And here you have it, the last part of the story. I promised you some smut in the introduction of this fic, and smut is what you shall get. I can only hope it's bearable, and that you'll find the ending of the story somewhat satisfying.

Part VII

An eagle was circling in the sky, looking for prey. It flew so high that when the sun appeared from behind the white clouds and the golden rays hit its wings, it casted a large shadow over the fields below. The bird's eyes searched for movement: it saw trees that stood still here and there, a group of travellers riding at a slow pace towards the enormous forest in the northeast... and then, a sudden swing in the grass.

"Look, Fili!" Kili exhaled and pointed to their side. Fili turned his head in time to see the eagle dive in the air and catch a rabbit just some twenty meters away from them. Oin and Gloin in front of them saw it too; the rest of the company paid no attention. Kili turned back to his brother and flashed an excited grin, as if they were still kids, thrilled to see nature present such an act in front of their eyes. Fili smiled back tenderly.

It was amazing how things had changed in a mere day. Complicated had changed into simple, difficult had become almost easy; the once torturing pain was now a distant sting somewhere under Kili's chest, still there but fading bit by bit everytime he looked at his brother. He had lain half of the night awake next to Fili, staring at the ceiling in Beorn's house, going through all that had been said and done that day in his head again and again, until sleep had finally taken over. In the morning he'd woken up his nose pressed against Fili's cheek, the other one snoring softly. Kili would've never wanted to get out of bed, to let go of the dwarf in his arms, the dwarf that, he had then realized, was his.

Riding side by side behind everyone else, the two cast affectionate glances on each other every now and then. They'd kissed again that morning, behind the corner outside the house, quickly and discreetly in case someone should be around to see; the sensation still lingered on Kili's lips, annoying, unsatisfying. He wanted more, he wanted time alone with Fili, a whole night, a whole life... he just wasn't sure if he should've thought that way. Even if Fili loved him back, they were still brothers, and even if that was nobody's business but theirs, the memory of that night was still vividly in his mind, causing him to hesitate. The other side of his mind was telling him to slow down and take time to adjust to this new situation, the other wasted no time conjuring up images of him and Fili doing things he wouldn't describe out loud even if his life depended on it.

"What are you thinking?" the other dwarf asked suddenly. Kili blushed so heavily he could hear his blood rush all over his face and neck. There was no way Fili could have not seen it.

"Us", the brunette whispered.

They'd reached the edge of Mirkwood by nightfall, setting up a camp near the ominous line of trees. Everyone seemed a bit worried, although they tried to keep the spirits up by chatting and singing around the campfire while Bofur served a meal as delicious as usual. Even Fili frowned whenever he looked towards the forest they'd head into the next day.

"Who knows what's out there", he mumbled and turned his head so that Kili could reach the braids on his left temple. They sat on a stone a bit further from the rest of the company, still within sight and earshot. Kili untangled a braid in silence. There was not much he could've said: he, too, was afraid that something bad could happen to them in the woods, but saying so would not bring his brother any comfort. Besides, he wanted to concentrate on the moments that could very well be the last calm, safe one with Fili in a long time. He brushed the older dwarf's earlobe gently before moving on to the next braid.

Kili's cloak was still on his shoulders; he had preferred to keep it on after the ride since there was an upleasant chill in the air. Fili fingered the buckle attached to the piece of clothing.

"I'm glad you're wearing this", the blonde said softly. Kili reminisced about the day he'd got it, how Fili had said it was a reward for a well-fought first battle, though he should have understood back then that it was really a token of affection – dwarves didn't give each other such gifts just like that. The brunette smiled to himself: that day felt so distant, they'd been on the other side of the Misty Mountains, only at the beginning of their journey. Somehow he felt to have aged years, not weeks, since then.

"What are you thinking?", Fili asked with a twinkle in his eyes.

"This whole thing", Kili answered thoughtfully. "The quest for Erebor, whatever they call it."

"Not us?" the other dwarf mumbled. Suddenly and almost imperceptibly his fingers plucked the buckle open and the cloak fell off Kili's shoulders, swishing audibly as it slid down his back and to the ground. The silver buckle clinked against the stone they were sitting on.

"What are you doing?" Kili snapped under his breath as he stood up and picked up the cloak. He'd heard someone chuckle, and now the others were casting amused glances at the two of them. Fili didn't seem to mind: when Kili went to his belongings and started unfolding his bedroll, trying to hide his embarrassment, the blonde simply sat down beside Nori and Bofur and joined their conversation as if nothing peculiar had just happened.

