bakerstreet | The Childhood Sweethearts Meme

The Childhood Sweethearts Meme

THE CHILDHOOD ѕωєєтнєαят MEME

Ahhh, young love. Whether it's precious or bittersweet, it's something that stays with you. Remember that time...? Of course you do. Both of you thought you'd last forever. Or maybe you were too young to know what that meant. All that mattered was that you were kids and you were together. But time and circumstance tears even the best of friends and young lovers apart. That person, your childhood crush, your first love, is just a memory.

Now, you're being given a second chance. Will it be painful? Will you confess everything and try to win their affection again? You've been reunited, and it's up to you what happens.

HOW TO
① Comment with your character. You can state preferences and such in your subject.
② Characters who comment will be their childhood sweetheart/first love. The muns can figure out how that works, but when in doubt, just wing it. It's a meme. Fun is the goal here.
③ KISS AND REUNITE. Or argue and storm off. Or cry. Or laugh. Or sex. Whatever is appropriate.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

_[:3c]

( Human or pony forms both possible! )

[Willing to AU or canon transplant.]

[ ALRIGHT SO. They're young (younger), and it's before they embark on their quest to reclaim Erebor but Thorin is already priming his nephews for their responsibilities as heirs to the line of Durin. Fili, especially, gets burdened with this sense of purpose, and as soon as he's old enough Thorin begins taking him on visits to neighboring dwarf realms. Kili doesn't often get to join, and though Fili doesn't say a word against his uncle, the weeks spent traveling and politicking are made all the more miserable because of the absence of his brother.

The sun is setting by the time the small company returns to Ered Luin. This trip had been particularly long, and it feels like it was even longer because of their brief scrapes with some stray orc packs. Either way, Fili is exhausted by the time they arrive home and as he swings off his pony he immediately scans the welcoming crowd for his brother's face. ]

[He counts the days like blades of grass, slender things that flit from between his fingers when plucked and dance in the wind, wither and are reborn. In the end there's something that speaks of loss at the span between the two brothers, something that aches in the hollow of his chest and builds the longer they're apart. There's some disquiet, he thinks, to the fact that though Fili's not much older than him but allowed to go on trips with uncle. But though Kili is made for interacting with people, he's also well aware that his brother does better with the web of politics than he.

It's enough to dull the displeasure, enough for Kili to stay and work and wait. Day by day by day.

So when Kili hears murmurs of Thorin's party's return he nearly trips over himself in excitement. By the time he reaches the edges of the decently sized crowd he can see the wearied faces of the travelers. It takes a moment but soon enough he lights upon hair like gold and beams, meets the searching eyes of his brother and wades through the crowd to the side of his pony, hand reaching up to clasp Fili's forearm in greeting. All of a sudden the time they'd spent apart is but a dull ache, the happiness at being together overpowering in it's thrall.]

[ When his eyes finally find his brother, the aches and exhaustion of travel fade and Fili's face lights up with a smile. It's the first real smile he's shown all day. ] Kili. [ The clasp of their arms suffices for a moment, long enough for Fili to look at his brother's face and make sure it's all in order, exactly as he left it (and it is, and fills him with warmth to see him again), and then he pulls him into an actual embrace. The warmth spreads down his body and he turns his face for a moment, into Kili's hair and the side of his neck.

He doesn't linger for long, and pulls back after a moment, holding Kili at arm's length. ] I hope you've not gotten into too much trouble while I was gone.

[ Because he expects, knowing Kili, that he at least got into a little, even though imagining Kili up to no good without him sometimes makes him ache in ways he doesn't expect. Part of it is worry that Kili won't be able to manage without Fili to help him or bail him out. The other part is something else entirely. He wouldn't know how to describe it exactly, but whatever it is, it's an empty feeling, like a hole in the pit of his stomach. ]

[The breath of his name settles warmly, enough for him to murmur back, "Fili!", and smile like he hadn't smiled in ages. Likewise he catches his brother's gaze in his, scans the lines exhaustion leaves upon Fili's face and though he hasn't necessarily changed there's something different about the cast of his face. Kili would query, question, but there's something that holds him back from it. Instead he writes it off as the tiredness that comes with being on the road and yields easily into the embrace, arms nearly too tight as his face finds it's way into the line of Fili's shoulder. He breathes in at the lashes at his jawline, the tickle of beard at his collar. The familiarity warms him, even as the ache of distance falls away.

