the writing blog of redshiloh (slowly resurrecting my writing and this blog) durincest - britchell - formerly aidean. there's obviously a theme going on. Main tumblr @patrickvvolf
I've kept this to fics only available on tumblr, you can check out my other stories on AO3 (You will need an account to read some of them)
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The Hobbit Fiki
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Untitled | Gen | Modern day Coffee shop!AU
Fill for Gathering Fiki's 2025 Trick or Treat Event. Prompt: (Treat) One of them is a really, really good barista with an almost supernatural ability to tell just what the other one needs.
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Untitled 1/3 | T (Warning for blood) | Canon divergent
Fíli will do most anything for his brother.
Fill for Gathering Fiki's 2025 Trick or Treat Event. Prompt:(Trick) A slow-working poison.
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Tindersticks | T (references to unethical huuman experimentation) | Steampunk!AU
Fill for Gathering Fiki's 2025 Trick or Treat Event. Prompt:(Trick) One of them rescues the other from an asylum,
where they'd been trapped and mis-treated for years
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Untitled | Gen | Alternate Canon
Fill for Gathering Fiki's 2025 Drabble Challenge 10
Prompt: Soulmate mark forces enemies to change sides
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Untitled | Gen | Pre-canon
Fill for Gathering Fiki's 2025 Fiki Week.
Prompt: Can you Understand the Violence It Took to Become this Gentle?
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Untitled | Gen | Modern day AU Same verse as ‘let’s run away (don’t ever look back)’
Fill for Gathering Fiki's 2025 Drabble Challenge 9
Prompt: A day at the beach.
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Untitled | Gen | Modern Day AU Same verse as Brine
Fill for Gathering Fiki's 2025 Drabble Challenge 9
Prompt: Nectarines.
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Under the Crimson Bough | Gen | Fantasy AU
Fill for Gathering Fiki's 2024 12 Days of Christmas Event.
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Britchell
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Untitled | T | Implied major character death
Fill for Gathering Fiki's 2025 Trick or Treat Event. Prompt:(Trick) A pissed off god, trapped in a mortal form
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Up Against the Wall | M (pure smut)
Fill for the Britchell blog's 2025 Smut Roulette
Prompt: Bathroom at Mike’s bar.
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Untitled | T (References to past abuse) | Strangers in the same apartment block AU
Fill for Gathering Fiki's 2025 Drabble Challenge 9
Prompt: Full moon
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Untitled | Gen
Fill for Gathering Fiki's 2025 Drabble Challenge 9
Prompt: It’s 3 a.m. but fuck it, we’re being domestic
Tags (some of these are for future chapters): Slow burn, Trauma, PTSD, Suicidal Thoughts, Past Suicide Attempt, Depression, Fíli & Kíli Are Not Related, Eventual Happy Ending, Smut, There will be a death - it will not be Fíli or Kíli, Dark!Thorin, eventual smut, past abusive relationship, past dubious consent, past incest.
Tags (some of these are for future chapters): Slow burn, Trauma, PTSD, Suicidal Thoughts, Past Suicide Attempt, Depression, Fíli & Kíli Are Not Related, Eventual Happy Ending, Smut, There will be a death - it will not be Fíli or Kíli, Dark!Thorin, Smut
Chapter warnings: suicide discussion. This is the chapter responsible for a big chunk of the tags.
Kíli had wondered what it would be like to kiss those lips— to feel their softness. To taste them. He presses harder against Fíli, eliciting another small moan, almost a whimper.
"Why would you do that?" he murmurs against Fíli's lips. "Why the fuck would you do that?"
Fíli's mouth opens and Kíli takes the opportunity to push into it, sliding his tongue past Fíli's teeth. There is little that is gentle in this kiss. It is filled with everything that Kíli has been carrying since Thorin; the confusion, the frustration, the fear and the desperation, he pours all of it into the kiss, bleeding it out through Fíli as if he can lance himself clean of it.
Fíli lifts a hand and Kíli feels it hovering near his shoulder, as if he wants to touch but is afraid to. So Kíli does it for him. He drags his fingers through Fíli's hair and down to the back of his neck, where warm skin waits beneath the collar of his shirt.
