#i am simply overcome with the urge to draw them as robins

[mysterious-trail-of-goop]

[yukiwrites]

Worry, Realization and Love

Thank you so much for commissioning me, @killroy877! I hope you like it ;D

Summary: Robin was tasked by Chrom to help Noire have more faith in herself, lest she broken down during battle and took all of their allies with her. The tactician never realized how much he had been thinking about Noire, not until a storm stranded them both inside a cave...

Commission info HERE and HERE! 

The battle against Valm raged on.

Stranded in an unknown territory and fighting for a desperate cause, the Shepherds had to be on constant watch for enemies. Say'ri knew where to lead them so they could be away from the Emperor's might, but they knew what it meant to be at war; and how to be ready for battle at the first signal.

They were headed towards the Demon’s Ingle to fight off Yen'fay's forces once and for all. However, for the past skirmishes, something had been bothering Chrom.

Not only him, but quite a dozen of his companions as well.

The Exalt approached his friend and tactician, Robin, placing one hand over his shoulder. "Robin, you know Noire, yes?"

Squinting, the tactician could already tell where this was going. "We all know Noire here, Chrom. I'm guessing you're talking about... that?"

"Yes, that." Chrom nodded, his expression sullen. "It's getting out of hand, and the people around her in battle can't focus. I want you to deal with this before someone actually gets hurt."

Robin crossed his arms, tilting his head towards his friend. "... You're just throwing this responsibility on me because you have no idea how to deal with it, aren't you?"

Chrom's brow flickered as he looked away, squeezing Robin's shoulder.

The tactician sighed, deflating in defeat. "You ass."

"Hah!" The Exalt snickered. "Thanks, Robin. I'm counting on you."

"Yeah..." Robin felt the urge to stretch his neck and shoulders, as though ready for a fierce battle. Well, he was going to fight something, in a sense.

Not only he had to deal with Tharja's stalking almost daily (she somehow lost the initial fervor after getting married to Donnel, though she was still persistent), now he would have to have a talk with her daughter.

Sure, Noire was a sweet girl. So sweet, in fact, that it was impossible to really get mad at her: she was always doing her best to be useful and not to get in anyone's way. Her mastery of the bow was unparalleled as well -- even the archest of archers recognized her skills, though by no means called her his superior.

She was a great cook, attentive to details, good with her hands and was also great at mending wounds. "I'm used to being sick and hurt, so I kind of picked up some knowledge over time," she usually said whenever someone praised her in regards to that.

Being a farmer's child, she, too, was in touch with nature, and knew how to navigate as well as survive in deep forests.

But, -- and that was the thing worrying Chrom out of his mind -- she was frail, both physically and mentally. Whenever she marched into battle, she would tremble so much it took her a long time to aim her arrows into the target. Don't get her wrong; she never missed a target and never delivered accidental friendly fire (those times with Inigo were... calculated), but the way she carried herself into battle raised the soldiers' overall anxiety.

Being her mother's daughter, Noire was an excellent lurker, -- neither foe nor ally could feel her presence behind them before she fired -- but that meant that the soldiers could always hear someone sniffling down their necks during the battle, despite not knowing where she was.

The poor thing would sometimes snap and laugh hysterically, firing so many arrows at once the allied swordsmen at the front could barely land a hit on the enemy before all foes fell to her bull's-eye.

She was doing her best, yes; but it was unnerving in more ways than one.

And now Robin was supposed to deal with it.

How, exactly? He knew Noire didn't mean anything bad by behaving the way she did; on the contrary, she always made sure to make herself scarce so as not to spook people with her... loud persona. And he couldn't simply spring up to her and tell her to 'steel herself' for battle.

Everyone was scared of marching into battle, no matter how composed they were. The sturdiest of knights still directed a silent prayer to Naga before any skirmish, no matter how small; the most talented mages still took a deep breath as they erected a barrier around them once the signal was given.

