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patern29 · 1 year

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Lexique et vocabulaire de la voile et des bateaux

Mers&Bateaux vous propose un dictionnaire de la voile et des bateaux, sous forme de lexique. Retrouvez toutes le vocabulaire marin, les notions et termes du nautisme.

Connaitre le vocabulaire marin est indispensable. Bien plus qu'une culture maritime, les mots et expressions, dans le nautisme, permettre de se faire comprendre à bord d'un bateau. Le vocabulaire marin est un gage de sécurité.

Le lexique de la voile et des bateaux

A à contre: placer une voile ou la barre, dans le sens opposé de la marche normale. abattée : se dit quand le bateau abat. abattre: le fait d'éloigner le bateau du lit du vent. Le contraire de lofer. Abordage: collision volontaire ou non entre deux bateaux. Accastillage: L'équipement de pont, du bateau servant aux manoeuvres. adonner : se dit du vent, quand celui ci à tendance à aller de l’avant vers l’arrière du bateau. Le vent adonne lorsqu’il devient plus favorable, par rapport à la route du voilier. Le contraire est refuser. AIS: Système anti-collision permettant d'identifier les navires et donnant leur position, cap et vitesse. aulofée : mouvement (spontané) d'un bateau qui lofe. affaler : descendre une voile. allure : angle de route du bateau, par rapport au vent. amarres: bouts permettant d'amarrer un bateau au quai, ou à une bouée de mouillage. amener: descendre une voile, voir un pavillon. amer: Point remarquable, sur la côte permettant de calculer sa position. amure : côté du bateau par lequel il reçoit le vent. On dit « bâbord amures », quand le vent vient de bâbord ; et « tribord amures », quand le vent vient de tribord. ancre : équipement permettant d'immobiliser un bateau, en la mouillant au fond. ardent : se dit d'un bateau qui a tendance, naturellement, ou pas, à se rapprocher du lit du vent. ariser : Prendre un ris, ou plusieurs, dans une voile afin d'en réduire la surface. artimon : L'artimon, est le mat le plus petit, et le plus en arrière, sur un Ketch, un bateau à deux mâts. La voile enverguée dessus porte le même nom. au vent : côté du bateau se trouvant du côté du lit du vent, face au vent. B bâbord : côté gauche du bateau quand on regarde vers l'avant. bâbord amures: Quand le vent vient du côté bâbord du bateau. balancine : cordage (bou) partant du haut d'un mât permettant de tenir la bôme à son extrémité. barber hauler : système composé d'une poulie, dont l'objectif est d'éloigner une commande de l'axe du bateau. Souvent une écoute ou bras de spi. barre : manche, roue, relié au safran. Permet au skipper de diriger le bateau. barrer: conduire, diriger le bateau. barre d’écoute de grand voile: Rail situé dans le cockpit ou sur le roof, sur lequel se déplace le palan de l’écoute de grand-voile. barre de flèche : Pièce située sur le mât et écartant les haubans. bastaque : élément du gréement dormant d'un voilier. Ils ont deux et retiennent le mât sur l'arrière. La bastaque au vent est bordée, celle sous le vent est choquée. bastingage : protection, le long du pont. bau: plus grande largeur du bateau. bôme : espar horizontal articulé dans l'axe permettant de gréer la grand voile. border : se dit de l'action de tirer une écoute, une drisse. bordure: Côté inférieur d’une voile. bosse : petit cordage permettant de ferler une voile. Bosse d'enrouleur, bosse de ris. bout : nom donné aux cordages d'un bateau. C cadène : la cadène permet de tenir les haubans, tenant le mat. Elle est tenue sur le pont du bateau ou la coque. cape : Technique permettant de limiter les effets du gros temps. C’est une allure d’attente, qui laisse le bateau dériver. Utile pour reposer l’équuipage ou récupérer un homme à la mer. Chariot de grand voile: Chariot qui coulisse sur la barre d’écoute et sur lequel est fixé le palan d’écoute de grand-voile. chaumard : pièce d'accastillage , fixée sur l’étrave, où l'on passe les amarres. choquer : l'action de relâcher ou détendre une écoute ou une drisse. chandeliers : tiges rigides verticales permettant de passer les filières de sécurité le long du bateau. Chute: Côté arrière d’une voile. Cockpit: endroit situé à l’arrière du voilier, ou en son centre, où se trouvent la barre et les principales manoeuvres. Corps-mort: bloc ou est relié une bouée via une chaîne permettant de mouiller un bateau. cunningham : réglage situé sur le point d'amure de la voile. Il permet de régler le creux. D davier : pièce d’accastillage située sur l’avantt du bateau par où passe la chaîne de l'ancre. Délaminage: Décollement des différentes peaux et matériaux composant les matériaux composites. Souvent suite à une infiltration d'eau. Rend la structure souple. dérive : partie de la coque jouant le rôle de système anti dérive. Par opposition à la quille, la dérive n’est pas lestée et peut être relevée. dessaler : lorsqu’un bateau chavire. diamant : endroit ou se croise la verge et les pattes sur une ancre. draille : élément du gréement dormant permettant de renforcer le mât. Le câble de la mi-hauteur, jusqu’à descendre vers l'étrave, On peut, éventuellement, y établir une trinquette. drisse : élément du gréement courant, servant à hisser ou affaler une voile. E écoute : Bout qui permet de régler une voile. empanner : par vent arrière, c’est le fait de changer d’amure. enfourner : enfoncer la proue et l'avant du pont sous l'eau. étai : élément du gréement dormant. Il soutient le mât sur l'avant. étarquer : action de tendre fortement un bout. étrave : extrémité avant du voilier. F faseyer: Une voile fasseye quand elle flotte au vent, sans être bordée. fuite : allure de sauvegarde au portant, utilisée par mauvais temps. foc : voile située à l’avant du mât. ferler : plier une voile. G Galhauban : Hauban latéral pris en tête de mât. génois : voile d’avant plus grand que le foc, avec un recouvrement important de la grand-voile. Le génois peut être sur enrouleur. gennaker : voile d'avant intermédiaire, entre le génois et le spinnaker asymétrique. gîte : inclinaison d’un voilier, sous l'effet du vent. Cela peut aussi être le cas quand le voilier est mal équilibré, de par les effets embarqués. godille : aviron qui s’utilise depuis l'arrière du bateau, en faisant un mouvement en huit. Permet à un équipier, seul, de faire avancer un bateau. grain: vent fort et de courte durée, accompagné de pluie ou de grêle. grand-voile : voile principale du navire, hissée à l'arrière du grand mât, et sur la bôme. gréement courant: Partie mobile du gréement permettant d’envoyer et de régler la voilure. gréement dormant: Partie fixe du gréement permettant de maintenir le mât. guindeau : treuil permettant de remonter une ancre et la ligne de mouillage. Il peut être manuel ou électrique. gouvernail : dispositif mobile permettant de diriger le bateau. H hale-bas : gréement courant permettant de maintenir la bôme ou un tangon vers le bas. Pour la bôme, il peut être constitué d’un palan. hauban : câble faisant partie du gréement dormant d'un voilier. Il soutient le mât latéralement. haler : tirer sur un câble. hisser : monter une voile, une charge. I J jas : barre transversale d’une ancre, elle lui permet de crocher. Jauge: Ensemble de règles précisant le cadre technique que doit respecter un voilier de course pour respecter une classe. K ketch : voilier à deux mâts constitué d’un grand mât, à l'avant, et d’un plus petit, à l’arrière, appelé mât d'artimon. L Lest: poids, situé au plus bas, permettant contre-balancer la gîte du voilier. Ligne de flottaison: La ligne de flottaison est la limite de la surface de flottaison. Elle sépare les oeuvres vives des oeuvres mortes. lit du vent :direction d'où vient le vent. Lof : Brusque remontée dans le vent. lofer : rapprocher l'axe du bateau du lit du vent. Le contraire est abattre. Longueur hors tout: La plus grande longueur du bateau, comprenant les parties externes à la coque. louvoyer : virer successivement de bord, au près, afin de remonter au vent. M Mille nautique: Unité de distance maritime égale à environ 1852 mètres. mou : Un voilier est mou quand il a tendance à abattre. Mouiller: Jeter l'ancre. moustaches : permet de tenir, latéralement, le bout-dehors. N nœud : C’est l’unité de mesure de la vitesse utilisée en navigation. Un nœud correspond à un mille marin par heure, soit 1,852 kilomètre par heure. O œillet : petit trou en forme d’œil, pratiqué dans une voile. Il permet de passer une bosse ou une écoute. orin : bout, attaché au diamant d'une ancre permettant de la faire décrocher plus facilement. P Pare-battage: bouées permettant de protéger la coque. pataras : câble du gréement dormant d'un voilier. Il soutient le mât sur l'arrière. passe-coque: Tube traversant la coque et permettant de positionner les capteurs des instruments de navigations, ou bien les prises et entrées d'eau de mer et les évacuations d'eaux usées. piano: Ensemble des bloqueurs, situés dans le cockpit, sur le roof en général. point d'amure: point bas avant d'une voile. point de drisse: point haut d'une voile, qui permet de la hisser. point d'écoute: point bas arrière d'une voile, qui permet de la border. pont : plate-forme permettant de protéger l’intérieur d’un bateau. On peut circuler dessus. poupe : partie arrière d'un bateau. proue : partie avant d'un bateau. près : allure permettant de remonter au vent. près serré : allure au plus près du vent. puits de dérive : logement dans la coque permettant de faire coulisser la dérive verticalement. palan : ensemble de cordage et poulies permettant de démultiplier les efforts. Q quille : partie lestée, sous le voilier, qui permet de faire contre-poids. Dans le même temps, elle sert de plan anti-dérive. La quille peut être fixe, relevable voir pivotante. quête: angle inférieur à 90° formé par le mât et la ligne de flottaison4. R rappel : c’est l'action , pour l'équipage , de se mettre au vent, pour faire conserver une gîte raisonnable au bateau. réa : partie mobile d’une poulie , ou s'enroule le bout. refuser : contraire de adonner. Quand le vent a tendance à revenir de l’arrière vers l’avant. ridoir: outil permettant de tendre et régler le gréement dormant. ris : système de réduction de la voilure. roulis : mouvement transversal du bateau. S safran : partie immergée et pivotante du gouvernail permettant d'orienter le bateau. sillage: Trace laissée par un bateau, sur l'eau, quand il avance. solent : petit foc. spinnaker : grande voile d’avant, creuse, sans guindant. Utilisée aux allures portantes. spi : diminutif de « spinnaker ». sous-barbe : cable maintenant le bout-dehors horizontale, et dans l’axe du voilier. sous le vent : partie du bateau se trouvant du côté opposé au lit du vent. T talonner : toucher le fond de la mer avec la quille du bateau. tangage : mouvement longitudinal d’un bateau. tangon : espar utilisé pour tenir écartée une voile (foc, trinquette, spi). tourmentin : Très petit foc utilisé dans le mauvais temps. traînards : aussières traînant dans l’eau afin de réduire la vitesse du bateau, sur l’eau, à l'allure de fuite. tribord : côté droit du bateau, en regardant vers l'avant. Tribord amures: Un voilier tribord amures reçoit le vent par la droite du navire. U U : pavillon du code international. Il représente la lettre U et signifie la présence d’un danger. V vent apparent: vent relatif. résultat de la vitesse du navire et du vent vrai. vent debout: Quand le vent arrive face à l’étrave. vent vrai: Direction réelle du vent. violons de ris : poulies par lesquelles passent les bosses de ris pour ariser la voilure. virer de bord : changer de cap, mais aussi le côté d'où vient le vent. manoeuvre s’effectuant en passant face au vent. vit-de-mulet : pièce métallique fixant la bôme au mât. VMG : référence permettant l'optimisation entre la vitesse d'un voilier suivant la direction du vent et la distance à parcourir. W winch : treuil permettant de border des écoutes ou étarquer des drisses X Y

Pourquoi le vocabulaire marin est important?

Le vocabulaire marin est important lorsque l'on navigue sur un bateau pour plusieurs raisons : - Sécurité : Le vocabulaire marin est utilisé pour communiquer des informations importantes sur la navigation, la météo, les conditions de la mer, les obstacles, les feux et les signaux de navigation. Si vous ne comprenez pas ces termes, vous risquez de ne pas comprendre les instructions importantes et de prendre des décisions dangereuses qui peuvent mettre en danger votre bateau et votre équipage. - Communication : En connaissant le vocabulaire marin, vous pouvez communiquer efficacement avec d'autres marins et les autorités portuaires. Cela vous permet de vous intégrer facilement dans la communauté des marins et d'obtenir des informations importantes sur les conditions de navigation et les ports d'escale. - Précision : Les termes marins sont souvent très précis et spécifiques, et leur utilisation permet une communication claire et concise. Cela est particulièrement important lors de situations d'urgence où il est essentiel que les messages soient compris rapidement et sans ambiguïté. - Tradition : Le vocabulaire marin fait partie intégrante de la tradition maritime. En connaissant et en utilisant ces termes, vous vous connectez à une riche histoire et culture maritime qui remonte à des siècles. En somme, la connaissance du vocabulaire marin est donc cruciale pour assurer la sécurité, la communication et la précision lors de la navigation, tout en préservant la tradition maritime. Pour aller plus loin: - Les différents types de gréement d'un bateau - Décrire une voile

Comment recourir à une location d'un catamaran en Corse ?

