Archive of Our Own

Robin's heart couldn't decide whether to speed up or calm down, once she and Chrom finally escaped the wedding party. They found refuge in their bedchamber, the door shutting behind them and closing off the last noises from the celebration.

"Finally," Chrom sighed out. A slight whine colored his words; not exactly romantic, but his breath tickling her ear more than made up for it. Four points of warmth pressed into her skin, as his other hand came up to brush at her cheek.

"Happy to be alone?" Robin drew her hands over his, and turned her head against his touch. Her fingers mapped out the bumps of his knuckles, while her cheek took in the lines in his palm.

"Absolutely. I enjoy a celebration, but an entire wedding..." His other hand settled across her waist and pulled her close. "I want to be with just you now."

To be fair, that wedding celebration had demanded a lot of words, featured a lot of people, and demanded both of them to be at their best. If he was anything like her, the sudden silence and isolation was like getting submerged in water.

Robin turned in Chrom's grip and put her hands to his chest. Her fingers wove into the ceremonial coat to help keep her anchored. She gathered her breath and stared at the dark blue, almost black fabric and how it rippled under her fingers. Chrom's chest expanded under her fingers as he breathed in and out, and the close proximity, the sound of his breath pushed a tiny excited spark into her. Her breath, which had been so carefully coached, came out in a shudder.

"Chilled?" Chrom murmured into her ear, and she finally became aware of a draft in the room. One of the windows had gone unlatched, allowing in a night breeze that stole the warmth from the room, along with all the candlelight.

That explained why moonlight was their only companion. The silvery light lent an extra soft touch to Chrom's face, and his eyes glimmered as he looked over her. He brushed his fingers at her face, a warm trail against the night air.

His mouth parted open, looking like he wanted to say something more... but not sure of what.

Instead his hands left her face, and moved down to her sides and rested at laces on her dress. He slowly teased at the knots and bindings, almost like undressing her was a ceremony in and of itself.

Her fingers made better progress, undoing the laces and buttons both on his garments. He helped, shrugging off his cape and tossing it onto the bed while brushing his lips against her forehead.

Maybe he was more occupied with kissing her, or just that there was more of a purpose behind Robin's fingers. But she still managed to peel his coat off in an admirable amount of time.

She gave her fingers just the briefest space to wander, feeling out the muscles and planes of Chrom's back as he squeezed her close. Heat from his skin enveloped her, and a content hum built in the back of her throat.

But she still wouldn't let herself pause. She still had a lot more to do, and Robin didn't want to let herself pause for long.

In a way, she was afraid of what would happen if she did-

'Enough of that.' She sternly told her thoughts, and her faltering nerves both. She brushed her cheek up against Chrom's throat, letting his pulse fill her mind. She let that spur her fingers on down to his pants.

"Gods, Robin. You're eager enough; how did you get so good at taking clothes off?"

"Careful observation during the ceremony." Robin answered his laugh with one of her own. She HAD been looking him over during the wedding, with tonight weighing on her mind. He didn't need to know about any of the worries she'd had, though. Particularly since it was all going well enough so far.

Her fingers finally found his belt, and tugged that off of him. His pants followed in short order.

"Wait," he laughed out, just a touch breathless. "W-wait. Let me get a good look at you, first."

His words skipped over themselves, like he was in a rush to get everything he felt into them. Chrom slowly pulled himself away, pausing for just a moment, loathe to leave their shared warmth and the contact. Still, he managed to lift his hands from her with a sigh, turning to the window. He pulled it shut before turning to the candles. As he fumbled with the matches, Robin drew her hands up to where his touch had been just a moment ago.

He'd done admirably at the laces on her dress, gotten them mostly loosened. Her fingers traced along the seams and cords for one second. She allowed herself just one breath and then hooked her fingers into the strings, working to get them all the way undone.

In a way, it felt like she was cheating him out of the process. The rest of her thoughts said this would work well as a surprise.

Plans sprung up in her head as the fabric stopped hugging her skin. She could try nibbling at his neck while her hands threaded his hair, and her fingers tangled in the laces at the thought.

As Robin worked them loose, she tried imaging how it would be to curl up close to him, to increase the intimacy. As Chrom struck a light, she stole a look at his lips. Her fingers worked the buttons as she lingered at his chest. The thought of skin on skin, more than just their faces or their hands made her temperature climb, and she couldn't get out of the dress fast enough.

She looked down to find the last knot and clasp. With a final yank all the bindings went loose, and the pale dress rippled off and down to the floor with a gentle shift and sigh of fabric. And all before she had time to second guess herself.

A soft orange glow mingled with the blue night, picking out highlights on the pool of silver and white fabric around her feet. Robin stood in the middle of it, trying to steady herself with a deep breath.

She could do this, Robin told herself as she raised her head. She'd meet Chrom's gaze when he turned from the candles, and was already putting her warmest smile on. She could-

Warm candlelight washed over her skin, chasing away the half shrouded, gentle light of the moon. As the candle light breathed and pulsed, it threw the details of her body into sharp relief.

Under the hard light she saw them; scars along her skin, jagged and stark in the light. The flat nature of her body and all its flaws laid out bare without the folds of her tactician’s cloak OR her wedding dress. Her eyes stayed fixed on all of it, while those carefully laid plans and ideas unraveled as doubt crashed into her head.

'Ridiculous.' She could face down half mad assassins, completely mad cultists, fanatic soldiers and walking corpses... and yet THIS was what left her shaking and unable to raise her head? If her throat hadn't gone tight and dry thanks to nervousness, she would've laughed over how absurd it was.

...And yet, here she was, eyes downcast and her heart racing.

More light sprang up as Chrom lit the last candles, bringing in more light and visibility. The last of her resolve fell away with the shadows.

Chrom sighed in satisfaction as he finished with the candles. He'd heard a little shuffling while he worked to bring some light into the room, and a rustle of fabric. A tiny suspicion of what was going on (and what he was missing) nipped at the back of his thoughts and urged Chrom to hurry up. He practically spun around once he was sure of the light.

He found himself facing his wife, sans clothing. If his heart had died down from their earlier touches, THAT was enough to push it back into top speed.

"Robin, you're- you look..." typical that he couldn't find the words. He could at least be sure of his steps however, and moved forward. At the motion Robin flinched back, a flicker of pain clouding her eyes as she ducked her head and turned her back to him.

"Are you ok?" All the eagerness fell out of his voice, jolting into worry. Robin didn't lift her head, and stayed rooted to her spot. "You're not hurt are you? Is- is something wrong?"

"No... I'm fine." Her voice croaked out as Chrom reached for her. She looked over her shoulder, and stared at his hand instead of his eyes. "Everything's fine."

"You don't LOOK fine." He rested his hand on her shoulders and felt the tremors moving through his fingers. The shiver left him still, as Robin fought for breath.

"Gods..." Robin's voice came out choked. Her eyes stared down at the stone floor, flickering over the pale ripple of fabric laid across the tile. Pain tugged at the corners of her lips and eyes.

"We were supposed to have a better evening than... than this." Disgust and frustration both dripped in her voice, and she still wouldn't meet his eyes. She looked ready to curl in on herself, and her body felt like a coiled spring under his hand.

'She's... afraid?' The thought clicked into place as Chrom watched her, and had an odd note of truth to it.

It was almost like her skin was a raw wound for her. On instinct, he grabbed his cape up from the bed, and draped it over her shoulders. Robin started from the weight of the fabric, but her hands went up to grip it and hold it tight. With it wrapped around her like a shawl, she raised her head enough to look at him.

"Robin, are you... shy? About all of this?" His mouth finally settled on a question, and Robin answered it with a tiny nod.

"I... I don't know HOW I got be this way... particularly considering you've already seen everything." A dry laugh worked itself out of her throat, as Robin's hand gestured half heartedly to the rest of her body. Her other hand kept the white cape clutched tight around her, acting as a shield.

"Though to be honest... compared to some of the other women in the court or among the Shepherds...." she trailed off, but Chrom saw how her eyes narrowed when she looked over herself. "...I'm a touch dull. My mind is the most impressive part of me... my body, not so much."

"That's not- you're smart Robin. I agree with that, but-" it would be nice if he could get his own words out, or speak as smoothly as Robin did. He wanted to tell her about her eyes, her hair-

How much he wanted to hold her close, just then. The warmth pooling in his stomach hadn't left yet, and the thought of wrapping her up, feeling skin brushing skin left his blood running hot.

"Is... is there anything I can do to make this better?" He finally managed. "We could always sleep, if you prefer-"

"No!" Robin blurted out, her head yanking itself up as she stared at him.

"N-no," she continued with a touch more composure. "Just because I feel shy about this, it doesn't change how I feel about you."

Her arms shifted, one moving to cover her while the other hesitantly moved down. Her fingers stretched out to the limit, tentatively brushing his hand.

"I've been wanting this for weeks, if not months," Robin continued, and her voice took on a hushed quality. Her hand drew up against his side, echoing similar moments from before; flirting touches in camp or out of sight in the castle. It was enough to make his breathing go fast.

Robin might have been lost in the memories too, with the pause that stretched out. Finally she broke it as she cleared her throat and drew her hand from his side.

"Although I... may have an idea with how to continue," she admitted.

"I'm sorry, since you took so much care with lighting them. But can you-" before she finished, Chrom had already turned to blow out the lights. The room shrouded itself back in cool blues and soft silver light.

Robin kept her back to him, his cloak still drawn around her shoulders and covering her in a sheet of white. One hand snaked out from underneath his cape, two her fingers just managing to reach and wrap around his index finger. A gentle tug from them was all it took to draw him close to her. Robin still didn't turn to face him, instead taking his other hand. Puzzlement tried to pull his eyebrows together, but Chrom still followed her lead. He followed the motion of her tugs until he was close enough to feel heat radiating off her, almost but not quite touching.

She left his fingers and let her hands fall over his, slowly guiding them forward to either side of her. She rolled her shoulders with the motion, allowing the cape to fall a little further down, draping itself over her shoulder like some sort of odd shawl and exposing her neck and the line of her back.

As he watched the fabric move, Chrom's hands settled on her ribs. Robin's breath fluttered underneath his touch, as his wife desperately tried to even out her breathing. She managed one deep breath before moving his hands along her skin.

Chrom slid his eyes shut, making a map of her body based only on touch as Robin guided him. He pictured the soft bumps of her ribs, the line of her stomach as their hands slowly drifted up. His thumb brushed against her breast, drawing up over her nipple. Robin gasped at the same time Chrom did over the contact; neither of them had guessed she'd be that sensitive.

The rush of breath made his arms tighten up, pulling Robin in close as she gave a soft murmur of approval.

Their bodies met and fit together as he held her close, her shoulders up against his chest. That cape was the last layer between them, and he didn't want to bother with it just yet. Not if it meant breaking contact with Robin, and losing that feeling of her inhaling and exhaling against him.

She kept his hands moving, her touches growing lighter and letting Chrom pick out points on her body. His hand dipped lower, over her stomach. His thumb traced her bellybutton and coaxed a tiny laugh out of Robin.

"You giant, silly-" she started, shifting her hips and accidentally drawing his hand down. The tips of his fingers felt the first tickles of hair between her thighs, and Robin's words cut out in a fast gasp. Her stomach went tight and flat, stretching his fingers out that little bit more.

She didn't move, save for her breath fluttering in and out.

"Robin-?" Chrom whispered. "You alright?"

He was already drawing his hand back up, worried he'd gone too far. