Title: Regretful Judgement

Description: After confronting Robin with the intent to kill him, Lucina has been avoiding him. For how could she look him in the eyes after that? Even if he forgives her, how can she forgive herself for what she'd almost done?

Note: Spoiler for Chapter 21 of Fire Emblem Awakening.

Lucina stifled a gasp as she spotted Robin round a group of tents. His didn't seem to notice her, his eyes distant and forehead lined with worry. Averting her gaze Lucina ducked behind a tent, her heart racing. She listened for Robin's footsteps as he passed. The sound of his boots in the loose desert sand stopped right in front of her hiding place. For a long, tense moment he did not move. Then, slowly his footsteps continued, growing more distant before fading out of her range of hearing.

Lucina released her pent up breath in a deep sigh. She can't keep doing this; avoiding him like this. She hung her head, shamed by her actions. But… she winced, squeezing her eyes shut. How can I after… after…

After she'd tried to kill him.

She'd acted rashly, she knew she had. After finding out her suspicions were true, that Robin had been the one to kill her father in her own time… She'd assumed he was ever since she first came to the past. Before then, even. Afterall, she'd been told by the handful of the then surviving Shepherds that he'd been killed by his best friend, and who else could that be but the tactician she'd always remembered seeing at her father's side. So she watched him carefully ever since she'd joined with the Shepherds in the past, found excuses to spend as much time near him as she could. It was then that she got to know the real Robin, saw how kind, gentle, and caring he was. When she developed feelings for him. She couldn't believe it, deciding there must have been a mistake, for she could not fathom how the man she'd come to know and admire could have done such a heinous thing.

Unless someone else made him do it.

Finding out Validar could control him, she had realized at once must what have happened. Realized it would happen again. And she could stop it here and now. Save her father and avert the terrible future before it began.

And all she had to do was kill the man she loved.

Even before confronting him on that field she'd felt her heart shatter. Why? Why was she doing this? She loved him, more than anything in the world. Hadn't she wanted nothing more than to have a future with him, not without? To grow old together. To have a family? Yet no matter how much she cared for him, she couldn't let her heart get in the way of her duty, could she? She told him as much, her task meant putting the sake of the whole world above any one person.

Yet, standing before him, Falchion's tip aimed at his heart, she couldn't bring herself to strike. Hearing him accept her judgment, to open himself with arms spread wide, it had nearly broken her. Then he'd asked, no, pleaded that she find someone else to love her. He'd begged to know she would be happy, that he could die without regrets as long as he knew she would be alright. Her resolve had crumbled then, and she'd found herself wrapped in his arms, sobbing and begging for his forgiveness. He'd forgiven her at once, said he didn't blame her. But, even still…

How could she forgive herself?

"I… I don't know what to do," Lucina whispered. She wrung her hands, staring in the direction Robin had gone.

No, that was a lie. She knew exactly what she should do. She should go to him. She couldn't keep avoiding him like this. He must think she hated him, think she can't even look at him knowing what he did.

Sucking in her breath she squared her shoulders, mustering every ounce of courage she possessed. She needed to be strong, for his sake. Setting off into the camp it wasn't long before she found him, sitting along, far away from the others. He stiffened, noticing her approach.

"Robin," Lucina whispered, stopping a foot away. She extended a hand towards him but froze, his fingers hovering just above her arm.

"Lucina," Robin said, looking up at her now. Pain was in his eyes and he averted his gaze the instant it met her own. Guilt flooded Lucina and she cursed her own cowardliness. She'd let her inability to forgive herself hurt him.

"Robin, I'm so sorry. I've been avoiding you and it's wrong and… I need you to understand, I don't hate you. I just can't-" Lucina's words were cut short as Robin lifted his hand, closing it around her outstretched hand.

"It's okay, Lucina, I… I understand. I was just about to apologies too. I've been avoiding you as well. I figured you didn't want to see me, knowing that I…" he trailed off, leaving the reason unspoken.

"Robin, it's not anything like that. I was afraid. Afraid to look at you after what I tried to do," Lucina whispered.

"It's okay, I don't blame you," he dipped his head, bringing her fingers to his lips and kissing them gently. "No more running away from our problems, okay? Your father's right, we need to face this. Together."

"Together," Lucina whispered. For the first time since she'd confronted him that word sounded real. So much remained uncertain, the fight with Validar mere days away. But Robin was right, no matter what happened, they must face it, hand in hand.

Author's Note: One of the more requested topics for me to cover has been Lucina's Judgement scene, but to be honest, I can't really think of anything to add to the scene. I just like it how it is in the game. However, since people really wanted to see it I decided to instead go the route of exploring the aftermath of the scene, as seen in the above oneshot. I hope this proved a satisfying alternative than to address the scene directly.