This was a prompt I wrote with some friends for Fire Emblem. It was really fun to write so I hope you enjoy.
Chrom's eyes narrowed as he focused on the road.
"I thought we'd get lost if we didn't ask for directions." His wife, Sumia, complained.
"I told you we couldn't stop. We have to be at the hotel by tomorrow."
"Well, you're not sure where you're going." She retorted.
"I know where I'm going!" Chrom shouted.
Because of Chrom's single shout, a baby began crying. Chrom banged on the steering wheel in anger. "Calm her down, Lucina!"
"I'm not good with Cynthia though."
"Just do something!"
"You better do it, or else your dad might pop a gasket." Came a voice whose owner annoyed Chrom. It was Lucina's rotten friend, Severa.
Chrom made a frustrated grunt. "Everything's under control. I've got a map right here. We'll be in the hotel before we know it."
By now, Lucina had Cynthia calmed down, which was difficult because she felt like crying just as much as her little sister. She could tell the toddler didn't like the tension going on at the front of the car. Every time Sumia spoke, Chrom swiftly don't her not to worry in frustration. This went on for a few hours before Severa spoke up, "Hey, you sure you've got this under control?"
"Don't ask questions, kid. I knew we shouldn't have brought you with us."
"Don't act that way to her, Chrom. You just need to admit to getting us lost, not snap at the poor girl." Sumia scolded.
"Fine. We're lost. Happy?" Chrom said, folding his arms, which stopped the car.
"Not happy, but I'd like to see if we can figure this out by being calm…"
Chrom sighed, "Alright, I'm sorry. I've been acting like a jerk."
"Can't argue with that…" Severa said from the back.
"Shh, Severa." Lucina told her. "Don't be mean to my dad."
It was a good thing Lucina said something, because Chrom looked like he was about to snap at the girl.
"Well, he's not the brightest…" Severa grumbled under her breath.
When Chrom started the car up again, the engine rumbled in a sound none of the passengers were familiar with. The car moved what seemed to be a few feet before stopping. Chrom tried again, only for the the car to fail again, not going as far. One last time, Chrom gave it a try with the car not moving at all. This lead him to choose the part of the car most suitable to be his punching bag.
Sumia was now scared of the situation. It was clear that her family would possibly be sitting in the car for a while. The sun was going down, and she was afraid of what could happen to them over night. What if a hitch hiker assaulted them on the road? "What's wrong with the car?"
"I don't know," Came Chrom's simple but exasperated answer.
"I'm going to see if I can get any bars out here…" Sumia said as she pulled out her cell phone. "Oh no, it's dead."
Almost expectantly from the bad new, Cynthia began wailing again. A wolf howling in the distance didn't do much for Sumia's nerves.
"Why is it so hot in here?" Lucina complained from the back.
"Yeah, and I'm hungry too. I would be asleep right now, but your dad can't stop banging on the car." Severa looked over at Lucina, who was holding Cynthia in her lap. "And she won't stop having crying fits."
"Hush, Severa," Sumia told her, although she didn't sound confident enough for Severa to take her seriously.
"I'm sick of this." Severa jumped out of the car, walking off on her own.
"Severa, you can't walk off on your own!" Lucina shouted, ruining the quietness from Cynthia that the group was enjoying.
Chrom looked to Sumia, who seemed too dazzled to do much. He couldn't make her chase after the girl. "Alright, I'll go get her. Make sure Lucina doesn't run off."
Sumia gave him a nod before he left the car.
"Severa!" Chrom called into the night. He couldn't see much, but he was hoping she'd come to him. "Come on, you're mom's gonna be angry if we go home without you!"
"Forget it!" Sever a snapped in response. "I'm sick of this trip!"
Chrom followed the direction of her voice. "Hey, it's not too bad. Sure, none of us are great to travel with, but-"
"But I should think you're great, huh?" Severa cut him off in a quick shout. "You're all my mom ever talks about. It's like she cares more about you than me."
