"That looks like a lot of high-end merchandise. Have you sold any yet?"

Gaius had been reaching under the counter for his one remaining boxful of trinkets when he heard that familiar voice, drifting in from somewhere across the plaza. Grabbing each side of the crate, he hefted it up and slammed it down, leaning an elbow on the top with a grin. "A decent enough amount so far," he replied heartily. "I'm on box number ten, my last one. Once it's empty I'll have to pack up shop till I can deliver more goods to the people. Come on over, take a gander since you're here."

Soon a tall figure clad in gleaming silver armor became visible, nudging his way gently through the bustling crowd towards the stall that Gaius was manning. "Then you'd best set your finest wares aside. I can't afford to go home empty-handed."

"You and half of Ylisse."

The footsteps stopped a few feet away, and the owner of that calm, friendly voice smiled at what he saw, arms crossed. "I understand that not many folks can these days. But I do believe it's getting a bit better, and I'm doing what I can to improve the situation even further. It will take some doing for us to fully recover from the war with Plegia, and I won't deny that much hard work will be necessary to repair our relations with them. Time is really what the capital needs to pick itself up again."

Time might be enough to get people back on their feet, but time can't ever erase the scars of the past.

The thought bothered Gaius more than he cared to admit. Leave it to this guy to remind him of stuff he'd long since buried.

"That so?" he inquired, feeling a strange sensation of melancholy settling over him in a smothering blanket. "Good to know that somebody's workin' on draggin' our sorry asses outta the mud."

But the mud's still a bit too deep for me to crawl out.

The thief's expression was unreadable for a moment; but then he shook his head and seemed to recover with a shrug of the shoulder. "A-anyway, I hope you aren't expecting a share of the take, Blue. That'd cut into my sweets fund. Criminals like me still gotta eat, you know."

Chrom smiled at his old friend, approaching the vendor to shake his hand warmly. "I wouldn't dream of it, Gaius. I'd be happy just to see you more often. But I honestly hadn't expected you to be in Ylisstol, making a living. Decided to take a break from, er, other exploits for a while?"

"You could say that." Tugging a small crowbar out of his belt, Gaius pried open the top of the crate he'd dragged out and placed the wooden lid aside. "I had a surge of creativity not too long ago and decided to make some dough off of it. Carpe diem an' all that. So, what'cha think? Care to make a purchase for your sweetheart? She'll love what's here, I guarantee it. They're sellin' like hotcakes, so you should act fast if you want one."

"Sure, I'll take a look," he relented, peering over the rim of the crate.

Inside was a whole slew of expertly crafted accessories for both women and men. A rare few of them had been made of gold, a highly sought after ore whose popularity made it nearly impossible for most common jewellers to obtain, while the rest were fashioned from slightly less popular silver. Different designs graced each piece, all intricately detailed - daggers, serpents, hearts, dragons. There was literally something for everyone in that small box, and it shone in the sun like a miniature treasure chest.

The exalt had taken but one meager glance out of curiosity when a unique necklace caught his attention. He held it up by the chain and let it dangle in front of him. Slowly his eyes widened. This pendant bore a striking resemblance to...

Gaius smirked, leaning in to witness the reaction up close. "Your verdict, good sir?"

Not much existed in the world that could phase Chrom - except this, apparently. He gawked at his friend with pure disbelief. "You turned the Brand into a pendant?"

"Don't sound so mortified, Blue."

"How can I not be mortified!?" he insisted hotly, clutching the abomination against his chest as a young woman walked close past them. "This is the Hotrealms incident all over again!"

The thief sniggered, remembering that image as clearly as if it'd happened just yesterday. "Aw c'mon, you're overreacting."

"I am absolutely not overreacting!"

"Better to have the Brand between some breasts than on a man's buttocks."

"Please, for the love of the gods, not so loud!"

"Okay, okay. Look, I won't make any more of 'em if it bugs you that bad," Gaius said, patting a sulking Chrom's shoulder plate comfortingly. "But, believe it or not, those are my best sellers right now. You should be flattered that you're gettin' this kind of exposure."

Then he grinned wickedly, popping a sucker into his mouth from one of his many hidden pockets. "I gotta admit, I'm not surprised in the least by how many girls swoon over these things. We'll be seeing ordinary citizens walkin' around town with Brands tattooed on their backs in no time. Speakin' of swooning, I bet that wife of yours would love to have her own Brand. Do we got a deal?"

Chrom had just about regained his composure by the time he'd been asked that, but the idea of everyone having a Brand badly disconcerted the poor man. "Um... Thanks, but I think Lissa would like one of these more than she would. Besides, our fifth anniversary is coming up and I want to get her a gift that stands apart from everything else I've brought her."