Vous connaissez désormais, grâce à cet article, tout le lexique afférent à la voile et aux bateaux. Que vous soyez un passionné ou un simple amateur, la mer, le grand large et les excursions maritimes font fantasmés de nombreuses personnes. Dans le cadre de vos congés d'été vous aspirez peut être à vivre une expérience exceptionnelle en pleine mer. Certains endroits sont plus appropriés que d'autres pour profiter de ces moments, ce qui est le cas de la mer méditerranée et de l'Ile de Beauté. Ainsi dans le cas où vous souhaitez recourir à une location d'un catamaran avec skipper en Corse, laissez nous vous conseiller sur les critères à analyser avant de réaliser votre choix. En effet si ce projet vous fait rêver il n'en reste pas moins onéreux. L'avantage d'un catamaran consiste généralement en sa dimension importante. Celui-ci peut donc accueillir plusieurs personnes ce qui vous permettra d'une part de mutualiser les frais de location et d'autre part de profiter de ce moment en groupe d'amis, famille ou proches. Il vous incombe donc d'analyser le prix de location proposé par rapport au nombre de personnes pouvant être accueilli. Le deuxième avantage de ce type de sortie réside dans le fait que vous jouirez d'un bateau exceptionnel vous permettant de bénéficier d'une excursion mémorable. Celui-ci est premièrement stable et donc adapté à recevoir tout type de personne ayant le mal de mer ou non. Il est aussi spacieux et très rapide. Enfin cette sortie implique qu'un skipper chevronné vous accompagne pour bien évidemment diriger le catamaran, mais également pour vous permettre de profiter d'une sortie en mer appréciable en jouant au guide et en vous faisant découvrir des coins inaccessibles pour les non connaisseurs. Read the full article

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mylittledragonhoard · 7 years

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Fic: A Growing Trust - Chapter Six: One Step Forward...

Semi prequel to A Sign of Trust.

AO3 Link

(Amazing edit and amazing fan art here and here!)

(Please note there are links in this chapter to hopefully kind of give readers an idea of some of the things I talk about.)

This is it. After all the frustration, the heartache, the smiles, and the laughter, the day they have all been waiting for is finally here.

Kili's favourite thing these days was the fact that Fili always greeted him at the bottom of the ladder the moment the brunet began to climb down. Sure the mer was probably only interested in the food Kili always had with him, but the man would take any interaction he could get with the creature.

This morning Fili looked like he’d just woken up, eyes still a little droopy as he lazily floated along on his right side a few feet away from the ladder. Though it was submerged, Kili could see the gentle movements of that magnificent tail as it slowly shifted beneath the surface like a dark shadow.

“Hey buddy.” Kili grinned as he reached his usual rung on the ladder. Instead of situating himself so he could sit on it, he knelt down for a moment so he could greet the mermaid. “Did you get a good sleep last night?”

Blue eyes focused on him as Fili made a clicking sound from deep in his throat before emitting a couple of sleepy whistles that were mostly bubbles as his mouth was half under the surface. He’d been making more sounds that differed from his usual repertoire of unhappy screeching and angry growling the last week after the whole wetsuit fiasco, and Kili had begun to catalogue the ones he heard the most.

These were just sleepy content noises that would grow into impatient chirps the longer Fili was awake and went without breakfast.

Kili chuckled at the bubbles, “Well I’m glad to hear it.” He grinned before standing up again and continuing down the ladder until he reached the last step and was half submerged. From there he pushed off from the wall, heading toward the other side of the tank where a contraption floated next to the opposite wall. It was made of plastic pieces of a floating dock, metal rods, and a new harness that was white in colour and very fluffy and soft on the inside.

Dwalin had rigged it up at Kili’s request at the beginning of the week in an attempt to get Fili used to the new harness that had been specifically bought because the mer wanted nothing to do with the old one. Instead of forcing the issue with the standard harness they’d had to use on him months ago, Thorin had just taken the easy route and bought an entirely different one that looked nothing like the blue material.

The contraption Dwalin had built stretched the new harness out along the metal rods kind of like a hammock, and the parts of the dock made sure it continued to float. Kili had been spending a lot of time sitting atop it in the hopes that Fili would get used to its presence and not see it as a threat. It seemed to be working as the mer had begun to approach it.

Once having reached the crude raft, Kili tossed his bag of food onto it before hoisting himself out of the water and settling in the curve the material made. He took a moment to wring out his shirt and survey the tank, dark brows narrowing in confusion when he couldn't spot the almost ten foot mermaid who'd been there only moments before.

Kili couldn't explain the sudden jolt of panic that shot across his chest because it wasn't like Fili could go anywhere, "Fili?" No sooner was the name out of his mouth when he felt something press up from below the raft, almost dislodging Kili from his spot.

Laughter spilled from the brunet as he realized exactly where the mermaid was. "What are you even doing?" He giggled as he gripped the material behind him as another dull thud came from below when a tail nudged against one of the plastic dock pieces.

A moment later a figure appeared between Kili's legs, making a quiet rumbling somewhere inside his chest as he surfaced so that he could clearly chirp at the man. And that was a demanding chirp if Kili had ever heard one, but the brunet was more focused on the fact that Fili had not only come close to the raft but had actually touched it. He didn't seem to mind its presence at all now, and that lifted some of the weight Kili had been carrying around and replaced it with relief.

Predictably, the mermaid hadn't liked the structure at first but had slowly warmed to it over the past week since he’d begun to associate it with Kili. If the brunet was in the tank but not in the water, then he was sitting on the harness and had even been feeding Fili from there in hopes of making Fili come to see it as something safe and not dangerous. Bribing the mer with grapes had helped wonders, and Kili did not feel guilty for using the mer's love of the fruit to his own advantage.

That had led Kili and Oin to collectively decide to only use grapes as treats and snacks instead of including them in regular meals. (Kili tried his best to ignore how demeaning 'treats' sounded when he couldn't think of Fili as an animal.). They were still what gave Fili all the extra vitamins and nutrients he needed so he wouldn't be jipped any, but they were better used as incentive.

Of course Fili had noticed when his first meal was devoid of his favourite part, and he'd looked at Kili with such betrayal that it had taken everything the handler had had not to race back to the staff room and get Fili his damn grapes.

Kili didn't know what it was about sea creatures being able to manipulate him, but he was practically putty in their hands (or flippers) when they looked at him like that.

Fili had sulked for a little while but had realized at the mid-morning snack time that the grapes weren't gone forever and had been in a better mood. At least, he'd stopped scowling at Kili.

"Okay, okay. Your breakfast's right here. We have the usual today: oranges, bananas, and raspberries." Kili announced as he dug through the bag. They hadn't really gotten a chance to introduce Fili to anything new, and now they were waiting until he was transferred to the larger tank. Oin hoped to live feed again and see how Fili took to fish.

Seeing that Kili was finally getting with the program and focusing on the food, the mer moved a little closer, making a soft whistling noise as well as a series of clicks as if to encourage Kili with his task, and he came so close to the handler that wisps of his hair floating in the water caressed against Kili's legs.

The brunet smiled as he withdrew his hand and held it out toward Fili to take what he wanted. He could have just tossed everything in the water and let Fili get it himself, but hand feeding him would help cement the trust between them. Plus it was fun, and as long as the mer had no issues with it, Kili was going to continue to do so for the most part.

Instead of grabbing everything from Kili's hand, Fili straightened in the water and peered closer at the selection so he could make the decision of what to eat first.

When Kili had brought Fili breakfast the day after the whole wetsuit incident, the mer surprised him by taking his time and actually picking and choosing what he wanted from the pile, and despite Fili looking things over, he always chose the same: raspberries, oranges, and then the bananas. Kili didn't know if he ate his favourites first or saved them until last, but he would only eat all of one before moving to the next group.

While this change in behaviour had been unanticipated a few days ago, Kili hadn't been surprised to learn that mermaids were capable of critical thought. He'd seen Fili make difficult decisions on multiple occasions, and he would forever defend the species against those who claimed them to just be stupid fish. (Like Gimli, but that was only because the man held a grudge against this particular mer.)

Fili made his decision and reached for the raspberries - as usual. The tips of his claws lightly scraped against Kili's palm with a delicacy that always made Kili smile. It felt like a tickle as a raspberry was picked up. The hand pulled back and Fili chirped to Kili before popping the berry into his mouth.

Kili couldn't speak mer of course, but he liked to think of it as a thank you. "You're welcome." He smiled as he watched the mer continue to eat, picking berry after berry until all the red ones were gone and then starting on the oranges.

Kili propped his head in the hand not holding out Fili's food, watching the mer with a particularly sappy grin on his face and being completely aware of its presence and the flack he'd get if Nori or Gloin spotted the expression. It was probably a weird thought, but after everything, Kili liked watching Fili eat. The mer took great pleasure in it, and the memories of protruding ribs and dull eyes were slowly fading to a point where Kili's heart didn't completely shatter when he thought back on them.

Getting the captive mermaid to eat was the greatest accomplishment of Kili's life so far considering nobody else in recorded history had been able to do it, but Kili was aiming for higher things. He still hoped Fili could be freed one day, and he wanted to help him achieve that.

"Do you think you'd enjoy fish if we tried again?" Kili mused as he pulled out a second handful of fruits, watching as Fili picked the raspberries first again. "We can't try in this tank since it’s too small and you could hurt yourself if you run into the walls or something." Kili frowned just a little. “But the new tank will have plenty of room.”

Fili paused in his eating upon seeing the frown and he looked at Kili with eyes bluer than the water they were surrounded by.

Seeing the mer's attention was on him, Kili instantly pushed the frown away and replaced it with a smile. "You'll be able to do a lot once we finally get you transferred you know." He insisted as Fili began to eat again, seeing as the frown disappeared.

Despite the fact that transferring Fili to a new tank had been talked about to death by the staff, Kili didn't mind talking about it to the mermaid in question. He'd spent the last week attempting to sell the idea to Fili in hopes of the mer understanding that they were trying to do something good and that it would be better for him. The brunet always managed to slip something about the new tank and how awesome it was compared to the bathtub that was the observation tank in to a conversation.

Fili always stared at Kili with his brows furrowed together at the usage of the word 'awesome'. It was adorable.

"It's thirty feet deep, Fili! That's twenty four feet more than you have here." Kili wrinkled his nose. The tank was also fifty five feet in diameter, and it was a joke compared to the entire ocean Fili had known before, but it was certainly a step up. "You'll be able to actually swim and dive and you won't get frustrated anymore because you can't burn off the energy."

The mer didn't seem to be paying attention to the conversation anymore as he contentedly munched away on another handful of fruit, having already finished off the raspberries again.

Kili sighed and rubbed his face with his free hand, a little disappointed that they seemed to be at a standstill. At least Fili wasn't afraid of this new harness anymore, though that remained to be seen once the raft was taken apart and the harness was used the way it was supposed to: mainly transferring Fili.

The mermaid made a soft grunting sound from in front of him, and while it seemed a bit like a demand for attention, Kili could still feel the weight of fruit in his hand and knew that wasn’t the problem. "What is it?" The brunet asked as he finished rubbing at his eyes, lifting his head to see what the mer wanted - not that Fili could actually tell him.

An orange slice was suddenly shoved in Kili's face followed by an insistent chirp and an expectant look, though what exactly Fili was expecting was unknown to Kili.

Kili was a little bemused, "Don't you want it? Does it taste different from the rest?" He asked as he held out his hand, growing even more confused by the excited squeak Fili made as he dropped the slice into it. Kili inspected the fruit but there weren't even teeth marks in it. He looked at Fili again and held the fruit out to him, "You didn't even try it. Have you decided you don't want oranges anymore?"

In response Fili frowned, tilting his head as he studied Kili like he was trying to solve some complex math problem, complete with pursed lips and narrowed eyebrows. Eventually the mer took the fruit back, and Kili thought that was the end of it. But he was wrong.

The mer let out a frustrated huff before holding the fruit out in his hand much like Kili did at meal times. His fingers were purposely held flat and the slice of orange sat in the middle of his palm. He made that encouraging whistle-click combination and patiently continued holding out the fruit as he stared at Kili's face intently.

Kili took a breath and was about to explain that he didn't understand what Fili was wanting, but then the mer's intentions suddenly became clear and the brunet paused in realization.

Holy. Shit.

He was...being offered food!

"Is this for me?" He asked, a large grin blossoming on his face as Fili's hand shoved a bit closer in an attempt to get the man to take it. "Are you trying to share your breakfast with me?" He tried to keep the question calm, but Kili was a sudden jumble of emotions on the inside as he finally picked the piece of fruit from Fili's hand.

The mer didn't even react at the contact though he was still rather wary of touch unless he initiated it, and even then it was usually him accidentally brushing against Kili because the tank was just too small to swim. Kili's legs and more specifically his feet still held a fascination, but whenever he seemed interested in exploring, he always seemed to change his mind at the last minute and would shyly duck beneath the surface for a while like he'd done before first taking food from Kili's hand. Mermaids were impossible to understand.

"I'm happy you're sharing with me, Fili, but this is your breakfast. Are you sure you want me to eat it?" Kili held the slice of orange in front of him.

This was a pivotal moment in their relationship, and Kili recognised that without question. His eyes actually began to burn a little with unshed tears because this was proof that all his dedication, frustration, and patience were paying off. He was making progress, and it could only get better from here.

The mer must have noticed his tears because he was suddenly making a series of buzzing clicks and soft whines that sounded on the verge of becoming distraught. And his expression shifted into one of concern as he shifted about in the water, almost unsure if he should do something or flee.

"No, no, no." Kili's eyes widened as he comprehended the fact that Fili was showing true worry for him. "It's okay. I'm okay." He promised as he quickly placed the orange slice on his knee so he could wipe his eyes. He offered up a smile again. "Humans cry for a lot of reasons. These were happy tears, I promise." He explained to the agitated form.

Fili didn't seem to believe him. The wrinkle between his furrowed brows was deep, and it was actually hard to look into his eyes for a moment because Kili could see fear. He hated that expression on anyone, but it seemed to cut deep when it came from this mermaid. He never wanted Fili to feel afraid again; he'd had enough of that.

