Chapter Text
Ori looked up from his laptop when the library was plunged into darkness. For a long moment the only sound was the wailing of the storm outside, then, as the faint emergency lights came on, Ori could hear the people in the adjoining section begin to grumble as they packed up their gear. Ori started the closing procedures on his laptop and began clearing away his various accoutrements.
Ori turned off his computer and turned to his tablemate, his friend and fellow PhD student, Duris.
“This is what, the sixth time this has happened since Durin’s Day?” he asked.
She shrugged, putting her books away as she waited for her own laptop to power down.. “I think so. It is wintertime, Ori.”
“But it’s the end of February, and these storms have been going non-stop since the beginning of January.” Ori had long ago mastered the art of talking while barely looking at his hands - his laptop was away in a moment, the rest of his gear following in short order.
Duris rolled her eyes. “If I were you, I’d be more worried about your thesis and less worried about the weather. We have to have them in by the fifteenth of March, and that’s just a little over two weeks away.” Duris shut her computer with an air of finality, putting it into her bag and putting on her heavy winter jacket.
“I’m worried how the weather will affect out theses,” Ori grumbled. “After all,it’s already interup- good evening, Mrs Marjunsdottr,”
Mrs Marjunsdottsr, one of the Circulation staff, ran her flashlight over the remaining library users in their area.
“Come, now. students, it’s time for you to go. The library is closed for the rest of the night.”
“Thanks, Mrs Marjunsdottsr,” said Ori, shrugging into his jacket. “We’ll be off in a minute, after we’ve gotten all of our gear together.”
“Of course, sweetheart,” said Mrs Marjunsdottsr, patting his cheek. “Take your time. I’ll be back around in about twenty minutes for a final check.”
Most of the library staff were very fond of him, mostly because Ori actually took the time to be polite to them - so many of the university students and faculty were rude to the staff. Beyond being the right thing to do, Ori found that it paid off in a lot of little ways as well.
“Well, Duris, are you about ready to go?”
“Almost. Just let me finish putting on my gloves.”
“How do you feel about going to my family’s tea shop? Dori has a generator, so we can keep working. Dori makes a mean hot chocolate, and his biscuits are to die for.”
“That sounds lovely.” Duris swung her backpack over her shoulder, and waited for Ori to do the same. “And, Ori?”
“Yes?”
“Don’t forget your hat.”
Ori grabbed the offending knitwear by its pompom and shoved it on his head. “We’re off like a herd of turtles! Let’s go.”
***
“That’s it, Kili, you owe me $1,250,” said Gimli smugly.
Kili swore vociferously as he counted his money. “Ori, can I sell … two of my houses on the green properties?”
“Sure, but at this rate you’re going to be kicked out of the game pretty fast.” Ori exchanged the houses for money from the bank till at his left, then placed the house tokens in their pile.
Gimli smirked. “That’s what you get for going up against me in Monopoly, friends. I rule at Monopoly.”
Fili, who had already been removed from the game due to several unlucky dice rolls and Gimli’s cunning use of a Get Out of Jail Free card, wandered over to the game board from Ori’s kitchen nook. He passed around a bucket of popcorn, then took a seat on Ori’s battered third-hand leather couch.
“I gotta say, being out early has its perks. Now I can just enjoy the show and eat the lion’s share of Ori’s dill pickle popcorn.”
Making a grab for the popcorn bowl, Ori fell over. He seemed to tilt over in slow motion, a flailing led overthrowing the Monopoly board and an arm knocking the bowl out of Fili’s lap.. He sat, face flaming. thrown halfway across Kili’s lap and covered with popcorn.
Kili broke the moment by picking a piece of popcorn out of Ori’s hair and eating it. “Well, I guess the game’s a toss-up then.”
Gimli snorted and gave Kili a light slap across the back of the head. “Jackass.”
“What was that for?” whined Kili, rubbing at his head.
“Because that wasn’t funny.”
“Well,” said Ori, carefully pulling himself into an upright position, “I second Kili’s motion that the game’s over. A partial win to Gimli, since he looked to be doing the best before I upset the board.”
