Title: Robcina Week Day 1 - First Date

Description: They'd been dating for awhile, but in truth they'd never actually gone on a date. Not the kind of normal one you'd expect of the couple in love. So it was, at Morgan's insistence and with their wedding only a few weeks away, the two set about rectifying that lapse.

Notes: Takes place some time after the Valm arc, but before the final Grima arc of Fire Emblem Awakening.

Words: 3637

Robin wet his hair in the basin before dabbing at it, trying, yet again, in vain to keep the wild strands to lay flat and in place. He stared into the mirror, switching to the comb again. Maybe I should have cut it short and been done with it, he mused, his frown deepening. Then he sighed, setting the comb down next to the basin. It was too late for that now, at any rate, meaning he'd have to make due.

He again checked the buttons of the leather surcoat he was wearing, before moving on to the cuffs and collar of the white shirt underneath. He rubbed at a wrinkle in the sleeve with a finger, wetting it in the basin a few times to try to straighten the fabric out. Then he seized his wrist with his other hand, forcing his own arm down to his side with an effort of will.

Relax, Robin, it will be fine. You're fidgeting, this isn't helping, he told himself, trying and failing to take a few slow, steady breaths to calm his nerves. It's fine, you look fine. Lucina won't mind, you look great Stop being nervous and just relax. Relax. Breathe. Relax.

He tried again to breathe in and out slowly. Yet his heart still raced. Involuntarily, he went back to peering into the mirror and trying to straighten his hair. Only, after a moment, did he realize what he was doing and forced himself to stop.

What are you even worried about? You and Lucina have been together for months. You two are already engaged for gods' sake. It's just a date, relax. Just a nice dinner, nothing to worry about, he reminded himself as he began to pace and fidget with his cuffs. This is silly. Why, Robin? Why are you worried about messing this up?

This had all been Morgan's idea, of course, his daughter having set up the whole thing. She'd insisted that he and Lucina just couldn't get married without going on a normal date like normal people would. She'd nagged and begged for days on end to get both of them to relent and give in to going on the 'first date' she'd apparently already made reservations for. Before even suggesting it, mind you.

He reminded himself to consider punching Inigo the next time he saw him. This was his fault. It was because of Morgan and him dating that Morgan had gotten the idea in her head that this was necessary. Only, just as quickly, did Robin also remind himself not to do that. Morgan's inclination was innocent enough, even if the date was ultimately a distraction from far more pressing matters.

Sighing, Robin tried one last time to get his hair to lay in place. Then, seeing the attempt futile, tossed the comb aside. He needed to get going, the reservation was for only half an hour from now. He just hoped his appearance was presentable enough. He was certain Lucina wouldn't mind, but…

I guess I just don't want to embarrass us. I've never done this before and…

Gods, dammit, why did he care so much about doing this right? When he knew full well Lucina never concerned herself about things like this?

Just relax, Robin. It'll be fine. Just fine.

. . . . .

"Don't worry, Mother, you look great! Father will love it."

Lucina frowned as she gazed into the mirror intently.. "Are you sure? Is it not a tad, understated?"

"Do you trust Grandmother? She picked out the dress, not me," Morgan countered, stepping up and giving her several reassuring pats on the back. Through the mirror, Lucina could see her beaming smile.

"I do, but…" Lucina said hesitantly. Shouldn't I be wearing something a bit more regal for such an occasion? she wondered to herself. The dress her mother had picked out for the date was a simple white, with only a few accessories in the arm of two leather belts, one braided and clasped with gold, long enough to wrap twice around her waist, the second shorter and of a simple design with a silver clasp. The jewelry she was given to wear likewise had come from her mother, being a gold bracer and armband to adorn one arm and a silver bracelet wrought to look like a chain of flowers. Unlike the dress, however, these had not been purchased in the past few days, instead coming from her mother's own collection per her position as queen.

Lucina reached up to touch the top of her head, fingers running through her hair as she felt the absence of her tiara. Both Morgan and her mother had assured her several times that she looked fine without it and that it would not go well with the rest of the outfit, not to mention that it would draw undue attention. Perhaps they were right, it would be better that the two of them were not recognized nor stood out too much during the date, as things would certainly go much more smoothly.

Still… Lucina felt oddly naked without it, so accustomed was she to wearing it. However, perhaps the events of just two weeks prior had something to do with her reluctance to part with it. After all, it had been quite the ordeal that she and her friends had embarked on into the Outrealms to retrieve. She is still not quite sure how her replacement tiara had killed those Risen, but that was a moot point now.

