Chapter Text
The morning is dark and dreary, as if it wants to cling onto the last bits of night as long as it can. A dense fog hangs over the lake like a blanket, the water completely still and reflecting like glass.
Kíli finishes rolling his sleeves up and grabs a jacket off the hook on the wall, pushing out past the screen door and heading to the old truck parked on the path. He's been awake for a few hours getting ready, changing sheets and clearing the dust from the spare bedroom.
After checking his practically untouched email in town the night before Kíli had confirmation that his new tenant would be arriving in the city around ten in the morning, right after the first bus left for the closest town and six hours before the next one was due to leave... meaning he had to get up earlier than usual to make the three hour trip and pick the man up at the station.
The ad had been Bofur's idea, to rent out the guest room for a spare bit of money. Kíli had been wary but eventually caved after a few lectures about being alone for so long with no connection to the outside world, never thinking he'd actually get someone who would be interested. Bofur had thought he'd might get a tourist or two needing a place to stay for a few nights, so the fact that someone wanted to pay for a full month in advance came as a bit of a surprise to both of them.
Backing out of the long drive Kíli takes a moment to appreciate the house he's lived in all his life, settled among the trees and right on the shore of the lake. It's a perfect getaway from city life and in a way it's almost primitive, no internet connection and the cell phone reception is shoddy unless you head a few miles down where the trees aren't so dense.
And a few more miles down is a sleepy town, one with a grocery store, post office, bus station and tavern. It's what Kíli knows and loves, what he grew up with.
The drive to the city is long and seems to take forever, the brunet becoming more and more anxious the closer he gets. He's not been to the city since he had to pick up a suit for his parents' funeral and he usually tries to avoid going there at all costs. It's too different from what he knows, too much traffic and noise and those huge skyscrapers that loom over you like imposing threats.
Shaking his head Kíli shifts his focus on what he knows about his tenant, other than he clearly doesn't look at train and bus schedules to make sure they line up properly. Philip Durin, the email had said, which was sent by the man's uncle. Twenty-six year old businessman in need of a vacation. It had went on to list a few things about the man, something about confidentiality and needing a quiet place where he could relax.
'Must be tough being an executive CEO,' Kíli thinks ruefully as he merges with the traffic. The tall buildings come into sight and he tightens his grip on the steering wheel, letting out a sigh and remembering that at least the station is on the outskirts of the city.
He maneuvers with the steady traffic flowing through the highway, his old truck standing out from all the sleek cars and flashy SUVs. He takes the exit for the train station and belatedly thinks he should have asked for a photo from Bilbo Baggins, just so he could identify the person he's supposed to pick up.
With a shrug Kíli pulls into a parking spot and kills the engine, a bit nervous and grumpy from the ride and the amount of cars packed into the parking lot. He'll just have to hope he can spot the man when he makes it to the proper gate.
Slamming the door to his truck Kíli stuffs his hands in his jean pockets and heads toward the entrance, moving to check the board of arrival and departure times. It's a bit crowded and he scowls when someone slams into him without apologizing, reading the board and setting off down the hall toward the proper set of doors.
There are so many people milling around but Kíli spots him right away, his stomach dropping at the sight. The man looks like he hasn't slept in days and he's dressed in slacks and a dark red button up shirt, suit jacket folded over his arm as he looks around to try and spot someone.
Biting his lip Kíli briefly thinks about turning around and walking away, pushing the thought aside almost immediately. His mother would have smacked him for even thinking it. A grin tugs at Kíli's lips but slips away as soon as the next person runs into his shoulder, spurring him toward the blond who can only be Philip Durin.
He approaches and subtly looks the blond over, letting out an internal sigh at the clothes and dress shoes. The duffle bag over his shoulder is small and somehow Kíli doubts it's full of jeans and t-shirts. "Durin?" He asks when he gets a few feet away, the man's attention snapping up toward him.
