A/N: Unless otherwise noted, all beta reading is done by madammadhatter. I love her and she's great. Do read on.

Fíli dropped a pile of weapons on the kitchen table with a clatter and smiled proudly, surveying his collection. It was a beautiful and handy assortment—his twin swords were his pride and joy, of course, but he also had plenty of knives and throwing axes to stash around his person. The only thing that could make them better would be if he had more. And, of course, if they were shinier. He set down his bottle of oil and rag and picked up a dagger, inspecting it for blemishes.

It was then that his mother came into the room.

"Fíli, what on earth are you doing?" she exclaimed.

"I just sharpened all of these—I've got to clean them," Fíli said. "I'm going to be away with Uncle, remember? I need these."

"You need all of these?" said Dís incredulously. "Need I remind you that you only have two hands? You have two swords, four throwing axes, one, two, three, four…" She counted silently. "Ten knives? Fíli, where do you even put all of these?"

"I have places for them," Fíli said defensively, picking up his rag and shaking it out.

"No, no, no," said Dís, snatching the rag out of his hand. Fíli looked up at her and scowled. "Not on the kitchen table. You can take them to your room and clean them there."

"Why?" Fíli said, shooting her a challenging glare.

"You're not putting your dirty weapons all over my table right before dinner," said Dís, returning his glare with one of her own.

"I'm cleaning them."

"Are they clean yet?"

"Well… no…"

"Right, then," said Dís, gesturing at the pile and then pointing down the hall. "In your room, then."

Fíli sighed dramatically and started gathering his myriad axes and knives back into his arms, and once he had a hold on all of them, Dís threw his rag and oil on top.

"I don't even know why you need that many weapons," she said.

"I like having this many weapons," Fíli grumbled. He trudged down the hall to his room and dropped the pile on his bed, plopping down on the small corner that was not occupied by sharp objects. Then he picked up one of his throwing axes and studied it, checking the blade for imperfections. It was fine, of course, but he always liked to make sure. He set to work with his oil and his rag, happily inspecting each and admiring his own handiwork. He had made most of these himself, though some—including his swords—had been crafted by his father. Though Fíli's own work was good, his father's was far superior, and he treasured them greatly, taking even more care to make them perfect than with his own, if that were possible.

He had gotten about halfway through his collection when he felt eyes upon him. He looked up to see Kíli standing in the doorway, looking especially forlorn. Fíli rolled his eyes.

"Are you still moping?" he said, turning his attention back to the knife in his hands.

"It's not fair," Kíli said. "Why do you get to go and I don't?"

"Because I am of age and you are not," Fíli said, rubbing a spot off his blade meticulously. "When you turn fifty, Thorin will invite you on his expeditions, as well."

"But I don't understand," Kíli said, stepping in and settling himself on the other non-pointy corner of the bed. Fíli huffed at the intrusion, but Kíli paid him no mind. "He's let me help with other things, like escorting merchants or going to market to sell wares…"

"This is different, Kíli," said Fíli, setting down his polished knife and looking at his brother. "We are going to be gone for weeks, inspecting the caves of Tumunzahar for structural integrity, making sure they haven't been overtaken by orcs…"

"I could help with that," Kíli said crossly.

Fíli chuckled and picked up another blade. "I'm sure you could, but you're still not invited. Adults only."

"Please, Fíli, you're only five years older than me," said Kíli, indignant.

"Which makes me an adult, and you—well, not quite."

Fíli could feel the heat of Kíli's glare without even looking. He kept his gaze firmly on the weapon in his hands, and after a few moments, Kíli huffed and left the room. Fíli grinned to himself. The only way to win against Kíli was not to give him any ground at all, and Fíli had been adamantly refusing to offer any sympathy. While he would not mind having Kíli's company—in fact, he was sure that he would miss his brother the whole time—Thorin had said that the reason Fíli was invited was because he was of age now, ready to help with bigger projects, and ready to learn more about leadership as well. Not that he would be leading anyone on his first trip out, but Thorin said it would be good for him to see how he kept everything in order. And truth be told, Fíli was excited to spend an extended time with his uncle. It wouldn't necessarily be alone time, but it would be time devoted to him as heir. He did not feel like sharing.

It took a while to finish cleaning all his blades, but Fíli did not mind, and he was not interrupted. Finally he deemed them all perfect, and he carefully laid them all out on his bed neatly, admiring how beautifully they shone.