Without realizing it, she began to fidget with her hands, scratching at her fingers while wringing them together.

"Nervous?" Morgan asked. She was still grinning even as her eyes looked almost thoughtful as they regarded her.

"How could you tell?" Lucina asked.

"You're fidgeting and asking way way more questions than you usually do. I mean, I'm the one who's supposed to do that. It's like my trademark! It's weird when you do it, Mother!" Morgan answered. She patted her again, this time on the shoulder. "You'll be fine, trust me. I have the whole date all planned out. You just have to go and have a good time. It should be easy. First dinner, then a nice moonlit stroll. Easypeasy!"

"I've just… never done this before," she admitted. She found herself fidgeting again, wringing her hands and staring at the floor. She had no experience with this. Sure, she and Robin had been together for a long while now, but they hadn't gone on anything so formal. How was she supposed to know how to act, how to embarrass herself or him with inexperience?

She shook her head again, failing to shake away the doubts. "How are you sure I won't-" Lucina started to ask.

"Mess up? You won't, mother, trust me. I have been on a ton of dates now and I've never messed up any of them," Morgan assured her. She gave her another slap on the back. "Just relax and remember-"

Somewhere outside, a bell chimed six times.

"Oops, no time! You need to get going now. Don't want to be late for your date!" Morgan exclaimed. She grabbed Lucina by the arm, pulling her towards the door.

"But- Morgan I-" Lucina stammered, mind a whirlwind as she found herself now abruptly thrown to the proverbial wolves.

"Not enough time! Go, go, go! You'll do fine! You don't want to be late!" Morgan exclaimed, twirling around her in a flurry of movement to begin pushing the rest of the way. In moments, Lucina was outside the door. "Have fun, Mother!" Then, with that final exclamation from Morgan, the door was slammed shut behind her.

Thrown out by my own daughter. I do not think that's usually how this is supposed to go, Lucina mused, too stunned for a moment to really know how to respond. She absently reached up to straighten her tiara, fingers passing through nothing but strands of hair. The habit was so second nature that she only now realized how often she did it. She sighed deeply, forcing her hands stiffly to her sides.

I best get going then, Lucina thought to herself at last. Morgan is right about that at least, I do not wish to be late.

. . . . .

Robin hurried through the streets of Ylisstol, occasionally stopping to check the directions Morgan had written him for getting to the restaurant she'd booked for him and Lucina. He squinted at them intently, trying to make out the barely-legible scratches that were his daughter's handwriting. She could write much clearer than this, but only when she actually slowed down and took her time. It seemed, however, that not rushing wasn't exactly in Morgan's nature.

Never mind Morgan's sloppy penmanship, I should be almost there. I can work on that with her later. Date now, don't screw this up. You got this Robin, he told himself as he tucked the slip of paper into his pocket.

Rounding the corner, Robin found the place, a bustling cafe near the heart of the city's market district. The place was already packed, with customers seated at every table outside the building and all those he could see through the circular windows that lined the wall facing him. That explains the need for reservations, Robin noted, peering around intently, searching for Lucina

"Robin, there you are!" came a voice behind him.

He turned, then froze as he caught sight of her. Lucina was always beautiful, stunningly so, but today she looked particularly gorgeous. She'd let her hair down without any tie or tiara to hold it back, allowing it to cascade around her shoulders in gentle waves. She wore a simple white dress, which somehow managed to accentuate her natural beauty than a more elaborate dress would have.

"I- Hi," Robin said lamely, his heart skipping a beat just as the words caught in his throat. He dearly hoped he wasn't staring too much and appearing as some drooling, love-drunk idiot. "You look… nice…" he managed to stammer out, his words coming in even more of an awkward jumble than his initial greeting.

Really, Robin? "You look nice"? That's the best you could do? He scolded himself, feeling his cheeks burning in embarrassment.

"Oh, so do you. Your outfit I mean, I love it," Lucina answered, her words coming haltingly. Her cheeks flushed as well, matching his. "Um, so do we…" She trailed off, hastily tucking the handwritten note away she'd been clutching. Robin caught a glimpse of Morgan's handwriting on it before it vanished from view.

I guess she needed directions as well. This calmed his nerves slightly, knowing he wasn't the only one going in blind here. "Oh, I almost forgot, here. I got you these." He thrust out his hand, producing the bouquet of white flowers he'd been holding behind his back.

"Oh, Robin. Did you get flowers for me?" Lucina asked, accepting the bouquet. She held them up to her face, taking a moment to smell their fragrance. "These are the same kind, are they not?"

