DISCLAIMER: FIRE EMBLEM AND ITS CHARACTERS BELONG TO NINTENDO

A/N: Sorry for the wait. I was recently kidnapped.

Naga's Voice 4

They had arrived at the mine. The large network of tunnels was more than enough space for their forces. There had been several beds and other supplies that were left behind the by the hideout's previous occupants. The Ylisseans rested themselves, deciding to leave any planning for the next day.

Lucina, having just finished eating a meal with her parents, headed towards the mine's entrance for some fresh air.

She saw Robin leaning against the wall of the entrance. She snuck up behind him, playfully poking him in the back.

Robin merely turned his head to look at her.

The smile that was on her face dissipated as she saw the lifeless look in his eyes. "Robin? What's wrong?"

Robin fixed his eyes back onto the forest. He remained silent.

"Robin?"

He sighed, growing slightly annoyed by the disturbance. "I've got a few things on my mind is all," he said, waving a hand.

Lucina had picked up on Robin's nonverbal queues. It was clear that he wanted to be alone at the moment, yet she felt as if she couldn't bring herself to leave him there. She had grown accustomed to lending an ear to his problems. "Strategizing, are you? You should take a break. Just get some rest for the remainder of the night."

"That's not what's bothering me."

"Care to share what is?"

Robin adjusted his posture, leaning against the wall on his back to face her. "Lucina, remind me why I was always busy in the future."

The question had blindsided her. She had not been expecting the subject to be touched upon so randomly. After getting to know him, she decided he couldn't be who she dreaded. She decided it was best to leave out any troubling details about his absence in her time. "...Like I said, you were busy with work. You would often travel from city to city, even across the ocean to vi-"

"Cut the shit, Lucina." Robin spat.

Lucina was visibly shaken at his harsh outburst.

"Owain already told me. Apparently I'm not a Shepherd where you all came from? That none of you knew me?"

"...I didn't think it had to be brought up."

"And why the hell not? You've heard about my situation with my amnesia! I don't even know who I am for crying out loud! If I could learn anything, anything from the future, maybe I could piece together who I was."

"Robin, that's enough! It doesn't matter who you were in my time. What matters is who you are right here, right now." Lucina spoke softly, walking up to Robin and putting an arm around the troubled man's shoulder.

"But is that really true? What if I'm the enemy, Lucina? What if the reason I wasn't around in the future was because I fought against Ylisse? What if my memories come back? Will I still be me? What if I end up hurting all of yo-"

Robin was cut off as Lucina threw both arms around him. "Shut up. Just shut up!"

"..."

"After everything that's happened... I don't believe... Just stop this, Robin." Her voice trembled slightly.

Robin shook off her grip, taking a few steps back. "No, I'm not going to stop. Not until I have all of this sorted out. Sure, I can just play it safe and have some fairy tale ending where I simply ignore all of the hardships life's put before me, merely relying on my friends. But you know very well that's not how this world works, Lucina."

"..."

"I'll find out the truth. And once I have, I'll decide what to do with myself from there."

"...You're being selfish." she said, through grit teeth.

"It's my life, Lucina. You all have your own problems to deal with. I know we said we'd all have each other's backs... but some things can't be left to anyone else but yourself."

"That doesn't mean we can't help you on the way there!" Lucina snapped.

"..."

"I understand this is your own journey, but don't overlook the fact that you've entangled other's lives with yours on the way. You can't just walk into m... our lives and expect to leave whenever it pleases you. I don't know what you plan on doing if the truth turns out to be something different from what you wanted, but don't you dare do anything stupid for the sake of 'protecting us.' It would... it would hurt just as bad if we were to find out that our friend suffered alone just to protect us." Lucina, held strong to the words pouring from her mouths, tears streaming from her face. "We don't need you to protect us, Robin. We're Shepherds."

Robin, stared silently at the weeping girl. He walked back to her, wiping a tear from her face. "Crying doesn't suit you."

Lucina buried her face in his chest.

Robin stared off into the forest.

"If I truly do become a threat to us all, you have my permission to take my life."

"It will never come to that. We're all here for you. I'm here for you."

"I mean it Lucina. If it does happen, end me."

"I'll kill you right now if you keep talking like this." She muttered into him.

The frown on Robin's face couldn't help but turn upwards at the girl's stubbornness. Perhaps since he was just as stubborn himself.

Robin snaked an arm around her back, his other rubbing the back of her head.

The two stood like that for several minutes, neither saying a word.

Lucina still held her bear hug on him, but Robin could feel her rigidness leave as she eased into him.

Robin removed his hands, waiting for her to do the same. Finding that Lucina still held the position, he sighed. "Have you any plans of letting go?"

"Not until I'm sure you're back to normal," her muffled voice said from his shirt.

Robin rolled his eyes, backing up to the wall, Lucina, still gripping him, followed. "Alright, alright. But I'd rather not stand around." he said, as he slowly lowered himself against the wall into a seated position.

He felt a warmth in his chest. Perhaps Lucina's confined breathing. Robin stroked her once again. He noticed that she ever so slightly moved her head in sync with his hand. He smiled. "I told you baby Lucina liked being rubbed here."

"Do you really think of me as a kid?" he heard her say.

Robin was surprised by the question. "I was joking of course. I'm sure you were... were forced to grow up rather abruptly."

