Please read Author's Note at the bottom!
Thank you!
Be Careful What You Say
Chapter 12: A Promise
Robin leaned back into the soft cushion of the chair, head rolling backward over the edge. He had a pleased and quite content grin on his face. "…Phew!" The Tactician huffed as his eyes stared directly into the wooden ceiling of the room. All the words he spoke seemed to have a little bit more pep than a few hours ago. Something had improved his mood tenfold. "Finished at last!"
"We did it!" Olivia chirped happily from across the table. Her head tilted as she watched Robin's body seemingly melt into the cushioned chair. His limbs hung limply, arms dangling, and legs lazily resting out in front of him. She glanced about the room. Little pieces of wood were strewn about the stone floor and tiny metal nails still lay scattered across the table's smooth surface. The entire room was a mess. Nodding and smiling contently, Olivia herself relaxed a bit in her seat. "I still find it hard to believe, but we actually did it."
Perking up, Robin tilted his head forward toward the dancer. "What do you think?" He said eagerly. Robin was eager to hear what Olivia thought of his carpentry skills. No doubt, he had learned this from reading a book. "Do you like it?"
"It's…" Olivia began, trying to hold back a tiny cry of happiness. The theatre she and Robin had built looked exactly like the one she had thought of in her dreams. It all seemed so real now. "…it's even more beautiful than I imagined!" The dancer gave a little sniffle as her face turned pink from all the emotion of actually seeing such a sight in the flesh.
"Good!" Robin said quickly, leaning himself forward again. He nodded to himself. Olivia's praise reassured him that he had done something right for once. And that look of joy on Olivia's face was reward enough. Never before had Robin seen her so happy, carefree, and not worrying about anyone other than herself. "It's nice to know all that work wasn't in vain."
Olivia leaned forward a bit, mirroring Robin, eyes locked with something that was setting on the table. The expression on her face changed slightly, something along the lines of a half frown and half smile. There was an issue on her mind. Olivia didn't wish to hurt Robin's feelings. She paused for the longest time before saying anything and when she did her words were slow, drawn out. "…There's just that one teeeeeeny-tiny issue with the size."
Robin's eyes looked at the same object Olivia had her eyes set on. "…Ah."
"It's going to be difficult to dance in a theater that fits in the palm of my hand." Reaching one of her slender hands forward, Olivia gently picked up the little model theater that she and Robin had built that night. It had taken them hours on such a little thing, the time now being far past midnight. Olivia turned the model theater around in her palm, eyeing all the perfect little details she had described for her dream theater. "…Not that I'm complaining or anything." She mumbled slowly under her breath, still cautious of the possibility of offending Robin.
Silence…Robin simply sat there looking that the model Olivia held out in her hand. Puzzled, his eyebrows ruffled, nodding, agreeing with what the dancer had said. After long moment, a joking smile crept across his mouth. Robin's eyes darted up to Olivia's. "Yes, but the perfect venue for a flea circus!"
"I don't want a flea circus!" Olivia giggled in return at Robin's joke, setting the model gentle back down on the table. She was thankful Robin hadn't taken offense at what she said.
"Heh, I know." Robin nodded, chuckling a bit. He looked between the theater and Olivia. "In any case, as small as it is, it's still a theater that WE built." Leaning across the table a little farther, Robin rested one of his hands onto Olivia's, giving her skin a soft rub of reassurance. "Now that we know how it's done, it should be a simple matter to scale everything up."
Robin's touch was slightly electrifying that time to say the least. Something about it was just different, that time around. Olivia jolted up, sitting a little straighter in her chair. "You think so?" She cooed nervously, wondering if it all was really true. Surely building a theater must be more complex than making a model all a bit larger.
"Absolutely!" Robin laughed. His hand now took ahold of Olivia's. There it was again, that gentle squeeze and confidence. "Always have a plan, I say."
"Well, if you think so, then I believe it!" To Olivia, Robin was right. He always had a plan. She had no reason not to believe him. With her free hand Olivia brushed some of her pink hair out of her eyes, pulling it back behind her ears. Briefly, she looked between Robin holding her own hand and Robin face. Olivia's cheeks blushed, hoping what she was about to say wouldn't sound too cheesy. "Besides, working with you is so much fun, it hardly feels like work at all." Another little smile grew on Olivia's face. "So, only…what? A few more decades? And we'll build a fabulous, human-size theater!" After mention the idea of decades, Olivia paused and looked off to the piles of wood and debris Robin and she had gone through. "…Hmm. You sure it wouldn't just be easier to save up my money?"
