Jasmine Tea and Coffee Kisses, (Epilogue)
Title: Jasmine Tea & Coffee Kisses
Epilogue: Fourteen Month Later
Pairings: Kíli/Bilbo, minor Gimli/Legolas
Word Count: 2171 (27,788 total)Disclaimer: If I owned the hobbit, I wouldn't have to write fanfic
Summary: Coffee Shop AU. Kili starts working in his uncle Thorin's café to earn some cash while he's in college. Bilbo owns the flower shop next door and comes in every day at the same time for tea and a muffin. Flirting and romance ensue.
Part I: First Impressions
Part II: Two Hearts Collide
Part III: Trials Come in Threes
Bilbo was going to be late and his cousin was going to kill him.
The florist checked his watch for the third time in as many minutes, staring down the road like that would make his bus magically appear. But of course it didn't and he muttered to himself, “Shit. Just shit. If the next one doesn't show up soon, I'm never going to make it in time. I'm already cutting it close as it is.”
He hadn't meant for his errand to take so long but somehow the minutes had slipped away from him and the florist had forgotten how annoying it could be to take the bus. Or rather, how annoying it was to arrive at the bus stop just in time to watch his ride zoom away like a race car, even though the driver must have seen him waving there. But assuming the next bus actually came on time, Bilbo shouldn't be more than a few minutes late and its not as if the family needed him to shout, “Surprise!”
Though just as he was thinking this, his phone buzzed in his coat and he opened it to read: 'This may be Kíli's graduation party but he's going to be pissed if his boyfriend isn't there. Where the heck are you?'
Dora's impatient tone came across quite clearly through the text, a talent that her cousin was actually quite jealous of, and he quickly typed out his reply.
'I'm on my way, I promise, I just missed my coach. So don't let anyone freak out too much. But my errand was successful so the plan is good to go.' Bilbo wrote, patting his pocket in satisfaction as the next bus finally pulled up.
'Good.' His cousin responded. 'I'll tell Fíli to distract his brother a little longer but you're going to be in big trouble if you don't get here soon.'
The florist twitched at the implied threat in her message, sending off a fervent prayer that nothing else would delay him because Dora was rather terrifying when she was mad. But even if his cousin drove him crazy sometimes, Bilbo would not have given up their relationship or his regained family for anything.
Because suddenly he had kids to spoil rotten, Adalgrim's adorable little brats always running underfoot. Suddenly the florist had cousins who actually wanted to see him, Dora and her siblings dropping by the shop and hauling him off on family outings whenever he had the time. Kíli would also come along if he didn't have classes and the first time that the younger man managed to drag his brother out of the office to join in the adventures, their relatives gotten along even better than Bilbo had hoped.
Indeed Dora and Fíli had hit it off like a house afire and while no one was sure if the two of them were actually dating, the pair was now inseparable. Honestly, I don't think that they know either, the florist snorted to himself as he watched the city roll by. But at least they seem to be enjoying themselves even if their silence on the matter is driving Dís insane.
Bilbo rather thought that annoying his mother was half the fun for Fíli because he had learned that his boyfriend's brother hid a wicked streak as wide as Kíli's beneath his placid face. However, while this meant that the two of them were holy terrors together, the florist rather enjoyed the chaos that their machinations brought. There was just something so entertaining about watching the Princes blow through the world like a hurricane and leave a score of wide-eyed strangers in their wake.
Besides even if the older man had once been just as flabbergasted by the brothers, after nearly two years of this, Bilbo was well used to Kíli's antics and could settle his boyfriend down with little more than a pointedly raised eyebrow sent his way.
Though the florist usually didn't bother to rein him in since that wild spirit was half of what he loved about the younger man while the other half was the sweetness buried beneath that manic energy. Kíli still surprised him sometimes with how truly attentive and openly affectionate he was to those he cared about. For after years of rarely touching anyone, this was a balm on Bilbo's heart and he loved the evenings when his boyfriend would curl up with his head in his lap. The younger man would doze there, sprawled across the couch like some sort of giant cat and purring deep in his chest as the florist stroked fingers through his hair.
