Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Fíli arrived before Ori did, so he was waiting while pacing down the corridor outside of Balin’s office, wondering when his partner would arrive. 

After Fíli had walked the length of the hallway a number of times, he heard one set of foot steps, and that made him glance up to see Ori walking towards him. When Fíli saw how the scribe was dressed, and then the more intricate braids he sported, the former understood why Ori hadn’t shown up close to when he did. 

For a moment, Fíli just stared. 

Ori had been beautiful to him for quite some time, whether he had acknowledged it or not in any way outside of his subconscious thoughts. However, the dwarf that walked before him looked exquisite; ethereal, even. 

The scribe, appearing to notice his reaction, blushed slightly, but did not look away as he came to a stop about an arm’s length away from Fíli. Instead, Ori smiled softly at him, which the latter eventually found himself able to return. 

For a moment, Fíli had to glance away to regain control of his thoughts. 

It seemed their families had been of similar minds at least, deciding it was best for both of them to show up dressed well. 

When Fíli’s eyes met Ori’s again, the latter was gazing up at him, his mouth partially open, as he took in the grandeur that Fíli’s own family had told him was necessary for the evening. They had assured him that Ori would appreciate it, and at that moment, Fíli realized they were right. It had been worth it, if only to see that look on Ori’s face. He’d never witnessed it before, but it made Fíli nothing short of elated to see it directed at just him. 

Fíli cleared his throat, then said, “You look marvelous.”

Ori’s cheeks reddened further, then he said, “As do you.”

Fíli reached out his right hand, and Ori took it. After, Fíli lifted it up and pressed a kiss to the back of it, just above the knuckles. Ori smiled warmly at him. 

“Are you ready for this?”

Ori nodded. 

With their hands intertwined, Fíli knocked on the door to Balin’s study. The elder dwarf responded from within, urging them to come in. 

So, Fíli reached forward, and pressed the door open. 

What they found was not only Balin, but a whole host of others. Thorin, Bilbo, Amad, Bethilda, Ailís, Kíli, Tauriel, Gimli, Gila, Gerda, Nori, Dori, Dwalin, and Balin, all stood in the office behind Balin’s large ornate wooden desk. It had never been so packed, to his recollection. 

Fíli’s face must have shown his shock. 

“You didn’t think you’d get married without us here, did you?” Kíli asked, his face a touch incredulous as he walked closer to them both. 

Fíli smiled as he shut the door. 

“I was told a proper ceremony was to be held eventually.”

Kíli scoffed. 

“That’s for the kingdom, Fee. This is for you and Ori, as well as all of us, to celebrate you both without strangers around.”

It was then that Fíli let go of Ori’s hand, and went to his brother who hugged him so tightly, whilst Kíli received an equally tight embrace in return. 

“I love you, Nadad,” Kíli said beside his right ear.

Fíli replied, “I love you, too, nadadith. Always.”

He heard Kíli choking up, and so Fíli pulled apart to witness all of the others standing there watching them. Briefly he glanced at Ori, who looked up at him with such happiness, it was breathtaking.

Fíli held out his hand to Ori again, who readily took it, and they stepped forward together to where the contract was laid out on the desk. It was the sort one signed if they were duty bound alone, rather than the nascent relationship he and Ori had begun in earnest over the last nine days. However, it was still better than letting anyone try to deny them the right to a marriage at all, he felt. 

Fíli glanced up to see all of their family and friends watching them, some smiling more than others, but all of them there to support the two dwarrow they loved. It warmed his heart to see. It was truly more than he could have ever hoped for. 

“Your Highness, there is little left to do, but sign the document. Guild Master Dori and I, alongside King Thorin and Princess Dís, have been in close conversation, making certain it is as much to your benefit as it is to Master Ori’s.”

Fíli already knew as much as the rest present what had been happening behind closed doors for the past week. However, Balin was a formal sort at times, so he did not comment on the lack of necessity. Instead, he turned to Ori at his right. 

This was really it. After the ink was laid down, they would be wed. He would be a husband; Ori’s husband. Ori would be his husband; the Crown Prince’s Consort. 

Their hands were still interlocked as Fíli watched Ori notice he was looking down at him. 

Fíli offered a smile, then asked, “Would you like to sign first, or should I?”

“Perhaps you should go first. I’ve been told my signature is a tough act to follow,” Ori said, a hint of a smile after he did.

Fíli wasn’t sure what he had expected, but it wasn’t that. He laughed then kissed Ori’s left cheek. After, he bent down and did as best a neat, clean job as he could with his right hand. His penmanship wasn’t the worst, but it would never exceed Ori’s, no matter how long they lived. 

Ori’s left hand reached out after, then took up the quill as if it were made to be there. True to his word, his smaller hand did not shake, and painted such a beautiful signature on that contract. When the quill dropped back down, it was done. 

Then, Fíli saw only briefly what Ori meant to do as his husband turned to him, before the smaller dwarf shot up and met his mouth with a firm kiss, while arms wrapped around his neck. Stunned only briefly to the sound of hoots and hollers, Fíli wrapped his arms around Ori, and held him close as they continued the long, but chaste kiss. 

Eventually, Ori pulled away, and grinned up at him still. There was a dark blush on his face, while his eyes were shining again. 

It was, his whole life under consideration, one of Fíli's favorite moments to date. No one could ever be what Ori was to him, even then, as new as their relationship was. 

Fíli and Ori eventually turned to their friends and family, who were all some sort of stunned or happy. Then there was more clapping, and a cacophony of well wishes that followed, but it was all welcomed from those that had come together for them. 

Balin cleared his throat, which brought everyone to attention. Kíli, Fíli noticed, looked brimming with excitement that could not have just been for what had just happened. 

Suddenly, Fíli was suspicious, as he looked elswhere. Ori was glancing towards Balin at their left though, and hadn’t yet caught on. 

“Very well. This contract has now, by our laws, met all conditions to be considered legitimate. Congratulations, Crown Prince Fíli and Prince Consort Ori,” Balin said, with an official air. 

However, there was a large smile on the elder dwarf’s face that was more familial than anything else. 

Fíli smiled back at him. 

“That’s all very well and good, but it is now time for the rest of your evening to begin,” Gila said. 

When Fíli turned to her, his brow furrowed. 

She smiled. 

“I mean the part we can all be present for,” Gila said, clearly noticing his confusion. 

The rest of the room laughed at that assertion, to varying degrees. 

“What are you talking about, Lady Gila?” Ori asked. 

“What she means, Ori, is that we’ve all prepared a surprise for you both,” Kíli said. 

Fíli and Ori shared a look. 

“Did you know about this?” Ori asked. 

Fíli shook his head. 

“No, Ori, somehow no one managed to breathe a word to either of you. It’s a Mahal sent miracle, quite honestly,” Amad said. 

She came to stand near them both, and looked at Ori. 

“Do you mind if I hug you now?” 

Ori shook his head, then soon his mother and husband were embracing. Fíli watched, his heart so full right then. 

He heard her whisper, “Welcome to the family,” as the princess pulled away from Ori. 

Ori smiled, and soon, they were both being hugged or clapped on the back in some way as everyone was filing out of Balin’s office, finally. 

Kíli led the charge to the Company dining hall, where the table had been laden with food. Afterwards, many of the Company, alongside others who were not at the impromptu wedding, found seating around the long table. Both Fíli and Ori shared a look of shock as they walked into it all, then smiled at each other. 

Given the long hours they had sat with their families earlier to get ready, Fíli figured both of them were hungry, so he led Ori there. Together they filled their plates, then sat down where Bilbo and his Amad had designated for them to, at a makeshift table on a platform, higher than the rest elsewhere in the room. It was as if they were at a real wedding reception; which they might as well have been right then. 

“This is all very loud, but quite lovely,” Ori said, after eating some of his food. 

“Will you be okay for now?”

Ori nodded. 

“I’ll manage. Thank you, though.”

Fíli smiled, then they both lapsed into silence to eat. 

Fíli noticed Gila had taken to sitting beside Bethilda and Aílis. She met his eyes at one point, and smiled at him, after the three dwarrowdams had shared a good laugh over what he could only imagine. He grinned back, then looked elsewhere in the room. 

Legolas stood with Tauriel, a bit away from everyone else, alongside Kíli and Gimli. 

