Disclaimer: Fire Emblem and all characters associated belong to Nintendo. GrimGrave owns nothing.
Commissioned by J053D4N13L35C083D0 who wanted some tear-jerking Grima/Robin x Lucina to continue the enemies-turn-lovers sort of train. Got some mixed feelings for this pairing, so I hope I did it some justice.
The Light & Dark of Past & Future
When Lucina had returned to the past she had hoped to change the outcome of the future even if it would not change the fate of her own world. When she had been pulled into the strange new world where the Order of Heroes resided she had thought she could do so much more to change the fate of not just her own world, but others as well for the good of all.
So it had come as a heavy shock like a punch in the gut when she found out that this heroic order was inhabited by people from all walks of life including those was labelled as villains…but that was not the worst of it. She could tolerate them to some degree as long as she did not have to interact with them unless forced to.
What had broken her heart into millions of pieces was the cruel twist of fate that was her most hated enemy – an enemy that had brought ruin and death upon her world; an enemy that inhabited the body of a man whom she had come to care for – love – unconditionally.
Grima, the Fell Dragon. In Lucina's future – her world – the Master Tactician had forcefully become the vessel of the monstrosity, a pretender-god, and rained destruction to any and all. Yet here he was, walking around without a care. Like he belonged here.
Like he was not a mass-murderer and destruction incarnate. All while parading around wearing the form of someone close to her – a loved one whom she and many others, including her father, had trusted with their lives.
How dared he walk around these grounds without a care? The nerve of this so-called heroic order to invite this monster and allowing him to roam free unchecked! If they weren't going to keep an eye on this abomination then Lucina would do so instead and just wait for a slipup, any excuse at all, to it down where it stood for the good of all.
For her father, her friends, their parents, and Robin.
She spent her days henceforth watching Grima where he went. She watched him act indifferent or haughty towards anyone worthy of being called a hero or sat down with a tome by his lonesome.
Just like Robin used to do when he was alone; always a book in hand, fully immersed.
Things went from bad to worse when Lucina was informed she, Grima, and a handful of others had to join forces in a mission against an invading army, and her heart shattered.
How insensitive could the Order be? They knew what Grima was, but Kiran and Anna had been firm on this; a lot of people around here had to work with some whom they didn't originally get along with (what an understatement!) but in this world the past meant little, they believed. It wasn't unheard of that former enemies had to join forces with different reactions and results, but this was beyond Lucina's understanding!
Lucina was furious, but she knew better than to let her emotions get the best of her. Or so she thought.
She and the handful of heroes (and the monstrosity) held the line and defended it until reinforcement would arrive from behind the enemy ranks and for the most part things went smoothly. But when she caught Grima in battle, behaving like Robin with his own clever tactics and fighting so similarly to Robin, Lucina was forced to look away and distract herself.
It hurt her to see the man she loved through this Fell Dragon. It wasn't fair that she had to go through with this.
She screamed and ran her sword through an enemy soldier before just as quickly parrying a strike from another, then countering it with a flashing arc that sent the second soldier limply to the ground.
Just what was the Order thinking by pairing her and the Shepherds – old and new – with the very being responsible for destroying their world?
What kind of a cruel joke was this?
She did a mistake and glanced back at the man. He was still fighting like Robin, like a perfect copy, and Lucina's eyes pricked with tears as her heart throbbed.
Fighting back the urge to cry, Lucina forced herself into perfect composure and charged ahead, her grief giving her strength as she cut down enemy soldiers one by one with her arcing slashes.
o.o.o
A few days later…
"You best be joking," Grima/Robin stated, unamused. He eyed Kiran and Anna up and down, expecting them to reveal that they were indeed jesting, but he could tell from their eyes that that wasn't the case. Not that it mattered much to him; if anything he wanted to goad them into confirm this order so that he could get some enjoyment of the Falchion-wielder next to her.
"Our forces are spread thin and we need people here in case there's an attack," Anna told them and sighed. "It can't be helped."
Lucina was gritting her teeth and barely holding back her anger, to the Fell Dragon's amusement. He chuckled. "Well now. I suppose we better go and defeat these bandits holing up in a cave then. This should be entertaining."
Lucina was shaking her head. "Let's get this over with."
The Fell Dragon cocked an eyebrow and smirked, but remained quiet. For now.
o.o.o
The bandit cleansing had gone well thanks to his overwhelming powers and he supposed the blue-haired whelp had her uses. With the threat (how could mere bandits be considered a threat?) decimated the pair were on their way back when the Fell Dragon decided that Lucina would have lowered her guard enough for him to rile her up. After all it was the only way he could get any semblance of joy out of this world anymore aside from slaughtering the enemies of Askr.
"Your approach was not up to par, Lucina. You seem to have forgotten about the pair-up tactics you were taught," he said with a sneer as he watched the young woman tense up and quickened her pace. He walked faster to catch up. "Shall I perhaps offer some tactics more suited for you?"
She abruptly stopped in her tracks and for a moment startled him before she swung around, her eyes brimming with tears and glaring back at him with seething fury with a shout that sent the birds flying in the distance.
"DON'T YOU DARE EVEN TRY TO MIMIC HIS WORDS, YOU BASTARD!" She all but screamed with unrelenting fury that had even someone such as himself staggering backwards. "It's a nightmare to be stuck here in this world with you – YOU who destroyed my world and took everyone and everything I loved away from me! You killed my father, destroyed Ylisse, and that wasn't enough for you?! You just had to come here as well and just infect another peaceful world with your unwanted, disgusting presence?!"
The sensation of being at a loss for words was alien to him.
"Haven't you done enough?! Haven't you caused enough grief – enough chaos and destruction, you absolute wyrm?!" Lucina kept screaming, tears rolling down her cheeks as she stepped forward, imposing. "HAVEN'T YOU DONE ENOUGH BY PARADING AS A MAN GREATER THAN YOU COULD EVER HOPE TO BE?! WHY DID IT HAVE TO BE ROBIN?!" Her eyes were feral, the Mark of Naga in her left eye glowing menacingly. "Why did it have to be the man I love…!"
She quickly clasped a hand over her mouth, her expression shifting from anger to shock, then dismay, before returning to seething hatred. "I curse the day you were created in whatever hellhole that spawned you, Grima."
The Ylissean princess turned on her heel and stomped off in a hurry, clearly desperate to create distance between them, but there was no need to; he stood there, stunned and to his surprise, bewildered and speechless. All that she had just stated was true; he had indeed destroyed Ylisse in their world and he had done so without much thought.
So why did being called out for it now suddenly feel…strange?
o.o.o
A couple of days later, Lucina decided to sit by herself for lunch as per usual. On her way to the dining hall to retrieve some food she passed the Training Yard where she caught the professor, Byleth, going through his sword-forms again. While it wasn't unusual for him to do so daily, it was unusual of him to do so shirtless. Granted, it was hot out and you worked up a sweat, but it was almost as if he was flexing.
She didn't quite understand what that was all about so she let him go on. What caught her eye as she rounded past the area was Kronya hiding a good distance away, hiding and watching Byleth intently.
She quirked an eyebrow at that, but decided against trying to make sense of it. From what she had heard it was nothing worth dwelling on.
The meal was something simple the chefs at the castle had whipped up, but she didn't have much appetite. She hadn't slept well despite being exhausted physically and mentally after the bandit routing that time. They had been paired up for more bandit-hunting once or twice and their mission success rate had somehow improved a little.
Curious, but Lucina chalked it up to them giving each other a wide berth so they didn't have to communicate.
Being forced to work together had been a mistake on all fronts; being paired up with Grima, letting her emotions get the best of her and giving the Fell Dragon all the more reason to taunt her. She had to speak to Anna and Kiran about this and get them to assign her with someone else – literally anyone else but it.
"Excuse me." She suddenly jerked up, eyes wide and her lips drawing a thin line as she saw what it was that had approached her. "May I sit here for a spell?"
