Author's Note:

First, mooooore future children. You all know the drill, so it's time for me to mix it up by announcing that F!Morgan is a redhead. It's not at all indicative of the pairings, so no conclusion jumping, you sillies. ;)

Second, As part of my experimenting, from now on, I'm going to put a sneak peek for the next chapter on my profile after I publish the first one! Sooooo, the first sneak peek is up now, and I totally encourage you to check it out on my profile. I'm putting it there instead of here in an attempt to reduce some clutter! If it's well received, I'll probably continue it.

Third, per request a refresher on instruments. If you don't need it, jump to the page break.

Conductor: Robin

First row, from left to right:

Saxophones: Owain, Lon'qu

Flutes: Lissa, Maribelle, Libra

Piccolos: Nowi

Clarinets: Ricken, Henry, Tharja, Robert

Mellophones: Cordelia, Cynthia, Sumia

Second row:

Tubas: Kellam, Kjelle

Baritones: Stahl, Frederick, Sully

Trombones: (Started in row 1, now moved to row 2) Virion

Trumpets: Chrom, Severa

Last row:

Percussion: Vaike, Gaius, Donnel

To my kindly reviewers:

pokemon . rhoades : I tried to write your name in my last reviewer note, and it got retconned. Hopefully it appears, otherwise this will just be cryptic. Thanks! And Grima (and Naga) will appear! Let's just say he's not one of the good guys. While Aversa runs a little grey on the morality scale, he definitely doesn't.

pureshadow013: Aversa is here and gone just as quickly! As for Grima, well, we've got a few months before his debut. ;)

Cormag Ravenstaff: Poor Cordelia... She perks up a little here, which is definitely good for her. As for Aversa, thanks! Henry gets a little cameo today, crow jokes and all! Aaand, I guess you saw the handy dandy list. It's been so long since I've mentioned some of the people's instruments... Yikes.

Mattariago: It's here! Complete with a certain budding romance!

Random Chicky: Guess who we get to see kind of getting along again! Sumia can only be your mutual friend for so long before some of her friendliness rubs off on you.

Axel: Thanks! Yeah, there hasn't really been a future children centric chapter, but let's just say today's debut is one of my favorites. The contrast she makes with Robin is a good one I think I'm going to bring up again.

Guest: I'm so glad you like my story! AnnaxVaike is a rather interesting suggestion. It's the first time I've heard, and I think it would be rather cute to see Anna tug Vaike around. As for ChromxRobin, all I'm going to say is look forward to the next chapter! ;)

A Shadow's Lament: The glacier melts a little more today! As for Cordelia's issues, that poor girl is just unlucky. Inigo and f!Morgan are my two favorite future children. Neither have been mentioned yet, but someone gets a part in today's installment. The other is soon to follow! Thanks! I feel like Aversa and Robin have a sort of kinship, similar backstories and all.

Thanks to my shiny followers: Dwarfsun, Bluestorm1990

Now enjoy!

Ylissean North, as the most central school among the participants, hosted Robert's chess competition. Pushing open a gym door, Robin brushed some chipping paint off her free hand as Robert strode in after her. It was her first time in the gym, and Robin was sure it wasn't always like this, a mash up of chess boards and garish banners, 'homecoming' painted across them. Instead of the pristine court, fold out tables with chess boards and chess clocks filled the space. Clusters of students, no more than twenty or thirty in all, chatted around the room. Robin felt out of place. "Is there anything I can do to help you guys set up or something, Robert?" Robin asked.

It was a hopeless question, and more a silent request for forgiveness. Robert didn't like Madame Aversa or Plegian, and Robin knew her excitement when Madame Aversa actually arrived hurt him. He probably wanted some apology, but then Robin had nothing to apologize for. She hoped. Without a backwards glance, Robert strode towards the gym floor where his team waved to him. Unsure of what else to do, Robin trailed after him.