None of them fell asleep easily that night. Kili lay awake the longest, watching as Dwalin took the guard shift after Bilbo and then Thorin after him, while the stars shone brightly in the black sky. His brother was nowhere to be seen; however, just as sleep was finally about to take over, the blonde knelt down beside him and shook him by his shoulder.

"What now?" Kili mumbled drowsily. Fili pulled him up and took his hand, leading him towards a small hill north from the camp. Kili did his best to stay on his feet: he was tired, and his brother's pace was fast and determined. "Where were you?" he asked.

"I couldn't sleep", Fili answered with a voice that told him it was no use asking any more questions. They walked in silence until they'd reached the top of the hill. By then Kili had got slightly out of breath and was fully awake again, the almost cold midnight air prickling his cheeks. Fili turned to gesture at the camp half a mile away, still holding his hand. They could barely see the dying embers of the campfire from up there.

"Is this far enough for you?" the older dwarf asked. Without waiting for an answer he pulled Kili along down the other side of the hill and sitting on a soft tussock of grass.

"Far enough for what?" Kili asked, dumbfounded. Fili snorted and leaned forward, stopping only an inch away from Kili's face, looking into his eyes intensely. His gaze was filled with lust.

"Oh", Kili let out when he realized what his brother was aiming at. He felt a wonderful twitch tugging his insides and closed the distance between them. For a moment they sat there kissing, holding each other's hands, their lips making little wet sounds as they parted and rejoined again.

"So you were looking for a place like this?" Kili asked after a while. He felt Fili's warm breath on his face as the blonde sighed and shifted closer, placing his hands on Kili's chest.

"Indeed", the blonde said with a languid smile on his lips. "You don't have to be ashamed here." He opened the strings on the collar of Kili's tunic and caressed the exposed skin with his fingers. The brunette inhaled slowly and closed his eyes as Fili pressed a kiss on his collarbone, his hands grazing his neck and chest and tugging his tunic. Kili gripped the back of the blonde's head and kissed him heatedly, pressing his tongue between Fili's lips and against the roof of his mouth as the other one let him in. He would've been surprised by his own courage if he hadn't been so dazed by all the sensations: Fili sucking his tongue, his hands sliding under his tunic, the heat emanating from their bodies, the still, silent air surrounding them. In the dark Fili's eyes glowed like ambers; Kili could feel the other one smiling against his lips.

Suddenly the blonde pulled back from the kiss and stripped Kili of his tunic, and then his lips were all over him. The younger dwarf lay down on the grass as Fili kissed, licked and bit his skin everywhere he could reach, from his fingertips to his navel and below. Kili's breath had quickened, his cheeks were burning; his arousal was visible under the cover of his trousers, and it grew even larger when Fili found out how sensitive his nipples were. He sucked one hard and made the brunette let out a deep groan of pleasure. Kili didn't know where to put his hands: they travelled from the blonde's hair to his shoulders and down his back, soon pulling Fili's loose shirt over his head.

The older dwarf bit the soft skin above Kili's waistline, then spread his legs apart and placed himself between them. Kili watched in amazement as his brother took off his trousers in a hurry, exposing his erect member. Kili couldn't see much in the dark, but what he saw made his heart jump. He reached out to touch the pulsing flesh, but his brother didn't let him, shoving his hand away. "Wait", Fili ordered through his kiss-swollen lips. Together they untied Kili's breeches and slid them down enough to reveal his arousal. Gently Fili took it in his hands and stroked it a few times, exploring. Kili's heart was racing and his breath was close to frantic. "P-please" was the only word he managed to utter.

Fili stood up and kicked off his boots, now completely naked. He sat back down on his knees, this time astride Kili's thighs, their cocks brushing each other. Kili sat up and grabbed Fili's ears to kiss him; his lips were shaking. The blonde took his hand and started sucking his fingers, one by one, until they were covered in saliva. Then he raised his hips and placed the hand between his buttocks.

Kili grazed his rear with his fingers, circling the tight hole. He looked into his brother's eyes, asking for permission; Fili gave him the slightest nod, and he pushed a finger inside. Fili's grip on his shoulders tightened, and he heard the blonde inhale sharply as he hit a sensitive spot with his fingertip deeper in the other's anus. Carefully he slid in another finger, his middle finger that could reach further: he prodded at the spot, making Fili dig his nails into his skin, his other hand grabbing the blonde's cock and squeezing it gently. He pulled his fingers out of Fili to add a third one and stretch him more, but his brother was impatient – he shoved the hand away and moved closer so that his rear was above Kili's erection. He stopped for a second, and then, slowly, took him in.