Kili knew what he would have done to assure another upset creature, but he really couldn't predict how the mermaid would react to the same gesture. Even still, it was the only way that came to mind, and there was almost a burning need to erase that expression from Fili's face.

Hesitantly, so the mer would have enough time to move away if he wanted to, Kili reached out with his free hand. It happened to be the arm that Fili had caught twice before, the last time having been just last week when Kili had unknowingly triggered the mer into a fit of defensive aggressiveness. By now even the deepest puncture wounds had mostly healed from that encounter, and it had been worth it in a way because Kili had learned a lot about Fili that day.

The main thing he'd learned had been that the mer hadn't meant to attack Kili, but instinct and fear had driven him to. The brunet could still vividly remember the almost dawning horror in Fili's eyes when the mer had realized what he'd done, and the way he had literally wrenched himself away to retreat back into the safety of his corner had been heartbreaking.

But it was because of that experience Kili was willing to take another chance now.

Fili's focus moved from Kili's face to his hand, and the mer immediately sunk lower in the water as he realized what the human planned. The last thing Kili wanted to do was push Fili further than the mer was willing to be pushed, so the brunet smiled sheepishly and allowed his hand to drop.

"Okay, probably too soon for that." Kili agreed gently, as he looked down at the innocent orange slice. "But I promise I'm fine. You just really surprised me, Fili, and it made me so very happy." He explained with a grin because despite his failed attempt at contact, the fact that Fili wanted to share his meal still remained real and still delighted Kili to no end. The entire building would know about it by the end of the day.

The orange slice was picked up once more and Kili popped it into his mouth, eyes on the mer as he did so. It was the sweetest tasting gift he'd probably ever gotten.

But it was nothing compared to the little wrinkles that suddenly appeared at the corners of Fili's eyes or the way the apples of his cheeks flushed a little as he made a happy squeaking noise - not to mention the two little indentations that appeared in both cheeks and deepened as the mer broke into an actual smile for the first time Kili had witnessed.

Though it didn't show off his teeth, it literally lit up the mer's entire face, making his eyes practically glitter like the sun did off the ocean surface, and for the moment Kili had never seen anything more breathtaking in his entire life.

He barely even noticed when a slice of banana was being offered to him until Fili chirped and made Kili focus again.

He realized they were out of oranges and had moved onto the bananas, and Fili was making encouraging little squeaks as he held out his hand once more.

Kili smiled as he took it, chuckling softly. "I don't think you appreciate the irony of you feeding me, Fili." He stated before eating the offered fruit.

Fili might not have appreciated the irony, but Kili certainly appreciated that grin he'd receive every time he took from Fili's hand.

Kili couldn't wait to see what would happen next meal.

***

The brunet hummed to himself as he practically skipped down the stairs into the staff area, heart still fluttering inside his chest at the morning he'd just experienced. The thought of the mer only made Kili's grin grow wider. He was heading toward the kitchen to prepare a snack for both himself and Fili in case the mer was still intent on sharing again, but he slowed down when he thought he could hear voices echoing along the cement halls.

It sounded like arguing.

Curious since the staff normally got along really well Kili walked passed the kitchen and headed toward Thorin's office where the voices were coming from.

"I still don't see why we can't just tranq him." Gimli's growl almost sounded like an explosion and made Kili stop just outside the door. The brunet wasn't usually one to spy, but he had a feeling he knew exactly who the 'him' that Gimli mentioned was, and the thought made him scowl darkly.

"I'm going to tranq you if you suggest that one more time." Oin voiced his own opinion about that, and Kili was glad he had the veterinarian on his side.

He knew some of the others were getting restless, worried that Kili was taking too long. No, it wasn't healthy for Fili to continue living in such a small area, but both Kili and Oin had been attentive in their observations of the mer. Fili was mainly frustrated and bored, but he continued to thrive.

Kili understood where they were coming from of course. Waiting was always the worst, and all anyone wanted was what was best for the mermaid, but Fili couldn't trust them. But it never mattered how frustrated Kili got; he couldn't blame Fili for his reactions to things going on around him, and getting upset at the creature would only make things worse. As a human Kili knew he couldn't comprehend what the mermaid was going through no matter how much he wished to, so all he could do was react accordingly to Fili's needs.

"Calm down, Gimli. We're all as frustrated as you are." Thorin muttered, probably sitting at his desk. He sounded as annoyed as Oin, and Kili could imagine the man pinching the bridge of his nose as he tried to alleviate an oncoming headache.

"I have to agree with my son." Gloin grunted his input. His shadow fell into the hallway as he was right near the door and leaning against the wall.

"Colour me surprised." Oin muttered.

"Nobody's tranqing the mermaid." Thorin all but growled and the room descended into silence, "And if the only reason for this meeting is because Kili isn't here to argue in Fili's defense, you're in for a rude awakening."

"All we're trying to do is get the mermaid from point A to point B." Gloin grumbled, his shadow shifting again. "This isn’t about Kili at all. We think the kid’s doing a great job! But we all know the effects of a creature being in a tank that’s too small for too long. Stress weakens the immune system. Boredom and frustration can lead to aggression and psychotic behaviour. And we already know mermaids will starve themselves to death, so the chance of self-mutilation is high. This could have been done and over with long before now. If this was any other creature—"

"But he's not." Thorin was quick to interrupt, though he tried to placate at the same time. "I understand where you’re coming from, Gloin, and if it were any other creature, I would be in agreement. But we can’t change the fact that we are dealing with a very delicate situation. We literally have no clue what we’re doing, and as the only mermaid to survive this long in any sort of captivity, we have to take this as slow as Fili needs so he will continue to survive as long as it's not putting his life in danger. He isn't suffering immensely just yet, so we’ll continue to wait.”

Something landed on Kili’s shoulder and he jumped about a foot in surprise, just managing to keep a squeak from being released. He looked behind him and found Dwalin standing there, large hand gripping Kili's shoulder gently.

The brawny man was wearing a frown, and though it was quite formidable, Kili had built up an immunity over the last few months since he'd been on the receiving end of one of Thorin's frowns at least every other day. In Kili’s defense, it wasn’t his fault that dealing with a mermaid meant putting oneself into situations that the boss didn’t fully approve of.

A shift of Dwalin's eyes toward the room and the frown deepening let Kili know that the expression wasn't being directed at him. "Ignore them, lad. We're all proud of what you've been doing. I very strongly doubt that anybody else could have been able to accomplish the things you have. They’re frustrated and worried, but they believe in you just as I do." His voice was quiet so as not to draw attention from anyone in the room. His frown shifted into a smug grin that was directed at Kili as he messed up the brunet's hair.

Before Kili could say 'thanks' or 'hey!', Dwalin moved and disappeared into Thorin's office. He wasn't the type to stick around for heartfelt moments, but Kili appreciated his encouragement and support nonetheless.

"What's this?" He heard Dwalin ask when he stepped inside the room.

"Airing concerns." Thorin answered.

"Concerns eh?" Dwalin repeated. "About the mermaid I suspect. Who, I might add, is alive and eatin’. You boys have done a fantastic job of that."

There was a moment of confused silence. "We haven't done anything." Nori sounded unsure, and Kili hadn't realized he was there too.

"Exactly." Dwalin's voice turned gruff, "So unless your name is Oin or Kili, nobody gets to 'air' their concerns. Especially not when Fili's handler isn't here to put your worries at ease." Kili could imagine Dwalin eyeing each man in the room with his 'ye best be listening to me now' expression, and the thought made him smile. "Now," his tone shifted into excitement, "I was lookin’ for Oin and thought I'd find him in his medical bay. Clearly he had other commitments to see to, but you know what I did find?"

"What?" Gloin asked gruffly, sore about being reprimanded like a child.

"No mermaid."

That jolted something in Kili's chest even as the others expressed their own statements of shock and confusion. The feeling was very similar to the one he'd had earlier that morning when he couldn't immediately see Fili.

"What do you mean no mermaid?" Oin demanded and there was movement as though the good doctor had gotten up to see for himself. “Isn’t Kili with him?”

"Calm down, doc." Dwalin soothed. "There’s somethin’ you should see. Kili, you might as well join us." He called out a little louder.

Kili winced. He hadn't wanted his presence to be known. But it was too late now. He stepped into the doorway and leaned against the frame.

Thorin's office wasn't exactly big but there was normally enough room for a couple of people among the filing cabinets, bookshelves, desk, and the multitude of loose papers that Thorin liked to pretend were in some sort of order. But with six other men in it there was barely any room at all. He stayed in the doorway so as not to add to the sardine-in-a-can feeling.

Kili felt a slight surge of satisfaction when most everyone avoided eye contact with him, but his focus was quickly on other important matters. Dwalin still hadn't bothered explaining what he’d meant by no mermaid, and he was flipping through the camera views on a screen hanging over the couch.

Every tank was monitored by a security camera as were almost every room in the place. There were some exceptions like all bathrooms, the bunker where the staff sometimes slept, Thorin's office, and the staff room. The footage was rarely viewed unless there was a problem somewhere that needed to be looked into. Usually it was just when a visitor had wandered into an area they weren't supposed to. The footage was always reviewed to see if they'd done anything malicious. That had luckily never been the case and was usually just a kid who'd gotten lost coming from or going to the bathroom.

The moment the view of Fili's tank was maximised on the screen, Dwalin's meaning became clear. One couldn't see the mermaid from below when he was floating above instead.

"Is...is he sunbathing?" Nori voiced as they all processed the image of the mer as he lounged on top of the harness.

"Well I’ll be damned.” Thorin muttered as he stood from his chair, wanting to get a closer look even though the screen was already significantly big. “Mermaids are said to bask in the sun, but it’s rarely been witness by humans since the species is so shy." Thorin explained to those who hadn't read a billion books and articles on mermaids.

From everything Kili had read, mermaids liked to sun themselves on rocks. Sources argued about the reasons why; some stated it was just because. Mers weren’t the only aquatic species that liked to warm themselves after all, while other sources stated it was to dry out their scales to prevent parasites from attaching to them.

Whatever the reasons Fili had felt the need to bask, and Kili watched with a giant grin on his face as the mermaid on the screen made himself comfortable. He wiggled a little so that his body shifted to fit in the slight dip in the middle of the harness, and his long tail trailed off the very end much like Kili had done with his legs a couple of times when he'd reclined across the structure in the last few days. What really stood out to Kili the most was that Fili had pushed it away from the wall and toward the ladder so that it would float in the area the sun hit. None of the tanks were completely exposed to the sun without some shade, and since Fili's tank was specifically for medical purposes, his tank only had a small exposure.

He settled for a bit, but then shifted again. His expression showed his uncertainty as he kept glancing up toward the ladder, as if he was checking to see if anyone was there. Kili bet that if Fili heard someone coming near, he'd be back in the water before his tank could be approached. It was just a good thing that mermaids didn't know about security cameras.

"I think it's safe to say that we'll be transferring him soon." Thorin spoke as he watched the screen, all gruffness from before gone. He turned to Kili, obvious pride in his eyes as he clapped his hands on both the brunet’s shoulders and shook him once in his happiness, "How long has he been doing that?"

Kili glanced at a clock that ticked away over one of the filing cabinets. "As far as I know about twenty minutes. He wasn't up there when I was with him, but he had no problem bumping into it today." He laughed at the sudden sensation of happiness that washed over him. Their biggest hurdle was Fili and the harness, and while there might still be a few issues when they attempted to move him, they were one step closer now. “He uh...also shared his breakfast with me today too. Was pretty adamant about it actually. He even held out the fruit like I do for him." That sappy grin formed on his face as he thought back on it.

"Wait." Gimli looked at the screen, "That mermaid fed you?" He snorted in amusement, "The irony."

"That's what I said." Kili laughed, elated by the whole situation.

Thorin erupted into laughter. His face flushed a little from the force of it, and his pleased smile didn't seem to want to leave. "It sounds like you've been adopted by your mermaid. At least I won't have to worry about you not eating again." His eyes twinkled when he glanced at Kili to see his reaction as he was teased.

Kili snorted and pretended to pout at that jab, but he supposed it was warranted and he was in high spirits. "It kind of does." He finally admitted, "Why would he suddenly insist on it? Giving up food is huge to anim - well, wild uh...creatures." He stumbled over the word 'animals'. He couldn't associate Fili with that word at all.

"Beings?" Thorin suggested, knowing and understanding Kili's struggle to classify his charge.

"Maybe it's not as surprising as we think it is." Oin interjected, "You've done plenty of reading about his kind, so you know that mers are typically social creatures that thrive in large colonies. Fili's young, we don't know how young exactly yet, but young enough. He would have been a part of a colony and he would have had that interaction."

"He doesn't have that here." Kili frowned. He'd already thought of what Fili was missing in the wild, and the thoughts just depressed him.

"No, he doesn't." Thorin squeezed his shoulder, "But he has you." He gave Kili a meaningful look that was probably supposed to drive home the fact that things were working out for the better, but all Kili could think about was how horrible a substitute he made for the mer's family.

"Regardless, it seems like he's accepting you and is concerned for you. He never sees you eat, so by feeding you he ensures you are." Oin attempted to wipe the frown from Kili's face.

"Aw, the mermaid wants to make sure Kili's eating properly. Isn't that cute?" Nori baby talked as he smirked from behind Thorin, safely out of reach.

"Sickeningly adorable." Gimli chuckled - more like cackled in Kili's opinion. It turned into a squeal when Kili launched himself at the other man and the two tumbled down onto the couch.

"So now what's the plan?" Gloin ignored the children as he turned to Thorin. "He's obviously not afraid of the harness anymore and the tank's ready."

Thorin looked back at the screen, watching the motionless mer soaking up the sun for a moment. "We'll wait until Sunday when we have more time in the morning." He decided. The facility opened to the public at noon on Sundays, and it was one of the less busy days anyway. "Anybody have anything they'd like to add?"

