Fili twitched when the buzzing sounded even closer than the last time, but forced his fingers to resume work on Kili’s flower crown. There was no need for alarm. The insect was just as likely to fly away as it was likely to –
His fingers crushed the delicate stem of a buttercup when the buzzing sounded much closer than before. Fili grit his teeth, smoothed out the mangled stem and forced himself to pay attention to the task at hand.
It was the height of summer and that meant the Summer Festival celebrations and the time of the flower crowns. To that end, Fili was currently perched in the middle of a gently sloping meadow, up until a few moments ago merrily making a crown for Kili.
Kili, who, curse the little brat, was nowhere to be seen, having gone to fetch some more flowers for the industrial enterprise taking shape nearby.
Fili and Kili Tarot Cards! I think I’d like to do all of the dwarves one day. I thought they were well represented by these cards. Kili is reckless and adventurous, always getting into trouble, while Fili is more disciplined, and ready to lead by example. Together they round each other out quite well, don’t you think?
First of all, thank you to all of you who have taken part!
Hands up if you’ve managed all 12 days? A couple of you, I think - well done. Who’s managed more than half? You know who you are! And everyone else who contributed just a couple of entries, or even just one. Each new piece is priceless and helps keep the fandom alive.
Thank you also to all those of you who took the time to like and comment and reblog - remember, feedback is what keeps us going, so please keep it coming!
Would you believe that we’ve created a whooping 58 new fannish creations?
Summaries below:
AO3 Collection
Wokflowy List
or a clickable Tumblr list under the cut!
As always, please let us know if we’ve missed anything!
For 12 Days of Christmas at @gatheringfiki AND
The beginning of MERRIO KARISIMASU to my lovely @linane-art !!
This story is a prequel to And They Had This, and old story prompt in which the dwarves live in ancient Rome. Kili is the son of a Roman citizen and his wife - Fili is a slave, though he has his own ties to the family.
We’re not entirely certain what the Romans did on Saturnalia, but two recorded possibilities are having dinner with a statue of Saturn chillin’ on some cushions at the temple and a tradition of the masters serving the servants for one evening only.
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The air was crisp and damp from rain and sea as Kíli’s family wound their way home from the public Saturnalia celebrations. Their villa was filled with light, candles and lamps cheerfully lit by the slaves and servants as the masters returned from the temple.
A light rain fell as it often did in the winter months, and Kíli pulled his cloak tighter around himself as he hurried his steps. The sooner he reached the villa, the sooner he’d reach his brother. Fíli wasn’t allowed to attend the temple with the family; he remained at home and prepared the fest with the other slaves. But there he was, hair golden against the lamps, a smile on his face as Kíli broke into a jog.
Of course he heard his mother’s sound of disgust and his father’s indulgent warning about appropriate behavior, but Kíli didn’t care. Fíli welcomed him with a broad smile, open arms, and a thick towel to chase the rain and chill away. “Was it fun?” he asked as he scrubbed Kíli’s hair dry.
“Somewhat,” Kíli answered, wanting but not quite daring to snuggle into Fíli’s arms and kiss him hello. It was one thing to have an affair with a slave; quite another when it was an open secret throughout the house that said slave was your father’s son. “They managed not to drop Saturn as they laid him on the cushions this year, but the conversation was painfully boring.”
Fíli chuckled softly and carefully gathered the damp towels back into his arms. “Will you change before dinner?” he asked, his eyes flickering over Kíli’s shoulder to Kíli’s parents. Kíli didn’t turn; he could imagine his mother’s fury even though Fíli was behaving only as a personal servant should. Her frustration came from the recent change in her own status in Fíli’s life – Fíli had been gifted to Kíli when Kíli came of age. She could no longer snap at her husband’s by-blow, or cuff him, or humiliate him.
Fíli refused to leave Kíli’s side, but he did accept the protection that came with belonging to Kíli with more than just their hearts.
“Yes,” Kíli said, before assuring his parents that he would be back shortly, and much more appropriate for company. His mother snapped that he should hurry, so he took off at a brisk walk across the rainy courtyards to his personal quarters.
Fíli, of course, followed on his heels.
Even better, the moment they were in Kíli’s private room, Fíli caught him by the hand, spun him around, and kissed him. Kíli positively melted into the touch, lips softening as his free hand wrapped around Fíli’s waist.
“I’m yours,” Kíli panted against Fíli’s lips, as he always did, as he always would. Your brother, your love, your companion, your everything.
Fíli’s hands slid under the suddenly too-damp, too-heavy cloth of Kíli’s toga, his rough fingertips catching on the purple silk along the border. Fíli, not a citizen, wore only a tunic. His skin was warm and welcoming as Kíli pulled the fabric over his head. “I love you,” Fíli told him, kissing Kíli’s arms as he lifted the fabric away. “You said you’d be quick.”
Kíli grinned at him. “This time,” he said, hands sliding down his love’s bared sides. “But tonight, when it is time for lords to serve, we will take all the time we like.”
Fíli’s eyes, blue and perfect, flicked over Kíli’s shoulder. “I don’t know, Kíli-”
Kíli pouted, lower lip barely shifting forward in a way that snapped Fíli’s gaze back where Kíli wanted it. “It’s tradition! On Saturnalia, the master serves the servant-”
“At dinner!”
Kíli’s smile spread. “Well…think of it as dessert.”
“Kíli!”
“Fíli!” Kíli kissed him, teeth nipping lightly at Fíli’s lower lip. “I want to do this, Fíli. I want to do this with you.”
With you. Never *for* you.
They belonged with each other – not to each other.
Fíli shivered, and Kíli kissed him as their hands traced, warm and loving, over warm skin. “Please?”
Kíli could feel the heat across Fíli’s fair cheeks. “Yes, yes, very well. But for now you must get dressed and play nice.”
Kíli kissed him, firm and enthusiastic. “Oh, I promise. It will be very nice,” he purred, and then he had to kiss those flushed cheeks and that lovely mouth as Fíli laughed at his sauciness. This was their first Saturnalia together, and Kíli planned to grant every request his lover made in those cold midnight hours – just as the season demanded.
Now he just had to survive dinner with his parents first.