It appeared that his younger cousin was being introduced to the elven prince. Given Glóin’s own dislike of elves, but Gimli’s uncle Óin’s respect for Tauriel at least, Fíli could only wonder how that would turn out. Gimli liked Tauriel well enough, and respected her even, too, so perhaps it wasn’t anything to worry about, really. 

With Kíli nearby, Fíli was certain he would hear about it eventually, regardless of the outcome. 

Dwalin, Nori and Bofur were having a lively discussion near Thorin and Bilbo. They were so loud, Fíli even caught some snippets of it, distinctly hearing ‘our future pebbles’, and that had him raising his eyebrows. He wondered about that, but found that until he knew more, couldn’t properly guess what it meant. 

Thorin and Bilbo, were of course, wrapped around each other. Fíli could see the former’s temporary cane nearby, even though his hobbit uncle was sitting on top of Thorin. The chair they rested in was pulled out, however, and it appeared from his vantage point that Bilbo was avoiding resting atop anywhere to do with his husband’s knees. The hobbit was feeding Thorin every so often, which Fíli knew from past conversations was an intimate thing for his shorter uncle, so he glanced away from that display. 

Balin and Dori were quietly conversing to one another, with the latter only occasionally glancing up towards where his youngest brother sat. There was a fretful look on his face, and in truth, Fíli did not know what to make of that. Not long before, the eldest ‘Ri sibling had seemed quite happy for them, he remembered. Perhaps, whatever they discussed, was of a personal nature. He knew them to be close, so it was entirely possible it had nothing to do with either him or Ori, and Dori was just doing as he always had; keeping an eye on his youngest brother when and where he could.

Bifur and Bombur were the next liveliest two at the table, seated in the middle of it across from each other, tossing food and laughing whether they managed to make it in each other’s mouths or not. Fíli smiled at that, as he drank some of his water nearby that had been left for him.

After, he glanced to see Óin and his brother on the opposite end of the large table closest to him and Ori, where they were in quieter conversation, the latter seeming to have noticed his son’s current activities. The elder of the two looked to be talking his younger brother from storming over to where Gimli was with Kíli, Tauriel, and Legolas. 

Fíli laughed at that, as he swallowed another bite of food. 

“What?” Ori asked. 

Fíli glanced to his right, where Ori sat. His husband had a curious expression on his face. 

“Oh, I noticed Glóin’s caught on to Gimli being introduced to Legolas.”

“Ah,” Ori said, a hint of a smirk on his face then. 

“I am curious to see how that plays out, truth be told.”

“Legolas is a decent sort, I think. He’s likely to know more about stars than anyone else here. Perhaps he and Gimli could strike up a friendship over that, or something more, one day. Wouldn’t that be something?” Ori said with a hint of mischief in his voice, after he took a drink from the mug of water in front of him. 

Fíli smiled at that idea. 

Just days ago he had been worried about Ori caring for Gimli in any non-platonic way, and right then, Fíli felt foolish for having even considered such a thing. Ori had proven time and again over the course of such a short span of days that Fíli was the only one he saw as anything close to being a potential romantic partner. 

Oh, the fools jealousy could make, when given even crumbs of doubt to feed upon.

“It would. Though, just remember, it will likely be our problem if it happens. Glóin’s reaction, I would wager, has nothing on what Thranduil would do if he found out yet another from his realm, specifically his own son, became the partner of a dwarf from this very kingdom.”

Ori chuckled. 

“Is it wrong for me to hope it might actually happen, if only so that Thranduil has to take notice of problems outside of himself for a change?”

Fíli sighed. 

“I see you and Legolas had an interesting conversation.”

Ori gave him one of those glances, which said he thought whatever he was about to say next was obvious. 

“Well, part of being married to you will be maintaining good relationships with those outside of our own kingdom, yes?”

Fíli nodded. 

For a moment he sat there eating still, then a thought occurred to him, which had him swallowing then turning to Ori again. 

“Is that what you were trying to do with Stonehelm?”

Ori’s nose wrinkled at the mention of him, which admittedly made Fíli happy to see, before the scribe nodded. 

“I can’t imagine this is what you would want to discuss tonight. However, if you must know, I only spoke to him because it was easier to focus on a conversation after what happened than return home where my siblings might ask what was wrong. He wasn’t unkind to me then, and we weren’t speaking of anything to do with kingdoms or diplomacy. I didn’t even know who he was until Gila came to talk to me, in fact. Before she ran him off, I thought he was an okay, friendly sort, even.”

Well, that certainly explained a few things. Truth be told, though, Fíli was surprised Stonehelm hadn’t tossed around his title, as he seemed prone to do whenever he was around. 

Ori gave him a look, then moved to where he was close enough that their faces could touch. 

“He still has nothing on you though.”

Fíli smiled, as Ori pressed a kiss into his right cheek, before his husband sat back properly in his chair again. 

“Thank you, for taking the initiative with Legolas before. Perhaps, one day, when Stonehelm isn’t such a prat, you at least might get along with him.”

Fíli sighed, as he stared down at the fork in his hand, twisting it about a bit, before he added.

“You are correct; diplomacy between the various leaders is important. Legolas does much of the public facing efforts for the Greenwood these days, so that’s at least something in our favor, for now. The rest will have to be worked out over time.”

“So long as Stonehelm stops disrespecting others, I think I could manage there. I believe anyone deserves a second chance, if they’re willing to properly make amends. Besides, I know a thing or two about handling prat princes, after all,” Ori said cheekily. 

Fíli rolled his eyes, and tossed a piece of lettuce he had no intention of eating towards Ori. He took care to make sure it didn’t actually land on his husband though. He didn’t think Nori or Dori would ever forgive him if he ruined their wonderful handiwork. Nevermind, Ori might actually retaliate, and then it could lead to a family feud neither really wished to deal with. 

Ori watched the lettuce fall near his plate, then shook his head.

“You would throw something green at me.”

The affronted tone of voice actually had Fíli chuckling a bit and sending Ori another smile. Ori appeared to be fighting one of his own, when a new voice joined their conversation.

“Alright, before you two get any other ideas,” Gila said, which brought Fíli’s attention forward. 

She was standing before the table, with Kíli and Gimli both behind her, each holding up one end of a metal tray that held a large, three tier bright, yellow cake. 

“Gee, what is that?”

Gila smiled warmly up at Fíli.

“My contribution to your surprise here. I made it myself this morning. My Amad alongside yours, even tasted it, and said it was excellent.”

Gila then looked at Ori. 

“Ori, I know we haven’t known each other for long, but I hope that you will accept this gift as an apology for my poor showing to you the other day. I am sorry for how we properly met, but I look forward to knowing you more now than I ever have before. Thank you, for caring as much about Fíli as he seems to care about you. May this be a proper start to a lifelong friendship between us both.”

Fíli glanced at Ori, who seemed genuinely shocked. 

For a moment, his husband was very quiet, until Ori said, “You didn’t need to apologize. You were only trying to protect him, as I have done myself more recently. Though, thank you very much for the cake. I have no doubt we will both love it.”

Gila smiled, then nodded. 

“Whether you think so or not, I wanted you to know I do regret it. If I had stopped to listen long enough to you both, then perhaps the day would have gone smoother. Alas, we can only continue forward.”

“With that in mind, where would you like the cake, Gee?” Gimli asked. 

“If both Fee and Ori are through eating, you both could put it up there.”

Fíli glanced at Ori, who nodded. 

Soon, they were clearing away their food, and Ori cast off their dirty dishes on a spare spot at the main table. 

The cake came to rest in front of them, and then Gila was holding a sword which Fíli did not recognize. 

Fíli looked at Kíli on instinct; his younger brother was smiling broadly. 

“Where did that sword come from?” Fíli asked.

“You’re not the only one who knows your way around a forge, Nadad.”

“You did this?” Fíli probed. 

“I did. It’s actually for Ori. He doesn’t have a proper blade, but now that he’s married to you, he should. I may be a leatherworker, but what you and Thorin do rubbed off on me enough that my work is more than passable at this point, I think.”

Fíli inspected the sword with a keen eye, and found himself in agreement with that assertion. 

“It is excellent, Kee. When did you find the time?” Fíli asked.

