because it was real

[willnothide]

Kili doesn't know the first thing about dates or how to go about making a first one good. As far as he understands, it's a method of courting that involves dinners and romantic outings, among other things, but such dates had no place in the Ered Luin (nor under Thranduil's rule in Mirkwood, he would imagine), so in planning one for Tauriel, Kili had found himself at a bit of a loss.

He'd dared not go to Fili for help, not when he'd desired more than relentless brotherly mockery, and so he'd chosen Beth because she is in a happy relationship with someone of her own world and also, she has been an excellent friend to him, one of the best he's made in the city. Both truths had made his decision to ask her for advice seem perfectly valid, and he's glad now that he had because that is how he's ended up here.

Tauriel loves the stars, Kili knows that from the way she'd once described them so delicately--

They are memory.

--and Beth had recommended a place in Darrow called a planetarium. There, he'd met a kind fellow called Tim, who'd agreed to assist in letting Kili into a room where the image of the stars would span the great lengths of the ceilings and also where Kili would have Tim set up a picnic of sorts with food from Derek's truck while Kili is gone to collect Tauriel.

All of this had earned Beth's approval, and Kili only hopes now that it will earn that of his love. He cannot express beyond what he already has just how much his heart yearns for her, how desperately he'd needed to see her live on Ravenhill even if it meant his own death, but he can start here. Dwarrows do only love once, he's been reminded, but Kili's heart has belonged to Tauriel for one lifetime already. He has no trouble imagining another with her, as long as she'll continue to have him, no matter how quickly or slowly her feelings may grow.

With a deep breath and an urging away of nerves that he finds terribly annoying, Kili knocks on Tauriel's door, hoping against hope that everything about the evening goes according to plan.

Comments

[strongerthanevil]

While Tauriel was looking forward to her date with Kili it brought her no end of frustration as well. As she understood it dates were far more formal things than what she and Kili had done so far. Apparently one was to dress up for most dates, wearing clothing more appropriate to a formal setting.

Never before had she any need to dress in such a way. As a Captain of the Guard it was always important for her to dress functionally, to be ready to defend her king or people at any moment. That was not at all the case for her date with Kili and she found herself at a lost for what to wear. The poor woman at the clothing boutique had been at her wits end suggesting different things. While many of the outfits were indeed attractive they were not practical. They hugged her figure in a way that made it impossible to either move or conceal a weapon on her person.

In the end she compromised and selected a dress that allowed for ease of movement but would always be able to conceal several knives. Tauriel also selected a pair of shoes to compliment the dress. While she would have perferred a boot of some sort or even some of the heels the woman suggested (which would have made a fine weapon, the point being quite deadly if one kicked with enough force) but it was already difficult to reach Kili's mouth with her own and she did not wish to make the height difference anymore of an obstacle than it already was.

By the time Kili knocked on her door she had managed to calm and worry herself several times over. No matter how many times she told herself she had nothing to worry about, that Kili had already declared his love for her, she fell back into worry. What if she were to do something to lose his love? What if he decided she was not worth waiting for?

They were foolish fears and did a great disservice to Kili but she could not silence them entirely. Not until she opened the door and saw him standing there. He was handsome in a way that almost infuriated her, as if anyone had a right to be so attractive. But it was his eyes that always made her lose her place, the kindness and affection in them overwhelming her.

"Good evening, Kili."

[willnothide]

Kili cannot deny that the first time he'd seen Tauriel, he'd been in awe of her beauty. There is no denying that she is in possession of the most enviable of looks with her long, red hair that is partly twisted into the sorts of intricate braids even dwarrows would have to admire and her fair, soft skin that makes her look so delicate from afar until her warrior's nature makes itself known. It is that nature that had attracted Kili the most, though, and he could never forget watching her arrow pierce the spider in Mirkwood before he'd turned his head and immediately known right then that his heart would belong to her.

He knows that his fondness for her hadn't exactly been a secret among the rest of the Company, especially not after what his brother, Bofur, and Oin had witnessed when Tauriel had come to heal him in Lake-town; but he hadn't cared because in spite of the fact that the rivalry between dwarrows and Elves had always been so strong, Kili had never truly felt it himself.

There had been a rage in him at the thought of being in Thranduil's realm, if only because he'd heard all the stories of the King's betrayal to Kili's own kin; but for those Elves such as Elrond, who'd only ever tried to help them, or for Tauriel, who'd been kind even on the other side of prison bars, Kili had privately allowed himself to believe that perhaps each race were too quick to judge each other at the best of times. Dwarrows are stubborn, to be sure, but he's found (sometimes frustratingly so) that Elves can be the same way.

Seeing Tauriel now makes Kili wonder how none of the other members of the Company had fallen in love with her, too, because she is a vision in a dress he'd never even considered he might want day see her wear. His lips part just slightly as the words he'd prepared for greeting die away on his tongue and his eyes widen with how stunned he is by her beauty.

"Tauriel," he finally manages, suddenly feeling quite nervous because he is dressed in his typical attire of tunic and boots and trousers, but Kili hopes that she will not hold it against him. He's found, after all, that it's rather difficult to shop regularly for himself in this city. "You look incredible, truly, I am in awe of you."

That isn't anything new, he supposes, but still he smiles and holds his hand out to her.

"I've much planned for us this evening, I hope you'll enjoy it." He pauses, wrinkling his nose and laughing sheepishly. "This dating business seems rather intimidating in some ways, does it not? I feel more nervous doing something planned with you than I've ever been before, it's a strange thing."

[strongerthanevil]

"I rather like it. I have been preoccupied the last several days with the anticipation of getting to spend time with you. While I enjoy being with you when our time is not structured there is something to be said for the anticipation."

He had done well to pique her curiosity as well, making her wonder what manner of things he could have planned for them to enjoy. Whatever it was she had no doubt that it would not be dull, for even the smallest of things were reason to celebrate when she did them with Kili.

"And it brings my heart joy to see you, Kili. You look especially handsome tonight. Part of our activities may very well be me driving off those who might wish to be on a date with you."

[willnothide]

While Kili isn't one too often hold his tongue even in the most dire of situations, he manages not to say that he finds himself anticipating the next time he'll see Tauriel nearly every day. An unexpected meeting with her instills in him a feeling like nothing else he's ever experienced before, one that makes his stomach feel like it is twisting and turning but not in an entirely unlikable way. Being in her company is different from being in that of any of his friends, not only because of how deeply he loves Tauriel but because Kili tends to be far more aware of himself with her than with anyone else.

For some, that may seem to be a bad thing; but for Kili, it is simply new. He knows who he is outside of this world, who he'd been in Arda and what he'd hoped to accomplish with his life. In Darrow, his desires and needs have changed because there is no Erebor to reclaim, no mother or uncle to behave for (even if he hadn't ever behaved half as well as they would have liked in the first place), no family name to honor, at least not in front of anyone who would truly care.

In Darrow, his focus has shifted to caring for himself and for his brother, to treating his friends as kindly as he would like to be treated, and to making sure that Tauriel never once has to doubt how deeply he loves her so that one day, she will be comfortable in feeling the same of him.

So he merely reaches out to take her hand, his cheeks faintly flushing with pleasure. "You will be the only one to witness it if anyone does wish such a thing," Kili promises, brushing his thumb gently over her skin. "My eyes shall be reserved for only one on this night, and she is already standing before me."

[strongerthanevil]

"Even so, I have ensured that I am well armed just in case anyone wishes to test me," she said, though more an attempt at humor than anything else. While she is certainly ready to fight for his affection and attention she had no doubt that it is not anymore necessary than for Kili to fight for hers. Everything she has to give is his and she would not wish it any other way.

"So tell me, where are you leading me this evening?"

She squeezed his hand as she spoke, enjoying the feeling of his strong, calloused hands against her own. The way his rougher skin felt along her own as a wonderful contrast, one she loved to feel. Truly, she loved it any time that Kili touched her and wished that he would do it more often. Not that he was hesitant about such a thing but she felt herself craving it every bit as much as she did his company.

[willnothide]

"Telling you would ruin the surprise," Kili says, clicking in his tongue in mock admonishment, as if Tauriel should know far better than to think he would ever reveal his plans for what lies ahead this evening. "I can say that where we are going, there will very hopefully be no need for weapons unless we decide that we want to test each other."

He supposes it isn't out of the realm of possibility, their time together can be unpredictable; but that's one more thing that Kili loves about being with Tauriel. It aligns perfectly with what he tends to enjoy so much about life.

"I do hope you'll like our date," he says once they reach the ground floor, his voice softening as he looks up her with a sheepish expression. He squeezes her hand briefly in his before moving to hold open the front door. "I wanted it to be special, seeing as it's the first for both of us."

