Kíli let out a long sigh into the darkness surrounding him and pulled the sheets further around his chin. He liked sleeping like that, completely cocooned in the blanket except for his face and barricaded in by a mountain of fur pillows that lay surrounding him like a wall. When he wasn't sharing a bed with his brother, this was how he liked to sleep. It was how he felt safe in bed. No flesh exposed, except for his eyes, which gave him both protection and a clear view of any attacker who thought they could creep through the room unnoticed.

He rolled over and expelled yet another mouth full of air from his lungs. Why was this so uncomfortable? He could feel the pins and needles pricking in the tips of his fingers, the coldness of his arm as the blood struggled to reach the parts of his body, numb from lying on them for so long.

It was obviously late. Late enough that the once crackling flames in the small wall fire place of his shared bedroom with his brother had died down, no longer supplying light or warmth to the surrounding room. So late that even Thorin had either gone to bed, or at least fallen asleep in his arm chair.

The brunet rolled back again. Weren't beds meant to be comfortable? Actually help you fall asleep?

''Don't you dare even think about sighing again, or I swear I'll-''

''You're awake?'' Kíli asked, sitting up suddenly, allowing his make shift 'nest' to crumble as he strained against it to see his brother.

''No.'' The bodiless voice spoke up through the thick darkness. Kíli rolled his eyes. He could hear the sarcasm dripping from the words, picture his brother's glare in his mind and picture how the blond's mouth would be pulled down in a unimpressed frown. He knew it was inevitable, all that would be happening if he could just see Fíli 's face clearly enough through the shadows. ''Obviously.''

''Yeah... sorry.'' Kíli mumbled, realizing his mistake, and lent back onto the mound of pillows.

''You will be.'' Fíli replied with mock aggression. There was a prolonged paused in which Kíli fidgeted slightly, wondering if his brother had fallen back to sleep before, ''Can't you sleep?''

''No.''

''Nor me.''

''Oh.''

It felt odd to be having a conversation with an invisible person - only a voice - even though he knew it was his brother talking. He, of course, had done it before but normally such conversations would happen when both were sharing the same bed. However this had not happened for some time, it was obvious that Fíli felt he was 'far too old' for that now, and Kíli tried his hardest to follow his elder siblings example. Though, talking like at night did sometimes happened when the fire still burnt so brightly that Kíli would be able to make out his brother's figure lying in the bed across the room from him.

''Just couldn't sleep?'' Kíli asked, his voice barely a whisper in fear of waking up their mother - but more importantly their uncle. Thorin could be slightly more than 'un-agreeable' when tired.

''It's hard to sleep when some one's breathing so loudly.'' Kíli laughed which was answered by a light chuckle from the blond.

''Sorry.''

''It's fine.'' The conversations paused yet again for another few seconds, in which Kíli took a moment to roll back into his original position on his back and loosed his barricades. If Fíli was awake too, at least that meant he would have some sort of protection if someone unwelcome broke in.

''On a scale to one to thirteen, how tired actually are you?'' Kíli lowered his brow at the question, however chose to continue keeping eye contact with the ceiling.

''Which one's the least tired?''

''One.'' Kíli paused for a moment.

''...Seven?''

''You sound so unsure.'' The brunet heard the smirk in his brother's voice, thankful he couldn't see it as he knew a grin like that from Fíli would always manage to make the blood rush to his cheeks. Fíli always knew what to say to embarrass him, even if it wasn't an embarrassing situation. That was brothers, he guessed.

''What? Was it a trick question or something?''

''No, I was interested. So you're a seven?''

''Yeah, no - eight.'' The brunet pouted slightly. He knew he was over thinking the question, but who cared? ''You?''

''Probably 'bout nine and a half.''

''Oh.''

Kíli closed his eyes and let out the sigh he couldn't hold in any longer. He didn't know why but whenever he couldn't sleep that was what he did, sigh and roll back and forth on his bed to different positions to try and find sleep. But most times, like that night, sleep didn't come. He only wished that his brother hadn't grown up so much to not want his little brother in the same bed as him.