Fili stood, and picked up the overturned bowl of popcorn. “Shall we clean up a bit?”
“I should think so,” said Gimli. “We can’t leave Ori’s floor in this state.”
“Thanks, guys,” said Ori. “And Kili,” he said to his dark-haired friend, who was popping Monopoly pieces back into the box, “please be careful. I don’t want to throw out any Monopoly pieces along with the popcorn. Or for that matter, have any popcorn in my Monopoly box.”
“Will do.”
Fili and Gimli joined Kili on the floor while Ori fetched a garbage bag and a broom. In short order, Ori was putting the garbage bag by the door and joining his friends around the small table in the living area of his apartment.
“So,” he asked, “any salvage plans for the rest of the night?”
Fili and Kili looked at each other. “Not really?” Kili said.
Gimli grinned. “I brought Episode 4 of Star Wars ? Just in case, of course.”
Fili looked at Gimli suspiciously. “What do you mean, just in case?”
Gimli rolled his eyes. “I wasn’t the one who knocked the board over. Or accidentally-on-purpose mixed up everyone’s chips when we played poker.”
“I didn’t knock the board over on purpose!” said Ori.
“And you can’t prove that I mixed up the chips on purpose,” added Fili.
“Look, let’s just watch Star Wars,” interrupted Kili. “I don’t want to argue about who did what.”
“Alright, alright,” said Fili, halfheartedly glaring at his cousin. “Ori you want to set up your TV while Gimli fishes out the DVD?”
“Sure thing.”
By the time the opening credits scrolled across the screen, the Monopoly incident appeared to be forgiven, if not forgotten.
**
Bifur carefully screwed in the final bolt of the wing he was attaching to his bird model, before giving it a careful test. He was pleased with what he saw; this bird was a bestseller not only because of its looks, but because of its extreme functionality and durability. One of these birds had gone to Javrin and Sevrin in their toddlerhoods and had been happily mauled by each of their siblings in turn without being destroyed.
Bifur looked up from his work to see Bofur having a toy chariot race with a pair of little girls. Kili was nearby, making horse gallop and neigh for a group of children. His horsey sound effects were, in Bifur’s opinion, quite good.
Fili approached Bifur with a basket of blocks and some paint, setting himself up on the stool next to Bifur’s.
“How’s the bird coming along?” he asked, carefully setting up his paints.
“Good. Wing works.”
“That’s good.”
After a period of quiet work, interspersed by the occasional sale, Fili turned back to Bifur.
“Are you and Bofur coming to Ori’s thesis handing-in party?”
Bifur narrowed his eyes. “Thesis party?”
“Yeah, he had to hand in his thesis today, so Dori’s planning a party at the Teapot. Nothing fancy, just a drop in thing to congratulate Ori on getting this far, and to take his mind off the whole thing.”
“What time?”
“It runs from five to ten, but you two could swing by after the shop closes, pick up some late supper.”
“I’ll check with Bofur, but I’d like to go.”
“Great!” said Fili, carefully outlining the side of a block in red. “Kili and I are going over after we’re done here at five, and we might see you. Depends on how long we stay.”
***
Bifur, Lettuce, and Bofur walked into the Teapot at seven-forty five, almost an hour after closing the shop. Seeing a table piled with discarded winter outerwear, they piled their gear and went over to the line-up of people waiting to congratulate Ori. Bifur made sure that the little box with the origami for Ori was in order as they waited.
When their turn arrived, they greeted Ori and Bifur handed the small box over. Opening the box, Ori removed the tissue paper, and gasped.
“Bifur, this is beautiful!” The origami crane was made from delicate purple silk and paper, with metallic threads run through it. Ori examined it with awe, then carefully placed it on the table behind him. “Really, thank you so much.”
Bifur blushed. You’re welcome. Cranes are lucky, and I hope that that one will help you do well on your thesis.
Ori smiled. “I hope so too. Now, there’s a bunch of food over there if you guys want some, Dori went a little overboard, so eat up!”