"Can we try a live feed?" Kili grunted as he took an elbow to his ribs. "We'll throw Gimli in the tank and let Fili eat him."

"Throw you in the tank!" Gimli growled as he tried to get out from under Kili weight.

"That won't do anything. He likes me." Kili smirked. "You know what, never mind. You'll just give him indigestion if you don't outright poison him." He glanced up at the clock and saw Thorin and Gloin roll their eyes at the same time. "Speaking of food, I should get his actual lunch ready." He grinned sheepishly before jumping off of Gimli's back and fleeing the room before the redhead could catch him.

***

Over the next few days, Kili learned it was a good idea to eat less for breakfast or forgo it altogether because Fili continued to want to share. It also meant bringing an extra portion of fruit so Fili could have a full meal.

It was not a good idea for that extra portion to contain slices of apple.

Fili made sure to remind him.

***

Sunday morning rolled around too quickly and not quickly enough.

Kili had slept in the bunker, though saying he actually got any sleep was generous. He was anxious and excited, which had him tossing and turning for most of the night. He eventually gave up on the idea and wandered over to Lady's tank until everyone else arrived.

By seven everything was hooked up and ready, and Kili felt like he was about to jump out of his skin.

This was it.

They were finally transferring Fili after so long. After sixty four days, he'd be in his new home. He honestly hoped everything went smoothly and that the mer cooperated. He knew it was a long shot, but Kili was an optimist.

"We can't do anything else until you do your part." Dwalin announced, looking at Kili. Dwalin had taken the raft with the harness apart the night before and had hooked everything up when he'd arrived that morning. The crane had been moved into position and everyone had been given their instructions.

Now they were just waiting on Kili. As usual.

But after finally getting to this moment, Kili found himself hesitating as his anxiety became almost unbearable. He gripped the snack bag in his hands before remembering why that was a bad idea and quickly let go.

"What if he doesn't forgive me?" He asked as he stared at the ladder that would lead him down into the observation tank for hopefully the last time. At least the last time when there was a mermaid at the bottom.

"I'm sure he'll know you meant no harm and did it to help." Thorin said but it wasn't a reassure.

After getting closer than he'd ever been to the mermaid the last few days, Kili was terrified he'd lose it now, that Fili would blame him - or god forbid grow afraid of him.

"It feels like a betrayal." He admitted quietly and was glad that Thorin was the only one in earshot. He felt like his boss would be the only one to really understand at this moment, whether that was true or not.

"Have a little more faith in you mermaid, Kili," was Thorin's advice. "You've made it this far, and though it hasn't been easy, you've always done your best to do what's right for Fili. I don't doubt he knows that, and he might not see it right away, but he will eventually."

The words both helped and made Kili feel worse, but he knew this transfer had to happen. "Thanks Thor." He said as he took a deep breath, steeling himself before he began the climb down the ladder.

Fili met him at the bottom as usual, squealing and clicking a greeting before Kili even said anything.

"Hey buddy." No matter how twisted up inside he'd been a moment ago, seeing Fili and knowing he was doing what was right helped. He grinned at the mer as he made himself comfortable on the ladder rung.

The mer whistled before blowing bubbles in Kili's direction, ducking under a little as he moved closer. If he was curious as to why the raft had been taken out or why Kili was back to sitting on the ladder, he made no sign.

“Are you ready for breakfast?” The brunet asked as he held the snack bag so Fili could see before he reached inside.

The mer let out a series of low croaking clicks as he straightened so that he was bobbing upward in the water, swimming even closer the way he’d been doing so they could share. They still weren't at the point where Fili wanted to be touched, but he allowed their hands to brush when Kili took whatever the mer offered him.

Kili paused for a moment, second guessing himself once more, but ultimately pulling his hand out so he could show Fili what was on the menu today. Grapes. Because it was the one food that Fili wouldn’t share.

The mer perked up when he spotted the green grapes sitting in Kili’s palm, and he squealed happily as he reached out a hand to take them. Kili let him, feeling more and more horrible for every grape that passed Fili’s lips. The mer didn’t even question why he was being given his favourite food even though this was breakfast time. Kili felt like a monster for taking advantage this way.

It took sixteen grapes before Kili noticed anything, and at first it was that Fili’s attention span was beginning to wander and he began to chew at a slower pace. He began to eat more slowly and his sounds grew soft.

The nineteenth grape made it to his lips but never passed because the mermaid caught on to what was going on. The sound he made when he realized what was happening made Kili’s heart ache with the amount of sorrow it held. The grape was thrown toward Kili and the mer disappeared beneath the surface.

“Fili wait!” Kili called, standing up on the ladder to try and get a better view of the mer. He caught the shadow of that dark tail near Fili’s corner, but the mer wasn’t staying there. The shape clumsily darted around the tank in an attempt to shake off the drowsiness, but that wasn’t how sedatives worked. When the swimming didn’t work, Fili took to thrashing near the surface, splashing water in all different directions and causing havoc in the small area.

“Fili, please.” Kili pleaded though he wasn’t sure what he was pleading for. For Fili to stop? To understand? “It’s going to be okay.” He promised instead, gripping the ladder tightly as he continued to watch the mer struggle.

Eventually the thrashing died down as Fili ran out of the energy to keep going, and once the sounds of the crashing water ebbed, Kili realized the mer was making soft, pitiful whining sounds.

They broke Kili’s heart.

“It’s going to be okay, Fili.” He promised quietly as he slowly made his way down the ladder again, snack bag forgotten as he’d dropped it in the water. He moved cautiously, unsure if Fili would conjure a surge of energy and maybe try to attack out of spite. But even when the brunet was treading water away from the ladder, the mer hadn’t moved from where he floated along the surface, and he hadn’t stopped crying.

Because that’s exactly what he was doing.

“It’s okay buddy.” Kili repeated as he moved closer, knowing that the water in the tank was beginning to recede only because of how much he could touch the bottom without going under. “Nothing bad’s going to happen to you, okay? I’m here to protect you and make sure you’re safe. You’re safe with me, remember? I promise.” He murmured in what he hoped was a soothing tone, desperate for Fili to understand.

Bloodshot blue eyes shifted to stare at him, and any thought of the mer attacking melted from Kili’s mind. Fili looked utterly devastated as his face crumpled upon seeing Kili, and it felt like a punch to the chest when the mer realized how close he was and tried to move away.

“Fili please.” Tears blurred Kili’s vision as he tried again, able to walk normally through the water as he got closer but made sure not to touch the other. He knew his touch would definitely not be welcome right now, even if it had been earlier. “This is for the best, okay? All we want to do is keep you calm so you don’t panic and hurt yourself. We’re going to be lifting you, and it’s best if you don’t thrash once we get you in the harness. I know you don’t like it, and I’m so, so sorry.” His voice trembled with emotion.

“I understand you’re afraid, but you don’t have to be.” Kili implored as he waited for the water level to lower more. It needed to be about waist level before the harness would be dropped in. Until then, Kili could try his best to soothe the creature. “You were caught with a harness, weren’t you? Lured into one by someone wearing a wetsuit? Did they bait you with fish? Is that why you refuse to eat it?” Kili asked though he wasn’t expecting an answer and would probably never know the truth. All he knew was what he’d read about mermaid poaching and the little clues from Fili's behaviour.

Mermaids caught for trophies were caught in harnesses to avoid as much damage as possible, while mermaids hunted for their fins were caught in nets so that the poachers had easier access to the fins through the holes in the net. Luring young and curious mermaids was rather easy if one had the right tools and knowledge.

Fili made a low pitiful groan that ended in a high pitched squeak that was almost a whimper but otherwise didn’t react.

Reaching out to comfort him was almost a physical need and Kili clenched his fingers around his upper arms to stop himself. “Nothing like that is going to ever happen to you again, Fili.” He had vowed to himself multiple times before, but now Kili was saying it out loud. “I won’t let anyone hurt you again.”

The water had reached his shoulders now and Kili could easily stand on the bottom. "All that's going to happen is you're getting a new home. I've told you about it, remember? It's bigger and you have so much more space. I know you'll understand when you see it. Please, just...trust me." Kili pleaded to the being again, looking Fili right in the eye in hopes of that proving he was being sincere. He was utterly desperate in getting the mermaid to believe and utterly terrified that this had ruined everything built up between them.

There had been times before when Kili had thought the same, but once the moments were over the brunet had been able to see more clearly and the situations hadn't been as bad as he'd thought.

But this...

This was bad. It felt like a betrayal because it was a betrayal.

Fili was never going to come near him again.

The thought of everything crumbling down around him brought tears to Kili's eyes, and before he could stop it a sob was forced from his chest. He bit down on the second one and closed his eyes tightly, breathing deeply through his nose in an attempt to calm down. It wasn't working though and he could feel the pressure mounting in his chest.

Fili whistled softly and something touched his cheek, making his eyes fly open.

The mer had reached out with his hand and had swiped at an escaped tear on Kili's face. The movement was sluggish and he let his arm drop into the water as holding it up was too much of an effort. He whistled again, sounding almost like a sigh, and it gave Kili a little hope that the mer understood.

It was tiny hope, but Kili clung to it with all his might.

A shadow appeared above them and Kili looked to find the harness being lowered a few feet away from him. Thorin and Oin appeared along the top of the tank, and the veterinarian began to descend into the water.

"Let's see how our friend is doing." Oin said gently as he sloshed over, but his tone would never make a difference. Fili's eyes narrowed at the sound of his voice and he still had the energy to growl. "Yes, yes. We've established how much you dislike me, but you're just going to have to endure for a moment." Oin unwrapped a stethoscope from around his neck.

Fili gave one last attempt to get away but the struggle only lasted a few seconds before he gave up and allowed the vet to touch the end of the stethoscope to his chest. He continued to growl though, a constant rumbling that must have been loud in Oin's ear.

Kili worked with the harness while Oin checked on Fili, pulling the material down and spreading the sides out better in the water.

"His heart and lungs are strong. He'll be fine." Oin promised.

"Great. Let's just get this over with." Kili mumbled, unhappy with everyone right then. He turned back to the mer, who was watching them closely. "Do you remember this?" Kili wiggled one side of the harness, "Remember how soft this is?" He pet the inside so Fili could see the lining. "We're going to lift you with it, and before you know it you'll be in your new home. Can you swim forward, Fili?" Kili requested on a whim. He'd otherwise have to drag Fili's body into the harness, and Fili had already established that he didn't want to be touched.

Blue eyes struggled to focus on Kili for a moment, but when they did they held steady. Kili could sense he was being assessed, Fili trying to decide whether or not he truly could trust this human. To the surprise of both men, he pushed himself forward as much as he could. Kili and Oin looked at each other but didn't have time to discuss this revelation. They’d suspected that Fili could understand at least most of what they were saying, but they’d never gotten solid proof until no.

Kili rushed over to the end of the harness where Fili's head was going to end up, and he stood at the end while Oin climbed out of the tank. His presence was no longer needed.

"Almost there buddy, use the harness if you have to." He encouraged as he watched the mer glide farther into the sling. "Okay. That's good, Fili. You're doing so good." He promised as he checked over the mer's positioning, not wanting any limbs to bend wrong once they pulled him out of the water.

Once he'd checked on Fili's tail and was satisfied that it was straight, he was back up by his head. "We're almost done, okay?" Kili promised before he climbed up to sit along one of the support beams attached to the top. He looked up at Thorin and nodded to give the signal.

There was a whirling sound and the harness began to rise out of the water.

Fili squeaked and whimpered at the movement, closing his eyes tightly as the walls of the harness began to close around him as they were pulled tight. Kili kept an eye on him as they paused inches above the water so he could do a quick double check of everything.

"We're good." He called up even as something scratched at his foot, which was dangling inside the harness with Fili. The mer was positioned on his back, and the brunet could see him struggling, arms sluggishly waving about, almost as if he were looking for something.

He let out a loud unhappy squeal.

"It's okay Fili, almost there." Kili promised but his voice only made the mer more insistent. "Hey, hey. You have to hold still, okay?" Kili reached down on impulse and grabbed a hold of one of Fili's flailing hands.

Instead of pulling away like Kili expected him to, Fili held on as tightly as he could with the sedatives making him weak. He whimpered but stopped moving.

A smile managed to form on Kili's face despite his lingering worries of what was to come after all this. He squeezed the cold hand in what he hoped would translate as support. "Almost there." He repeated quietly as the harness was lifted completely out of the tank.

Thorin, Gloin, and Gimli appeared as Dwalin used the crane to slowly swing its important bundle in the direction of the new tank. Their job was to stabilize the sling and make sure it didn’t swing or shift directions.

It was slow moving, but Kili continued his quiet assurances, promising Fili that he was okay, that nobody was going to hurt him, and how close they were to the tank. He leaned his forehead on the other support bar, completely focused on Fili and not the movements of their ride.

The mer kept his eyes clenched tightly shut, but that didn't stop the tears that streaked his cheeks or the quiet whimpers that he continuously emitted.

"Kili." Thorin's voice made Kili look away from the mer and he realized they'd reached the tank already.

It was somewhat of an odd shape, rounded at the furthest end with all open water which was opposite to a square area where there was a large ledge built just beneath the proper waterline so that staff could enter the tank. Kili had never seen it from a high view, but he thought it kind of resembled a lightbulb.

The harness was hovering just over the edge of the larger tank, and the team was waiting on his signal to begin to lower it.

He looked back at Fili and made sure his position was safe after his struggling. "We're good." Kili promised.

Thorin gave Dwalin a wave and they began to lower toward the water.

"We're getting you back into the water now, Fili. Just a few more minutes." Kili's heart was beating rapidly in his chest from adrenaline, and he was so glad it would finally be over. Then they could focus on the aftermath and what their actions might have caused.

