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Vaike knew she was out of his league.
Robin was years beyond him in intelligence, and her competence and strategic skills gave the Shepherds a much needed edge over their Plegian opponents. She was determined, compassionate, and had an endearing sense of humor that could even crack a smile from the broody Lon’qu or all-together humorless Miriel. There was also something alluring about her unguarded expressions, the way she could effortlessly curve her lips into a smile or easily cry out her frustrations and doubts.
Not to mention she was beyond gorgeous. Long brown hair, pretty gray eyes with thick eyelashes, a tall, slim figure…
Yeah, he’d fallen hard. Body and soul were hers for the taking – if she wanted it.
And hell, did she? Vaike could never tell with her. Their initial relationship was one of jests and suspicion, and Vaike would be lying if he didn’t feel a thrill of excitement whenever they ran into Sully’s horse or bickered over who would fight who out on the battlefield.
But as time passed and their conversations evolved from meaningless squabbles and into discussions on their favorite foods and hobbies, Vaike began to feel…at ease. A calming stir he had not felt with any of his friends previously rumbled across his chest, trickling into his skin. He wasn’t embarrassed to talk about his dreams with her, and she always engaged in such thoughts with incredible zeal. As though she was just as excited and hopeful about his plans after the war, searching out his hometown and guiding it towards a prosperous future.
It seemed like she was the first person, even amongst the Shepherds, to wholeheartedly believe he could achieve his great desires – that cared enough to discuss such things again and again in the dead of the night, with only a dying fire to brighten their faces.
It was on one of those very nights that he decided to turn their conversation around. Vaike knew she was great at being a tactician, seemed to practically inherit the skill from the gods above. But couldn’t there be more she wanted? Something that this life of war kept her from?
“Ya ever want more than this, Robin?” Vaike asked gruffly, poking at a few smoking logs with the tip of his axe. “Not that fighting and beating the snot out of these Plegian pussies is a bad way to live, but you know. This war’s gotta end sometime – what’re gonna do when it’s over?”
Robin was perched on top of a log on the other side of the fire, her fingers curling around her knees. She cocked her head to the side and narrowed her eyes, contemplating the question, “Huh…you know, I hadn’t thought much about it, really. I figured I’d just tag along with Chrom back to the capital and help out there. I…I don’t have anywhere else to go.”
Vaike crooked a brow and was about to ask why, when he remembered how Robin came to be within their ranks. An amnesiac stranded outside of some village, with nothing but her name and the clothes on her back to call her own. He almost felt stupid for forgetting, for even thinking about asking why. Still, he wasn’t one to confess such thoughts, and the last thing he wanted was for Robin to think of him as daft and unfeeling.
“So…you don’t want to try and find your old home?” Vaike asked instead, opting to turn his attention to the fire than stare upon her face, “Or try to get back some of your memories? Maybe you have a family that’s missing you out there or something.”
“If I had family, they would have made themselves known to me by now,” Robin replied as she tucked her knees into her chest, “It’s no secret that I’m Chrom’s tactician. It might be arrogant to think that all of Ylisse knows my name, but I have a feeling…if I did have family, they would have sent a letter – or anything to let me know they’re out there, waiting for me.”
An uneasy silence surrounded them after her last words faded into the night. Vaike could admit he wasn’t the sharpest knife in the kitchen, but he was not stupid – something in the way Robin’s voice strained and her fingers stiffened indicated she was far from okay with that conclusion: that either her family was dead, or there was no one in her past life that cared enough to find her.
And even if his childhood was one of rough poverty, at least Vaike had had a home, and a family that loved him. Even had Sully and Chrom eventually weeding their way into his life, becoming the greatest of rivals and friends.
Perhaps that was a chilling thought. To think you had nothing in a life you couldn’t even remember.
It angered Vaike, causing him to wince and snarl at the notion. Who wouldn’t want to be a part of Robin’s life? She was noble, charming, witty, smart…everything you could ever want in a friend. What kind of bastards would throw away someone like that?
“Well, hell with all that and then some, Robin!” Vaike exclaimed, jumping up from the ground and looming over the fire. His voice startled the tactician, and her eyes widened as she caught sight of Vaike’s reddened face, “Even if you didn’t have anyone before, you have all of us now. We’re your family, Robin! And if you don’t have anywhere else, I’m sure Chrom will let you stay with the Shepherds as long as you like. We can set you up a place and everything – maybe even in the castle if you really wanted! There’s like a hundred spare rooms in there – you could even bunk with me if you didn’t want to be alone and –”
“Wait, you want me to bunk with you?” Robin shot up from her seat, her cheeks flushed, “As in – be in the same room with you? Sleeping?”