Grinning, Bofur craned his neck towards the food tables. “We’re not going to say no to Dori’s cooking. Come on, Bifur. We can come back and talk to Ori again after the crowd’s gone.” Bofur gestured to the line of people behind them waiting to say hello to Ori, which had grown over the course of their conversation.
After picking over the food table, Bifur and Lettuce wandered off from Bofur and found a convenient corner chair to settle down in for some people-watching. Lettuce made herself comfortable on the floor next to him, watching him and the crowd carefully.
Ori did seem to have a great many friends - the line of people waiting to greet him, offer their congratulations, and perhaps a small token, was not overly large at any given point, but was steadily busy whenever Bifur’s eye passed that way.
While Bifur was still happily perusing the crowd, Dwalin stomped over and settled himself in the overstuffed chair next to him with a sigh of relief.
“Hi, Bifur. Hello, Lettuce.”
“Evening, Dwalin,” said Bifur. Lettuce gave a polite whuff.
“Nice to see you here. Plenty of Nori’s acquaintances here, but very few people I know.”
“You just came … to give best wishes?”
Dwalin nodded. “Yeah. Gave Ori a nice set of pencils I picked up in Gondor. Had to convince a few nice old ladies that Nori and I aren’t romantically involved, but that’s almost normal by now.”
“You do live together,” Bifur pointed out. Learning that Dwalin and Nori were partners in most senses of the word, but not in any that involved sex or romance, would have been awkward all around if Ori hadn’t dropped a word. Bifur and Bofur had wondered for some time, but hadn’t dared ask.
Shrugging, Dwalin sighed. “We explain as we can. Not everyone wants to listen.”
Bifur patted Dwalin’s arm. “We listen. We know.”
“And that’s a help.”
***
How much spiked punch did you have? Bifur asked with a sardonic tilt to his eyebrows.
“Only a bit,” Bofur said, leaning backwards in his seat. “Didn’t expect it to be so … punch-y?”
Bifur sighed. “Well, come on. We have to say goodby to Ori.”
“Sure thing, sure thing,” Bofur hiccuped. “Let’s go.”
Bifur carefully kept a hand on Bofur’s arm. He really should have kept a better eye on his cousin, but he had been happily talking to Dwalin and a few other people at the party he had known, and had been distracted. One of the evening’s highlights had been a lengthy spell with Ori about the comparative values of different types of origami paper, especially for making tougher shapes. Bifur was still convinced that paper with silk in was the way to go, especially when -
“Bifur?” he heard.
He blinked, and saw Ori standing before him.
“Hello?”
“You alright, Bifur? You looked a little lost in space there for a moment.”
I’m alright , he signed after freeing his hand from Bofur’s arm. Just got lost in thought.
“Well, you take care and get home safe, alright?”
“Of course.” Bifur swept up one of Ori’s hands and held it in his own for a moment. “We’ll see you soon.”
“Good-bye, then, to all of you. Lettuce,” and Ori looked down at the dog, giving her a head-pat, “since you’re the most responsible of all in your household, I hope that you see Bifur and Bofur home safe.”
“I’m sure she will,” laughed Bofur. “Now we’ll be on our way to let some other people have their turn at you.”
****
As they waited for the bus to go home, Bofur gave Bifur a side-eyed glance. The cold air and the cup of coffee in his hands had apparently sobered him up a bit.
“What is it?” Bifur said, sighing. “That look never meant good.”
“Oh, nothing,” said Bofur.
It’s not nothing, Bifur signed. Spit it out.
Bofur shrugged. “I’m just wondering when you or Ori is going to get over themselves and ask the other one out. It’s obvious that you’re gone on each other.”
Bifur scowled. “Am not gone.”
“You are too. The only other living things that you look at with that much affection are Auntie Brynja and Lettuce there. And the little cousins. None of whom you can possibly see in a romantic light.”
Bifur made a noncommittal noise. Fortunately, their bus turned the corner, so he was saved from making any further excuses. Though he would have a great deal to think about when he got home.
