Not much to say here, just a fluffy Robin/Lucina thing inspired by a short segment of another piece of fan fiction. Reviews are as always welcome!

Disclaimer: I own none of the following characters, nor anything related to Fire Emblem.

Neither of the two men knew I was there. I suspected if they did, they would have flipped out, for entirely different reasons. Robin's expression was serene, as it always was, although I knew the mask his a great deal of inner turmoil. Father, meanwhile, was sharpening his sword, a task Robin had finished but a moment earlier. I sighed. Of course. Robin's timing couldn't have been worse. I supposed it couldn't be helped though, he had been most insistent about having this conversation tonight.

"So what did you want to talk to me about?" Father's voice was conversational, laced with curiosity. I remembered what Robin had said.

The best way to approach this is let him start the conversation. Let the topic come up naturally. I suppressed a giggle. Robin didn't know I'd been awake that morning, when he was pacing. I had learned a lot of things about the man in the early mornings, pretending to be asleep. For example, I knew that Robin slept only a few hours, and tended to suffer from horrific nightmares, most of which revolved around someone dying in a battle, and it being his fault. He also had a love of slightly more exotic candies, which he tended to consume at high volume.

"Just wanted to see how you are doing." Robin replied. "This whole mess has been straining everyone, so I'm trying to see how everyone's doing." Father snorted.

"Just doing your job Robin?" He seemed amused. "Somehow, I doubt that. You never just check up on people." Robin's lips quirked into a smirk before it vanished. I gulped. My heart hammered in my chest. I didn't know why I was so worried. Robin had been confident, so why couldn't I be?

"Indeed." Robin's stormy eyes almost were glowing in the half-light of the setting sun. "Also wanted to pick your brain on how the hell we should handle this time travel business." Damnit Robin, stop dodging the point! I raged in my head. "It's made a right and royal mess, as everyone wonders about if they have children who are coming back, and those who have come back seem to cause quite a bit of chaos."

"You mean your daughter caused quite a bit of chaos." Father corrected.

Robin shrugged. "The other have had their fair share of mayhem." I noted that he didn't deny Morgan causing chaos. And ever had she. Morgan's arrival had damn near upended that camp, as the bubbly young girl didn't exactly fit into the grim military atmosphere that permeated the area of late. Never mind the fact that she insisted on doing outrageous things, like fighting five people at once, or trying to combine two different spells. In truth, I knew she hadn't stopped the second practice, desire several massive explosions, and Robin begging that she stop.

"Mhm." Father turned his sword over, starting to work on the other edge. "I'd say we just let the whole thing run its course." He replied, expression pensive. "As I recall, Lucina knows who had kids and who didn't, so maybe we ask her to tell everyone, so they stop badgering constantly?" Robin frowned. I knew that was an option he had considered, during various early morning rambles.

"I thought about that, but she did raise a good point. Not everyone has paired off, so who knows what sort of weird ripple effects that could have." Robin groaned. "This whole time travel thing…" Father nodded sympathetically.

"It's a headache and a half." Father mused. I couldn't help but agree. Even though I had been one of the people traveling time, so I understood it better than the others, I still found the concept headache inducing. Robin had devoted many a pre-dawn grumble to it.

"More than." Robin shook his head. "I've spent hours trying to muddle specifics out, see if there is a way to use future knowledge to aid us but…" That topic Robin had broached with me, and neither of us had a good solution. The changes in the timeline where subtle, but none the less, where present, which meant that predicting the future based on what to me was the past was futile exercise. "There doesn't seem to be a way."

Father nodded, looking up from his now sharpened sword to Robin. I shivered. Father's eyes were calculating, as though he was trying to pry some secret of Robin's out. Robin, for his part, had that same calm and collected expression, meeting Father's eyes.

"Now that you aren't distracted by other things," Robin gestured at Fathers' weapon, "There is one other thing I wanted to talk to you about." Father frowned. I felt my muscles tense. This was it.

"That being?" Father challenged. I could see the confusion, which only made sense. The two men were good friends, and I had seen first had the fact that they were quite capable of talking without speaking, just like I'd seen Father and Mother did sometimes.

"The future. Not the one our children appear to have dropped out of, but the one that we are going to make ourselves." I frowned. Robin was evading the point again. Father frowned, his confusion growing. Still, I trusted Robin. The man's mind could be twisted and labyrinthian at times, but always led to the right place, and often, should one follow him along, the end result would be more beneficial.

"What about it?" Brow furrowed, Father leaned forwards, his elbows on his knees to regards his friend.

"Do you remember when Morgan appeared in that Temple in Ferox, everyone got so up in arms because my child had appeared, but I wasn't married, or even in a relationship?" I remembered that. The hubbub had been impressive. There were theories and rumors galore flooding the camp, until Robin had threatened to have the next person spreading rumors become his permanent sparring partner. That prompted another mental giggle. Robin wasn't honestly that terrifying a sparring partner, as his greatest strength was not in his weapons, but instead his mind.

"It was rather unforgettable." Father replied. "Only time I've seen you come quite that unhinged." Robin gave a rueful chuckle.