Vaike blinked, and the realization of what he had suddenly proposed crashed onto his shoulders and twisted at his stomach. Had he – had he really said that out loud? “Uhh, y-you know what I mean! Like buddies, warrior…friend…things. The Vaike considers you one of his most trusted allies, after all!”
It was Robin’s turn to blankly stare, and she chewed at her lips once she processed his words, “Oh…well, that…that sounds like a plan. The whole moving into the Shepherds barracks, not, um…”
She trailed, and Vaike was surprised at the nervous waver in her voice, almost as if she didn’t necessarily see moving in with him as a bad thing. Could she, maybe…
“I think it’s time I get to bed,” Robin interrupted his thoughts, digging her hands into her coat pockets, “We do have a long march tomorrow, and I should be well-rested – you should do the same, Vaike.”
“Oh, yeah,” Vaike nodded, shifting his weight from one leg to the other, averting her gaze as she turned around, “Goodnight, Robin. Sleep well.”
She nodded, and weakly replied, “You too.”
Her steps were calm and discreet, but they continued to pound against his ear as he picked up his axe and returned to his cold tent. He hadn’t put much thought into it before, but these nights and these marches… they might be worth a little more if he had someone to hold in his slumber, to protect and fight with.
Needless to say, he didn’t get much sleep that night, or even the next few nights after. And he didn’t see much of Robin during the long, tedious march through the desert. Either she was avoiding him, or she didn’t have the time to seek out his company. The latter of which, with the final battle approaching, seemed like the more viable option.
The thought of apologizing came to him on the third night, but he couldn’t think of what for. Apologize for suggesting the Shepherds were her new family? Suggesting that she live with him after this damn campaign was over? If she wanted an apology for either, he would have to lie. Not that lying was unnatural to him – he’d done it plenty times before and would do it again if it saved the skin off his back – but it was becoming exceptionally harder to do in Robin’s presence.
And if he told her the truth, told her what he really wanted, what would become of them?
Vaike had never been scared of taking what he wanted, but that had been before he met and learned more about Robin. She earnestly came to his aid on the battlefield, despite their confrontations in bushes or run-ins with horses. She appreciated him, believed in his dreams, and considered him a friend. If she didn’t feel the same way, if their friendship was all she wanted and could offer…how would he react?
Well, there’s only one way to really know, Vaike sighed as he prepared his tent alongside Stahl. They had stopped just outside the reaches of Gangrel’s army, deciding it better to rest and prepare for the oncoming battle. No doubt that had been Robin’s decision – she was always so conscientious of the desires of her fellow comrades…at least when it came to warfare.
“Hey, Vaike – gotta a question for you,” Stahl said when he finished his tent, wiping beads of sweat off his forehead, “You know that new girl, Tharja? Do you know what her deal is?”
“You mean that witch Chrom recruited from the Plegians?” Vaike scratched at his neck, recalling long black hair and haunting eyes. Tharja had been a part of their camp for the last month or so, but he couldn’t remember her ever attending dinner with the Shepherds…or interacting with anyone all together, “Can’t say I do, man. What, you think she’s cute or something?”
Stahl grinned, shaking his head, “Maybe…she’s just always sitting by herself and I think she could be lonely.”
“Then go talk to her,” Vaike shrugged, “No time like the present.”
“Yeah, maybe I should – ” Stahl stopped mid-sentence as something behind Vaike caught his attention. His smile grew wider, and he raised his hand in greeting, “Hey there, Robin! What’cha doing on this side of the campsite?”
Vaike stiffened , and his heart fidgeted as Robin spoke, her voice collected and kind, “I’m just here to tell you that the mess hall is ready if you’re interested. Apparently the meat is really tender tonight.”
“Ooo, say no more!” Stahl exclaimed as he ran past Vaike, “I’ll see you two over there! And hey, maybe Tharja we’ll be there, too!”
“…Tharja?” Robin said when Stahl was out of earshot, Vaike’s back still turned to her, “Is there something up with those two?”
“Nah,” Vaike replied. He leaned forward, acting as if he was searching for something in his ration pack, “He just thinks she looks lonely and wants to talk to her. You know that guy – wants to make friends with all the weirdos Chrom adopts.”
Robin chuckled, her voice closer than it was before, “Well, I hope that statement doesn’t fall to all of Chrom’s findings.”
Oh. Right, Vaike gritted his teeth and scratched at the back of his head. That definitely had to be the record for his fastest slip-up yet, “Dammit, Robin, I’m –”
“It’s all right, Vaike,” the quick squeeze against his shoulder surprised him, and he was even more bewildered when Robin walked into his view, a gentle smile tugging at her lips, “I know what you meant. And let’s face it, I can be pretty weird when I want to be.”
Vaike didn’t say anything, nervous he might make the situation more awkward than it already was. He didn’t need a repeat of their last discussion. Still, she was purposely hanging around instead of wandering off to the others. Maybe she wanted to talk?
