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Chapter Text

“… And they rode off into the sunset together, and lived happily ever after.”

Fili groaned in disgust, pulling at his tufts of blonde hair. Kili was smiling up at you dreamily from his seat on your lap.

“Why must we always listen to such disgusting stories?” Fili grumbled, crossing his arms in a huff.

“They are not disgusting, Fili,” You said, “And besides, the stories you want me to tell are certainly not suitable for your brother’s ears.”

“I liked it,” Kili mumbled, staring up at you with wide brown eyes, “’Specially the part when he caught her after she fell alllllll that way!”

“That’s nothing special Kee, anyone can do that!” Fili cried, “Watch - you jump off that table over there and I’ll-”

“Oh no,” You said, firmly, “You’ve already broken your arm once this year.”

“It was an accident,” he said, grinning innocently.

You scoffed. You knew yourself it hadn’t been an accident, because you had witnessed it first hand. 

As a close family friend to the line of Durin, you had been entrusted to care for the young Princes whilst their mother and uncle worked.

Times had been tough ever since you had lost your home to that accursed dragon, but you found the days were easier to grim and bare with these boys by your side.

“Does everyone get to marry a Prince?” Kili asked.

“Not everyone,” You said, amusedly, “Why do you ask, little one?”

“So… only if you’re very very very very very lucky you get to marry a Prince?” he asked, jumping up and down on your lap waiting for your answer.

“Well… Yes, I suppose so,” You said, smiling gently, “But it is very important to marry someone for who they are, despite what their titles may be.”

Little Kili’s brow furrowed as he mulled over your words. Fili began leaping around you suddenly as if on a trampoline.

“What is it, Fili?”

“I know someone w-who is nice and smart and handsome and he’s a Prince!”

By Mahal, here we go-

“Uncle Thorin!” Kili squealed, jumping out of your lap to join his brother in a sort of excited jig.

“Alright alright boys, calm down,” You said firmly, though you couldn’t help but smile.

“But- but it’s just like the story!” Kili cried, grinning so wide you could see all of his little teeth, “You can fall in love with Uncle Thorin and- and then rideoff into the sunrise!”

“Sunset,” Fili corrected.

“Right… sunset!”

“Then you can be our Aunty!” Fili exclaimed.

Kili’s eyes lit up like fireworks on Midsummer’s Eve. Before you could do anything to stop them, they had locked hands and were twirling around the room, chorusing “she will be our Aunty!” at the top of their lungs.

“What’s all the commotion in here?”

The boys stopped singing immediately and, upon seeing their uncle enter the room, proceeded to sprint towards him.

“Uncle Thorin! Uncle Thorin! You’ll never guess what!”

“Oh? What is so exciting?” He asked, scooping Kili up into his arms and ruffling Fili’s hair.

Just as Kili was about to open his mouth, however, you interrupted hurriedly.

“Fili learnt a new book today,” You said, giving the young dwarf a meaningful glance. 

“Uh… yeah, I did! May I read it to you, uncle?”

You let out a sigh of relief and collapsed against the doorframe to the kitchen.

“Perhaps later in the evening,” Thorin said, “Now you must wash up and prepare for supper.”

Fili nodded obediently and ran past you into the kitchen. Kili however, stopped beside you on his way and waved his hand in a signal for you to crouch down.

“Yes, little one?”

“It’s okay,” He whispered, “Your secret’s safe with us.”

And with that, he kissed you swiftly on the cheek and ran to follow his brother, giggling along the way.

You smiled as you stood back up, meeting Thorin’s gaze as you did so. Your thoughts immediately went to your previous topic of conversation with his nephews and you awkwardly busied yourself packing your belongings.

“I apologise for my lateness,” Thorin said, “I had to take care of some unexpected orders.”

“It’s not a worry,” You reassured him, “They are angels to look after.”

You exchanged silent smirks with one another. In the background you could hear the telltale splashing’s of water hitting the stone floor of the kitchen.

“Can I persuade you to stay for dinner? It is the least I can do to thank you.”

“That is very kind of you Thorin, but I must be getting home,” You paused uncomfortably, “My father…”

“I understand,” He said, kindly, “These are hard times we live in. Please, if you need anything-”

“You will be the first I call,” You smiled.

A small, rare smile lit his features, before he seemed to come to his senses. He gestured for you to walk ahead of him as he showed you out the front door.

“Will I see you at the celebrations tomorrow night?” He asked. 

“Tomorrow night…?” You pondered, “Mahal, is it Durin’s Day already?”

“Aye,” He said, chuckling lightly, “I hope to see you then.”

“And I you,” You smiled, “Goodnight, Thorin.”

“Goodnight, my lady.”

As you both exchanged last glances and the door shut after you, a small figure crept around the kitchen wall to inspect his uncle.

