Author's Note:This is a one shot from the Hobbit. The nights can be cold, and life can be strange, but it's all bearable when you have the privilege of a brother.

Warning: The warning is placed here for vinsmouse, who wanted a spew warning here, claiming it might be a bad idea to drink while reading the funnier parts. So please keep in mind that drinking any kind of beverage while reading this, might be hazzard'ous to the health of your screen.

Disclaimer: I do not own the Hobbit, nor the actual dwarves. All I own is my own three inch high Fili and Kili and they shall suffer naught for my stories…

The Privilege of a Brother

It was a cold night, something Bilbo was only too aware off. He'd been shivering more than he had been sleeping in spite of staying close to the fire. The Dwarves did not appear to be bothered by it, at least not for most parts. There were a few exceptions. Fili on his watch had been unable to keep his teeth from shattering at times, but Bilbo considered that to be purely his own fault. Upon being woken by Thorin the young dwarf had removed his coat and draped it over his sleeping brother.

Kili had not even appeared to be all that cold to Bilbo, in fact the youngest dwarf never seemed to suffer from the cold as much as his brother did. Even so Fili more often than not would give up his coat to his brother who didn't really need it anyway. It made no sense to Bilbo but then he had come to realize that dwarves were indeed strange creatures.

Kili had taken the watch after Fili, giving back the coat to his brother who curled up on the spot where his brother had been sleeping only minutes ago. He in turn woke Bifur to take the next watch. On his way back he frowned as he passed Bilbo.

"Cold, is it not?" he asked as he crouched down beside the hobbit.

"Very much so," Bilbo nodded.

"I know, and the night air has a nasty bite to it," he nodded. "You won't get much sleep shivering like that, come on."

"What?" Bilbo gave a start.

"Come on," Kili jerked his head. "I'm a mite cold myself, no sense in the lot of us freezing. We'll be nice and warm soon, and get some more sleep. We'll need it come morning." He grabbed Bilbo by the arm and pulled him to his feet, ushering him with him back to where Fili still lay. The blond dwarf really only lay a few feet away, huddling quite close to the fire himself.

Kili put his hand on Bilbo's shoulder, urging him to lay down next to his older brother. "There you go master hobbit, you'll be a lot warmer here."

"But," he spluttered. "I can't do that."

"Why not?" Kili blinked confused. "It's a lot warmer if you stay together."

"But I can't invade his privacy like that, it wouldn't be quite proper," he objected.

"Don't be silly," Kili laughed. "It is of no matter, Fili won't mind and there is no point in freezing when you can be warm." He pushed him down gently and then laid down on the other side of him. The hobbit now lying between the two brothers. Kili reached for the coat Fili had over him, pulling it so that it covered the hobbit as well. Fili muttered in his sleep and Bilbo bit his lip but the other dwarf did not wake up. Kili pressed closer as he wiggled around a bit to get comfortable.

Bilbo thought it was strange, and a little nervous, but he couldn't deny that it was warmer and so he soon fell asleep.

He slept deeply until the camp started stirring in the morning, Fili beside him shrugging off the coat as he sat up. He gave the hobbit a bemused look as he stretched.

"I, uh, I hope you didn't mind my presence," Bilbo mumbled. "It was quite cold."

"Don't I know it," Fili snorted. "Don't worry master hobbit, it makes no sense to freeze, and if we are all warmer for the company, than that is all that matters. That one," he jerked his thumb towards Kili. "He's made shameless use of me for warmth for many years now, it's the privilege of a brother you know."

"I have never experienced it this way," Bilbo admitted.

"Not everyone is lucky enough," Fili shrugged as he stood. "We need some more water if we're too have something to eat this morning," so saying he strode off, leaving his coat still over Bilbo.

The hobbit was quite amazed by the easy way he handled what a hobbit would have seen as an invasion to his privacy. He was certainly generous towards his brother, fetching the wood and water himself so that Kili would have a few minutes more to sleep.

Watching them Bilbo clearly came to see the benefits of being the younger brother. Fili was nothing if not protective of his brother. It was curious though, the relationship they had. Kili played a joke on Dwalin that the older dwarf did not appreciate. Kili for a moment looked worried when he realized that he had truly angered the dwarf but Fili stepped in between them easily. He faced Dwalin without hesitation, allowing him to yell at him while he stood calm and with a soothing smile on his face.

Once Dwalin was calm he did nothing more to Kili than to glare at him, and Kili looked very much relieved, sitting down beside his brother who draped an arm around his shoulders.

Yet a mere few hours later Fili reached up as they passed a tree and ripped a handful of leaves with his gloved hand, and quickly thrust them down his brother's back. Kili tried to dig them out while squirming and hissing, eventually stripping out of his clothes as he sought to rid himself of the leaves. When he had finally pulled his shirt off Bilbo could see the red rash the leaves had left and he assumed that Fili would look apologetic, but he looked quite pleased with himself.

It was just punishment in his eyes, and Kili apparently thought so too, for while he glared and grumbled he did nothing and said nothing about it. After supper when they went to sleep he once more sought out the comfort and warmth that his brother offered.

"Remarkable," Bilbo mumbled under his breath.

"Eye, so it is," Dori nodded and he jumped in surprise.

"I thought Kili would be mad for the leaves," Bilbo mused. "He's still scratching, but he does not appear to be mad at all anymore."

"He wouldn't be," Dori smiled lightly. "It was just punishment and he knows it."

"But it wasn't Fili he played the trick on," Bilbo objected. "And Fili protected him then."

"To sort him out later," Dori nodded with a smile. "It's a brother's privilege you know. Fili will look out for Kili, and there is no mercy for anyone who harms his brother, but he has the right to punish him when he sees fit as well."

"But Fili isn't much older," he was still somewhat confused. "Only five years, was it not so?"

"Five years is quite enough," Dori chuckled. "Fili used to do the same when they were no more than babes and Kili had barely learned to walk. You'll get used to it I wager."

"It is rather pleasant in a way," Bilbo nodded.

This time Kili had the watch before his brother, and Bilbo only woke slightly as he got his brother up. The two of them had put his blanket next to theirs from the start.

For a moment before he went back to sleep Bilbo found himself pondering his good fortune. Lying there so close to them, sharing the warmth they offered he was coming party to something he had never expected, something he had never thought he would share in such an easy manner. He was allowed to really experience the privilege of a brother.

The End.

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