Kili has half an urge to follow after, draw them back into the hug and hold tight--but he doesn't. His hands rest at the turn of Fili's elbows, a gentle touch as he laughs and can't hide the sly smile that slips across his lips.] Oh certainly not nearly enough!

[And that's the truth, because though it's seemingly in his blood to cause mischief, without Fili there to drag into some half cooked plan or to rely on to help fix some angry situation it was just not as fun. But he doesn't say that even if it might be visible there in the dark of his eyes. But what can he do but tease?] You're a mess Fili, have you heard nothing of a bath?

[ The longer they stand together, the more Fili wishes they were alone, rather than caught in the company and the crowd that came to welcome them. Maybe that makes him ungrateful, but if he's to be honest the only one he cared about being here to greet him is the one who's standing before him now. Weariness from the journey makes him care less about propriety. So, reluctantly, he finally lets go of his brother and takes his pony's reins instead, intent on bringing her to the stables.

In response to his brother's comment, he scoffs. ] I was going to ask the same to you. [ He walks, and expects that Kili will follow. Dwarves smile and tell him `welcome home` as they pass, and he smiles and nods in return.

As he glances at his brother, that smile becomes a sly grin, the kind he reserves specially for Kili. ] I've been away for two weeks, riding, sleeping on the cold ground, and slogging through mud, not to mention fighting off orcs. [ That's right. Orcs. What's your excuse, little brother? ] Was I gone so long that you forgot how to bathe yourself?

[Ungrateful? Maybe, but since he's garnered his brother's attention, has been able to stand arm and arm with him after what feels like too long, Kili seeks to soak it all up and keep it warm within the cavern of his chest.

Kili does follow, hops up and steps fast to keep in line with Fili as they venture over to the stables. There's laughter, his lips quirking up at that sly smile his brother shoots his way (and oh it's good to see that smile, he'd missed it so!)]

Oh, haha--[Reaches out and gently tugs one of Fili's unruly braids.] Tease all you want Mr. Tough Warrior, but you're still never going to get that blood out of your hair without my help.

[ Laughing and smiling come easily when they're together like this. He can easily push to the back of his mind the fears and doubts that ate at him while they were apart. The loneliness he felt, even in the company of his uncle and the other dwarves, becomes like a bad dream that he hardly remembers now that he's awake.

Fili jerks his head away from Kili's hand too late, probably because he had no real intention of escaping his brother's touch at all. Not after he couldn't have it for weeks on end. But he doesn't miss a beat and feigns indignation at Kili's comment. ] I could so. [ Then, his smile breaks out again, drawing from the corners, despite his best efforts to keep a straight face. ] Besides, why should I trust you with my hair when you can't even take care of your own?

[It's still there, the shade of that loneliness written on the marrow of his bones. But as they laugh and smile and tease, Kili finds it fading further and further from his thoughts. Eventually, when there's fingers at his brother's hair and those fond if somewhat indignant eyes on him, Kili finds it's little more than a dull throb. Something that promises never to leave and to bloom once more upon the next trip, but for now lays dormant.

Which is fine with him, because he has his brother at his side now and all is well. So there's something of an affronted look here, mostly fake given the smile that twitches at his lips.]

Hmph! I can take care of my hair if I want to. [A snooty sort of sniff, head tossing like one of the ponies in the stables right in front of them. In fact, Fili's pony might actually toss it's head similarly in response mere seconds after and it's nearly enough to have him laughing at his own actions.]

[ At Kili's retort, Fili makes a noncommittal noise. He'll believe it when he sees it, brother. But in the next moment he has to lean away to avoid getting whacked with his pony's wiry mane, and he laughs even as he says, "hey!" and strokes his hand over the side of her neck. ] Don't go getting her all riled up, now, she's had a harder trip than I have.

[ Truly, his pony is caked in about as much dirt and dust as Fili, and he says, quietly, as if speaking to her, ] We could both do with a bath, couldn't we?