“Oh, here and there.”

Ori’s voice was the next one that Fíli heard, despite the swell of noise all around them. 

“Kíli, this is beautiful. I never knew you could do something like this before.”

Kíli grinned towards Ori.

“I am a dwarf of many surprises, I’ve been told.”

“I don’t know how to thank you,” Ori said. 

“Keep on making Fíli smile as you have been, and we’ll call it even,” Kíli said, congenially. 

Fíli glanced at Ori, who was grinning shyly over at him, before he said, “I’ll do my best. However, I do have to ask, what does this sword have to do with right now?”

Fíli met Gila’s eyes, her brown eyes were dancing with mirth. 

“I think I have an idea, Ori,” Fíli said, as he turned to where his husband stood. 

“She means for us to cut the cake with this, doesn’t she?” Ori asked, when their eyes met. 

“Precisely,” Gila said.

“Do you have any objections to that idea?” Fíli asked. 

Ori shook his head. 

“None. I was merely surprised.”

Soon, Gila was bringing everyone’s attention to where they were, her voice somehow piercing the veil of sound that was their combined loved ones everywhere around. 

“If you will all bring your attention over here, please.”

Faced with the weight of a room full of stares, Fíli found it easier to simply look at Ori, instead. When their eyes met, he realized the scribe had the same idea. 

Fíli smiled, then asked, “Would you like to do the honors, yasthûn?”

The word was new, but it felt right on his tongue, when directed at Ori. 

“How about we both do it together? I’ll stand in front of you, and you can reach around me, putting your arms over mine? This is as much for me as it is for you, after all.”

Fíli grinned, then nodded. 

“Okay.”

Together they stood and did as Ori had suggested. 

A piece was soon put on a plate that appeared from somewhere. It was just big enough for them both to share. Forks were placed on their plate for them, and then there was clapping all around the room. 

Together they sat again, as Kíli and Gimli saw to it that the rest of those around them received a piece if they wanted one. 

Meanwhile, Fíli and Ori were both picking up their forks. Before either could take a bite, Ori said, “Would you mind if we tried something?”

“What’s that?”

Ori blushed a little. 

“We don’t have to, but it’s a tradition of Men, when they marry. The two new spouses each use their hands to feed each other the first bite of cake, if there is one.”

Fíli saw no reason not to, so he said, “Okay.”

In truth, it reminded him a bit of what Bilbo had spoken of with regard to his own traditions. Fíli liked the idea of melding even a portion of his hobbit uncle’s customs with that of their own dwarrow ones, as Bilbo was family, just like others in the room. 

Fíli and Ori scooted closer, then after each had a piece of the cake within their grasps, did as Ori suggested again that night. He really was full of some great ideas, the former thought, as the flavor explosion properly set off in his mouth around the first bite that Ori put there. 

Together they watched each other, both clearly liking what they had eaten. That they were sharing the moment, knowing it had come about from the love others had for them, made it all the more special. 

Soon, they were both swallowing, and drinking some water, once errant crumbs had been dusted out of their meticulously crafted beards. 

“That was the best cake I have ever had,” Ori said. 

“Gila is quite handy when it comes to anything related to food. It’s something she’s known for, actually,” Fíli said. 

“My compliments to her efforts then. I will have to thank her later.”

“Or, you could thank me now,” Gila said, amusement clear in her tone when she walked closer to Ori. 

Ori chuckled. 

“Thank you again, Gila. I have never tasted something so flavorful, and spongey at the same time. It melted in my mouth. This is truly a work of culinary mastery.”

Gila grinned, then fluttered her eyelashes a little, and said, “You really know how to flatter someone. No wonder Fíli is so taken with you.”

Ori’s eyes widened, and he appeared like he was too stunned to speak. His eyes met Fíli’s, who said, “Gee, don’t put him into shock, by Mahal.”

Gila snorted. 

“No, I think that’s something closer to your job, Fee, actually.”

Fíli groaned, but he heard Ori laughing softly, which made him less worried then. 

Shortly after they finished off the rest of their cake, instruments were broken out, and though it was an impromptu party, there was dancing and music as if it weren’t. This was by far a better wedding than one they would eventually have to partake in for the sheer pageantry before the kingdom, Fíli decided right then and there.

“Care to take a few turns about the room?” Fíli asked, holding his right hand out to Ori. 

“Before you do that, indulge me,” Kíli said, coming up to them with some alcohol at Fíli’s left. 

Fíli shared a glance with Ori, who nodded. 

It was one drink, out of small glasses, they soon learned. 

Before they managed to down them, though, Kíli cleared his throat, and called out, “Attention, everyone, attention.”

The space surprisingly quieted relatively soon as they had earlier for Gila, and then Fíli watched as Kíli turned to him, and smiled. 

“Today my Nadad has joined in marriage with Ori, who is probably the best dwarf to be tied to his sorry sack. For some reason, it seems to me that Ori here thinks the sun shines out of his arse even more than I do. For that, I am grateful.”

There was an array of laughter throughout the room; whether anyone actually thought Kíli was funny or they were just humoring him out of genuine affection for him, Fíli couldn’t be sure because his eyes were focused then on his younger brother still. 

Kíli then held up his glass as he turned to them both again, and said, “Let us drink to your good health and long lives. May you each be blessed with both, alongside at least enough niblings that my arms have one to hold a piece. All I ask is that I not be present for their conceptions.”

Fíli laughed, while he heard Ori chuckling softly. Then together alongside the rest of the hall, they tipped back their glasses and drank the toast; it was a dry, but slightly fruity wine of some sort. 

Instruments soon played in earnest again, and those who were not making the music, began to take each other to the floor. 

Ori held out his left hand, and shortly after Fíli was leading him to the makeshift space cleared for such things that night. Afterwards, they were spinning about as they had practiced with Gerda. Unlike then, Ori wasn’t so worried; he seemed more confident than Fíli had ever seen him while dancing, as they swayed together. 

Buoyed up by the happiness he felt, Fíli lifted Ori again. Ori held on around his neck and went with the movement more easily than he had the first time. It was a great feeling to complete the move that time. Fíli’s heart was pounding though, as his husband slid down the length of him back to the floor, gazing at him so openly with desire, that he had to look away for a moment. 

Bilbo appeared like he was about to cry, standing next to Thorin who was still seated. His Amad was smiling as she raised an eyebrow at him, while dancing with Gerda nearby. Kíli was shaking his head while being led by Tauriel near Fíli’s right, but it was clear he was happy for them, too. He’d probably be happier if they took themselves elsewhere, though. 

At that thought, Fíli looked back down at Ori, then cleared his throat. 

“Given that we are in fact married now, if you wish to join me tonight,” Fíli trailed off.

Ori smiled. 

“I think it’s sort of expected at this point, you know, to consummate the marriage? We might be going about this a bit out of order, but I know that’ll be required, at least tonight.”

Fíli could see a touch of consternation in the way Ori mentioned that. He knew they would have to produce an heir one day, but if that part worried Ori, they could wait. He was more than happy and willing to do so. It was something they would have to talk about before anything else could happen, regardless.

“I believe you’re right.”

“It’s been a long day, and I wouldn’t mind a quiet place to retire for the evening. I can’t imagine going home to the family apartments now.”

Fíli nodded. 

He didn’t mind sharing his quarters with Ori, until they picked out a home of their own, together. With everything happening so quickly, that hadn’t even been a real consideration in his mind yet.

“Okay. If you want to tell your brothers or whoever good night, I will do the same, then. Meet you by the door?”

Ori nodded, then walked off to do just that. 

Fíli met his own family and friends, who each took turns quietly congratulating him by hugging him or patting him on the back. Though the interactions were important, as each individual there was in some way to him, after the fifteenth or so well-wish, he too was ready to retire for the evening. It had indeed been a long day, after all. 

Soon, he and Ori were walking together, holding hands as they went towards his quarters. 

Once behind a locked door, Fíli turned and saw Ori openly staring at him, which made his heart beat faster. 

When Fíli stepped forward, his hands went to Ori’s waist, and he leaned down to press a kiss against Ori’s lips. 

They had all night. If they were late for the council meeting, oh well. Thorin had said to make time for their bond, wherever they could. This was where he felt it necessary, Fíli decided then. 