"Mahal!"

Kili didn't know which of them had said it; all he knew was that Fili was in front of him, on top of him, around him, closer than he'd ever let anyone else be. The blonde wrapped his legs around him, swaying his hips slowly, his mouth open and his eyes fluttering close. Kili embraced him and buried his face in the other's shoulder. He felt a sudden urge to say something, to talk to his brother, but he couldn't think of a single sensible word to speak out. His mind was a mess, all his thoughts were centred on how tight Fili was around his cock. He must have looked like he was in pain, for Fili stopped for a moment and there was a flash of concern in his eyes. Kili kissed him, and the blonde continued his movement, now with more vigour, pushing his tongue deep in Kili's mouth. The younger dwarf tried to jerk his hips upwards, aiming to thrust deeper into his brother, but couldn't do much since Fili was so keen on being in charge. The blonde put Kili's hand on his arousal, all the while devouring his mouth, and Kili did his best to give him pleasure. His fingers were clumsy, new to the task, but it seemed to work: after a few moments Fili threw his head back, letting out a weak whimper everytime Kili's hand grazed the tip of his cock. A few more squeezes, and Kili felt a rush of warm liquid smear their abdomens.

Fili sighed and stopped rocking his hips. Kili looked at him, pleading; he was so incredibly aroused it was driving him into despair, he wanted his release as well. Fili panted a while in his arms before opening his eyes and seeing the need on his brother's face. Carefully he rose from atop the brunette's hard member, and just as Kili thought he would be left unsatisfied on their first time, Fili bent down and took the flesh in his mouth.

And that was all that was needed. Kili couldn't help a yell escaping his lips as the orgasm struck him and he released his semen into his brother's mouth. Fili spat it out behind him and kissed along Kili's belly and chest to calm him.

"I'm sorry", Kili whispered, covering his face in embarrassment. Fili lifted his hands away tenderly.

"Shut up", his love said and kissed his lips.

The next morning they woke up on their bedrolls by the campfire. Everybody else was already on their feet, packing their bags and cleaning the area. Kili remembered having walked the way back from the hill with Fili smiling like an idiot, falling asleep as soon as he'd lain down beside his brother. They rose and did their best to look as if nothing special had happened, although Kili thought he saw Gandalf and Dwalin cast suspicious glances at them from time to time. Still he couldn't help smiling to himseld whenever he looked at Fili.

Before it was time to leave Kili asked Thorin if they could talk, and his uncle gave him a nod and lead them away from the others. It was a long time since Kili had spoken to the prince in private, and he fidgeted several moments before opening his mouth.

"Fili and I are lovers", he blurted out. For a moment he thought his uncle would hit him, but instead their leader's face softened into a gentle smile.

"I know", Thorin said simply. For a moment Kili could not say a word.

"Does... does everyone know?" he asked in shock.

"I don't think so", the prince said. "Gandalf probably does, the bloody wizard is too smart for his own good. Dwalin and Balin suspect something, they've said so to me, but the other's don't seem to have any idea." He paused for a second. "Although if they'd been awake last night, they would've heard you two."

Kili blushed, he knew he should have covered his mouth; the windless night air could carry voices far away. At least it had been his uncle on the guard shift and no-one else. "Ho-how did you know then?" he stuttered.

"Fili told me how he feels for you." Silence. "Not long ago." Kili sensed there was something Thorin left unsaid, but he thought it best to leave that be.

"Are you angry?" the young dwarf asked. His uncle let out a heavy sigh and turned to look at him.

"I should be", he uttered with a stern voice. "But I'm not." The prince smiled encouragingly. "I'm glad to see my nephews happy here where joy and light have been replaced by danger and darkness. You will need each other when we enter the woods, and if we come out there alive, the gods know you will need each other even more after that."

Kili smiled heartily when Thorin patted his shoulder and went back to the camp. He saw his brother helping the others with their belongings and touched the buckle on his cloak. Dark and dangerous, maybe, he thought and turned to stare at Mirkwood in front of him, but I'm ready. I won't let you take me or my brother. With strange confidence in his heart Kili followed his uncle and his comrades, the love of his life beside him as they stepped into the forest.

Thanks for reading, reviewing, following, and favouriting (feel free to tell your opinions on this part as well)! Fanfictionwise I will now go on hiatus (time to concentrate on some other writings of mine) but I have a couple of ideas in store for the next time I feel like using someone else's characters for my own silly purposes. ;)