Tired blue eyes are looking at Kíli and the blond nods and holds out his free hand. “Yeah, that's me. Mister Oaks, I suppose?”
With a grimace Kíli takes the offered hand but shakes his head. “Mister Oaks was my father, just call me Kíli.” He drops their handshake and gestures to Fíli’s bag. “Is this it or do you have more stuff to pick up?”
Following Kíli's gesture with his eyes the shorter man shakes his head. “No. No that's all.”
“Alright, let’s go then.” Spinning around Kíli starts back down the hallway and toward the exit. He pushes past a few people and glances over his shoulder a few times to make sure the business blondie is following him, mind drifting as he tries to guess how long Philip will last out at the lake house… away from the comforts he’s clearly used to.
They step out through the exit and into the parking lot amongst all the other people that want to leave at the same time. The sun has come out finally, just a bit peeking out through the still dark clouds although it's a very bright light. The blond blinks against the intense sunshine and shields his eyes with his free hand, following Kíli across the parking lot to his truck.
“Sorry I don’t have air conditioning,” Kíli murmurs as he yanks the door open. “It might rain so you can just throw your bag on the floor instead of putting it in the back. Might lose some leg room but at least your stuff won’t get wet.”
“That's fine. I don't need much space.” Putting his bag on the floor Fíli climbs in as well and pushes the bag a bit to get into a comfortable position, the jacket ending up folded in his lap.
Kíli nods and starts the car, looking back to make sure no one is behind them before backing out. There is a line to pull out of the parking lot and Kíli lets out a sigh, flipping his visor down so there isn’t so much sunlight coming in through the windshield.
He glances at the blond out of the corner of his eye, wondering if he’s supposed to say something. Small talk has never been a strong point, especially with a stranger. “Was your flight okay?” He says a bit gruffly, pulling out onto the road and heading to the highway.
Fíli looks out of the window and nods, biting his lips to keep himself from yawning. “Yeah, thank you. The train ride too.” The blond doesn't really know what to say next so the silence between them stretches on again. Fíli tries not to turn his head and look at Kíli, doesn't want to make the other think that he's staring, so he keeps watching the road.
“How long will it take to get to your house?”
“Three hours or so, depending on traffic.” Kíli merges onto the highway and the traffic is heavy but better than he had expected. “Do you need to pick anything up before we get there? The closest town is about thirty minutes away so the house is kind of in the middle of nowhere.” Changing lanes Kíli shifts a bit in his seat and pushes his sleeves up just to do something.
Looking down at his bag Fíli shakes his head again. “No, I have everything I need with me.”
Kíli nods again and the silence stretches between them, the traffic thinning as they get further and further from the city. Reaching out Kíli flips the radio on for a bit of noise, his usual station not coming in and putting a frown on his lips as he tries to find something else.
Fíli watches him out of the corner of his eye as he finally finds a station he's at least a bit satisfied with. The blond is glad for the bit of music that fills the little room of the car, taking the edge off the awkward silence between them. Normally Fíli is good at small talk but somehow he doesn't know what to say to the dark haired man. He can't just ask him about his business or how his wife is doing like Fíli does with his business partners. The brunet doesn't really seem to like to talk at all so Fíli keeps quiet.
After a few minutes Kíli takes a single lane road and relaxes back in his seat, knowing that most of their trip they’ll be on this straight road. The brunet rolls his window down a bit to let the fresh air in, placing his hand back on the wheel and looking over at the tense blond. “Hey uh, Philip? We’re on this road for a few hours so you can relax. It’s not like I’m going to crash into anything.”
“Fíli,” the blond corrects him, biting his lips and finally looking over to Kíli. “Please, call me Fíli. No one calls me Philip. Well, no one is not exactly correct because a few people do but they are old business partners who have known me since I was little so, yeah, they still do and a few distant cousins but no one else.”
A grin tugs at Kíli’s lips as the blond babbles on, voice steady and a tiny bit apologetic as he shifts in his seat. “Alright, Fíli then. I won’t make the mistake again.”