The chess team, all of five people, hovered in the middle of the basketball court. Robert weaved around the foldout tables to talk to some older looking gentlemen, and Robin wandered over to Virion. At her approach Virion straightened up from the table he was leaning on, brushing some invisible lint off his crisp shirt and dressed pants. "Is that… a bib, Virion? Do all of the chess players have to wear them?" Robin asked. Everyone else was in t-shirts. Virion adjusted the bib with a huff, and a red head next to him giggled.

"As I have just explained to sweet Morgan here, this is a cravat. It is a symbol of style and elegance, and –"

"It looks like a napkin," the girl next to him piped up. Her red bob and innocent little mouth made her look young, but the inches of creamy skin between her denim shorts and dark, thigh high socks made Robin blush for the girl. Despite being—or perhaps because she was—the only girl in the chess competition, the redhead was oblivious to the stares of her male competitors. With a mischievous grin, she placed a finger to her chin and studied Virion. "Is it a napkin?"

Groaning, the boy placed a hand to his forehead. It was the sound of someone who had heard the comment all too many times. Which probably happened a lot if you were the only high school student in a bib. "While I find your wit charming, Morgan, I believe Robert is over there somewhere. Perhaps you would like to greet him?" On the far side of the court, Robert chatted with a bespectacled boy from another team while straightening chess boards and clocks.

"Oho, is he now?" Morgan's grin widened. "Well, I reckon I could use a quick tactical refresher." The girl hopped off her perch on the foldout table. Without a backward glance at Virion or any of her oglers, Morgan skipped across the basketball court to Robert.

"Freshman," Virion muttered. "Endearing upturned nose, too much energy."

Robin watched as Morgan looped an arm through Robert's. The girl pulled him away from the other boy towards another chess board, ignorant of the blush blooming under her competitor's thick-rimmed glasses. "She seems… confident," Robin said. The redhead chattered animatedly with Robert, waving her hands and arms as if she were speaking in sign language, and Robert nodded from time to time. Robin chewed on her lip. Morgan leant over the board, and even from several yards away, Robin caught an eyeful of pale collarbone and cleavage peeking out of the girl's loose t-shirt. It was disconcerting, watching your brother being flirted with, and Robin had a suspicion it was happening right now.

"I've already arranged an unfortunate accident," Tharja muttered. Robin flinched, but the Goth slunk around her shoulder to lurk by Virion's side, unfazed. Unusually venomous today, Tharja glared at Morgan, who was now shoulder to shoulder with Robert. As Morgan leaned over the board again, Tharja looked Virion over. "Does your mother know you're wearing the fancy dinner napkins, Virion?"

"Darling Tharja, this is a cravat, and—"

"Stop talking, Virion, or I'll curse your eyeballs." Tharja glowered at Robert and Morgan. The girl was now giggling, high-pitched and girlish, at something her brother said. Robin was unsure whether to cheer Robert on or locate for Morgan the nearest nun's habit. Robert glanced back at Virion, Robin, and Tharja, and the Goth quickly ducked behind Virion's back. "I want to vomit. On the redheaded twit," Tharja said. Fingers digging in to Virion's shoulders, the girl peeped over his back and watched Morgan pull Robert's attention once more.

Robin suspected letting this follow through would not make Robert any happier with her. "Projectile vomiting skills aren't on Robert's list of attractive traits," she said. Virion nodded sagely, perhaps out of self-preservation. The dark aura Tharja was emanating was enough to clear a bubble of several yards, scared chess members hovering on its outskirts, unwilling to enter the space.

Something in Tharja's eyes glimmered, and Robin regretted everything. "I want that list."

The Goth slunk around Virion to skulk in front of Robin. Standing all of a foot away and smelling strongly of incense, Tharja looked exceptionally sinister. Even this close, Tharja's heavy eyeliner was perfect. Last time Robin tried eyeliner, she stabbed herself in the eye. "That list doesn't actually exist," Robin said. The only list Robert had ever written was the one of his top ten Jedi warrior people. "Are you… interested in my brother?" When did Robert, the boy who quoted Lord of the Rings, become so popular? Robert couldn't possibly know what to do with a girlfriend, and Robin couldn't even picture him with one.

