An Even Fifteen (Fili x reader)

(36) Dark and Quiet

The night darkened, the candles dripped melted wax to the ground as they grew dimmer, and you and Fili lay under the glass sky, looking out at the stars. Your head was on his chest, your hair fanned out so that he could tease his fingers through it at leisure. His other hand clasped yours where it rested on your stomach, occasionally brushing against the ring on your finger, as if to be sure it was really there, that you had really accepted him. That this was not a dream.

"Can we freeze time and just stay here forever?" You whispered into the darkness, your wish floating upwards on the wings of candle-smoke butterflies.

Fili hummed briefly, the sound rumbling through his chest and resonating in your head. It tickled, but you didn't mind. "I would if I could, ghivashel. I would move the mountains from their places if you asked me."

You couldn't keep the smile from your lips. "You are either too generous or too foolish, my love," you said, failing to keep the laughter from your voice.

"Some would say I am both," he replied, also laughing. "But I find that I do not care overmuch."

You laughed softly, then let the quiet of the night settle around you again. The glow of the candles had dimmed as they burned out around you, and you could see the stars clearly through the glass. You found yourself tracing pretend constellations in the sky, the way you had as a child before you came to be in Radagast's care. Before the sky became crowded with the leaves of your beloved trees.

"What are you thinking about?" Fili asked as he absently ran his fingers through your hair.

"The stars," you murmured in reply. "My childhood before Radagast. The trees." You smiled at the shadows of the familiar leaves that graced your view of the sky beyond the glass. "What are you thinking about?"

"This place," he murmured back.

You tilted your head to look at him. His eyes wandered the space around you, lost in something unseen. "What is this place, anyway? It's beautiful, but what's it doing in the farthest reaches of a mountain kingdom?" You asked.

He smiled fondly. "It's one of the first attempts at a greenhouse by my people. Legend has it that--"

"Legend?" You interrupted, grinning. "I thought you dwarves were strictly history-driven, not prone to the fancies of mere legend."

Fili snorted. "We like tales of lore well enough. And you would not listen half so well to history as you would legend."

You laughed out loud. "You have me there, my fair prince."

"Now are you going to let me tell the tale?" Fili asked. "Or are you simply going to laugh until sunrise?"

You sobered as much as you could. "Do not speak of sunrise yet. Tell me the story."

Fili settled back with a smug-sounding harrumph before resuming the tale. "As I was saying, legend has it that shortly after Thrain I made a kingdom out of the mines here, a young maiden from the human villages would visit and offer trade. She offered her own produce and wares for trade at first, for she loved the beautiful craft of my people, but she soon became the emissary for the people of the area, and would lead a caravan of wagons and merchants to the mountain gates. Naturally, she caught the eye of one of the princes of Durin's line"--

You snorted in laughter. "Oh, naturally."

Your sarcastic tone was not lost on Fili. "Come now, what can I say? Durin's folk have always had a keen eye for the fair of face and the pure of heart," he said, tugging lightly at a strand of your hair.

"All right, all right. Go on."

"Well, the mortal maiden caught the eye of one of the princes, and he courted her. They married soon after," he hurried on, anticipating your interruption, "for we of Durin's line are irresistible, and she took up residence in Erebor."

He let you laugh for a moment at his ridiculous addition to the story before continuing. "She loved the prince, and loved living with the dwarves, but she missed the green life of her human home. So, for one of their wedding anniversaries, he had this greenhouse constructed so that she could spend time with the plants that brought her so much happiness. This orange tree," he gestured to the boughs that graced the air that was most directly over your heads, "was the crowning glory of the place. They spent many happy hours here, and according to legend, lived long and joyful lives. The garden thrived on, even after the kingdom fell. Some say it lived on because of the great love that the two had put into it, but I think it was because it was so high up in the mountain that Smaug left it alone. Well, that, and it has no gold in it."

You pursed your lips in thought. "What a lovely story. And that tree still is the crowning glory," you said as you studied the orange tree and it's enchanting blossoms. Fili hummed in agreement, and you said, "I did learn something from this legend of yours."

You tilted your head back to see Fili's face again. He was wearing a grin to match yours. "What did you learn, amralime?"

"That you come from a long line of excellent gift-givers."

Fili chuckled. "We Durins know how to please a lady," he said, sitting up so that your head was in his lap. He leaned over you, the tips of his hair grazing your cheek as he kissed your forehead.

"Fortunately for you, I can only confirm that," you said, smiling as you tilted your chin up for a real kiss. He very gallantly obliged you.

"Well," Fili said when his lips left yours. "It is growing late. You should get some sleep before tomorrow."

You groaned. "Tomorrow isn't real. Let's stay here forever."

"As you wish, ghivashel," he chuckled. "But we should blow out the candles so we don't burn down this lovely garden."

You hummed in agreement, but didn't move. Fili chuckled as he shifted you off his lap so he could stand and douse the remaining candle-light. When he returned, the sky beyond the glass ceiling was even clearer, the stars burning brighter than before. Fili lay down next to you and tucked you close with one arm, using the other as a pillow.

Quiet settled into the space around you, but before you succumbed to the silence of sleep, you murmured to Fili before you could forget, "Fili?"

He hummed groggily in question.

"We should be like the couple in the legend. I want to spend a lot of time up here with you. Loving you."

You felt him press a kiss into the back of your neck as he whispered, his voice rough with impending sleep. "Whatever you say, amralime. I would be happy to."

A/N: More fluff because I can't seem to stop writing it, and some completely made-up fanciful legends because I wanted to. In other news, a special update is coming between this one and Monday's because of some exciting things going on with my tumblr (where I'm also posting this). So keep an eye out for that! As always, thank you all for reading! I hope you enjoyed this slightly shorter chapter! If you did, feel free to give it a vote and/or leave a comment! I greatly appreciate either (but I GREATLY appreciate both haha)!
--RA