Fíli refused to rush through whatever happened next, knowing what it all meant. This was the beginning of their forever, and only they could define what that meant for them. He would not hurry it along; slow and steady wins the race. They had proven that in some capacity, after all. 

As Fíli pulled away, he saw Ori’s eyelashes fluttering up at him, and there was a tender look on his face. His right hand cupped Ori’s cheek, and rubbed a thumb over it, while he waited to take his cues from his husband. 

“I trust you,” Ori murmured, gazing up at him so openly. 

The sight nearly stilled Fíli’s lungs momentarily. 

His ancestors be damned, he was going to love this dwarf one day, and prove that not every one who came from Durin’s line was as weak, and cruel as others had been. He would treat Ori with respect, and protect him. Before anything else, this Fíli knew would be true wherever he had the capacity to make it so. 

Soon, Fíli felt Ori’s hands firmly grasping his loose hair to guide him back down to the latter’s mouth, and that went straight to his groin like nothing else. 

“Ori,” he all but whined.  

There were kisses being pressed against what was exposed on Fíli's neck, and that was more than a bit distracting. Still, he squeezed Ori lightly and waited for his husband to pay attention to him in a less carnal capacity, at least for a moment. 

There were lips pressed against his left ear, and warm air brushed over all of it, as Ori murmured, “Yes?”

Fíli made a concerted effort to stop for one moment, and breathe, as well as ignore the throbbing between his legs long enough to really look at Ori. 

“I want this, I do -”

“Then stop talking and have me. Mahal’s balls, Fíli.”

Well, that was that he supposed. 

Carefully, Fíli reached up and tugged Ori’s beard, which earned him a satisfying moan renting the air. 

There was kissing again; their tongues tangling, while Ori’s hands roamed over Fíli where he could. Soon, Fíli felt hands testing whether his more intricate outer layers could be pulled up alongside whatever tunic lay underneath, and not long after he felt Ori’s hands on his stomach. They traced the planes they could reach beneath all of his layers, and then rested on his pecs. 

It was then that Ori met his eyes after pulling back gasping for air. He was watching Fíli, as Fíli’s heart beat pounded wildly beneath his fingers. Ori’s slim, adorable fingers that were resting on Fíli’s bare flesh. 

“Everything okay?”

“Perfect,” Ori murmured. 

It was then that Fíli slowly reached under Ori’s own upper layers and placed a hand against where Ori’s heart was rabbiting about; his chest was surprisingly unbound. Not that it mattered to Fíli, one way or the other. 

Ori exhaled a sigh and closed his eyes again, while Fíli followed with one of his own. Whatever they were doing went from quick to tender in a matter of a few heartbeats. 

Once Ori was looking at him again, Fíli said, “As lovely as this is, I do have a large bed, if you’d like to continue this elsewhere.”

“Do you want that?”

Fíli pressed his hips forward a few times for emphasis, producing soft noises of pleasure from Ori.

“What do you think?” Fíli asked, raising an eyebrow at him. 

Ori bit his lip, seeming to actually consider the situation, rather than allow for his lust to take over.

“We have to be careful after the newness of this all passes, though. At least for now. I understand what is expected of tonight and then of our union in the future, but until we can have a proper conversation about it all devoid of desire, we need to wait after this for something we aren’t truly prepared for yet.”

Ori paused, a resolute expression on his face, as he continued speaking a few moments later.

“Though, if what happens tonight or tomorrow even accomplishes the original goal for this marriage, we’ll face that inevitability together. I only think it would be best if we had more time before we make an effort in earnest for that to happen.”

Fíli nodded. 

“I understand, and agree completely.”

Ori smiled. 

“Good. Then, please, take me to bed.”

“It would be my pleasure, yasthûn, and yours too, I hope.”

Ori laughed, as he allowed himself to be lifted into Fíli’s arms. His hands wrapped around Fíli’s neck, grasping on firmly for purchase, while Fíli bore the full brunt of his admittedly light weight. 

“You’re ridiculous,” Ori declared, after Fíli began walking.

“You like it, though,” Fíli said. 

Ori grinned. 

“I just might.”

Happiness bubbled up in Fíli; they were much more comfortable around each other than they had ever been, and he could only be grateful for that. The past week and then some, had done wonders for their ease with one another, which was a blessing of its own.

It didn’t take too long for them to reach his bedchamber; not when Fíli might as well have been walking on water, knowing what it was they were hoping to do together, again. Once there, he set Ori on the edge of his bed, then turned and locked the door, again. It was probably unnecessary, but for privacy’s sake, he could not risk it. 

For his part, Ori seemed a bit less exuberant, as he watched Fíli walk back over. Rather than beginning to remove his clothes, Fíli sat beside Ori, and began running a hand up against Ori’s back. 

“If you’ve changed your mind -”

Ori shook his head.

“I haven’t. I just need a minute.”

“Okay.”

Ori’s hand reached out, and grasped one of Fíli’s own. They sat in silence for a few moments, before Fíli said, “As wonderful as your hair is, I have a feeling if we don’t take it down now, it will end up worse for the wear soon enough.”

Ori smirked at him, but nodded. 

Fíli stood up and lightly tugged where their hands were tethered. Ori followed where Fíli led him to stand before the mirror that rested to the left of his chamber door. 

For a moment, they stood together, staring at their combined reflection. Even if they weren’t in all of their finery, the image they cut there looked right, in Fíli’s opinion. 

Ori was in front of him, still looking as magnificent as he had earlier, while his eyes roved over them both. Fíli remained behind him with his hands resting on Ori’s shoulders, watching Ori’s reflection in particular, before he bent down and pressed a kiss against his husband’s right cheek. He truly was glad not to share the moment with anyone but Ori. 

Once he stood up to his full height again, Fíli said, “Let me go grab a chair to throw all of our hair baubles on for now.”

Ori nodded. 

Fíli did just that, and soon he was standing behind Ori, his hands resting on his shoulders once again. 

“May I take down your hair?”

This, as much as whatever else they might do, was tradition, as well as something intimate, too. It was one thing to be allowed to muss Ori’s hair up, but another entirely to be granted access to care for it; cherish it, even. 

Fíli’s eyes met Ori’s and he watched as the scribe’s blush became apparent in the mirror, before the shorter dwarf said softly, “Yes.”

Fíli smiled, then glanced to where Nori or Dori’s handiwork began and ended. 

Fíli’s hair was indeed more intricate than he wore most days right then, but what Ori’s siblings had done was leagues more difficult than anything he sported even at that moment. Carefully, his fingers grasped onto the bottom of the plait on the right, and began to untwist the purple ribbon that covered the string below it. Slowly but surely, he was able to loosen the large, tight braid within his grasp, and then Ori’s hair fell down much further than it had before it had been unbound. 

“Was that alright? I didn’t tug too hard or anything, did I?” Fíli asked, glancing up at Ori. 

Ori smiled. 

“No. You did just fine.”

“Okay, good.”

Fíli then returned his attention to Ori’s hair and continued on as he had with the first braid, until the true length of Ori’s tresses was visible to him; the longest portions fell down towards the middle of Ori’s back. He had known it had gotten much lengthier over the years, but that surprised him in truth. Regardless, it was a privilege to be allowed such a sight, and he did not take that lightly. 

Once he could properly tear his eyes away from the waves of auburn hair falling down Ori’s back, Fíli glanced into the mirror and met Ori’s eyes again. His husband had clearly been watching him, as it didn’t take long for Ori to realize his attention had shifted. 

Fíli smiled at him, then asked, “Do you want your beard let down?”

Ori nodded. 

He walked around to the stand in front of Ori after he was given leave to do as he meant to right then.

Fíli gently removed the gems and other adornments. More gingerly than he had with the rest of Ori’s hair, Fíli let down the scribe’s beard after, which was also much lengthier than it had been when they were younger. 

Ori smiled up at him once his task was through, then said, “Your turn.”

Fíli nodded. 

He had no qualms at all with Ori touching any part of him, really. 

“I’m going to put my hair stuff over there on one of the side tables, then you can sit in the chair so I can reach all of your hair, okay?”

“Okay,” Fíli agreed. 

Soon, Ori was standing behind him, smiling at his face in the mirror before glancing down at the lion’s mane of hair he was about to unbind.

