Perhaps it was their fundamental differences as Elf and Dwarf that made all of this so awkward. The stiffness sat upon Kili poorly, a suit made two sizes too small which he was nonetheless behaving as if fit him perfectly well. When had he cared about propriety? When had he cared about being polite? Had he been concerned overmuch with either of those things, they'd likely not be here to begin with.

"Here we are, both of us sorry," he quickly said, a tense attempt at levity, and took another step Tauriel's way. She was close enough to touch and he nearly reached out, the impulse a mad itch beneath his skin, but fear of her reaction stayed his hand.

"There are many things which happened that I'm not at all sorry for," he added, more quietly.