispered with reverence.
Kíli watched as she stepped further in, holding the lantern nearby because unlike him, Tauriel would need it more. With the ability to see even without it, he had no need, but for her, that wasn't the case. Sometimes, though, even the darkest depths could use a little more light, if only for the ambiance.
Though, given what she had said about hearing the song the stones sang, Kíli wondered what else Tauriel might have been unaware could happen. While he knew that they were of two different races, at times there were gaps he had forgotten to fill, in regard to her knowledge of what certain things meant for a Dwarf.
To have a One was as much a connection of souls, in a platonic or romantic sense, mentally, as well as physically. For instance, Kíli had noticed with Fíli and Ori, that while his elder brother was right hand dominant, Ori was left-handed. Which was but one example his mind readily thought of, as Kíli considered his and Tauriel's own relationship.
Furthermore, as much as they were whole on their own, they were also a spiritual half to a whole, too. Although a pair could not choose what was shared, sometimes thoughts would drift between the other, communicated without meaning to. Once a bond was accepted in full, this only strengthened further.
That Tauriel had any sort of stone sense was not surprising to him, but Kíli could understand how startling it must have been for her to hear such music for the first time. He smiled, as her eyes were darting everywhere they could, taking in the beauty that was around them. Kíli had scouted the area out before bringing her there, so he simply enjoyed the view of her resplendence amidst the natural wonder surrounding them.
The crystal cavern was but a backdrop to the magnificence that was his One, and her enjoyment of it. Yes, the jutting crystals of various sizes and colors were wondrous, but not so breathtaking as the sight of Tauriel and her astonishment was, in Kíli’s opinion.
"Do you not find this magnificent, too?" Tauriel asked, looking at him with disbelief.
"I do, but it pales in comparison to how magical I feel being here with you," Kíli replied, firmly; his voice dripping with love, and heart beating steadily inside him.
"You should put that lantern down, Kíli," Tauriel whispered, her voice just barely audible.
Kíli did so, as his pulse picked up, while she walked closer to him. The scent of honey filled his nose, as their lips met. One hand was caressing his cheek, while the other tangled firmly in his hair. That hold quickly led to his tresses being pulled, and a groan escaped him, as their mouths disembarked the course they had been on.
"Tauriel…" Kíli murmured, voice already ragged, as he all but gasped for air.
"Maralmizu," Tauriel replied, her voice inflecting the Khuzdul word perfectly.
Fire blazed inside of Kíli to hear it from her lips, and soon he was reaching up, grasping her face tenderly in his hands, bringing their mouths together once more. Tauriel's fingers slid down his back, and she whimpered amidst his onslaught against her mouth.
Shortly, Kíli pulled back, then said, "Bend down, please."
He latched onto her neck after and gave it the attention that he felt it was due, in the form of his lips and teeth grazing or suckling all over it.
"Kíli," Tauriel panted, as he grasped her hair more firmly, tugging it afterwards.
"Yes, Amrâlimê?" Kíli replied, his eyes meeting hers. They were darker, like light had left a forest after sunset, unlike the bright green they normally were.
"Should we be doing this here?" Tauriel asked, with what appeared to be regret, as she caught her breath.
"No one will bother us this night, I promise," Kíli said, stroking her face with his thumb. He smiled a little. "I imagine even if someone did try, you would hear them before they could enter, anyway."
"If I am distracted, that will likely not be the case, but I appreciate your faith in me," Tauriel replied, her face tinged with amusement.
"I always have faith in you, Tauriel," Kíli murmured, with utter sincerity. "Maralmizu. Now, and always. It is not just a word, but a promise. To Dwarves, it is a sacred act to say it, as it is an oath that we take seriously. However, love is action, not empty promises. To utter such a phrase, it means I will continue to prove that I do, not only in word, but in deed, too."
"Kíli," Tauriel breathed out, before their snogging began anew, and with it a fire blazed brighter between them, as they stoked it with words and action.