Fíli has always been so physically distant to him. Kíli would steal small touches here and there, but it had always been like Fíli was locked behind a thin sheet of glass. But now he is real, he's so very real and so god damn human and Kíli wants to touch every part of him.
--- Brine by @filigreeing
Well, anyone who's on Discord knows my feelings about Brine. This was the first scene that broke my heart when we were headcanoning this. But not the last one.
I wouldn't be surprised if this wasn't the only drawing for this fic that I ended up doing either...
Please read Brine. It's spectacularly good writing and what a story - we haven't had one like this in years, folks.
Yeeeeey I am so pleased that this finally exists in the wild!!!! It still fucks me up (in a good way) that such stunning art waa created for something I wrote, so so humbling 😭🙏
I’m so grateful to Linane. This story wouldn’t exist without her, like at all considering the first ficlet came from a gatheringfiki event. But also the expanded verse never would have existed without our hours and hours of glorious headcanoning. Not just that but this beast of a fic would have for sure killed me by now without Linane’s ebdless support, cheerleading and occasional tough love. Shit the conversation at the rock pool in April part 1 would have gone a whole different direction without her input.
Adding more because I need to talk about how obsessed I am with this Fili. The details you’ve captured are so incredible, I don’t know how you managed it. The expression in his eyes is so subtle but completely breaks my heart. He just looks so sad and dead inside. It perfectly captures the mood of that scene. And his hair!!! I know it nearly killed you but my god it was worth it. It feels like you can just reach out and touch it. And his beard, how do you manage to make facial hair look blond in a pencil sketch??? How did you manage that?? Also! The henleyyyyyy and the scar 🥺 God I love everything about this, I don’t think you appreciate how many hours I’ve soent just staring at every detail zoomed in.
Not to get all emotional, but Linane you’re so incredibly talented, both as an artist and a writer and I’m so happy to have met you and become friends. ❤️
Tags (some of these are for future chapters): Slow burn, Trauma, PTSD, Suicidal Thoughts, Past Suicide Attempt, Depression, Fíli & Kíli Are Not Related, Eventual Happy Ending, Smut, There will be a death - it will not be Fíli or Kíli, Dark!Thorin, Smut
Chapter warnings for descriptions of a dead animal and a dead body and references to self harm.
Tags (some of these are for future chapters): Slow burn, Trauma, PTSD, Suicidal Thoughts, Past Suicide Attempt, Depression, Fíli & Kíli Are Not Related, Eventual Happy Ending, Smut, There will be a death - it will not be Fíli or Kíli, Dark!Thorin, Smut
Tags (some of these are for future chapters): Slow burn, Trauma, PTSD, Suicidal Thoughts, Past Suicide Attempt, Depression, Fíli & Kíli Are Not Related, Eventual Happy Ending, Smut, There will be a death - it will not be Fíli or Kíli, Dark!Thorin, Smut
I still can’t believe this. Fuck… look at him?? The art is so beautiful. Look at the light! And the hair! And the atmosphere! 😭 It fits Brine!Fili so perfectly and I am not worthy, you’re so talented Hya thank you
Tags (some of these are for future chapters): Slow burn, Trauma, PTSD, Suicidal Thoughts, Past Suicide Attempt, Depression, Fíli & Kíli Are Not Related, Eventual Happy Ending, Smut, There will be a death - it will not be Fíli or Kíli.
summary:
For a long time Fíli's world is small and simple. Something which he has created entirely by design. He keeps it to the hum of the tide and the salty bite of the wind. He keeps it to a life of quiet solitude broken only by the companionship of his dog, his best friend, Bryn.
Once, this had been enough.
Or: The one where a couple of strays accidentally domesticate each other.
Bit late posting to here but better late than never. Chapter 2 coming at the end of this month!
