So yeah, this is just shameless fluff, pure and simple. Just a sweet, funny little family story between our Durin boys because that's what I felt like writing. Hope you all enjoy! And check out my other Hobbit stories too, if you want to see more of the lads :)

A note of ages: I'm still not sure about the actual dwarf/human age difference thing. But in this story I say Fili is 20, thinking he's probably around 15 in dwarf years and Kili is 15 though in dwarf years about 10.

And yeah, I don't own the characters, sadly.

Go To Sleep!

A Hobbit Fanfic

The rain came all of a sudden and they still had ten miles to travel before they reached home, so Thorin decided it best to stop at an inn for the night instead of pressing on and catching colds that would induce no end of scolding from Dis. The boys were overly excited, both with the adventure of the hunt, and with the prospect that they would get to sleep at an inn for the night and Thorin had to rein them in before they caused havoc for the innkeepers.

"All right, boys, listen up," he said as he stopped them at the door, a hand of each of their shoulders. "You have to be on your best behavior. No horsing around. You are far to old to be acting like children anymore." And indeed they were. Fili was only days away from turning twenty, and Kili had just had his fifteenth birthday last month. But did that stop them from getting into all manor of mischief? No, and Thorin despaired that they ever would stop.

They entered the inn, sighing as the warmth of the fire and the hearty smell of stew and ale enveloped them. They hung their cloaks by the fire to dry and went to find a seat in the crowded tavern. A pretty bar maid came over to them and smiled, causing both Fili and Kili to grin and stare at her obviously, as they jabbed each other in the ribs. Thorin kicked them under the table.

"What can I get you?" she asked.

"Three bowls of stew and ales, please," Thorin said.

Kili looked and Fili and grinned. "Ale!" he whispered and his brother rolled his eyes but he was grinning too. Thorin ignored them.

They all ate heartily when their food came, even Thorin, for they had been out since before dawn and hadn't shot anything, and the cold and rain made them ravenous. They finished their stew and ordered more, enjoying the rich, savory flavor more this time as they weren't quite so desperate for sustenance.

When the second bowl had been scraped clean, Kili leaned back in his chair with a groan, patting his belly. "Mm, that was good. I'm finally full. Can I have another ale?"

"No," Thorin said firmly and reached into his purse for money. He went up to the bar and handed the fare over to the landlady.

"My nephews and I will need lodgings for the night as well," he said.

"We only have one room left," she said. "But it has a big bed, so there will be plenty of room."

"That's fine," Thorin said and paid for the room as well. "Can we leave our cloaks to dry by the fire?"

"You can leave your boots too," she said. "Please do, I get so tired of men tracking mud upstairs."

Thorin gathered his nephews and they plunked their boots down on the hearth with several other pairs and headed up the stairs to their room. Kili gave a gasp of delight as he saw the giant bed that could have easily slept six. He took a running leap and landed flat on his back, snuggling into the soft mattress.

"This is so much softer than our ones at home!" he said in delight. "Come on, Fili, jump on it!"

Thorin grabbed Fili by the back of his tunic before he could join his brother. "None of that," he said firmly. "What did I tell you about acting respectfully?"

"Sorry, Uncle," Fili said. He pulled off his outer tunic and trousers that were still a little damp so he could sleep in his under leggings and shirt. Kili did the same and sprawled on the bed on his back, sighing contentedly. Fili shoved him over so he could get onto the bed as well.

"There's plenty of room, boys," Thorin said. "I'm going to go get our gear. I expect you to start getting ready for bed by the time I get back."

"Yes uncle!" they said together.

Thorin closed the door behind him and Kili instantly turned to his brother with a wicked grin. "Come on Fi, I know you want to do it at least once. Just try!"

"I shouldn't, I promised uncle," Fili said but struggled with the want to prove to his uncle he was almost an adult, and the equally powerful want of staying the troublemaking partner to his younger brother. Finally he couldn't resist.

"Okay, just once, but that's it."

Kili grinned and rolled out of the way as Fili took a running leap onto the bed, laughing uproariously as he did so. Kili was right, the bed was really comfortable. Kili turned to him with a wicked look of mischief in his eyes.

"Want to do it again?"

"We really shouldn't, Ki," Fili said, though reluctantly.

Kili slid off the bed and grabbed his brother's arm, hauling him with him. "Come on, Uncle won't be back for a few more minutes, let's do it. Just one more time!"

"Oh, all right," Fili consented and laughed as he and Kili started against the wall and took a running leap onto the bed. Kili sprang up and started jumping on the bed while Fili rolled over.

"Kili!" he warned, but then his little brother tackled him and brought them both down on the bed and grabbed him in a wrestling hold.

"I'll get you this time, Fi!" he crowed in triumph.

Fili grinned, unable to help himself as he flipped his little brother off of him. "Oh, I don't think so, little brother!"

They wrestled, taunting and laughing until Kili sat on top of Fili and pumped his fist in the air.

"I won!" He grinned down at his brother, sticking out his tongue. "Who's the strongest now?"

He saw too late the wicked glint in Fili's eyes before his older brother darted out his hands and attacked his sides with teasing fingers. Kili shrieked and tried to roll away but Fili followed him with a laugh.

"Don't run now, Ki, I just started proving my point that I'm still stronger than you!"

Fili tackled his brother onto the bed, and tried to pull his shirt up, while Kili curled up to protect his tummy.

"No, please stop!" Kili laughed as Fili wriggled his fingers under his arms instead and Kili flailed, giving his big brother the opportunity to grab his arms and haul him over to the edge of the bed. He hung Kili's head and shoulders off the side of the bed and sat on his legs so that he couldn't fight back. Kili laughed and protested, shrieking like he had when he was a dwarfling as Fili dug his fingers into Kili's sides.

"Stop it, Fi! Stop!" Kili gasped, melting in laughter as he flailed, trying in vain to extricate himself from his brother.

"Oh, I'm not nearly done!" Fili said with a grin, pulling Kili's shirt up, making him shout in protest and tickled his fingers lightly over his brother's tummy, making him wiggle and laugh. Well practiced in the art of tormenting his little brother, Fili went straight spot right under the ribs, where he was most ticklish, making Kili shriek again, helpless with laughter. He tried to cover his belly, but Fili kept shoving his hands away, laughing just as hard as his little brother, and continued tickling mercilessly. Finally, Kili was too tired to do anything but laugh helplessly, and lay limp, tears streaming down his cheeks. Fili stopped tickling, knowing he had won, and he leaned over and hauled his brother up onto the bed again, hugging him as he gasped for breath, still giggling.

"Did you have something to tell me, little brother?" Fili asked mockingly.

"You win," Kili admitted, swatting at Fili, half-heartedly.

Fili grinned and launched another attack on Kili's ribs, making him flail and scream protest, even though he couldn't stop laughing.

Their fun was interrupted as the door crashed open and Thorin strode in, glaring at them.

"What in Durin's name is going on in here? I could hear you all the way down stairs."

Kili instantly wriggled free of his brother, pointing the accusing finger. "He did it, Uncle Thorin, he tickled me, and I couldn't help laughing!"

"He made me jump on the bed first," Fili protested.

"Your games are fine at home, but people are trying to sleep here," Thorin admonished. "Now, I've had the landlady draw up a bath, so get to that. Fili gets to go first."

Fili smirked at Kili who tried to swipe at him as he leapt off the bed. Thorin gave him a warning look and he sat back on the bed sulkingly.

When Fili and Kili had finished their baths, Thorin left them to take his and Kili turned a mischievous eye onto his brother who was lying back on the bed, his eyes already closed, his hands behind his head. Kili grinned, seeing the opportunity for revenge, knowing he couldn't pass it up and crept over quietly, before throwing himself on top of Fili and tickling his fingers in his big brother's exposed armpits. Fili jerked away, startled, then laughed as Kili continued to tickle him, trying to fight to keep his big brother on the bed.

"Oh, so is that what you're playing at, little brother?" Fili asked.

Kili wasn't going to be deterred so easily. He threw himself over Fili's upper body, lying on his side as he yanked Fili's shirt up and began to mercilessly tickle his tummy, all the while trying to keep his big brother from squirming away from him. Fili laughed helplessly, trying to yank his shirt back down, but Kili was pinning his arms to his sides and he could only wiggle back and fourth like a fish as Kili attacked his ribs mercilessly.

"Stop it, Ki!"

"Now you know what it feels like!" Kili said in satisfaction.

"That's enough, stop it!" he tried between gasping giggles, but Kili wasn't about to listen to him, only moving to his sides again that he couldn't protect at the same.