“It's not really a mistake and I bet no one told you so it's fine.” Fíli tugs at the sleeves of his dress shirt. “It's just odd to hear that name, that's all.”
Kíli nods and keeps his focus on the road ahead, trying to ignore the uncomfortable silence that lingers. He hasn’t been around anyone but Bofur and the few people from town he usually talks to when picking up supplies in so long he doesn’t know what to say. But in his defence Fíli looks like he might pass out sometime on the way home, something Kíli thinks he’d be okay with.
Fíli really tries to stay awake but the driving and the soft music coming out of the radio lulls him to sleep. His eyes fall shut more than once.
Looking over to his passenger Kíli notices him fighting sleep, reaching between them to grab one of the blankets he keeps in the car during the winter. “Here,” he thrusts the soft fabric at Fíli, dropping it in his lap. “Use that, it’s more comfortable than leaning against the window.”
“Oh... I …” Fíli sighs a little and takes the blanket with a grateful nod. “Thank you.” Taking the blanket as a pillow Fíli leans against it. It's really soft and far more comfy, a little smile spreading on the blond's lips as his eyes fall shut again and stay closed this time.
The rest of the trip is made with only the radio for noise, Kíli going through a mental checklist to remember if he’s gotten everything ready for his new tenant’s arrival. Fíli seems like the kind of guy who is used to an abundance of luxuries in his life, something the brunet is unfamiliar with. He doesn’t even have a television to entertain the blond!
After what feels like forever Kíli turns onto the road laid into the forest, the familiar pathway making him sigh in relief. He contemplates waking his passenger for the view but when he glances over and notices that Fíli seems a bit dead to the world he decides against it.
Pulling onto a worn dirt path a mental note is made to clear away a bit of brush along the sides, Kíli smiling when he sees the house and the blue waters of the lake beyond it. Reaching over he places his hand lightly on Fíli’s arm, giving a small shake. “Hey, we’re here.”
Fíli jerks and sits up, sleepy eyes blinking open. He lifts his hands to rub at them like a child and hides a yawn behind his hand before he looks out of the window. His eyes go wide when he takes in the little house that looks like it's a part of the forest that surrounds it and the clear water of the lake that's kissed by the sun.
Watching Fíli wake up and notice his surroundings Kíli can’t help but grin and he wonders if the blond has every seen anything other than skyscrapers and busy streets. “Well, this is it. I know it’s not much but hopefully it won’t be too bad of a stay for you.” Pulling into the spot across from the house Kíli puts the truck in park and kills the engine, a sudden thought coming to mind. “Oh and I hope you don’t mind dogs.”
Unbuckling his seatbelt Kíli pulls the door open and steps out, stretching his arms up over his head and letting out a sharp whistle.
A large dark Labrador comes running and barks happily to greet Kíli, running and jumping around him. Fíli opens his door and steps out as well, taking his bag and jacket and closing the door again while watching the happy dog.
“Hey buddy.” Leaning down Kíli ruffles the dog’s ears and scratches at his neck, hands slipping under the plaid bandana to rub at the dark fur. “Did you miss me?” He gets a happy bark in response and when Fíli’s door shuts the dog pulls away with another bark.
Moving around the truck he spots Fíli and his body goes tense, a low rumble building in his chest. Kíli shakes his head and follows the Labrador, reaching down to pet his head. “That’s enough, Bard. This is Fíli and he’s going to be here for a while.” Looking up at the blond Kíli twists his hand in signal and Bard sits at his feet. “This is Bard, he’s usually a bit wary of strangers but he’ll warm up to you soon enough.”
“Hey Bard, nice to meet you.” Fíli smiles a little and stretches out his hand, palm up, so Bard can sniff him if he wants but not touching the dog without permission.