The Tactician gave the dancer's hand a little tug to pull her back to reality. "Now, now!" He began with a smirk. "You promised not to talk about that again, remember?"
"Oh. Right." Olivia muttered, words trailing off. Still the thought of saving up money didn't leave her mind. Somehow or another, she knew that'd she need to save up something. Even with Robin's help, creating a full-size theater like the one she and Robin had just built wouldn't be cheap. Materials wouldn't be free. Olivia would need to be things to put into her theater. While she didn't wish to doubt it, Olivia had second thoughts about having Robin construct a large proscenium arch like the one she wished for. Not that she would stop him from trying of course. Eyes darting back to Robin, she could only nod. She did agree to stop talking about her secret stash of coin. "Sorry."
Robin leaned back again, giving Olivia an approving nod. Slowly, his hand left Olivia's grasp as his arms returned to resting on the sides of the soft chair. But, he still continued to watch the dancer as her eyes wandered the little model theater that sat before her. In his mind, Robin was trying to think of something to say, something to add to their conversation. Yet, unlike many times before it, he wasn't rushing. Robin knew Olivia wasn't going to get up and run. He felt like that time between them had long since passed. The two were actually enjoying each other's company. Neither was stumbling over words trying to find something to say, running out of embarrassment, or hiding due to inadequacy. Slowly, the Tactician began to feel the ideas of other people knowing about him and her melt away as quickly as ice on a summer day. He thought that perhaps it was time to let everyone know. In that moment, he felt that maybe, just maybe, Olivia could be someone he could…
Olivia spoke up, jolting Robin violently from his thoughts. Her words were, slow, nervous, yet forward and happy. Closing her eyes, she brushed some more pink hair out of her face. Olivia began talking with a beaming smile. "Well, I have a new special dance I made to celebrate our new performance space!" She paused, bringing both of her hands together, twiddling her fingers sheepishly. Olivia's eyes fluttered open to give Robin a rather bashful gaze. "Would you…" Another pause. "Um, would you like to see it?"
Robin's heart skipped a beat. He almost couldn't believe Olivia was going to dancer for him without anyone else around.
The dancer looked off toward the side yet kept on smiling. Like the many times before it, Olivia's cheeks turned a deep shade of strawberry red. "I mean, if you're busy, that's fine…" She knew he wasn't busy. It was the middle of the night.
"I can always make the time to watch one of your dances!" Robin blurted quickly, barely giving Olivia time to finish. It seemed excitement had gotten the better of him.
"Hee hee! Okay." Olivia picked herself up from the cushioned chair. Like she always did when she was nervous, the dancer pulled her white ribbon around her body. Although this time, it seemed Olivia was overcoming any fright of preforming for anyone. It was like she was almost eager to show Robin his dance. "I might be a bit rusty, but I'll do my best." Olivia began, taking in a deep breath. "I've been saving this for when the new theater was ready…"
Chuckling, Robin scooted his chair out from under the table, turning it enough so he faced Olivia who now stood only a few feet in front of him. "Ah, this IS fun, isn't it?" Politely, he placed his hands on his lap and waited eagerly for Olivia to begin. "The only thing better than having a dream, is making it come true with a friend!"
"Thanks, Robin." Olivia took a graceful step forward in Robin's direction. Her arms swung out to the sign as she loosened up her muscles. "I couldn't do it without you." And with those words, she reached a hand out toward Robin. "And, uh…" Olivia cooed bashfully. "…I can't do this one without you either."
"…What?" Robin muttered quietly. He stiffened up a bit in the chair at Olivia's request.
Olivia slouched over a bit, looking down at Robin. She still was holding out her hand. "Well, I kind of thought that…Maybe…You'd like to dance with me if my theater ever really did open." The dancer took in a brief breath to calm her nerves. It might take a while to get used to something like this. "I mean, you're helping me build it an all. The least I can do is thank you…I-I want you to dance with me when the theater opens."
Pausing, Robin stared wide eyed and dumbstruck, at the dancer standing before him. Frantically, he was trying to think of something to say. "B-But, you know that I'm not good at-."
