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Kíli blinked uncomprehendingly at the stain on his sister’s bed.
Glaringly red against the white sheet.
His sister was bleeding and Kíli’s young mind knew that was never good.
Turning on his heel, Kíli bolted from the room, calling for his mother and sister.
“Kíli, lad, what are you screeching about?” Thorin grumbled, grabbing the back of his nephew’s pyjamas as the boy ran past the kitchen table.
“Fíli’s hurt,” he whined, trying to twist out of his uncle’s grip to continue his search, “She’s bleeding.”
“Aye, lad, that she is, but she’s not hurt.”
“She isn’t?” Kíli face scrunched in confusion.
“No, she’s just growing up, taking the next step on the road to adulthood.”
“Will I bleed too later?”
“No, lad, only girls do.”
“That doesn’t seem fair.”
“That’s why we have to be extra nice when it happens each month.”
“It happens every month?!” Kíli looked up at his uncle in horror, his pyjama top finally slipping from Thorin’s lax grip, he bolted again, screaming his sister’s name.
“Kíli,” Dis groaned, looking to the heavens for strength when her son came skidding into the livingroom.
“Fíli’s bleeding, mum, uncle Thorin said it’ll happen every month.”
“I’m afraid so, sweetheart, it’s just one of the many joys of being female,” Dis sighed, tugging a blanket over her daughter where she was laying curled up on the sofa, face pale and whimpering at the cramps squeezing her insides.
“Fíli?” Kíli’s voice was uncertain as he approached his normally unbeatable sister.
“I’ll be alright, Kee,” the smile she sent Kíli’s way was strained.
“Uncle said you weren’t hurt.”
“I’m not, but it does ache a bit.”
“He said we have to be extra nice to you when it happens, so I’m gunna take care of you, always,” Kíli nodded determinedly, clambering up onto the sofa, he wedged himself between his sister and the back of the sofa, wrapping his little arms around her.
“Ok,” Fíli smiled again, the curve coming more naturally this time as the heat her little brother gave off seeped into her, easing the ache that had started in her lower back.
-x-
A fair few years later
Fíli smiled at the sound of keys jingling in the lock, shortly followed by her beloved little brother’s voice.
“Right, I’ve got pads and tampons, didn’t know which you wanted this time and we’re out of both, paracetamol, ibuprofen, galaxy, dairy milk, I may have snuck in some skittles for myself but you can have some if you want, aaand I’ve got a couple of pizzas if you want something junk foody for dinner.”
“I love you, y’know that right?” Fíli called as Kíli wandered into their small kitchen to put the pizzas in the fridge.
“Of course,” Kíli’s head popped round the corner, blinding grin aimed at his sister curled up on the sofa in comfy pyjamas and one of his hoodies, “Anything you need? A new heat pad? Cuppa? Food?”
“Just you,” Fíli answered, holding out her arms.
Kíli’s grin softened to a loving smile.
Shucking his jeans and shoes, and dumping his bag of goodies on the coffee table, he dropped onto the sofa, pulling Fíli into his arms.
“You’ll always have me, I promised to take care of you remember?” he murmured, burying his face in the tangled blonde mass before him as Fíli snuggled against him.
“I know,” Fíli sighed, soaking up Kíli’s natural warmth, “And I love you even more for it.”