***
Bifur carefully guided Lettuce and his three youngest cousins through the line for tickets to the IMAX show. Gortra was having her seventeenth birthday party for her friends at her parents’ home - consisting mainly of pizza, board games, and very loud music - so Bifur had offered to take Eilin, Ida, and Vistri to the movie theater on the day of the party to make life easier for everyone. An IMAX film about sea creatures had won the day as the film to be viewed, so Bifur had brought his little cousins to the Museum of Natural History to see the show.
The admissions attendant cheerfully greeted them.
“Can I have one adult ticket and three children’s tickets please?”
“Of course, sir.” The attendant peered at Lettuce for a moment to check her service vest, then nodded and began tapping at her screen. “That’ll be forty-six eighty, please.”
Bifur handed over the money and received the tickets and his change. He started to usher his cousins and Lettuce towards the concession stand. Before they knew it, they were in front of a cashier.
Now, what do you kids want to eat?
“Can … can I have some licorice?” Vistri asked the clerk, wide-eyed at the prospect of candy. “And a cream soda?”
The clerk nodded encouragingly, and tapped at her screen.
Eilin looked up at the board consideringly. “The … kids’ combo two, please,” she told the cashier, whose standard-issue pink cap looked rather poorly on her very red hair.
“Sure thing. And for you?” she asked Ida.
Ida inched a little closer to Bifur - she wasn’t terribly confident around strangers. Bifur squeezed her hand encouragingly and smiled.
“Um … could I get a … child popcorn … and a root beer … and a Smarties?” Ida’s thumb found its way into her mouth.
The cashier smiled. “Of course. Anything for you, sir?” she asked Bifur.
“A large Mars bar and a Coke, please.”
“Alright then. Your total is” - she tapped at her register again - “twenty-seven eighty-three.”
Bifur paid, and he and his cousins waited for their snacks to arrive, Lettuce keeping close to Bifur’s heels.
“Uncle Bifur?” asked Ida around a mouthful of thumb.
“Yes?”
“Will there be whales in the movie?”
“Probably.”
“And sharks?” asked Eilin, eyes wide.
“Probably.”
“And … shrimp?” asked Vistri.
“Not sure. But the food’s here. Let’s get it and move out of the way.”
Bifur led his cousins to one of the small tables near the concession stands, and put his food down.
Now, you should all take a pee break before we go in. I’ll watch the food. Eilin, keep an eye on your siblings.
“Alright, Uncle Bifur,” they chorused, and scurried off towards the loos.
They returned shortly, and Bifur checked them over for presentability. Vistri’s fly needed doing up, and Eilin had some toilet paper stuck to one of her shoes.
At the ticket desk, Bifur handed over their tickets and had the stubs returned. The kids, prompted by an eyebrow wiggle on Bifur’s part, sent a chorus of “thank-yous” towards the clerk as they hurried towards the IMAX theater where their film would be screened.
“This is it, Uncle Bifur,” said Ida as they turned a corner. “IMAX theater 2!”
“Good eye! Let’s go in.”
****
Ori stared at the official letter in front of him. So much depended on its contents that he was rather loath to open it.
This letter contained the final results of not only his thesis, but of his entire PhD term.
These letters had been made available this morning, and Ori had gone and picked his up from the Registrar’s office with a feeling of dread as soon as he had finished teaching his 8:30 Introductory Linguistics tutorial. The office secretary hadn’t been very forthcoming about the results, but then there had been a long line-up of students waiting for their letters. Ori had received his letter and fled towards his favorite (read: quietest he could find) study lounge to open the dread thing.
Settling himself more comfortably in his chair and adjusting his scarf, Ori took a deep breath and broke the university seal that kept the heavy, cream-colored lips of the enveloped closed. He carefully removed the papers inside and - closed his eyes. Muttering a quick prayer under his breath, he cracked an eye open and, opening the papers, peered inside.
“Congratulations!” he read. “You have successfully completed all of the requirements for Erebor University’s PhD program, and are eligible to graduate on May 18th.”
The rest of the letter blurred as Ori absorbed this information. Then he was crying with happiness, trying to absorb the noises with his scarf as much as he could to avoid disturbing the other lounge users. Without much success, he had to say, since several of them were looking over at him with very concerned expressions. After a few minutes, in which his tears had degenerated into the occasional sniffle, one of the other students came over and offered him a mint and a travel package of tissues, which he took gratefully.