Thorin was smiling to himself, and began to hum a soft tune as he unlaced his work boots.

Kili grinned widely, barely able to contain his excitement. He could notwait until tomorrow.

He had the perfect plan.

“Are you sure this is gonna work, Kee?”

“It’s just like in the book, Fee. If she falls, someone will catch her - it has to work!”

“I don’t remember anyone hiding under a table in the book-”

“Shh! She’s coming this way!”

Kili let go of the table cloth he was peeking under and sat upright.

“Remember the plan?”

Fili nodded determinedly.

He slipped silently back out into the open, leaving Kili to wait in hiding under the table.

“Find uncle, find uncle,” Fili muttered, dodging and ducking between the crowds of dwarves.

“Fili son of Vili!”

“Oh no-”

A hand grasped his arm and pulled him backwards.

“I have been searching for you for an hour,” Dís said, concern clear in her dark features, “And where is your brother?”

“Um… He’s uh… With… Uncle! He’s with uncle!”

Dís pursed her lips, as though debating whether to believe her son or not.

“Alright then, we had better find him. Come on now.”

Fili let out a sigh of relief and followed his mother, his fingers crossed tight behind his back.

Kili lay with his face pressed against the cool ground, watching the pair of familiar boots from underneath the table cloth.

He was focused. All he had to do was wait for Fili to return with their uncle. And then he would act.

Nothing could distract him from this plan. Absolutely nothing-

“Cookie!” He squealed.

He lunged greedily towards the dessert, which had fallen just beyond the edge of the table cloth.

“Aha!”

And just like that, he had been caught.

“I knew I saw a little pair of boots hiding under that table,” You said, smiling.

Kili, with a cookie half sticking out of his mouth, shook his head.

“Wasn’t - gulp - hiding.”

“Oh, really?” You mused, lifting him up onto his feet and brushing a hand through hair to neaten it, “Then what were you doing under that table, hm?”

“I was uh… Um… Hiding from… Fee! I was hiding from Fee!” He cried, “We’re playing hide and seek.”

“Oh, I see,” You said, pretending to deliberate internally, “So this wouldn’t have anything to do with a certain plan I heard Fili and you muttering about earlier?”

Kili’s little face flushed bright red. He spluttered nervously, until a familiar voice interrupted him.

“Kee?”

Kili’s eyes widened, “Fee?”

“Kili! There you are!”

“Amad?”

“You see? I told you he was not with me.”

“Uncle?!”

Kili stared helplessly up at the older dwarves, then glared daggers at his brother.

“I’m sorry,” Fili said, “She found me before-”

“Before what, Fili?” Dís asked, suspiciously.

“Before he could find me!” Kili cried, “We were playing hide and seek.”

“Well enough is enough,” Dís said, “From now on you will both stay by my side for the rest of the night.”

“But Amad-”

“Come now, it’s time for supper,” Dís said, gently taking hold of Kili’s hand and leading him away. “And you, Fili.”

Panicking and seeing the stricken look in his younger brother’s eyes as he was dragged away, Fili acted upon instinct.

“Fili, what are you-?” You cried out as the dwarfling flung himself to the ground and wrapped his arms around the bottom of your legs.

Unbalanced from the force of his grapple, you began your slow embarrassing decent to the ground.

But you never hit it. Instead, you felt the warm steady grip of two large arms as they wrapped themselves around your torso.

“Lucky I was here to catch you.”

You slowly opened your eyes to meet a familiar pair of blue irises.

“Thorin?”

He smiled, an act that had never failed to make you blush to your roots. And so you did, perhaps even more so than usual when you felt his arms tighten around you.

A pair of infectious giggles suddenly filled the air, and you both turned your heads to see the backs of two dwarflings running off into the crowd, congratulating each other on their success.

“I should have known,” Thorin sighed.

To your dismay, he pulled you up onto your feet, though his arms lingered long enough to leave a burning heat where they had once held you.

“I- um, well… thank you very much for catching me.”

“It was my pleasure… My lady.”

Chapter Text

The aftermath of the Durin’s Day celebrations had not met little Fili and Kili’s expectations.

After having successfully lured you, their carer, into Thorin’s arms, they had expected the two of you to immediately announce your undying love for one another and ride off into the sunset.

That apparently wasn’t the case.

Apart from a few barely noticeable blushes on your behalf and Thorin’s uplift of mood after having seen you, it was as if nothing had occurred on that fateful night.

This annoyed Kili the most. He had put so much effort into carefully thinking out that plan. True it hadn’t gone as smoothly as he had hoped, but it had worked hadn’t it?

So why was he still aunty-less?

“Yes, he has been in quite the mood lately,” Dis was explaining to you. “I cannot think of what could possibly have happened to have annoyed him so.”

