Chapter Text
A soft uncomfortable noise escapes from between lips.
There's a mild pain, an ache throughout his entire body. Even in the endless dark void he's come to be familiar with that surrounds him, he's vaguely aware of it.
Which, is the cause for him to stir awake.
Crimson stare ahead, at the unfamiliar ceiling above.
Although illogical at the moment, he can't help but to think if he's dead.
After blinking a few times to clear his blurred vision, he trails his gaze across another yet, unfamiliar room.
Mild confusion fills him in his hazy state, of just where exactly he is. This room is unfamiliar to him, it's not that of his palace or of the castle of house Ylisse...
Closing eyelids to rest for a moment, he discards trying to remember bits of memories when there's a dull ache of a headache forming.
Or at least, until he tries to move.
A sharp stinging pain shoots up from the front of his abdomen and leaves another dull ache through out his entire body, causing him to fall back into the comfort of the sheets underneath him with a sharp inhale.
Grima groans out after the pain had subsided for the meantime.
Okay, he's definitely alive. Unless you feel the pain of your end forever more in the stillness of death, the afterlife.
Prying off the light blanket that covers him, Grima brings fingers to delicately trace over his now bandaged torso after a moment to inspect it. Laying back on the soft sheets and bedding, Grima can't help but to recall that this had happened before, in fact with a certain young child of a certain idiot Goddess. Bits of memories are starting to come back to him, what had happened in those final moments at the world alter, at the dragon's table.
Yes, they are all still there when the burning pain had reminded him of just why he's injured.
Taking a direct hit from that idiot Naga explains why he isn't fully recovered. Just like the incident with her own child, Tiki, it would take some time to heal completely on it's own.
"That idiot can't even do a simple job correctly..." Grima grumbles with himself. But still, he thinks within the silence of the room. His life should have been taken in that moment when Naga had slashed through him. Grima felt everything in that single moment, felt her make contact with skin...
Just what exactly happened...? Grima can't help but question now, carefully attempting to sit up once more without irritating his injuries. When he is at the beds edge, Grima turns his head to look around the room he's currently in. He doesn't bother to check his bandaged torso from underneath his tan shirt, he'll deal with that later but right now, he's still just a bit confused at the moment as to what happened.
But he's startled when there's a faint knock of the wooden door of the room's entrance across from him.
Grima's fullest attention is drawn directly onto the door as a muffled voice comes from the other side, excusing themselves before the door pushes open.
And this is where the most strangest encounter he's ever had happens.
They meet each other's gazes despite the hood that looms over them but, the God can feel their stare even through the light fabric.
"Oh.. OH! Oh my gosh! You're awake!" The hooded stranger beams brightly across at him, excitement laced in their voice. They quickly rush over to his side, and Grima recalls seeing them briefly at that alter like place before he had crashed to the ground in pain. Before he could even give an answer, the stranger speaks up again.
"Okay first of all, how are you feeling? Are you alright? Do you hurt badly anywhere? WAIT! Do you remember what happened before you fainted? DO YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE? Or, um... Anyways! Man, I've never had a summoning session like that before! You had me scared half to death, but I'm so happy to know that you're okay! I thought that you were actually going to die, but we got help from the nearest healers. Although, they said that they couldn't fully restore you... So, how'd you get like that anyways? Wait, wait! I need to introduce myself! Wait, no, I should get the others first, yeah... Could you hold on for a minute? I'll be right back!" The hooded stranger says while already rushing out the door without another word, leaving the God alone once again.
"Uh..." Grima could only blink, what just happened...?
Though, something the other has said strikes him.
Summoning session? What?
Walking along the marble floors, through empty halls, Grima still continues to think back about earlier in the day.
He is very much alive and had been summoned to this whole different world. Having met the royal siblings, Alfonse and Sharena. Who look over the order of heroes, alongside the summoner, Kiran, who had been the one in the white coat, as they explain the situation he's currently in.
Grima could accept all of this told to him, it isn't as strange to him with all that had happened in his own world.
Even so, this whole situation still seems unreal to him, like a strange dream.
Although, it isn't so farfetched really. The possibilities that there are endless timelines, universes, realms, these aren't as impossible as the human mind could process.
As a God himself, he had accepted that there were other universes besides his own. anything could be possible.
