There Goes The Neighbourhood

[kilimesoftly]

It didn't happen overnight. These things never do. It took time to spread, to break quarantine after quarantine. There had been hopeful and optimistic news reports once the media blackout was over. The internet was buzzing with random cures and self help guides to keep yourself and your loved ones safe.

Kili, ever cheerful though he is, never bought it. It'd been hard to when you could look outside and see the neighbourhood emptying out, or when entire sections of London became deserted. It'd been harder to after his uncle and cousins brought him and his older brother along to Tesco's to loot the place for food, for supplies, for anything other, previous looters had left behind.

Six months after the first wave of infections, the world was doomed and Kili knew it. A year after and it's all become normal.

"Tell me we get to head out of Belgravia today," he whines at the kitchen table. The entire block has become home to him and his relatives, the family manor on the corner and the streets leading into it barricaded. Kili plucks at his bowstring in anticipation of a hunt. It's been two weeks since they've gone out of their personalized safe zone. He's itching.

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[filidelity]

There was a grimness to Thorin, more than there usually was. They hadn't lost anyone in months; they knew all the precautions to take and always made sure to take them. At the same time, they knew what they had to do if something went wrong. Today, Thorin did what needed to be done.

But it could so easily have been Kili who didn't act fast enough, who would have--

It wasn't Kili. Kili was at home. It wouldn't have been Kili, because Kili wasn't their first scout for nothing. Kili was good at it, Kili had gone with them so many times and come back with them. Kili would have come home this time, too.

Fili refused to think differently. He snuffed out every thought that turned the wrong way, banishing them as they tried to creep in with what ifs. He pinned his mind to getting home, where Kili was because Thorin had ordered him to stay behind, and he was glad that Thorin hadn't given in.

That was a thought turning the wrong way.

Nevertheless, it wasn't an unruffled Fili who stepped into his and Kili's room to tell Kili the news of their find – just the good part. His last step to take him through the doorway was jerky, and his eyes searched for the brother he knew was either here or somewhere else around the house, before he got a grip on himself.

[kilimesoftly]

Sitting in the corner by the wardrobe, Kili peeked out from around the corner of the large piece of furniture and blinked somewhat owlishly at his brother. So maybe sitting in the dark with his guitar wasn't exactly normal but so little was these days that he could be forgiven. It was the look of relief on Fili's face that caused the younger of the two to get to his feet and pad towards him in bare feet. He'd at least gotten use to and comfortable with putting clothing on again.

Without touching Fili, Kili listened to the good parts of the story. He smiled to know that they had proper toilet paper again, he was pleased that his suggestion had been a worthwhile one, but he could guess, too, at the underlying cause of his brother's dissheveled appearance was that things hadn't gone too well.

That-- And he was still in his body armour.

Setting down the guitar, Kili moved his hands over the breastplate, pulling at the heavy duty velcro until it gave way with a ripping sound. He worked slowly and quietly, undressing Fili to his jeans and t-shirt.

"I missed you," he replied a few moments later, taking Fili by the hand and then pulling him into a bear hug. Tight. Unrelenting.

[filidelity]

In the darkened room, Fili could just make out where Kili was, and as Kili came closer, Fili met him partway. It was a good thing that it was dark in here; telling Kili how the team's trip had gone, with certain details missing, was easier if neither of them could see anything too clearly. It was easier to stall by promising Kili that he wouldn't be disappointed by what he was about to hear. Enough toilet paper, sweets – they'd finally gotten their hands on two of the most precious things they could think of these days.

What had Kili said before that fateful supply run?

It came rushing into Fili's head: If we can find toilet paper today, I'll be happy for a month! It was stupid to think what came next, because Kili wasn't a kid, even if he would never stop being Fili's kid brother, and it was overdramatic (which was usually more Kili's realm than Fili's), but those words seemed like the last moment of something innocent and carefree (which was bullshit; there was no one innocent or carefree around here), something that wasn't returning.

Fili stood still to let Kili take off his forgotten gear, quiet as he watched. Only when his brother broke the silence did he make a sound again himself, a louder intake of breath before his arms were around Kili's shoulders and he pushed his nose into Kili's hair.

Kili would have come home. Kili was right here.

"You didn't miss out on much," he said, his whisper hoarse.