''Nice to see you've let down your defensive wall.'' Fíli chuckled lightly through the darkness. ''I don't think you need all those blankets and pillows just to go to sleep, it's not like it's cold or anything.''
''It's just-'' Kíli bit his lip, stopping himself from continuing. His brother didn't need to know that the blankets were there instead of the blond's body heat, or the fur pillows were to trick his tired self into thinking his brother was with him. He trusted Fíli with his life, and without the once constant body that used to be there in his younger years when he slept, Kíli found it hard to trust sleep without his brother there.

Kíli snapped his head around suddenly as cold air hit his bare chest. He shivered, trying to strain his eyes into the darkness to see what was going on. Oh Mahal, Fíli had stopped talking - they were under attack. This was anything but good,

''Budge up.''

What?

''Move over would you.'' Fíli slid next to the brunet, who shuffled along but unable to hide the confusion covering his features.

''What're you doing?''

''What does it look like.'' Fíli threw his head down on the nearest pillow, his nose only inches from his brothers, a wide grin covering his face. ''It was cold over there.''

Kíli smiled. 'Fíli felt he was 'far too old' for that now', but it was now obvious that he only thought he was.

''You looked lonely.''

''You were only over there.'' Kíli mumbled, wishing to make his brother believe that he had been happy enough with him over the other side of the room.

''I know.'' A loud snore filled the air and both brothers froze, shrinking into the bed as they waited for the air to silence again. It did.

''I guess Uncle's asleep then.'' Kíli whispered, followed by Fíli giving a snort and attempting to muffle his laughs.

''Mahal, I thought there was an Oliphant in the house.''

''What'd you mean thought?'' Kíli asked, raising his eyebrow at his brother.

''What - Oh! Cheeky.'' The blond extended his leg, giving his brother a small kick in the darkness. ''You want to be careful who you're calling an Oliphant - considering I just came all the way over here for you.''

''All the way, meaning about four steps.''

''Trust me, I have no problem travelling back all those four steps to sleep in my own bed if that is what you so wish.''

''No.'' Kíli said. ''Sorry.''
"Thought so.'' He couldn't help but roll his eyes at that. Fíli was always so over dramatic, he always pretend to be hurt or shocked by what his brother would say even though he wasn't. Fíli could be both the drama queen and the over protective brother, but always seemed to know what to do in every situation, another reason why Kíli tried to follow his example.

''It's also just so much better over this side of the room.'' Kíli put in, grinning widely.

''You obviously haven't been to my side recently, it's perfect. But maybe that's because you're not there.''

''Harsh.''

''I know.''

''So...''

Kíli could see quite clearly, through the semi darkness, that his brother now lay with his eyes closed so he fell silent, fearing he would disturb his sleeping brother if he continued the conversation.

''You asleep?''

''No.'' Fíli whispered, though he kept his eyes tight shut as he spoke. ''I'm imagining Erebor.''

''So you think Ma'll let us go then.''

''I'm going even if she doesn't.''

''But what if she lets you but not me?''

''She wouldn't do that.''

''Will you tell me what you see in Erebor?'' Kíli asked, knowing full well that his brother had seen no more of the Lonely Mountain other than their Uncle's map. Though that didn't stop him from being curious at what his brother saw.

''Gold and blue. Those two colours, they're everywhere. Like the same shades as Uncle's travel clothes, but instead of cloth it's marble. Marble everything. It's so cold to touch but it doesn't stop us stroking the smooth rock, that has the occasional dent that is a rune. Uncle says that it's where he and his brother used to write runes into the rock when grandmother wasn't looking. They spell out their names. One neat lines - Frerin's writing - the other wonky, or badly carved - Thorin's. There's a small 'D' next to Frerin's name which he tells us was done for Ma but by Frerin. We walk along and there's Balin and Dwalin looking at a huge pile of golden coins. Uncle walks over, but you and I, we walk to the other side.''

''What's on the other side.''

''Nothing.''