[strongerthanevil]

"Assuming you are going to a place that will not require weapons is how you ensure that you are ambushed," she said, smiling fondly at him. Feeling terribly bold, Tauriel lightly stroked the back of his hand with her thumb. It was such a small thing, barely more contact than they had before but it felt significant to her merely because it was new. It was a new way to touch Kili and she very much enjoyed it. Hearing that he had planned a surprise for her only served to increase the fondness she felt for him.

"Every moment with you feels special," she told him, gently kissing his forehead before she walked through the door that he held open. Whatever he had awaiting them she was sure that she would find it every bit as special as he hoped. Kili knew her in ways that it seemed that others did not, or perhaps in ways that they could not. It was one of the reasons she cared for him so much.

[willnothide]

She makes a good away, and he tilts his head up at her with an arched brow to silently acknowledge that before they continue on through the doors, beaming from the kiss she places on his forehead and doing his best not to start skipping his way to the planetarium because of the way his heart feels like it is fluttering in his chest. It's a lovely Sunday evening and though he's discovered that Fridays and Saturdays account for the most bustling activity in the city, it seems as though the clear sky and warm weather have brought people out of their homes tonight.

People watch them as they pass, some looking curious and others fond, though Kili does not pay them much mind. Tauriel isn't a trophy for him to parade in front of others, he's never seen her as such, but he cannot deny that he is proud that he is the one she's chosen to join on a date, hand-in-hand so that others may see what exists between them. She'd been right in what she'd said, that every moment feels special, and Kili doesn't quite know what to truly do with his love for her quite yet in a place like Darrow, but he does know that this is a step he's glad they've taken.

"We're almost there," he tells her, pointing toward a dome-like structure still a couple blocks ahead. The corners of Kili's mouth tug up into a mischievous smile. "We'll have to sneak in through the back. It's already closed to the rest of the city dwellers."

[strongerthanevil]

Tauriel was not oblivious to the odd looks that they received when walking through the building. She is trained to observe and while some seem to find them odd many do not. Even more do not even take note of them, which she finds a great relief. Back in their own world they would be found an oddity, perhaps even an obscenity to some, and while she was prepared to face most anything to be with Kili she was glad that was not the case.

"We must sneak in?" she asked, arching an eyebrow before smiling at him. Somehow that made whatever it was that he had planned all the more enjoyable. As someone who had spent her entire life doing what she was told and following the law, no matter how unjust it seemed, doing even such a small, illicit act seemed a thrill. "I am finding myself more and more eager to see what this date entails."

[willnothide]

"Thought you might like that part of it," Kili tells her, arching a mischievous brow and flashing her a cheeky grin as they approach the back door of the building, just as Tim had told him to do. He's to knock three times and if Tim answers, they're to make due and wait a bit longer; if there is no answer, it means the door has been left unlocked, the food is set and the stars are waiting for them inside.

"I did loads of sneaking into places with my brother in the Ered Luin," he continues, holding a hand up to indicate that she should wait as he approaches the door, "but I have to admit, I had a bit of help this time around." He knocks once, twice, and a third time, holding his ear to the door to listen for anyone who might be coming and after a moment, he sighs with relief as he pulls the door open.

Turning back to Tauriel, he bounces lightly on his heels and holds his hand out for her to take. "As I am yours, this night now belongs to us," he says, and it's a bit of a flowery thing to say but that makes it no less true. "Come on, I can't wait to show you what's inside."

[strongerthanevil]

"It does not surprise me at all that you and your brother would sneak about as children. I imagine he did it as much to ensure you did not get in to too much trouble as anything else," Tauriel said, though her smile was fond. She would not want Kili to be someone that always played things safe. His sense of adventure and daring was something that she very much enjoyed about him. After all, what sort of Dwarf would be willing to have a relationship with an Elf if not one with a sense of daring and adventure as well as a disregard for the rules?

She waited for Kili to open the door then stepped through. What she saw was stunning, the night sky covering the interior of the building so it appeared as if they were amongst the stars. It was as close as she would perhaps ever get to being truly among them and that Kili had done such a thing for her was truly touching.

"Kili, there are not words in the Common Tongue to say what this means to me..."

[willnothide]

"On the contrary, Fili might like to say he wasn't as much of a troublemaker, but he led me into more than just a little mischief." That commonality is one of the reasons why they've always been so close, Kili thinks, and there has always been so much more expectation placed on his older brother, the heir closer to the throne, but that hadn't stopped Fili from wanting to enjoy his life. Kili has always looked to him for guidance over anyone else, in spite of how desperate he's always been for approval from their uncle, and Fili has never failed to teach him when it's most needed.

