I feel like Fili needs a bit of love (The Hobbit, M)

[SneezeyLove]

So cute!

"It's not every day I get to be a responsible adult, humour me, brother."

The amount of truth in that statement... Oh, Kili. He's lucky that he's so adorable, or he wouldn't be able to get away with half the crap that he does.

[crazy_cat_girl]

I love the little memory. Big cuddly Thorin! So cute!

[KickingUpTheDust]

Hey everyone, sorry I've left it a bit late. I've been having the shittiest few days and I'm relapsing pretty badly. I went back to America, then I had to come home again for a family thing, then stayed a little bit - drama kicked off (it's all on the snake pit). Plus, the death of Leonard Nimoy hit me like a ton of bricks. I just haven't been able to pick myself up, but I'm gonna give it a go because I think we're all a bit down from that sad news and we need some cheering up.

"What do you mean, we're dismissed?"

"Business is good here," the merchant repeated slowly, as if he were talking to a stupid child, "so we're staying. When we decide to return, we'll hire escorts from here. Better ones, human." he emphasised 'human', as if it really did mean 'better'. "Who we can trust not to sell us off for gold, we all know what dwarves are like. besides," he threw a disgusted glance at Fili, "I don't fancy catching whatever dwarvish disease this one has."

"He has a cold." Kili snapped, "You won't die from it if you did catch it."

"Be that as it may," the merchant glowered, "he's not going to be able to protect anyone in that state."

"We were supposed to stay a few days before escorting you back!" Kili protested, "Enough time for him to rest and recover!"

"Well now you're not, are you?" the merchant sneered,

"We had a contract!" Kili shouted, unfolding the paper, "A contract saying..."

The merchant plucked the paper from his hands and tore it to shreds, "There's your contract. It's null and void now."

Fili sniffled, now what?

"At least give us what we're owed!" demanded Kili,

A second merchant threw a handful of coins carelessly at the younger brother, "Here."

"This isn;t even close to the agreed payment!"

"It's half. For half a job."

"Half a job?!" Kili yelled, "You backed out!"

The merchants shrugged, "Our choice."

"Have a heart," Kili pleaded, "people need to eat, we need to stop over on our way home. This isn't gonna cover any of that."

"That's not our problem."

The merchants slammed the inn door and Kili went to bang on it again before being stopped by Fili.

"Leave it," he said, "they wod't chadge their bide. At least they paid our bill."

Kili counted the coins they had been given, "Out of our wages!" he spat, disgustedly, "This is less than half! Now what?"

"Dow we fide sobewhere to sit while we fi...fi...hah-ah...ah-hahTSHEEEEEW! HEHt'zhOOO! Urgh."

Kili rubbed his brother's shoulder, "There should be another tavern close by, we'll get out of the cold and figure out what we can do."

"Baybe fide sobe teborary work roud here?" Fili suggested, "Kah-TSHTCHEWWWW!"

"When you're better." Kili reasoned, fumbling for a handkerchief, "It's a shitey situation to be in."

"Aye." Fili agreed, wiping his nose, "That it is."

"Closing time, you two." a stocky barman came over after everyone else had cleared out,

"Sir, you wouldn't happen to have any rooms for the night?"

"Huh-TCHOOO!"

"It'll be twenty each."

Kili fumbled sheepishly in his pocket, "We don't have that much."

"We..we don't have that much."

"Can't pay, get out."

"TCHEEW!"

"Wait! I can work for it, I'll do anything. Any job you need, I can do it!"

"Can't do it. Out."

"Please," Kili begged desperately, looking over at Fili, who's tired sneezes were sapping more of his energy, "look, we've just been ripped off, we've not received our full pay, we're far away from home. We need food, shelter. My brother's sick, it's cold outside. Please, we can't do anything else."

"And I can't have a pair of vagrant dwarves clogging up a room that could easily go to a paying customer."

And the next thing the Durin sons knew, they were flung out and laying in the mud.

Fili sat up, not even bothering to cover and sneezed freely into the rainy night.

"Bless."

"Sorry, Ki, I feel like I'b...EEEHH-schooo!"

Kili helped his brother up, "I know what you're gonna say and you're wrong."

Fili managed a tired smile, "So now what?"

