Work Text:
"It's all on us now," he whispered, looking up into the stormy sky, the Fell Dragon weaving ominously through the clouds and lightning. He couldn't help but grip Falchion tightly to his side, as if could offer him some semblance of peace. Thunder echoed across the land, mixed with the hellish, guttural shrieks of the vile beast consuming the skies above him, creating a horrendous cacophony. The sounds made him shiver
"What if we fail? What if I let everyone down? What if we lose Robin FOREVER and-"
He cut the last thought short with a shake of his head. Chrom's gaze fell to the ground, and he felt the weight of everything start to sink onto his shoulders and slowly begin to suffocate him.
Dark thoughts whirled through his mind. Thoughts of loss, and blood, and death, the horrors that had taken place in another world, and the inevitable choice between slaying Grima himself or letting Robin deal the final blow - him dead set on the prior and Robin on the later. He felt himself desperately spiraling deeper into the dark fog of his anxieties when suddenly, Robin's hand slipped into his line of sight, cutting through all the noise. She held her open palm outstretched, the way he had for her all those moons ago when they first met.
Chrom raised his gaze hesitantly to hers. She had always been able to see through him, to know just what he was thinking. He on the other hand, wasn't ever truly quite sure what to expect from her. While they fought as quite the formidable pair in the heat of battle and worked excellently as a team, Robin was always thinking several steps ahead at any given time and on another playing field entirely with her unparelled strategies. Even with everything that had happened and all the shattering revelations of her lineage and identity, she was standing tall and stalwart in setting things right. Today was no different. Robin's deep brown eyes radiated determination. She had a plan.
"Listen," she began slowly, thinking carefully over her words. "I know you want to save everyone, I do too, but if all we do is focus on the fears and the many ways things could go awry, all we'll be able to do is worry ourselves to death out there. At one point we just have to brace ourselves and work with what we've got."
Robin gently reached out closer toward her husband, and Chrom gently took her hand in his own.
Lightning flashed in her eyes, briefly turning brown to gold. She looked absolutely ethereal in that split second, with her hair creating a halo of light around her. His gaze was breathlessly fixed on his wife.
"That being said, we're going to play this smart. We're going into this trying our hardest, and I believe that we can end this once and for all. So don't think for a second that we aren't going to do our damnest to set this right."
Her voice softened as she gently squeezed Chrom's hand and stepped closer. He felt tears welling in his eyes as she went on. Gods, he loved her so much and he was so scared of losing her.
"We're the Shepherds, and we will follow you to the ends of the earth, but don't you dare take all of that on your shoulders like we haven't chosen to be here. We are standing by your side, carrying this weight right alongside you. You don't have to do everything alone to be a good leader."
Robin's voice wavered for a moment, as she leaned in and brushed the tears from Chrom's eyes. He had always tried so hard to keep his fears to himself, but one didn't need to be a tactician to see that the prince truly wore his heart on his sleeve, for better or for worse. But... she had always loved that about him.
"No matter what happens, we forge our own destiny and we will prove it here and now - together. We are bound by unbreakable ties and I know they're strong enough to see us through." She held his face in her hands and steadily held his gaze. "Do you trust me?" She asked softly.
Chrom pulled Robin in close and held her tight. He didn't ever want to let her go. He was so scared, more scared than he'd ever been in his life. He had lost so much and he was sure losing her would be the thing that broke him. But he had to believe this wasn't the last time they'd be together.
He took a shaky breath and held his wife close, burying his face in her neck.
"Always, my love." He promised.