Noire was just a single girl doing everything she could to overcome her fears by jumping into action. She was frail, but she still fought on; she was physically weak, but she still lunged crates and heavy buckets about so as to do her part; she knew she was unstable, and did her best to avoid people whenever she exploded.

What could one say to someone so aware of themselves like that? Robin barely started on his task and was already at a stalemate.

"For now, I suppose I'll just talk to her..." he gave up thinking and headed towards the mess hall -- surely she would be helping someone as dinner was about to be served.

He hit the nail on the mark: Noire was just drawing water from the nearby stream to help with tonight's stew.

Robin approached carefully as she filled the bucket. "Good evening, Noire."

"EEK!! R-Robin!!" Startled, Noire let go of the bucket altogether, leaving it to flow along with the stream. "Oh, no! The b-bucket!"

"Wait, I'll catch it!" The tactician moved quick on his feet, jumping over the stream so as to catch the bucket as it swayed towards the opposing bank, catching it as it was about to hit some shallow rocks. "There, I got it!"

Noire placed both hands over her chest. "T-Thank you... I'm sorry I got startled like that, but please don't sneak up on me!"

"O-oh, forgive me for scaring you. I wasn't trying to conceal my presence or anything." He jumped back to where Noire was, holding the now full bucket. "Can I carry this back since I already have it?"

"B-but I volunteered to-"

"Actually, let me carry it, please?" He tilted his head to the side, not noticing how he smiled. Watching her gave him inspiration, somehow. She was always ready to help wherever aid was needed, no matter how menial the task was.

Noire fidgeted on her feet, looking around as though someone could jump out of the bushes and scold her. "A-alright, thank you for offering..."

Robin adjusted the bucket on his left hand. "No, thank you for letting me help."

Blinking, Noire didn't know where to look, and directed her gaze downwards instead.

"Actually, that's the reason I came looking for you." Robin broke the silence.

"... To help me carry water?" She stole a glance at him, a shy smile growing by the corners of her lips.

Robin noticed he liked seeing that expression on her face, but snorted with her remark. "No, not this, but your tendency of overexerting yourself."

Noire stopped on her tracks. "... Oh."

The tactician could feel how the temperature dropped slightly and gulped. "I know you only want to be useful, but forcing yourself to help or to fight will only make you feel more and more anxious about everything."

"..." Noire remained silent, her small and thin hands trembling in a tight clutch.

Robin almost reached out to her, unsure of what he was going to do. "Everyone's scared of being at war, Noire. From the strongest soldier to the smartest mage, they're all afraid. I don't think I can offer you the best advice on how to take care of oneself, given that I've overworked myself to losing consciousness and all... But!” He took a deep breath. “But I still want to help you, Noire. It hurts me to see you so scared and sad during battle -- everyone's worried, as well, not just me."

"E-everyone? So I'm really not good at all, am I?" She finally spoke, but her voice was so very faint that Robin needed to bend his head towards her to listen. "If... If I'm not being useful, then there's no need to keep me here!" She raised her head, displaying the tears which had sprung up in her eyes. "I can't even be useful by delivery a blasted bucket to the mess hall, so what's the point in keeping me?!"

"N-Noire," Robin gasped, putting the bucket down so as to reach out to her with both hands. "It's not like that at all, Noire-"

The archer sniffled, gulping down her tears. "Thank you for delivering the water for me, Robin. I'll... go rest or whatever you want me to do. It's like everyone only sees me for my frailty." She whispered, turned on her heels and ran off.

"Wait-" Robin meant to follow, but even if he did, he didn't know what to tell her.

And there was the water to take into account, too.

What a disaster! He really was looking at her from her frailty, and not from how hard-working she had been for trying to overcome her fears! He was only seeing how weak-willed she seemed to be, when in truth, she was arguably the strongest one of them all! She fought despite only wanting to go to a peaceful home; she did random chores no one seemed to bother to do despite the condition of her body because she felt the need to assert herself!

What could one say to someone like that?

Crestfallen, Robin returned to the mess hall with the water.

