When Robin awoke, he immediately knew that something was not right. For one, the bed was noticeably devoid of his wife, and the lack of her presence was severely noticed. That said, it took something of a back seat to the other pressing issue at hand: something was burning.
Throwing the comforter off him, the tactician charged into the kitchen where he was greeted by puffs of black smoke billowing from a pan that his wife was dutifully tending to.
"What," Robin paused as his lungs peskily demanded oxygen, "Are you doing?"
"Hmm?" Lucina looked up and turned to face her husband, "Oh! I was just practicing."
"Practicing what exactly?" Robin covered his mouth with a nearby place mat.
"Cooking," Lucina replied taking note of his reaction, "Is it that bad?"
"Well, dear, I don't think it's supposed to billow smoke," Robin looked into the pan, "What was it supposed to be anyway?"
"Um, pancakes," Lucina admitted sheepishly.
Robin grimaced at the briquettes that Lucina had intended to be pancakes, "So, uh, why the interest in cooking?"
"Oh, well, I've been interested in learning for a while. Mostly since I got to know my mother better. The way she can bring people together over a meal is simply amazing, and…I'd like us to have family meals like that as well."
"I see," Truth be told, Robin was touched by her plan. It just went to show how sweet and caring she could be without the weight of the world on her shoulders. That said, he was none too keen about having their apartment smelling like ash for the foreseeable future as she was going to require a lot of practice.
"Perhaps you should move your training to the main kitchens during off hours. You might even pick up some things from the chefs on duty."
"Hmm, I wouldn't want to be a bother," Lucina looked up in borderline horror, "Oh, I'm annoying you, aren't I?"
"Er, well, maybe it would be best if our apartment didn't smell like smoke all the time."
"I…see."
"Not that you shouldn't pursue this, just…maybe keep the fire and brimstone to a minimum."
"Hmm, very well, but I shall not stop until I deliver you an amazing meal."
Robin chuckled, "I'm sure you will."
Following that, Lucina spent hours upon hours in the kitchen honing her craft. Even after being banned from the kitchen while the main staff was there, Lucina continued on undeterred. Working in off hours Lucina refused to admit defeat. She was determined to master the art of cooking, and after several weeks, she believed she had made progress.
"Here you go," Lucina set her prized dish in front of her daughter. Morgan looked at it skeptically having been the test subject for some earlier attempts. Granted, this one actually looked edible at least.
The younger bluenette took a tentative bight of the dish with her eyes immediately darting wide as it touched her tongue. Lucina watched in anticipation, but her reply was not words. Instead, Morgan wolfed down the whole thing barely stopping to breath.
"Er, I take it you liked it then?" Lucina was a bit surprised by the sudden bout of ravenousness.
"Like it? This is delicious! How did you get so good?"
"Practice, hard work, and dedication," Lucina replied proudly.
"And a few test subjects," Morgan murmured before going back chipper, "Either way, this is delicious."
"Thank you, but I'm not quite ready to try it with Robin yet. I want to keep honing my craft."
"Hmm, you may need more taste testers in that case."
"True."
"Fortunately, I think I could help you out," Morgan beamed.
"Really? How?"
"You just leave that to me!"
Robin was taking a short break from his work to stretch his legs and relax a bit. However, as he walked by the staff room, he noticed something odd: a line. That was odd enough, but when he asked about why they were there, the answer was not exactly what he had been expecting.
Food. They were there for food. He did not catch the name of this popular new chef, but he did spot his daughter dashing from table to table in the staff lounge seemingly taking orders. Clearly, Robin was suspicious as he pulled her aside.
"What's going on here?" Robin asked in his relatively new suspicious fatherly voice. For when Morgan was probably up to something, but he did not have proof yet.
"Oh, father! What brings you by here?"
"I was on a walk. Care to tell me what's going on here?"
"Er, well, serving these good people?" Morgan grinned nervously.
"And the money?" Robin tilted his head at the sack of coin that had been evidently growing, "Did you rope the kitchen staff into some scheme?"
"Nooooooooooo," Morgan replied slowly, "Mother needed more test subjects for her cooking."
"You got your mother involved?" Robin sighed.
"I'll have you know I'm conducting a perfectly legal operation."
"And does Lucina know about it?"
"Er…she'll get her cut."
Robin groaned, "I really don't approve of you taking advantage of your mother like this."
"I got her a hat!" Morgan defended which just earned her a dumbfounded look from her father.
"I'm going to go talk to her. You put a hold on any more customers."
"Fine," Morgan grumbled, but she still complied.
Meanwhile, Robin made his way to the kitchen where he found his wife hard at work over a pan. Sure enough, she did have a large, white chef's hat adorning her head. He had to admit, it was kind of cute.
"Um, Lucina?" Robin approached slowly knowing better than to sneak up on her. It took a little effort as she was so engrossed in her task, but he did eventually get her attention.
"Hmm? Oh, Robin!" Lucina was taken off guard by her husband's sudden appearance.
"How long have you been at this?" Robin took note of the thoroughly used kitchen.
"Um, I'm not sure. Why? Did you need something?"
"Not particularly, but are you aware our daughter's been selling your food?"
"Has she? I suppose that explains how she afforded this hat," Lucina removed said hat to look at it, "It's a bit plain, but rather cute, don't you think?"
"Er, yes, but are you okay with what she's doing?"
"I don't see a problem with it," Lucina smiled, "In fact, it's rather flattering that people would pay for my food."
"I…suppose. You really have been putting in a lot of time down here."
"Yes, I've been working to make you and Morgan some tasty family meals. Soon we can sit down and eat just us like a normal family."
Robin could not help but smile at his wife. This really meant a lot to her. Not the cooking so much as the normalcy. It meant the world to her having a family, and she wanted to spoil them.
"Well, it's apparently working."
"Oh! Here," Lucina handed him something she had been preparing, "Try a bite."
"Mmm!" Robin nodded, "It's delicious, but I think you may have some impatient customers soon."
Lucina, despite her floury coating, leaned in to peck Robin on the cheek, "They can wait a while longer."
A/N: Well, I didn't get a specific request on the last chapter, so…not sure what I may bring back next. There's also the issue that…I don't remember what some of these may have been called. My folder names don't always line up with the actual story title. So, uh, yeah, if you have a specific request, please drop it by with maybe a slight description to help me find it if need be.
Also, Morgan may not play much of a role in the post Future Past thing. She'll probably be in the picture eventually, but maybe not till nearer to the end.