Truthfully Kíli was just a ridiculously cuddly guy at heart, always throwing one arm around Bilbo when they were together and wrapping around him like an octopus at night. Though some of this was residual protectiveness left over from their kidnapping because neither of them had wanted to be alone after that.
Even with Dís taking care of Lobelia as she had promised, the florist had spent several weeks jumping at every shadow and his boyfriend hadn't been much better. So eventually Kíli had simply given up all pretense of keeping his own place and moved in with Bilbo to keep an eye on him, a development which made Primula and his mother squeal with delight. That pair was rather too invested in the couple's continuing relationship but at least they only meddled during business hours and respected the fact that Bag End was off limits to the game.
Anyway once Fíli and Dora had started their strange pseudo-courtship, this took the heat off of their relatives and Kíli had been overjoyed at the chance to tease his brother back. So truly life had only gotten better once Lobelia had been dealt with and sometimes the florist wondered if he should thank her for how great things had turned out.
Though in all honesty, he never wondered that for long.
Because Bilbo knew that it was really Kíli who had transformed his life and now that his boyfriend had graduated, it was time to make their relationship more permanent. Assuming that he'll have me, the florist thought, still nervous despite all that they'd been through. But his stop was coming up so Bilbo just patted his pocket one more time to check that his prize hadn't fallen out somehow and then pulled the request cord.
Thorin's house was only a short walk away from the bus stop and the time was just ticking over to six o'clock when he jogged up the steps. Dora must have been watching for him because she opened the door nearly the moment that her cousin knocked, grabbing his arm and dragging him inside.
“Come on, come on. Kíli's on his way and we need to get you ready.” She said and before Bilbo could blink, he was swept upstairs to change. Apparently his normal clothes weren't fancy enough, which seemed silly since it was a party not a prom, but it wasn't worth arguing with his cousin when he knew he wouldn't win. So the florist bowed to the inevitable and if this night did not turn out like he hoped, at least his depression would be well-dressed.
Though the older man did grab his coat back for a second to rescue the box in his pocket, handing it to Dora with a solemn nod. She knew the plan and thought it was stupidly romantic so Bilbo could count on his cousin to get things sorted out.
He had barely finished dressing before he was dragged back downstairs to hide and the florist ducked behind the couch just as the door creaked open. So despite his worries, he was there to surprise Kíli with everyone else and Bilbo had to admit that the effort was worth it when he saw the delighted look on the younger man's face.
“Congratulations,” He murmured, hugging and kissing his boyfriend lightly before making room for the rest of the family to offer their own praise. Their assorted relatives surrounded Kíli en masse, patting him on the shoulder and shouting out their approval until Dís barreled through the crowd.
“I'm so proud of you,” She said as she hugged her son tightly, giving him a smacking kiss on each cheek and then ushering him into the dining room. “Now there's food and cake and presents from everyone so you better have fun tonight.”
“But first a toast!” Someone shouted from the back of the pack and seconds later Bilbo and Kíli were standing in the front of the room with glasses of wine in their hands. Dora had given her cousin a wink when she handed him his glass, the signal that the plan was good to go, and so the florist was too filled with nervous anticipation to hear Balin's speech. Which was a shame since it was probably beautiful and Bilbo would have to ask someone for the cliff notes later on.
But right now he was busy watching his boyfriend drink champagne and the older man knew the exact moment when Kíli discovered the ring within his glass because it was written on his face. First confusion and then delight and then... laughter?
That is not the reaction I was expecting, Bilbo thought as the younger man started giggling madly but before he could walk off in a huff, his boyfriend grabbed his arm and gasped out.
“Finish your drink, love and then you'll understand.”
So the florist gave Kíli the benefit of the doubt and gulped his champagne down quickly, only to stiffen in surprise as something heavy bumped into his tongue. What the heck? Bilbo thought, wondering if Dora had gotten their wine glasses mixed up. But when the object was revealed to be another ring, one which the older man had never seen before, the barista's laughter suddenly made a lot more sense.
“Well we are a pair, aren't we?” Bilbo chuckled, slipping this ring on his finger with a grin. Then he wrapped an arm around his boyfriend, no fiancé, and kissed him with all the joy he felt inside. “But I'm going to take this as a yes, if that's all right with you.”