They don't speak of it often but growing up without their father had been difficult at times. Kili had been too young to remember too much of him, but Fili had known how to make their father laugh and smile. That skill hadn't been lost on Kili or their mother, sometimes even Thorin, and Kili knows how much of his good life as a dwarling he owes to his brother. They're different in many other ways, of course, the least of which isn't even Kili's affection for an Elf; but even then, they've always been able to work together in harmony.

At present time, however, Kili supposes he should leave thoughts of his kin behind because as they enter into the building, he keeps his eyes on Tauriel to gauge her reaction. Her expression softens as they step beneath the stars, her eyes widening in the dim light, and Kili feels his chest tighten with a fondness reserved only for her.

"I'd hoped you would like it," he says, and he cannot account for why he suddenly feels so bashful but he lowers his head, as if in reverence, to smile to himself. "You remember what you told me, don't you? 'It is memory. Precious and pure.' Like my promise, you said." Kili pauses before stepping closer to her so he can slip his hand in Tauriel's. "I made the same promise to you. I know you don't remember it, but-- Well, I've kept it, haven't I? I came back to you."

[strongerthanevil]

"You know me well," she said, squeezing his hand as she continued to look around. That he remembered was not surprising but it was no less touching for that. That anyone would do something such as this, let alone someone as special as Kili, was truly touching and she felt her heart lurch with more emotion than she had thought possible. Was this love?

"And you did indeed come back to you, for which I am grateful. I am finding more and more that I do not know what I would do if you were not here, Kili. Of all my memories, those most precious and pure are those of my time with you."

It seemed absurd to her that such would be the case, if she looked at it from the outside. Centuries of memories and those most precious to her were of her time with Kili. She wished for more of them, an eternity of them with the two of them together.

[willnothide]

Kili would never have said that he's spent his life waiting for someone to inspire the emotions in him as Tauriel does but now that it's happened, he's certain there can't be anything that can compare. He loves his mother, yes, and his uncle, and more than anyone in the world, he loves his brother, all that is true; but with Tauriel, it's different in a way he finds difficult to explain. Dwarrows love only once in their lives, and he's already told Tauriel that his heart will always belong to her but it's more than just that. He's more than simply at her service, it's more than just his heart that is hers, Kili would give all himself to her if she were only to ask.

Perhaps Fili can't understand it and perhaps he never will, how it came to pass that Kili had fallen in love with an Elf, and it hardly makes much to sense to Kili himself. Still, that doesn't matter. All he knows is that this bond between him and Tauriel is one that he would never see broken and if it was, it would break his heart. It isn't the fairest way to woo her, to tell her that he's already incapable of loving another, but he feels them getting closer to what they would have been in Arda if... If.

"That, Tauriel, is because I am the most precious and pure," Kili tells her with a playful smirk, tugging at her hand to urge her to sit where a blanket has been laid out under the stars in the false sky. The food he'd had ordered is ready for them, thankfully still warm and with a red wine that had come highly recommended. Kili isn't certain that either of them will especially like it, but he'd supposed it was well enough worth the risk so he pours them both a glass and holds one out for Tauriel to take.

"I think a toast is in order," he says, his expression settling into something more sincere. "The memories you have of our time together in Arda are not complete, but we've started to make new ones in Darrow. With every day that passes, I grow ever more grateful that Mahal has brought me back to you and ever humbler that you would call me yours. Let us toast to each other, Tauriel, and to a long future of making more memories together."

[strongerthanevil]

On occasion Tauriel wished that Legolas were here and that she could discuss her feelings for Kili with him. While she knew that even if her oldest friend were here he would not wish to hear her speak of such things she could not help but wish for his wisdom. Or perhaps the wisdom of one such as Galadriel, who Tauriel knew had found love of her own. If she could discuss it with one who had experienced it before then perhaps she could better understand it.

So Tauriel would do her best. Because that is what Kili deserved, the best of herself, of all that she could give. She would gladly give everything she had of herself if it would make him happy. She was fortunate that often it seemed to take so little from her to make him so.

"And I hope that every day brings me more memories of us together. Every moment that we are not together I find myself thinking of you. May I have fewer of those moments as we are more often together," she said, raising her glass before taking a drink.