"I did kind of lose it, didn't I?" he scratched his cheek, the embarrassment obvious. "Anyway, the rumor mill did get one thing right." Father snorted. I knew that snort. My heart skipped a beat.

"That you were in a relationship, and were keeping it secret." I gawked. How did Father know that? I knew the logic was a simple leap, but none the less the astuteness was terrifying.

"Exactly." Robin nodded, his manner still easygoing, eyes bright and earnest. "Well, at the time it wasn't much of a relationship I guess, but yes." Father's eyes gleamed, and I got the feeling that some of that unspoken conversation was happening. He reached out, clapping Robin on the shoulder.

"Why are you even bringing this up Robin? You know you have my blessing." Father seemed amused. Robin shook his head, leaving Father bemused. My heart jumped to my throat. Father had figured it out? I knew Robin would want to carry the conversation through, and help my tongue from shouting with excitement.

"Just listen to me talk a minute." Robin replied, a hard edge bleeding into the words. Father leaned back, expression neutral. Satisfied of his audience, Robin went on talking. "At the time, there wasn't much of a relationship, and neither of wanted to get involved in the brewing mess. Or get Morgan's hopes up." Father nodded. That made sense to him I knew. When we'd talked about how to approach this, that was an argument I had suggested using. "Well, over time, not much of a relationship has actually turned into one."

"That is the course of events." Father pointed out dryly. I glared, even though Father couldn't see me. Just like him to not take this seriously. Having figured out the game, I knew Father was more humoring Robin than anything else.

"Quite." Robin seemed thrown off by the small joke, but regained his footing. "Anyway, with all the chaos dying down, and well, things as they are…" Robin paused, closing his eyes and shaking his head. There was a flash in Father's eyes, and I knew that gesture meant something.

"Yes?" Father prompted. Robin's lips twisted into this strange smile, one that he only used when he was mocking himself, or something to that effect. Father seemed to pick up on it. "Just spit it out Robin. It's not like I'm going to take a sword to you!" Father exclaimed. Robin gave a snort. I bit my tongue. Robin had, at one point been convinced of this very reality.

"Indeed." There was a long silence. My heart began to race. What if Robin couldn't? I asked myself. What would we do then? "Do you remember what you said to me the night you proposed to Sumia?"

Father blinked at the apparent non sequitur, but appeared willing to indulge Robin a moment. I frowned. What did Father proposing to Mother have to do with this? "Not especially. I recall vague assertions of terror, much drinking, and you slapping me at least once. Why?" Robin rolled his eyes almost at the same moment I did. What would have possessed Father to go drinking after proposing to Mother? Better question, why had Robin slapped him?

"I slapped you four times. The bit I am referring to is the vague assertions of terror." Robin sighed, his mask starting to slip a bit. I frowned. What was going on here? Robin never let his metaphorical mask slip off without a reason. "You described the feeling as, I believe 'Like my heart was trying to take leave of my chest, and my lungs had been cast of lead. I could hardly think two words together, never mind the idea of a sentence.'" Robin finished quoting with a mischievous gleam in his eyes. "I am unsure if it was the oxygen deprivation, or the mind-blowing sex that rather strained your grasp of language." Father snorted. I gawked. Only Robin would have said something like that to Father.

"The lack of breathing from sheer terror." He replied. "Now, where is this going Robin?" Robin sighed, the muscles across his neck tensing. I could feel the cold sweat on my palms starting again.

"The other thing you said was that you couldn't imagine having to do that twice." Robin supplied.

"Yes?" Father still seemed bemused, a feeling I could find myself joining in. None of this conversation had gone the way I expected.

"I find myself in that precise predicament." Robin said softly. My heart stuttered, and did my breathing. What did Robin just say? I forced myself to breathe, straining to hear the next words. This conversation had not gone anywhere I had expected it to.

Father spluttered, blinking several times, while Robin's face held a dead set certainty. "You…um…what!?" the words came garbled and incoherent. I was having a hard time breathing. I focused on reading Robin's lips for his response.

"Just what I said." Robin repeated. I saw a shred of worry bleed into his eyes. Oh gods, he was serious. He meant to…he…oh gods.

"You are…" Father was at a loss for words.

"Asking for your blessing to marry your daughter, assuming she agrees to marry me? Yes." I gasped, staggering back. Saying the words in my head were one thing, but hearing Robin make the declaration without a shred of doubt was different.

My mind flashed back to the mornings, the conversations we had had. Robin always seemed more nervous that he should have, although I just chalked it up to the fact we had hidden for so long. I had never even given leave to the idea he actually intended to….

Being with Robin was always a strange experience, as he was always so carefully in control of his emotions. So, when Robin's walls had snapped into place just after I kissed him tonight, I thought nothing of it. Looking back, I realized I should have known. Robin never tensed up when going to speak to Father. They were best friends, had fought an entire war together. Hell, Robin was supposedly the one responsible for my parents being together. The idea of Robin needing his emotional control on full bore was silly.