The brothers stood in silence, interrupted by the rain, the thunder and it's rival - Fili's sneezes.

There was a small shed, like a barn, with it's door open slightly, swinging in the wind and the dwarven princes looked to each other.

"What choice do we have?"

[SneezeyLove]

Aw! This is both totally adorable and so sad! I love these brothers so much.

I hope you're feeling better too, and I admire your drive to write in order to brighten people's day.

[crazy_cat_girl]

This update definitely was a wonderful surprise! I love the predicament you've put them in. No money, the freezing cold, and Fili still sneezing his head off. What more could a Fili fangirl need?!

I am sorry that you are going through so much right now and I hope you feel better. Thank you so much for such a great update.

[KickingUpTheDust]

"EEEEHHckTSCHOOO!"

"Hold on, brother," Kili reassured him, "I'll get the blankets out and secure the door. It'll be warmer, at least."

"I'll help." Fili sniffled, rubbing his leaky nose on his wrist.

"No, no..." Kili took him by the shoulders and sat him down, "I won't take long."

"I'b dot ad idvalid." Fili glared, "I just - AAAHHSChhh!"

After Kili had rolled out their blankets and pillows, making sure Fili got extra blanket, he found a rock and placed it by the door to stop it swinging so in the wind.

"Heh...ah, uuuuhh..." Fili sounded congested, and so desperate,

"Stuck?"

"Do, I just..aaahh..." Fili was fighting against his eyes closing and eyebrows raising, "...I;b tired of...s-sdee...heh...sdeezi...ah!"

Kili folded his arms and fixed his brother with a stare that imitated their mother, "Just let it out, Fi."

"Do."

"It's healthier!"

"What, spreadig by gerbs everywhere...eeehhh...." Fili raised his hands to his face.

Knowing what his brother was about to do, Kili reached up and pinned his hands down,

"Ki - ! Ah!"

Fili was losing the battle and Kili blew gently in his brother's face, the air tickling his great nose.

"AH! aaahh..heh....ah!" Fili's face was now contorting, trying to put every ounce of strength left into fighting it, but it was no good, "Uuuuuhh...uh-huh UUUHHTCCHHHeeeeww!"

Kili recoiled only slightly when he felt the mist on the edge of his cheek, but released his brother's hands as he tried to contain the flooding fit of sneezes that ensued.

"Bless."

When Fili pulled back from his now-wet sleeve, he sighed and, upon sniffing and finding his nose useless, he simply knuckled it and shook his head at Kili, "Well, I've probably gived you by code now. Edjoy it."

"Don't be daft." Kili grinned, scrubbing his cheek, "I'll be fine. Now let's settle down, right?"

"If we cad."

[Masking]

Ooooh, now Kíli's the one in denial. I REALLY hope he catches Fíli's cold.

[KickingUpTheDust]

"HEHiiiiiiSCCHHHH!"

"Bless."

Fili sniffled and coughed when he realised that was a mistake, "You're still awake?"

"Yeah, just thinking."

"Thinkig about what?"

Kili turned on his side to face his brother, "This place takes me back. Remember the last time we slept in a place like this?"

Fili thought back through the fog in his head. They had led a somewhat nomadic childhood, their uncle taking work wherever he could, and they had slept in some dingy places, but like this one...

"Oh I rebeber," he grinned, "yeah, you WOULD rebeber that place id particular."

Kili shifted uncomfortably, "What do you mean - bless you!"

"Urgh, scuse be...be a biracle if you dod't wake up with this toborrow."

"Oh you know me," Kili grinned, that cheeky grin that he had grown up with, the one that lit up his face and the room around him, "tough as any mountain rock, me."

"Yet cad easily cobe crashig dowd frob a bowl of chicked soup ad pepper. AAAAHHHssshhh!!"

Kili shouldered him, "Oh, shush, I'm not the only one who gets it with the pepper."

Fili sniggered before realising he needed to blow his nose, "But adyway," he smirked, "I dow why you're feelig so dostalgic, Bister Robadtic."

"I was just a wee babby at the time."

"You were id looooove." Fili teased,

"I was not!"

"You asked her to barry you!"

"Again, I was little," Kili huffed, "she was kind to us, if you remember. She bought us food when we were starving."