“I don't know how else you'd take it,” Kíli replied with a beaming smile of his own as he place the florist's ring on his hand. Then he kissed the older man one more time before calling out to the rest of the room, “Hey everyone, Bilbo and I are getting married.”
What followed was a whirlwind of congratulations, hugs, and handshakes from which only a few clear moments stood out: Dora and Fíli's smug smiles since the two of them had known it all along, Thorin's quiet happiness and Legolas' slightly jealous stare. Though Dís' reaction took the cake rather handily by simultaneously threatening both of them with the other's happiness, promising dire consequences if either managed to screw it up.
Once the furor had died down a bit, Thorin clanged a knife against his glass to gather everyone's attention and then declared, “I have an announcement of my own to make, though first I want to congratulate my nephew and his florist once more for finally making it this far. I've been expecting this announcement ever since Bilbo first walked into Cafe Erebor and Kíli went googly-eyed, but I'm glad that I was here to see it happen.”
“Thorin!” The barista groaned, blushing furiously beneath his uncle's indulgent smile. But all his annoyance was forgotten as the other man continued with the rest of his speech.
“Which brings me to what I want to say. Because I've decided to leave Cafe Erebor to go traveling again and I intend to name Kíli as manager in my place. You've worked hard over the last two years and I think you can handle the responsibility while I'm gone. So think of this as a trial run and if you do well, I'll see about making things more permanent when I get back.”
“Uncle, you are awesome,” His nephew burst out, rushing over to hug the older man tightly and Bilbo watched them with a smile of his own. This was the best possible outcome that the florist could have imagined because he had been slightly worried about what Kíli would do now. Besides, having the younger man next door for good would make synching their lunch breaks so much easier and hopefully cut down his phone bill as well.
So he joined in heartily when Dora proposed another toast, refilling his glass and raising it up high. “To the future,” Bilbo called out, clinking his glass against Kíli's with a contented grin. “May life always look this bright.”
Though the florist nearly snorted champagne down his shirt when the younger man leaned over to whisper in his ear, “Aren't you glad that you tried my coffee after all?”
End
Epilogue: Fourteen Month Later
Pairings: Kíli/Bilbo, minor Gimli/Legolas
Word Count: 2171 (27,788 total)Disclaimer: If I owned the hobbit, I wouldn't have to write fanfic
Summary: Coffee Shop AU. Kili starts working in his uncle Thorin's café to earn some cash while he's in college. Bilbo owns the flower shop next door and comes in every day at the same time for tea and a muffin. Flirting and romance ensue.
Part I: First Impressions
Part II: Two Hearts Collide
Part III: Trials Come in Threes
Bilbo was going to be late and his cousin was going to kill him.
The florist checked his watch for the third time in as many minutes, staring down the road like that would make his bus magically appear. But of course it didn't and he muttered to himself, “Shit. Just shit. If the next one doesn't show up soon, I'm never going to make it in time. I'm already cutting it close as it is.”
He hadn't meant for his errand to take so long but somehow the minutes had slipped away from him and the florist had forgotten how annoying it could be to take the bus. Or rather, how annoying it was to arrive at the bus stop just in time to watch his ride zoom away like a race car, even though the driver must have seen him waving there. But assuming the next bus actually came on time, Bilbo shouldn't be more than a few minutes late and its not as if the family needed him to shout, “Surprise!”
Though just as he was thinking this, his phone buzzed in his coat and he opened it to read: 'This may be Kíli's graduation party but he's going to be pissed if his boyfriend isn't there. Where the heck are you?'
Dora's impatient tone came across quite clearly through the text, a talent that her cousin was actually quite jealous of, and he quickly typed out his reply.
'I'm on my way, I promise, I just missed my coach. So don't let anyone freak out too much. But my errand was successful so the plan is good to go.' Bilbo wrote, patting his pocket in satisfaction as the next bus finally pulled up.
'Good.' His cousin responded. 'I'll tell Fíli to distract his brother a little longer but you're going to be in big trouble if you don't get here soon.'
