Jealousy

Friendship isn't the only invisible tie that binds them together. Robin, Cordellia, Severia, Morgan, and even Chrom are connected by less noble ties as well.

I do not own Fire Emblem.

Families don't end at bloodlines. Chrom is a part of their lives even without marriage, and it's only fair that Chrom have his own grievance amongst the family. Chrom once believed that bonds of friendship were unrivaled… until bonds of family began to steal his best friend away from him. It's petty, selfish, and certainly unworthy of a lord, but he can't shake the feeling that there's a growing distance between himself and Robin, and that Cordelia, Severa, and Morgan are to blame.

The part of him inclined to be reasonable knows that this is natural, even healthy. Robin couldn't be the amnesiac with no other ties forever. In those first few weeks, when Robin had nowhere else to go and no other friend but Chrom, their inseparability was natural, understandable. Chrom was a friend, but also the only support Robin had.

But Chrom led Robin to new friends, and new supports. Dependence gave way to affection, and both Robin and Chrom were better for it: Chrom might still need to worry about his country, but no longer about the total well being of his friend should he die. When Robin made friends with Cordellia, Chrom was happy. When Robin fell in love, Chrom was supportive. When Robin asked him to be the best man, Chrom was ecstatic. When Robin asked him to be god-father, he was humbled.

When Robin begged an early evening to spend with his wife, when their once-nightly tradition became less often than not, he was hurt.

While they certainly opened time to spend with his own love, the absence of the familiar friend only to see him fondly in the arms of Cordelia were a different sort of discomfort. It only became more acute when the children began to arrive.

Severa was first, and less intrusive: it helped that the girl seemed closer to her mother than her father. Robin tried to act as a father, tried to learn, and to do so came to Chrom for advice. It was a return to the comfortable traditions, as Chrom shared his (admittedly limited) experience in bonding with Lucina to Robin. Responses were mixed, with Robin always returning to commiserate or share his latest experience, but Chrom was able to feel content and even happy as Robin's relationship with Severa began to improve.

But Morgan, though…

Robin was to Morgan what Chrom had once been to Morgan. Morgan wanted Robin's company, needed it, for the same reason Robin had once so relied on him: because without the pillar of familiarity and support, she would have had nothing. And just as Chrom had once done for him, Robin devoted his time and attention to Morgan, to help her through and try and spark new bonds.

It was good for Morgan. It was good for Robin. But it seemed a death knell for Chrom's presence in Robin's life. Wherever Robin was, so was his family. What had once been a dynamic duo became more, as wives or daughters came into the mix. Robin shared his family with Chrom, but also removed himself.

Gone were the easy evenings or secret outings: now Robin might be at his side for his duties, but it seemed so little else. Now it was family, family, family, and the occasional other friend. Robin seemed not to notice, or care, about the changes in their friendship… and that hurt. It made him happy to see Robin so happy with his wife and two daughters, but it hurt to not see himself as the cause of that happiness.

Robin was still his friend. He always would be. But was he still Robin's friend? Sometimes he wondered… and if ever wasn't, he was sure who was to blame.

Author Note: Five of five jealousy-themed character pieces, centered around the members of a Main Character-Cordellia family. Here's to Chrom,canonical best buddy who never seems to care about how much time Robin actually spends with him. Or does he?

Grim stuff, in its own way.