He watched as they were lowered down, squeezing Fili's hand and trying to get his attention. "Here's the water buddy." He said as the harness finally touched down into the water. Dwalin was lowering them slow so as not to startle or displace the mer, so the water slowly seeped into the harness from both sides.

Feeling the cool touch to his tail and head made the mer stir, squeaking faintly as he tried to wiggle out of the sling. His body refused to listen to him though.

"Hold on, let more water come in." Kili spoke and that made the mer glance up at him.

He realized he was still holding Kili's hand and immediately let go as if burned. He tucked his arms in front of him and held them close, practically cowering at the bottom of the sling and refusing to look at Kili while enduring the wait for more water.

Kili felt awful seeing the mer acting so timid toward him after the last few days. There were so many things he wanted to say, but he didn’t know where to start. Eventually he sighed and settled on, “I’m sorry, Fili.”

That was all it took to get the mer moving, shifting and wiggling until he was finally able to get free of the harness. Kili wanted to help but stayed right where he was, figuring Fili would rather do it on his own.

A look of confusion at all the sudden openness when he was used to being closed in by high walls crossed his face, but his attention span was practically nonexistent at the moment and instinct was probably screaming at him to find someplace safe because he was vulnerable.

So Kili wasn’t surprised when, after a few moments of floating along the surface to get his bearings, that blond head disappeared beneath the water and the dark shadow headed toward what probably felt like the safest spot in this strange new area, disappearing beneath the little shelter created by the underwater platform.

***

Kili stayed near the tank all night, hoping that having slept off the sedative all day Fili might come out looking for food or…anything.

But he didn’t.

And when food was tossed into the tank the next day, it continued to float in the calm movements of the water for hours going completely untouched.

#my writing #this chapter was a lot of work but I finally got it out #so have almost 10k words of my blood sweat and tears lol #loving the sea series #mer!fili

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shabby-blog · 7 years

Photo

Well. I wasn't expecting to get this finished tonight, but I was just having so much fun. This is from the amazing AU by @mylittledragonhoard and if you've not read about Met!Fili you all need to. The entire of his tail has a golden sheen, but the fins themselves are pure gold. Well... that's what I've painted anyway.

#gif #shabby art #the hobbit au #fili #Kili #fiki #mer!fili #wonderful writing #and everyone needs to read it!#the frog is important #you'll know why if you read it

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shinigami714 · 8 years

Photo

@linane-art mentioned wanting to see Mer!Fili with his stache braids and such so here’s today’s doodle. I imagine looking out for his little brother is basically a full time job, since Kili has a knack for getting into trouble with giant squid and various other bottom dwellers in the sea.

Mer!Kili here!

#Fili #Mer!Fili #The Hobbit #Hobbit Fanart #Fili the dwarf #Sketchbook #My Art #Doodle a day

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brother-genitivi · 4 years

Text

Thorin's Company at the Beach

Gandalf:

-yelling at everyone to stay within the flags

-'chills' with a newspaper

-constantly keeping an eye on everyone

-"chill, Gandalf"

-"I can't chill when everyone tries to kill themselves"

-mainly aimed at Fili and Ori who are attempting cliff jumping for the first time

Bilbo:

-tries to relax under an umbrella

-will go swimming once and once only

-wears a wet suit and a rash vest because he's responsible

-somehow he'll convince Thorin to go into the sea

-gets a wicked sunburn despite putting on heaps of suncream

-"I know I resemble a lobster but can you please stop laughing at me?"

Thorin:

-in a moment of impulsiveness, he's convinced to go into the sea

-gets a wicked tan

-accidentally laughs at lobster-red Bilbo

-is starting to worry because he hasn't seen Kili in a few hours

-takes over the grill

-dad vibes™

Fili:

-'accidentally' pushed Ori off the cliff

-trips over a rock and falls in after him

-but they're both wheezing so it's fine

-knows exactly where Kili is, won't tell Thorin though

-managed to sneak a stash of ale past his mother to enjoy later

-has beautiful mermaid curls in his hair after a swim

Kili:

-would have gone cliff jumping with his brother

-but sneaking off with Tauriel and pranking Thranduil was more enticing

-takes her rock pooling too

-gets pinched by a crab at some point

-steals Thranduil's sunglasses

Bifur:

-shows up naked

-"what do you mean this isn't a nudist beach?"

-has to borrow a swimming cozzie from Bofur

-buries Bombur in the sand and turns him into a sand merdwarf

-goes snorkeling to look at the fish

-manages to catch one with his bare hands and chucks it onto the BBQ

Bofur:

-brought his tin whistle, RIP Balin's naptime

-brought snacks too with extra for Bombur

-just chilling tbh

-tries to use a stand up paddle board, falls in almost instantly

-sticks to body boards instead

Bombur:

-master of the stand up paddle board

-tries to use the grill but Thorin's taken over it

-makes for a very beautiful sand merdwarf

-brought all fourteen of his kiddos with him, is having a hard time keeping an eye on them though

-wears sunglasses and floral swimming trunks

Oin:

-constantly shaking water out of his ears

-manages to surf once but never again after that

-tells Nori to get medical attention after he is stung by a jellyfish

-floats in the water in a massive blow up donut

-forgot suncream but avoids burning somehow

Gloin:

-brought the BBQ even though it's banned

-also floating in a massive blow up donut

-complains about the cost of the parking ticket

-most excited for the kebabs Thorin is so good at cooking

-keeps an eye on Bombur's kids

Balin:

-tries to sleep on a deck chair underneath an umbrella

-Bofur's tin whistle prevents him from doing so

-reading the same newspaper as Gandalf

-also brought a crossword and sudoku

-Dwalin eventually tosses him into the sea

-surprises everyone with his mad surfing skills

Dwalin:

-wearing a necklace of flowers

-goat drawn chariot? simple. surfboard? not so simple.

-weirdly relaxed

-spends half the day tanning on a deck chair next to his brother

Nori:

-got stung by a jellyfish

-ignores Oin's advice

-"Dori, you're going to have to pee on me"

-probably read that urine helps in a tabloid somewhere, little does he know that it doesn't

-was supposed to be keeping an eye on Ori

-claps his little brother on the back after witnessing him dive (or get pushed) from the rocks

Dori:

-is ready to throw himself into the ocean and swim to the next world if it meant he wouldn't pee on Nori

-"I DON'T WANT TO PEE ON YOU!"

-keeps one eye on Ori and one eye on Nori

-has NO chill

-makes himself anxious about sharks and tsunamis if he overthinks

-screams whenever his foot touches something slimy

Ori:

-realises that cliff jumping isn't as scary the second or third time round

-makes sand castles

-grumbles at Dwalin when he unknowingly stomps on one

-does sketches of his surroundings

-makes a full blown portrait of mer-Bombur

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eternaldarkness55 · 5 years

Text

A Battle for Love

(Storyinfo)(Ariel falls hard for Bilbo so Ursala turns her into a human but he is heading for Erobor and she has to get through Mirkwood and Lake Town before she gets to Erobor. Along the way she'll meet new friends and gain new family. But with Smaug attacking Lake Town and the battle raging in Erobor will her love for Bilbo meet the same fate as Kili and her new best friend Tauriel?)

My name is Ariel I'm a twenty year old mermaid princess of Atlantica which is located in the lake of Lake Town. I'm the only child of King Triton, abused child for that matter my father beats me. This morning when I came up to the surface to watch the people of Lake Town which I love to do every morning. I dreamed of being human forever. I spotted fourteen men arriving on a boat. They were dwarfs but one I spotted was not a dwarf it was a Hobbit. A very hot one and I fell madly in love so that's why I'm here right now in a cave talking with the good witch Ursala who gives merpeople the power to turn from mer to human whenever they please with no payment.

Ursala: My dear girl you will have the human life you want, be away from your horrible father, and I will help you get the man of your dreams. But this is how this is going to work the place you'll appear is not far from where the Hobbit is but I'm afraid you won't be able to see him till later and you'll see him. When you do see him his name is Bilbo. Now are you reading child?

Ariel: Yes please

There was a bright blue flash then all of sudden Ariel was human, wearing a knee length, sleeveless, white dress with red and blue butterfly's on it with white sandals and was standing in Mirkwood forest. As she turned around she saw a blond elf walking towards her.

Thranduil: Excuse miss are you alright? Do you have a home?

Ariel: No I don't have a home, my father beats me that's not a home.

Thranduil: Well that's all going to change, come live with me and my people. Be my daughter and part of my army Mirkwood will be your home and I would never harm you.(extended his hand)

She trusted Ursala that this was meant to happen in order to have her true love so she took his hand and went with him. She became Ariel Greenleaf daughter of Thranduil, sister of Legoles, best friend to Tauriel, and one of the best fighters in Thranduil's army. In time Ariel told Legoles, Thranduil, and Tauriel where she comes from and why she there. They all still accepted her but Thranduil dismissed her love for Bilbo and told her “You’re not just a princess from birth you're a princess because you're my daughter. And being my daughter you belong in Mirkwood and nowhere else and as the king's daughter you will not pledge yourself to that Shire rat". Legoles agreed with his father but being in love with Kili Tauriel understood Ariel and the two ran away to not only help in the fight but to find their loves.

Lake Town Bard's house

Tauriel and Ariel were about to leave when they saw Bofur coming up the stairs.

Tauriel: Athelas(Whispered taking the plant)

Bofur: What are you going to do?

Tauriel: I'm going to save him(Whispered)

Not long after she healed Kili everyone heard a noise Smaug was coming. Everyone quickly ran out and ran over to the boat.

Bane: What about our dad?

Ariel: If you stay here your sisters will die. Is that what your father would want?

They all got in and the Fili and Bofur rowed as Smaug burned the town. They saw someone in a tower shooting arrows.

Tilda and Sigrid: Dad(Cried)

Ariel: Wait(Bane ran out of the boat)

Tauriel: Leave him(Grabbed her arm)

After what seemed like forever a dead Smaug fell to the water.

Ariel: He did it, he killed him

That morning Ariel and Tauriel helped the people of Lake Town as Sigrid and Tilda called desperately for their dad. Alfred saw Ariel handing out blankets.

Alfred: Give me one of those I'll catch my death in this cold

Ariel: Oh find your own

Alfred: Give me that blanket(Pulled at one)

Ariel: I'll be dead before I answer to the likes of you(Pulled the blanket away)

Alfred: That can be arranged(Seized her arm hard and was about to slap her)

Bard: Don't you dare touch her(Seized Alfred's arm)

Bane tripped Alfred making him fall

Tilda: Dad(Cried)

Bard: Come here(Held out his arms)

The girls ran into his arms

A man: It was Bard he killed the dragon I saw it with my own eyes.

Ariel: Bard where do we go for shelter?

Bard: Were going to Erobor

Bofur: Come on you two we got to get to Thorin(Said to Kili and Tauriel)

Kili: Give us a sec, please come with me Tauriel(Grabbed her hands)

Tauriel: I'll meet you there I promise but I promised Ariel I'd help her so I have to travel to Erober with her.

Kili: At least take this(Took out the stone)

Tauriel: It was a promise from your mother keep it

They were about to kiss but then stopped

Tauriel: My lord Legoles(Said in Elvish)

Legoles: Leave dwarf

He did

An elf: Lord Legoles Lady Ariel you are to return to your father at once.

Legoles: Come Ariel and Tauriel

The elf: Not Tauriel she has been banished(Said in Elvish)

Legoles was so furious that he decided to not only give in helping with the fight but help Ariel and Bilbo be together. Even help Tauriel and Kili be together cause he knew now she loved him not Legoles and that he had to get over it and that he couldn't force her.

Ariel: I'm not going anywhere(Said fiercely)

Legoles: You don't have to I'm going with both of you

The 3 left later all of the Lake Town people arrived in Erobor.

Bard: Get some fires going, Alfred take the night watch

Fires were built and wounded were healed.

The morning

A man: The children are starving we don't have enough food

Bard: Do what you can, any news from the night watch Alfred?

Alfred: Quiet as a mouse sir nothing gets pass me

They walked outside and saw an army of elves

Bard: Except for an army of elves

The elves let Bard through and let the people take all the food and drink from the carts.

Bard: You saved us I don't know how to thank you(Said to Thranduil)

Thranduil: I'm not here for you I'm here to reclaim something that is mine. A gem in the mountain that I to desire, a gem of pure and beautiful starlight.(Talking about Ariel)

Bard rode on a horse over to the mountain

Bard: Hail Thorin, will you please speak with me?

Thorin nodded and went downstairs they looked at each other through a hole in the door.

Thorin: I'm listening

Bard: On behalf of the people of Lake Town I ask that you honor your pledge. A share of the treasure so they might we build their lives. My people offered you help and all you bring upon them is ruin and death. A bargain was struck!

Thorin: A bargain? What choose do we have but to barter our birth right for blankets and food? Tell me Bard the dragon slayer why should I honor such terms?

Bard: Because you gave us your word, does that mean nothing?

Thorin: Be gone(Yelled)

Bard hit the wall furiously and left both Lake Town and the dwarfs got ready for war. Then Bard, Thranduil, and all the elves marched over to the mountain.

Bard: Thanks for the Arkenstone, you may have it back but first you must honor your word.(Took out the Arkenstone then put it away)

Thorin: The Arkenstone is in this mountain it's a trick(Yelled)

Bilbo: It's no trick it's real I gave it to them, I was going to give it to you many times but-

Thorin: But what you miserable rat?

Bilbo: You've changed Thorin the dwarf I met in Bag End would have never gone back on his word. Or doubt the loyalty of his kin.

Thorin: Do not speak to me of loyalty, toss him over!

Thorin: Did you not hear me?!(Seized Fili then let go)

Thorin: I'll do it myself curse you(Seized Bilbo)

Gandalf: Return my burglar to me(Came walking)

Bofur grabbed Bilbo as Thorin let him go

Bofur: Go

Bilbo climbed down by a rope

Bard: Are we resolved? The Arkenstone for what was promised, give us your answer, will you have peace or war?