When Fíli was younger, his Amad in particular had taken to calling him her ‘little lion’ or ‘lion cub’ because of his hair, and feisty nature. As he had aged, she didn’t use the monikers so much anymore, but to say his hair fit that description was accurate, at least. 

Ori, of course, with more practiced hands, made more quicker work of the first braid he touched than Fíli had managed with the scribe’s own. 

“That night, when I came to you,” Ori began conversationally, not meeting his eyes, but instead maintaining them on Fíli’s hair, “I just needed someone safe and solid to share my vulnerability with. And well, you know the rest.”

Fíli saw both of his eyebrows raise as he stared at Ori in the mirror. He waited a minute to speak. In that time, his mind was racing as he thought back to their younger years, and wondered when the scribe could have begun to think that of him, considering all he knew then. 

“I was who you thought of, even then?”

Ori met his eyes for a moment, then nodded, adamantly. 

“You make me feel safe now as much as you did then. It’s why even though there were others who wouldn’t dare to speak against you when you were being an arse, I knew if I did, you wouldn’t use your title to seek retribution. Instead, you’d listen, or roll your eyes. You are many things, but unsafe was never one of them. Not to me, at least.”

Ori lapsed into silence and returned his eyes to Fíli’s hair once more. 

What Ori had said floored Fíli, but also bolstered him, too. 

Ori was brave and could speak for himself, when necessary, but he was also a quieter, more nervous sort. There were times where Fíli thought they might not ever get on past duty, because of that. If Ori trusted him as much as he seemed to, then Fíli was clearly doing something right. It felt good, to be thought of as a safe harbor of any sort to one such as Ori; specifically Ori really, in particular.

Fíli felt a light tug on one of the braids behind his head, before he said, “You flatter me.”

“It’s the truth. Even yesterday, once you were visibly too angry to continue the conversation, you walked away. Yes, you let me see your anger, but you also withdrew yourself before anything else could happen.”

Fíli sighed. 

“Nothing else would have happened, Ori. I would never let it get that far.”

Fíli quieted for only a moment, relishing the dexterous touch his hair was still being subjected to, then said, “Yes, I was upset with you, but I promise never to lay a hand on you in anger. That is not something I could live with doing, nor would I want you to be on the receiving end of that. My reaction to Stonehelm aside, I wouldn’t have actually hurt him, and I didn’t, I swear. I just wanted to put some more distance between him and you.”

Ori nodded, then looked him in the eyes again, and said, “I know, Fíli. I know. Mahal, do I know that. You’re irritating on occasion, and proud, but you are a great dwarf. You offer yourself up to help others so often, and you do your best to live up to what people expect of you, despite knowing you’d rather be off with your brother doing Mahal knows what, or spending time with the rest of your family.”

Fíli smiled. 

“You know, you’ve never given me so many compliments at once. One might think I will suffocate beneath the weight of them all, soon.”

Ori giggled then rolled his eyes, and trained his gaze back down to Fíli’s hair once more. 

They were both silent for a little while before Ori said, “You’ve got more than enough people willing to tell you just how great you are. Your ego doesn’t need anyone else doing so that often.”

Fíli remained quiet, watching Ori finish unbinding his hair in full, and didn’t speak again until Ori was standing in front of him. 

Fíli carefully reached out and grasped onto Ori’s left hand, and gazed up at him. 

“I don’t much care for empty compliments, though. Yours have weight to them because you know me, Ori. You know me stupid, you know me kind, you know me as a duty bound prince, but most of all, you know me for me. You know the important things, and everything else we’ll learn together over time. But you see through me in ways I never thought another might. That much is clear to me.”

He raised Ori’s hand and placed another kiss atop it.

“Do you want your beard let down, too?”

Fíli nodded. 

He was quiet for a moment, before he decided it was time to further explain a few things. 

“Do you know that I used to watch you in council, taking notes next to Balin as you do sometimes, remembering what your hands were capable of when they were on me? To date, nothing anyone else has ever done to me felt as good as when you touch me.”

Ori’s eyes widened, but he didn't respond, so Fíli continued.

“I contemplated talking to you about what happened that first time, more than once. I wanted to know what I had done, so that maybe, I could do it more. Perhaps then, you might look at me as I thought you might have for that brief moment in time; as someone you could trust, someone you could love one day.”

Ori's breathing hitched. Fíli was just close enough to hear the slight stutter in his breathing pattern, but hear it, Fíli did.

Ori continued on working his hands through Fíli’s beard, as if it were a normal thing for them. So, Fíli continued talking. 

“Something always held me back though. I thought, if you wanted me again, you would tell me. I did not want you to feel beholden to me, because you shared your vulnerability with me.”

Ori cleared his throat.

“You're the only one I've ever wanted that way, but I was scared. I know you’ve told others you think I’m brave, but I couldn't even tell you I cared until I had no choice. Even then, I used duty as a mask to hide the truth, to you and even myself at first.”

Fíli carefully placed both of his hands over Ori’s, stilling the slender fingers below his own, then he met Ori’s brown eyes.

“You told me when it counted. After what I've learned, I can see why you waited. I lay no blame with you. I'm only glad that we're here now.”

Ori smiled, then dipped down and pressed a kiss to his forehead. 

After, Fíli let his hands drop so that Ori could continue his efforts in earnest again. 

Eventually, all of Fíli’s hair was down, and he was gazing up at Ori, who wasn’t meeting his eyes at that moment.

“One thing that you just proved is that my hair will probably look much better than it ever has from now on, because I know as much as those hands can write well, or touch me, they are quite skilled at braiding, too.”

It was meant to be an earnest compliment, to help break the sudden nervous energy he was reading from Ori. 

However, Ori flushed a little, and his eyelashes fluttered afterwards, before he murmured, “What else do you know about me?”

There was a challenge in the tone, and Fíli only wished to rise to the occasion after all. 

So, he carefully brought himself to his feet and slid his hands onto either side of Ori’s face slowly. 

The scribe was gazing up at him with unabashed curiosity and wonder then, which made Fíli’s heart beat faster. 

The strong scents of lavender and citrus mingled in the air about them as they continued to stand so close together; their hair all around them. 

He bent down and kissed Ori languidly. There was no urgency as before, and that felt even better. 

When they pulled apart for air, Fíli said, “I know that you’re brave. I have known it for a long while, but this week alone proved it as much to me as anything else you’ve done in years’ past.”

They kissed again, and he felt Ori’s hands grasping the layers in front of his chest, tugging him closer. Fíli went willingly, giving himself over to the way his mind was slowly becoming more interested in what they were doing, rather than speech itself. 

Even so, Fíli found he wanted Ori to hear what he had to say first, before they continued. He needed his new husband to know just what he thought of him in some capacity before they did anything else. 

Once he properly managed to pull away from the scribe then heaved a bit of air, Fíli said, “I know you’re smart. You obtained your Mastery before we reached 100, and had I not bothered you so much over the years, you probably would’ve managed it even sooner.”

Ori huffed a small laugh, but it was clear his mind was already elsewhere, as he began glancing down at the clothes between them. Soon Ori was lightly pulling off his outermost layer, which was adorned in hand-stitched beads and jewels that Fíli would hazard a guess Dori had made for his younger brother himself.

Ori’s arms went to Fíli’s shoulders after, attempting to pull him closer, but the latter resisted slightly. Ori looked perplexed only for a moment. Until Fíli began lowering to where he could start trailing kisses down from Ori’s left ear lobe to right over his heart, despite the clothing that still remained between, before Fíli rose again. 

“I know that you are kind, as well. How you treat my Uncle Bilbo and Tauriel, despite them both having been socially labelled as outsiders, says as much. Even earlier, you were willing to give Stonehelm a second chance, despite him not deserving one, in my opinion.”

Ori snorted. 

Fíli began placing more kisses down the length of Ori’s body, which the latter made slight mewling noises to, despite not being able to properly feel them just yet given the clothes he still wore. Fíli stopped just above where the hem of Ori’s trousers rested on his hips. He carefully parted the upper layers from the top of the trousers, and licked across the length of Ori’s waist, which brought a strangled cry of his own name out of Ori’s lips. 