Especially after seeing the multiple timelines in his dreams from another life, another reincarnation's memories.
But who would have thought that the summoning would have occurred in those what were supposed to be the final moments? Well, not Grima. Which he had learnt that it had been that bright light back then in his own world.
He also learns that they are at what seeming to be an ongoing war, which the summoner has the unique ability to summon forth "heroes" from multiple other realms, so using this power they ask for aid of those summoned.
Informing him that he had been summoned as a "hero."
Grima can't help but think that is a mistake.
He is no hero, far from it.
A short sigh escapes Grima as he continues to explore what he can. After all, the trio earlier did mention that if he were feeling better that he could walk freely about the castle grounds to get familiarized with the layout.
They all really do seem like nice people, the God thinks while walking down corridors. Also, these two siblings really do strike at Grima's heart, almost like another pair of certain royal siblings he knows. And the summoner, Kiran, something about them seems so familiar to him.
They are a bit odd, though.
The summoner had seemed so overly ecstatic when Grima had introduced himself to the trio.
Another sigh escapes the God once more, coming to a stop in front of one of the many large windows that overlooks outside while strange people walk about on the castle grounds.
This feels all too familiar with him, fond memories flooding back of exploring foreign grounds he finds himself in. Just like when he had first left his palace, when he had accepted the offer of staying in house Ylisse, and so many more fun times. In truth, the God only opted to take the suggested offer to look around the castle grounds to distract himself from his thoughts.
Yet, Grima still finds himself left alone with them either way.
Recalling back, there's a small wash of sadness that settles within him thinking about her, about Robin.
She had been a victim as well, within her own timeline.
Although he can't fully understand, only seeing the small fragments of memories through her, he understood just why she had done what she did.
There is more to her side that he hadn't spoken of, kept to himself.
After what she had done in her own world, her own timeline. She had played the part of the villain, or what she had called herself, the fell dragon.
He had confronted her, she had been force, there was no choice in the matter during that time in her life.
In each of those worlds he's seen that she had destroyed, left in ashes, they all had already fallen, or were in process of falling. They, Robin, Grima, were already the fell dragon.
However, Grima knows that her actions still weren't the right choices to make.
Robin's words still echo inside his mind.
"Like pawns of a script, our fates have already been decided. There is no world where "Robin" is free, where we are unbonded from this."
Grima understood, knew, what she had meant when she spoke those words with such despise and hatred in her voice, even he had thought more about the meaning behind them.
That, maybe they really are like pawns of a script, where everything is already laid out. That they all fall victim to the one called "Grima" in the end, in different forms.
Maybe he shouldn't really have been allowed to exist like she had said to him. Where in these multiverses, the name, being, Grima, is overtaken by darkness, is pure evil.
But Grima wouldn't let himself fall too fast, too easily. To let his own world burn into nothing but ashes by his hands.
Which is the whole reason he had pleaded with those idiots. If he were gone, the source that would cause everything to end up like those multiple worlds, timelines, he's seen through Robin's memories... then the world could move on.
Even without him.
As if being reminded, the wound across his abdomen begins to burn with an ache again.
"Ugh..." Grima's gaze trails down to where Naga had struck him hidden underneath the fabric of his tan shirt, the proof that she had indeed tempted to end his life with her own divine power.
She had been swift as she had said, and she would have ended his life on the spot if it weren't for being rudely interrupted of his self-sacrifice by now what he knows had been a summoning.
Then Chrom had..
"Oh." A pang hits Grima thinking of the prince, another ache flowing through him. In his chest, in his heart of remembering the few fleeting seconds before the light had taken him, when Naga had struck him with her divine power.
Chrom had called out his name, was rushing over, running over to his side just like how they promised.
When their eyes had met for the briefest of moments, Grima could see the prince's heart break then, the sadness within them azure blues he's adored while he reached out his hand for him.
He's a liar, Grima can't help but sadly smile to himself. Just how many times is he going to keep breaking Chrom's heart? He doesn't deserve his kindness and forgiveness...
Grima comes to a realization then.
He had felt that same familiar presents of the prince by his side before falling into his sleep, he could have sworn he heard Chrom's unmistakable voice in the mix with the other humans trying to help him in the courtyard.
At the same time, however... It had felt different.
Unfamiliar, strange, like it wasn't the prince but still had the same comforting presents Grima's come to known.
