Author's Note: Now, a lot of people in this fandom have married Chrom and Robin. They "ship them to the EXTREME" as one Sun Guardian might put it; but am I the only one who finds Chrom's barrack greetings annoying? Let me know AFTER you read this:
Disclaimer: I do not own Fire Emblem: Awakening.
• {Day of Rest} •
Robin strolled with her hand in her pockets, humming a happy tune under her breath. She felt wonderful, stronger than she had felt in weeks. Since arriving in Valm, the Shepherds had been forced into battle after bloody battle, without any hope of a respite. Now that the longed for day of rest had arrived, Robin felt too exhilarated to sleep.
Just then, Gregor and Panne walked past, holding hands and laughing at one of Gregor's jokes. Robin stopped and watched them for a few moments, before they left the barracks and her sight. She suddenly had to smile.
Why should I spend my day-off all alone, Robin thought, when I have a wonderful husband and two kids to share it with? She began to walk faster, hoping that she would eventually find her family hidden deeper within the barracks.
She soon passed Frederick and Cordelia, who sat and talked over a pile of polished weaponry.
"The day seems to have flown by," Frederick said, looking at their work. "The sun has all but reached noon, and I have only finished one small chore!"
Cordelia nodded, and placed a consoling hand over her husband's clenched fist. "The days feel so short, don't they? Whether we're restocking or fighting, there's never enough time to do all that should be done."
Frederick looked at Cordelia, then smiled. "You are wonderfully sympathetic, my dear, but we both know you never rest without accomplishing the work of two people. As for myself, I must own that my recent indolence is due to the fact that I can not help being distracted. Even as I sharpen a blade, or cook in the mess hall, or sew a button on milord's sweater, when you walk past, I can not help my eyes, heart, and mind following after you."
"Oh Freddy...!"
Robin hurried on, chuckling to herself. Even perfect Cordelia and Frederick the Weary have found a way to make this respite memorable.
A few steps further, and Robin found herself the observer of another couple - Princess Lissa and her knight, Lon'qu. The former was dancing about her husband, pestering him with questions and demands.
"Oh please, Lon'qu," Lissa exclaimed, wearing her well-worn pout, "I know you must have planned something for today! I've heard you and Chrom whispering about shops and restaurants for the past week; you have something special set-up for my birthday, right?"
"Haven't you better things to do than bother me?" Lon'qu growled.
"That's what I wanna know! Come on - you must have something exciting planned for today!"
"Just... let me keep the surprise..."
"So you DO have something up your sleeve!" Lissa shouted. She threw her arms around Lon'qu's neck and kissed his cheek. "Oh you darling, darling man!"
"G-get off me!" Lon'qu said, his face bright red. "N-n-no hugs!"
Robin stood for several more minutes, though she no longer saw the scene before her. I wonder... she thought hesitatingly. Is it possible... Could Chrom have something planned for me?
A tingle of excitement set Robin's stomach fluttering. Images of a picnic on a grassy hill, a quick dip in the nearby lakes, and a moonlit walk through town instantly appeared in her mind; she tried to keep her expectations low, but her imagination refused to be leashed.
Robin was almost running by the time she ran into Donnel and Nowi. The young couple - one physically young, the other the appearance of youth - were sitting together on the floor, sleeping, Nowi's head resting comfortably under Donnel's chin.
Despite her earnestness, Robin had to pause and look at them. Her feminine instincts were shrieking Aw! so loudly, she was afriad people might hear. Then Nowi stirred, and Robin took several steps back. She couldn't actually hear me, could she?!
But Nowi didn't appear to even notice Robin. She blinked her eyes and yawned deeply, gently trying to free her arm from under Donnel's palm. The movement jostled the boy, who slowly opened his own eyes, and looked around. He didn't seem to see anything until his gaze rested on his wife. Then he smiled.
"Hiya, Nowi," he said, his thick accent slurred from drowsiness. "Did'ja catch some Zs?"
Nowi nodded, easily comprehending Donnel's speech. "I sure did! Though you're up pretty early, considering I feel asleep long before you."
"How'd ya know that?"
"'Cause I heard you," Nowi said, poking Donnel's nose, "in my dreams. I was dreaming that the war was all over, and we were living on our own farm back in your village! And we were playing in the fields, throwing corn, and you were singing a lullaby. But you really were singing that lullaby, weren't you?"
Donnel nodded eagerly, obviously pleased Nowi had heard him. "Sure was! Did ya like it?"
"Uh-huh! Especially that one where the rooster flew over the moon. It was so original!"
"Huh? I don remember one like that. Are ya sure you'd heard 'em right?"
"Of course I'm sure! It was 'hey Stewart Little, the cat ate your fiddle, and the rooster flew over the moon!'"
"What? Now who in the hey is Stewart Lil'le?"
Donnel tried to re-sing the lullaby for Nowi, but the dragon girl wouldn't hear any version but her own. Eventually, she ignored Donnel's words altogether, and sang as loudly as possible her perverse lullaby, until her husband finally gave in, smiled, and sang along.
Robin left them singing gaily, while Vaike and Sully screamed threats to make them stop. She laughed heartily to herself, promising she would share the experience with Chrom after she finally found him.
As if in answer to her thoughts, she turned a corner and almost banged her forehead into Chrom's breastplate. He stopped her just in time, grabbing her shoulders and holding her until her feet stopped their absentminded march.
"Well that was an accident narrowly avoided," Chrom said, sighing. He raised an eyebrow at Robin. "You okay? You don't usually lose yourself in daydreams."
Robin blinked several times, trying to clear her head. "I'm fine," she said quickly, "just have a bit on my mind. H-how are you?"
"Also fine - and unusually happy. It's not often we have the chance to stop and appreciate a day like this." Chrom let go of her shoulders and walked to the window, smiling as he breathed in the fresh air. "It's such a fine day. Makes me dream of laying outside in the sun and enjoying a long, refreshing nap." He sighed again. "What you going to do?"
There was complete silence. Chrom glanced over his shoulder. "Is something wrong? You've gone suddenly pale."
Still, Robin said nothing. She just stared at her husband, her face frozen in a smile.
"Er, Robin?" Chrom hesitatingly approached her, waving a hand in front of her face. "This is getting creepy, now. Could you say something - or at least breath?"
Robin suddenly stepped closer to Chrom, putting her face directly in front of his. Still smiling, she said, "Enjoy your nap." And then smacked him flat across his face.
"So," Lissa began awkwardly, fiddling with the supplies in the medicine cabinet, "how did you lose those three teeth?"
"I f-on't d-onna alk out it." Chrom said through the cotton-balls in his mouth. The only thing I will say, he added silently, is that next the person who suggests we take a "delightful day-off", I'm going to have deported.
Ending Note: The weather. CHROM TALKS ABOUT THE WEATHER. In this story, I included the greetings (times varies) of the other Shepherds, which say something about the person: Frederick and Cordelia feel they have never contributed enough; Lissa wants to spend some time with you; Lon'qu wants you to focus on your duties, not him; and Donnel and Nowi want to make sure you got enough sleep. Chrom? He wants to talk about the weather. WELL GUESS WHAT? GET A TV AND TALK TO THE WEATHER GIRL!
*ahem* Sorry. But this bugs me.
