This came to me totally out of the blue!

It is an attempt at humor while I am still finishing a long story that refuses to be done xD

There is a bit of Dwalin/Ori at the end, because I noticed the big guy protecting Ori a few times during the movie :)

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Mutually Possessive

They had been laughing quietly under a tree while Gandalf talked with the weird wizard that had came out of nowhere. Fili was sitting against the tree trunk, smoking quietly while Kili whispered about how the Halfling startles every time Uncle says something to him. The younger brother was on his feet, leaning on his side against the same tree, sharpening his arrows, so when they see it happen on that exact moment, the blond dwarf looks up and they share a smirk. The smirks turn into warm smiles after a while, though, because they could have died and are still alive. The fact that the whole situation was their fault made it somewhat worse, but they are young and this barely touches their mind, not when brown meets blue and the world shrinks down to just the two of them.

It is during this exchange that Ori innocently approaches unaware that he is interrupting a private moment.

"Hm, excuse me." He says timidly, holding a folded paper on both his hands.

The brothers hide disappointed sighs. It was getting harder and harder to find alone moments in that journey – last night situation was certainly a result of their desperation about it. Nonetheless they smile politely at the shy dwarf.

"Yes, Ori?" Kili acknowledges him, now looking with curiosity to the paper he was carrying.

"Hello, Kili, Fili. I, hm… I would like to thank Fili for being so nice to me." Ori muttered out, looking to his feet and clutching the folded paper tightly in his hands

"Oh… you're welcome?" Fili was genuinely surprised and raised an eyebrow at Ori, expecting him to elaborate. The blonde didn't exactly remembered being particularly nice to Ori apart from he was laughing with the D/N/Ori brothers at Bilbo's house – and that was just because Kili was far away on the other side of the room. Somewhere above his head, Fili felt his brother shifting his position slightly and held back another sigh – he knew what was coming later.

"You helped me with the dishes in Mr. Baggins's house, and yesterday you rescued me twice from the trolls in the middle of the fight." Ori said, and extended the paper to Fili "I know this isn't much, but I made it to thank you for all your trouble."

For a few seconds, Fili just stared at the paper, not knowing exactly what to do. It's not like he had done something special… he would have done it for any of his comrades and if he was not the one closest, he was sure another dwarf would have done it in his place. And the dishes? It had been nothing but fun. Kili and him had been dying all night to see the hobbit's face if they started to throw things around – then they started to sing and Fili didn't remember much past everyone laughing. Really, the fact that he had taken the first plate to throw out of Ori's hand had escaped his mind completely until this moment.

But it's not like he could refuse innocent Ori's gift, either. So, resigned, Fili accepted it, feeling his brother's sharp eyes watching his every move. Ori's expectant look and good manners dictated that he had to open the paper and take a good look at whatever was inside.

What he found was a drawing of him holding his two swords amidst the trolls. It was a rather good drawing, if not a bit overrating of Fili's bravery and skill with the sword. He finds himself smiling to Ori, though, because this is what he must do.

"It's very good, Ori, thank you. You didn't have to bother with this. Anyone would have done the same in my place."

"Oh, did you like it then?" Ori looks up from the ground to him with an embarrassed smile racing his features.

"Of course. You are very talented with a pen." Fili answers with a gentle smile. Somewhere inside him he finds pity that an artistic soul like Ori had to be part of this bloody business, but there is some admiration as well, because he had answered Thorin's call when stronger dwarves hadn't.

Ori blushes a deep red with his comment, and bows his head deep with the proper respect to a royal dwarf and goes without anymore words. Most likely, Fili concludes, he was too embarrassed to say anything else. Which was probably for the best, before Kili decided to test if his arrows were sharp enough.

When finally the sons of Dis are alone again, Kili kneeled by his side and snatches the drawing from his brother's hand. After a quick inspection, he gives it back, a scowl on his face.

"He has gotten your braids wrong. As well as your swords' size. Not to mention—" Kili stops when he sees his brother chuckling "What's so funny?"

"You cannot expect others to know details about me better than you do, brother." Fili says, and leans his head slightly closer "Especially considering that you are the one who braids my hair and sharpen my swords."

This time it is Kili who blushes and the younger's eyes roam their surroundings to make sure that they are truly alone.

"Go on, say that louder. Thorin hasn't heard you." Kili mutters and Fili only chuckles more, because even after all those years they've been together his brother still blushes at any mention of his courting behavior.

"You have braided my hair ever since we were children, everybody knows that." Fili smirked, always enjoying seeing Kili fight down his exasperated blushes.

"The sharpening of the swords they don't." Kili rolls his eyes "They think their good blonde prince is dedicated towards his many weapons."

"Well, this good blonde, charming, prince has got a mate that helps him with sharpening his many swords in courtship." Fili smirk got bigger as leaned even closer and whispered in Kili's ears "And you take such good care of my swords."