''What? Why don't we go to the gold? We could be rich.''

''Because - you idiot - we already are. We have each other.''

''That's really soppy.''

''I know. Now, are you going to shut up?'' The brunet gave a vigorous nod, staring intently at his brother as he hung on the edge of the rest of his words.

''Good. So, Thorin looks up at us from the other side of the huge hall and gives us this massive grin. We both don't really know how to reply, 'cause I mean, who's seen Uncle smile like that? You laugh, you think his face is going to crack, and I don't blame you, it just doesn't seem natural.''

''You see, and now you travel into the world of fiction, Fíli . But Erebor's going to be great none the less.''

''I know - Smaug doesn't stand a chance.'' Kíli let out a laugh. To Fíli at least, the dragon was only a minor set back. Always the positive. ''Will you tell me more?''

''If I must,'' The blond let out a long sigh, smirking as Kíli raised his eyebrows in questioning his brother's tone. ''Close your eyes then. Okay, we travel over the vast lands of Middle-Earth between here, the Blue Mountains, and the Lonely Mountain itself. Through the Greenwood and up the Running River. You're stood back in the centre of the throne room. Inside the mountain, even with all the marble, its not as cold as you expect it to be - probably the lingering warmth of the dragon. You test it. No, as you excepted, no dragon breath.'' Kíli , with his eyes still tightly closed, breathed out slowly as if to test the air. ''You move over to the walls and put your back onto the cold stone. It feels so odd. One side of you, you have warmth hitting your face but it is instantly answered by the coolness stroking your back.''

''Can we please go somewhere warmer?'' Kíli mumbled, half asleep, as if completely convinced that he was actually stood in the hall of the Lonely Mountain.

''Uncle is beckoning you to go to him, so you move over to him, ignoring-''

''Where's Fíli ?'' The blond paused.

''You see me stood next to Thorin. You walk over to both of us and Thorin smiles, offering you a small, golden harp. You smile back.'' Kíli 's lips twitched upwards as if in answer to his uncle's gift. ''Uncle says we should entertain ourselves for awhile so he can sort some stuff out-''

''He should say thank you to the Burglar.''

''If we have a Burglar, Gandalf said he was looking for a Hero. Anyway, Uncle leaves to say thank you to our 'Burglar', who ever that will be, and you take the harp from him. We leave his side and walk into the centre of the huge throne room - which also happens to be the warmest place in the whole of Erebor.'' Fíli shuffled slightly closer to his brother, taking in a deep breath of Kíli 's distinctive smell. ''We sit cross-legged on the, once again, marble floor. You grin widely and begin to pluck at the harp. It's beautiful Kíli . You play amazing - I promise even Mahal is crying at your playing.''

''It's just raining, Fíli .''

''No Kíli . I join in your playing and soon enough we are both playing - I'm loathed to admit it but this is one thing you are far better at than me. I mean, apart from archery.'' Fíli paused, grinning widely as his brother's face broke into a proud smile, and began to sing softly in a hushed whisper.

''They say that home is where your heart lies,

I promise you,

We will drink to our youth and to those days here and to go.

They say that home is a place where you are needed,

Surely we are home now,

For we drink to our youth and the days come and gone.

With our blood and out steel,

I will make sure your home to live those days before they go.

I promise you I will take you home.

Surely we are there by now...''

Fíli stopped. The soft breathing of Kíli evened out and the smile faded as the brunet's whole body relaxed into the sound of his brother's voice. Eight - as if. Fíli let out a small breath like laugh and moved closer to his brother's heat. Kíli was always warm, and even if it wasn't the main reason why he had moved beds, it was definitely a positive to have the constant heat source there.

''Good night.''

And that was how Dís found her two sons the next morning, in a heap of sheets and limps, that mirrored the many previous times. She smiled to herself as he re-closed the door softly. It had been a while since they did that. Maybe, just maybe, she could part with them for long enough for them to reclaim Erebor.
Her dear, stupid, perfect boys.

A/N: Please review! Thank you for reading!