Just then, there was a knock at the door.

Fíli looked up with a furrowed brow—his door wasn't even closed—to see his uncle standing there, wearing an expression of great exasperation. Fíli dropped his shoulders and sighed.

"He got to you, didn't he?" he said.

Thorin grinned ruefully.

"May I come in?" he said.

"Of course," said Fíli, waving him in. Thorin walked over to the bed and looked at the array of weapons there, nodding in approval.

"They look excellent," he said. "Good work, lad."

Fíli's heart swelled with pride. It was one thing to admire his own work, but Thorin had impossibly high standards. If he approved, he had certainly done a good job. He grinned and straightened one of the daggers so it sat perfectly in line with the others.

"Your brother has been relentless," Thorin said. "He has been begging for weeks to be included on this expedition."

"I know," Fíli said. "I've heard him."

"He cornered me again just now," said Thorin, pinching the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger. "That boy and his faces…"

"You mean his big, shiny brown eyes," Fíli retorted, casting a sidelong glance at his uncle. Thorin chuckled and shook his head.

"'Tis how your father charmed your mother, I'm sure," he said. "Her and everyone else."

"What did you say to him?" Fíli asked.

Thorin sighed. "I told him that if he came, he was answerable for his own actions," he said. "No one would be watching him to make sure he didn't get into trouble. He is to be responsible and keep his damned recklessness in check."

"That's a tall order," said Fíli.

"But I also told him that it was up to you," Thorin continued, turning to Fíli and looking at him evenly. "I told you that I was inviting you because you were of age—that you, as an adult, had the right to join us on our larger expeditions. Kíli is not yet of age… it did not seem fair to me to allow him to come without consulting you first."

Fíli blinked, surprised. Never had Thorin consulted him before making a decision about anything. Was this what it was like to be an adult? If it was, he definitely liked it—but he did not know what to do with it.

"Well, er," Fíli stammered, "I'm… I don't know. I mean, I will think about it, I suppose."

"Will you let me know tomorrow?" asked Thorin. "He will need to know in time to prepare, should you decide that he can come."

"A-all right," said Fíli. Thorin smiled warmly and rested his hands on his nephew's shoulders.

"Do not feel that you have to say yes, lad," he said. "But if you do, I will abide by your decision."

Fíli nodded wordlessly and smiled, and the corners of Thorin's eyes crinkled. He nodded and let go, stepping back towards the door.

"Tomorrow," he said.

"Aye," said Fíli. "Tomorrow."

Thorin left the room, and Fíli stood where he was, staring after his uncle in shock. Had this really just happened? Thorin depended upon his word before making a decision? Fíli could barely wrap his head around it. He pressed his lips together, but it did not stop the smile from growing on his face. His heart was glowing with pride.

After fifty years, he finally felt like an adult.

Fíli had almost fallen asleep when suddenly he heard his bedroom door open. He opened his eyes, but it was too dark to see; he furrowed his brow and lit the lamp on his nightstand. Kíli stood at the foot of his bed, his expression set as sad as it had ever been. Fíli groaned.

"Go back to bed, Kíli," he said.

"Fíli, please, you have to say yes!" Kíli said in response. He sat on the bed, and Fíli looked up at the ceiling, ignoring his brother's shining eyes.

"I don't have to do any such thing," he said.

"You're going to leave me here all by myself?" said Kíli, taking on a pitiful tone. "Leave me with the children?"

"Those children include some of your best friends," Fíli retorted.

"You're my best friend," said Kíli.

"So you're not friends anymore with Gimli and Ori and Flán and Tasli and Tamli and—"

"Stop that," Kíli interrupted. "This isn't about them."

"It's not about you, either," said Fíli, keeping his gaze fixed upward. He was not looking at his brother's sad face. "This is my decision, and right now, I'm feeling a mite annoyed. Not sure I'll want you around…"

"Fine, I'm leaving," Kíli grumbled, and Fíli's mattress shifted as his brother rose. "But seriously, Fíli. Uncle already told me that I'll have to be responsible for myself—I won't be a burden to you or to anyone else. Everyone is always saying I need to grow up, anyway. Maybe if I spend some time with adults instead of people younger than me, that will happen quicker."

Fíli sighed. "Good night, Kíli."

Kíli left the room without another word, and Fíli leaned over and put out his lamp again. But Kíli's words echoed in his head as he closed his eyes to sleep. It was true that Kíli was often scolded for being juvenile; perhaps if he did come, he would learn a thing or two about how to act properly—both as an adult and as a prince. But was he really determined to mature, or was he only saying such things to sway his brother's opinion and get his own way?

Probably both, he thought. Kíli could be extremely persuasive when he wanted to be, but he did have a good point. He could use some mature influence, especially as he was nearing his own coming-of-age in just five years. He knew his brother hated being called immature, and this was a chance for him to prove his worth. As much as Fíli would like his uncle to himself, he cared about his brother, and this would be good for him.

It was decided. He would tell Thorin in the morning that Kíli could come. He just hoped that it was the right decision.

Thorin sought out Fíli the next morning at breakfast. Fíli spied him peering into the kitchen from the hall; he nodded, knowing his uncle was seeing if he had made a decision, and rose from his seat as Thorin disappeared.

"Fíli, remember what I said last night," Kíli said, looking up at his brother with soulful eyes. "Please."

"Eat your breakfast, little brother," Fíli replied as he left the room. If Kíli said anything else, he did not hear it; he was already out of the room.

He found his uncle in his customary spot in front of the fireplace in the parlor, lighting his pipe. He sat down in the chair opposite and waited as Thorin puffed out some smoke. Then the old dwarf settled his gaze upon his elder nephew.

"What is your decision, then?" he said.

Fíli licked his lips. It still felt strange that his uncle would ask his opinion. "I think Kíli should be allowed to go."

Thorin raised his eyebrows and lowered his pipe. "Are you sure?"

"As sure as I'll ever be," Fíli replied. "Kíli could do with the adult company, don't you think? He even said it himself last night."

"That is true," Thorin mused, putting his pipe back in his mouth and puffing thoughtfully. "It should be good for him. But it does not bother you that he would come, though he is not of age, when you had to wait?"

Fíli shrugged. "Kíli and I do everything together anyways."

"That is my concern. Do you not want some time to yourself?"

Fíli thought on this for a few moments and then shrugged again. "You said he has to be responsible for himself," he said. "If I want to be away, I can get away—there will be plenty of Dwarves there. But I honestly think he will benefit from coming with us."

Thorin studied Fíli's face, blowing out tobacco smoke, and then nodded seriously. Then he looked towards the entrance.

"You can come in now, Kíli," he called.

Kíli rounded the corner immediately, looking adequately sheepish for having been caught spying, though he could not contain his brilliant grin. He bowed his head respectfully to his uncle and pressed his lips together. Then he looked to his brother.

"Thank you, Fíli," he said. "I won't let you down—and I promise I won't be a bother. I swear."

"You'd better not be, or I'll get you sent home early," Fíli said, chuckling. But when Kíli's eyes widened in hurt, he stopped. "I'm only kidding, Kee. I wouldn't do that."

"Oh," Kíli said, nodding.

"Well, Kíli, it looks like you have some preparing to do," Thorin said. "Better get started, lad."

"Yes, sir," Kíli said, a grin spreading across his face once again. "Thank you, sir. I will be ready by tomorrow morning." He dashed out of the room with a little skip, and Fíli let out an amused huff.

"Regretting your decision yet?" Thorin said.

"No," Fíli said. "And I hope I don't have to."

Flán, Tasli, and Tamli belong to my beautiful friend Nalbal. If you'd like to see them, hop on over to the supremely well-written and fantastic The Mark of Gideon, where you get to see them in action.

Okay, here's the deal with this fic. I have an idea and I'm gonna run with it, much in the same way I did with Race Against Time. It's just gonna grow out of itself. When I wrote Illusions, I had an outline; when I wrote The Ghost of Erebor, I had a list of events that needed to happen. With Race Against Time, I simply started and it went where it went, and I think that worked best. So I'm doing it again.

However, this means that sometimes (SOMETIMES) I may not know what I'm going to do next. That's where YOU come in. If there's something you think would be great/something you think needs to be addressed, bring it up in a review! I'll happily consider your ideas. (Not yet, though. We haven't reached the actual catalytic event for the story.)

Speaking of Race Against Time, if you would like a paper copy, those are now available! Check my profile page for details.