Title: Robcina Week Day 7 - AU
Description: After saying more than he meant to while spending time with Lucina the day before, Robin is worried he may have ruined their friendship forever. But then, why is Lucina asking to meet him the very next day.
Notes: Set in my Persona AU. Takes place directly after chapter 64 of Love Across Time, which is likewise set in this AU.
Words: 2363
A high pitched beeping awoke Robin from his slumber.
Fumbling for his phone, he winced as the shrill alarm continued to blare, his flailing hand missing its mark as he blinked through blurry vision. At last fingers closed upon the phone, snatching it up and silencing the alarm with a swipe.
For a moment he just stared at the screen, still open to the text Lucina had sent him the night before.
"ROBIN. THANK YOU FOR SPENDING TIME WITH ME TODAY. I WOULD LOVE TO DO IT AGAIN WHEN NEXT YOU HAVE TIME."
Memories of the day before raced back through his mind. Accompanying Lucina on her shopping trip, and its abrupt end following the slip of his tongue. Real smooth, being so forward with her like that. Telling her how stunningly beautiful she- no, bad Robin! She's just a friend and you're even staying in the same house as her! Even if she feels the same, which she obviously doesn't, it would be way too awkward given the circumstances.. And confusing. And confusingly awkward. And awkwardly confusing!
Robin dragged his hands over his face, not daring to get up. Not that he was afraid of running into Lucina right now: she left home on school days long before he got up in all but the most unusual of circumstances. He'd have to confront that situation later no doubt, but for now there was little risk. Untangling his own confused feelings on the matter was already all consuming as it was.
Glancing at his phone again, he saw that several minutes had already elapsed. He'd need to get up soon if he were to make the train in time for school. Groaning, he forced himself to get up and get ready.
Perhaps the train-ride would give him time to think this through.
One quick shower and rushed breakfast later, Robin set off into the cool autumn morning. He was thankful Chrom has already left for work, and that Cynthia must have set off for school before he headed downstairs, as he wasn't sure he could face either of them right now. They'd certainly notice something was up, and having to fumble his way through an excuse was not how he'd prefer to start the day.
Hopefully the day wouldn't be too out of the ordinary. He could use something routine at this point.
. . . . .
A shrill bell sounded, marking the end of the school day. Robin sighed in relief, snatching up his backpack and making for the door before the rush. He'd survived the day without much incident. He'd failed to anticipate trying to act like nothing was wrong around his friends and classmates all day would be equally as perilous as he'd feared doing so with Cynthia and Chrom would be. Well… admittedly the risk had varied. Owain was blissfully oblivious as he always was. Inigo was more worried about his own (entirely constant and almost certainly self-inflicted) "dating woes" to really notice. Severa on the other hand…
Robin sighed again at the mere thought. Severa was exactly just perceptive enough to have picked up something that was bothering him and extremely nosy enough to want to know exactly what that thing was. Honestly, he wasn't entirely sure she'd bought his excuses of it being exhaustion and stress due to all their group's "extracurricular activities" (if you could call fighting shadows and saving people from being murdered by a supernatural foe could be considered as such). She very possibly hadn't and would thusly try to find out later. But… well… he would have to cross that bridge when it happened.
Robin kneeled down to open his locker, slipping off his school shoes and retrieving his street ones. Should I try to find Lucina and apologize? Robin wondered as he tied his laces. She doesn't have kendo practice today either, so maybe…
He shook his head at the thought. He was still all so confused about how to respond. Better he figure it out first, then see about-
His phone vibrated in his pocket. Pulling it out, he swiped the screen, revealing the incoming message.
"GREETINGS ROBIN. I WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK WITH YOU. MEET ME BY THE SHRINE? Y/N?"
Robin stared at the screen, completely frozen in place. What should he do, and more importantly, what did this mean? Had Lucina thought about what happened more and was now upset with him. Yes, that must be it. She must-
Before he could even finish the thought, his phone buzzed in his hand, another message popping up on the screen.