Grima shakes his head, tries to reason with himself.
They say humans experience strange hallucinations while at death's door, maybe even if a God such as himself, his own consciousness had conjure up the comfort of the prince by his side before his own end.
But... Grima's breath hitches in his throat, heart beating loudly in his ears, mind coming to a explainable, logical conclusion.
This world, this is... it's possible that another...
"There you are, Robin!" The God can't help but to lift his head when somebody calls out that name from down the wide empty hall. His eyes land on of a young girl who quickly walks over towards him with confidents in her steps and Grima can't help but to take her appearance in.
He takes in her form, the design of her clothes that almost resemble ones of another set he's seen in the past, the shade of her blue eyes that almost matches her long locks...
This child that stands in front of him, Grima feels as if he's seen her somewhere before.
"Honestly, I've been looking all over the place for you. You said that you would help me with—" She cuts herself mid-sentence when their eyes meet, when blue meet red in the silence.
Her eyes, they seem too familiar to Grima. Almost like a certain prince's own.
"You're...!" The God is soon met with a pair of cold piercing eyes narrowed directed towards him. However, Grima is drawn towards the brand of that idiot Goddess within her azure blues.
There's a chill that runs down his spine, for unknown reasons to him.
"You...!" She speaks again with spite in her voice, now distancing herself from him with a glare. "I... I don't understand why they would save you of all people... You should have died where you laid at the alter!" She almost shakes in place with such anger, her hands clutching into fists at her sides.
He is calm despite this child yelling at him, saying such horrid things to him.
This child who is most likely speaking of what had happened at the alter, or whatever the summoner had called it earlier, Grima assumes. But as he silently stands in place, his eyes trail over her, taking in her appearance and features once more.
He hasn't a clue who she could be but, she clearly knows who he is. And the more that he looks at her, the more he feels as if he's seen her somewhere before.
But, where...?
Grima's attention is drawn back once more when her piercing eyes seem to get colder, with hate. Grima has seen that exact same look directed towards him before, from Robin.
"Why would you of all people be summoned?! You are no hero, far from it! So why?!" She interrupts his thoughts, and Grima mentally smacks himself for being rude, for not paying her much attention while she continues to raise her voice towards him.
He also can't help but to silently agree with her words, though.
That he is no hero.
"After what you did..! To everyone... You're all the same! I'll never forgive you!" Her voice echoes off the walls, her anger and spite directed towards Grima in still narrowed eyes.
Oh, realization hits Grima. Taking her words, her anger that is only meant for him, his name.
She clearly had some painful experiences in her youthful life, something that Grima can't understand. She knows who he is, it's clear by how much hatred is within those blues. Also, it isn't hard to put the pieces together as to what this child in front of him could be speaking of, Grima should have expected this.
He's seen what Robin had done, seen what he's done.
Grima knows that he technically hadn't done the cruel things that Robin had done in his own world, but they are the same person throughout these multiple timelines, born from the same soul. This child in front of him is probably another victim to any of the reincarnations, if all the timelines he's seen through Robin's eyes play out the same in each world.
So much differently then his own.
"After what you've done.. after all that you had taken.. all the pain you've caused all of us! You shouldn't be alive!" She grits out, her pained eyes sending icy cold daggers into Grima.
"And yet you still—"
"I'm sorry." Grima interrupts her, lowering his head in apology. Or maybe to allow his hood to hide him, protect himself from her cold glares.
Her breath shutters for a moment before a long pause falls between them.
She speaks.
"You're sorry? You think all that you've done will be fixed with an apology?" A bitter laugh escapes from her, like she doesn't believe his word.
"No." Grima replies, honest. He knows it isn't much but that is all he can offer her, he's sorry for what his other selves has done. He's seen what cruelty lays within his hands if he were to act upon it.
Although, maybe that wasn't the smartest thing to say though, because in the next instant, she strides over with quicken steps, closing the space she had put between them.
Grima doesn't know what to expect, so he runs, flees from her.
"You coward! I'm not—"
He admits its not the most Godly thing to do but, Grima doesn't know what to do.
He is at least grateful that the halls are empty once he slows his pace to a stop, light panting escaping from him. Ugh, Grima inwardly groans, resting a hand against a wall for support. He's never ran so fast for his life in so long, since he was a mere child.