He put the necklace back, taking care to bury it deep underneath the countless other bits of jewelry, and rummaged through the box's contents a little more. The wistful look on his friend's face at the word 'anniversary' went unnoticed.

After a moment he paused, his expression turning thoughtful. "This one... It looks really familiar. Where have I...?"

Gaius watched him lift the ring out and his heart contracted in his chest. How in blue blazes had that ended up in there!? The small, silver ring gleamed in the sun like a snowflake, and instantly all the heartache he'd tried so hard to put behind him flooded right back into the limelight. She had been wearing it when she disappeared, he was sure of that. Why it was back in his possession now was a mystery, but he didn't want to see it again. Not yet...

"I... Can I have that back? Got mixed up in the sellin' box by accident."

He tried to sound unaffected, but the raw edge clung determinedly to his words and wouldn't let go. Chrom looked over at him with a confused frown and turned back to the ring, twisting the cold metal about. "This one's not for sale? A shame, Sumia would've loved it."

As the exalt rolled the band in between his fingers, Gaius caught sight of the sapphire rose that he'd painstakingly set in the middle of it. Hours had been spent carving every petal into the tiny gem, so much time sitting there with his tools. It had taken so long to do it properly that his fingers had hurt for weeks. Through the agony he'd had to etch the vines into the silver around the whole ring, and then inlay some emeralds into the leaves he'd drawn. He remembered exactly how obsessed with perfection he'd been when he made that thing. Everything had to be flawless, because he wasn't making just any old ring.

It was an engagement ring.

Tears welled up in his eyes as he felt the weight of the silver band digging into his palm. The smile she showed when he put it on her finger for the first time was blissful - completely undeniable joy that had spread to him in a heartbeat. There was nothing quite like the feeling of being bound to the woman you loved with every inch of your being. Equally, there was nothing quite like having that woman torn from your grasp without so much as a warning. He curled his fingers tightly around the ring, kissing them gently before dropping it into the pocket closest to his heart.

"Do you think you could make another ring like that for me?" Chrom asked earnestly, still unaware of who it had once belonged to. "The workmanship is astounding. You must have poured your entire soul into that for it to turn out so beautifully. I'd be willing to pay whatever you want for it."

Gaius forced a weak grin onto his face. "Sorry, Blue. This guy's one of a kind. I don't think I have the heart to make another."

Later that evening, Gaius held out his precious treasure in both hands, sitting on the cold stone steps that led to the palace. Just the sight of the slim band tormented him more than anything ever had; but now that it had reentered his life, he simply couldn't stop examining every facet of it. Chrom hadn't understood how precious this little piece of jewelry was when he'd discovered it. He was amazed that the guy actually forgot that she had worn this thing for months before that damn fight.

"Did you honestly push her outta your mind so soon? How...? How could you do it?"

Gaius gritted his teeth, doing everything in his power to hold in the tears that threatened to pour out of him any second. "Everybody else moved on with their lives, and I thought I did too. I was just lyin' to myself. All these years I told myself that I'm fine... but... I..."

He scoffed in disgust as a tear dripped onto the ring, running along the edge of the jeweled leaf like a raindrop. "I need a nice, tall glass of chocolate liqueur. Whoever says that crap isn't for drinkin' can stuff it. Like I care what they think. If they have any, I'll sure as hell be tastin' it - and not a tiny pint either, all of it! Some ice cream'd hit the spot too, now that I think about it. A few donuts couldn't hurt, either. Hell, I might as well bake myself a five tier cake to go with all'a that!"

And it still won't be enough to dull the ache in my poor heart. That much of the good stuff might make me turn comatose though.

Despite this knowledge, the thief pursued his sweet agenda and woke up the next morning with no recollection of what he'd done that night. In all honesty he'd predicted that he would end up in a filthy alley somewhere, trying to sleep in a trash heap that he had eventually passed out in. So color him surprised when he found himself in somebody's bedroom instead. The place was strange, not in the least bit familiar, and his head hurt too much to try to put all the jumbled up pieces together. Wait, he didn't even have those rattling around his brain. Shit, just how wasted had he been?

"Ugh... Very last time I drink that shit..." Gaius groaned, holding his pounding head as he moved to sit up. As soon as he did, the room started to spin. "Gods, don't let me puke on this person's bedsheets..."

Falling back against the pillows, his tired eyes roamed the ceiling for answers. Any answers at all. Of course all that he could see was the occasional crack in the roof. His arm moved across his face, hiding his grief-stricken hangover from the rest of the world. When had things gotten so horrible? Had he really been suffering for this long? Chrom looked as normal as ever. Didn't his thoughts ever wander to you-know-who?

Gaius frowned. That guy was kind, generous and friendly to a fault; but really, he could be as dense as a stick when it came to certain people. Then again, being Ylisse's exalt wasn't exactly easy. His thoughts were probably taken up by royal matters and all that. Lucky bastard. Er, no offense Blue.

A long, drawn out sigh escaped him. It was no use. Nothing could distract his heart from the chunk that had been ripped from it. He might try to forget by falling into thievery again, or by crafting odds and ends until his hands fell off; but no amount of effort could wipe her permanently from his soul. Gods, he could even still smell her scent! It was all around him, consuming him, mercilessly burning his nostrils...

"You look like you've seen better days."

Every muscle in him stiffened when he heard that voice. His lungs refused to budge, and for a moment he wondered if he'd died after all. That was the only way to explain what he was hearing, and consequently sensing. Opening his mouth, he realized, had never been harder. It was glued shut, just like his eyes, and if he didn't know any better his arm had been glued to his face as well. Why was his body resisting so much!? This dream was quite possibly the most pleasant one he'd ever had, aside from the tower of pancakes dream. This was what he'd been asking for since he couldn't remember when; no, begging was the better word - no, pleading! Might as well say that every single prayer he ever prayed had been all about this one desire.

And here he lay, too terrified to speak or move. He couldn't find the courage to even look up.

"Hello? Gaius?" He could tell that his host was frowning just by the tone of voice. "Don't feign sleep on me. I heard you talking to yourself earlier. By the way, thanks for containing yourself enough to keep my blankets clean. Didn't I always say that liqueur wasn't good to drink straight out of the bottle? You never listened, though. And still don't, obviously."

There was no denying that it was her. Each syllable rang like a harp in his ears, played by only the most skilled of angels. He could have wept, he was so happy. But instead of allowing him that weakness his body lurched forward, propelled by a sudden burst of unforeseen energy, and his arms drew her close against his chest. Squeezing harder than he ever had before in his life, he buried his face in her neck and breathed her name. "Robin..."

He never thought he'd hear that again. He said it once more, drawing out the sounds as his body began to tremble. "Robin..."

The shakiness worsened when her arms embraced him back. "I know I have a lot to answer for, but..."

"H-how...? You're here?" He took a steadying breath only to sob moments later. His grip turned to steel, his heart thundering in his breast like a stallion. "Is this... Am I...?"

"No, you aren't dreaming. I'm here." The smile was plain in her words. "I'm here now. I'm so sorry it took this long for me to find you. Chrom had no idea you were here when he found me a couple days ago, and rushed to tell me you were in the city once he knew. He hoped I'd get to see you before you skipped town."

Blue... So you were payin' attention after all. You're such a good friend... um, sorry for comparin' you to a stick earlier.

It took a few moments for the warmth of her arms around him to sink in. No matter how creative his brain was, he couldn't possibly be imagining this comforting heat sinking through his clothes. Her lips pressed a gentle kiss on his neck; her breath ghosted along his skin, making goosebumps rise all over his body. This was real. She was real.

Once his breathing had calmed a bit Gaius pulled back, quickly avoiding her gaze. Tears simply weren't in his nature, but they glistened on his cheeks all the same. He seriously didn't want her to notice them; but when did she never notice anything of import?

"Hey... Are those tears for me?"

"Of course not! I don't cry over anything!" he found himself snapping, though they both knew instantly that it was a lie. "I just... I got some dust in my eye, that's all!"

A few more droplets trickled along his cheek and he gritted his teeth, rubbing them off on his arm hastily. "I have allergies, so what? Everybody gets 'em."

"Hmm. Well, if you really don't care that I'm here," Robin said, rising up off the bed with an indifferent shrug, "then I guess I should leave you to your hangover - which is very well deserved, I might add."

She didn't get very far before Gaius was clutching at her robe. "Wait, wait! I didn't say I wanted you to... Ugh, spinnin' room again..."

She turned to see his pale face imploring her to stay, and she chuckled. "Get back on the bed, you moron. I would never leave you here all alone when you're this sick." Easing him back onto the mattress, she carefully tucked him in before settling down beside him. "So, do you still have my ring?"

In an instant, his hand was caressing the contours of hers. "Yeah, 'course I do. It's in my - hey, hold up. How did you know I had it?"

"I gave it to Chrom when we met and told him to give it to you if he saw you again. That way, you'd know I was alive and well." Her smile turned sheepish. "But he never told you that, did he?"