All credit for the beautiful title banner goes to @linane-art <3
Hi, I just binge read your Caractacus series on ao3 and I really love your writing and the story line (I want to see how Ty and Anders talk, if they talk about it, and what happens next with Anders still being twelve), and I'm just wondering when the next part might be out please? Thank you!!!!! <3 <3 <3
Hi! I'm sorry I just saw this, I don't know how I missed it. Thank you so much, I'm really glad you've enjoyed it so far! More will definitely be coming soon I promise <3
Up until now the story has been exclusively from Mike's POV, but real soon the POVs are going to get switched up a bit for certain reasons, so we'll be getting a bit of Ty's perspective on the whole thing.
For @12daysofchristmas and the prompt Hot Chocolate.
Also available on AO3
Forcing the door shut against the cold wind that had been harassing them all day, Hercules let out a grateful sigh. He held up a hand to protect himself — laughing — as Iolaus shook himself like a dog, drops of melting snow flying in all directions. The tavern they'd entered was packed full with reveling customers, a bit surprising considering the harsh weather. He wouldn't call it a snow storm exactly — not such bad weather that people wouldn't dare venture outside — but unpleasant enough that he'd expect people to want to stay at home if possible.
The sudden drop in temperature that morning had caught them by surprise, and the rain-turned-sleet combined with the biting wind hadn't made the last part of their trek a very pleasant experience; this was the first bit of warmth they'd felt all day. Now things were definitely looking up; a warming fire, a friendly atmosphere, and the possibility of (decently) soft beds were exactly what they needed right now.
Hercules' brewing bliss evaporated when he spotted a familiar face behind the bar counter. "Oh no," he groaned.
"What?" Iolaus rose to tiptoes and craned his head back and forth in an attempt to look past the crowd. When he wasn't successful he looked to his partner expectantly, hand on his sword hilt.
"Let's find a different tavern," Hercules tried, knowing it was futile.
Iolaus scowled. "No way! I don't care if it's Ares and Discord having a go at each other. I'm not going back out into that frozen ice-land." Having determined that there wasn't any actual danger and his partner was just trying to avoid some inconsequential inconvenience he started to weave his way through the crowded room. The area around the beckoning fireplace was completely packed, so he set his sight on the next best thing: the bar.
Hercules sighed and followed suit, bracing himself.
"Iolaus! Hercules!" Falafal greeted them with a cheerful wave and a big, genuine — if rather unsanitary — smile. "My friends! Come, come." He unceremoniously ushered away a few other patrons that had stood at the end of the bar, making room for the demigod and his partner. "You've come to try my new drink, yes? It's all the rage." He indicated the full tavern proudly.
Hercules gave the lively crowd a doubtful look. The rage might come later when the drink has passed their digestive system, he thought to himself dryly, trying his best to keep a polite smile on his face. Falafel was a nice enough person, but Hercules had yet to have an encounter with him that his taste buds and stomach had appreciated. Before he had time to decline however, Falafel had already placed two steaming mugs in front of them.
"Careful. They're hot," Falafel said unnecessarily while still smiling at them encouragingly.
Iolaus' eyes lit up. "Waaarmth," he said dreamily, and reached for the mug. Hercules arm shot out to stop him and Iolaus gave him an annoyed 'what gives?'-look.
Hercules ignored him, focusing his attention on Falafel. "This drink isn't the same one you made us try in Patas, is it?"
"You didn't like my coffee-bean-brew?" Falafel asked in shock. Hercules was impressed the infamous cook could continue to amaze at such insinuations but kept his expression carefully neutral. "You had five refills!" Falafel protested.
"Iolaus had five refills," he corrected, failing at making it sound like a compliment.
"I thought it was great," Iolaus said happily, trying to sneak his hand around Hercules' blocking arm. "A bit bitter, but with a really nice kick to it." Hercules pushed his hand away and he had to contend with taking a whiff of the steaming contents. "This one smells different though." He gave Hercules' shin a light kick.
Falafel gave his more appreciative customer a happy smile. "It is different. A whole other bean."
"That's only because you didn't have to put up with— with— yourself," Hercules said, returning to his part of the conversation. "You were bouncing around the camp all night! Refusing to go to sleep."
"You're exaggerating." Iolaus had finally succeeded in grabbing hold of the mug. He let out a contented sigh as the warmth of the clay vessel seeped into his chilled hands.
Falafel dug around inside his apron and produced a small brown seed. "The cocoa bean!"
"You composed a musical number."
Iolaus rolled his eyes. "So I will not have six cups this time."
"No worry," Falafel cut in. "This all new cocoa-brew doesn't overflow you with that zip-zap energy. Just a sense of perfect bliss," he closed his eyes and spread his arms wide, "like you' floating on warm, fluffy clouds. Go on, taste it." He pushed Hercules' mug closer. Then his face lit up in an epiphany. "What wonderful idea! Soft bits of cloud that float at the top of the brew. Eureka!" And with that he disappeared into the kitchen.
Argument temporarily forgotten, Hercules and Iolaus exchanged a highly skeptical look. Then Hercules raised an eyebrow and turned his into a 'And that's the man whose cocktail you want to drink'-look.
Iolaus wrinkled his nose. "I don't care. It's warm. I'm cold. I'm trying it."
Bringing the mug to his lips, he took a careful sip. It was sweet and milky. And warm. He gave a pleased chuckle as the warm liquid tickled his insides on its way through his chill body. Greedily he took another sip and let out a long sigh as the warmth started to fill him from inside-out. "Oh, that is wonderful."
Hercules watched the color return to Iolaus' wind-bitten cheeks, his shoulders relax, and a blissful, drowsy smile spread across his face. A touch of guilt stabbed at his heart. Iolaus was so good at keeping up with Hercules' stride and tempo that it was easy to forget that he didn't have the same divine reserves to lean on. They had traveled all day in the unexpected weather — eager to reach shelter from the biting cold — and clearly it had taken a heavier toll on his partner than Hercules had realized.
Iolaus opened one eye to peer suspiciously at him; obviously having picked up on Hercules' introspection. Knowing full well he'd been caught thinking inappropriate thoughts — Iolaus hated being 'coddled' — Hercules hesitantly reached for his mug as a manner of apology. "So, you want me to believe that Falafel finally managed to make something agreeable?" Iolaus was watching him expectantly with a twinkle in his eye, so before he could change his mind he took one big gulp of the brown swill. And didn't feel the need to spit it out. Huh. "It's good," he admitted, surprised.
Iolaus grinned at him; peace offering accepted. His own mug was already running low and he waved at a man behind the bar counter, asking for one more. In another minute the barkeep came over with a steaming mug. "There you go," he offered with a big smile. "Right off the stove! You might wanna let it cool off for a bit."
"Excuse me," Hercules said, grabbing the man's attention before he could hurry away again, "do you have any available beds for the night?"
"Ah, yes. Most of these are locals," the innkeeper indicated the crowded serving area, "So yes, we do have an empty room still. Only one bed though." He glanced 'discreetly' between the demigod and the man that kept trying to sip from his near boiling cocoa-brew.
Keeping a polite smile on his face, Hercules refrained from rolling his eyes. (Iolaus did not.) "That's fine," he assured the innkeeper. "We'll take it." They'd slept on cliff ledges smaller than Hercules was wide; a bed was a welcome luxury regardless of size.
"Ow!"
Hercules turned to see his partner nursing a scaled tongue. "You've got the patience of a three-year-old," he commented with humor.
"It's not my fault Falafel's secret ingredient is molten lava," Iolaus replied indignant — and with a slight lisp.
Having given them directions to their room, the innkeeper moved away to serve other eager guests and Hercules and Iolaus settled in to nurse their drinks in companionable silence, savoring their well-deserved repose. But it wasn't long before Hercules noted that Iolaus started to look more half-asleep than just comfortably relaxed. He nudged him lightly with his shoulder. "Maybe we should call it a night before I have to carry you to our room."
"You wouldn't dare," Iolaus warned sleepily, but a giant yawn undercut him. He sighed in defeat. "Fine," he relented without further prompting, proving just how exhausted he was. "Just hold on one sec'." He turned to the barkeep and held up his once again empty mug, "One more to go!"
Hercules raised a questioning eyebrow.
"Three is not six," Iolaus informed him haughtily.