Other then that, Grima sighs out a breath of relief after recollecting himself.
But... his chest aches again, for a whole different reason. Because he's certain he knows that child now, by the brand in her eye, her name, he's seen and heard it in his dreams... And her father...
If Grima were paying attention to his surroundings, he would have registered the sounds of armor clanking over towards him. He isn't focused, not right now.
So when he calls out a name, not his, Grima's stills in place, his heart beating loudly in his ears.
"Robin? What's wrong? Are you alright?"
The God's heart beats too painfully, yet, just hearing his voice sends such warmth throughout him, brings comfort to him. Has him yearning to reach out to the other, to be in the other's hold.
Grima presses trembling hands close to him, he isn't sure as to why he's reacting this way... is it ridiculous to be afraid to turn around?
There's words on his tongue, a name, when he lifts his head, eyes trailing up of a design of white armor. But it dies in his throat when he meets those same azure blues he's just ran away from.
He's really found himself in a whole other new world.
"Chrom..." Grima can't help but to stare into those pools of blues he's come to adore over time spent with the prince.
And there is Chrom, staring back into his own pools of red.
Grima's heart stops just for a moment again, a too familiar feeling takes over, the other's presents in front of him calms the God as his hands almost reach out for him.
But he stops himself from reaching out, everything stops the moment those azure slightly narrow with caution, they almost reflect those same emotions the girl had shown towards him, his own child. There's a wariness, a warning look settling in those blues directed towards him like Grima himself is a dangerous threat.
The God supposes he is.
It's only the two of them in the wide hallway, silence filling the space between them as red stare into blue.
The God's lips draw into a flat line after a small breath escapes from him, a poor attempt to calm himself and his heart. Because there stands Chrom, so familiar yet so different at the same time. Grima trails his gaze over the white of his armor, the small intricate pattern along the steel lined with gold, how his cape flows almost gracefully behind, and falchion still resting at it's place at his hip. This attire is much different then that of both outfits Grima's seen before.
Embarrassingly enough, the first thought that crosses his mind is that, Chrom looks like a rather charming white knight.
Grima flushes, is the first to avert his gaze elsewhere, casting his previous thought elsewhere after the long stretch of silence continues to go on, staring in no where particular asides from the prince standing a pace ways in front of him.
In truth, it's getting to be a bit awkward.
Realization dawns across Grima then, his face heats with a whole other sort of embarrassment. He, he almost reached out towards the other, despite the fact that this Chrom isn't... he's a completely different soul, a different reincarnation.
Nooo, Grima inwardly cries with himself, fighting the urge to hide his face away.
It feels wrong, somehow.
"You're..." Chrom's voice breaks the awkward silence between them. Grima lifts his head to take a brief glance towards him when he speaks, though the prince trails his own gaze off to the side before they could lock eyes. "I uh, I should apologize. I'm sorry for mistaking you for..." He trails off, mumbling the rest of his unfinished sentence.
The God doesn't need to hear the rest to understand what Chrom is apologizing for, and really, it's not that big of a deal.
"No, it's alright." Grima responds calmly, despite his racing heart. He wants to laugh, brush off the prince's worries with a smile, but... This, it still feels wrong to be this close to the prince.
Although this one is a completely different reincarnation, a different soul, after how much he had possibly hurt the prince in his own world.... he should be dead, and yet here he is, still drawing breath. And by how this Chrom had called him Robin prior, well, the thought makes him uneasy with the knowledge that there are alternate versions of him walking about. Which means there are surely those who he's... ugh, Grima is starting to feel a headache forming again by just thinking about everything.
Perhaps he should return back to the safety of the room he had been residing in, wait for the summoner or whatever they had called themselves to return back from having rushed off with the young royal siblings earlier in the day.
"Are you alright?" Chrom's voice returns the God back from his thoughts. This time, he meets the God's gaze even if it's for a fleeting moment, yet, there's concern that reflects in his blues and in his voice that sends a small ache through Grima's chest.
"I mean, uh, how.. how is your wound?" Chrom asks, and he must notice the mild confusion in Grima's expression because he motions towards his torso with a nod of his head. ""Er, word spreads quickly around here so.. uh.."
Warmth blooms across the God's chest as he draws in a breath, and he has to fight the smile that threatens to form on his lips, because even now, Chrom is...