The dancer was having one of it. Robin's words only caused another brighter smile to cover her mouth. "Heh, you can't tell me you're not good at dancing, Robin." Olivia giggled, once again motioning for Robin to take her hand. "I taught you how anyway…Unless you've already forgotten?"
"N-No, I haven't forgotten…"
"Good!" Olivia said with a nod, scooting a bit more forward. "And don't worry about not knowing this dance. That's why we rehearse. You'll be dancing this number like a pro in no time at all, Robin! Now, come on, for me!"
Olivia knew how to push her point when it came to dancing. While still uneasy, Robin couldn't help but feel a little safer knowing that it was Olivia. She knew what she was doing. "Ok, just don't go to fast, Olivia." Robin replied slowly, finally managing a grin of his own. Reaching out, he grasped the dancer's hand. "You're still the professional here."
"You sure everyone is asleep?" Olivia silently purred into Robin's ear as they snuck down the long corridor of the Shepherd Garrison. She ran a tiny white cloth over her forehead, whisking away any remaining beads of sweat. It seemed that Robin and she had lost track of time yet again. They had danced even farther into the night. Something about being with Robin, rehearsing for the opening night of her dream theater, simply made Olivia a little more energetic than ever. The dancer tilted up to Robin once more, speaking sheepishly. "I don't want to wake anyone, especially Tharja. You know how she is when it comes to…you…"
Robin let out a silent whistle, recalling the events of that morning. "Y-Yeah, I know how she can be." He muttered, thinking it best not to tell Olivia where Tharja had been when he had woken up. Robin thought that maybe that little fact could wait until another day…or never come up again at all…He was escorting her back to her single room in the Garrison. Gently, the Tactician gave Olivia's hand a tender squeeze, changing the subject off that witch. "But I'm sure everyone is fast asleep. I think there are only a few more hours until dawn breaks."
"Alright…" Olivia whispered happily, turning her head forward, resting her head on the Tactician's shoulder as he lead her down the nearly pitch black hallway. She swung the arm that Robin was holding back and forth, a sign of pure content with his proximity. Weeks ago Olivia wouldn't have been able to handle such a thing. "…I, uh…I had fun tonight, Robin." The dancer began with a smirk. "It was really kind of you to help me with my theater. Heh, I know it still is pretty small, but just think, many in a year or two, Ylisstol will have a new attraction, right?"
"I sure hope so, Olivia." Robin whispered back. "I'm sure if we keep working at it together, I know we will get it done." He glanced out the window and then back to Olivia. "I'm sure Chrom, Sumia, and the others will enjoy it as well!"
Olivia nervously tightened her grip on Robin's hand. "It'll take some getting used to…The idea of dancing in front of all those people, everyone I know, in my own theater! Gods, it could be so embarrassing!"
"Heh, you do fine dancing when you need to, Olivia." Robin began, feeling Olivia's grip relax. "I think, at this rate, you'll be over your stage fright by the time your theater is built."
"Y-You really think so?"
"I know so…" Robin laughed silently, slowly coming to a stop upon reaching Olivia's door. He knew it out of memory. Eyes darting around the frame, the tactician really couldn't think of anything else to say. Anything that needed to be said that night was already said, or he had no clue. "…Looks like this is the place, Olivia." He sighed finally, watching as Olivia stepped in front of him, looking up, directly in his eyes.
"Y-Yeah…L-Looks like it is..." Olivia whispered. Even though Robin couldn't see it, her face did turn a little red at a tiny thought that she could perhaps get up on her tiptoes and just maybe…
Footsteps…
Robin and Olivia turned their heads down the hallway. They thought that they had been the only two awake at such an hour. All the other Shepherds were most likely in bed so these new sounds of feet pattering against the stone floor took both the dancer and the tactician by surprise. Nearly instantly, Robin's hands went from Olivia's hands to her sides, pulling her to the side of the corridor, hiding in the small overhang and indent where Olivia's bedroom door was. Both of them still looked down the hall. In the near pitch black, the only thing they could see was the faint flicker of the dimming torch light in the main room. The footsteps grew ever-so louder until two bodies, those of near children, strode into the faint orange and yellow light…
Surprised, Olivia took in a sharp breath and Robin's hold. Oddly enough, whether he knew he had or not, Robin had gotten ahold of Olivia, pulling her against his chest. His body was heavenly warm to her, like something out of one of her dreams…Maybe it was because that they seemed smaller and could hide better closer together, but something told Olivia that while maybe Robin did do it out of some subconscious alarm, there was some sort of protective instinct mixed in with her actions as well…Olivia's mind soon returned to the two bodies at the end of the hall. Together the two figures strode toward the nearest door to the main room, Nowi's door.