“Was there something you wanted, Robin?” Vaike asked as he placed his hand on his hips, seeing as he had nowhere else to put them, “Or do you just want to walk over to the mess hall together?”
Robin nodded, “We could do that, but…there was something I wanted to talk to you about. Remember when you asked if I had any dreams after this war is over?”
“Yeah, I do,” Vaike replied, unsure of where this particular conversation was headed.
“Well, I gave it some thought, and I think I know one thing I do want,” Robin continued, her eyes growing soft and warm, “I want a family.”
Vaike crooked a brow, confused, “Huh? But didn’t I already tell ya? You already got a family with the Shepherds. Does this mean you’re gonna –”
“No, I have no intention of seeking out people from my former life,” Robin shook her head, her hand sliding off his shoulder and resting on top of his bare forearm, “And the Shepherds…of course I think of them as my friends and family, but…what I want is something more traditional. A husband to support, children to dote on…I don’t have any memories of who I was before, so I don’t know if I had that – a mother and a father, brothers and sisters – but I do want to know what it’s like. I see Virion feeding Miriel in the mess hall, Gregor and Nowi playing outside or cuddling up against a tree – I want to understand that kind of happiness and live it.”
She looked to him then, her cheeks rosy and her eyes wide in earnest. Her words, followed by her expression stirred the pit of his stomach, and his heart rattled between his ribs as her hold on his arm tightened.
“Oh…well, that’s brilliant!” Vaike tried to laugh, but it almost came out like a cough with the way his throat closed up, “You – um, you got any idea who the lucky guy might end up being?”
Robin pulled away from him then, and she turned her attention to the dirt beneath her feet, “I want to wait until this war is over to make my intentions clear. But he might already know, with all the time we spend together.”
“You think so?” Vaike gulped, thinking of all the men Robin usually spent time with. There was Chrom, of course, and Frederick and Stahl and –
“Come on, Vaike,” Robin practically sang, and Vaike grew increasingly alarmed when she slipped her arm into his, “Let’s get to that mess hall before Stahl wipes the pots clean.”
It took him another moment to gather himself and walk alongside her, unsure how to exude his usual self-confidence when he had so little intimate experience with women. With constant training and the Shepherds to keep him company, Vaike never had much time to explore his romantic options, aside from –
Oh gods, she means me, Vaike’s vision blurred, and his heart skipped a beat. Or several, he couldn’t tell with his skin tingling all over.
“Oh, I almost forgot!” Robin pointed a finger to the sky, and turned her head to give Vaike another bright smile, “If I were to get this family of mine, I hope I have a pretty ring to show off. Nothing too fancy like Miriel’s or Nowi’s, but…one that glitters.”
“A pretty ring that glitters?” Vaike repeated, their steps starting to bang against his ears.
“Yep!” Robin nodded, “I think something like that will look nice against my robes.”
“I bet it would,” Vaike agreed, though he really didn’t have much to say after that. His mind buzzed with such want – Robin had all but confessed she was into him, and he still couldn’t do a damn thing about it. Couldn’t squeeze her, kiss her, sleep beside her…all because she wanted to wait until she knew both of them were coming out of this war alive.
Sensible, thinking of every little consequence for every conceivable action. That was his Robin for you.
Heh, his Robin. Vaike could really get used to the sound of that.
So he didn’t mind being played with, or waiting until the war was over to buy her the first perfect, glittering ring that caught his eye in the Capital. Didn’t even mind that he lost it on his way to the barracks and Robin caught him in the act. Just made the mood a little more romantic and unpredictable, the kind of proposal the clever tactician wouldn’t expect.
Because yeah, Sully’s horse being that affectionate was a shock, and the fact that Robin had been as unsure about Vaike’s intentions as he had been of hers was a bit reassuring. But she still blushed a pretty pink and said yes, and he closed the gap between them the moment she asked for a kiss.
“So, does this mean there’s room at your place?” Robin inquired when their lips parted, her breath heavy and warm against his face, “Or is that offer no longer on the table?”
“Baby doll, I’ll build you a goddamn castle if you want one!” Vaike laughed and picked her up from off the ground, a trill of pleasure crawling up his spine as she giggled into his hair, “But first we gotta tell those lovebirds up on that stuffy throne who the real number one couple of all Ylisse is!”
“Oh gods, what am I getting myself into?” Robin feigned concern while her husband-to-be ran up a flight of stairs, the smile still wide on her face.
Okay, so maybe with Robin he wasn’t in complete control. Maybe she’d always be one or three steps ahead of him. And maybe she’d be the hero everyone really adored.
But she would love Vaike above all else, and there was no greater victory he could have ever ask for.