Title: Robcina Week Day 6 - Rainy Day
Description: It had looked like a sunny day when they'd set out for some training. Unfortunately, the weather changed far quicker than expected, leaving the two of them trapped in a sudden downpour, seeking shelter
Words: 1545
"Whew, that certainly could have gone better," Robin noted, remaining hunched over with hands against his knees as he caught his breath. Only after several moments did he move, beginning to slip out of his completely drenched coat.
Lucina glanced back to the cave's entrance, where a curtain of falling water roared just beyond the opening. She sighed, stepping away from the wall she'd been leaning against, and likewise began to remove the soaking wet outer layers of her own clothes.
The rainstorm had come out of nowhere. One moment the sky had been clear above the two of them as they'd practiced their swordplay, the next dark clouds had roiled in, casting deep shadows over the countryside with the threat of rain. They'd sought shelter then, of course, however devoid of trees was the coastal landscape of Valm that they'd been forced to head for the cliffs near the shore. They'd only just about made it when the downpour had begun.
"It is fortunate we found this cave when we did," Lucina said, successfully slipping out of all but her pants and undershirt. Even those were soaked, and she shivered. "Even what we were caught in has left me terribly chilled. I can scarcely imagine what we'd have done had we been forced to endure it any longer."
Robin nodded, tossing his coat over a nearby rock to dry and discarding his other clothes in a pile. Like Lucina, he'd stripped down to just an undershirt and pants, and at a glance seemed to be faring a little better than she. He rubbed his hands together, trying to use the friction to coax some warmth back into them. "We need to get warm somehow. Maybe we can-"
"Oh, I know. We could huddle together, that usually is a…" Lucina trailed off as she saw Robin's face turn bright at this suggestion, though it took several moments for it to register just why he would get so embarrassed at-
Oh, right. Lucina flushed as well. So soon in their relationship, they hadn't yet taken things, well, tried anything so intimate.
"I… erm… well, while I'd certainly… that won't be much good if both of us are already freezing," Robin explained, managing to regain his composure. He began to look around, searching for something. "Fire. We need something to make a fire with and get dry."
Lucina dipped her head in understanding, searching the ground around them. "Would this work?" she asked, picking up some pieces of driftwood that lay near the cave entrance. However, she frowned at the touch of them, the wood damp against her fingertips. "They're wet, I'm afraid. Would you still be able to…"
Robin considered this a moment then nodded again. "You'll want to step back when I do it, but I should be able to work something."
Wasting no more time, the two of them set about scouring the cave for pieces of wood they could use to build a fire. Within no time they had a small pile ready, Robin motioning for Lucina to back up while he fetched a fire tome out from within his coat.
"Alright, here goes nothing. Fire!" in a flash a small sphere of flames gathered in his palm, illuminating the cave with warm flickering light. The ball arced outward, landing in the center of the driftwood bundle. There was a sudden burst of heat, followed by popping and hissing as water trapped within the wood burst into steam, sending out a spray of boiling water and a cloud of white vapor spewing worth. For a moment all Lucina could see was the cloud, fearing the fire had not taken. Then as the steam cleared she saw a glowing flicker of warm light from within.
"There we go. Now we can get warm," Robin said, wringing his hands before him as he approached the flames.
Sitting down next to him, Lucina took a moment to stretch her hands towards the flames, letting the warmth drive away from the chill that had taken hold of them. The fire seemed almost hypnotic, so bright and warm against the dark of the cave and the cold of the falling rain.
There was a distant flash of light, followed by the boom of thunder. Lucina tensed at the sound, her hands involuntarily dropping to her side where Falchion usually lay. Instead, they found nothing, having propped the weapon against the cave wall closer to the entrance.
Lucina felt a hand grip her's, giving it a gentle squeeze. She turned, staring into the warm, kind eyes that peered back at her with concern. "It's just the storm," Robin assured her.
"I know…" Lucina said. She felt her shoulders slump, and so she shifted so that her knees now rested tucked against her chest. She stared into the fire for another long moment before continuing. "When I was very little, storms used to always frighten me. I'd remember running to Father or Mother, when they were not away on campaign, whenever I'd be woken up by the thunder. But after…" she trailed off shaking her head.
"...after I had a true reason to fear storms. Grima, or perhaps the sorcerers who served him, would often conjure them to darken the skies in advance of his army. If only, perhaps, to frighten his victims when the Risen came. They were always most terrifying in the dark," Lucina finished with some effort, shuddering at the memories.
For a long while, the only sound was the crackling of the flame. Another flash of lightning and a boom of thunder, this time further away so that it didn't startle her this time. She was thankful for that.
"I'm sorry," Robin said at last.
Lucina looked at him, tilting her head. "You have nothing to apologize for. You're not at fault for any of this."
For an instant, there was a strange look on Robin's face, though it vanished so quickly she wondered if she'd merely imagined it or had been some trick of the firelight. "I know. I just meant I'm sorry that all of that had to happen to you. It was my and Chrom's job to prevent all of this, and we failed in your world." He gave her hand a squeeze. "I just want you to know, I won't fail you in this one. I'll do whatever it takes here, in this time, to make sure your future is a happy one. I swear it."
For a moment Lucina just stared at him in shock at his words. Then she burst out laughing. She couldn't help it, he was just so earnest and serious about all this, it caught her by such surprise she couldn't do anything else.
Now it was Robin's turn to regard her with utter confusion. "What? I-I wasn't joking about any of that, I meant every word," he tried to explain, only for Lucina to interrupt with a shake of her head.
"I know you did, but…" she trailed off with another giggle, "it's just- here I was being so grim and you go into this long speech to reassure me, and the whole situation just seemed so absurd I couldn't help but laugh at it. At both of us." She turned to face him fully, placing her free hand atop of their clasped ones, "I thank you Robin for trying to cheer me up. I am truly blessed to have such an optimist by my side."
The two drifted closer and before either she nor Robin knew what was happening as their lips met in a kiss. For an instant time seemed to fall still, nothing else existing in the world but the two of them and that kiss. Then suddenly they jolted away in unison, faces burning brighter than the fire before the. Lucina looked away, doing her best to hide her flushed cheeks.
"Sorry, I don't know what…" Robin fumbled over his apology, one Lucina was about to assure him wasn't necessary, when she stopped, noticing something.
The sound of the rain was gone.
"Robin, look at the storm," she said, turning to point towards the entrance to the cave.
Sure enough, the torrent of rain had ceased. Standing the two hurried to the entrance, looking outside.
Overhead the dark clouds had already faded to a paler gray. In places they broke, revealing spots of blue sky from which shone shafts of brilliant sunlight that glittered where they touched the calm seas beyond. The air while not yet warm, had taken on a more refreshing chill, as if the storm had washed away all the stains on the world to leave it renewed.
Lucina reached out, offering her hand to Robin once more. He took it, standing by her side as they admired the scene. For a long, while neither spoke, content to be there together, sharing the moment of calm and peace while it lasted.
Then Lucina turned, telling him, "Thank you for the kiss," before planting a quick kiss upon his cheek this time. Robin's face blushed, all the same, his mouth working but no words forming from his lips. She smiled and stifled a giggle. Someday they'd need to get used to this sort of thing. But for now, she was content.