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The chaos after the most recent battle was quickly drowned out with laughter and loud conversations. Around the crackling campfire, the Shepherds’ faces were brightly lit. Robin sat alone on a log a bit further from the fire, still uncertain about. her place in this ecstatic group of new comrades.
Barrels of ale that they'd received for helping the villagers laid on the ground, half empty now that Vaike and Sully had finished their drinking competition. Robin wasn't usually much for drinking, but the festive atmosphere had washed over her, and she was now partway through her third jug. This wasn't her first time drinking since waking up in that field, but it still made her feel tipsy just the same.
She stared into it absent mindedly, huddling inside her coat trying to protect herself from the cold wind that had started to pick up as night fell. All of the sudden, a familiar hand landed on her shivering shoulder. Her head shot up to find Chrom's eyes gently studying her face with a warmth that could chase off the chilly night and stop all the tingling in her arms.
"May I join you?" he asked with a big grin on his face. With a confirming nod from Robin, he immediately planted himself beside her while still leaving a bit of distance between them.
"Aren't you feeling cold with your arm out, Prince Chrom?" she teasingly asked while shifting slightly closer to him. She stopped a moment later and looked at him. "If our great captain catches cold it might be the end of this army."
Chrom sighed and tilted his head to meet her eyes. "I beg of you to stop calling me by titles. We are great friends, Robin. And we are all equal here."
Robin closed her eyes and tilted her head back a bit "I'll think on it."
Small friendly banters between them felt so natural. For Robin, it provided a break from all the worries occupying her mind. Chrom would seek her out multiple times throughout the day and always consulted with her for both minor and major decisions. This routine of theirs—being depended on by him—felt just right in her mind. It was like she'd known him for years instead of mere weeks. And unlike with other members of the group, she never felt uneasy around him.
A voice from behind suddenly startled both of them—Sully dragging a passed out Vaike to his tent after claiming another victory. She looked at them and gave a small whistle.
"Don't stay up too late, you two lovebirds," she half yelled. Despite the tone she used, her smirk was unmistakably satisfied.
Chrom blinked after her, confused for a moment, before turning back and realizing all of his friends had already made their way to sleeping tents. The campfire that minutes ago was bursting with flames had now dwindled, its light replaced by that of the bright moon.
He looked to Robin. Her cheeks had turned brighter pink and she was drawing her coat tighter around herself, shoulders hunched and white puffs of air escaping her mouth as she blew on her hands. Even her fingers were shaking a little from the cold.
"Oh, Robin. You should’ve said something,” he murmured to her.
She adjusted in her seat to try and bring some more warmth to her hands "Ah—sorry. Guess I got distracted."
Within a moment, Chrom had pushed himself closer—way too close for an unsuspecting Robin—and wrapped them both in his cape, placing his arm around her shoulder. Robin stiffened and let out a small gasp. Warmth radiated from her friend and she found herself naturally leaning more into him, laying her head onto his shoulder and closing her eyes.
The breath left Chrom's chest as Robin got close. For a moment he sat there shocked at both his newfound braveness and her reaction to it. Trying to ignore how loud his heartbeat suddenly sounded in his ears, he worked to justify how they'd ended up like this, but Robin's nearness was making it hard to focus. Since meeting her, he had become aware of just how beautiful of a woman Robin was, and now, with the softness of her hair on his, bare arm and the warmth of her face clinging to it, he had found himself more aware of it than ever. The faint smell of flowers and parchment that always radiated from her was stronger up close—a realization that brought a feeling of embarrassment with it.
Instinctively, he gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze, only to flinch slightly after at his own impulse. It was a quick, embarrassed jolt, but it made Robin lift her head up.
She locked her eyes with his, and for a brief moment he could see a faint crinkle of worry on her face. Or was it disappointment?
"Ah—sorry,” he said quickly, hands rising in a gesture like he was trying to defend himself. "I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable, I got lost in thought and-"
Robin cut him off gently, "Chrom, it's late. We both should get some sleep"
"Oh…yes, right" he stood up and cleared his throat ." May I walk you to your tent, then?" he offered.
"No, it’s fine!" she dismissed him quickly. "I-I know the way. Goodnight, Chrom."
Before he could protest, Robin shoot to her feet, spun around on her heel and walked into the darkness that hung around their camp.
Chrom blinked after her, his pale cape still slightly visible around her withdrawing figure, as she'd forgotten to give it back to him before walking away. Well, practically running away, really.
"… Goodnight, then," he whispered to himself and retreated to his own tent.
Robin didn’t slow down until she reached her tent, nearly tripping over the flap in her hurry to get inside and hide. She collapsed onto her bedroll and buried her face in her blanket, heat rushing to her ears before she realized that she still had Chrom's cape wrapped around herself.
Why had that felt so natural? So easy? As if leaning into him was something she'd done a thousand times before?
I was so close to him without even realizing…
And he pulled away so suddenly…
Gods, what if he was uncomfortable but didn't know how to tell me?
Robin shook his cape off her shoulders and gently placed it on the chair next to the table she used to draw maps for their meetings. She adjusted how it laid with great care—as if it was the most precious thing to her—a piece of him. She stared at it for a short moment and returned to her sleeping bag, curling on her side and pulling her knees up to her chest.
Sleep didn’t come quickly. Her thoughts lingered on the way Chrom reacted and the worry that things between them would be awkward tomorrow. She bit her lower lip and rolled to the other side, trying to find a comfortable position to sleep in; but every time she closed her eyes, all she could see and feel was Chrom close to her, the warmth radiating from him, and his big, gentle hand squeezing her shoulder.