[willnothide]

For a moment, he only watches her with his glass held to his lips, though he doesn't yet drink. Kili has never been one to feel especially insecure (except, perhaps, when it comes to what his uncle might think of him every now and again), and he doesn't question it when Tauriel says such things as she has because he trusts in her word; yet in moments like this, when he's looking at her lit by the stars as he had that first time they'd spoken through the bars of his cell in Mirkwood, Kili wonders how it is that this is possible. How it is that an Elf and a Dwarf could come together in this way, for in his time and even his father's time, it hasn't been heard of.

What his kin may think of their love, Kili doesn't especially care. He takes no heed of judgment when what he feels is as pure as he's ever known, though it does relieve him a great deal that Fili has managed to refrain from speaking poorly of it. Still, he remembers the way the Mirkwood prince had looked at him, the arrogant disdain as he'd looked down upon Kili, and Kili so hates to be looked down upon. He feels a flash of irritation at that, though it's quickly replaced with a sense of pride that through it all, Tauriel had still chosen him. She'd still chosen to come after to him, to help him in a battle that was not hers, and in his dying moment, Kili had at least known that she'd loved him, too.

"Thank you for joining me tonight," he says softly, taking a sip of his wine before setting it aside. "All this time we've been in the city together, and I've enjoyed every moment I've spent with you; but I wanted this to be special. I wanted you to know how special you are to me, beyond what I can express in words."

[strongerthanevil]

"I have never doubted that I was special to you, Kili. Even had you never said a word I would have known, I would have felt it as I hope you have felt my feelings for you."

That was perhaps her greatest fear, that Kili would not feel appreciated or cared for by her. She would not say that she loved him until she knew so without a doubt, but she did care for him more than she did any other in a way she never had before. To say that she loved him was truly an important thing and she imagined that Kili wished to hear such words. But Tauriel hoped that he knew that he was more important to her than any other, that she would do anything for him.

[willnothide]

He has felt her feelings. Not just back in Arda, where their love had grown quickly in the face of danger and threat of death, but here in Darrow where things between them have been allowed to progress more steadily. He'd feared for a time that her attraction to him would be lost if not for being in battle but he's put that to rest now, for it does Tauriel a disservice to allow himself to believe such a thing.

Setting his glass down, he reaches out to take hers so he can do the same before inching toward her until the gap between them is practically closed. He brings a hand up to cup her cheek, smiling softly and letting his eyes slip shut as he leans in to press a kiss to her lips. It's hardly the first time they've kissed but there can be no moving forward if neither of them move forward so Kili gently parts her lips with his tongue, a soft moan sounding from deep within his throat.

He shifts so that he can comfortably rest his other hand behind her neck, deepening the kiss and reveling in the warm of her mouth against his, the way they seem to move in sync with each other, and he's stirred with a faint arousal that only Tauriel has ever made him feel. Slowly, he moves so that he can trail kisses up the line of her jaw, a shiver working its way through him before lets out a quiet laugh.

"I know there's food," he says, a playful edge to his tone, and he blinks his eyes open to gaze at her. "But if it's all the same, I'd much rather keep kissing you. Have you any thoughts on the matter?"

[strongerthanevil]

She loved the feel of his scruff against her face, the roughness against her smooth skin. There was a flush of heat that moved through her when his hand touched her and she felt her heart flutter. For all that she loved his words- and she did love them- she was a woman of action and actions resonated with her most.

And oh how did Kili's actions resonate within her, his tongue teasing past her lips as she gave a hum of pleasure. She let him take the lead for now, not wanting to frighten him with the perhaps more... aggressive feelings that she has. As he kissed along her jaw she felt her body shiver in pleasure and she could not help the gasp that escaped her lips. She had very much enjoyed that.

When he pulled back she fought the urge to growl in frustration as he teased her. He was a most terrible tease and she would not forget this moment though her payback may be some time in coming.

"I have very strong thoughts on the matter," she said, reaching down to pull him closer so that he was in her lap. Trapped, as she imagined, so that he could not leave her. Her own mouth kissed along his neck, nipping playfully as her lips moved to his ear. "Very strong feelings indeed."

[willnothide]

It isn't uncomfortable but it is considerably unfamiliar, to be kissing her this way when until now, the brush of their lips have been more chaste than anything else. She isn't the first he's kissed, but she is the first he's ever loved and that makes this all the more important. All the more special. He'd wished for it in Arda, to know more than just the touch of their hands, but fate hadn't been kind to them there. Kili would not have thought that it would be kinder here, that Mahal would see it fit to bring them together in this world rather than their own.