The two of you were standing a little way away from the two dwarflings. Fili was playing happily with one of his toy swords. Kili, however, was sitting cross-legged and staring fixedly at the floor, his little face scrunched into a frown and his fists sitting clenched on his knees.

“He does look quite angry, does he not?” You said, though unbeknownst to Dis, you thought you had some idea as to what was ailing the dwarfling.

Dis sighed and shouldered her working bag. “It may be a long day for myself, but Thorin should be home earlier. Thank you, again for looking after my boys.”

You ushered Dis out of her front door and closed it gently behind her.

“Now…” You said, seating yourself delicately in front of Kili. He did not look at you. He merely frowned harder. “Would you care to tell me what is wrong, little one?”

His mouth formed a tight line and he shook his head.

“Then might I take a guess?”

Another shake of the head.

“I would guess that you have been disappointed somehow,” You said, your tone gentle and warm, “Am I correct?”

A pause. And a slight nod.

You smiled and cupped the underside of his chin to lift his face. You saw with dismay that his wide brown eyes were brimming with tears.

“Oh darling boy, do not cry,” You wiped softly at his eyes with the pad of you thumb. “Your uncle, as brave and handsome and honourable a Prince he is, deserves much more than a dwarrow such as myself.”

Sniffing, Kili’s dark brow furrowed. “Why’s that?”

“Where does your uncle go every day, little one?” 

“To… work.”

“That’s right, to work,” You said, stroking his cheeks lovingly, “He works so hard and so long to provide for you, your brother, and your mother. And a dwarf of such honour deserves a beautiful, smart, young dwarrow who will love him until the end of his days.”

Kili sniffed, “I think you’re beautiful.”

You smiled and leant in to kiss his forehead, “And that is all I need.”

The day came and went for you, as any other normal day with the two mischievous young dwarflings did.

All too soon it was time for their bath, and both inevitably trailed water into the dining area as they took seats at the table for dinner.

Kili had thankfully cheered up after your talk with him. He had even hit his brother with a rather large pile of mud halfway through the day, which you took as only a good sign.

Just as you were serving them their dinner, the telltale clunks of boots entering the hall met your ears.

“Good evening,” Thorin said, dropping his bag on the floor.

Fili and Kili both answered him cheerily, with mouths full to bursting with their hot soup and bread.

“You had a good day, I trust?” You asked Thorin, wiping away the spit marks the boys had left on the table.

“As good as it can be in that forge,” He said. Though the statement itself could have come across bitter, there was something rather distant in his voice that surprised you. “I wonder if I might have a word with you? In private?”

Kili’s head snapped up.

“Of course,” You said. You shot Kili a quick warning look over your shoulder, before following Thorin to a more secluded area of the house.

“I hope this is not bad news,” You said, shutting the door behind you. You were well aware of Fili and Kili’s eave dropping abilities, and you were not prepared to risk it.

“I do not believe so,” Thorin said. He clasped his hands behind his back and looked to the floor. “Earlier today… I came home to replace one of my boots.”

“Oh? I did not hear you,” You said, honestly.

“No, indeed… I, however, heard you.”

Your heart clenched.

“I did not know you thought of me so highly.”

His eyes were on you now, burning through your own. You could not bring yourself to look away.

He took a step closer.

“Brave, I believe you described me… honourable… handsome.”

Another step.

“You also said, I believe, that I deserve a beautiful, smart, young dwarrow who will love me until the end of my days.”

You opened your mouth and shut it again.

“Do you not think of yourself as having any of those qualities?” 

He was now a few steps away from you. You felt he must be able to hear the thumping of your heartbeat against your chest or notice the heaviness of your breathing.

“Do you?” Your voice was so faint it was barely a whisper.

He stepped forward once again, and this time, he was close enough to take your hand in his own work-roughened one.

“I believe you are beautiful,” He placed a kiss upon your hand. “And smart,” His lips moved up your wrist. “And I rather hoped,” His lips left your arm so he could look you in the eyes. “That you would consider loving me until the end of my days.”

Your lips parted, but no sooner had any words left your mouth, then his own lips descended upon your own.

Soft, warm and luscious, they moved passionately in tandem with yours, as if desperate to prove his want for you.

His large hand grazed lovingly against your neck, the other wrapping itself firmly around your waist.

Breaking only when you became too desperate for air, you were not sure just how long you had been entwined with Thorin for. Only the sound of scuffling feet and two giggling voices broke you both from your reverie. 

“Shall I take that as a yes?” Thorin asked, a smile twitching at his lips.

You nodded breathlessly, quite ready to throw yourself at him again, but knowing that there were two unsupervised dwarflings waiting for you.

His hand fell from your waist, but you wrapped your arms around his neck, pulling him close to you again.

“Thank you,” You said, pressing your forehead to his.

Smiling wider, he pressed a soft kiss to your lips, “My pleasure, my lady.”