"It's fine." Comes Grima's short simple answer. Although it doesn't feel like much as an odd feeling nags him that he should give the other a proper explanation. "Well, It's not entirely healed, but over time it will."
"Oh, I see..." The prince trails off again. There's still an uncertain edge to his voice while speaking with him but a small sigh escapes from Chrom shortly after, like he is relieved to know this little clarification which just sends Grima's heart aching even more for completely different reasons.
"Yes, so, I'll be taking my leave now." Grima decides that now should be a good time to make his exit, wanting to get away from those piercing eyes casted on him, although still avoiding to meeting his own gaze. The God doesn't think he'd last too long locking glances with the prince either way.
Grima steps aside to pass the prince without even waiting for a response even though rude of him, but this is too much for him. He wasn't prepared to meet, see, the prince so soon. Wasn't prepared, could never be prepared to be the one underneath the distrustful, uncertain guarded look in Chrom's gaze.
The God is thankful that he's managed to at least get some distance between them both, or at least, until Chrom speaks up.
"Wait!" He calls out to him, across the distance between them that seems, feels so small now with how quick Chrom's voice reaches him. Grima comes to a stop, he doesn't turn back around to face him, only halts in place to allow the prince to continue.
"You're.. you're Grima.. aren't you?" He says his name, spilling out the truth between them both.
The God hadn't realized he was holding in a breath, not until it comes out almost in a shutter. Somehow, for some reason, the way Chrom spoke his name, it sends cold dread washing over him.
The briefest of hint of hate.
Suddenly, the God doesn't feel to well as his vision blurs, the walls turning upright, or sideways as a rush of dizziness over takes him. He stumbles to the side, maybe, in attempt to steady himself against the wall as the dizzying sensation throws off the God's balance while the whole hallway swirls.
Oh, Grima thinks, vaguely aware that he's falling down towards the marble floors. Perhaps, he may have over exerted himself with how his abdomen burns with pain along with how his body feels weak in that moment. Maybe running with a tender wound still recovering wasn't such a good idea, Grima curses himself, eyelids shutting tight to await for the hard impact of the floors below.
He doesn't end up making contact with the ground, though.
Far from it, actually.
A breath is caught in Grima's throat when slowly blinking his eyes open, heart beating rapidly in his chest, the dizziness fading away that when the world stills, all he can see is the white of the prince's armor. Lifting his gaze, heat rushes to Grima's face.
Chrom is close, too close that the God can feel his breath on his lips, his azure eyes staring into his own crimson while his grasp around him, around his waist, doesn't loosen.
It's only the two of them alone in this wide empty hallway and Grima's heart thumps loudly in his ears.
"Are you alright?" Chrom asks again after a moment of pure silence passes.
"I uh," Words fail to come to Grima, so he offers a silent nod of his head, feels his face burn even more at just how close they are to one another. "I just got dizzy, is all." He meekly admits after another moments pause.
"You shouldn't exert yourself." Chrom sighs afterward, his tone almost scolding. He withdraws his hold around the God but his hand still hovers near, just in case another rush of dizziness occurs suddenly. The God offers another silent nod before opening his mouth to say his thanks however, they're both startled when there's a loud screech from down the hall.
"AAAH?! W-Wha— I can't— MY HEART!"
They both turn to be met with the sight of the summoner, Kiran, clutching at their chest, slumped against the wall.
Grima flushes, for some odd reason it feels as if they've been caught doing something so... Ugh, Grima wants to hide his face into his hands, shifting away from the prince next to him. Chrom also seems to realize just how close together they are, a small flush coating his cheeks as he quickly steps away from a flustered God to allow some space between them once more.
"Uh, sorry about that." Chrom turns his head to the side, clearing his throat. Grima could only nod in response once more, trying to calm his heart.
"Ho, ho... I see you two are getting acquainted. Yes, yes. Very good." The summoner's tone of voice is teasing, but they look rather proud where they stand after having closed the distance to stand near the pair with a grin. "Otp really do find one another even in the multiverse..." Kiran dreamily sighs out to themselves, placing a hand over their chest again.
There's still an awkward presents that still lingers in the air but the summoner seems to be ignoring it as they turn to smile up at the prince.
"Actually! What good timing, Chrom! Saves me the hassle of finding wherever Alfonse ran off too. You'd think that he could at least wait for me to finish with my own things before deciding to be antisocial... sigh." Kiran crosses their arms with a small pout.