But in Darrow, there seems to be little judgment for whom one chooses to lie with. He's seen men with men, women with women, and it doesn't bother him in the slightest but Kili does know that back home, his kin would have greatly frowned upon his relationship with Tauriel. Thorin and Thranduil would have had that in common, at least, though his uncle would not take it kindly to hear him say such a thing aloud.

He nearly protests when Tauriel pulls him into her lap, though the thrill that shoots up his spine at the feel of her lips against his neck silence anything he might have been close to saying. Though there have been others, those experiences had been born of curiosity more than anything else. This is different, this is real, a step in what he hopes will be a long future with the one he loves so much.

"Very strong feelings, you say?" Kili asks with a breathless laugh, letting his hands travel down her sides until they come to a rest on her hips. He leans forward to gently nip at the space just beneath her earlobe and smiles. "I should like to hear more of these. Or perhaps you should just carry on showing me."

[strongerthanevil]

Tauriel sucked in a sharp breath when his hands traveled to her hips. It was not as risque as some couples she had seen touching in this world but it was such a new and pleasurable experience to her that she could not hold back her shock. It was certainly a good feeling though and one she did not want to stop.

"I forbid you from stopping," she told him, her mouth finding his again as she deepened the kiss, tongue teasing against his lips, feeling incredibly forward. Others, including Kili, might feel she was foolish or naive at the pleasure she found in such a simple act but she was willing to blame such pleasure on Kili's skill rather than her own lack of it. "I will physically restrain you if I must."

[willnothide]

"You do outrank me, Captain," Kili teases, pressing a trail of light kisses down the length of her neck, "so I suppose I cannot deny you when you've given me such an order. Although..." A kiss against her jaw. "I must admit..." A kiss to the curve of her cheek. "A punishment doesn't sound entirely undesirable. You could do much worse than physical restraint, I imagine."

What she knows of intimacy, Kili isn't certain but seeing as he's hardly an expert on it himself, he only hopes that the things he says and does will serve to bring her some sort of pleasure. It does send a thrill through him and it shows in the way he shudders as he lets out a huff of sheepish laughter. He seems to be doing well enough so far, at least, but he suspects that they've both been quite limited in their experiences. That alone gives him confidence; it means they can navigate this together.

"Tauriel," he murmurs, and he has nothing more to add, only wants to speak her name because to say it, to think of her and be with her, it brings him the kind of joy he's never felt with anyone else before. Kili wraps his arms around her, inching forward in her lap and letting out a soft moan as he presses another kiss to her lips. He could do this for the rest of the night, he thinks, and there's no doubt that he will be perfectly content.

[strongerthanevil]

"And you would never be... insubordinate," she said, gasping at the feel of his lips on her neck, the scruff of his beard on her soft flesh. It caused her to flush warmly and she fought to keep from squirming in a rather undignified manner as he pressed himself closer to her. Kili was a menace, of that she was quite certain.

Her hands wandered, first threading through his hair then down his back, impossibly broad and muscular. Her fingers itched to feel his skin directly against hers and she found herself somewhat frustrated by how covered he was. His own touch on her felt incredible, so much more than just the pressure of his fingers. It was his desire to touch her that she also found pleasurable, that she should be wanted in such a way.

Sliding her hands up his chest her fingers teased at the top of the collar, ghosting along the bit of hair there. It was a heady thing, all of this, but she would not wish it to stop for anything. Tauriel felt truly alive in a way that could perhaps only be matched by battle.

[willnothide]

It'd been surprising at first, to learn of the playfulness Tauriel is capable of, but it'd been one of the first things about her that Kili had been attracted to most. Even behind the bars of his Mirkwood cell, her retort to his admittedly lewd implication of what might be in his trousers had been a source of amusement, and he'd thought over it for most of the evening until she'd returned.

This is hardly the first time he's imagined at length what it would be like to be intimate with Tauriel, to undress her for the first time to see what the deceptively delicate parts of her that lie beneath the layers that separate them must look like. Her body is much lither than any Dwarf-woman, which shouldn't be appealing to him if the opinion of other dwarrows is anything to go by but Mahal help him, Kili finds her more beautiful than any of his own kind. Perhaps this isn't the best place to succumb to their temptations but at the same time, he wonders if isn't the best place. Under the stars, like the first time they'd met, learning the body of the love of his life--it all sounds like something he might once have thought could only happen in a dream.