"POSTSCRIPT: I HAVE SOMETHING FOR YOU AS WELL. PLEASE RESPOND AT YOUR CONVENIENCE."
Robin's hand began to tremble, his thumb hovering over the keys. What does that mean? What on earth is going on? What should I do?I… I need to accept, right? Or maybe… I…
"Lucina has asked to spend time with you…"
"Since you have Lachesis, a Persona of the Fortune Arcana, you feel you could be closer…"
"Will you spend the afternoon with Lucina?"
Swallowing the lump in his throat and mustering his courage, he typed out the response through shaking fingers: "Okay. I'll see you there."
The instant he hit send, Robin felt his shoulders slump, feeling utterly deflated. He had no idea what to expect now, this was all too confusing to make heads or tails of any of it.
What have I gotten myself into? Why did I have to open my big mouth yesterday?
. . . . .
Robin spotted Lucina leaning against the old crumbling wall that led up to the old Shinto Shrine. She had a small bundle tucked under her arm, and seemed to be nervously fidgeting with her hands. This gave him a moment of pause, as he couldn't remember a time when he'd ever seen her look so… uncertain.
That… that's a bad sign, isn't it? He gulped, trying to swallow the now suffocating lump that had again returned to lodge itself in his throat.
Lucina looked up as he drew closer, having heard the crunch of his footsteps in the leaf-choked gravel path. She stepped away from the wall to face him. She had not stopped fidgeting with her hands.
Coming to a stop to face her, Robin took a deep breath, willing himself to speak "Lucina I-" he started to say.
"I'm so sorry. Robin. For what I said and did yesterday. It was dreadfully rude of me, running off like that," Lucina blurted out before he could finish. She bowed her head in shame, not meeting his gaze. "I was just so flustered and… I didn't know how to respond to such a compliment. I know you were just trying to make me feel better and I… I'm such a fool."
Robin stood there motionless for a moment, though he felt like an eternity as his completely derailed tried and failed to regain some semblance of order. What? She… she's apologizing to me? But I'm the one who- He shook his head, the words coming from his lips now before he could so much as consider. "Lucina, you don't need to apologize for anything. I'm the one who should be."
At once Lucina raised her head to look at him, evidently it now being her turn to blink at him in utter bewilderment. "But, you didn't do anything wrong. I was so rude to you when you were nothing but kind to me yesterday." She shook her head fervently. "I don't understand. What could you possibly be apologizing for?"
"I…" Robin swallowed hard. "I'm apologizing for how I complimented you out of nowhere like that, I didn't mean to say something so embarrassing. Well, I fully meant what I said, but I shouldn't have been so forward and um… well, you know," he ended lamely.
"Oh…" Lucina said, the sound so soft he scarcely heard it. Then suddenly she began to laugh, the sound so expected Robin nearly leapt in surprise. His mouth worked but no words came out as he just stared at her, utterly at a loss of what to think, let alone respond.
"I'm sorry, but-" Lucina stifled a laugh with her palm. "I spent all of last evening, and today as well, frightfully worried about how to respond to you. And here it would seem you were doing the exact same thing!"
Robin blinked at her, then he felt a chuckle of his own come. Then enough. His laughter was more of relief than at the absurdity of the situation. But perhaps, that was why Lucina had found it to laugh as well. She was probably just as relieved as he to have nothing to apologize for.
However, a small confused voice in his head still couldn't help but wonder what this meant. If she didn't mind what he'd said, could that mean…
Turning away, Lucina motioned for him to follow, the two walking over to a spot where the stone wall had partially collapsed. Using it at a step, they climbed up onto the more intact section next to it, sitting down to face the town below. While not as high a vantage point as the shrine itself, the spot was far enough up the hill to see much of Akaneia. The trees within the town had all changed colors, all bright reds and golds. So different from the chill browns and grays of the old forest that lay behind them beyond the wall.
"So you really meant what you said? You weren't just trying to make me feel better about my… tastes in clothes?" Lucina asked at length.