"You fancied her." Fili snickered,

"Well, I know better now, don't I?" the younger Durin scowled, "Not that there's anything wrong with fancying elves or interracial relationships anyway..."

"Of course not," Fili raised an eyebrow, "it's not like you don't show any interest in dwarf ladies or anything. Or like you're secretly learning elvish."

Kili started and sat up suddenly, "What do you mean? I'm not - I mean, just, I...bless you! And again, and a...bless...Fi?"

Fili sneezed again and again, and was now in desperate need of a new handkerchief.

"Sorry," Kili uttered, sheepishly, "I'm out..."

Fili closed his eyes in frustration and sniffed thickly, "Dod't worry," he told his brother, "I wod't tell Ucle about the elvish."

"It's just for academic purposes," Kili said, "not for actually, like communicating with elves, just like - well, broadening the mind and stuff. Balin's always saying stuff like that."

"Sure, sure." Fili agreed, and closed his eyes.

[Zuki]

Poor fili , he sure does sound Ill. so adorable though I'm glad you're still writing these!

[KickingUpTheDust]

"Is that everythig thed?"

"Everythig." Kili assured his brother, who was clutching a crumpled napkin to his swollen, red nose and sneezing into it miserably, "Are you sure you want to leave now?"

"Deither of us are godda get work roud here," Fili snuffled, "ad sleepig outdoors isd't buch differedt frob sleepig id a shed. If we bake good tibe we bight get hobe id four days - all we deed are lastig ra...ra...AAAEEETTTZZHH-ew!"

"It's that cold am worried about, Fi." Kili told him, loading his pack onto his horse, "A shed at least shelters you from the rain. And I'll bet you it'll rain."

"I'b dot godda get ady better here, ad it's dot like I'b - EEEEHHHSH-hoooo! Seriously ill...it's just a cold - TTZZZHHHew! Ad I'b godda recuperate, I'd rather do it at hobe, where people wod't judge or laugh at be."

"I suppose that makes sense." Kili sighed, giving an annoyed glance over at the men who stared at pointed at them as they prepared their horses.

"AAAEEE-tscheeew! AAAEEHH-tschoo! TSHEEWWW!"

"Bless you again!" Kili grimaced, "Fi, we can stop for a little bit, you know."

"We'll stop whed the horses get tired, I'b fide." Fili grumbled, rubbing his nose, "We dod't have the bed weighig us dowd this tibe so we cad get hobe quick."

Kili looked worried, but stayed quiet nonetheless. Fili was sick like his uncle. It remained in his nose and head, but it could weight him down immensely. If Fili got too sick or feverish, Kili decided, that's when he'd put his foot down.

"Get sobe sleep," the elder Durin said, "I'll take first watch."

Kili snorted, "Ohohohoho no you don't, mister. You're bundling up in that bed roll and getting some sleep."

"Ki, I'b dot THAT sick!"

"You will be if you - bless - don't get some good quality sleep. Come on, the fire's warm and you're tired out. I've got me reading to keep me occupied."

Now it was Fili's turn to snort, "Elvish texts, if adythig were to sed a persod off to sleep."

"I'll read some to you if you like," Kili teased, "if it'll make you sleep faster."

"IIIISSSSHH-eeeww!" Fili sneezed, clambering into his bedding, "Why dot, then, if I cad get sobe sleep ad stop this idfedal sdeezig."

[SneezeyLove]

Poor Fili! He just can't catch a break. I seriously love this!

[KickingUpTheDust]

"We can leave the horses to drink for a bit," Kili said, dismounting, "come on, help me get some firewood, I'm starving."

"We bight have to go deeper iddo the forest," Fili commented, his voice thick with cold, "we'll dever get adything dry here - the river's higher than it should be."

Kili looked back at the water. It had just stopped raining and, despite the horses enjoying their drink, Fili was wet again. Granted, he was not as wet as he was a few days ago, but Kili had wanted to keep his brother as dry as possible.

A fire was definitely necessary.

"I'll carry that." Fili told hos brother, rubbing his nose on his sleeve,

"No, no, it's fine, I just - " Kili stopped, looking round,

"Ki?"

"Ssshh."

Fili listened, and he heard voices coming through the trees. Not human or dwarvish. Definitely not elven or hobbit.

"Orcs."

The brothers stood stock still and listened until they heard the orc pack stop, not far from them.

