Comes Around Again (Gigolas & Bagginshield)

Moving Forward

It would be the work of months to make the whole of the mountain habitable, and the world of several years to restore what had been damaged to its full glory. Still, working around the clock and with the help of those elves and men who could volunteer, it was only a few days until enough space had been cleared to house the survivors of the battle. All were made welcome in the mountain; Thorin had opened his hand his friendship to the men and elves, through the latter, Gimli knew, had nearly devolved into another war before terms were settled at last. Of the members of the White Council, Elrond stayed for his patients, Glorfindel stayed because of Elrond, and nobody was sure why the Lady Galadriel stayed, but every morning she was seen walking the line between night and day.

The wounded were moved first, helped along by the able. Gimli and Kíli helped Fíli make his way to the mountain, carrying him between them on a litter. He was more alert, the soporific effects of the healer's tinctures having worn off, but it also meant he was in more pain. Gimli feared the new lines in his brow would prove permanent. Still, he was himself enough that he teased Kíli mercilessly, playing down his injury to play up his acceptance of their help. He quite effectively played the part of a spoiled princeling, and Gimli laughed outright as Kíli's frustration with his brother grew.

Gimli himself had managed to remain free of the healer's clutches, though he had found himself playing assistant on more than one occasion to his uncle, and even to Lord Elrond once or twice. The elven healer, upon seeing Gimli, had smiled wearily, and raised a sardonic eyebrow.

"Foresight, magic, and now healing? You'll prove yourself an elf yet at this rate, Master Gimli."

Gimli had spluttered at him before he had seen the humor glinting in Elrond's tired eyes, and he laughed himself.

"With that type of gallows humor, My Lord, you'd make an admirable dwarf yourself," Gimli said, and grinned. Elrond's secretive half-smile had widened, and he had send Gimli to fetch more bandages.

Thorin, as well, was able to move to the mountain under his own power, the wound on his foot healing, though not as quickly as he would have liked. More than once, Óin was seen following Thorin, red faced and yelling for his "idiot king to sit down before his foot infects and rots off!" Threats aside, Thorin's foot was healing cleanly, and it looked as if there would be no lingering effects. He walked, therefore, though his pace was sedate and kingly, to keep better pace with Bilbo, who walked along at his side, head held high.

"If Bilbo doesn't have a bead in his hair by the end of the month, I'll eat my beard," Gimli muttered, eyeing said hobbit as he talked animatedly at Thorin, while Thorin watched Bilbo like he held the secrets to the universe.

"You need to have a beard before you can make that sort of promise," Fíli said idly, and Gimli glared down at the back of his head.

"Then maybe I'll just eat yours," he snapped.

"You'll have to," Fíli said, still mild. "You can't eat Kíli's either."

"Not going to matter," Gimli said, over Kíli's squawking protest. "Because I'll win. Where's Nori? I want to make this official."

Kíli jerked his head to the left. "Mothering Ori. He's down an eye until that bandage can come off, and Dori was near frantic that Ori was going to trip and fall down the mountain. Nori promised to look after him so Dori could help with the heavier lifting."

Gimli nodded. That made sense; both of the brothers Ri had been shaken by the near-loss of their youngest, though Gimli didn't give it long before Nori gave in to Ori's protests that he was fine. He always did coddle his brother in different ways than Dori.

Legolas had been pulled away as well, asked to help with the logistics of breaking down the elven camp. Not all the elves were staying; in fact, many had already left in waves, leaving behind mostly those still too injured to make the trek and those who were staying behind to watch them. To the surprise of many, Thranduil had yet to return to his forest, though it was clear that he longed to be under trees again. He stayed, however, and Gimli was certain it had something to do with his husband, though Legolas seemed dismissive of the idea. (And yet, Thranduil was often seen searching for Legolas with his eyes, and even Legolas had noticed. Gimli knew his husband's relationship with his father was complicated, but denying the evidence wouldn't help. Then again, it was not Gimli's place to interfere.)