“Are you OK?” the student whispered.
“I’m great, actually,” replied Ori. He could feel a silly grin starting to grow on his face. “I just found out that I finished my PhD course successfully.”
“Congratulations!”
“Thank you!” Ori grinned weakly. “Now I gotta go. I have to call my mom.”
The other student grinned back at him. “I’m sure she’ll be overjoyed!” she whispered, passing him his bag as he stood up.
Ori hurried out of the lounge, heading towards the building’s entrance, accidentally knocking into a few walls (and one very annoyed professor) in his haste. Once there, Ori fished out his phone and called his mom.
***
Ori pushed his coverlet off his face and groaned. The sunlight hitting his face hurt far too much.
Why had he gotten so very drunk?
Ah, yes. Ori grinned. He had gotten the letter with the news of the successful completion of his PhD program yesterday, and his friends had taken him out to celebrate.
All the celebrating in the world didn’t make his hangover any better.
Ori considered his options, and decided that a glass of water and then going back to sleep was his best course of action. He didn’t have anything to do today.
Stumbling over to his mini-fridge, Ori took out his water jug and took several deep swallows straight from the lip.
“That’s … a little better,” he mumbled, replacing the jug and wobbling back to his bed.
***
Ori woke up to the shrill ringing of his phone. He flailed around for a moment before he found it at the foot of his bed.
“Hello?”
“Good afternoon, Ori. How are you?”
“Hey, Bifur. I’m we- wait, it’s afternoon?”
“12:30,” said Bifur, his voice laughing a little.
“Well then, I’m well enough for having a horrible hangover and then sleeping half the day away. How are you?”
“Good. Want to know if you want to go for a walk in the city arbore-tum. Help clear your head.”
Ori deliberated. “It probably would, at that. Want to catch some food after?”
“Sure.”
Ori looked at his bedside watch and then considered his current state. “Well then, I can meet you and Lettuce at the bus stop at the Gin and Apple at one-fifteen?”
“We’ll be there.”
***
“This must be a newly-renovated part of the arboretum; I don’t think I’ve seen it before.”
I t is new, Bifur signed. It got put in last year.
“Well then of course I haven’t seen it,” Ori laughed. “I went here a lot with Dori as a kid, but I haven’t been as good at going by myself since I started university.”
It is nice. Lettuce likes it.
“Where is Lettuce?”
“Right behind you.”
Ori turned to see Lettuce happily sniffing at some herbs.
“She likes peppermint.”
“I didn’t know that the arboretum grew herbs.”
They grow some herbs to sell, and to make the whole place smell nice. They also grow some vegetables and fruit for the hospitals.
“That’s kind of them.”
Bifur clucked at Lettice and continued moving forward at an amble.
Some of the trees grow fruit anyway, and the berry bushes are pretty. They make a mean three-berry jam.
“I’m sure they do. But don’t tell Dori that, or he’ll be all over himself to try and get the recipe. He loves three-berry jam.”
I wouldn’t put it past him to break a limb to get in to try it.
Ori giggled. “He might, at that.”
“See that?” Bifur pointed to a wooden bench. “Best view of the fountain.”
“Oh, a fountain!” gushed Ori. “Shall we sit?”
They sat in companionable silence, enjoying the comfortable coolness of the fountain.
After several minutes, Bifur cleared his throat to catch Ori’s attention.
“Yes, Bifur?”
Bifur blushed, but swallowed his consternation. Ori, I’ve grown very fond of you over the time we’ve known each other. Truthfully, rather more fond than what might be considered friendly. I was wondering …
Ori’s eyes crinkled. “If I’d like to be more than friends?”
Bifur nodded, feeling unexpectedly shy.
Smiling, Ori took his hand, kissing it gently. “I’d be happy to.”
Seeing Lettuce’s happy tail-wagging, Ori raised an eyebrow. “I take it Lettuce approves of me?”
Bifur grinned. “Of course. Lettuce is an excellent judge of character.”