"We're going to get married." Robin squinted. Tharja didn't look like she was joking, and Virion didn't look like he thought it was a joke.

"That's… nice?" Please, by all the gods, let this be the moment I discover Tharja has a sense of humor.

"Of course," Tharja replied. She was still much too close, and the smell of incense was beginning to make Robin gag. "Once I marry your brother, we shall become sisters." Tharja sighed happily. Virion leant back against the table and began to watch the slowly increasing number of competitors mill around the basketball court. It appeared he heard this frequently. "We shall all live in the same house together, and when Robert goes out to work at the nearby office next to your favorite coffee shop, you will play piano while I make my voodoo dolls, and I will go to all your concerts, and we will be each other's most trusted companions."

"You do realize you're marrying Robert, my brother, right? Why would I live in your house?" Robin asked.

"Neither here nor there. Our perfect future doesn't include the redheaded siren," Tharja said. Tharja glared at Morgan and Robert, still deep in conversation, before turning her scowl to Virion. "That fool," Virion rolled his eyes. "Virion has… suggested that perhaps I have an emotional attachment to… Ugh, just thinking it makes me queasy." Tharja looked a little pinker than she had before. "I would be a much better match for your brother than that child. How do I seduce him?"

Gaping was the best option. Sure, she could come up with some rational reply, but there was no rational reply to 'how do I seduce your brother.' Tugging Robert back to the Ylissean North chess team, Morgan gave Robin, Virion, and Tharja a radiant smile. Robert frowned at Robin's wide open mouth, and she closed it quickly. It was the closest thing to interaction they had since Friday afternoon, and it felt both hot and cold, like cupping an ice cube in one's hand and letting it simply rest there. "Is this Tharja?" Morgan chirped.

The Goth pulled Virion in front of her once more, forming a barrier between herself and Morgan that she snarled over. Robert laughed, very lightly. It was at least a week since Robin had last heard his laugh. Relaxing a little, Tharja squinted at Morgan suspiciously. "Tharja, I want you to meet Morgan. She's my junior, I guess you could say," Robert said. He placed a hand on Morgan's shoulder and shook the girl. As Morgan wobbled in place, Tharja sulked a little lower behind Virion. It only made Robert chuckle harder, and Tharja ducked fully behind Virion, hiding a rather pink face. Tharja, it seemed, made Robert happy. If Robert couldn't be happy around Robin, perhaps helping him spend more time with Tharja would be the next best thing.

"What makes a girl attractive?" Robin asked. Stahl blinked sleepily and rolled a little to glance at her sidelong. Biology had ended early, but most of the class, like Stahl, had drifted to sleep. It was unusually quiet, students collapsed over the long Biology tables, Ms. Miriel flipping through her book with the occasional rustle.

"Mmm… Two X-chromosomes," Stahl mumbled. His hair was a mess, flopping over his eyes, flying up in odd spots. Rather than reach a hand to fix one particularly offensive curl, Robin sat on her fingers. After the hug, Stahl suddenly seemed... touchable. If the boy was going to hug people at random, he should at least keep his hair and clothes neat so that his hug victims didn't feel compelled to straighten him out all the time. Stahl's eyes were slowly drifting shut again.

"Stahl," Robin huffed. Her fingers were already beginning to feel squished, trapped between her jeans and the cool metal of the stool.

"Depends on who you're trying to attract. Different guys like different things," Stahl said. He ran a hand through his hair, and somehow it only looked more rumpled than before.

"To you then. What do you look for in a girl?" Robin asked. Guys couldn't be that different, after all. Whatever Stahl liked would probably be just fine for Robert. It was a little disconcerting, first trying to describe your brother's type of girl and then realizing you missed that year of his life where girls suddenly became fascinating. Left you with a little empty part you couldn't fill by asking him because he was still upset with you for something he had no right to be. Well, maybe a small right.