"Stop that. We almost got eaten by trolls the last time you started it." Kili gave him a half-scowl, but the shiver that ran through him was visible. Then the younger glared at the drawing Ori made "As for this, try avoiding being so nice to him."

"I did nothing others wouldn't have done in my place!"

"I don't care. I don't want him to have the wrong idea. He was blushing way too much when he gave you this."

Fili rolled his eyes. "Kili, you know Ori. He blushes at his own shadow."

"His eyes were shining when you complimented him!"

"Of course, nobody ever compliments him." Fili chuckled then grabbed the drawing from Kili's hand to place it inside his brother's tunic "This means nothing to me. So you keep it. This way you'll never forget that nobody sees me better than you do. Because you're the one who knows me the best, brother, the only one I want to know details about me."

Kili's scowling face dissolved into a warm smile. For a moment their hands entwined above his tunic. It was nothing but a mere brush of skin on skin to the untrained eye, but for them, who barely had enough time to look at each other without being walked on by somebody, it was a much missed caress.

The younger dwarf was about to say something else when a howling made them freeze on the spot and look around, seeing the rest of the company do the same.

"You cannot be serious." Fili muttered under his breath, unsheathing his sword with one hand, the other gripping Kili's arms turning to look at him for one fierce second "Later, I promise."

Xx

The whole incident with Ori is carried away from both brothers' minds, with all those wargs chasing them. But when the shy dwarf makes another move, it is Fili who ends up unpleased by it, to say the least.

He had been discussing with Oin and Gloin their escape plan on the following morning. There really wasn't any guard in Rivendell, but they had managed to pinpoint where the elves tender to gather the most, so they could avoid being seen when leaving. Thorin and Balin were gone on another matter regarding the map, and it was left out to the three of them to plan the route for their departure.

Kili had been laughing along with the others at Bombur's unintentional property damage when Ori approached the brunette.

"Excuse me, Kili."

Fili saw Kili's laughter dying out when he looked at Ori, seeing that he had another folded paper in his hands. What now? Fili thought, only amused at first. However, as he watched them speaking, unable to hear his words, his amusement quickly turned to un-amusement. Ori had opened the paper and was now reading it to his brother. Apparently he was no reading loud enough that the other dwarves could hear him, but it was clear enough that Kili could understand – the brunette's face getting more awkward with each word.

An angry knot formed inside Fili's throat. Was Ori reciting a poem to his brother? Notice the emphasis on the 'his brother' part. After it was over, Kili said something back, nodding stiffly to Ori, who went on another blushing fit.

All right, you're done. Leave him. Now. Fili glared at Ori's back all the while the shy dwarf nodded his thanks to Kili, handing him the paper with the poem, and left to sit down beside Dori, still blushing. Turning his eyes back to Kili, he found his brother looking at him apologetically, seeming extremely out of place with the poem in his hands.

Fili formed the word 'later' with his mouth then proceeded to participate on the conversation again about how they should sneak out in small groups of four right before the sun rose.

As soon as they retreated to the bedroom that was given them, however, Fili closed the door and pushed his brother on the bed, his hands searching his tunic until he found the paper Ori had given him. Kili sighed, but allowed him to take it.

When finally he had the poem on his hands, Fili got out from top of his brother and sat on the bed. Kili sat by his side, leaning on his shoulder.

"I never thought Ori, of all people, would make me feel awkward." The younger said.

"I never thought Ori, of all people, would make me feel angry." Fili said before he read the poem. Had he been nothing but an impartial viewer, he might have recognized some beauty in it, but as he was in fact the mate of the dwarf to who the bloody poem was written to, he saw nothing but a load of rubbish words that had nothing to do with Kili "Your eyes don't sparkle right before you shoot an arrow! Your eyes go completely still to get your perfect aim. Running with the gracefulness of a flying dove?! More like of a deadly hawk. Ori is blind or what?"

"I know." Kili groaned "It was sooo weird to hear him to recite the whole thing."

"What earned you this, if I may ask?" Fili asked, raising an eyebrow as he continued to read the poem.

"Apparently, because while we were running I helped him up, and because I shot an arrow at a warg who was almost catching him." Kili explained "Although I don't remember much besides shooting wargs and making sure of where you were standing. Besides-"

"Oh, no, seriously, does Ori take you for a shy maid he can conquer with mellow words?!" Fili interrupted him, too caught up in the bloody poem "Oh, beautiful soul of freedom, ever shining jewel of our kingdom?! Who does he think he is to woo you in such a manner?!"

"Fili, he was not wooing me." Kili rolled his eyes and took the poem out of his hands, throwing on the ground "I think he really doesn't know how this sounds."

"Burn that thing." Fili growled, crossing his arms and glaring at the piece of paper on the ground.