Thorin: I will have war

Dain Ironfoot and his army arrived but so did Azog and his army. The war began.

In Erobor

Legoles: Gandalf(Arrived on a horse with Ariel and Tauriel

Gandalf: Legoles Greenleaf(Legoles and the girls walked over to him)

Legoles: There's a second army coming Gundabad orcs there almost upon us

Gandalf: They'll be going to the North

Bilbo: The North, where is the North?

Gandalf: Ravenhill

Bilbo: Ravenhill, Thorin is up there, and Fili and Kili their all up there

A elf horn went off

Gandalf: My lord dispatch this force to Ravenhill the dwarfs are about to be over run. Thorin must be warned(Walked over to him followed by Bilbo and Ariel)

Thranduil: By all means warn him I have shed enough elf blood for this cursed land.

Bilbo: I'll go

Gandalf: Don't be ridiculous you’ll never make it

Bilbo: Why not?

Gandalf: Because they will see you coming and kill you

Bilbo: No they won't they won't see me

Gandalf: It's out of the question

Bilbo: I wasn't asking for permission Gandalf

Ariel: Wait I'll go with you

Thranduil: No you will not we are going back to Mirkwood. Help me find your brother now that's an order.

Ariel: Watch me!

Bilbo and Ariel left

Ravenhill(After Bilbo and Ariel found Thorin and after Fili's death)

Orcs started coming towards them but Dwalin came running and fought them off. Ariel helped him as Bilbo threw rocks at the Orcs Dwalin and Ariel succeed in killing all the Orcs that went at them but not before one knocked out Bilbo. Ariel slipped a note in Bilbo's pocket and then sat down next to Bilbo watching over him with her sword ready to defend him and waiting for him to wake up. Dwalin left Ariel saw eagles starting to arrive Bilbo groaned as he woke up he looked over and saw Ariel sitting next to him then looked at what Ariel was staring at.

Bilbo: The eagles are coming(Whispered)

Ariel heard him

Ariel: You’re awake, are you okay?

Bilbo: I think so, who are you? You followed me to warn Thorin and you watched over me and wouldn't leave my side when I got knocked out, why?(Sat up)

Ariel: I slipped that letter in your pocket in case I died while defending you while you were knocked out but I guess you don't need it. I'm a mermaid princess and I saw you and your friend's on Bard's boat arriving in Lake Town. The minute I saw you I fell hard for you so I asked a good lake witch to give me the ability to turn into a human. Thranduil adopted me but he turned out to be a horrible father once I told him the reason I was on land. Not worse than my real farther though my real father beats me.

Bilbo was mind blown by the time she was done.

Bilbo: Well now that you found me like you wanted what's your plan now?

Ariel grabbed his face and kissed him he could not figure out what this gorgeous, hot, tough, and brave princess saw him. But he didn't care he'll take it she stopped.

Ariel: I'm Ariel

Bilbo: Bilbo Baggins

Ariel: I know, the lake witch told me

They stood up and saw Thorin below who soon collapsed to the ground. They gasped and made their way down and ran over to a coughing bleeding Thorin.

Thorin: Bilbo(Gasped)

Ariel: Don't move don't move lie still

Thorin: Bilbo forgive me I was to blind to see, you’re the best friend I ever had I love you. I'm so sorry, farewell master Baggins go back to your books and your armchair. Plant your trees watch them grow.

Bilbo: No no no no no Thorin(Cried desperately as he took Thorin's hand)

Thorin died Bilbo cried hard in Ariel's arms making her cry too.

Where Tauriel is holding Kili's dead body

Thranduil walked over to her

Tauriel: Their going to bury him(Whispered)

Thranduil: Yes

Tauriel: Why does love hurt so much?(Crying)

Tranduil: Because it's real

Thranduil apologized to Ariel and let her go she went home with Bilbo and they were married and had a son named Frodo. The letter she wrote him was framed in his and Ariel's room. To Ariel the Shire was more beautiful than any lake or royal kingdom and the people were kind and welcoming.

The Shire years later(Bilbo's 101 birthday)(Ariel didn't make it that long she died at 90)

There was a knock on the door

Bilbo: No more birthday wishes(Yelled)

Gandalf: Not even from old friends

Bilbo knew that voice he smiled as he walked over to the door and opened it.

Bilbo: Gandalf(Said happily)

Gandalf: Bilbo Baggins(Smiled)

Bilbo: Gandalf(They hugged)

THE END

#hobbit #littlemermaid #ariel #bilbo baggins #middle earth #story #storyofmine

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dragons-and-dwarves-are-nice · 10 months

Text

L’histoire secrète de la mer /// Chapter 3

Here we are again! I'll post more tomorrow, but have this for now. Enjoy! x

Summary: Magic was real, but it came at a price. So when two girls end up in the one place they never thought they could reach, strange things began to happen. Good or bad? That's up to them to find out.

Tags: Fili x oc/reader - Kili x oc (for this POV fic visit my navigation) - Thorin's company × ocs/reader (platonic) - fluff - angst - EXTREME slow burn - crack - Bagginshield

Word Count: 805

Warnings: Descriptions of Panic Attacks, Drowning, and falling from a height, Graphic Descriptions of Injuries

Taglist - comment or message to be added!

PLEASE START FROM THE BEGINNING IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY OK LOVE U

Want some background music? Check out my Soundtrack Playlist!

Soon available on Wattpad and AO3

< Chapter 2 // Chapter 3 // Chapter 4 >

PART 1: Chapter 3 -

Though there be fury on the waves,

Throughout time, it was believed that bridges were gateways to other realms and dimensions, and this is what some people believed supernatural creatures such as ghosts used to cross into the world of the living.

I couldn’t breathe.

And I was panicking.

My mouth gaped open and shut, trying to take a breath in, but air was replaced with liquid.

Liquid.

I can’t swim.

It flowed into my lungs, and I felt myself choke as I forced my eyes open.

Nothing but pitch black was before me. My eyes attempted to adjust to the darkness, looking for a shape, outline, anything that would give me some sort of indicator as to where I was, but to no avail. I flailed my arms about, but they were slowed to a sluggish pace, as if I was underwater.

But I didn’t fall over the edge of the bridge? I definitely would’ve remembered the fall, and the painful impact of hitting the water surface from the height I was at. I continued looking around, wondering if I had been dragged into an underwater cavern, but the chances of one appearing near a waterfall was highly unlikely, especially one that was so far down that light couldn’t reach at all.

I kicked my legs this time, only to be met with the same results. Nothing.

But what was really freaking me out, was the fact that I wasn’t drowning. No searing pain in my chest, no impending sense of doom. Well, maybe the last one a little bit.

I floated there for what felt like hours, reaching out every now and then to see if I could feel something, but, like before, there was nothing. I swayed about at one point, racking my brain to try and recall the techniques Kate had hastily tried to teach me so I didn’t die in the sea in France.

Kicking about, I eventually felt relief wash over me as I managed to find a rhythm, and pushed forwards into the void. A lifetime passed, but then something touched my hand.

Jerking back, I choked on water again as my panic came rushing back. I waited to see if it followed, but when nothing happened, I reached out again. I flinched as my hand brushed against something, but as I reached further, my hand went straight through it. A force pressed on my hand, forcing my fingers apart and I had to stiffen my wrist so it wouldn’t bend backwards.

A current.

At least I thought it was one. Pushing until my arm was almost fully submerged, I tried to feel for the other side, but to no avail. I went to pull my limb out, only to be jerked forwards into the fast flowing water.

I spiralled around aimlessly, the force of the current having its way chucking me about as I tried to push my arms out to steady myself as I was dragged away, trying to fight the dizziness that swept over me.

In a final attempt, I threw my arm out, only to be met with air. Feeling the wind brush over my soaked skin, I desperately kicked until my head emerged. I gasped, gulping in the fresh air before coughing and vomiting up the water in my lungs.

I went to pry myself from the pitch black water-prison, when the world spun. Like it was literally spinning, until I felt my hair fall away from my face, and I figured I was upside down.

A beat passed, then gravity gave way. I let out a scream as I left the body of water, and was able to hear myself this time, the shrill sound echoing all around me as I descended further through the empty void.

The strangest feeling passed over me. The I heard another echo. A scream, but it wasn’t mine. Tears escaped my eyes as the wind ripped past me as I fell further and further into nothing, but I was still accompanied by the other scream.

My speed only increased the more I fell, the roaring air rushing around me as I cried out in fear, praying that this wasn’t purgatory. But to my luck and surprise, everything began to change.

The air became considerably lighter, and colder, until a light began to fill my vision. My eyes soon adjusted, and I was able to make out dark, rolling, grey clouds below me, flashing with lightning. The sound of thunder wasn’t very promising, though, and my relief didn’t stick around for long, packing up its bags and sprinting out the door the second I realised where I was.

Ignoring the fact that I had recently vomited and had stomach acid burning my throat, I began a screaming match between me and the rapidly approaching ground, having now passed the thunderstorm blanket.

Through the remaining daylight, I looked to see where I was to land, and made out a small body of water below.

‘Oh, for fuck’s sake’ I thought. ‘Just what I needed.’ Before I hit the surface. Hard.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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garadinervi · 6 years

Photo

Raymond Queneau, Si tu t'imagines, «Le Point du Jour», Gallimard, Paris, 1952

/ Si tu t'imagines, si tu t'imagines / fillette fillette, si tu t'imagines / xa va xa va xa / va durer toujours, la saison des za, la saison des za / Saison des amours, ce que tu te goures / fillette fillette, ce que tu te goures / Si tu crois petite, si tu crois ah ah / que ton teint de rose / ta taille de guêpe / tes mignons biceps / tes ongles d'émail / ta cuisse de nymphe / et ton pied léger / si tu crois petite / xa va xa va xa / va durer toujours / ce que tu te goures / fillette fillette / ce que tu te goures / les beaux jours s'en vont, les beaux jours de fête / soleils et planètes tournent tous en rond / mais toi ma petite tu marches tout droit / vers sque tu vois pas / très sournois s'approchent / la ride véloce / la pesante graisse / le menton triplé / le muscle avachi / allons cueille cueille les roses les roses / roses de la vie / et que leurs pétales soient la mer étale / de tous les bonheurs / allons cueille cueille / si tu le fais pas ce que tu te goures / fillette fillette / ce que tu te goures. – Raymond Queneau, Si tu t'imagines, in L'Instant fatal, Gallimard, Paris, 1948 (Juliette Gréco, 1947, audio, here; audio 2, here) /

/ Ma cosa ti credi, ma cosa ti credi / ragazzina bella / ma cosa ti credi che la duri sempre la stagione dell'a / la stagione dell'a / dell'amore in fiore / dio come t'illudi ragazzina bella. Passano i bei giorni / i bei giorni lieti/soli e pianeti fanno girotondo / mentre tu bambina dritto dritta fili verso dio sa ché / e di già si spiccia la pesante ciccia / la zampa di gallina / la giogaia al collo / il muscolo frollo. Dai coglile, coglile le rose, le rose / e le loro foglie / siano mare calmo d'ogni colmo bene / dai coglile, coglile / se non lo farai dio come t'illudi / ragazzina bella, dio come t'illudi. – Raymond Queneau, Si tu t'imagines, 1948, Translation by Franco Fortini, 1960, in Poesie inedite, Einaudi, Torino, 1997 (source) /

#graphic design #art #poetry #music #book #cover #book cover #raymond queneau #juliette gréco #franco fortini #gallimard #einaudi #1940s #1950s

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gaisgeachdmoved · 6 years

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but imagining merida in lotr

- loving all of sam’s cooking - pippin is her bestie - being pretty chill with frodo & not being obsessed with the ring bc she’s messed with magic before and learned her lesson - gimbli and her get along so well and become super best friends - merida slowly being able to keep up with legolas’ skills as a great archer - her proving herself as a great fighter despite not only being a woman but also a young one , and gets respect from the men bc she’s proves to them that they don’t have to always protect her and she can fend for herself - angus being able to carry all the hobbits at the same time - camp fire tales of mor’du and the witch and her mum - merida loving the eating habits of the hobbits and thus she decides she wish she was born one

merida in the hobbit

- fili & kili are her besties - lowkey crush on kili - broship with fili - merida lowkey being the better archer in the company - fart noises every time thranduil speaks - mer calling thranduil the “moose king” - merida highkey looking up to tauriel and wanting to be so much like her - middle finger to legolas - merida and beorn becoming oddly close friends - merida calling gandalf grandpa

#░░░┆➶ ❛ ᶦ'ᵐ ᵗʰ' ᵖʳᶦᶰᶜᵉˢˢ﹗ ᶦ'ᵐ ᵗʰ' ᵉˣᵃᵐᵖᶫᵉ﹗( headcanon )

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mylittledragonhoard · 8 years

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Fic: A Growing Trust - Chapter 1

Semi prequel to A Sign of Trust.

AO3 Link

Kili has met a number of different sea creatures while working at Erebor Aquarium, but now he meets a mermaid for the first time.

It's a rather painful but definitely unforgettable first impression.

A cellphone rang loudly in the quiet room, the shrill sound scaring away an otter that happened to be swimming passed the underwater window at the exact moment.

Thorin Oakenshield reached for it without looking away from the computer screen he'd been focused on for the last hour. The computer was an ancient thing, but then again, so was Thorin in many ways. His hand hit something that was definitely not his phone, and as soon as his eyes saw the dark brown coffee spilling from the mug, he cursed and stood up so fast that he knocked his chair over. It wasn't fast enough to keep from getting soaked, but at least it wasn't hot anymore.

The phone rang again, reminding him of its annoying existence, and this time he reached between some loose and now soaked papers to pluck it from its hiding place. He flipped it open. He hadn't upgraded to one of those smart phones yet, and he was staving that time off for as long as he could. Sometimes it felt like the world was progressing too quickly for him. "Yeah?" He said into the phone.