Setting his hand to his chin in some exaggerated thinking gesture, Stahl said, "Hmmm… Well, if she didn't laugh at the biology joke I made a minute ago, it's kind of a turn off." He shot her a grin, one of his half smiles that only crinkled up the corner of his right eye. Robin resolved to buy Stahl a hairbrush.

"Whatever," Robin said. Chuckling, Stahl slumped back over the table. Sense of humor, then. Robert liked to joke around, she thought. Tharja's smile haunted Robin's nightmares, though. Robin just hoped her laugh was nicer.

They were sitting in English when Robin blurted out the same question she had asked Stahl to Sumia. The brunette smiled, catlike, before scooting rather close to Robin. "So who is it?" Sumia asked, wiggling her eyebrows at Robin.

"I—What? No, not me, for a friend," Robin replied.

Sumia slid a little closer, and their shoulders were touching. "So this isn't about a date you may or may not be trying to get for the homecoming dance?" Sumia asked. Somehow her smiled showed all her rather white teeth.

"I don't even know what homecoming is. And no. Again," Robin said. She did remember some banners pinned in the gym though, a rather violent shade of yellow, 'homecoming' emblazoned on them in green, like giant citrus candy wrappers.

Sumia scooted her chair back to her usual position, but her enthusiasm was undimmed. Bouncing her Mary Janes against the chair legs, Sumia continued. "All you need to know is homecoming's the first dance of the school year. It's free. And Cordelia—Student Council- arranges it. So I'm going. And you should come with me."

Robin chewed on her lip. Robert hadn't mentioned the homecoming dance, and, if Robin knew him at all, he probably didn't have a date. Tharja probably didn't either. "This homecoming dance… Is it romantic? The sort of thing that makes two people happy?"

"Yeah, I guess," Sumia said. The brunette chewed on her pencil eraser. "Is something up?"

"I think I need to get Tharja to ask Robert to the dance," Robin said.

As Morgan, the little redhead from Robert's chess club, joined the band that afternoon, Tharja's sulk was almost tangible. Henry found the entire thing hilarious, but Robert seemed more concerned. Leaning over, he whispered something in Tharja's ear. The girl continued to glare, and Robert let one hand drift up to play with his longer strands of hair, a nervous tic Robin had not seen in a while. Morgan grinned broadly at Robin. Too short to see over the tubas, the freshman had to hop to be seen from the percussion section. Robert smiled lightly at her antics, and Tharja only scowled further.

"Okay. Tharja, you like Robert," Cordelia said. The girl's face was pink, but her voice was firm. Sitting in a café Sumia declared had 'adorable little pies that led you to pie heaven,' Robin, Cordelia, Sumia, and Gaius, who had come in the name of escorting said pies to heaven, clustered around a still grumpy Tharja. The café was like Sumia, unassuming, but charming, and the roasted coffee bean aroma was one Robin hadn't enjoyed since she lived in Plegian Capitol. Apparently, even this backwater town had one good coffee shop. "And you wish to go to the Homecoming dance with him," Cordelia finished.

Sumia had declared Cordelia the love expert. While Sumia liked to declare Cordelia the insert-noun-here expert quite frequently, Robin had no idea where to begin asking anyone out romantically anywhere, so Cordelia, with whatever experience she had, knew more than Robin by default. It was important to get this right, important enough that Robin would sit in this little café with Cordelia on her left and Gaius on her right while Tharja glowered at everything in sight across the table. Awkwardness with Cordelia, the plague known as Gaius, anything could be thrust aside in the name of cheering up her just barely younger brother.

Tharja pulled her legs up to her chest. Heels of her boots resting on the edge of her mahogany chair, Tharja peered at the quartet from behind her knees. "I hate everyone here," she said. Cordelia rolled her eyes as Sumia grimaced. "Robin. Fix it."

