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All was right in Erebor, the sun shone, the birds chirped, when…
“WHAT?!?” Bofur’s cry echoed through the mountain, drawing quite a few unwanted glances your way. You tried to shush him but he continued, “What do you mean when you say you’re not courting?”
“Keep it down you big idiot!” You tried shushing him again, feeling the colour rising on your face before you could stop it. “I don’t need all of Erebor knowing my business."
“But how can you and Fíli not be courting? Lulkh umrâl!” He pressed.
“We’re just not, okay!” You sighed. It wasn’t that you weren’t interested in courting the prince, quite the opposite actually, but you and Fíli were friends and that was enough for you. That had to be enough for you.
It seemed that Bofur’s outburst had drawn other members of the company as Ori and Óin walked over. “What’s this about Fíli courting?” Ori questioned.
And of course as you were sputtering, trying to deny the accusations, Fíli chose that moment to saunter in, looking handsome as ever. “Did I hear my name?”
As you began to vehemently deny the entire encounter Bofur took the opportunity to go straight to the source, saying, “The lass tells me that you two aren’t courting? Whatever for?”
At this Fíli goes beet red. “Why would you lot think we’re courting?”
“You can’t really think no one noticed you two sneaking out last month,” Óin said, exasperated, “And the month before that?”
“That was… unrelated.” Fíli said, with his hand covering half his face. “We are not courting!” With that apparently unsatisfactory answer, the dwarrow turned back to you.
“Well is it that you don’t want to court him?” Ori started.
“Why don’t you want to court him?” Bofur demanded.
At Bofur’s comment you were bombarded by a veritable storm of questions from every dwarf in the room.
“Is it his sheepish nature around dams?”
“Or is it his preference for solitude?”
“Are you holding back your attraction due to his unmanly blondness?”
You stood there, motionless as question after question was thrown your way. They didn’t even wait for you to answer before throwing another one your way. Fíli, to his credit, was taking this storm of questions decently well considering all of the comments were practically insulting him.
As more and more questions rained down, Fíli, sensing your rising stress, made his way over to you, as if to shield you from the needling. It felt as if it would never end when there was an interruption from the door that left everyone frozen.
“ENOUGH! Leave the pair alone!” Thorin hollered, “‘Abanjabl, all of you! ”
As he began chastising the dwarrow Fíli took your hand and led you from the room.
“I’m so sorry about that Fíli” you said, pulling away from him once you were a safe distance away from the main halls. “I don’t know where Bofur got that idea into his head.”
“It’s alright, I’m really not bothered by their assumptions,” he assured you.
But you continued to spiral, “That may well be, Fíli, but they were so insulting to you and I hope you didn’t think my adamant denial was intended to scorn you.”
“Ibrizinlêkh, it’s fine, really.” Fíli restated, taking your hands in his larger ones once more.
“I mean if it makes you feel any better I quite like your hair,” you fidgeted, “How is any colour less masculine than another? The very notion is just ridiculous!” You felt Fíli still beside you at your admission and it was only then that you remembered the importance of hair to the dwarrow.
“Your hair is lovely as well,” Fíli whispered but before he could say anything else you heard heavy footsteps coming down the hall and towards you.
When Thorin rounded the corner he found you and Fíli standing awkwardly next to each other. He sighed, shaking his head as he approached you. “I’m sorry you had to deal with that, they are sometimes too curious for their own good. They have been dealt with and shouldn’t pry into your personal affairs again.”
“Thank you,” you responded with a little bow.
Thorin then turned to Fíli, “Irakdashat, come. I have business that I need you for.” As his uncle led him away you saw Fíli give you a small smile, still seemingly trying to make up for the interrogation earlier.
As you watched their forms retreat down the hall you let out a breath. This whole situation was a mess for as much as you wished to court Fíli, he had very clearly rejected the very idea of being with you.
“We are not courting!” His voice as he said it echoed through your head. Was the idea of people thinking you two were courting really so terrible to him?
You shook yourself off. You would be fine, he was your friend, and you were his. That was enough (at least that was what you told yourself).
—
Once the two dwarrow were out of your earshot Thorin stopped Fíli, turning to look at him, really look at him.
“Uncle…” Fíli started, but Thorin cut in, not one to be stopped.
“If you think the lady to be your One then you must tell her how you feel sooner rather than later, Fíli,” he chastised, “Imagine if she were to find out like this!” Fíli sighed, leaning back onto the wall for support.
“I know Irak’adad, I promise I will tell her soon,” Fíli assured him. Even better, he already had something in mind…