Well, it was hardly a pack. Only a small group, but a group nonetheless, in comparison to a pair. An half of that pair right now was having trouble stemming a streaming nose. The best thing to do was -

"I thigk they cad sbell us."

Kili agreed, the orcs were looking about and sniffing - obviously they had picked up the scent of dwarf.

"They'll find us in no time here," Kili whispered urgently and looked up, "the trees, Fili, into the trees!"

Fili grumbled something about trees and elves, but obliged nonetheless.

"Where are they? Where are the dwarf-scum?"

Kili reached for an arrow before being stopped by Fili,

"If you kill wod they'll dow we're...we're...ah..."

"Fili?"

"Ah, heh..!"

Realisation dawned on Kili's face, "Fili, don't you sneeze now!"

"Haaaah..."

"They'll hear us!" the archer hissed,

"Kili, I deed...to...heh...cad't stop it!" Fili's breathing became heavier and his eyes and nose filled with the need,

"Brother..." Kili knew he couldn't hold it back and decided to pull the thorn out, "forgive me." and he grabbed Fili from behind, clamping his hand over Fili's mouth, shutting off his nose and cringing at how wet it was.

"Oh, you so owe me for this, brother." he groaned,

"Shud up...eh...eeehhh..."

"Stay quiet!"

"I-I'b....haaah...tryig! Aaaaahhh!"

The orcs were directly beneath them now and Kili squeezed his brother's nose tighter,

"AH-MPTTCCCHH!"

"Oooohh, that is so gross..." the younger Durin whined, feeling the spray soak his hand

"HUH-pttcchhEW!"

Both the brothers froze, but the orcs didn't seem to be paying attention,

"They're leaving." Kili breathed, relaxing a little,

"HEHktchmPH!"

"Urgh! They've gone, you didn't have to sneeze on me again!"

"You did't let go!" Fili complained, rubbing his even-redder nose as Kili wiped his hand disgustedly on his trousers,

"I never want to have to do that again." the younger Durin whined,

"Wasd't exactly fud for be either, you dow, you've got a strog grip."

Kili grinned and flexed his hands, "I've got archers' hands, me. Come on, let's get down from here."

[crazy_cat_girl]

Oh my god. This just gets hotter. Seriously. I can't even.

[Masking]

Oh...oh, Fíli.

[KickingUpTheDust]

Kili watched as Fili threw himself forward with another sneeze. Tired, barely-covered. Evidentally becoming more and more draining. Fili's fever was difficult to keep down and the space between the rise of his temperature was closing.

Something needed to be done.

Kili glared at nothing in particular. This wasn't right.

Fili shouldn't be shivering in half-sodden clothing, traipsing home, clutching a too-used handkerchief with a fever and a running -

"AAAAEEEHH-schOOO!!"

- now streaming, nose.

"Well, we're only a day away now, at least." he spoke aloud to no one. More to reassure himself than anything.

Fili lurched forward with another fit of sneezes and dragged his sleeve across his nose, "I dow that. You've beed sayig it all bordig."

Wincing at his brother's struggling voice and harsh tone, Kili shrugged, "Just trying to reinforce the positive." he mumbled.

"Well, it's addoyig!" Fili snapped, "There's dothig positive about this situatiod! Stop tryig to preted there is."

It was only when Kili when quiet and bowed his head, mumbling something about "Sorry," and "just trying to help", Fili felt a wave of guilt crash over him.

Or maybe that was "Hhhhhuuuuhh..." just an, "Huuuh-uh!" impending sneeze, "HUHtchEEEEWW!"

Sighing with emotional and physical exhaustion, Fili turned to his brother, "Ki," he called, "I'b sorry. I just...I dow you're tryig ad it's beed a rough jourdey...I'b just - HEEEHschOO!"

"No," Kili replied glumly, "I know I've been trying to hard to seem positive. I know it's annoying but...you know me. I don't know how to cope any other way. But I shouldn't annoy you when you're ill, I'm sorry."

Fili offered his little brother a weary smile, "Cheer up," he sniffled, "at least we're odly a day away dow."

[crazy_cat_girl]

I can't wait till they get home so that Mama Dis can baby them. I want to see my Fili warm and dry and loved. <3

I love in this chapter how Fili is so miserable and feverish and uncomfortable and he still puts Kili's feelings first.