"Tharja," Robin said, "They're here to help. If you want to make Robert happy, you're going to have to work with us here." Tharja huffed. Sitting her chin against her knees, the Goth's eyes were just visible between her legs and her thick bangs. "Good. So?"

Whipping a small book from her bag, Cordelia frowned with determination. "This," she declared. The girl's face matched the color of her hair, and Gaius, curiosity piqued, leaned forward a little from his pie.

"How to Make Him—"

"Not here," Cordelia hissed. The redhead flattened out some stray strands of hair and cast a furtive glance out into the café. It was mostly deserted, and the customers that remained paid them little attention. Tharja picked the book up by a corner with her thumb and index finger. Holding it at arm's length, the Goth surveyed the bubblegum pink book suspiciously.

"Hate to break it to ya, Cordy, but we don't exactly have a fortnight," Gaius said. Stuffing another piece of pie into his mouth, the boy added, "'Sides guys 'on't actually notice that shtuff."

Cordelia raised an eyebrow at Gaius's spray of crumbs. Gaius winked at her. Before the redhead could reply, Robin added, "Anyways, it'll probably be better than that book of flirting tips Virion wrote up for you." Tharja held out Virion's book next to Cordelia's. After Tharja's request for help seducing her brother, Virion had presented her with a book on his personal flirting tips. Robin was a little suspicious they weren't applicable if the flirter was actually a woman and was also suspicious they did Virion little good, besides. Grumbling, the Goth clutched both books, the bubblegum pink and the more reserved brown to her chest. "Now, the goal is Robert's happiness. He's going to have a great time, and no one is going to vomit on anyone or end up with cursed eyeballs." Even if Robert was unhappy with her, he was going to be happy with someone.

Tharja rose from her seat. "No vomiting," she muttered. Somehow, the prospect seemed to disappoint the girl, and she slipped off before Robin could bring up the cursed eyeballs.

Cordelia turned back to Robin, Sumia, and Gaius. "So who's everyone else going with?"

Her eyes glowed with some extreme enthusiasm. It was a little odd to see Cordelia, usually so glum or at least reserved, look so engaged. Robin scooted her chair a little further away from the redhead. "Sumia?"

The brunette squeaked, and her coffee cup met the table with the dull chink of ceramic on wood. It was an odd turnabout from her enthusiasm that morning. Gaius watched lazily as Robin, Cordelia, and a bright red Sumia blanketed the table with napkins. "That mean you have a date, Stumbles?" he asked. The boy lay back in his chair, one hand paused with another piece of pie halfway to his face. A crumb fell, and the boy caught it in his free hand, eyes still trained on Sumia.

The brunette piled a mountain of now soggy napkins on her plate. "W-well, someone asked." Gaius set his fork down as Cordelia leaned in a little closer. After a moment's hesitation, Robin mimicked her. Sumia, however, was too dedicated to creating the Mount Everest of coffee napkins to elaborate.

"And?" Gaius drawled.

"I don't even know why he asked, really. I mean, if I were I guy, I wouldn't ask someone as plain and boring as me. I bet looooooads of people have already asked you, Cordelia," Sumia said. Placing the last napkin on top of her pile, Sumia stared at her creation, oblivious to the glances of the café staff. Barely visible behind a curtain of brown hair, Sumia's face was pink and screwed up in a grimace.

"But what did you say?" Cordelia asked.

"Ummm… I figured… Um, well, I didn't think anyone else would ask me so…" Sumia's voice got progressively higher, trailing off in a squeak.

"You said yes, Sumia," Gaius finished dully. It was the first time Robin had actually heard him use the girl's name. It sounded disinterested and disaffected, as if Gaius was relaying the weather and it was to rain all day. "Do you even like—Actually, don't answer that." As one of the café staff retrieved the brunette's napkin laden plate, Sumia closed her eyes with a frown. Robin could hear a few strains of soft jazz, rather nice actually, but incongruous with the gloom of the table.

