Title: Robcina Week Day 7 - Crossing Outrealms

Description: Ever since the disagreement they'd had during their reunion Robin and Lucina had had with their friends in the World of Fates, things had been tense between the two of them and the the trio, particularly Owain and Severa. So what better way to mend bridges than to take part in a sort of double date to catch up? Okay, so that may not have been Robin's best idea ever...

Notes: Written for Day 7 of Robcina Week 2018. Takes place during the events of my current ongoing fanfiction, A Future Tied By Fates, set sometime in between the events of chapters 14 and 15.

"Remind me again why we all agreed this stupid double date thing in the first place?"

Robin set down his cup of tea, opening his mouth to answer the question. Then he promptly shut it again, realizing that the immediate answer that leapt to mind didn't exactly, well, answer the question. Least not in a manner that would satisfy the woman seated across from him and Lucina.

But considering that not answering would certainly only aggravate her further… even a less than satisfactory answer is better than none.

"Well, to put it bluntly, we haven't had much of a chance to catch up. It's been months for us and what, over two years for you? It made sense to me," Robin told her plainly, sighing as he finished, noticing the way Severa's eyes narrowed at his response. "Besides, I guess you could say 'date' was meant to be used as loosely as-"

"That's not what I meant! I am talking about the whole idea of a double date!" Severa set down her own cup forcefully, rattling the saucer she thrust it down on.

Robin winced, half expecting the sound of shattering pottery to fill the air, his heart nearly skipping a beat. Last thing they needed was to cause a scene. Everyone was already beginning to stare as is.

He turned Lucina, mouthing 'help me' as subtle as he could. Even as he did so he kept his eyes on Severa, unable to do anything more than let her continue.

"Gods, it's not even like either of us are even in a position to date. You two are married, we are married," she hooked a thumb Owain's way, who sat uncharacteristically silent next to her. He actually seemed to be intimidated by his wife at that moment, holding his cup up to his face as if to hide the unnerved look he wore.

"You don't go on dates when you're past that point," Severa finished, picking up her fork and jabbing it into her plate of food violently. Robin winced again as her silverware rattled menacing, threatening an immediate disaster he was certain that would fall at any moment.

Once again, Robin mouthed silently to Lucina, begging her for help.

Not that the red haired mercenary didn't have a point. The double date had been one string of awkward conversation after the next. It didn't help that the four of them had seemed very out of place in the tea shop Inigo had recommended for them. Gods, it was filled with nothing but lovey dovey couples, all expressing the same public displays of affection that still made him and Lucina uncomfortable attempting themselves, as he suspected it was the same for Severa and Owain. Well, maybe less so for Owain, for whom the concept of shame and embarrassment seemed to be foreign concepts.

Note to self, murder Inigo later, Robin reminded himself, wanting nothing more than to punch the man for his suggestion. And to punch himself in the face while he was at it for listening to Inigo's suggestion in the first place.

For a third time he silently screamed for help, Lucina having remained staring uncertainty between him and Severa.

"Well…" Lucina began, speaking up at last. "Truth be told, we had hoped today would be a chance to mend the gap that has formed between us. After all, I am afraid things have yet been rather tense since our disagreement regarding the particular manner of your daughter's upbringing."

Silence.

Robin stared, mouth hanging agape. He opened it wider, trying to speak, but words refused to come out. So instead he brought a hand to his jaw, forcing his closed. Both Severa and Owain seemed equally at a loss, visibly stunned by Lucina's forwardness on the matter. For her part, the blue haired princess seemed oblivious of the severity of the matter she'd brought to the table.

"Lucina… dear, you know I love you, but is this really the time to… you know, bring that up directly?" Robin asked incredulously, utterly dumbfounded by the lack of, well, tact, that his wife had displayed.

Lucina blinked, surprise filling her face. "I do not understand, was that not our intention to begin with?"

"Yes, but that…" Robin groan, covering his face with his palms. "You know what, nevermind. Let's just change the subject. That sounds like a wonderful idea."

"Just wait a moment, you can't just-"

"It's either that or continue to beat a dead horse that none of us want to keep beating, Severa!" Robin snapped back, his voice urgent. "Quick, anyone, something else we can talk about!"

Owain sighed and finally spoke. "Alright, let's settle the matter here then," Owain said, not using his theatrical tone or speech for once, which visibly seemed to shock everyone, as Robin couldn't help but stare at Owain. Several was about to say something, but Owain spoke before she could. "This is clearly going to keep causing issues, so we might as well try to get it over with. The faster that's done the better."

Once again, Robin was wondering who the man sitting in front of him was, and what he had done to the Owain he knew and tolerated.

Robin blinked, looking between each of then in turn, seeing the serious expressions all of them now worse. Really, we're doing this now? Really? Alright… I guess we really are, huh? Robin pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to collect his thoughts. "Alright, look, at this point it's safe to say that neither of us are ever going to agree on this whole deep realm business," Robin started off, his gaze fixed firmly on Owain and Severa now.

"Wait just a moment, you can't just start-" Severa began to argue.

"But," Robin interrupted, holding up hand to indicate his had not been finished speaking, "agreeing on that point is irrelevant, really. What's important now is that Lucina and I were wrong to pass judgement on it in the first place. And for that we are deeply sorry," he finished simply, bowing his head towards them each in turn.

"Robin speaks the truth. It was wrong of us the take stance on matters we were not present for first hand. As difficult it is for us to imagine it so, we cannot say for certain what we might have done had we been in your place," Lucina added, bowing her head as well. "It was not our place to judge your actions as we did. We realize that now."

For a moment Severa looked as though she was about to say something, which knowing her was going to be a biting remark. Then Owain put a hand on her arm, silencing her. She look at him, and the two's gaze's met for a moment, some sort of understanding seeming to pass between them. Then Severa slumped slightly, fixing her gaze on the floor as she turned back to face the other two.

"Apology accepted," Severa muttered, crossing her arms as she slumped even lower in her chair.

"See, that wasn't too hard?" Owain said with a small chuckle, before pumping his fist in the air. "Now, as we have ascended through the new level of support, allow us to march onto towards new dimension beyond, and strike down the vile azure villain for his foolish idea."

It took Robin a moment to realize what Owain was getting at. Then he nodded, giving a nervous laugh. "So, with that matter settled, I think there's something else we should probably do now," as he spoke, Robin began fishing around in the pockets of his coat, searching for something.

"What?"

"Well I think it's safe to say we made one mistake today, and that was listening to Inigo's date spot suggestion," Robin explained, at last finding his coin pouch and hastily counting out payment for their meal and tossing the coins onto the table. He glanced around yet again, painfully aware of all the other couples now staring at them. "So I was thinking-"

"We depart with all due haste?" Lucina finished abruptly, her face going red as she'd followed Robin's gaze and in doing so only then becoming aware of the attention they were getting.

"Oh thank gods, I told you this was a bad idea," Severa chided, standing up as well. "So, murder Inigo?" She asked.

"Murder Inigo" Robin agreed, nodding grimly.

And with that the four beat a hasty retreat, escaping at last from the confused and annoyed stares they'd been getting.

Least now they had something for the four of them to bold over. Enacting revenge on a mutual friend they probably should have ignored in the first place.

So, all in all, the date went about as well as could be expected.