"Oh, thank Naga! I was about to go draw it myself." One of the cooks in charge accepted the bucket gleefully. "Watch the skies, mister tactician. I think we're in for a great storm."

"Hm?" Distracted, Robin tilted his head upwards. The sky was clear. "But there are no clouds...?"

The woman winked, pointing to the far, far horizon. "The wind's getting too cold for comfort, despite being spring. I wager anyone who lives 'round this parts or who is acquainted with the land can feel it too."

"That's something to take into consideration..." Robin placed one hand over his chin in thought, though the faraway storm was quickly blown out of his mind as it swamped itself with Noire.

She was carrying such a great burden... What could he do to help her?

The question never left his mind, even after two days of marching. He had tried to approach the subject with her more than once, but Tharja's genes were strong in her: she knew how to disappear.

Robin sighed for the nth time that day, slightly shivering from the cold weather that's finally caught up with them. The more they approached the active volcano, the worse the weather turned.

"It's an ambush!!" One of the scouts yelled by the edge of march. "They're waiting for us at the road leading to the volcano!"

Robin widened his eyes and but a glance to Chrom was enough to make both of them nod in agreement. "Pull the convoy back and prepare everyone who can bear arms to battle! We must press on! The Dynasts might still be behind us!"

"Sir, yes sir!" Soldiers yelled left and right, quickly getting into formation.

The battle soon flared as the enemy left their hiding spots towards the Shepherds.

"Archers, take the higher ground!" Robin ordered, getting between the front and back line, wielding his tome. Then, he hesitated, looking over his shoulder so as to look for Noire.

There she stood, trembling as a leaf, holding up her bow alongside her fellow archers. She gulped more than once, her eyes shining with tears.

Noire... Robin thought, his heart flaring up with emotion.

There wasn't much time to get distracted, however. The enemy soon broke through the Shepherds' makeshift defenses, diving deep into their formation.

The path was narrow, the woods around them were thick and they couldn't allow the enemy to reach the convoy. If their supplies were destroyed, so would they, especially in this foreign land brimming with enemies.

The archers pulled back towards the highest elevations they could find, be it tall ledges or treetops so as to give support fire.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Noire almost chanted as she bumped into them, trying to find a good shooting position. "We'll be okay, we'll be okay," she sniffled, her arrow trembling.

"Noire! Don't be scared! We'll drive them off!" Robin's voice echoed through the battlefield into Noire's ears, making her suppressed tears fall.

"D-Don't keep worrying about me!" She shot an arrow towards the enemy in front of the tactician, allowing him to look back to her. "I'll fight, I will... I m-must..." She cocked another arrow, but widened her eyes as quickly when an enemy swordmaster broke through the line towards Robin. "No!!" She shot.

"Whoa!" Robin closed his eyes as the arrow grazed his cheek, landing perfectly on the enemy's eyesock.

"No, no, no!" Noire dropped her bow, holding herself as though she could fall apart. "Nooo!"

"Noire!" Robin huddled himself through foe and ally alike towards where Noire had ran to.

"Robin!!" Chrom yelled from atop his horse.

"I'll bring her back! If we're not back by nightfall, we'll meet at the volcano!"

"Dammit, Robin, don't go off by yoursel-" Chrom felled an enemy, meaning to bark to someone to go after his idiotic friend, but every single soldier had their hands full at the moment. "Come back safely, at least!" He cursed under his breath, droplets of rain wetting his cheeks and sword. "Great, now visibility's about to be poor! Redouble your attention, men! We can break through!!"

Robin ran towards the woods Noire had fled to, his heart wrenching with worry. The storm predicted by the cook caught up with him before he did with Noire, but he didn't dare stop.

Not as puddles of mud hindered his movements, not as wet branches caught up all over his coat. He wouldn't stop until he brought Noire back.

"Noire! Where are you?!" He shouted over and over, despite barely being able to hear his own voice under the heavy rain.

Yet, somehow his ears caught on a very familiar sound -- of someone crying.

"Noire!!" He ran towards the sound, finding a shadow curled up under a tree. A lightning struck down a nearby tree, illuminating the area for a split of second.