The florist twitched at the implied threat in her message, sending off a fervent prayer that nothing else would delay him because Dora was rather terrifying when she was mad. But even if his cousin drove him crazy sometimes, Bilbo would not have given up their relationship or his regained family for anything.
Because suddenly he had kids to spoil rotten, Adalgrim's adorable little brats always running underfoot. Suddenly the florist had cousins who actually wanted to see him, Dora and her siblings dropping by the shop and hauling him off on family outings whenever he had the time. Kíli would also come along if he didn't have classes and the first time that the younger man managed to drag his brother out of the office to join in the adventures, their relatives gotten along even better than Bilbo had hoped.
Indeed Dora and Fíli had hit it off like a house afire and while no one was sure if the two of them were actually dating, the pair was now inseparable. Honestly, I don't think that they know either, the florist snorted to himself as he watched the city roll by. But at least they seem to be enjoying themselves even if their silence on the matter is driving Dís insane.
Bilbo rather thought that annoying his mother was half the fun for Fíli because he had learned that his boyfriend's brother hid a wicked streak as wide as Kíli's beneath his placid face. However, while this meant that the two of them were holy terrors together, the florist rather enjoyed the chaos that their machinations brought. There was just something so entertaining about watching the Princes blow through the world like a hurricane and leave a score of wide-eyed strangers in their wake.
Besides even if the older man had once been just as flabbergasted by the brothers, after nearly two years of this, Bilbo was well used to Kíli's antics and could settle his boyfriend down with little more than a pointedly raised eyebrow sent his way.
Though the florist usually didn't bother to rein him in since that wild spirit was half of what he loved about the younger man while the other half was the sweetness buried beneath that manic energy. Kíli still surprised him sometimes with how truly attentive and openly affectionate he was to those he cared about. For after years of rarely touching anyone, this was a balm on Bilbo's heart and he loved the evenings when his boyfriend would curl up with his head in his lap. The younger man would doze there, sprawled across the couch like some sort of giant cat and purring deep in his chest as the florist stroked fingers through his hair.
Truthfully Kíli was just a ridiculously cuddly guy at heart, always throwing one arm around Bilbo when they were together and wrapping around him like an octopus at night. Though some of this was residual protectiveness left over from their kidnapping because neither of them had wanted to be alone after that.
Even with Dís taking care of Lobelia as she had promised, the florist had spent several weeks jumping at every shadow and his boyfriend hadn't been much better. So eventually Kíli had simply given up all pretense of keeping his own place and moved in with Bilbo to keep an eye on him, a development which made Primula and his mother squeal with delight. That pair was rather too invested in the couple's continuing relationship but at least they only meddled during business hours and respected the fact that Bag End was off limits to the game.
Anyway once Fíli and Dora had started their strange pseudo-courtship, this took the heat off of their relatives and Kíli had been overjoyed at the chance to tease his brother back. So truly life had only gotten better once Lobelia had been dealt with and sometimes the florist wondered if he should thank her for how great things had turned out.
Though in all honesty, he never wondered that for long.
Because Bilbo knew that it was really Kíli who had transformed his life and now that his boyfriend had graduated, it was time to make their relationship more permanent. Assuming that he'll have me, the florist thought, still nervous despite all that they'd been through. But his stop was coming up so Bilbo just patted his pocket one more time to check that his prize hadn't fallen out somehow and then pulled the request cord.
Thorin's house was only a short walk away from the bus stop and the time was just ticking over to six o'clock when he jogged up the steps. Dora must have been watching for him because she opened the door nearly the moment that her cousin knocked, grabbing his arm and dragging him inside.
“Come on, come on. Kíli's on his way and we need to get you ready.” She said and before Bilbo could blink, he was swept upstairs to change. Apparently his normal clothes weren't fancy enough, which seemed silly since it was a party not a prom, but it wasn't worth arguing with his cousin when he knew he wouldn't win. So the florist bowed to the inevitable and if this night did not turn out like he hoped, at least his depression would be well-dressed.
Though the older man did grab his coat back for a second to rescue the box in his pocket, handing it to Dora with a solemn nod. She knew the plan and thought it was stupidly romantic so Bilbo could count on his cousin to get things sorted out.