"I, well, yes, I did," Robin rubbed the back of his neck, feeling his cheeks burn slightly, the sensation feeling almost searing hot against the cool fall air. "I know how much some people at school may treat you so poorly sometimes. For your interests and well, it's not fair of them.I don't see you as strange or unusual. You are a person just like all of us. A very kind and brave person. And yes, beautiful too," he finished, the burning now an interno at that admission.
"I know I shouldn't worry about what others think of me, but…" she dropped her head down, staring at the gravel path. A breeze kicked up some of the fallen leaves, which danced beneath their dangling feet. Then Lucina looked up, smiling slightly. "But perhaps I should just be thankful for one person in my life who doesn't judge me so."
"Not just me. Your father doesn't. Nor does Cynthia. Nor any of our friends." He paused, considering this for a moment. "Not sure about Morgan. Probably not, but I can't say with any certainty just what that bundle of chaos thinks" he added, eliciting another chuckle from Lucina.
"I thank you, Robin. I have a tendency to fear and believe the worst… I need to stop doing that…" she trailed off, her expression somber. Then she smiled. "But that's just it, isn't it? How I need to grow. Since awakening to my Persona, I have felt myself changing, for the better I think, in no small part thanks to you. I can't give up now." A fire seemed to kindle within Lucina at these words, a renewed vigor to face the challenges big and small in her way.
"You feel your relationship with Lucina has grown deeper…"
"The Lucina Social Link has reached level 7!"
"Your power to create Personas of the Fortune Arcana has grown!"
"Lucina's determination in battle has been enhanced…"
"Lucina can now endure a mortal blow during battle."
"Oh" Lucina exclaims suddenly, reaching for the paper wrapped bundle at her side. She offers it to him, blushing slightly. "I bought this, after my evening shift. It was intended to be an apology, but as that is not as necessary as I believed, consider it a gift instead."
"Lucina you didn't need…" Robin trailed off as he saw her expression, one that told him with absolute certainty she wouldn't be accepting no for an answer.
Unwrapping the parcel, Robin found inside a pair of leather gloves, the palms and the inside of fingers layered with rubber to better grip tools or other objects. Or, as Robin recognized, a sword. Lucina herself always wore a similar set under her padding for kendo practice, as well as on their trips into the Outrealms.
"I thought these would be useful to you, as a swordsman yourself. Especially given how prone swordsmanship is to cause one to develop blisters," Lucina explained.
Robin smiled, glancing down at his own now moderately calloused palms. Needing to practice with and wield a sword in real combat certainly had proved Lucina's words true. "When did you find time to buy this? Wouldn't most shops be closed, or at least closing soon, by the time your shift ends?"
"Yes, they usually are," Lucina confirmed. "But I managed to get to leave a few minutes early, just enough time to reach the sporting goods store before it closed. I am quite mortified to admit I had to sprint the whole way to make it in time. What a sight I must have been to any onlookers," she added with very obvious embarrassment.
A small part of Robin couldn't help but note how adorable Lucina was on the rare occasions she got all flustered like that, but he buried these thoughts as quickly as they came. She was his friend, and he treasured that friendship too much to risk losing it because of his feelings. All day he'd been afraid he'd done just that, and right now he wouldn't do anything to jeopardize it.
So instead he graciously accepted the gift. "Thank you, Lucina. It means a lot to have you thinking about my well being."
"I am glad," she replied. Her embarrassment fled, once more replaced by a warm smile. "So, enough about our misunderstanding. Tell me, how was your day? I'd like to talk for a bit now, enjoy the peace and quiet we have here while we can."
You spend a long time talking with Lucina. Eventually it gets late and the two of you decide to head home for the evening.
Author's Note: Well here is my final entry for Robcina Week 2022... four months late. Sorry about taking so long, I ended up moving apartments on the last day, then my life got super busy. So here we are, I wrote the chapter I owed, so now I can finally get back to working on my main fanfic