The tactician finally broke the silence, whispering as quietly as he could down into Olivia's ear. "It's Nowi and Donnel." He said silently, picking out the rather fiery color of Nowi's green and yellow hair even in the shadows.
With the chance, Olivia scooted up closer against Robin. She turned her head just enough to still keep an eye on the two younger Shepherds but still able to reply. "W-What are they doing up so late?"
"I do not know…" Robin murmured slowly, watching the pair as they came to a stop in front of the Manakete's door. Thankfully, he and Olivia were still hidden within the darkness and shadow. Narrowing his eyes he noticed that the two were hand in hand. "…But I think we are about to find out." Robin purred. Something about watching those two made his chest feel a bit lighter.
Smiling, Olivia was about to speak when Donnel's rather loud attempt at a whisper pulled her back. She watched as his silhouette moved in the darkness. The tips of Donnel's feet tapped nervous against stone floor.
"Hey, Nowi." Donnel began in that same loud whisper. "So, I was thinkin'…" The farm boy rubbed the metal pot her had on his head. "We both got things we're lookin' for, right?"
"Right!" Nowi said with an eager nod, playing with Donnel's fingers as he spoke.
Watching from where they stood, Olivia and Robin leaned softly against the door frame. Smiles were on both of their faces. Both could tell that Nowi and Donnel had gotten close over the time they had been together…Sensing the opportunity, Olivia rested her head against Robin's chest. She wiggled her arms up against his torso, placing them in the warmth of his cloak. Hopefully he didn't mind and no reaction signaled that he didn't.
Donnel coughed, taking off the tin pot and placing it on the ground. It seemed that he was trying to summon up the courage to say something. "Well, why don't we look for 'em together?"
"Oh, that's a great idea!" Nowi said in reply and raised her other hand, pinky finger extended. "Here, let's promise! Pinky swear!" She was still happily ahold of Donnel's other hand.
Robin's chest shook a little bit, silently laughing as he watched…
With another breath and a nod, Donnel steadied Nowi with his other hand, grabbing the one with the pinky extended. He brought it down, level to the other. "Er, I was thinkin' of somethin' a mite different than a pinky swear…"
Olivia raised an eyebrow. They surely couldn't be watching what she thought she was…
"..Thumb swear?" Nowi chirped, curiously tilting her head off to the side.
"I reckon this one's gonna need yer ring finger…" Donnel thrust his hand into his pocket, searching for something.
"Oh… I see!" Nowi gasped, watching as Donnel pulled a shiny little Nowi-sized ring from his pocket. She stopped all her fidgeting. "Donnel, are you say what I think you're saying? Because-."
"Sure am. It's a marriage promise."
Both Olivia and Robin, while surprised, could only smile brightly. Right then and there, in front of them, Donnel was giving a marriage promise to Nowi. Neither of them made any more to congratulate them. That could come later, tomorrow, or the next day. Donnel and Nowi didn't need any interruption or congratulations then. Let them have their moment together…Instead, Olivia let out a content sigh and action follow soon by Robin. They both relaxed against one another and the door as they continued to watch…
"Hee hee, I knew it!" Nowi said with a happy wink. "People forget I've been around the block a few thousand times.
Donnel's face seemed to turn as red as Olivia's would at something like that. "Well, now it's finally time to take things to the next level. Let's have yer hand, then."
Nowi lifted up a hand, holding it right in front of Donnel's chest and waited. "Here…"
"Yee-haw!" Donnel laughed, beaming. "It's a perfect fit!"
The Manakete scooted a little close to the farm boy. Body turning from side to side as she stared at the little ring now on her finger. "Yaaay! We did it!"
"Now we're promised to each other."
Nowi plopped her head against Donnel's chest, wrapping her arms around him with the mightiest embrace her human form could muster. "No take-backs!"
"Don't ya go and worry 'bout that." Donnel replied, looking down onto the yellow and green hair girl latched to his body. "I'm gonna live out my life at yer side."