Fíli really liked it when that happened; from the first night to right then, on their wedding night. It wasn’t enough to Fíli just to know Ori was whimpering or moaning because of him; he felt some sort of primal satisfaction at hearing exactly who had caused the scribe to writhe below him or his touch, each and every time it happened. It had become a goal of his, every time Ori deigned to let him near his body this way; some might call it pragmatic expectation setting. 

Once Ori calmed, Fíli asked from where he was crouched in front of his husband, “Would this be alright?”

Ori felt the puffs of warm air against the little bit of flesh exposed near his hips. 

The look Fíli fixed him with was so soft, it made him ache in so many places. There was fire in his gaze, but not the kind that might burn Ori, should he step closer to feel the warmth of the flames. 

“Yes, please.”

Fíli smiled, and lightly squeezed his left hip, then asked, “Can I remove your trousers and small clothes?”

Ori didn’t hesitate at all when he said, “Yes.”

After, he prepared for the sensation that was about to wash over him; the vulnerability of being unclothed, and beneath the gaze of another for something less chaste than bathing. For him, there had been no other to go this far with him after Fíli, and if he had his way, there would be no others ever again. How could he want more, when Fíli treated him as if he were a precious stone, hewn from a deep mine thought to be empty beforehand?

Soon, Ori was naked below the waist, boots off and all. 

He allowed himself to be led to the large bed, then settled against the pillows. One was even placed underneath his bum, to lift his lower extremities further up.

Afterwards, one of Fíli’s arms was reaching beneath his lower back, to prop him up closer to his own mouth. 

The second Fíli’s mouth clamped around his cock, Ori screamed. His hands went down and grasped onto any hair he could reach as he squirmed beneath the wonderful sensation, which made Fíli glance up at him, smiling. 

Fíli didn’t continue there, though, because he was cruel, and sweet, all at the same time. His chest rumbled against Ori’s legs, as he said. “I know that you are beautiful, with and without clothes. Inside your heart, and your mind, too.”

Then, and only then, did his mouth return to driving Ori mad between his legs. 

The mustache and beard did chafe a bit, but Ori found he did not mind. Not when those lips and that tongue were doing other things which really made him shout. The press of a nose also was not as distracting as much as it was adding to the pleasure, given how sensitive to touch he felt at that very moment. He hoped the walls were thick because Mahal strike his heart, it felt better than anything they had ever done together. 

Soon, there were wet sounds, and he felt Fíli’s own moans of pleasure between his folds down there. The noises of lapping became prevalent, and Ori was writhing within the hold Fíli had, only because he could not help but move. It felt fantastic, really. It was so much better than his fingers had ever done on their own.

When he thought Fíli was done torturing him down there, the latter rose up again and kissed him. The taste of Ori’s own heat was somehow an enjoyable one, and he moaned into his new husband's mouth after that. While they kissed, fingers traced their way between his legs, and lightly rested just outside of his other set of lips. 

They broke apart for air, and Ori looked at Fíli, who was clearly waiting for approval. 

“Please, go ahead.”

Fíli tipped his head forward, pressing his forehead against Ori’s, as he watched the latter’s face while his fingers delved further into Ori’s folds. Fíli’s thumb rubbed the sensitive mound his mouth had laid claim to earlier, while one began testing the edges of Ori’s hole down there, where Fíli’s erection would be expected to go later. 

Ori keened, lifting his hips into the touch. Sparks felt like they were exploding behind his eyes at the double points of contact.

Fíli smiled a bit, but there was more concentration than anything else, as he watched Ori for reactions to his ministrations. 

So, Ori took it upon himself to help with that venture, and continued pressing into the touch, again, and again. Then, there was a second finger, which added more pressure alongside the pleasure. That made him a bit breathless. Still, the movements continued, and by the third finger, he thought he might finally tumble over the edge, as his peak drew nearer by the second. Then, a fourth finger was added.

He whined, and breathlessly expelled Fíli’s name. 

“I’ve got you, Ibinê. Just let it all out. You’re safe here with me.”

The sound of Fíli’s voice, plus all he had said and done, is what finally sent Ori into his orgasm. 

The way Ori cried as he felt the force of his peak, was far more wrecked than anything he had previously let loose. There were no words in the way he let go, but it was loud, and felt so wonderful he could weep. All of the built up pressure that had been ignored escaped then in the way he spilled his cum, and the ferocity with which he expelled such noises into the otherwise quiet chamber. 

The aftershocks came in massive waves, which Ori found Fíli’s mouth around his cock again, milking him through it all. Soon there was his tongue licking through the wet slick. It made itself quite a nuisance in the best way possible, until finally Ori was spent, and ticklish there instead of wanting more of what Fíli’s mouth had to offer. 

Ori tugged lightly, which brought Fíli’s face back out of his legs, then intimated through more careful grasping of his hair, that he wanted the taller dwarf above him, again. 

Fíli’s beard and mustache were soaked, though he didn’t appear too perturbed by that. In fact, his eyes were glittering like sapphires in a dark cavern, as a grin spread across his face. 

He lifted up the fingers he had used to finish Ori, and licked them lasciviously, then said, “That was quite the meal. My compliments to the chef.”

Ori laughed, and his heart felt so full it might burst. 

“Mahal’s fiery balls, you really just said that.”

“And I meant it. Mahal truly does some fine work, if I do say so myself.”

Fíli winked.

Ori turned and buried his head into a pillow, laughing still. 

Eventually, he found within him the energy to sit up and push Fíli onto his back. Then, he came to straddle the taller dwarf, with his legs on either side of his hips. 

The two kissed again, and Ori could feel the rock hard prick beneath him, as they did. The snogging was a lot more wet of a venture than before. He could taste himself still, and it was odd, but it did not turn him off, either. If anything, it was further proof of the beauty that was Fíli’s face in his crotch. 

When they broke apart, Ori gazed down at Fíli, who was a bit winded, but otherwise not too broken apart by what they were doing just yet. Ori intended to fix that. If he was to be thoroughly debauched, then so, too, was Fíli. 

Before they did anything else, Ori needed to remove his upper layers. They felt too constricting for what was happening right then. 

While he slowly ground his hips against Fíli, Ori did just that, which had the pleasant effect of Fíli looking thoroughly awestruck, as he also grunted a bit. Fíli was much more expressive with his emotions than Ori often was, which helped Ori know what might be on his mind in the immediate moment. There was nothing to confuse that look though; his eyes were wide, his mouth slightly hung open as he watched Ori toss off multiple different items of clothing, until he was completely bare. 

Hands came to Ori’s thighs, and the warmth felt lovely on his skin, but he had other plans. Plans that involved both of them being naked. 

If they were to do this particular sort of thing again, unlike the first time they had used a bed, he would have them both be uncovered completely. As forthright as they had been before, both of them knew that anyone could have come to find them, and so they hadn’t been able to enjoy that completely. 

Then, there’d been the bookshelf incident, which had them only partially unclothed. Of course, the springs were nice the day before, but even then, fully unclothed, they had to hurry. 

This time, Ori wanted to truly set aside worry over anything else, and simply be allowed to enjoy each other in full.

He knew it would feel good either way, but Ori was also aware that they were not ready for the potential consequences of what this sort of coupling or any other that might follow in the direct aftermath of their wedding, might produce. This brief span of time following their official closed door wedding, it would be expected. If they did it then and someone contested, it would be more accepted if they had already done this after signing on the dotted line. Ori wanted it; Mahal knew he did, but as they had discussed earlier, something like this wouldn’t be happening for a while after, until they knew they were ready. Whatever that might entail. 

Still, Ori leaned down and kissed his husband soundly. This was not the chaste kiss he hadn’t been able to help himself giving before their friends and family; this was a different sort. It was all encompassing, and soon he was sucking on Fíli’s bottom lip, nipping a bit as he pulled back. 

Unlike before, Fíli looked more dazed as he sucked in air. That made Ori smile, as his hands went onto Fíli’s chest. 

“You are far too clothed for this.”

“Pardon my rudeness then,” Fíli eventually said, a sly grin making itself known on his face. 

Soon, Ori was sitting on his bum, while Fíli hopped off the bed, and began removing his boots and socks. Ori was at his side not long after though, gently tugging at the laces of his trousers, sliding them down until they pooled at his husband’s feet, where Fíli stepped out of them. Between them, quick work was made of the lower layers.