Lucina stifled a snarl. She wasn't going to give this thing the satisfaction of seeing her blow a gasket again partially because she was still tired from lack of sleep, and merely waved dismissively.
The Fell Dragon sat down as far as possible on the opposite end of the table. "…I would like to talk about yesterday."
"I don't."
"Fair enough. Then don't talk; just listen."
She didn't dignify him with a response or look in his direction.
He sighed. "I…have thought about what you told me yesterday. And I came to realize that I didn't think about what I was doing. Ever since I was created by Forneus, all I yearned for was freedom; to do as I wish was a boon to me as soon as I escaped that wretched labyrinth of a lab. Being able to do what I wanted after so long, my instincts took control. I did indeed not care for the destruction I caused in my wake."
Lucina listened, but her muscles were taut. One hand was already tightening into a fist while the other rested on Falchion's pommel.
"Including the death of Chrom."
Fingers clasped around the pommel.
"When I was in Forneus' lab, I grew a consciousness fairly early on. I could eventually see into him and he into me, and he likely saw this dark power I harboured as a result of his attempt to play god." He fell silent for a moment. "When I…possessed Robin, the vessel my cult had bred for me, it was different; I began to sense other emotions such as anger, fear, pain, and it was all new to me. I've ignored them ever since." He paused and Lucina could feel his gaze. "Until yesterday after your outburst. And I felt…Hurt."
"You want to talk about feeling hurt?!" Lucina shouted. "Are you saying that my outburst yesterday made you sad?! You think I'm falling for your ruse or care about you in the slightest?!"
"No, no," he said and held up his hands in a placating manner. "Not at all. However, I've had time to dwell on this for the past twenty-four hours and…Well, this is the part where you won't believe. I realize just how much grief and suffering I have caused."
Lucina didn't respond.
"The other Shepherds always turned away from me whenever I showed up around here. I never truly understood why and just dismissed it. But I understand it better now; like you they see a former ally who has destroyed their world and simply don't want to deal with it, lest they lash out like you did…or worse. I would not blame them." He stood up from his seat and Lucina flinched. "My words may mean nothing to you and I don't blame you for not believing me. I hardly believe myself for saying this – for feeling the way I do. But know that what it's worth, I am…sorry. For what I've done and what I ultimately am. I know you won't forgive me and that's expected. I will make sure to stay out of your way from now on."
He turned to leave when Lucina got up.
"Wait!"
He did. He glanced back, a confused look in his eyes.
Lucina let out a weary sigh. "Staying out of my way won't help when we have to work together in this world. Even if you were to be assigned to someone else it could possibly end up being another Shepherd." She shook her head. "We're both here for one reason or another, but ultimately we are here to lend Askr our strength."
He stared. "What are you suggesting?"
She took a moment and squared her shoulders. "How about another mission? If only to at least to get some more bandits cleared out."
He slowly nodded. "Very well."
o.o.o
Weeks went by. Every now and then Lucina and Grima joined forces to rout bandits or occupied a stronghold against invading armies with less and less reluctance although she gave the Fell Dragon a wide enough berth. They got along and managed civil conversations to the point that they could be in a room together or even greet one another if they passed. The pair had managed to grow closer, if only a little and it was progress; the Order of Heroes wished for nothing more than their heroes to be courteous enough to not instigate small-scale wars against each other when they had the enemies of Askr to focus on.
Though he no longer mocked or taunted the princess and she tolerated him a bit more, the fact that neither would nor could forget was that they were enemies at the end of the day. They would one day be back to try and kill each other and either save a scarred world or doom it further depending on the outcome.
With each time they worked together the more lost they both became. It was a partnership that, while it worked out well enough, was doomed to fail. It could not last in the long run for reasons which were too many to count.
And yet they were a good team; people had commented that much, but Lucina knew they were only this synchronized because of the man that Fell Dragon possessed – the man that on some level was still there and had accepted Grima's power. It was Robin's tactics and quick, clever thinking combined with the Fell Dragon's powers and Lucina's strength and talents that made them a team to be reckoned with.
