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It was late, the halls of Erebor dark as you crept towards your chambers. So far you had succeeded in making it to your rooms unseen, your scarf covering part of your face. You were almost to your door when you felt a hand on your back. Damn it all, you were so close, but regardless, you stopped and slowly turned to face the newcomer.
To your surprise, you’re met with the face of the crown prince. You did not expect Fíli to find you like this tonight, though he was preferential to Bofur (who would make your business known the entire mountain). You would have much preferred to be interrupted by Nori, or even Dori, but alas, this is the situation you found yourself in…
“Prince– Fíli,” you said, haltingly, not yet fully used to interacting so causally with royalty though he’d asked you many times to drop the formalities, “what brings you to this part of the castle tonight?”
“I could ask you the same question,” Fíli replied with a sly look, clearly not about to answer your question.
“Well I was just returning from the library, you know how Balin is with deadlines,” you said, trying to extricate yourself from this situation, “but anyways, it’s been a long night, I should get some sleep while I still can.”
You turned away to your door but as you produced the key from your pocket the scarf covering your face slipped down.
“Hey, wait–” Fíli called after you but he paused when he saw the marred skin that was hidden under the scarf, your split lip and black eye on full display.
You turned fully to him at last, knowing you couldn’t hide it anymore.
Fíli took it all in for a second before he asked in a serious voice you’d never heard him use before, “Who did this to you?”
“I fell…?” you replied slowly.
Fíli wasn’t buying it. “Why, then, did you not go see Óin about this? Or any of the healers for that matter?”
“It is too late for us to even be awake, I did not want to bother anyone else with my clumsiness.” You insisted, wanting this whole mess to be over so you could just go to sleep.
“Well someone needs to take a look at that lip and if you won’t go to the healers then I suppose it’ll have to be me.” And with that Fíli strode through the door and into your room. “Where is it that you keep your emergency supplies?” He asked over his shoulder as he made his way to your bathroom.
—
And that is how you found yourself sitting on the foot of your bed as the Crown Prince of Erebor kneeled next to you and patched up your cuts. All this care he was showing you made you feel a little overwhelmed. Hobbit customs dictated that the highest form of love was caring for another in their moment of need and although you knew it meant nothing to him, Fíli having no way of knowing hobbit traditions, you couldn’t help but be flustered by his proximity in this moment.
“Still not going to tell me how you really got injured?” Fíli asked again for what must be the dozenth time now.
“I told you, I simply fell down the stairs. You dwarrow really do have a lot of them here.” You responded, trying to ignore Fíli’s closeness.
“Well then, there’s an easy way to solve this then.” Fíli said with a smirk, his fingers toying at the edge of your skirts. “May I?”
You nodded before you even fully registered what you’d agreed to and as Fíli’s hands pulled your skirts up to your knees.
“Ah, just as I suspected,” Fíli said with a twinkle in his eye, “your knees seem to be perfectly fine, and if you really had taken a tumble down the stairs, as we have all been known to do at once point or another, your knees would be just as bruised as the rest of you. Very lovely knees by the way.” He adds with a wink.
You turned your head, blush creeping up your cheeks, declining to answer. It was becoming increasingly difficult to ignore his warm hand resting on your knee.
“So who hurt you then?” Fíli continued, “If you don’t tell me I shall have to guess…” He pauses pretending to think. “Was it Vatar? I always suspected that he couldn’t control his temper. Or perhaps Nesser, he’s never been good with rejection, how he’s never faced punishment–”
“Enough Fíli!” You bursted out, “It was just an accident, Kíli didn’t mean to–” You cut yourself off. Well shit. “That’s not what I meant to say. Fíli wait!” But Fíli was already storming out of your room, clearly ready to pummel Kíli for this.
“Fíli!” You cried after him again.
“He should know better by now!” Fíli angrily muttered to himself, marching down the hall. “Mahal, he’s almost 80 years old, he should know not to hit a lady unprovoked, much less a guest in our home!” Then he finally turned to you, “I’m so sorry for my brother’s actions. Forgive me but I must go teach him a lesson.” He said, turning to go again, but you grabbed his arm and made him face you. That seemed to break him out of his stupor at last.
“Fíli! Damn it, just listen to me!” You practically shouted. “It was my fault, not Kíli’s. I asked him to train me and I couldn’t dodge one of his punches. Don’t take this out on Kíli, he felt really bad but I wouldn’t let him patch me up.” Your confession made Fíli pause, looking into your eyes to see if you’re telling the truth. He seemed satisfied with what he saw there and he finally stilled, his shoulders relaxing.
Fíli guided you both over to sit on a bench in the hall outside your room and with a sigh said, “I’m sorry for reacting this way, but as you know Dams are quite rare among dwarrow so to harm one is unthinkable.” And then almost to himself, “Kíli knows this!”
You couldn't let your friend take all the blame so you interjected, “Do not judge Kíli, too harshly, this whole thing was my idea. I wanted to be able to defend myself and who better to ask than a member of the Company? Clearly my self-defence skills still need work.”
“Why Kíli though?” Fíli questioned. “Why not ask any other member of the Company? Why not ask me?”
“Well everyone else has so many duties as it is, I didn’t want to be a burden.” You reasoned. “Especially you, Fíli, you’re the Crown Prince, I couldn’t possibly hope to be worth your time.”
“You will always be worth my time.” Fíli stated before he turned away and said, “And next time you want to train, please come find me. Poor Kíli doesn’t yet know enough to teach anyone else.”
With that, Fíli walked you to your door, bidding you good night and quick healing. Then, as a final farewell, he bowed, brushing his lips across the back of your hand before walking off to his own rooms, leaving you to ponder your strange interaction with the golden prince.