His face shifted into an unhappy frown. He had a formidable stature, and he'd been told many times by his staff that his frown was epically intimidating. He never tried to be, but he had a stressful job. Like now. "A what?" There was an obvious tone of disbelief held in his tone, but he'd never known his staff to lie. "I'll inform Oin immediately. Arrival time?" Alert eyes swept toward the clock on the computer screen. "We'll be ready." He promised before hanging up the phone.

He left the room after that, computer work and spilled coffee completely forgotten. There were more important things to worry about.

"Oin!" He shouted even as he moved down the hallway, a corridor made of cement and light grey paint. It gave off a cold impression, but these halls were home. Half of them were supporting a tank of some sort, so they had to be strong.

He found the man in question sitting in the staff lounge, nursing a cup of tea. The room was a fair size with a rectangular table and chairs shoved underneath. There was a fridge for meals and a microwave and oven to heat them up. They'd just installed a dishwasher after years of Thorin having to listen to his staff harp about it.

"What is it?" Oin Tement asked as he sipped from his cup. He was older than Thorin was, but seemed to accept new technology more readily. His salt and pepper hair was a little skewed and he looked tired, but Thorin knew he'd been up early to visit a few of their residents.

"We have a new arrival coming. ETA in an hour." Thorin explained as he stepped through the room to come to a stop at a wall. On it hung a large white board where staff left notices and notes that were important and others that weren't. It also held a schedule of everyone's shifts. "I'll grab Kili. He can help us." Kili Durinson was one of his best employees.

"Injuries?" Oin prompted as he set down his tea and stood from his chair, easily reading the urgency in Thorin’s demeanor.

"Numerous." Thorin grunted as he turned around to look at his veterinarian. "We're looking at possibly ten feet."

"Dolphin? Seal? Another manatee?" Oin questioned even as he studied Thorin's face. There was a look in the man's eye that Oin hadn't seen before, and he didn't know what to make of it.

"No. You're never going to believe it."

***

The sound of his scrub brush against the wall of the manatee enclosure was beginning to grow hypnotic as a shirtless young brunet man continued with the task he'd started just after sunrise. The manatee enclosure wasn't normally on his rotation of duties, but since he didn't have a particular assignment to do, he'd taken up the task.

Eventually, he pulled away long enough to wipe the sweat that had collected on his forehead and scratch the tip of his itchy nose, unknowingly leaving a slight smudge of dirt and green algae behind. Deceptive brown eyes turned to look up into the sky, changing from dark to green as the sun hit them. It was only reaching mid-morning, but it was already hot, which was standard for Erebor this time of year.

The enclosure was large, but not very deep so the water had warmed with the sun. His shirt had been sticking to him and making him hotter so he'd tossed it over the side to retrieve later, but now he had to contend with his sweaty hair sticking to the back of his neck. He'd had it long at the beginning of the summer season and had thought it smart to chop it all off. It was getting shaggy now and wasn't long enough to do anything with. He missed being able to tie it up off his neck.

Something bumped into his side and almost pushed him back into the four and a half feet of water he was standing in. A smile lit up his face as he looked down to see the large manatee floating next to him. "Hey pretty girl." He rubbed the top of her head, fingers sliding across rough grey skin. She'd been named Lady, but Kili always liked to give her special attention. "Did you wake up just to supervise me?" He cooed at her, knowing how much she slept in a day. His movements through the water and the sound of his scrubbing must have roused her.

Whether she understood him or not, she bobbed her head in the water a couple of times making him laugh, the light sound easily carrying across the calm water of her enclosure.

"Thorin needs to put you on the payroll then, hm?" He sunk his hand below the surface so he could scratch at her whiskered chin and snout, making sure to touch her on the side of her body that she could feel.

She'd been struck by a boat about a year before and had suffered paralysis along one half of her body. One of the other handlers spent a couple of hours a day with her for physical therapy, but Tauriel wasn't due until later in the day. Erebor Aquarium normally didn't house their animal guests permanently since they were a rehabilitation center, but there were a few exceptions and she was one. She had such a sweet personality and was friendly to everyone.

He felt her lips move to explore his fingers, laughing again when she made a disappointed grunting noise when she didn't find anything to eat.

"No treats right now, petty girl. Maybe I'll swing by later and give you something. How's that?" He asked, knowing that she had plenty of food along the bottom of her enclosure that would satisfy her until he could return.

She tilted her head back to look up at him, her whiskered snout twitching just slightly as she peered at him with her one good eye, almost imploringly. There was no way anyone with a heart could stand up against such a look, and Kili faltered right away. If he'd had any of her treats on him, she surely would have gotten them all. "You manipulator." He laughed instead and rubbed her chin again. Her eye closed as she soaked up the attention.

"Kili." The voice of his boss made Kili look up and across the enclosure where Thorin stood leaning on a rail on a level that overlooked the area. The man looked rather grumpy, but Kili knew he'd been having a few stressful days.

"What's up boss?" He flashed a grin at the man even as he continued to shower Lady with affection.

"I don't pay you to flirt with the girls." Thorin's frown lifted just a little. He was a serious man, but his sense of humour was amazing once he got going.

"Have you seen this face, Thorin?" Kili leaned down so he could rest his cheek on Lady's head. She squealed happily and bumped his cheek with her nose. "There's no way I could resist."

Kili easily saw Thorin roll his eyes. "Sometimes I worry about you." The water carried the muttered comment over to Kili as clear as if it had been spoken right next to him.

"Well, you and my mother can start a club then. She thinks I need to stop playing with animals and look for an actual human relationship. I think she wants grandkids or something." Kili gave Lady one last pat before making his way through the water until he reached the older man. "Now I doubt you came all this way to interrupt my flirting." He smirked once he was standing below, reaching a hand up and grasping Thorin's when the man reached down and grabbed him. There was a perfectly good ladder to his right, but this was much more fun and Thorin always indulged him.

Despite Kili being six foot, Thorin hauled him out of the water as if he weighed nothing, but that was a perk of lifting heavy animals and supplies on a daily basis. The man was strong.

As he landed on the observation deck, water pooling at his feet, he spied his boss' shirt. "Uh...having a bad day, Thorin? You're supposed to drink your coffee, not wear it." He teased as he wrung the water from his shorts so he'd drip less.

He looked up and saw that Thorin wasn't smiling. Kili knew the different between Thorin's tired frown and Thorin actually angry, and the look on the man's face now was somewhere in between. "Thor?" Kili prompted when he realized it was concern. That shouldn't have been new considering the animals they brought in. Thorin worked hard to ensure that they saved and rehabilitated as many as they could because he cared. He was always concerned. But this seemed different somehow.

"I need your help with a new arrival." The man began. "Dwalin and his team should be here in about half an hour now." He let out a long breath, rubbing his fingers through his long hair before gripping the strands tightly, "I’m told the situation is pretty dire. Dwalin's called me a couple of times to keep us updated. The creature's pretty malnourished by the looks of him, and he's either been attacked by something or was caught in a net. Fins are gone and there's a lot of blood." He grumbled, sounding grouchy, but Kili knew it was how Thorin dealt with things when he had a lot on his mind. "He was found stranded along the coast near Lake Town. We'll know more once we get him into Oin's clinic."

"Shit." Blood was never a good thing to hear about, and Kili's heartbeat accelerated just a little more as his adrenaline kicked in. It was always like that when a new rescue came in. "How big are we talking?" His mind began to go over which tanks were available and their sizes.

"With his tail, could be up to ten feet."

Ten feet meant heavy. "Are we going to need the crane?" He wondered, automatically looking across the floor to where the modified backhoe was parked. They used it to lift the heavier creatures that came into their care. It was safer for both parties.

"There won’t be any room since we’ll have to take him directly to OIn’s medical area. They used the wheeled stretcher, and between Dwalin's team and you and me, we should be able to use the harness to carry him the rest of the way into Oin's medical bay. Oin's already got everything he needs ready."

Kili scowled in confusion, his frown almost rivalling Thorin's because of the sharp angles of his face and his darker features. "That's only six people, Thor. What the hell are we moving? A large dolphin? A small whale?" He crossed his arms and stared at the older man.

"No," Thorin replied, "A mermaid."

***

A large vehicle that could have been mistaken for a moving truck hurtled toward the Erebor Aquarium facility as fast as it could without putting anyone in danger. It’s sides were painted dark blue in the shape of a wave along both sides and bright white along the top. On the sides in green lettering, the name and phone number of the aquarium had been printed in large lettering in case people found injured sea life that needed rescuing.

Unlike other pieces of technology that Thorin used, the truck was only a year old and big enough to transport most aquatic animals. Thorin always made sure the best equipment was used when it came to the animals they brought.

Was a mermaid considered an animal? Kili wondered, barely registering the thought as it swam through his mind. He was still trying to wrap his mind around Thorin's news and hadn't been able be to process much.

A mermaid.

Kili knew very little about them aside from they were usually deep sea dwellers and always did their best to avoid humans. Unless this was a younger one who'd gotten too curious and had somehow been injured. He knew tail fins were worth a lot as some people believed they had magical properties that could cure illnesses. People would believe anything.

Kili chewed his thumbnail nervously as he waited with Thorin and Oin just outside a large bay door where the truck would drive in so they could unload. It was the closest area to Oin's medical room and that meant less moving for everyone and hopefully less stress on the mer.

As the truck got closer, everyone grew aware of a loud high pitched screeching sound, and it made Kili frown thinking there was something wrong with the vehicle. It only grew louder as Dwalin approached, and Kili had never known a vehicle to make that kind of noise. The suspension was the best money could buy, and though this mer was long, Thorin seemed sure that it wouldn't weigh much. "What's that noise?" He finally asked, looking between the two older men.

They were both focused on the incoming truck. "That would be our new guest." Thorin responded.

"They have quite the range of sounds." Oin explained when he saw Kili's eyes widen. "Be prepared to get screamed at while you help us get him into my lab. And watch out for his teeth and claws."

"I will." Kili promised, though wondered if he should have found some earplugs before now.

He didn't have time to leave his spot before the truck finally pulled up. The screeching was louder, but now Kili could tell it was coming from some kind of animal and not a machine.

Thorin directed Dwalin into the bay while Oin and Kili hurried inside to be ready when the backdoor was opened. It did so the moment the vehicle had stopped, and a young redheaded man named Gimli jumped out, quickly followed by his father Gloin. They both had matching red hair that had frizzed in the heat, or gotten messed up while loading their squirming burden. And now that the backdoor was open and no longer muffling any sound, the screeching was almost unbearable.

Kili peered into the back of the truck where a large stretcher was situated in the middle. It was long and wide enough to be able to accommodate a number of aquatic creatures, but Kili could see that it hadn't been made in mind for something like a mermaid. It was too wide to properly restrain the twisting occupant on top, and aside from the multiple straps crisscrossing along the top of the form, what looked like towels and a tarp had been wrapped around the body. The creature was completely hidden from view, though Kili could see the body thrashing within his confines as it snarled and shrieked. Usually blinding an animal would help calm it down, but apparently it didn’t work for mers. He also noted a harness that was regularly used for lifting dolphins and such laid out underneath the shifting form already. The material was smeared with a lot of blood.

Gimli saw him looking as the redhead bent down to pull a metal ramp out from beneath the truck. "Better this way." He grunted with an annoyed scowl as he secured the metal slat so they could wheel the stretcher down it. "The claws on this thing are sharp and he keeps trying to bite but we managed to restrain his arms with towels and the tarp." He muttered before he worked with his dad to detach the hooks and straps that kept the stretcher in place inside the truck.

"The stretcher's too wide to fit through our hallways." Gloin complained and Kili looked to see that the man was right. Their hallways weren't meant to have large marine creatures transported through them. If anything needed medical assistance, then Oin would normally see them in their enclosures.

Dwalin and Thorin will take the middle when we need to lift." Gloin ordered, speaking up over the noises the creature was making. Thorin was strong, but standing next to Dwalin made him look tiny in comparison. It made sense that they'd be taking the most weight if it came to that. They were cousins but looked nothing alike what with Thorin's long hair and Dwalin's shaved and tattooed head. It was in their scowl that Kili could see the family resemblance. Not that he'd ever mention that out loud to either of them.

"Nori and I will take the back where we can attempt to control the tail." Gloin continued before turning to Kili, "You and Gimli take the front, but like my son said, you watch out for those claws. They'll shred you if he gets the chance."

Kili nodded as everyone waited for Gloin and Gimli to pull the stretcher down the ramp. Thorin and Dwalin moved in to help as it was heavy and they didn't want it going too fast.

Once everyone was in position, Oin nodded in satisfaction and turned to head toward his medical bay.

Gloin and Nori began to push from behind and that left Kili and Gimli responsible for manoeuvring the large and heavy equipment around without hitting anything. The moment they moved the stretcher, the mermaid thrashed wildly in an attempt to get free. The screeching had turned into snarls and downright howling.

"Someone's not very happy." Gimli muttered through gritted teeth as he and Kili carefully shuffled away from truck so the others could follow.

The weight was a bit of a surprise, but then the tails of mermaids were rather long and the stretcher weighed a fair amount too. It would have been easier to move without it rocking with the creature's movements.

"This one's more ornery than Thorin is without his morning coffee." Nori snickered from the back. "And I see he's wearing it rather than drinking it today."

"Shut up before I let this mermaid scratch your eyes out." Thorin grunted from behind Kili. "If I had to ride with your ugly mug, then I'd be screaming too."

Chuckles erupted from both sides of the sling but were quickly cut off at a particularly loud growl.

They'd gone as far as they could anyway. Now it was time to lift using the harness. On either side of the material were two steel poles that could be grabbed by human hands or attached to the crane. Kili had done this before and he always took front left so he could carry with his right arm which was stronger than his left.