He felt her nod her head. "I was. We all were."

"You're a brave girl.. err woman. Definitely not someone to be taken lightly."

Lucina chuckled. "So I'm a woman, now am I?"

Robin's face flushed, as the exchange had made him painfully aware of the situation they were in at the moment. He mentally slapped himself. 'Gods I'm an idiot. She's Chrom's daughter, but this isn't some kid I'm dealing with here.' This was indeed no child clinging to him, but a full grown woman.

Robin cleared his throat. "Uhh, umm. So, um, how old are you anyways?" he asked rather awkwardly. Despite their friendship, there was still several things, even minute details he'd yet to know about her.

Lucina finally pulled her head away from his chest. She squinted her eyes at him, a mischievous smile on her lips. "Oh? Why do you want to know?"

Robin gulped, face still hot. He could've sworn he saw her purposely bat her eyelashes.

Another truth dawned upon him. He had created a monster. He had once told her to be more open with others, even crack a few jokes here an there. He once found an almost sadistic sense of joy in being able to make the princess fluster. But, who would've thought that in a few weeks time, she would've been one of the few people to be able to match his smart mouthed japes? The future had indeed armed this girl with the ability to adapt to any environment. She was a tactician in her own right. One dead set on making him look like a fool any chance she got.

However, he would not back down from an apparent challenge. If it was a battle of wits she wanted, that was exactly what he'd give her.

Instantaneously recovering from the preemptive strike, Robin spoke. "No reason. Just wanted to know a little more about the beautiful woman in my arms."

It was Lucina's turn to flush. Hearing him once again call her 'beautiful' had elicited a similar reaction as before. However, one look at the jerk's face made her aware of the battle she had unknowingly sparked. Ignoring her pounding heart, Lucina narrowed her eyes once more. "You should count yourself lucky that someone like me would allow the closeness we share right now." she said, further leaning into him.

'What is she!? Some kind of narcissist!?' Robin yelled in his head. 'No. No, she's good. She fully intends on winning this one.' Robin pulled her closer. "Yes, I believe I should count myself lucky." he whispered, brushing a strand of hair from her face.

Lucina held her ground, running her hand over his. "Look who's acting like a man all of a sudden. From how you reacted to what Severa said, I'd say this is a first for you." she said with an evil smile.

Robin masked his grit teeth behind a smile. "Oh, no. It's like Owain said. You wouldn't believe how many woman love 'a man in uniform'. You should have seen me in Ylissetol." A lie. A shameless, terrible lie. Shame.

Lucina rolled her eyes. "Really. Well, I doubt even someone like yourself would be enough for me. I err... had flocks of suitors chasing me around the castle. I was known as Ylisse's heartbreaker" she huffed, flipping her hair to one side. Another shameless lie. Shame. Shame. Shame.

The two put up a long struggle, trying to get the best of the other. They exchanged verbals jabs, all the while wearing sweet smiles on their faces. On the inside, however, they felt as if they were on the brink of mental strain.

After minutes of nonsensical one upping, Lucina had once again reduced the Tactician to stuttering blabber. "H-hey, you listen here. Y-you may be 20, but I'm still the adult here y-you damned brat!" he fumed.

Lucina felt her blood boil at being demoted from woman, to brat, in only a few minute's time. "Tch, whatever you say, cherry boy."

"W-what the hell d-did you call me?"

"You heard me. I don't believe you have any experience with girls."

"T-this again? I already told you I have!"

"Psh, how are you going to prove that?" She grinned, mercilessly challenging him.

Robin's mind was overworking itself to extremes, desperately racking for ideas to get himself out of this. "Y-you want me to prove it to you?"

"I do."

"Really now."

"I believe so."

As soon as the words left Lucina's mouth, Robin leaned forward, pressing his lips on hers.

Lucina nearly gasped at the suddenness. Robin's eyes were shut tight, as he pushed into her. After fidgeting for a moment, Lucina slowly closed her own eyes.

The moment didn't last, as Basilio could be heard yelling from within the mines, 'where's Robin?'

Robin pulled back, catching his breath. In truth, he was beyond embarrassed of what had just transpired. He had just kissed her. He mentally scolded himself for his brashness. For some reason, he found himself getting reckless whenever she was around. She was the only person to have push him to such extremes in such a way. Deciding to hold his ground, he reassured himself that her smug ass deserved it. He looked at her, "How was that, princess?"

Lucina appeared to be in a daze. A hand to her chest. She slowly got up and turned around.

The guilt came rushing back as Robin stood up to stop her. "H-hey wait. Lucina! I'm sorry about that."

The game of theirs was over. And it appears Robin's actions may have earned him a loss in the worst possible way.

Lucina slowly walked away. She stopped a few meters away. "It's... okay. Thank you. For making me feel like a normal girl for once."

Robin's cheeks reddened once again. "Lucina..."

Lucina turned around, a heart melting smile on her face. "Thank you... You pedophile."

Robin's jaw hung open, his eyes dead.

The smile on her face slowly contorted to that of wickedness, as she turned to leave.

The game of theirs was indeed over. The victor decided.

A/N: Here's a little something for the wait. Just cant have a Robin/Lucina moment without a little fight.

You'll get to see how they felt about the little kiss in the next chapter.