The rain runs down your hood before making your way through the entrance of the Prancing Pony. You hate Bree. The weather. The people. The drinks...but the beer is the only thing to keep you from breaking down on the floor again. You flip your hood back when you were inside the famous Inn and you hang up your drenched coat. You shake off the rain from your flowing locks and go up to your usual spot on the counter, sitting on the same bench you've been sitting at for five years. FIVE freaking years of hell is what you call it.
"Just the regular, Y/N?" The bartender asked.
This always pisses you off; the same question every day. It's like he's making it OBVIOUS that you hang around here too much, always drinking and causing trouble. You have a very short fuse these days and get furious easily. It's the alcohol and you know it, but its the only thing that drives the pain away.
You only nod so you don't throw a punch at him and then he goes off on his way, leaving your thoughts to yourself. Usually your kind, witty, and a hell of a lot of fun. You used to love pranking people...now you like to kill people. A LOT. Way too often in your own opinion. You were sick. In a...crazy sort of way yes, but also emotionally. Your heart hasn't stopped aching in five years, and you feel like the frown lines are aging you. You feel thin. Weak. Old. But you're not old. For half dwarf, half human you were actually pretty young. But the ale, the frowning, the depression, it's all because of him.
You left him. You HAD to leave him. Your family was left behind in Moria and you intended to go and fetch them. You promised him you would return to Erebor but the death of your family while you were away changed that.
I'm talking about your lover, Fili.
The Bartender returns with your drink and you gulp down a few sips the moment he plants the mug on the table. You set the ale down and sigh in satisfaction, the alcohol already taking effect on you as you wipe the foam away with the back of your hand.
Fili. You don't want to think about him anymore. That's why you drink. To forget about him. You want to travel back to Erebor as you promised but now that your family is dead, TWO frightening things that could happen enter your mind:
1) You would be traveling alone now, and that's a year's journey. You would never make it back alive and then Fili would be truly heartbroken.
2) Fili may have already forgotten you. He might have given up hope in seeing you and moved on. By the time you get back to Erebor, he may have a wife and children.
That last thought wanted your heart to shatter and curse every swear word in the world from your lips. You don't cry anymore. You CURSE. The last time you cried was when you were saying goodbye to him. And that was a long time ago.
The sound of drunk laughter, the crackling of the hearth, and spilled ale fills the room and takes your mind off of him. You shake your head. You didn't come here to think. You came here to drink. And drink you shall.
You take another gulp as another thought came to mind. This is silly, dramatic even. Why SHOULD you care about Fili anymore? Thorin is probably deceased and Fili is now King Under The Mountain! He wouldn't care for you anymore either. He'd be a King that doesn't care about anybody because he's too fond of gold. The conclusion came to your mind too fast for your aching heart to manage:
Fili DID forget you. He doesn't love you. You left him, remember?
You sadly sigh and gulp down another sip, letting your depression take over you. Who knows? Fili might be even dead.
That thought quickly brushes away as a stranger in a cloak sits at least three feet away from you. The Bartender notices and starts speaking to the newbie in town. You peer out from underneath your matted hair to listen in on the conversation.
"New to the town?"
"Not really. I've been here...once." His voice was charming, like silk over the skin. Mysterious and charming.
"Close enough. What will it be, sir?"
"Just a pint, thanks."
"No food? You look as if you've had a long journey."
"I ate before I entered the town."
"Alrighty then." The Bartender nodded with a groan as he walked off to get the newcomer's order.
"Thank you." The stranger muttered to himself more than to the Bartender as he slipped away.
You look away the moment when his wet hood turns to your direction. You looked away fast enough that you didn't even see his face. You stared down at your ale awkwardly, feeling his gaze through your messy hair.
"May I ask why you look so down, my lady?"
His voice. You loved it. You smiled inside, hiding your interest. It was the voice of a full-grown man. But when you looked down to avoid his gaze, his mud boots were dangling from his perch. He was short. Like you. He must be a Dwarf. He sounded like a kind dwarf at that. You turn to him. His face was still covered by shadow and cloak as he stared back at you. You frown.