Cordelia cleared her throat. "Umm… How about you, Gaius?" the redhead asked. He was next in their circle, and Robin winced internally. His expression unreadable, Gaius bent over his plate and pushed a stray blueberry around the white surface. The boy's arrogance annoyed her, but it was a little sad to see him depressed.

Gaius stabbed at his pie repetitively, watching the blue filling ooze out in pinpricks. "I think I'm going to ask the girl at the register over there," he announced to his pie slice. "We have first period together." The café worker was pretty in an artsy sort of way, with wild hair tied to little beads and feathers, probably outdoorsy. Last band performance, Gaius whined about nature for a good quarter of the match. As Gaius looked up at her, the girl waved, light catching on several rings.

"But you always tell me how boring everyone—" Gaius stood up, knocking his chair back a few inches and cutting Sumia off with the clatter. Despite his childish nature, Robin supposed Gaius could be considered attractive. As the boy stretched, his shirt rose with his arms, exposing a few inches of flat stomach, dramatic against the dark fabric. Sumia, who had begun to fold the last napkin into squares, began to fold more furiously. Stuffing his hands in the back pockets of his jeans, Gaius sauntered over to the front counter. The boy leaned over the café counter and winked, slowly and blatantly, the sort of wink designed to warm your stomach, at his classmate on the other side.

After the awkwardness of Monday, band on Tuesday was just weird. "Hello, Robin. Lovely weather today. Did you remember your umbrella?" Tharja asked. Instead of lurking somewhere near her shoulder, the Goth faced Robin directly, and she was no longer Goth. Twirling around in her floral sundress, Tharja smiled, just as awkward as Robin remembered. Her heavy eyeliner and incense traded out for natural makeup and rose, Tharja added, "Do I not look most normal today, dear Robin?"

"Tharja?" Robert asked. The girl spun around on her heel and grinned at Robert. Her smile was still wobbly and stiff. Robert frowned at Tharja. It was an expression Robin was beginning to get accustomed to.

"Oh, Robert! How positively radiant you look today," Tharja exclaimed, in a voice as giggly as Morgan's on Saturday. Caught in between the pair, Robin supposed it was the closest she was going to get to a conversation with her brother. But she had a goal, and that goal wouldn't be accomplished with her here as third wheel. With a great deal of doubt, Robin left Tharja and Robert to their conversation.

"Your hideous book is stupid," Tharja hissed. With an unceremonious plunk, Tharja dropped How to Make Him Fall for You in a Fortnight on Cordelia's music stand. The weight of the book righted the entire stand, and the book and Cordelia's sheet music tumbled to the ground. "Aaaaand she's back," Henry said. "I was beginning to worry your sudden change in personality might be CAWS for concern." The boy started to chuckle and then turned to uproarious laughter. Clutching his stomach, Henry nearly kicked Cordelia in the face as the girl bent to collect her music.

"Crow jokes have been his thing for the past few months," Cordelia said. Henry's shoulders shook as he leaned over in his chair to collapse over his music stand. Robin wondered if she was supposed to laugh.

"You disgust me," Tharja said. With a little squint at Henry, Tharja crossed her arms over the pastel sundress. With her pale skin and inky hair, the daisy fabric simply washed the girl out. "Do you even have a boyfriend?" she asked Cordelia.

The redhead froze, still bent over her leather knapsack. As if it was a small system glitch, Cordelia hoisted the bag into her lap abruptly. "No. But it's not been a fortnight, so—"

"It's been a year and a half," Henry supplied.

Cordelia sighed. "Well, I'm going to ask him to Homecoming," she said. Henry's eyebrows knit together in a dubious squint, and Cordelia turned a little pink. "This time, I am."

So Cordelia's book didn't work, and Cordelia was the love expert. It also appeared Cordelia was less of an expert than Sumia had claimed, but Robin supposed that was neither here nor there. There weren't many people left to ask, definitely none that she really trusted. However… Robin stole a glance at the band room… there was one person, still here, that seemed to be good at seducing people.