But that was enough for Noire and Robin's eyes to meet. "EEK!" Startled, the archer jumped out of her skin from the loud bang.

Robin didn't allow himself to breath in relief. "Come on, we gotta find a place to hide! We can't go back like this; visibility's too poor!" He grabbed her by the arm and ran towards where he thought the mountain was, in hopes of finding a shelter under the rocks.

"I'm s-sorry, I'm so sorry...! I ran off during battle!" She cried, futilely drying her tears as the rain washed them anew.

"It's alright; what matters is that you're safe. For now, let's focus on finding shelter!"

"A-alright!"

They needn't look far -- there was a small cave by the edge of the woods they were in, and quickly did they run inside as lightning struck back and forth all around them.

Panting, Noire crouched so as to regain her breath, her entire body trembling. Shaking, Robin quickly looked around for dry branches and the like. "We need to keep warm!" He shivered, running towards the end of the cave. "C'mon, Noire, don't stay too close to the entrance."

"R-Right..." She dragged herself on her feet, striding towards him.

"I think this is a common resting spot for travelers, look," he pointed down to the remnants of a fire at the very back of the cave. "I think I saw a blanket on that corner... Someone must've forgotten it, but I'm not about to count my blessings."

"Mektch!" Noire sneezed, as cutely as a kitten. "T-t-t-that's great!"

Startled, Robin quickly stripped his coat, spreading it on the ground with a wet sound. "Hurry, take off your clothes!" He turned around to grab the blanket, shoving it on her after.

Noire broke.

"H-h-huh?!" She blushed furiously, helplessly holding the dry blanket over her wet body.

Robin placed his tome on the ground and resigned himself to using it as fuel for the fire. "This isn't the time to be bashful; we need to keep you warm! C'mon, I promise I won't look, so please...!" He frantically looked from her to the tome, momentarily forgetting the words he had to chant for the magic to work.

"O-okay...!" She sniffled and turned around so as to strip, trusting Robin would do the same. He was so... desperate. It even made her hope that it was all for her sake instead of just part of his job. "I'm done," she announced, wrapping herself with the blanket.

The moment she said it, the cave lit up with the crackling sound of the fire. "So am I! Phew!" He sat over the wet coat, drying his forehead. "C'mon, sit by the fire and warm yourself!"

Noire obeyed quietly, sitting beside Robin over his coat. She wrapped her arms around her knees, the blanket loosely covering her shoulders.

Robin used his bracers to dry part of her forehead, trying to keep his eyes away from her cleavage. "How are you feeling? Warming up?" He asked softly.

"... I'm sorry..." She said faintly. "T-thanks for coming after me; I think I'd still be under that tree if it weren't for you."

"I'm the one who has to apologize, Noire. I'm sorry for not taking your feelings into account when I shoved my ideals on you the other day." He cleared his throat, droplets of water falling from his drenched hair. "I more than anyone know how hard you're working to, say, deserve your spot in the Shepherds."

Noire blinked slowly, looking up endearingly. "... More than anyone?"

Robin coughed awkwardly. "M-more than anyone. I've been watching you for a long time, Noire. I know you push yourself to the breaking point to make people's lives easier, but that makes me so very sad. I wanted you to rely more on us, to share your troubles and to lean more on us, on- on me." He stuttered, sniffling.

Her heart thundering louder than the lightning outside, Noire opened and closed her mouth, suddenly feeling much, much hotter than a second ago. "R-Robin, I..." She looked at how his body shivered from cold and slightly lifted her arm, looking away from embarrassment. "W-won't you also cover yourself with this? I don't want to be the only one warm."

"N-N-N-Noire," Robin stuttered, and it had nothing to do with cold.

She dug her face between her knees. "P-please? I don't think I can say anymore if I don't feel your warmth here."

The tactician gulped, his throat suddenly dry. Noire was a beautiful woman, and it took all Robin had not to think about her slender nude body under that old and smelly blanket.