"It is just the ale. That is all."
"Do you drink often?"
Your eyebrows furrow. "Yes. But I do not see how that makes a difference."
"Oh, but it does. Your lovely face looks weary and dull. Almost as if you've been in this nasty habit for a while. Your hair is knotted, almost as if you never brush it. You look pale and skinny, almost as if you rarely eat."
You felt embarrassed. Are you really that horrible looking, a STRANGER can see your pain? You felt ashamed of yourself and cowered back.
"There is no need to be ashamed, kind lady. I have only read the signs of a broken heart."
You look at him, your lips forming a small 'O' and eyes widen in shock. You hate showing this much of yourself to a stranger and shook off the feeling, hiding away from the world and shrugging.
"Not much of a heartbreak, but some foolishness I forgot to do years ago." You gulp down another sip.
"Oh, yes it IS heartbreak. I can see it in your eyes."
You growl in pure annoyance of the stranger as the Bartender sets down his drink in front of him. As he walks away, the stranger pushes it aside, not thirsty. His hood stays cocked to you as he talks.
"So fair...So cold...So...lonely. As if you've been hiding from the light for far too long. Like a flower in the dead of night, praying for someone to shed some light on your beautiful petals."
You felt like blushing at such words of poetry, but you stayed glum. You will not show weakness. You have not shown your soft side to ANYONE for five years, why start now? The last time you felt like blushing at such concern and lovely voice was with...
Him.
Realization hits you and you snap your head towards the stranger, gulping quickly as you try to stare under the hood. You could finally, after five years, feel the tears sting your eyes.
You didn't trust your voice but you used it anyway. It cracked when you said his name. "Fili?"
He ducked further into his hood and you frowned. No. It CAN'T be him. Fili doesn't love you enough to travel ALL the way from Erebor to Bree. You turn angrily and started to gulp down loads of ale.
That was what upsets the stranger and he angrily pulls the ale away from your lips. He pushed the mug away from you and out of your reach. He hated to see you like this.
"Damn it, Y/N. Stop drinking!"
You froze and stared up at the stranger, wide-eyed. WAS he even a stranger to begin with? He knew your name! Then it snapped into place. You knew why you suddenly wanted to giggle and flirt with the man. You knew why you were charmed by his silky voice. It was him. It was him all along.
"...Fili? Is it REALLY you?"
Finally, the dwarf sighed and pulled back his hood. Memories of the sight of his golden mane, dark eyes and charming smile filled your mind as his features came into view. His face looked older and more handsome. Same with his voice. It sounded wiser and mature. But deep down, through the playful smirk he had on his face, he was still that prankster you fell in love with.
"In the flesh, love," he whispered with a sympathetic smile.
The tears streamed past your cheek as you sadly smiled. You jumped into his arms, both of you falling from your stool, laughing. You both fell to the wooden floor and you landed on top of him. You were both grinning from ear to ear as you looked into each other's eyes. He looked up at you with a sad smile.
"I thought you hated me for leaving." You said shyly.
He laughed and leaned up to kiss your nose. "I was never angry with you. I was sad that I lost you. Finally, I had enough and I went searching for you. I looked everywhere! The Iron Hills...Moria...Rivendell...Mirkwood.."
You giggled for the first time in five years and you leaned down closer, kissing him fully on the lips and silencing him. His beard tickled your cheek and his lips started to kiss you back, full and passionate. He tasted of honey and wine, the perfect compliments to his lips that you've loved for years. You missed his lips, even though he's only kissed you twice in the past.
"I love you," you mumbled into the kiss.
His hands gently went up your waist, his lovely touch sending shivers down your spine as he kissed you back. "I love you, too."
The Bartender looked over the counter to glare at them laying on the floor. "Oi! Get a room!"
The two of you break and you and the rest of the costumers laughed joyfully and some people slurred their laughs since they were drunk. Fili smirked up at you.
"Maybe we should."
You smirked. It felt like the two of you were younger again and grinning at each other when you got into trouble. The two of you stood and ran up the stairs where the rooms are and well...well you know what happened;)
You never drank an ale again. You had all you needed right in front of you.