The Dwarf Prince

Chapter 12: Months Later

"Psst! Fili, wake up!" someone whispered in the dark of the night. Fili stirred.

"Hmm...five more minutes," Fili mumbled and nestled back in his sleeping bag.

"Fili!" came the voice again. Fili groaned.

"What do you want, Kili?" he asked. He turned to face his brother who was laying beside him.

"Have you told her?" he asked. Fili's eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"What are you talking about?" he asked, blinking several times to wake himself up. It was late at night and the Company had stopped for a good night's rest with Kili on watch. Well, now he was on watch as well since he was already bloody awake.

"Alithia," Kili said. "Did you tell her that you lov-" Kili was cut off short when Fili slapped a hand over Kili's mouth, silencing him. Fili turned round, looking to see if anyone was awake. But the dwarves were all snoring in their sleep.

"Kili, be more careful," Fili chided his little brother, putting his hand down.

"Oh come on, brother. It's been months since Rivendell already!" Kili said. "I always see the two of you joking around with each other but it's like you're not even making a move!"

"Kili," Fili warned.

"When are you going to tell her??" Kili asked, ignoring his brother's warning. From their left, one of the dwarfs stirred in his sleep. It was Dwalin. The brothers froze and waited for the dwarf to roll over and go back to sleep. The loud snoring was their cue that they could talk again. Fili sat up from his position, silently cursing to himself that his sleep was disturbed and yanked his brother up with him. He led them to the base of a tree a distance away from the Company.

"So?" Kili pressed on. Fili shook his head at his brother.

"You're not going to give up, are you?" he sighed. Kili grinned back at him.

"Nope,"

"I didn't tell her yet," Fili admitted finally. Kili whacked him on the arm.

"What was that for?? I answered your bloody question, didn't I?" Fili grumbled, glaring at his brother. Kili ignored him.

"Why haven't you told her?" he asked. "You see her every day and every night and you still haven't said anything,"

"What do you want me to do? I can't just tell her that I love her just like that," Fili defended.

"So all my hard work back at Rivendell didn't pay off?" Kili asked with a pout, crossing his arms.

"Well..." Fili started. Kili's eyes widened.

"You didn't," he said in a hushed whisper.

"I did," Fili admitted with a small chuckle as he remembered that magical night a couple of months ago.That was the night that started it all and it had been a joy ride ever since then. Stolen kisses, cheeky winks and secretly holding hands had become their life. It was hard keeping the secret of them being together from the Company. It was even harder to hide from Thorin's ever seeing eyes but somehow, they managed.

"You little whore!" Kili said happily and whacked his brother again, barking out a laugh. "I can't believe you! And after that, you never told her that you love her?"

"Well, I never actually told her those exact words. I thought my actions would be enough," Fili shrugged.

"And Thorin still doesn't know?" Kili asked and Fili shook his head.

"Not that I know of," Fili replied. "If he had known, I think I'd be dead before I could get the chance to explain myself,"

The brothers joked around, both falling into their usual brotherly interaction. Since Fili was wide awake now (all thanks to Kili!) , he decided to stay up to keep watch with his little brother.