[ He's smiling as they finally arrive at the stables, and he thinks that it really is good to be home. After he's unloaded his pony (with Kili's help, of course), he leaves her with the stable hands and then meets Kili at the doors, a couple bags slung over his shoulder, one nestled in the crook of his arm. The light over Ered Luin is beginning to fade, the sun's last rays peeking through the mountains. Fili looks at his brother, and in the dying light strands of his chestnut hair shine almost like gold and his skin seems to glow, healthy and bright. It's a sight for sore eyes, to say the least, after weeks on the gritty road, fighting off wargs and orcs, surrounded by rot and death. His chest swells with the sheer simple joy of seeing Kili's face again. It probably shows on his own face, even through the smears and streaks of dirt. ] So how about this bath I've heard so much about?

[Sorry, but seeing you almost get smacked by your own pony is a bit of an amusing thing, even if it really isn't. It draws Kili's attention to just how worn his brother is, caked in dirt and dust, hair more a muted brown than his filigree gold but it's the harsher lines of his face that have Kili's eyes lingering. There's something much more angular about his jaw, his cheekbones suddenly far more prominent, but that is normal for the tightly rationed travel his brother had just returned from. Doesn't mean Kili can't help but want to help him, make sure there's food and a bath. So he tugs one of those bags away from Fili, some faint attempt at easing his burden even as Kili bumps their shoulders together and smiles at the joy that alights upon his brother's face.

At Fili's question, Kili laughs like a bell, free and warm and loud, but he could care less if he drew attention with his merry making, because it had seemed so stark and cold without Fili at his side and though he thrives off laughter, Kili feels almost as if it's been far longer than he can remember since he last indulged.]

Patience brother, you can take care of that mane of yours soon enough. [A jest, but they still step quickly through the thinning crowd of people and find their way home. And oh, isn't it nice to be back?]

[ It's so nice to be back. Nothing makes you appreciate home like being away from it for a while. Though, to be honest, Fili's home is wherever Kili is. So it's hard to say if he missed the streets of Ered Luin, the familiar faces and the comfort of his own bed, or if he just missed his brother. He probably missed Ered Luin to a certain extent, because even as Thorin yearns for their lost kingdom under the mountain, the Blue Mountains are much more like home to Fili and Kili. But, if he were to set out one day with Kili by his side, he'd be perfectly content to never look back.

He utters a thanks when Kili takes a bag, and bumps him back out of sheer reflex. Kili's laughter is like a balm on Fili's aching limbs, on his heart, and infectious so that he laughs too. ] You were the one complaining of it before!

[ Just sayin'.

Then they're off, maneuvering easily enough through the crowds, as people begin to turn into their homes for the evening. Fili makes a quick affair of greeting their mother (assuming she's there and alive??? idk what the story is) and then he excuses them to his room, to drop off his things. Then to the bath, and you can bet he drags Kili with him.

The bath is to be found behind the house, a large wooden tub situated on stone tiles, with an awning overhead and trees surrounding it on all sides to afford some semblance of privacy. On hearing of Fili's return, someone had drawn and heated the bathwater. As he begins unbuckling his clothing, Fili turns to Kili. ] While I'm confident in my abilities to wash my own hair...if you were serious about lending a hand, [ he says with a small smile ] I would be grateful.

[He pauses shortly, hurrying to keep up lest his brother leave him behind on their trek home, because he had forgotten that he'd been jesting about his brother's hair not so long ago. So it's with something of an embarrassed flush that Kili matches their steps once more. It's gone swiftly enough, chased away by laughter and touch and the warmth that settles in his chest when his brother is with him. And truly, it feels like home when Dis greets them at the door, presses fond kisses to Fili's cheek and gently urges them inside the house.

Kili's perfectly happy settling back and watching his brother get mother henned, but it's with peals of laughter that he's tugged to Fili's room to drop of the bags they carry. But the bath is a terrible draw, and Kili doesn't waste time following at his brother's heels, closing the door behind them with a bump of his hip and checking to make sure there's clean towels. He almost misses the telltale click of metal as Fili starts to unbuckle his clothing, but the words catch his attention and Kili looks over, grins.]

As if I could refuse your request! [There's something not quite teasing about his tone, but Kili joins his brother anyway, quickly undressing so they don't waste the heat of the water that's been drawn.]