An Unexpected Addition (Fili Fiction)

Chapter 20

As Kili lay on the table, gaining in strength once more, I sat alone in the bedroom with everyone hanging over me now. Thanks guys... It's so nice to see that you all suddenly care about me now that none of you have anything else to do. My head was aching but the pain had definitely reduced thanks to rest, i suppose. The night dawned on and I slept for a long time until someone woke me again, this time, it was Fili. His eyes were droopy and he was evidently very tired but spoke with a rather lively voice anyways.

"You should come and talk with me."

"Oh, should I?" I questioned, sitting up in the bed as he returned to the doorway.

"Yes. I believe we have something to talk about..."

"Hmph." I swung my legs out of the bed and followed him to the stairs. He led me downwards to the basement, a rather odd place to have a chat but I suppose it was a little chilly for the doc. Fili walked past the toilet and towards a little table and chairs that sat beneath the rickety stairs.

I sat down without letting him move the chair for me as I knew he would if I gave him the chance. I think it would have been awkward so I saved him from the trouble but as he sat down across from me, he seemed almost a little offended as if I had been impolite. Oh, well. It was done now...

My heart was beating fast at the image of Fili's cheeky smile and wink earlier tonight and I wondered what he would say first. I didn't have to wait or ponder on that long because before he even sat down he started speaking. I could feel a small rant coming on or maybe even a story so I sat back in my chair as comfortably as I could. My arms were crossed for the longest time until I realized that maybe it would come off as cold.

"Well, I'd love to meet this Damian you speak of. He sounds like quite the charmer and he must be a daredevil to leave the Shire for the South of Middle Earth." Fili pretended to ghasp and started to chuckle to himself as a light smile came across his face. His blond braids tweaked up and I noticed that they were freshly braided. Earlier he was a state... In fact, his whole mane was fixed up proper and each bead in it's place. If i didn't know better I would think he's trying to impress a girl.

"Very funny."

"Well at least I thought it was."

I couldn't take it any longer. I was a fiery person and I had needs. Not the kind of needs you'd think.

"Fili, don't step on eggshells here. You can't pretend we're the best of friends and like you said nothing all those months ago. I won't let you do that. I wouldn't let anyone do that." I paused briefly and let the smile drip from his face as he cleared his throat. "I want an apology. Then, I'll forgive you... I also want to know if you meant what you said to me. You said that I didn't understand hardship or something like that and you knew who I was and what I did to make a living. I killed people and robbed, do you really think that doesn't take a toll on people and that it in itself isn't hard? You knew about my mother and my father. You knew what he did but you still said those things so I want to know how you really feel. Don't lie. I want the truth from you, Fili. Don't lie."

"What I said wasn't really meant for you. I forgot who I was talking to because it's so easy to forget what you are and what happened to you in the past because you don't really show it. You have a mask of some sort but at the sametime I wouldn't call it a mask. You're not the assassin you pretend to be when you do other people's dirty business. I think the assassin in you is the mask. Who you really are is who you are with me and with the company. You know that, right?"

"Yeah, I think so." He had it dead on. I suppose. I mean, I've never really evaluated myself like that but when you look into yourself with a microscope I guess you find things you didn't know where there. I'm pretty sure you never really know yourself until someone can show it to you or bring you another light on who you are. I hate relying on other people so I don't know how to feel about that.

"So, I'm sorry for everything. I messed this up," he waved his hand back and forth between the two of us and my lip curved into a simple, hopeful smile. It wasn't a toothy grin but it was more like a content expression. "I'm sorry for messing this up too," He pointed to his own head but knew he meant mine and I suppose what he said did hurt my feelings if that's what he meant.

"So that's it."

"Was I supposed to say something else?"

"No," I justified and started to stand up out of the chair, hiding the light feeling in my gut. He made me happy... I liked that.

"Hold on."

I looked back to him, knowing there was more to be said.

"I guess I'm not done," He gave me a shy smile and I sat back down, making sure to keep both hands on the table, laid flat so I couldn't cross my arms. "So, you and Damian, huh?" He was sarcastic, I knew and he added a little wink to the mix. It made my stomach jump like before and I kept down the heat in my chest.

"Oh, yeeeahh." I bit my lip for emphasys and giggled to myself to let him know that I too was joking. "What a dreamy guy. He makes me swoon!"

"Swoon, hey?"

"Yep, ever since I was a little girl. He would tell me to get off his lawn before his dad came home because his dad didn't like little hobbit girls snatchin' up his son." I gave Fili a smart-ass look and he scoffed, very amused.

"Really? Tell me more about Damian. How did he look?"

I made myself blush by pinching my cheeks discreetly by leaning on my hands over the table. Fili almost howled with laughter as I batted my eyelashes as foolishly as I could. "My lover has got two big brown eyes and big wide shoulders from making all that dough! He's so strong and handsome..." I pretended to trail off and I could barely hold in some laughter as Fili flashed me a toothy grin.

"I certainly wish I was a little more like Damian." Fili leaned in on his elbows too, our faces now only a few inches apart. I would have thought this was weird with anyone else but I was too distracted by how much fun I was having to feel anything else. "Maybe you could show me how you made Damian fall in love with you some time..."

This made my entire face turn red, not because I was laughing, not because I pinched my cheeks but because of what Fili had just asked of me. I wasn't sure what to do so I gave him a little devilish smile and spoke softly, leaning into his ear, just rolling with it.

"Gladly," I muttered, "If you've got the stamina for it."

This made both of us double over with laughter but something else still stayed in the air, a light bit of truth behind what both of us had last said. I swore to myself to give up trying to be the devil's little daughter. I want to be an angel again because that was just a little too racy for me.

I went to bed with a smile on my face and made sure that I was alone.

Goodnight, me. Let's not mess this all up again.

~+~

All I could hear was the roar of a dragon filling the sky, making me more petrified than Kili's dreaded screams of agony.