Then the reality crashed into me with fullest force. Robin wanted to marry me. Robin was in love with me. The second realization perhaps threw me for a harder loop than I'd originally imagined it would, the first time I entertained the idea. I gulped. Robin had only said those three words a few times, and often, I knew, when he thought I was asleep.

"Robin I…" Father spluttered. For the first time, Robin seemed to crack a little. My heart jerked. Robin's inner strength was amazing, an unshakable pillar. The thought of something breaking that resolve brought me to my knees.

"Damnit Chrom it's a simple question!" Robin exclaimed, his voice low, emotions running through every word. "Well, maybe it isn't. Fuck, it's a complicated as hell question. It's a question I spent the better part of three weeks stewing over." Robin shook his head, gesturing with motions violent in their simplicity. "It's…so simple, and so complicated all at once." Father nodded, slowly seeming to come to his senses. "Lucina…she…" I held my breath, unsure what Robin was going to say. Robin sighed. "I can't really find the right words. I don't have to hide around her Chrom. None of the lies the others see." His laugh was bitter. "With her, it's all there, such that it is." Father nodded, motion slow and unsteady. "She taught me to hope again Chrom." Robin's voice was powerful, radiating emotion that I had so rarely felt from him before. I felt my cheeks heat slightly. "I...you know how I was." Father gave a slight nod. "She…gods…" Robin shook his head for the umpteenth time. "I'm alive again." Robin's words were simple, different, but simple in the effect. The meaning was infinitely more complex.

There was a long pause.

"Why…why are you asking me?" Father rasped out. I swore I saw tears in the corners of his eyes. Robin's half smile also seemed a bit watery.

"Because, Chrom, I want to do things the right way." Robin's voice was earnest. "I'm so out of the ordinary, such an….aberration. I wanted to do things the right way. The way anyone would do it." There was a pause. "And….because you deserve to know Chrom." Father shook his head, standing up, and pulling Robin upright to match his gaze.

"You didn't have to ask, Robin." Father's voice was soft. "I would have understood." There was a pause. "You have my blessing. For what it's worth, I'm glad you two found each other." Robin smirked, the expression a pale imitation of the one that I had fallen in love with.

"All part of my master plan." Robin joked, a little flat. Father pulled him into a bear hug. I swore I could hear Robin's rib's creaking from where I was. Robin's head turned, and I swore her eyes bored into mine, across the darkness. His lips quirked. A frown then a slight smile, and a half shake of his head led me to think that he hadn't seen me.

"Take care of my daughter Robin." Father told him.

Robin gave a slight nod. "I will. Not, granted, that she needs much taking care of." Robin pointed out. I felt a swell of pride at those words, for Robin wasn't wrong. I could handle myself in a fight.

"I know." Father sighed. "Go, don't stand around here."

Robin stepped back, head tilting towards me. Oh shit.

"Lucina?" I jumped at my name. How the hell had he known? Knowing the game was up, I stepped out of the shadows and into the light cast by the lantern. "Hey." Robin had indeed by crying. I felt my heart twist. Robin had cried a sparse few times since I had met him, and only in the worst of times.

I stepped forwards, ignoring Father for the moment, and pulled Robin into a hug. Just as always, I felt the tension drain out of him, and, for a moment, I wondered if I wasn't going to be toppled when his legs gave out.

Before that became an issue, Robin pulled back a little, his eyes boring into mine. I shivered. Robin was unique, in that he never seemed too truly given a damn that I came from the future, that I had seen Grima, that I wasn't okay. He ignored all that. Or maybe, he didn't, I never knew. His eyes though, seemed to swallow me, pulling me into the depths, where I found myself adrift in the sea of emotions within. The aura of magic that bubbled around him swirled, reaching out to caress me.

Robin exhaled slowly, before sliding down to one knee. I gasped. In his hand was a ring that seemed to be made of pure blazing lightning. His voice cracking slightly he spoke. "Lucina….will you be my wife?" I stumbled back, suddenly overcome with the magnitude of what Robin was asking. He was promising me, in his own unique way that he was here for me. Always. That he loved me. That, when the time came, Grima would die.

Robin's eyes gleamed in the flickering lantern with a depth of emotion that I had never seen in the before. Fear, loneliness, a whole cocktail of feelings that washed over me, as I tried and failed to come to terms with what was happening. Never, even in recent days when we had talked about telling Father about us had I given the idea of marrying Robin more than a passing thought. The idea though, of waking up beside him, every morning, forever, made my head swim.

The second seemed to drag on as I willed my lips to work.

"Yes." I whispered, unable to manage any other response, before dropping to my knees from shock. My own emotions seemed locked between ecstasy and shock. Robin caught my hand as I dropped, lifting me back to my feet, before sliding the ring onto my finger. The band was slightly warm to the touch, and seemed to pulse with the same magical energy as my…my…fiancé did.

He leaned forwards, eyes glittering with tears.

The kiss was short, not deep. Yet, somehow, it was right. Robin pulled back, just a little. His lips moved, the sound so soft I nearly missed it.

"I love you, Lucina." And in that moment, I was, for the very first time, certain that he did.