And that was what hurt Lucina the most. She didn't know how to cope when she time and time again, for the briefest of moments, genuinely thought she was fighting by Robin's side again only to be swiftly reminded that it was someone masquerading as the tactician.
Eventually she retreated to the quietest place of the castle to collect her thoughts, but a certain someone had beaten her there.
"You…"
"Oh. Greetings." Grima glanced up from a tome in a typical Robin-esque fashion and Lucina's heart throbbed. "Let me guess; you wanted to read and take your mind off of things."
"You could say that," she admitted.
"Mm. I've been doing that a lot lately; trying to understand myself and the whole situation. When I…possessed Robin," he said with a smidge of reluctance, which was unusual of him. "I dismissed these mortal feelings and went on with my destructive freedom without a care, but now that I've focused solely on them for a spell…I've come to another realization."
"And what's that?" She was genuinely curious.
His expression softened, but remained confused. "I…don't want to see you hurt, Lucina. I don't understand it myself."
Lucina's heart twitched. Her body was trembling and her mind was reeling with a flood of memories of happier times – simpler times.
"…Was that you…or Robin saying that?"
Tears pricked her eyes.
"…I don't know. I like to think it came from me."
It wasn't fair. It sounded like Robin down to his genuine, caring inflection.
She bit the arrowhead as they say and in a moment of grief she stepped close, to what looked like Robin, and kissed him. If it could reach the man she loved somehow, she hoped it did. If anything it was to get if off her chest and finally move on.
But deep down she also knew that this was more than just a pairup for her; on some level there was if only a little bit of sympathy for the being that hid inside the tactician's body.
Such a foolish notion.
The moment was fleeting and she stepped back. He gasped and eyed her, bewildered. "What…?"
"Forgive me. I need to go."
Lucina left the library in a brisk stride with a swirl of strong emotions rampaging beneath her breast and eyes blurry with excessive tears.
o.o.o
Another week and a half passed. They had reverted back to how they used to be by avoiding each other's gaze and stay clear of one another if they could, but this was less spiteful and more awkward.
Lucina sighed and rested her chin in the palms of her hands as she stared absentmindedly out over the courtyard. She swore she saw Kronya and Byleth again, but didn't care to take in what was happening.
"Hello there, Lucina."
She suddenly jerked upwards and the Fell Dragon flinched. "Ah. My apologies. I did not mean to startle you."
"Right…What do you want?" She asked, trying to calm down. This was the last person she wanted to meet for a multitude of reasons.
"…I've done a lot more thinking since last. I wager you have, too."
She merely nodded and looked away. She couldn't see Byleth or Kronya anymore.
"I am what I am. That cannot change. Or so I thought." He canted his head. "With these mortal emotions and after what I've come to terms with…I will try to make things right."
She eyed him, uncertain. "What are you talking about?"
He stared right at her as if he was carefully choosing his next words. He sighed. "I will stop the invasion whenever we return. Provided that we return before things go…awry."
A gasp left Lucina's throat as she staggered back. "…What trickery is this?"
"It's no trickery, but once again I don't blame you for not believing me. I don't understand it either as is often the case as of late. But…" He paused for a moment. "There's this new feeling I've found fluttering inside of me…one that I thought forlorn and non-existent. And it revolves around you."
"…Dare I even ask what it is?"
"You mortals refer to it as Love."
Lucina gawked at him.
"I reckon it's part of Robin…and it resonated within me as well. Whatever it is – whatever the cause may be – it's part of the reason as to why I will try and make things right."
Lucina stepped up to him, uncertain and once more teary-eyed. "I…want to believe this is happening – that this is the beginning of a better future for my world."
"It could be. I can tell that Robin would've wanted it in the end." He managed a sincere smile. "If you'd allow me to try."
"As Robin or…yourself?"
He faltered. "As whatever I am."
Lucina sighed and wiped away her tears. "…I'd like that."
A hand caressed her cheek and wiped away a single tear, catching her off-guard, before his lips chastely met hers, brief and soft. She leaned into it, then broke it, and stepped back.
"If you can hear me in there…thank you, Robin."
He smiled again and simply nodded.
The End.