"Oh, and what about the drawing he made of you, so glorious in battle? Not so funny now, is it?" Kili raised an eyebrow, crossing his arms as well "Back in the woods you said he was just feeling awkward because no one was nice to him."

"Burn that too, I want nothing of Ori in you. You were right; he might get the wrong idea."

"That's fine with me. I never liked it." Kili said, standing up and handing Fili the drawing.

Fili stood up as well, each grabbing one of those damn perfumed elvish candles. In synchrony, they burned each of Ori's gifts, and watched the flames take over and destroy both works. Sometime later they may feel bad about it, but in that moment they were too wrapped up in possessiveness to care that Ori had taken the time to do something special for them in his gratefulness.

After there were only cinders on the floor, they looked in each other's eyes, taking in the sight of each other close and safe. There had been two close calls in less than two days.

"Is this later, brother?" Kili asks, making mention of their last words in the woods.

"Yes." Fili breathes out before he has Kili pined on the bed again.

Kili smirked up at him. "So I am not the only one who is jealous."

"You know very well that you're not." Fili answered as his hands worked on freeing his brother from his clothes "As I expect you to know that you are mine."

"And you mine, brother. I'll never forget." Then Kili pulled him down for a kiss and they stopped using words for the rest of the night.

Xx

The Ori situation, however, seems to get out of hand after they escaped the goblins.

Every day, one of them received something from the dwarf, either a drawing or a poem. Apparently, they deserved because they were such valiant princes. Well, Fili agreed with the valiant part, but it still unfazed him greatly that Ori insisted on saying how beautiful Kili was in his poems. At least, no one else in the company had noticed it. It was awkward enough as it was.

Yet, neither of them could muster up the nerves to put an end to it. Especially because fate had it that they were always the closest ones to aid Ori when necessary. Kili was getting suspicious that it was no coincidence at all, that Ori was really trying to walk closer to them all the time.

Unsurprisingly, Kili, who has the shortest temper among the two of them – although Fili's fury can be compared to that of a lion when finally awaken – is the one who acts. He was preparing his bedroll beneath a tree one day when he sees his brother being nearly ambushed by Ori, who came out of nowhere to stand in front of the blonde.

This time Fili had been graced with a poem, and judging by his face it was one of those in which Ori said he was fair like a golden eagle, or whatever absurd comparison came out of his mind. It didn't matter that it made no real compliment to his brother, it bothered Kili that someone else was spending so much time thinking about Fili. So, he acted.

He spotted Dori and Nori speaking with Balin by the fire and goes to them. He would prefer his cousin was not around, but Kili's patience was wearing thin.

"Dori, Nori." He said, standing between them and the fire.

The three dwarves looked up at him, confused at the sudden appearance.

"What is it lad?" Balin asked, amusement playing in his eyes.

"I would very much appreciate if the two of you took better care of your brother." Kili said, looking from Dori to Nori.

"Excuse me! What do you mean by that? I take very good care of my brother!" Dori said, but Nori just regarded him with a raised eyebrow.

"Well, clearly you do not, since Fili and I are always rescuing him from something." Kili shot back and pointed to the place where his brother was still captive of Ori's poem "And now, he is bestowing both of us with a clumsy wooing of drawings and poems!"

The three older dwarves watched the scene Kili indicated. Balin chortled, more amused than ever, before he stood. The elder offered him a knowing smirk before he left them to join Gandalf and Bilbo in conversation.

"I don't think that Ori is courting you—" Nori started, as Dori was still watching Ori recite the poem to Fili. This night it was a rather long poem.

"He better not be!" Kili interrupted "You start to take proper care of your brother, because I will not hesitate to defend mine should this courtship become more serious. And I believe I speak for Fili here, when I say that he will do the same for me."

"I think," Nori began one more time, looking at him as if he had to be patient with a child "that Ori is simply appraising you and your brother for your skills, instead of courting you. He has never had much talent for weapons, you see."

"My brother is closest to your age than to ours." Dor finally said, turning to look at him "He is probably trying to become close friends with you and Fili, showing off his own skills. He has not offered to tend to your weapons, has he? This is true courtship."

Kili looked at them for a moment, deciding it was better not to say that Ori's skills did not lie in poem writing. They were believed what they were saying, so he sighed, more annoyed than angry now.

"But does he have to keep saying how beautiful I am, or how impressive Fili's smile is? It is awkward, to say the least!"

"Oh, I am sure Ori has no idea this bothers you so." Dori said "I believe he is simply trying to mimic your behavior to one another. You two do keep complimenting each other all the time."

"Not like this!" Kili snaps. It is true, of course, but they always keep the physical appraisal private "Make him stop! One of these days he will make Fili angry, and I assure you, he is much more alike Thorin in personality than I am."

They roll their eyes, but nod nonetheless. Kili suspects that they agree just because Thorin's name is mentioned, and while he is not fond of using his birthright as an advantage over people, he is willing to do it if it means that Ori will stop.

xx

Ori didn't stop, of course.

Kili is aware that Dori and Nori had talked to him, because he saw them pulling their younger sibling apart on the following day. Apparently, however, Ori is as stubborn as your average dwarf, and continues on with his appraisal or whatever it was he thought he was doing. While they understand it is not a proper courtship – especially because who would be fool enough to court both of Thorin's nephews at the same time? – it still makes them jealous to see someone else blushing at the sight of them. Yes, they were mutually possessive and they had already made a few dwarves cry back in Ered Luin after making the grave mistake of thinking either brother was available. It would be better for the quest if they didn't have to do the same to Ori, who didn't really have bad intentions.

So, after a few days, Fili came up with a solution. As he watched Ori presenting Kili with a drawing of him, he turned his eyes around the camp to avoid glaring at him. That's when he saw Dwalin looking curiously at them. By now the rest of the company had started to notice Ori's behavior, especially after Kili had talked to Dori and Nori, but had done nothing but watch the development. Fili was aware that there was some bet going on, he just didn't knew exactly what it was about – if his observations were correct, even Thorin had staked something.

Either way, he caught on to how Dwalin was paying attention at Ori's movements as he tried to explain the inspiration of his drawing to Kili, who tried to keep an interested face on. Could it be? Big, bald, brute Dwalin? Well, it was a dangerous gamble, but it was worth a shot. He'd rather Ori to stop talking about Kili's lustrous dark hair before they reached Mirkwood.

"Hey, Ori." He called, and offered his most charming smile. Ori blushed deeper and Kili glared at him, but Fili knew soon his brother would understand what he was about to do, since mischief came so naturally to them.

"Hm, yes, Fili?"

"I think that you are being very unfair." Fili said "There are many dwarves in this company that are worth of your appraisal."

Ori widened his eyes a bit, and looked to the ground, stuttering something about company and appraisal. Fili took this opportunity to use iglishmek to Kili. He signed 'double ax' and the younger immediately understood. They exchanged smirks.

"Yes, yes, I think so too." Kili said, then leaned closer to Ori to whisper in a conspiratorial way "Did you know that Dwalin was looking funny at the drawing you made of Fili, the other day? I think he would love to get one of those."

"And he is very deserving of it, too." Fili added "I am sure you remember he was the first to pull you to the circle when the mounted elves arrived in Rivendell."

"And he made sure you didn't fall off the cliff when we were in the middle of the thunder battle."

"And, he helped you to climb up the tree when the wargs surrounded us."

"And he was looking at you, just now. I really think he wanted a drawing."

Ori looked at them wide eyed, as if a great epiphany was hitting him. His cheeks were taken over by various different tones of red as he stole not so subtle glances at the bald dwarf, now focused on sharpening his axes.

"You—you think so?" he stuttered, gripping his sleeves and looking at them like a lost puppy.

"Of course we do." Kili nodded "You should at least appraise the whole company, since we are all so brave."

"Although Dwalin would be the most happy, I wager." Fili said, playing with his mustache "He seems pretty lonely, don't you think. He could use a friend, especially now that Thorin is spending so much time with the hobbit."

"I, I don't want to Dwalin to be lonely." Ori said, blushing terribly while looking openly to an oblivious Dwalin.

Fili and Kili share only a devious smirk.

Xx

"We are bad people. Dwalin is going to destroy him with a single glare." Kili said later that night, as they watched from afar Ori bent over a piece of paper and stealing glances at their cousin, but did not sound that guilty about it "Then he will come after us."

"No, he won't." Fili said, busy in tightening the string of Kili's bow "I really saw him looking at Ori, earlier. I think we might end up being responsible for a new couple being formed."

Kili laughed at that "Never thought we would be matchmakers."

Fili smirked, putting the bow to the side "I just hope he doesn't come after us for advice."

"I'll have another word with Dori if that happens." Kili said, pulling his brother to stand, indicating the woods with his head.

They shared another laugh, going deeper into the woods until they were out of earshot. Kili pressed the blonde against a tree.

"At least now I don't have to worry about others drooling all over you." He said, letting his hands roam all over Fili, eventually reaching his backside and grabbing it "Sooner or later Ori would notice this right here."

Fili gasped, and pulled Kili's face so their lips could crash together. "You should mark it as yours, then, just to be safe."

Kili did just that.

And when everyone of the company received a poem and a drawing on the following days, almost no one noticed that Dwalin had taken to carry a few of Ori's books. Although Fili could swear he and his brother were receiving nasty looks from Dori and Nori. Well, Kili had told them to take proper care of their sibling.

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I hope this is not too bad XD

It had no planning at all!