Chrom didn't know how to reply. He just kept trying to see if he could make her out in the darkness while following any extra sounds like footsteps.
"You know you're why she didn't stay with my dad, right? Everything's you. She doesn't even care about me. I thought going on this trip with Lucina's dad, Mr. perfect, would be better than being at home with Mrs. perfect. But it wasn't."
Chrom finally came across the small girl, she was sitting down in the middle of the road with her face in her knees.
"Sorry things are rough for you, but this trip will get better for you." He didn't know how to respond to her. He could hear her crying lightly, and he empathetic to her.
"You don't get it, do you?" Severa asked with a tone of anger, "you're the worst thing that's ever happened to me."
"Sorry to hear that. Being the worst thing that ever happened to someone sure stinks." Chrom let out a sigh. "So, when I take you home, are you going to be miserable?"
"Of course I am."
"And your mom makes you miserable?"
"YES, stupid!"
"Well, try to put things into perspective. You could be made miserable by going home to find Cordelia dead."
"Don't say things like that!"
"Would you be more miserable than now?"
"...yeah."
Chrom put a hand on her shoulder. "I'm just saying that things will get better, or they could get worse. We just can't let ourselves feel miserable about our lives, even when we have it bad. There should always be something to smile about-
Well, I would ask you to smile, but I wouldn't be able to see it, would I?"
"I guess you wouldn't…" The girl hopped to her feet. "Alright, I'll go back to the car with you. But you have to carry me because I don't feel like walking."
Chrom shrugged. "Alright, if it's the only way we'll get back.
Meanwhile, in the car, Sumia was panicking. "I'm sorry, Lucina, but they're not going to come back and we'll be waiting for them forever and-"
"Mom!" Lucina shouted over Cynthia's screams. "You really need to calm down. I'm the one who should be acting this way, you know. But instead, I'm being responsible for Cynthia while you worry your head off."
"I'm sorry, Lucina. I just feel overwhelmed right now." Sumia replied sympathetically.
"I feel tired, but I'm still watching my little sister for you." Lucina looked out the window, noticing that it was starting to get brighter outside. "Dad and my friend aren't even back. I'm going through as much as stress as you, but I'm not so afraid."
"Wow, I'm really sorry. I must be an awful mom." Sumia had a tear in her mom, which Lucina noted.
"No, I'm just saying that you shouldn't freak out. I love you, mom. You're far from awful."
Sumia gave her daughter a warm smile. "Would you mind if I took Cynthia?" She offered. "Maybe you could get a little rest. You look exhausted."
"That would be nice, mom." Lucina passed the toddler to her mother. She quickly began resting on the car's backseats.
Severa shook her friend awake. "You're kinda hogging the all the room, you know?"
"Is my dad back?" Lucina asked as she made room for Severa.
"Obviously. I wouldn't just leave him looking for me in the dark, as funny as it would be."
Chrom faced Lucina. "I think you should get back to sleep. You too, Severa. I want to talk with mom a little about how we're going to handle all of this."
"Fine by me." Lucina stretched before resting again, Severa following her in the slumber. Even Cynthia peacefully went to sleep.
The parents decided it would be best to wait until morning to fix the car. Maybe then, they'd be able to figure out why the car wouldn't move.
Well, that morning came. Chrom couldn't find the car's problem, form under the hood, but he bottled his anger up for the sake of his passengers. However, he was lucky when he saw a certain truck pull up behind the vehicle he was working
"I'm sorry, Chrom, but I thought you would run into trouble."
"Oh my god, Frederick, I've never been happier to see you."
"I'd hope so. I knew you going into California, a state you've never traveled to before, would end up something like this."
Sumia got out of the car and walked next to Chrom, whispering "He followed us here. Isn't that a little weird?"
"I don't even care. I'm just happy he can drive us somewhere we can get this car fixed."
The group gathered into Fredericks' truck, which barely fit the five people inside. Despite the discomfort, at least the night before was over.
And that's it. Having Chrom obsessions can help out sometimes, you know?
Anyway, if you want to review, it would help! See ya.