He lowers his eyes to watch her fingers play at his shirt, his forehead resting against hers as he brushes his lips over her knuckles. He moves one hand to trace along the curve of her breast, slowly and cautiously to give her a chance to stop him if she must, then swallows hard as he lifts his gaze back up to meet Tauriel's. There are no more words that he could say in this particular moment and if there are, he cannot think of them. He is lost in this, in her, in the way it feels to touch someone like this and know that he loves her with all his heart.

"Tauriel." And there it is, the one thing he can manage to murmur, the only thing that matters. Tauriel.

It's as if the rest of the world has faded away.

[strongerthanevil]

Tauriel did not set out to explore such physical boundaries with Kili this day but she could not say that she was disappointed in the direction things had gone. She had been curious about such things for some time. There was no denying that she was strongly physically attracted to Kili, as well as what she felt for his character as well. She had studied the way that his body moved, the firmness of his broad shoulders and the way that his breeches fit him in such a pleasingly snug way.

To be touched by him though in this manner caused a hiss of pleasure to escape her lips. The feel of his hand on her breast is entirely foreign but so pleasurable it shocked her. Her body responded and it was only with effort that she did not push her chest more into his hand than she already did. The sensation was quite pleasurable, though she wanted to be clear with Kili where she stood in regards to boundaries.

"My people- my people do not join themselves physically until they web," Tauriel said, the words seeming to come slowly through a haze of pleasure. "The act of marriage and- and sex are one. While I love you dearly I do not believe I am quite ready for such a commitment."

[willnothide]

Kili arches a brow at that, though his grin twitches playfully as he lowers his eyes to the hand that remains on Tauriel's breast. There haven't been any others he's touched like this before, though he'd never done anything to strike down speculation in the Ered Luin that he has, and it isn't for another half a moment that he finally lets his hand graze back down the length of her side until it's resting firmly on his own lap.

The arousal that had been building within him slowly fades as he forces himself to a state of calm, taking deep but quiet breathes as he wills himself not to keep touching her the way he wants to, the way he knows she must want him to if the way she'd responded had been any indication, but Kili merely shakes his head and presses another kiss to her lips.

"I may not be known for my patience but for you, I would wait a lifetime," he says, affectionately nudging his nose against hers. "It's probably best that we don't go any further anyway, considering where we are. Besides, we've a feast being ignored and a dwarrow never lets good food go to waste."

[strongerthanevil]

The absence of his of touch on her breast made her feel surprisingly lacking, as if there was something that was supposed to belong there but was now gone. Strange how something so new could feel as if it belonged. While Tauriel greatly appreciated Kili's caution and his desire to not push beyond where either of them were comfortable she did not appreciate that Kili had stopped so abruptly. He seemed so concerned that he had not even noticed that she declared her love for him.

For Tauriel did love him. It was a thing that she did not all together understand but it was powerful and real, perhaps more real than anything she had felt before. She knew that she loved Kili with all that she was in a way that she could never deny.

Tauriel had also very much enjoyed what they had been doing and did not wish it to stop so suddenly. Even in this Kili could not help but be a menace.

"I do not believe that I gave you permission to stop," she said, her voice low as she grabbed his shirt and pulled him in for another kiss. Her hands sought the edge of his shirt before sliding under it, fingers trailing up along his chest, teasing the hair as she felt the strong muscles there. "Or are dwarrows so wary of a precipice that they never venture near it?"

[willnothide]

Kili grins against her mouth, his shoulders shaking with silent laughter before he pulls his head back just slightly to regard her. Shivering at her fingertips trailing over his chest, he reaches up to cup her cheek, brushing his thumb over soft, ivory skin that provides such a contrast to his own, calloused and tanned from spending so much time outdoors. "I, for one, have never feared edging too close to that which may destroy me," he counters, lips twitching with amusement. "And I do believe, Tauriel, that you will be the end of me if we carry on like this."

He's no interest in pressuring her in any way. When they do lie together, it will be because they're both prepared for what it will mean, and in knowing that, Kili is perfectly content. His love for her has no boundaries, it is not confined to this world or their last, and in spite of his tendency to do as he pleases when he pleases, Kili is not unwilling to admit that he is Tauriel's servant. She is aware of this, he thinks, and yet she does not fully take advantage of it. That only makes him love her more.

Still, he supposes there are other things they can do without lying together, and it seems Tauriel is rather eager to explore those possibilities. He can hardly deny that he'd like to do the same.

"What is it that we can do, then, hmm?" he asks, shifting his hand to the strap of her dress, nudging it aside so he can leave a trail of kisses down the length of her neck and shoulder. "If you won't let me eat, perhaps you can indulge me in another way."