"Please, Ki, that's enough!"

Kili sat up and grinned at his brother, attacking his armpits one last time. Fili was still giggling helplessly and Kili wickedly worked his hand around the back of Fili's neck and squeezed, making him burst out laughing, just as Thorin opened the door, coming back from his bath.

"Didn't I tell you two to stop horsing around?" he asked and they fought to contain their laughter.

"Just getting Fili back, Uncle," Kili replied, trying to appeal to his uncle's sense of justice.

"Well, I think you've done it, so get under those covers and go to sleep, now!"

They fought with the covers frantically and slipped underneath. Kili let out a fake snore and Fili laughed and laughed, soon joined by Kili as Thorin watched in despair, shaking his head.

"Scoot," he commanded and the boys slid over to the other side of the bed as Thorin climbed in as well. He waited until they settled themselves with much struggling. Fili tried to get comfortable as Kili fought to get the most blanket even though he was in the middle already.

"Stop yanking on it, Ki!" Fili protested, yanking the blanket back. Kili hauled it back toward him and then shrieked as Fili assaulted him with more tickles under the blanket to make him let go. He then yelped as Kili tickled him again and finally Thorin turned over and gripped them both by the shoulders.

"Go. To. Sleep," he said slowly.

They stilled instantly and gave up fighting over the blanket. Kili wiggled a moment as he found a comfortable spot curled up against his older brother and Fili shifted to make Kili's comfortable spot comfortable for him as well until Thorin finally thought they had settled in. He closed his eyes, prepared to get some sleep.

Then he was forced from the brink of slumber when Kili let out a protesting grunt, soon followed by a chuckle from Fili.

"Uncle!" he protested. "Fili's tickling me again!"

"Fili, stop it."

"He's putting his cold feet on mine," Fili protested.

Kili grunted, "Yours are so warm!" and Thorin sighed as he turned back over. Another minute later and Fili let out a protest.

"Uncle, he's doing it again!" he cried indignantly.

"You'll both be sleeping on the floor if you don't settle down," Thorin growled.

The silence lasted longer this time. Thorin was almost asleep, when presumably, Kili's feet tucked themselves under Fili's legs to warm them and Fili decided to retaliate by tickling Kili's tummy again. Kili jerked away with a giggling cry and hit Thorin in the back with his elbow and Fili stole most of the blanket again, leaving Thorin with hardly enough to cover himself. He sat up, yanking it back, as he glared at his nephews.

"That's it, you two. Kili, get on my other side, if you can't get along, you're not going to sleep next to each other."

Kili crawled over top of Thorin and settled on his left side while Fili was on his right. Thorin was satisfied that this was likely the end of the matter. He let his nephews settle in and get drowsy as he watched them fondly. They really were good boys, even if they sometimes could get a little out of hand. When he marked their even breathing he smiled, sitting up slowly so as not to wake them and pulling the blanket off of them before he pulled of their shirts. Grinning to himself, he made a swift attack to both of their exposed tummies at once, causing them to jerk awake with cries of protest, that were punctuated with giggles as he tickled mercilessly, watching them squirm with satisfaction that they had learned their lesson.

"Uncle, stop!" they cried together.

After a few more tickles, he rested a hand on each of their bellies as they fought for breath, still giggling. He grinned at them, patting the tortured tummies gently.

"Well, then, did that teach you a lesson?" he asked.

Fili and Kili shared a look and before he could read it, they launched themselves at him and attacked him with tickles of their own, as they both fought to hold him down. He laughed, unable to help himself, and let them have their fun for a minute before he grabbed them both around the waist and pinned them against his chest, sitting up. They were all laughing, breathless, and Fili and Kili lay limply against him.

"Are you ready to sleep now?" he asked, and they nodded, yawning. He let them go and they retreated under the blankets. Thorin lay down between them and they both snuggled up to his sides. He put his arms around them and pinched their sides one last time, smiling at their protests. Then he reached up to stroke their hair and pull their heads onto each shoulder.

"Sleep tight, my brave boys," he whispered and kissed them each in turn before settling back against the pillows and closing his eyes, the three of them falling asleep almost instantly.

See, I told you it was just fluff. I think it might be a couple weeks before I get another story up, because I'm going to start working on a longer Hobbit story which will definitely not be this fluffy. So keep an eye out for that and I might post a couple more one-shots in the meantime. :)