Oh well, Hercules thought. Since they were sharing a bed he should be grateful that Iolaus was warming himself up with the steaming brew — or he would be using Hercules to warm his ice-cold feet on instead.
As soon as Iolaus had gotten his drink-to-go he began to make his way through the still quite lively serving area, heading towards the rooms on the upper floor. Hercules followed close behind, watching his friend blow impatiently on the scalding mug in his hands. Hercules began a countdown in his head.
3 - 2 - 1.
"Ow." Iolaus flinched back from his mug.
Hercules smiled warmly. Definitely the patience of a three-year old.
The following ficlet was written by @filigreeing based on this photoset
Britchell, G
You might also be able to read this story on AO3
If you’ve enjoyed this story, please leave a comment either in replies or on AO3.
—
They both call it a marriage of convenience. A green card wedding and nothing more. They pull up outside the Auckland registry office in a blue classic Jag that is definitely not Anders’.
“It’s Collin’s,” Anders says when he catches Mitchell’s look. “Something borrowed something blue, two birds with one stone right?”
“Does he know you’re borrowing it?” Mitchell asks.
Anders just shrugs and flashes his shit-eating grin.
The following ficlet was written by @filigreeing based on this photoset
Fili/Kili, G
You might also be able to read this story on AO3
If you’ve enjoyed this story, please leave a comment either in replies or on AO3.
—
It has been too long since they last made this trip. As they wind their way through the familiar narrow roads, Kíli realises that he’s not entirely sure when the last time was that they came here. Too long, certainly.
He watches as bare trees, frosty fields, and white capped hills streak past the window. Festively appropriate music croons quietly from the radio and beyond that, there is nothing, just the sweet silence of the countryside, a world away from the bustle of the city. Kíli rests his head briefly against the cool glass and watches his breath fog it faintly, lulled by the motion of the car. He hadn’t realised just how much he needed this. Just to be. For once there is nothing he is expected to do and nowhere he is expected to go except right where he is.
The following ficlet was written by @filigreeing based on this photoset
Fili/Kili, G, part of the Brine verse
You might also be able to read this story on AO3
If you’ve enjoyed this story, please leave a comment either in replies or on AO3.
—
Kíli is walking along the shore when he sees a strange car parked on the narrow road that leads to Fíli's lighthouse.
This alone intrigues him. Fíli has a car, a battered old Land Rover that is more often than not covered by a tarp to protect it from the worst of the salt and sand. But Kíli has never seen another car parked here before, no less one so shining and new as this black BMW. Outside of himself, Kíli doesn't think that Fíli has ever received visitors.
Knowing how private Fíli can be, he considers turning round and returning to the village, but curiosity makes him hesitate and keeps him rooted to the spot. It is in this moment of indecision that Fíli's front door opens and a stranger steps out.
There is a familiarity to him. Though his hair is dark, dusted with streaks of grey at the temples, something of Fíli lingers in the sharp line of his jaw and in the clear blue of his eyes. Fíli's are softer, though— they carry their sadness differently. There is a sense of quiet authority to this man. He assesses Kíli in silence in such a way that has him fighting the urge to shrink down in an attempt to make himself smaller. He feels a little like a rabbit trying to avoid the piercing gaze of a hawk.
“Hi,” Kíli says, lifting a hand in a hesitant wave.
"Can we help you?" asks the stranger, sounding stern.
Kíli is saved from answering when Bryn nudges her way through the door, huffing happily as she trots down the incline to greet Kíli. She shoves her snout into his hand as if to declare the matter settled: friend.
“This is a friend of mine,” Fíli says as he appears in the doorway and comes to stand beside the man. He’s avoiding Kíli’s eyes in that way he does when something’s unsettled him. “His name is Kíli. Kíli, this is my uncle, Thorin.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” Kíli says, summoning his best disarming smile, the one that usually works on even the most grumpy of folks. However it appears to have remarkably little effect on Thorin, who responds to Kíli's charm offensive by merely lifting his chin in a stiff acknowledgement, “A pleasure,” he says, the words sounding far more a formality than a sentiment.
It appears stoicism runs in the family.
Thorin turns his attention to Fíli. “Think on what I said.”
Fíli nods once, silently. Kíli glances between them, trying to read Fíli's thoughts through his actions but he remains carefully shuttered. The only emotion Kíli can detect is in the way Fíli’s hand unconsciously finds Bryn’s head when she returns to his side, fingers burying in her fur as if to ground himself.
Thorin gives Kíli one last lingering look that could either be an appraisal or a warning of sorts, before turning and walking to the sleek black BMW. The engine starts with a low hum, and the car pulls away along the narrow road, disappearing around the bend where the cliffs slope toward the sea.
Only when it has vanished from view does Fíli release a quiet breath.
"Sorry," says Kíli. "Did I interrupt something?"
Fíli shakes his head, though it feels more like a deflection than a denial. “He just came to talk." Bryn leans into Fíli's leg and he absently strokes her ears.
Kíli takes a few careful steps closer. “He seemed… intense.”
Fíli huffs a dry, stilted laugh. “That’s one word for him.” There's something in Fíli's expression, something quiet and sad. And though Kíli badly wants to understand why this unexpected visitor has left him so unsettled, he knows better than to press.
So instead, he offers a small smile and lifts his carrier bag just enough for Fíli to notice.
“What’s that?” Fíli asks, with exactly the level of curiosity Kíli had hoped for.
"Oh just a few provisions."
"Provisions?"
"Decorations. Holly. Pine garlands. Maybe a few stars."
“I don’t usually decorate,” Fíli says, though when he meets Kíli’s gaze, the slightest curve touches his lips in an almost-smile that tells Kíli it won’t take much convincing at all to show Fíli that decorating the lighthouse might be a very good idea after all.
"I didn't know he was coming," Fíli says as he sits at the kitchen table tying sprigs of evergreen into bundles using twine. Bryn lies by his feet, snoring softly. Every now and then her front paws twitch in a dream.
Kíli glances over from the fireplace where he’s fastening a cluster of holly to one of the bundles. “When did you see him last?”
He watches as Fíli hesitates, fingers slowing on the twine. “A long time,” he says finally. “Years.”
Kíli doesn’t push. He just nods, shifting to reach for the next garland. “Must’ve been a surprise, then.”
"You could say that."
They work in silence for a moment: Kíli alternating between garnishing the fireplace and stepping back to survey his work and Fíli continuing to tie his bundles into neat little string bows.
"You know," Kíli begins, breaking the quiet in a light tone. "I have to admit, I wasn’t expecting someone from your family to show up looking quite so… fancy. No offence." The BMW and Thorin's tailored suit had stood out starkly against the ruggedness of the lighthouse and Fíli's well-loved woollen jumper.
Fíli’s hands go still again. Then, softly, almost shyly, he chuckles. “I used to dress like that too,” he says. “Before I came here.”
Kíli turns a little, surprised but careful not to show too much of it. Fíli’s gaze remains carefully fixed on the sprig of evergreen in his hands.
“Really?” Kíli asks.
“Mm.” Fíli clears his throat and returns to his work. “My family, they have a business empire. It's very big and very old, and very… rigid.” He wraps the twine one more time, tugging it tight. “I worked in it for a long time. It was expected.”
In that quiet confession, Kíli sees the shape of a larger story, it is more than Fíli has ever shared with him before. He moves close under the guise of gathering spare holly. “What made you leave?”
For a moment, Fíli says nothing. He sets the bundle he had been working on aside, resting his palms flat on the table. By his feet, Bryn stirs and lifts her head, sensing the shift in her master.
“I didn't leave,” he says slowly. “Not exactly.”
Kíli remains quiet and sits down across from Fíli, allowing the quiet to breathe and giving Fíli the space to continue.
Fíli swallows. "I did something that hurt them," he says. "My family, I hurt them badly. I… I still think it was the right thing to do, but it hurt them all the same." The words come reluctantly and he stares down at the table. Bryn has settled by his side with her chin resting on his knee and he reaches down to stroke her head. "The last time Thorin spoke to me, he said that I was never to contact any of them again." He attempts a smile but it falters. "And I didn't."
Heart aching, Kíli pulls his chair closer to Fíli, their knees not quite touching but close enough that they could.
"I haven't had much contact with any of them since," Fíli goes on, staring down at Bryn. "Not in years. Sometimes I wondered if I even existed to them anymore. So seeing Thorin today…" He shakes his head. "It was a shock."
"I can imagine," Kíli says. Taking a chance, he reaches out to take Fíli's hand still resting on the table and Fíli does not pull it away. "What did he want?"
Fíli lets out a breath through his nose. "I'm… not sure." He fiddles with Bryn's ear with his free hand, gently stroking the soft fur between his fingers. "We're supposed to meet again tomorrow. To talk." His shoulders lift in a small, helpless shrug. "It feels strange. That life was closed to me for so long it doesn't even feel like it's mine anymore. Like it happened to someone else entirely."
Kíli's voice softens. "You don't have to figure it all out today."
Fíli glances at him, his expression so vulnerable it hits Kíli square in the chest.
"No," Fíli murmurs. "I suppose I don't."
"And you don't have to do it alone," Kíli says, squeezing Fíli's hand. "You know that, right?"
Something fragile pass over Fíli's face. "Thank you," he says in a whisper, squeezing back. "Truly."
The moment passed, he picks up a sprig of evergreen, his hands steadier now. Kíli returns to the fireplace, and together they continue to decorate the lighthouse.
Later, as Kíli walks along the quiet high street, headed for the bed and breakfast he's been staying in, he spots a familiar black BMW parked up outside. He slows his steps as he peers curiously at the car, not that he can gauge much from it, the windows are tinted for privacy. He’s almost certain it’s Thorin’s, though part of him hopes he’s mistaken. Perhaps there are more sleek black cars in the world than he gives credit for.
He pushes the door open and is greeted with the warm smell of spices and baked sugar. The bed and breakfast is owned by the 'Ur brothers and more often than not doubles up as an unofficial bakery for the village due to Bombur's frequent kitchen creations. Kíli half expects it to be Bombur who greets him tonight, however this time it's Bofur who appears from the brothers' private quarters. Floury fingerprints pattern his shirt and the tips of his drooping moustache are dusted white. Bofur smiles broadly when he sees Kíli and he hurries over clutching something carefully in his hands.
“There he is! Try this!” Bofur thrusts the object towards him before Kíli can fully register what it is and Kíli instinctively flinches back. A small gingerbread man greets him, his little face smiling lopsidedly and one of his button eyes slightly larger than the other.
Kíli carefully plucks the little man from Bofur's grasp, snaps off an arm and pops it in his mouth. "Delicious," he says, smiling.
“Bombur’s recipe,” Bofur tells him. “He’ll pick holes in it, no doubt say I did something wrong. But I think I did a bang-up job.”
“You did perfectly from where I’m standing,” Kíli says, examining the little gingerbread figure. “He's cute.”
Bofur beams. “I’ve made extra, so you can take some to Fíli.”
Kíli feels himself flush at the mention of Fíli's name. "He'll like that, thank you Bofur."
“How’s your lad doing, anyhow?” Bofur asks as he wipes his hands off on the front of his shirt, adding even more finger prints.
Kíli’s heart warms at the casual assumption of those words. Your lad.
“He’s good,” he replies, unable to hide the softness from creeping into his tone, nor the small smile that tugs at the corners of his mouth. He always gets to feeling a bit goofy when he talks about Fíli.
“You manage to convince him to pay us a visit anytime soon?”
“Working on it,” Kíli promises. Fíli has become a sort of village legend— the elusive lighthouse keeper no one’s quite managed to meet except Kíli.
Kíli heads for the stairs, biting off the head of his gingerbread man when Bofur calls after him, “Mind how you make noise tonight, eh? Got two new guests below you… I know how you like to stomp about.”
“Two?” Kíli pauses mid-step.
“At my last count, yeah.”
“Were they together?”
“Yeah. Why?”
“No reason.” Kíli shrugs, already lost in thought. There had been no sign of anyone else with Thorin at the lighthouse. Maybe the car outside really wasn’t his. Maybe Kíli had assumed wrong. Or maybe Thorin hadn’t come alone and there's someone else here from Fíli's past...
“Night, Bofur,” Kíli says.
“Night, lad,” Bofur calls back as Kíli climbs the stairs, each step slower than the last.
Hi folks, I’ve recently started posting a new fic over on ao3, thought I’d spread the word on here.
Title: Caractacus
fandom: The Almighty Johnsons
Tags: gen, magical de-aging, family bonding, emotional hurt/comfort
Warnings: though not described in detail this fic contains historical child abuse and CSA, please heed the tagged warnings.
summary: A late night phone call and some ill-timed god magic leads to some uncomfortable revelations. The Johnson brothers soon learn the unpleasant truth that scars that run so deeply are not so easily healed.
4/8 chapters currently posted.
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Mike's in the bathroom in the middle of his bedtime routine when he hears his phone.
"Who is it?" he calls through to Michele, toothbrush clamped between his teeth and mouth full of foamy toothpaste.
"Axl," she replies. "Want me to answer?"
Mike stares hard at his own reflection with the toothbrush hanging crookedly from his mouth. Does he want her to answer? That question is much more loaded than Michele realises.
Over the years he's developed a sort of traffic light system when it comes to fielding his brothers' late night phone calls. Ty is green, chances are if Ty calls at strange hours it's almost definitely some kind of emergency that needs immediate action. Anders is firmly in the red, he only calls when he's drunk, feeling belligerent, and spoiling for a fight. And Axl hovers somewhere between Ty and Anders in the amber zone. Depending on the time of year and Axl’s general vibe, it could go either way. Sometimes it’s a real crisis. Sometimes he’s drunk at a pub quiz and needs an 'old person answer', stat.
We’re back with your favourite event of the festive season!
We would like to invite you to help us decorate our virtual fandom Christmas tree! With shiny, new, delicious content!
Bear with, we’ll try to explain:
Fanart = Baubles
Fanfic = Paper chains
Photosets = Lights
This will make sense in a minute, we promise.
I would like to participate as a writer:
This year, we're doing things a little differently - you'll have access to all the photosets available straight away and you can choose which ones you wish to write for.
Step 1: Message @linane-art to request access to the photosets gallery*. You can do so between now and 13th of December - no sign up needed.
Step 2: Write something based on the photoset. Minimum 700 words, no max, Fili/Kili or any fictional Dean/Aidan pairing. You’ve created a paper chain for our tree.
Step 3: Don’t post it, submit it to us.
Step 4: You can do this again (or as many times as you like), but try not to start too many responses at the same time, because they will have to be submitted in a timely manner. Finish one, start another.
You must submit at least some ficlets before 13th of December.
You will be offered a chance to continue writing after the 13th of December, but we want at least one complete wave of responses by then, so we can queue up our content.
I would like to participate as an artist:
Step 1: Message @linane-art to request a bauble outline template.
Step 2: Within the bauble draw a little fanart. Photomanips are also allowed, but just edits or photosets won’t work for this. Must be Christmas or season-themed (no prompts, do what you like). Fili/Kili or any fictional Dean/Aidan pairing.
Step 3: Don’t post it, submit it to us.
Step 4: You can do this again (or as many times as you like), but you must submit one before producing another.
You must submit at least some fanarts before 13th of December.
You will be offered a chance to continue drawing after the 13th of December, but we want at least one complete wave of responses by then, so we can queue our content.
Decorating the tree:
Between 13th and 24th of December @gatheringfiki will be posting all your creations (decorations)
We will also re-use some of last year’s decorations: the photosets from previous year will be reblogged between 1st and 12th of December to whet your appetie.
Questions, feedback, ideas, comments - please let us know!
~gatheringfiki
*I am insanely busy right now and as of this moment I have 6 photosets ready. I have lots more started and I hope to reach the full 12 sets before the night is over, even if I don't sleep at all. I have to. I won't have any time for this next week.
Special thanks go to @stelly38 who continues to save my life with the photosets on an annual basis. <3