Leaving Tharja trapped in Cordelia and Henry's discussion, something that had turned to whether or not it was too hot to gift someone a knitted scarf, Robin strode off to the opposite corner of the band room. Still waving her hands and arms to her words, Morgan was wrapped in conversation with Owain and Cynthia. The girl had traded her thigh highs and shorts for jeans, but her top was only dress code in that her arms and torso were covered in fabric. Whatever she was wearing was long-sleeved, dark, and sheer, and even with the camisole underneath, Morgan's outfit still felt vaguely provocative. The effect must be purposeful, Robin decided.

Either oblivious to the girl's outfit or uninterested, Owain broke off his conversation with Morgan. Waving at Robin, he grinned, a ray of sunshine next to Morgan's darker shadows. "Robin, finally come to greet the complete Justice Cabal?" he asked. Owain was bouncing up and down. Even his fingers seemed unable to control his excitement at whatever that prospect was.

"No. And I don't want to know." Owain wilted instantly. "Morgan, can I borrow you?" Robin asked. The redhead grinned, wide and childish, an act that was disconcerting placed next to her clothing. Motioning the redhead a few yards away, Robin surveyed the room. Only Morgan's friends and her… friends, if you called Henry, Cordelia, and Tharja her friends, remained. "How do you seduce people?"

Morgan continued grinning. "What now?"

"Seduce people."

"Oh, I heard that bit, just… Why are you asking me?" The girl blinked slowly, and her dark eyes seemed even more doe like.

Robin huffed. You couldn't dress in a see-through top and pretend to be innocent. "Whatever. You have an effect on guys. I want to recreate that effect. How do I do that?" Simple, short sentences. Somehow, Robin was going to get through to this girl.

Morgan placed a finger to her chin and cocked her head a little to the side. "Mmmm…" The girl scrunched her face together, little nose a wrinkled dot in the middle. "Nope. No idea what you're talking about."

"My brother," Robin growled.

"You want to seduce your brother?"

"I'm not responding to that," Robin said, and Morgan giggled. "Do you fancy Robert?"

"Huh?" Morgan's mouth popped open in a little pink oh. Robin wasn't too good with these things, but the girl was definitely wearing some sort of makeup. Combined with her clothes, how was this not seducing people? "Robert? Your brother?" The freshman began to giggle again, louder and longer, and the girl collapsed on Robin's shoulder, grasping to it like some sort of anchor. Tharja was scowling at them from behind Cordelia and Henry, crouched between their chairs. "Ohhhhhh, no. Not my type."

"Wait. You were practically falling all over him on Saturday," Robin said. And what was so ridiculous about dating Robert? Not that she wanted Robert to have a girlfriend, but it was a little insulting to have some girl in hysterics over the prospect.

"I'm touchy-feely," Morgan replied. The girl continued to lean on Robin's shoulder, as if to prove her point. "Doesn't mean I like any of you. Besides…" Morgan pushed herself off Robin's shoulder, and Robin stumbled back a step. "Robert likes the Goth. He told me a few days ago."

"What?" It was like an ice cube again, except it felt like someone had crammed Robin full of them and just left her cold. She and Robert were sometimes distant, but he told her things. At least he did before she left. "Why?"

Morgan gave her an odd look. "Because I asked?"

It was Wednesday afternoon, Tharja, after taking Morgan's suggestion and bluntly asking him, was going to the dance with Robert, Robert seemed happier, and it had been nine days since Robin's last true conversation with him. Homecoming was going to be grand.

Somehow this chapter ended up really long, and I only got about half of what I wanted to get done written... In other news, I'm experimenting with writing styles right now, so if the chapter felt odd, that's why.

Anyways, after Morgan's supports, this was the feeling I got from her. To be honest, I adore her character, but no matter who I pair m!Robin with Morgan is perpetually Anna's daughter. Can't help, I just feel it really suits her personality!

In other news, homecoming dance next chapter! I'd be happy to hear any sort of date/pairing suggestions, and per usual, love your reviews, PMs, favorites, and follows.