The prince raises a curious brow at the latter, "Oh? If you need something of me, I'm happy to aid you in anyway I can." Chrom replies, and Grima watches the two interact with one another. He also takes notice of how the prince's demeanor changed when speaking with the summoner. There's the cheerful, although faint, personality of his in his voice, in his expression and Chrom isn't as tense as he had been just minutes ago, when it had ben the two of them.
This little information, it sends a small pang through the God's chest.
"Yeah, but first... I was actually looking for you too, Grima!" Grima's attention is drifted back when the summoner addresses him. "We can now get down to business!" Kiran smiles excitedly towards the God, bouncing on their heels in place.
"business...?" Grima repeats, are they going to do this right here, out in the open, in the middle of the hallway?
"Yup! Did you think about the offer, then?" Kiran questions with a cheerful, hopeful, smile from underneath their own hood of white fabric. They still bounce on their heels, waiting for an answer, almost like an excited child that Grima might actually feel a bit guilty if he were to decline.
Truthfully, Grima hadn't actually put much thought into the summoner's and both royal siblings request of helping aid in their war. In all honesty, the God's intentions were to decline. How could he even provide any aid, be of use to these humans? He can't offer any help, not when his own divine power feels as if it isn't... Grima sighs out, his answer decided and firm.
"I...." But, the God's refusal dies in his throat when he turns to face the summoner. The expression upon their face... they look as if they're actually about to burst into tears.
"NOO!! PLEASE! PLEASE STAY! IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU'RE GONNA SAY NO!" Kiran cries out. "Please! I want you to stay! You're Grimaa!! Please!! The— The last one was a female and she didn't want to cooperate so I had to send her back home and, and, and—" They continue to cry, pleading with him to stay.
"..."
Words fail to come to Grima, not while the summoner continues to count off reasons why he should stay, to help fight in the war. Even so the God side glances towards the prince for some sort of form for help, who only stands there with an awkward glance off to the side.
"And I love you, and, and, I really, really want you to—"
"Will you stop crying if I agreed?"
Grima tries to reassure the summoner, he doesn't want to upset them even more or worse, if someone were to stumble upon them and witness this scene carry on.
He already has a bad reputation here it seems, just for baring his name. Grima doesn't want to worsen it, if possible.
"WAAH!? YOU MEAN IT!? YOU'LL STAY!?" Kiran wheezes out, their hands spasming in the air with the biggest smile on their face. Their smile seems to grow even more when Grima gives a firm, silent nod of his head.
"YES." Kiran cheers then straightens in place. "Okay! We gotta do the whole contract thing so let's head on over to the study! And this is where you come in, Chrom." The summoner turns to face the prince before explaining, "You're now a witness. Since Alfonse ran off earlier and I don't feel like going around the whole castle to find him..." Kiran pouts off to the side again, but they shake off their gloomy mood when turning back around with a beaming smile. "I just need another person to bare witness to a signing, it's a requirement. So, all you have to do is just stand near while it takes place."
"I see. Alright, it's no problem." Chrom agrees with a firm nod of his head once the summoner finishes.
This, Grima comprehends all that's happening silently with himself as Kiran tugs at his arm, leading the way to where their study is located.
Which leads to now, the three of them now standing in a study.
During the whole way over, Grima can't stop the over bearing feeling of nervousness that washes over him. This feels surreal, somehow, Grima thinks while he listens to the prince casually chatting with the summoner.
The God pushes his worries aside, though. After stepping into the room, his eyes trail curiously across the rather plain looking study.
The door shuts behind them, allowing some privacy. There of course is a big dark wooden desk ahead of them, behind lays a rather large window with it's curtains drawn back to let the natural light in from outside. Shelves lay flat across the walls with different sorts of books and what not, but it's just a study, nothing to be fancy about.
Kiran explains the signing, although briefly at that while fumbling around the desk's drawers to retrieve out a contract before sliding it towards the God along with a pen. From the corner of his vision, Chrom stands respectfully near, waiting while the summoner finishes setting everything up.
"Alright! I got everything ready to go!" Kiran cheers, clapping their hands together while turning their attention back onto the God. "If you remember, we basically went over the important things earlier so I won't repeat them here. But, you can read over the contract first if you want." Kiran suggests with a smile, fidgeting where they stand at the other side of the desk.