"Yes, the same as when I first, you know, told you how I felt," Robin confirmed, feeling more embarrassed than he probably ought to have. "I thought it fitting, for the occasion. I hope you like them."

"Robin, of course, I love them. That was so thoughtful of you. Thank you," Lucina answered.

There was an awkward pause, neither of them making any move. Lucina opened her mouth to say something, hesitated, then shut it again.

"I…" Robin trailed off.

"So…" Lucina offered, blushing.

"Should we go inside?" Robin asked. He stiffly stuck out a hand, offering it to her.

"Yes! Shall we?" Lucina asked, seizing his hand so fiercely that Robin nearly winced.

They exchanged one last nervous glance, then went inside to make their reservation.

. . . . .

"Oh come on, that was the perfect chance to kiss, you idiots!" Morgan exclaimed from her vantage point on the rooftop overlooking the restaurant. She'd arrived there long before either of her parents, relying on the roundabout directions she'd given to buy her enough time to beat them there via a more direct route.

"Popcorn?" Cynthia asked, offering her the bowl she'd brought along.

"Not now, I need to get these dorks to stop acting dumb and do actual couple stuff!" Morgan fumed, shoving the bowl aside.

"I thought you said it was gross when your parents made out," Cynthia asked through stuffed cheeks as she munched away.

"Well yeah, normally I do. But this is different. Their wedding is in three weeks and they haven't done, like, half the normal boyfriend-girlfriend things that normal people do! This needs to go right before it's too late!"

"Well, I'm having fun either way. Let's just see how this goes and then, if it goes terribly, we step in to save the day and possibly their soon-to-be marriage," Cynthia assured her. She threw the now empty bowl behind her, not even seeming to notice as it shattered loudly against the roof tiles. "Shame Owain isn't here to help. What was so important to keep him from serious Justice Cabal business?"

"Eh, I think Severa took custody of him for the day. Something about needing someone to carry her things on her shopping trip. That poor, poor doomed fool…" Morgan shook her head sadly as she returned to spying on her parents.

. . . . .

"Oops!" Lucina exclaimed, hands shooting upward to hide her face as it turned bright red in embarrassment. She'd accidentally bumped the pitcher of water sitting at the end of the table while reaching for her own drink, spilling it directly into Robin's lap. His trousers and the entire bottom half of his shirt were now completely soaked with water, the rest dripping from him onto his chair and the floor.

"I'm- Robin, I- I'm so, so very sorry. That was dreadfully clumsy of me and- I am truly sorry for-" Lucina stammered through her fingers, feeling her face burning even hotter with every word as a part of her just wanted to curl up and die.

There was a painfully long pause before, slowly, Robin reached for his napkin, mopping up the water as best he could. "It's alright, Lucina. Accidents happen," Robin assured her, smiling gently. He chuckled then as Lucina hastily thrust her napkin into his hands as well, using it as well to dry off. He waved off the waiter who rushed over to help, quickly apologizing on Lucina's behalf. Still mortified as she was, Lucina found herself even more thankful for Robin handling it so as to not cause even more of a scene.

It was only after a few moments longer and when Robin had managed to somewhat dry himself off that Lucina finally worked up the courage to speak again. "Are you quite alright? I'm dreadfully sorry, it was an accident and very clumsy of me. I didn't mean- I hope I didn't ruin your clothes, did I?"

"Well other than the fact water is my one weakness and I am going to melt into a puddle at any moment, I'm alright," Robin answered, his jest certainly an attempt to dispel any tension from the matter. He flashed her a reassuring smile, holding out his palms in a gesture for her to relax. "It's just water, Lucina. It's no big deal, really."

"I know but… now I've gone and embarrassed both of us," Lucina told him, sheepishly, wishing she could hide from the looks the other patrons had given them during the commotion.

"I came in here certain I'd do something to completely ruin the whole date. Since that hasn't happened, I consider this a victory," Robin told her.

"Really, you do not need to jest so, Robin. I admit my mistake and ask for your forgiveness for my lack of coordination," Lucina told him. "I knew this would happen, that I'd mess this up and- make a scene or- embarrass both of us. I hope you can understand, that I am still terrible at this. I've never been on a date before and I wanted this to go well," She looked away fidgeting with her hands as her cheeks flushed again.

His response caught her completely off guard, a deep belly laugh emanating from the tactician. "No, I- I'm dead serious, Lucina. I honestly expected to somehow blow this whole thing, Truly, I've been a nervous wreck all day, terrified. It's still, I know, but…" he shook his head, the gesture carrying with it both bewilderment and bemusement in equal measure. "I am just thankful it seems like we both were driving ourselves crazy over this."

Lucina nodded. "And you are sure then that I am not embarrassing you?" she asked.

Robin reached out, taking her hand. "Of course not. And even if you did, it couldn't be any worse than I could embarrass myself."

Lucina laughed at this, finding herself at last put at ease by both his admission and jest. She smiled back.

It was about then that the waiter returned with their food. So it was that their date resumed, the incident quickly behind them and forgotten.

. . . . .

Morgan peered through the book she was holding up over her face, having ingeniously cut eye-holes to allow her to see through it. Next to her on the bench, Cynthia was doing the same, their disguises having allowed them to move to a spot with a direct view through a window to the couples' table.

"Nice recovery from father, but why are they still not making out? They started holding hands and everything!" Morgan fumed, stamping her foot in frustration.

"You are really hung up on this, huh?" Cynthia noted. She was snacking again, having slipped away to buy doughnuts from a nearby stall. She offered one to Morgan, who again shoved her hand away.

Normally, Morgan would have taken the doughnut, but this wasn't a normal situation. This was serious business after all, so serious that not even a delicious pastry could sway her focus!

"I had a plan Cynthia, and the two of them making out is part of it! This needs to be romantic! Romantic, I say!" Morgan answered, practically shouting. She threw her book up into the air to punctuate her statement, froze, and then scrambled to retrieve it before she could be spotted.

"If you say so… oooh, I wonder what they ordered," Cynthia said, peering intently through the eyeholes in her own book.

As Morgan reoriented her ingenious disguise, she was already planning their next move. Once they finished eating, she and Cynthia would need to get moving. The moonlit stroll was to be alongside the river that ran through the city, meaning before then they'd need to get to their chosen hiding spot. Luckily, there were several large trees growing by the water that would be perfectly suited for that very purpose.

. . . . .

Hand in hand, the two of them walked alongside the cobbled street that ran alongside the river, the way illuminated from the candle lamps that glowed above and the light of the full moon overhead. The air was calm and the riverside peaceful, away from the continued bustle of the market even after sunset.

"I was skeptical of her plan at first, but I think we can say Morgan's idea was a good one," Lucina noted, speaking up after a while. They'd spoken little since leaving the cafe, having been more than content to just enjoy each other's company while on the stroll

"Nerves aside, I agree. I've had a wonderful time," Robin agreed. The two came to a stop, gazing out over the water near a large oak tree. The moon shone bright overhead, its silvery disk reflected as a rippling mirror on the surface of the river. "I hope I wasn't too nervous though. As I've said before, I don't have much experience with this sort of thing and…" he trailed off, realizing he was ruining the moment.

Lucina squeezed his hand reassuringly, turning to look into his eyes. "Neither have I. But regardless, I loved this evening greatly, Robin. I hope we can continue to spend moments like these together, even after we are no longer dating and instead are properly wed."

"I'd like that," Robin agreed. He found himself entranced by her beauty there, her eyes seeming almost to shimmer where they caught the silvery moonlight and the distant flicker of the lanterns.

Slowly, the two of them began to step closer, leaning closer and closer until their lips almost met. There was a gust of wind, dry leaves swirling upon it. Amongst the soft whistle, there was something else. Almost sounding like muffled voices.

Robin stepped back, breaking from soon-to-be-kiss. "Sorry, hold on one moment," Robin apologized, holding up a hand for her to wait. He turned suddenly, sweeping a hand towards a nearby tree. "Elwind!" A vortex of air shot towards the treetops, shaking the branches and sending a flurry of leaves into the air. There were two surprised yelps, followed by the silhouettes of two figures falling from the branches into the river with two loud splashes.

"There we go," Robin said, turning back to Lucina.

"Was that…"

"Yeah…" Robin confirmed. He rubbed the back of his neck. "Morgan and Cynthia have been spying on us the whole date."

"Ah, I suppose we can scold them later then. Provided the unexpected bath isn't punishment enough." Lucina laughed, squeezing his hands tighter. "Now, where were we?"

Smiling back, and satisfied there were no more onlookers, Robin leaned in, his and Lucina's lips meeting in a long, drawn-out kiss. When they at last separated, both were blushing, yet with huge, dumb smiles on both their lips.

"This was nice. We should do it again sometime," Lucina told him.

"Yes. We should," Robin agreed. As first dates went, this hadn't been all too bad.