That situation; their desperate needs to protect each other from before; the way he never noticed how much he watched her and how happy seeing her smile made him... It all led to a clicking sound inside his mind.

He loved her.

By the gods, he loved Noire!

How adorable she looked at that very moment; too embarrassed to even face him, and still offering him a place of warmth... He could barely hold his tongue back from shouting his newfound feelings to the world, even it that world was composed of only him, Noire and a damp cave.

Still, he quickly did as she asked and stripped, slowly scooting closer to her under the blanket. As his cold shoulder touched her warm one, they felt a spark of energy running through their bodies.

"I... I just didn't want you to think I was useless." She confessed finally, wanting to pop that silence like a balloon. "We fought for our lives back in the future, and everything around us was dark. But when we came here, we had you. Your smile and your g-guidance made me want to b-be a better me. I want to fight to bring peace, and n-not just for my life, like it was before."

"Noire..." He whispered, reaching out to her.

She looked up at him with pleading eyes, his fingers trailing spots through her pale skin. "I-I also want to be relied on, you know? B-by... you..."

"Oh, Noire; but destroying yourself will only make me sad, instead!” He pressed his forehead on hers, not realizing how he panted. "I can't stand seeing you scared or overworked... I want to be there for you always! For anything! ... Do you understand what I mean?" Their noses rubbed on one another, their breaths intertwining.

"I do...!" She sniffled, pulling him to her, opening her mouth for a deep kiss.

Ah, how sweet she tasted!

Robin reciprocated the hungry kiss by exploring her mouth with his tongue, quickly wrapping his arms around her tender body.

Noire let herself be embraced, lowering her legs so her chest touched his. Her soft pressure made Robin's body be hit with a flash of energy and heat, slowly descending her to the ground.

"Mhn... Robin..." She bemoaned once their lips parted, Robin placing himself over her as she lied over his coat. His mouth didn't stop, however -- he trailed his tongue from her lips to her jaw, then her neck to finally her breasts. Sensitive as they were, she let out an adorable "eek," once he touched and tasted them, making Robin roll his eyes in pleasure.

He could feel his erection already pulsating, free and eager to please the wonderful woman under him. "Oh, Noire, you're so beautiful," he whispered as he went from one nipple to the other, making her rub her legs in anticipation.

She could feel herself gapping with desire -- of his touch, of his kisses, of his everything! "R-Robin...!" She dug her nails over his back, silently pleading for his entrance.

Inebriated with her alluring smell, adorable voice and fantastic taste, Robin turned his unfocused gaze to his beloved, once again taking her lips in a long and deep kiss. He adjusted her waist under him, bringing her closer to his dripping erection, promptly prodding it over her vaginal opening.

A moan died by her throat, her lips occupied by his; her body flickering with desire.

They needn't words for what came next.

Slowly did Robin put it in, mindful of how tight she felt around him. "Ro-b-gghan..." She gasped loudly, squeezing her eyes in pleasure.

"N-Noire, you feel so good...!" He let out an exclamation of surprise, closing one eye in pleasure. "Is it okay if I-mmph!"

"D-don't talk, n-not now." She huffed, wrapping both arms around his neck. "D-don't stop either."

Panting, Robin felt the thin thread of self-control snap and put it all in at once, her gasps of pleasure spurring him to do it again and again and again and again, the heat of their bodies merging into pleasure, melting into love and dissolving into strangled moans.

He took it all out and shoved it back in, each time becoming easier than the previous. She squeezed him with everything she had, adorably calling his name as pleasure held her tenderly. Her body shook with the orgasm first, overwhelmed by all the new sensations as tears of joy fell from her eyes.

"Oh, Noire...!" Robin gasped, liberating himself inside of her, a surge of pleasure washing over his body and sapping him of his strength. "Noire, Noire, Noire..." He whispered over and over, each word stealing a tear from the archer's eyes.

That night, they wouldn't need words to express their love.

Maybe tomorrow.

But tonight, the world was only Robin, Noire and their damp, love-filled cave.