Then, Ori was kissing Fíli’s chest, slowly, descending down the length of it. He did as Fíli had on his own body, and trailed the length of his tongue across the upper edge of his hips, even stopping to suck a bruise near his husband’s left hip bone. 

Ori heard the breathy noises above him, as he did that, which made his pulse race faster.

Afterwards, Ori glanced up and asked, “Is it okay to continue?”

Fíli was definitely more impacted at what they were doing by then, but still, he said, “I’m so close. That is a bad idea right now.”

“Are you saying those tales of your stamina are a lie, then?” Ori asked, innocent as he could, though there was something inherently impish about the way he spoke, too.

Fíli’s eyebrows raised, and there was a rare blush painting his cheeks.

“I don’t know who you’ve been talking to, but I’m fairly certain that whatever you’ve heard could be attributed to my skills with weapons, not this.”

Ori stood up, grasped Fíli’s right hip in his left hand, then cocked his head to the side, as he asked, “So, you think you can’t handle that much of me tonight, then?”

Ori knew goading him would only lead to Fíli trying to prove otherwise, and as much as his husband liked a good challenge, so did Ori. 

Fíli glanced away and waved a hand as he said, “Go on, if you want. I’ll find some way to make do.”

Ori smiled, not at all fooled by the put on suffering air, but still he felt the need to ask, “You’re sure it’s okay?”

For all his teasing, Ori wanted to be certain, before he did anything else.

Fíli met his eyes and nodded. 

Only then did Ori lower himself down onto his knees and open his mouth again to take in the half hard, weeping cock into his mouth. He hummed with satisfaction around the wetness as he heard Fíli properly moan wantonly. He moved up and down slowly, his tongue flat and swirling circles lazily like his husband had shown him how to once before in a calm and patient manner. He was paying Fíli back for that lesson, in a better demonstration than he could have managed the first time, he knew. 

A hand went into his hair soon, and still, he indulged in the desire to bring Fíli further pleasure with his efforts.

At some point, he reached out with the hand that wasn’t still grasping his husband’s hip, and squeezed the ‘crown jewels’. He heard the groan that escaped Fíli, and then felt as the length in his mouth was being pushed forward to create even more friction, after that. 

Ori did his best to breathe, though a few small tears pricked at the corners of his eyes, still. Thankfully, his face wasn’t being fucked hard, at least. All things considered, even in this, Fíli was being quite gentle with him. 

It didn’t take much longer, before Ori felt a stiffness that could only mean one thing. 

Ori knew he could pull off. He had done so the first time. However, he really wanted to do the least expected thing, so he swallowed down to the hilt right then, which had Fíli’s legs shaking as he let out the most wrecked, incomprehensible shout. Ori continued on sucking and swallowing the ribbons of cum, until the cock was flaccid, and Fíli was tapping his shoulder. 

Ori stood up and wiped his mouth, alongside his eyes. 

Meanwhile Fíli was panting, holding a hand to his chest, and watching him. 

His eyes belied his shock, as Fíli said, “Mahal, you are going to be the death of me.”

“What a sweet way to go though, don’t you think?” Ori responded cheekily. 

Were he not feeling so safe and comfortable, he wouldn’t have even said that, but it was Fíli. As much as Ori knew Fíli, Fíli knew him in ways no one could ever claim to, and would never again. There was a comfort to that which made him feel up to being more of himself in ways that he hadn’t bothered to be with another. 

“You are,” Fíli paused, then said, “incredible.”

The two were kissing again, fingers in hair, wrapping around each other closely. 

Eventually, their foreheads were resting together, Fíli’s eyes wide as he gazed down at Ori. 

“I honestly still can’t believe we’re here; that we’re actually doing this, and that you are looking at me like that.”

“Like what?” Ori asked, inclining his head to the side. 

“Like you never want to take your eyes off of me.”

Ori smiled.

“I’m allowed to look now, so you’re right; I don’t want to.”

Fíli momentarily lapsed into silence, then he whispered, “Why me? What could I have possibly done to inspire this in you?”

Truthfully, Ori thought Fíli would have understood by then why he cared for him, but reassurance he could still give.

Ori shrugged.

“Be yourself.”

That didn’t seem to allay Fíli’s clear bewilderment. 

“You constantly told me I was a distraction.”

Ori smiled, and placed a hand on Fíli’s chest, then patted it gently.

“You were and still are, but not always in the way you once took it. Yes, you annoyed me a lot at first when we were younger, but I came to appreciate many things about you the older we got. The die had already been cast though, and you thought the worst each time I said it. That made it easier to hide what I had actually begun to feel; it was slow, but steady, like dripping honey.”

Fíli’s right hand came to cup Ori’s left cheek, as the former pressed a kiss against the latter’s forehead. After, their foreheads were touching again, and Ori watched as Fíli closed his eyes, then exhaled heavily for a moment. 

Ori’s right hand grasped Fíli’s hip, and his left clasped onto his husband’s forearm lightly. For a minute, he, too, just breathed while standing there. 

Eventually, Fíli’s eyes opened again, and met Ori’s. 

“I would ask why you kept it all from me, but I know now. I’m sorry you were ever given a reason to doubt that I could hold a candle for you, too. You’re so much better than all of those dwarrow who would slander you just to feel better about themselves. I pity the fool who tries to do that in front of me, from now on.”

Ori could hear the threat in the undercurrent of Fíli’s voice. He wanted to protest as he had before, but somehow he found that assurance comforting, potential diplomatic issues aside. A dwarf, particularly a married one, was nothing if not protective of the one they had wed. It made sense that his husband wanted to protect him. However, it felt even better knowing that Fíli himself wanted to protect him; not out of possession or jealousy, but because he cared about Ori in some fashion. 

So, Ori moved even closer to him then, and allowed himself to be held in the arms that quickly wrapped around him after.

Fíli buried his face into the side of Ori’s neck, and exhaled a long sigh. Ori’s head rested against Fíli’s chest, and his hands were on his stomach. There Ori was engulfed; surrounded in warmth as well as hair, and he had never felt more precious, or adored than he did right then. 

Ori knew they had only truly just begun, and that they were due for some stormy weather eventually. However, he wanted to soak up as much sun and cloudless skies with Fíli, before that could happen.

Fíli held Ori for a decent length of time before they were kissing again. He really enjoyed the kissing, honestly. It hadn't been something he much cared for before with others, but with Ori it just felt right. He liked a great many things when it came to the scribe, really. 

Soon, Fíli felt himself lifted up into Ori's arms. 

The action itself made him pull away to watch how he was carefully, but masterfully held in his husband’s arms. One might not think it to look at Ori, but he was strong. He lifted Fíli as if he'd been doing it for years rather than this being the first time it happened. 

“Is this okay?” Ori asked. 

Fíli nodded, as he grasped onto Ori’s shoulders to steady himself.

For Fíli, it felt fantastic not to have to be the one to shoulder all of the weight, so to speak. He liked that Ori could toss him around like a sack of potatoes, as much as the other way around. It felt good to be held as much as it was to hold Ori.

Fíli was set down at the edge of the bed where he kissed Ori thoroughly again, as Ori began lifting the layers off his upper torso, trying to strip him the rest of the way to nakedness. He allowed it, reveling in the feel of following, rather than leading. He liked following Ori as much as he did being the one to decide what they did. At that moment, Ori seemed to have no qualms about calling the shots, either. 

Ori’s hands rested on Fíli’s bare shoulders, as they kissed, still, while Fíli's hands had come to grasp the small of Ori's back. He noticed the way Ori had first shivered when he did that, and so he continued cupping there and squeezing, which seemed to really drive Ori to making some very pleasurable noises.

At one point, they broke apart again, and Ori’s eyes were gazing into Fíli’s own. There was an openness to the look that made his heart stutter as much as it had while hearing what the scribe had recently told him, or the way that his husband had so easily dropped to his knees before him, wanting to bring him to a height of pleasure simply for the sake of it. 

Oh , when had anyone, other than Ori, ever given much thought to what he wanted? Or the fact that he had needs, too, and shouldn't always be the one to give and give. For as unpracticed as the scribe had been their very first time together, even then, Ori had done his best to figure out how to make him feel good, too, in a way that he enjoyed rather than assuming he knew what was best for Fíli. Being subjected to that same tender care that he was again then, was nothing short of euphoric, to say the very least. 

If he could go back in time and kick his own ass for not simply seeking out what had always been right in front of him, Fíli knew right then that if he had the power to, he would. Lamenting what had been misconstrued, or previously unsolved would do nothing for them going forward though. Not when Fíli had Ori looking at him right then as if he were an answer to a question that Ori had been asking, but had been unable to figure out on his own, until they had come together. 

It was all a bit overwhelming to realize that for him, Fíli felt the same; when he held Ori against him recently, in any capacity, Fíli knew with utter surety an answer to the question he, himself, had been trying to determine for some years - who belonged with him, but Ori? At one time, he thought he’d never have what they were right then, until that thought had been so thoroughly dispelled, leaving only truth. The thirteen years in between where he had been searching, wondering, and if he were honest with himself, pining, all paled in comparison to having the real deal right in front of him, wanting him as he had wanted the scribe; wholly, with zero reservations, for as long as Ori would have him. 

Soon, Ori was nibbling on his right ear, which felt wonderful, really. 

Then there were kisses being placed from there, down the side of his neck, until Ori’s mouth came to rest on part of his shoulder, and sucked just a bit too hard. He knew then there would be a bruise soon. Whether his husband meant for that to happen or not, still remained to be seen. It didn't bother him either way; he would gladly sport any marks Ori made on him in that way, really. 

After, the kisses were peppered across his collarbone, to his other shoulder. Ori didn’t leave a mark there, as he had the first time, but he still lavished the bare skin before him with attention the likes of which he’d never been able to do before. His tongue trailed down and when their eyes met again, Ori was gazing at him, curiosity plain to see on his face. 

“Mind if I give your chest further attention?”

Fíli cleared his throat, then said, “Go ahead.”

His voice was a bit strangled, but it had the intended effect. Soon, as his cock had been, his left nipple was in Ori’s mouth, and he had to close his eyes and lean back on his hands while the scribe gave it proper focus. Fíli’s right hand went into Ori’s hair, and grasped, as he felt his own dick respond to what was happening. 

One of Ori’s hands grasped the top of his length, then lightly tugged up and down, as the rest was happening, which had him exhaling his husband’s name softly. 

Soon, Fíli felt a warm breath against his right ear, then Ori’s voice said gently, “That’s it. Just relax, Fíli. Let me take care of you.”

Fíli moaned directly after that declaration, while he reached out to clutch onto the back of Ori’s neck lightly, as he felt the slightly faster pace around his prick. 

Ori’s mouth pulled away from his left nipple then, and the air hitting the wet was a sensation of its own, until he felt his husband’s mouth latch onto the previously untouched nipple. Somehow, that produced more of a response from him than the first time as it happened, because he was whining, panting even, as the hardened bud was given proper attention right then. 

Between what Ori had said, the touch between his legs, as well as the one at his chest, he had no doubt that he would lose it again. If that happened though, there would be no third time that night, unless Ori really put in some effort. 

“Ori, I am so close again. Mahal, what you are doing to me is fantastic.”

Ori pulled away shortly after, and began to climb onto the bed. He then motioned for Fíli to follow, and soon Fíli was underneath his husband again, completely at his mercy. 

Fíli watched Ori with open admiration as the scribe placed his hands on the former’s bare chest. His lithe fingers tangled in the fair curly hair he found, as he truly looked his fill, while Fíli did the same. 

Ori was gorgeous. Fíli had always known that in a logical sort of way, but it was something entirely different to him in this context; not just the immediate, pressing matter of his husband sitting on top of him, but in an overall sense. He was nice to look at, sure, but his heart and mind were what did it for Fíli, really, much as he had said earlier. Seeing the smaller dwarf with his legs spread across his hips, looking down at him in the way that he was with all of his unbound hair thrown all around his shoulders while framing his face, simply took Fíli’s breath away.

It was not the act or all of the touches they had given to each other so far within that evening alone, as Ori would not have been the only to share a bed with the Crown Prince. However, Ori was the only who truly mattered, because he cared for Fíli, as himself, flaws and all. Ori still wanted him, and trusted him enough to not only sleep with him, but marry him. That was why this was different and the notion had colored every move Fíli had made with him thus far.

They were not in love, but Fíli imagined it wouldn't be terribly long; not that he had any experience with the matter. The only dwarf who had ever managed to get close enough it might happen with, though, was Ori. 

Ori, who was at that moment hovering over his then fully masted cock, rocking back and forth against the tip. Fíli placed his hands on his husband’s hips, and grasped firmly in preparation for what was about to happen. Meanwhile, Ori’s own hands were on his shoulders, as he steadied himself where he was. 

Fíli’s body was blessedly not making it difficult for him to remain properly hard again, though Ori was still making sure he was able, with those soft motions above him. Everything else that had happened alongside that though, is what brought him to fullness again much quicker than he would have managed on his own. 

“Ready?” Ori asked, when he realized he had properly induced a second hard on. 

Fíli nodded. 

“If you are.”

Fíli’s cock felt like it was enveloped in a blazing inferno, as he watched then felt the slick walls of Ori's folds slide down around him. The heat surrounding him was so lovely, he worried he might lose it right then and there. 

Still, he held on, hoping to make it longer. He wanted that as much as he knew Ori would, too.

Perhaps Fíli’s first orgasm had been foresight on Ori's part; had they done this earlier, he wouldn't have made it far. It wasn't a stamina thing, but the fact Fíli felt so utterly adored by his new husband, that it was hard not to be brought to a height of pleasure. 

When Fíli was buried at the hilt, he heard his name expelled loudly. He watched as Ori closed his eyes, and arched his back a bit while his hands slid slowly down the former’s chest. His own tenuous hold on himself was fraying then, as he moaned Ori’s name after.

“ Ori .”

Fíli grasped Ori’s thighs, and soon there was friction again as the latter rolled his hips and began grinding against him. The pure bliss of that action brought more noises of pleasure out of him, which were easily louder than Ori's own as he too began to thrust upwards. Though, he began to realize as the moments went by, that Ori was shuddering around him, only his name repeatedly being said. It was a steady stream of just his name, and that is what really had him tumbling over before he could stop it anymore.

“Fíli, Fíli, FíLI, FÍLI !”

Through the haze of absolute bliss, Fíli saw and felt Ori's own orgasm around him; the smaller dwarf arched above him, shouting so loudly it nearly put his own lungs to shame. It was his name again on Ori's lips, as they both orgasmed with such a force, he thought he might black out. 

As they came down from the height of pleasure, Ori was leaning over him, lazily kissing him, rather than disconnecting where their bodies were tethered. Fíli met the kisses as best he could, though his mind was still properly frazzled from what had just happened. Soon, he was beginning to feel a bit lightheaded, and so he pulled away.

Ori was looking down at him, a smile on his face. Fíli wanted to memorize that open joy in his mind for days ahead where it might not be so easy to make his husband happy. He knew it would happen; every married couple he knew had issues. Before that could occur though, he wanted to bask in the newness and open affection he was receiving for as long as it was possible. 

“You were amazing,” Fíli murmured.

Ori smiled fondly, then said in a mischievous sort of manner, “You weren't too bad yourself.”

Fíli snorted.

“It seems to me we're both having different recollections of what just happened.”

Ori chuckled, then began to pull off of him. There was a small grunt when that was finished, but still Ori moved to start cleaning himself up, and soon Fíli followed. 

Afterwards, they were back on the bed, this time under the covers, wrapping around each other. Belatedly, Fíli realized they had a long day tomorrow. He didn't know what hour it was, but he had an idea it was quite late by that point. Even so, he intended for them to have a lie in, and spend more time together, before facing whatever they would in the council meeting.

He pressed a kiss against Ori’s head though, and enjoyed the warmth of his husband holding him as much as he was holding the smaller dwarf, their limbs properly tangled up. Ori's face was tucked under his chin, and he could feel the steady puffs of air between his pecs. 

“I'm really glad it was you I married,” Ori said, softly. 

Fíli’s heart threatened to burst hearing that. His ego was pleased, sure, but his heart was on fire then. 

He tightened his hold on Ori, his breathing beginning to steady, and said, “Me, too, Ori. Me, too.”