He had barely finished dressing before he was dragged back downstairs to hide and the florist ducked behind the couch just as the door creaked open. So despite his worries, he was there to surprise Kíli with everyone else and Bilbo had to admit that the effort was worth it when he saw the delighted look on the younger man's face.
“Congratulations,” He murmured, hugging and kissing his boyfriend lightly before making room for the rest of the family to offer their own praise. Their assorted relatives surrounded Kíli en masse, patting him on the shoulder and shouting out their approval until Dís barreled through the crowd.
“I'm so proud of you,” She said as she hugged her son tightly, giving him a smacking kiss on each cheek and then ushering him into the dining room. “Now there's food and cake and presents from everyone so you better have fun tonight.”
“But first a toast!” Someone shouted from the back of the pack and seconds later Bilbo and Kíli were standing in the front of the room with glasses of wine in their hands. Dora had given her cousin a wink when she handed him his glass, the signal that the plan was good to go, and so the florist was too filled with nervous anticipation to hear Balin's speech. Which was a shame since it was probably beautiful and Bilbo would have to ask someone for the cliff notes later on.
But right now he was busy watching his boyfriend drink champagne and the older man knew the exact moment when Kíli discovered the ring within his glass because it was written on his face. First confusion and then delight and then... laughter?
That is not the reaction I was expecting, Bilbo thought as the younger man started giggling madly but before he could walk off in a huff, his boyfriend grabbed his arm and gasped out.
“Finish your drink, love and then you'll understand.”
So the florist gave Kíli the benefit of the doubt and gulped his champagne down quickly, only to stiffen in surprise as something heavy bumped into his tongue. What the heck? Bilbo thought, wondering if Dora had gotten their wine glasses mixed up. But when the object was revealed to be another ring, one which the older man had never seen before, the barista's laughter suddenly made a lot more sense.
“Well we are a pair, aren't we?” Bilbo chuckled, slipping this ring on his finger with a grin. Then he wrapped an arm around his boyfriend, no fiancé, and kissed him with all the joy he felt inside. “But I'm going to take this as a yes, if that's all right with you.”
“I don't know how else you'd take it,” Kíli replied with a beaming smile of his own as he place the florist's ring on his hand. Then he kissed the older man one more time before calling out to the rest of the room, “Hey everyone, Bilbo and I are getting married.”
What followed was a whirlwind of congratulations, hugs, and handshakes from which only a few clear moments stood out: Dora and Fíli's smug smiles since the two of them had known it all along, Thorin's quiet happiness and Legolas' slightly jealous stare. Though Dís' reaction took the cake rather handily by simultaneously threatening both of them with the other's happiness, promising dire consequences if either managed to screw it up.
Once the furor had died down a bit, Thorin clanged a knife against his glass to gather everyone's attention and then declared, “I have an announcement of my own to make, though first I want to congratulate my nephew and his florist once more for finally making it this far. I've been expecting this announcement ever since Bilbo first walked into Cafe Erebor and Kíli went googly-eyed, but I'm glad that I was here to see it happen.”
“Thorin!” The barista groaned, blushing furiously beneath his uncle's indulgent smile. But all his annoyance was forgotten as the other man continued with the rest of his speech.
“Which brings me to what I want to say. Because I've decided to leave Cafe Erebor to go traveling again and I intend to name Kíli as manager in my place. You've worked hard over the last two years and I think you can handle the responsibility while I'm gone. So think of this as a trial run and if you do well, I'll see about making things more permanent when I get back.”
“Uncle, you are awesome,” His nephew burst out, rushing over to hug the older man tightly and Bilbo watched them with a smile of his own. This was the best possible outcome that the florist could have imagined because he had been slightly worried about what Kíli would do now. Besides, having the younger man next door for good would make synching their lunch breaks so much easier and hopefully cut down his phone bill as well.
So he joined in heartily when Dora proposed another toast, refilling his glass and raising it up high. “To the future,” Bilbo called out, clinking his glass against Kíli's with a contented grin. “May life always look this bright.”
Though the florist nearly snorted champagne down his shirt when the younger man leaned over to whisper in his ear, “Aren't you glad that you tried my coffee after all?”
End