Kíli gives another signal and Bard moves freely, wandering over to Fíli and sniffing at his hand. He sniffs his pants and shoes before going back over to Kíli, pushing his nose against the brunet's hand and licking his fingers.
Watching Bard with a small smile Kíli pets him a bit and reaches for Fíli’s bag, slinging it over his shoulder before the blond can protest. “Ready to go inside?”
Fíli nods and follows the brunet over to the house, up the few steps and through the front door.
“This is the living room and kitchen,” Kíli gestures to the right and left, watching Bard move over to his water bowl for a drink. “Anything in the kitchen is fair game to eat or drink and I usually only go into town once ever few weeks for groceries.”
The living room is a bit sparse but cosy, a nice sized bookshelf on one side with a couch and a few other pieces of furniture giving it a homey feel. A large picture window at the back of the room has a great view of the forest and path leading down to the lake, a small dock built on the shore and extending out into the water.
The kitchen is simple and small, the usual appliances sitting on the countertops and a bunch of handmade wooden cabinets on the walls. There’s a bit of workspace for making meals and an old but trusty coffeemaker sitting in a prime spot on the counter.
Fíli looks around, his eyes briefly get caught by the bookshelf before moving on to the picture window. “I bet it's nice to sit here when it rains.”
Nodding his agreement Kíli pets Bard as he walks by. “It’s a great spot to watch a lot of things, I think.” Moving to the hallway he continues the small tour. “The first door on the right is the bathroom and on the left we have my bedroom and then yours. And Bard roams freely so if you don’t want him in your room you can just shut the door.”
Fíli nods in understanding and moves over to the door that leads to his bedroom. He opens it and steps inside, looking around. It's not very big but big enough to hold a bed with a nightstand, a commode next to the door and a desk by the window. The whole set of furniture is made out of wood and looks warm and welcoming. The sheets on the bed are dark red and look soft and comfy and Fíli's fingers itch to reach out and test if it is true.
“I know it’s probably not what you’re used to but the bedding is new and I cleaned everything out a few weeks ago. The window opens and there is usually a nice breeze.” Kíli trails off and steps into the room, setting the blond’s bag down and taking a step back. “Do you have any questions about anything? I don’t mean to be rude but you look really tired so I’ll just leave you alone to unpack and get settled.”
“A bit of rest would really be nice.” Walking over to the bed Fíli sits down on it, a soft smile tugging at his lips as he runs his fingers over the bedding and finds it as soft as he imagined it to be. “I just have one question for now. Is it okay if I sit in the living room or down by the lake sometimes? I don't want to disturb you so if not it's no problem at all and I can just stay in here.”
Kíli shakes his head and moves his leg to block Bard from entering the room. “Oh no, you can do whatever you want. The house and dock are yours to relax in and explore, it’s your vacation so you can spend it however you like.” Reaching his hand down Kíli grabs Bard’s bandana and holds him still. “I wouldn’t go into the forest alone but there are a few marked paths you can walk along, I’ll point them out sometime. But yeah, you can spend as much time in the living room or down at the lake as you want.”
“Thank you.” Fíli turns away slightly to hide his yawn behind his hand again. “I won't go into the forest, just down to the lake. It looks really peaceful.”
“Yeah.” Shoving Bard back Kíli takes the yawn as his cue to leave. “I’ll just—I’ll see you later.” He backs out the door without waiting and pulls it closed, letting out a heavy sigh and walking into his own bedroom.
Looking at the closed door for a few seconds Fíli stands up again and drapes his jacket over the chair by the desk. Rubbing his eyes once more the blond settles for just taking a short nap as he is and changing clothes later. He flops down on the bed again and pulls off his shoes before laying down onto the sheets, sighing softly.
The sheets are so soft and cosy, smelling a bit like hay and fresh air. Fíli smiles as he buries his face into the pillow and closes his eyes. Maybe this vacation wasn't such a bad idea after all and he can really finally get to sleep normally again.
With new hope in his heart Fíli drifts off into sleep without even noticing.