[strongerthanevil]

"Then I shall truly mourn your end, for I have no designs on stopping," she said, tilting her head with a gasp so that he might have better access to her neck. She felt her body shiver with pleasure, a reaction that only Kili's actions seemed to produce in her. While it was true that no other had done anything close to this she could not imagine it feelings so good with anyone else. If she was not careful she would get carried entirely away in what he was doing.

"I think you are doing quite well on your own at the moment without any suggestions from me," she told him, fingers moving along his chest, one of her thumbs brushing against one of his nipples. She was more than a little frustrated that he had so much clothing on. It would be far easier to touch him if his shirt were off but for the moment that was a line she was not quite ready to cross. "You have my word that if I think you require instruction I will give it."

[willnothide]

He's hardly well-practiced in this sort of thing, and it's only Kili's fear of disappointing her that holds him back. Tauriel has given him no reason to fear such a thing at all, it's something he knows is his own doing, an internalized insecurity that he must overcome because for her, he would gladly do anything. His arousal is steadily growing within his trousers, he's certain she must be able to tell now, but he merely lets out a pleasured groan against her skin as she brushes her finger against him. He continues to kiss his away over her soft skin, reaching her collarbone and nipping just lightly before moving to the other side, repeating the process until the other strap of her dress is dangling beside her arm.

Pausing to let his gaze flicker up at her, to meet her eyes as if seeking permission without wanting to verbally ask her for it, Kili gently tugs the dress down to reveal her breasts and for a moment, he's stunned into silence. She's beautiful, absolutely beautiful, and he'd expected nothing less but to see her like this is beyond words. Bringing his hand up to cup one breast, he uses the other to do as she'd done to him, brushing a thumb over her nipple and letting out a soft gasp as he watches it harden.

"Tauriel," he murmurs, lifting his eyes to meet hers again, "you undo me." Passing his tongue over his lips, he repositions himself so that he might have better access to touching her, wanting nothing more than to feel her shiver under his hands again. But first, he wants to make one thing very clear, whether or not she's already certain of it. "You can tell me to stop, you know that. No matter what we do, you can tell me to stop."

[strongerthanevil]

Tauriel would have sworn that her people did not become breathless, not in the manner that Kili's hands on her breasts rendered her. It was a wordless gasp on her lips as her body arched into his hand on its own accord. It was a heady sensation, to feel so out of control, but she did not fear it. She trusted in Kili to not harm her. Truly, it seemed as if he would do the opposite to her.

"Please do not stop," she moaned, her voice low with heat and desire that she had never felt before. Her head dropped to his shoulder as her fingers clutched more tightly at him. "I need you, Kili. More than I have ever needed another."

[willnothide]

Control.

It isn't something he's quite mastered over the course of his seventy-seven years of life, though Kili has never quite felt badly about that. He's hardly ever acted as a proper heir of Durin, of that he is sure and has even been told more than once, though he hadn't started paying any mind to the insult until he'd joined the Company. Under Thorin's watch, every mistake, every rash decision he'd made, had been met with a look of disappointment that would fill Kili with regret. If his uncle were ever to discover his feelings for Tauriel, he can only imagine the uproar it would have caused, the anger and betrayal it would have instilled in Thorin; but he cannot bring himself to care.

He's always loved Thorin, has always respected and valued his uncle's opinion, but in this, Thorin has no say, not even within Kili's mind. The way it feels to glide his fingers over Tauriel's skin is incomparable to anything else and as he ducks his head to flick his tongue over her nipple, Kili cannot help but to find himself yearning for so much more. His body has responded in kind with Tauriel's moans, and he shivers, his hips rolling against hers before he pulls back just slightly to gaze up at her.

"Lie down for me," he murmurs, gently nudging her down until her back is against the floor. "Tell me what you want. Tell me how you need me."

[strongerthanevil]

"Touch me," Tauriel said, letting Kili lean her back. She feels entirely safe with him in ways that she is not sure she has ever felt before. Protecting herself or others has never been an issue for her but to feel so completely safe in such a vulnerable manner with someone is new to her. But she likes it and she would not trade it for anything. It feels too good, the way he makes her body arch up suddenly when his tongue meets her nipple and he rocks against her.

All that she wants is more of him. More of this, even if she is not entirely sure what this is. It is new territory for her, uncharted and wild and everything she had never knew she so desperately needed.

"With your mouth and your hands. I want to feel you near, I want to feel your skin against mine," she told him, reaching out to take one of his hands to place it over her breast.