This is such a great fic and I really love it.

[KickingUpTheDust]

Both brothers sighed with relief as they heard the clamour of their town during the day.

"Not long now," Kili smiled, "we'll get that cold right out of you, yet. First order of business when we get in; you. Hot bath, hot meal, bed."

"First oder of busidess for be is bore like a...a...a - aahhHAAHHSCHeew! A fresh hadkerchief." Fili replied, barely catching the sneeze in his wrist.

Dismounting, they led their horses through town when a tiny voice was heard.

"Fili and Kiliiiii!"

It was Miria, the youngest daughter of Gerein, a local wood-carver, with whom the dwarvish community was friendly. Miria was a sprightly little thing and very much enjoyed the company of the dwarves - particularly Fili and Kili, who provided her with endless hours of fun, before returning her to her grateful father, fast asleep from all the excitement.

"You've been away ages!" she pouted as Kili scooped her up, "I was bored!"

"We had to work, tiny," Kili grinned, "blimey, have you grown in the two weeks we were gone? You'll be taller than me soon, eh, Fi?" and the little girl giggled.

Miria turned, "Filiiiii!" and stretched out towards him.

Fili backed away, cautiously, "Sorry, tiny, better dot cobe too close."

"Why?" Miria asked, pout returning,

"Fili's not well." Kili told her, setting her down on the ground and she hugged Fili's knees,

"Do you got 'monia?'' she asked in a small voice,

Fili knew why she seemed afraid - her older brother hadn't survived last winter from catching pneumonia, and her mother had died from it years before. He turned away from her to catch two massive sneezes in his elbow, "Do, tidy - just a...urgh, sorry, heh-ehHEHSCHooo! Just ad awful code."

"I could recognise that sound anywhere!" a voice boomed from ahead, "That's a Durin sneeze, if I ever heard one!"

Fili felt a smile flit across his face before he buried his face in his sleeve again as another sneeze tore through him. But as glad as he was to see Dwalin, all he wanted was to curl up in his bed with a handkerchief and sleep until this miserable - "HUUURRutschEEEEWW!" - cold was gone.

Dwalin seemed to sense this and he bent down to Miria, "Tiny, why don't you run along and tell the other dwarves these two are back? I'll take 'em back to Dis, so she can look after Fili, alright?"

"Mmkay." she nodded, and scampered off.

They had barely made it five steps when they saw their mother - beard and all - charging down the street.

"Which one is it?" she asked, "I know a Durin sneeze when I hear it and I know one of my babies has a head-cold."

"Mother!" Kili smiled and hugged her,

"'lo, bother."

Dis looked at her eldest, taking in his washed out appearence, contrasting with his sore, rubbed-red nose and his tired, thick sniffs.

"Oh, my baby boy." she sighed, hugging Fili, "Come on. In, in, we need to get you to bed."

"He's been like this for days." Kili told her, "We would have rested at an inn, but - " and he explained about the merchants ripping them off.

"Those rotten sons of -!" Dis exclaimed, while Dwalin cracked his knuckles, "You wait til I get my hands on them! Tossing my sons out into the cold! Disgraceful, and while of them is sick, too." she stroked Fili's hair as he leaned his head on her shoulder, "Both of you, you need a good nourishing meal in you. I can't believe they did this to you!"

With both Fili and Kili bathed and changed, Thorin home from the forge and dinner ready, the royal family sat round their living room fire and ate, occasionally interrupted by a cough or a sneeze from Fili, the talk was generally one of relief that the boys were even home after their ordeal.

"We're lucky it stayed in your head," Thorin said, swallowing a lump of chicken, "if it had reached your chest, it could have been fatal."

"HAAAHHrschOOO!"

Everyone looked up at the sudden interruption that hadn't come from Fili.

Kili's brown eyes opened and spied everyone staring. The wetness expelled from his nose told him he shouldn't remove his sleeve from his nose just yet and instead asked Fili, "Do you have a spare handkerchief, brother?"

Fili passed one over, a guilty look on his face, "Sorry, Ki."

"EEEHHHschEEEWW!"

~Fin~

[Masking]

Kíli caught it!

And yay, Dís and Dwalin being fierce...I love that whole extended family.