He glowered. "Nope, the bugger. That stunt he pulled really caused me some anguish, though."

"He told me that he couldn't figure out a way to tell you the truth."

"What? Was he scared I wouldn't believe him or somethin'?" Gaius rolled his eyes. "Of all the stupid... After everything we've been through, he thinks I'll call him nuts and kick sand in his face!?"

Robin shook her head. "No, that's not it. He didn't want to say anything that might upset you. Everyone knew that you missed me, but he was worried that you might get angry too. I mean, even I kind of expected you to be at least a little irritated with me."

Gaius went silent for a while. To be honest, for a long time he'd felt hurt. Betrayed, as well. Making a choice like that without telling him about it made him feel like he came in second place to the cause. He told himself that he'd never forgive her for what she did to him, saying it so often that he quickly accepted it as an unforgivable offense. But, after so many years of bitter misery, he realized that he was wrong. There was no first, second, or even third place. Robin did what she had to do to save the present, and to ensure that the future was just as peaceful. She gave herself up in order to give everyone - him included - a better life, a life where there was no need to pick up a sword again. That sacrifice had been made without deliberation not because she cared less about him, but because she cared so much that she didn't want to cause him pain. Just like Chrom had done with the ring yesterday. Besides, if she had told him, there would've been no way in hell that he'd allow her to go through with it. The others would have stopped her, too.

"I was mad, for a while anyway," he revealed, bringing her hand to his lips. Flipping it over, he kissed the middle of her palm before continuing. "But the more I thought about it, I understood that you didn't have another choice. Puttin' the dragon to sleep for the next generation to deal with wasn't the answer. Hard as it was for all of us to see at the time, that was the truth."

His fingers intertwined with hers once more as he laid her hand atop his heart. "It didn't make losin' you any easier, though. I grew a little more desperate each day, a little more lonely. After the first year passed I just... stopped carin' about anything. All I've felt from then on is numb."

Her eyes turned sadder with every word, until she was nearly crying. "I'm sorry I took so long. I didn't want to leave," she choked out, her bottom lip quivering. "I never wanted to go anywhere else without you, Gaius. You have to know that."

Her tears moved him to make more tears, as well. Normally that would've irked him a little, but he was so pleased to be reunited with Robin that he chose to overlook it. "Well, I do now... Heh, look what you made me do. Now we're both blubberin' like Brady." He chuckled and she giggled through her sniffles, just like he hoped she would. "Do you know what I want now, more than anythin' else in the world?"

Robin sniffled loudly. "Please don't say chocolate liqueur."

He grinned at her. "I think I might've finally learned my lesson with that. But seriously, what I want is..."

"Wait! Let me guess."

Before he could protest, or even agree to her idea, she was kissing him. Soft, delicate lips pressed against his, subtly wearing away his defenses until he caved under her. He had never tasted such sweetness before, not even when they snuck away to share some alone time in her tent. Back then, she had been delicious; but this was a whole new level of quality that didn't compare to anything short of heaven. So potent, so intoxicating...

He nibbled at her lip tenderly, tasting as much as he could reach before leaning in for a more invasive kiss. She didn't complain, merely sighed in pleasure as his tongue did what it did best. Each gentle curve of her mouth became his prey, and there was no doubting that he was the predator. Swift, hot strikes to whatever spot he fancied made her moan into the kiss, which in turn made his sweet tooth crave even more of her. Without realizing it, his hands moved up to her face, bringing them closer together and giving his taste buds greater access to her exquisite flavor. Her fingers threaded through his hair soft as silk, and he vaguely wondered how long she'd been doing that before he'd actually noticed.

Their lips finally disconnected with a small pop, and he was painting an image of her flushed expression in his mind the instant he saw it. "Did I guess right?" she asked with a grin.

"That was a pretty good guess, for sure," he rasped breathlessly. "Wow, you taste great, baby."

"Thanks," she replied with a laugh. "You're not too shabby yourself, although I think I prefer your sweeter side to this liqueur taste you got going on."

"Man, I just know you're gonna hold this against me forever," he said, chuckling. Then he pulled her on top of him and snuggled lovingly against her busom. "Ah well, I'd rather listen to you buggin' me about my bad habits than to never hear you say my name again. I missed you, Bubbles."

"Same here, Gaius. But, um... You do realize that those are my breasts, right?"

He glanced up at her from in between them, feigning innocence as only a master thief could. "C'mon, am I not allowed to snuggle you anymore? Such a sad day for this poor old brigand. I swear, you said you wanted me to do it. Didn't you?"