"Alright boys." Gloin instructed and on his count they all lifted together.

The mermaid was none too happy about being moved and amped up his efforts to get free.

It was slow progress as the creature inside twisted around and used his tail for leverage. Both Gloin and Nori almost had their poles ripped from their grasp as the mermaid's tail thrashed back and forth in an attempt to hit either one of them. Gimli and Dwalin were muttering curses under their breath the entire time.

"I thought you said he was almost dead when you found him." Thorin was speaking to Dwalin from over the harness.

"He was until we got him into this thing." Dwalin's voice was gruff in reply. The man was actually a teddy bear normally, though he was a little stressed out at the moment. "That's adrenaline for you."

"I'll have a sedative ready as soon as we get him settled." Oin broke in as they neared his medical lab, having overheard the conversation.

Kili just felt bad. Not only was the screeching painful on their ears, but it sounded painful to make too. It was growing hoarser the longer it went on. He'd never been able to listen to an animal in distress, and while he was still on the fence about how to classify a mermaid, he couldn't just stand there and do nothing.

"Hey buddy," He began as he licked his lips, ignoring the scoff from Gimli. "We're just trying to help, okay?" He kept his voice light and as calm as he could. They'd had many frightened animals come into the aquarium and talking soothingly would sometimes help. "Oin's an awesome vet, and he'll get you fixed up so you won't be in pain anymore." He promised.

"Don't waste your breath." Gimli mumbled, "I doubt he understands you. He'd probably rather eat you."

"How about you be quiet. He's calming down." Dwalin hissed lowly from behind Gimli.

Kili paused for a moment and realized Dwalin was right. The screeching had lessened now and wasn't so piercing to the eardrums. He focused on that as they finally entered the medical bay. "Almost there, buddy." He promised, seeing the table set up. It was custom made out of aquarium glass and was about half a foot deep so it could hold water that was needed for some patients. It was adjustable, and right then it took up most of the room so that Oin could check over and treat his injuries before he was placed in an enclosure.

"Carefully lift so you don't hit his head or shoulders on the edge." The vet instructed all of them. "I'm going to need him restrained. He seems like a fighter."

They all hoisted the harness higher and set the body down onto the table as gently as they could.

Just as they made a move to open the harness, a blood stained hand darted from between the folds of tarp and towels and grasped tightly around Gimli's wrist. The redhead cried out in shock which startled everyone else and they all dropped the harness. The mermaid had ripped free of some of his restraints.

Kili's first reaction was to reach across the table to help his friend out and he did so with his left hand, completely exposing his forearm.

"Kili watch his teeth!" Thorin bellowed the warning but it was too late.

The sting came right away and shot right up Kili's forearm to his shoulder. He jumped in surprise to get away but found that he couldn't move his arm. The mermaid had latched on tightly.

Looking down at the creature for the first time, Kili completely froze in shock as he came face to face with startlingly blue eyes set in a human face framed with red stained blond hair that immediately had Kili thinking of the sand and ocean along the beach of their facility. He had the same facial features as a human did even eyebrows and regular ears.

Kili had seen pictures of mermaids but had never seen one up close or in real life, and the fact that he looked so human was so surreal.

Then Kili focused on the sharp teeth in his arm. He couldn't see just how sharp they were, but he'd been bitten by animals before and he couldn't recall it stinging this much. Blood was beginning to well up from the puncture wounds and trickle down Kili's skin, but Kili hardly noticed because he was still staring at that face. Something had sliced across the bridge of the mermaid's nose and there was dark bruising and scraped skin along the left side of the creature's face. Kili looked into those watery eyes glaring at him in an attempt to be intimidating, but all Kili saw was fear. This creature was more terrified than angry and he was defending himself in the only way he could.

When the mermaid noticed he was looking, he growled low and as threateningly as he could. The blood that had gathered at the corners of his mouth began to froth with the action.

"Fuck. Kili hold on." Thorin was somewhere behind him but the sound of his voice spurred Kili into action again. He didn't want them to scare the mermaid any more than he already was.

"It's okay." He said to his boss and the other men in the room, but he kept his eyes locked on the mermaid's. He was sure he could see tears forming within the blue, making them glassy and reflective of the lights above them. "He's just frightened and acting in self-defence." He explained before smiling at the creature. The sting had become a burning sensation now and Kili's hand was going cold. "Hey buddy. You're okay. I know you're confused and afraid, but we're only trying to help you, okay?" He promised, voice a little shaky because of the pain, but he managed to work through it. He had the urge to reach out with his other hand and maybe smooth down some of that hair, but then he realized he'd probably get a few fingers bitten off if he tried.

The glare held within those blue eyes lessened just a little and adopted a more confused look to them, and Kili felt the firm grasp around his arm loosen slightly. They blinked and a tear trickled down the creature's right cheek.

"Can you understand me?" Kili had to wonder about that. It couldn't have just been his tone, could it? He would have to find out later as they had other priorities that came first. "You're really warm, buddy." Kili noticed, able to feel heat radiating off the mermaid and knowing it wasn't right. "You're really sick, and we just want to make you well again." He had no idea if the mermaid could understand him for sure, but he kept trying since it seemed to be working.

Until there was movement from behind Kili and the mermaid suddenly lurched back with a panicked squeal. His teeth dislodged from Kili's arm, blood splattering both his face and Kili's as he attempted to fling himself away in a mad scramble for safety. Sharp claws tried to grasp the lip of the table and weak arms attempted to hoist himself up, but the mermaid didn’t make it far before he collapsed. His eyes drooping as he attempted to fight off unconsciousness for as long as he could.

Kili was bewildered at the sudden change and turned around for an explanation. He found that while he'd distracted the poor creature, the others had held his tail secured to the table so that Oin could inject the sedative into the mer's side.

Thorin was suddenly beside Kili with a towel and wrapping it around his bleeding arm. Kili was still looking at the struggling mer though, and ignored his boss' enquiries about if he was okay.

Those blue eyes had managed to focus on Kili as the creature began to succumb to the drug.

"You're safe." Kili promised quietly, and watched as hooded blue eyes blinked more and more slowly until they finally fell closed and remained shut.

Only then did he allow himself to be fussed over.

***

After a trip to the nearest hospital and an express order from Thorin to go home which he completely disregarded, Kili found himself back in Oin's medical bay. It was nearing late evening, and Kili had relieved the doctor for the night after another order he wouldn't be disobeying.

"If anything changes, you call me." Oin even pointed a wrinkled finger in Kili's face. His hands had been wet and his skin had pruned. "I have my cell and I'll be sleeping in the bunker." The bunker was a room next to Thorin's office that housed two sets of bunk beds. This wasn't a job that could be left unattended so someone was always on night rotation, and sometimes the staff slept overnight or crashed after a long shift.

After explaining to Kili that he would need to wet the mer's tail every so often, Oin finally left to get some much needed rest, leaving Kili alone to watch over their newest patient.

The brunet had pulled Oin's uncomfortable office chair and situated it right beside the table the mer was stretched out in, and once he'd swiped a couple of books on mermaids from Thorin's little office library, Kili was set for the night.

He'd been sitting there for three hours already and hadn't read one word in any of the books despite having opened the first one and having it on his lap. He couldn't stop staring at the mer.

The mer had been cleaned up of both his and Kili's blood, but those tangled golden strands were still stained pink in places. In sleep, or rather unconsciousness, his features had relaxed as much as they could considering he had a fever. Occasionally his face scrunched up as though he was having a nightmare. When that happened, Kili would get up from the chair and talk to him and run water over his tail until he settled again. The brunet didn't know if he was helping at all, but he hoped so.

He looked startlingly young now that he wasn't snarling and attempting to bite anyone's hand off. He didn't look that much older than Kili.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Thorin's sudden voice made Kili jump in his seat, and his head swung toward the door where his boss was standing with a scowl on his face.

Kili's eyes dropped to his lap and the book he hadn't been reading. "Reading." He lied and gave the man a cheeky grin because he knew damn well that wasn't what Thorin meant.

The man scoffed as he stepped farther into the room, stepping up to the table where their new guest lay and grabbing the medical chart that Oin had left. "Do you ever listen to a word I say?" He sighed in exasperation as his eyes shifted to glare at Kili.

"Sorry what was that?" Kili asked and got a smack on the back of the head with the medical chart for his trouble. "Ow!" He rubbed the area, "Look, the good doctor needed to sleep or else he was going to curl up right next to our friend here." Kili motioned to the mermaid with his head, "I swear I saw him eyeing the table to see if there was room for the both of them, Thorin."

"That still doesn't explain why it's you here." Thorin grumbled. "You bled almost as much as he did." He looked over the black and gold tail before grabbing the small sprayer that Kili had been using and sprayed a fine mist over the scales.

It had taken Oin three hours to clean, disinfect, and stitch up all the lacerations where fins had been lost along the tail. Not to mention the large jagged slice along the creature's right side. Now the poor thing was lying in about two inches of water, hooked up to medications to fight off the raging infection coursing through his system and fluids since he was dangerously malnourished and dehydrated. It was disheartening to see the protruding ribs and gaunt face.

Among the other IVs and wires that were monitoring his vitals, a tube had been forced into the mer's nose that delivered air directly to his lungs to give him an easier time of breathing. Kili had asked why it had been his nose and Oin had explained that the mer's teeth would have destroyed a throat tube. Kili's arm, numb thanks to his own medication, could attest to that.

Kili leaned back in his chair, "There is a mermaid lying right here. How could I be anywhere else?" He pointed out.

"Hm." Thorin grunted as he put the sprayer back, but that was all he said.

Kili sighed and slouched a little. "What do you think happened to him?" He asked quietly.

That brought forth a tired sigh. "Same thing that always happens to mermaids who get too close to the wrong kind of human. His fins weren't ripped off like they would have been if he'd been caught in a net."

"I was hoping that's all it was." But Kili wasn't delusional. He'd known what had happened the moment he'd laid eyes on the smooth knife markings. Whoever had stolen the fins had cut down right to the scales. "He looks like he's only around my age."

A chuckle escaped Thorin, "He's most likely older than I am." He commented before motioning to the book in Kili's lap. "Haven't you read anything?"

Kili flushed. "I was distracted!" He insisted before closing the book. He'd read it eventually. "So mermaids age differently?"

"Yeah. He's probably almost three times your age. Oin plans to send some tissue samples to a lab to find out for sure. He's still a young adult at any rate."

"How can you tell?"

"He doesn't have facial hair yet." Thorin pointed out, "But he's lost the gills that all juveniles have."

"They lose their gills when they get older? Mermaids grow facial hair?" Kili wasn't sure why he was surprised by that, but he was. He turned to that angelic face and tried to picture it with hair the same colour and the gold on his head. It wasn't too bad.

"I think you need to do a bit more research."

Kili already knew that. "I want this assignment, Thor."

"Why?" The older man's voice was suddenly sharper than it had been before, and Kili found himself being scowled at, Thorin's blue eyes like ice.

Kili blinked and didn't say anything for a moment. He'd seen that look and heard that tone before, but it had never been directed at him. It had only ever been directed at anyone who'd tried to come in and mess with the place or the staff. It meant Thorin was being protective, and this time he was being protective over the mermaid.

Kili was glad someone was.

"Because I want to make sure he heals." Kili stated confidently. "When I looked into his eyes today, all I saw was fear. It was heartbreaking." His eyes flicked back to the unconscious mer's face. "He needs help and I want to make sure he gets it." There was conviction in Kili's voice. "I swear I saw tears. I didn't know mermaids could cry." He knew it wouldn't be easy, but he had to at least try.

"They can." Thorin ran a hand down his face, and Kili noticed how tired he looked as well. It had been a long and tiring day. "And just like their fins, people believe they're magical too."

Kili scoffed and flopped against the back on the chair. "It's times like these I'm ashamed of being human." He mumbled as he looked back at the mer.

"But you are human, and you're a good human." Thorin relented, "Someone needs to show him that not all humans are bad."

Kili was hopeful. "Does that mean I get the assignment?"

"You realize what a commitment this is? Mermaids are not like the animals that we regularly look after."

"I practically live here anyway." Kili grinned. He knew it was probably going to be the biggest commitment in his life so far, but it was something he felt he needed to do. And he wanted to do it. "You know I got through to him. He did calm down when I spoke to him."

Thorin snorted quietly. "That's all I need. Another one who won't listen to me." Kili probably wasn't supposed to hear that part. "I'll make you a deal. If he survives, he'll be your responsibility." Thorin gave in.

"He'll survive." Kili had faith in him. "He's a fighter, remember?"

"I do." Thorin's eyes drifted to Kili's bandaged arm with a frown, but it was gone a moment later. "I have no choice anyway. Nobody else working here’s stupid enough to stick their arm out in front of a creature with sharp teeth."

"Or brave enough."

"I'm going with stupid."

"You know I'm your favourite, Thor." Kili beamed when the man rolled his eyes.

"Yeah but nobody else is supposed to know that. You included you brat." He turned toward the door. "Get some sleep when Oin comes back. The mermaid's going to be in here for a while, so you can take that time to study those books. I think you're going to find this a bigger task than you believe it to be."

"I'll take my chances." Kili had his mind set and there was no changing it now.

"We'll see whose stubbornness lasts longer. Yours or his." Thorin smirked before waving. "Good night Kili."

"Night Thorin." Kili watched him leave before turning back to look at the mer, getting up from his chair and standing over the table. "Hear that buddy? You definitely have to get better. There's a lot we need to learn from each other, okay?"

The only respond Kili received was a flicker of golden eyelashes that matched the hair. But he didn't mind. Smiling to himself, Kili returned to the chair and settled in for a long night by opening the book he'd been holding.

He had a lot of research to do.

#my writing #loving the sea series #mer!fili #a growing trust

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