Nowi didn't bother letting go. "Thanks, Donny!" She purred in delight. "You're the best!"
"Aw, I'm so happy, I'm gonna dance a jig!" Donnel said, voice growing louder in excitement. "Yeeeeeeeee-haaaaaaw!" He was about to start dancing when Nowi tightened her grip.
"Hee hee, Donnel, I don't think you want to wake anyone up!" She started, turning her head to look up at the farm boy. "Come on, let's go tell Gaius and Maribelle. They are still awake; I saw them outside talking loudly to each other. Let's go!" Without waiting for any sort of protest, Nowi yanked Donnel away, whisking him off down the hallway and quickly out of sight….
Once again, as the patter of feet grew softer, another silence fell over Robin and Olivia. Even though Nowi and Donnel had since gone, they still stood together under the dancer's bedroom doorframe…
"Do you think we should go see them now?" Robin murmured, a little louder now that the Manakete and ranch hand were gone.
"N-No…" Olivia said with a brief yawn. She lifted her head up from Robin's chest. "…Like you said, Robin, we'll have plenty of time tomorrow."
"Heh, Right." Robin purred, tilting his head down to look Olivia directly in the eyes. "You think those two will be happy?"
Olivia dug her fingers into Robin's cloak. "Yes, I think so. If anyone of the Shepherds can find joy in being together, it'd be those two." She stepped up a little bit on her tiptoes, getting a little closer to Robin's face. Olivia used the grip on his cloak to make sure she didn't fall over. "Nowi and Donnel will be perfect." She began with a silently laugh, tapping on his chest with a finger. "Just think, at their wedding, we can dance together and you won't need to read up on how."
Robin leaned downward a bit more, smirking. "T-That's a good joke, Olivia." He couldn't help but sound nervous. Their faces never had been so close. Robin could feel the heat coming off of Olivia's cheeks.
"I wasn't joking…" Pushing herself up a bit more, Olivia pressed her forehead against Robin's. Her cheeks were turning redder with each passing second. The dancer was, quite literally, taking a shot in the dark. She had to pause. Obviously, Robin wasn't trying to stop her, but she couldn't help but feel that this was the most open she had been to anyone. Maybe she felt that she could be being too forward…Robin was right there, less than an inch away from her face. Olivia froze.
"S-So…" Robin muttered, noticing the rather brief silence. The tactician could see the pondering look in Olivia's eyes. "…I guess…er, I'll see you in the-?" He started to pull his face away when Olivia's grip of his purple cloak gently pulled him forward…
The dancer lifted herself a little further on the tips of her toes. Tightening her grip on Robin's cloak, she held herself up against him. And as brief as it was, Olivia built up just enough courage to lay a soft kiss on Robin's lips. "…I'll see you in the morning, Robin..."
Author's Note:
Olivia and Robin have reached Support Level A
…Wow, I can't believe it guys…
We have gone by 100 reviews. That's crazy. I never would've though the story would've gotten as big as this. This is crazy for me. Thank you guys so freaking much for sticking with this story for as long as you have. Without you guys reviewing, tell me to keeping going, I probably would've stopped LONG ago. Heck, I might even be dead in a ditch somewhere, who knows? (Ok, that last bit was a little exaggerated). Anyway, as some of you probably already know, I'm extremely thankful for all the support from ya'll. Each one of you has meant a lot to me. Each follow, favorite, and review always gives me that push to continue on…But, at the risk of sounding sappy, I'll stop this little bit here…
Well, I'll say it now that we have reached a turning point in the story. If you couldn't already noticed by this chapter. We are going to start moving to a more public sense of Olivia and Robin and their relationship with one another. I hope you liked the way I portrayed these first three supports, while they may have been different in terms of what people may have though, I do personally like how I worked with them. Besides that, I think we are due for a more interaction with other characters as well, don't you think?
Moving on, I'm fully aware that this chapter is a little romance heavy. But I felt like humor might have taken away from some of the effect it had. Don't worry, the "Funnies" will return soon!
That all said, I'll wrap this up!
Please, if you like the story, feel free to leave a review. As I said before we couldn't have gotten passed 100 reviews without each and every one of you guys who have helped this story along. So thank, you've meant a lot to me!
Thanks again,
MrWatch
P.S – Feel free to send me a PM if you ever wish to strike up a conversation. I'm always welcoming to meet and talk with new people!