"Sure." Grima mummers, setting his gaze onto the contract in front of him, He briefly skims over the entirety on the words written on the sheet and ugh, there's too many words laid across that he's not even going to bother reading whatever the contract says. The God really hadn't been fond of reading such long texts unless necessary, he'd leave it to his escort to handle.
Still, the God has a worrisome concern that involves himself. He had thought that if he were alone with the summoner, that maybe, he could somehow take back his words and be sent back to his own world.
But Grima hadn't expected Chrom to come along with them.
The God feels, knows, that this isn't going to end well at all. He inwardly sighs, he's gone too far in now. There's no point in turning back. Maybe, perhaps, they could hopefully manage to figure something out....
Grima could practically feel the summoner's excitement resonating from them when he takes ahold of the pen they placed next to the sheet of paper, and really, it's sort of endearing that he has to fight off the small chuckle that bubbles up in his throat.
He also feels Chrom's intense stare boring into him while he bares witness to this signing.
When the pen is inches away from inking the form, Grima stops himself. Not from hesitation but rather, realization had settled in, that he cannot sign the contract.
The summoner must have noticed the pause, because they ask "Uh, Is everything all right?"
"I can't sign the contract." Grima says, withdrawing his hand away from mere inches above the dotted line of the contract. Kiran turns to him with a swift motion, their worried expression seen even from underneath their hood.
"W-What? Why not?! D-Did you change your mind?" Kiran wavers, like they would cry.
Grima doesn't answer straight away, his eyes boring into the form of the contract resting on the flat of the desk in front of him awaiting his signature. But.... it can't be possible, right? Not when he's out here, so far away, not even in the same dimension anymore.
The God want's to laugh, of course something like this would happen.
"What's wrong, Robin?"
It's the sound of Chrom's voice that Grima returns back his focus onto the present matter at hand. When the God glances towards him, the prince's concern shows in his eyes and into the frown formed onto his lips. He sighs, turning his head to the side, looking anywhere asides from the other two in the room.
"I am bonded underneath a different contract. One that I cannot break." He admits truthfully.
Grima can't believe this, the contract that he had agreed to along with those three other idiots.. They all had sworn to never break free from it, that it was forbidden to sign under another, it would be considered a violation of their alignment. There would be a harsh warning, a punishment if any of them should try to break from it's confinements and the God doesn't want to push it, risk having what, a lightening bolt striking him? No, he's already injured. It'd be best to stay far away from signing another contract.
Still, now that he thinks about it, Grima supposes that they really do need to thoroughly put more thought into their own rules and settlements. Grima inwardly groans, they're all such idiots...
Then again, he would never have thought that he would find himself summoned into a whole other world.
"W-Wha..." Kiran stutters before they fall silent, staring dumbfounded at Grima. The God only sighs, feeling the headache still hovering near from earlier forming once more. "What do you mean you're under another contract? WITH WHOM?! C-Can't you like, co-side it or something? Wait, am I using the right word..." They trail off, mumbling with themselves.
"Actually," Grima starts, catching both the prince's and summoner's attention. "I think it's for the best that I don't, for you to send me back."
"Huh? But Why?" Kiran inquires, looking as if they would start pleading the God to stay again.
Grima bites at his lower lip, trailing his gaze down towards his hand. Yes, it would be for the best if he were sent back. He can't provide any aid here, not with his current state. He bites harder, ignoring the taste of iron in his mouth. In all, of what use could he be here? Or even in his own world in the matter, if he can't even, if his...
"Why is that?"
Grima's breath stills, heart pace feeling like it had stopped as well.
"Something else is clearly bothering you, so... What's the matter?"
Slowly lifting his head, to meet azure that stare back into his own crimson.
Grima stares and really he shouldn't be so surprised, Chrom always appears to know when he is troubled. Even now, the concern and worry that reflects in the prince's eyes, in this completely different Chrom, sends a small aching pang in his chest.
He's as kind and caring as ever.
Momentary silence fills the room, even Kiran quiets down from where they stand, observing them. Grima swallows nervously, lips straitening into a uncertain flat line.
"I... I can't... I cannot use my own divine power."
Grima can't help but to be truthfully honest with, and only with, Chrom.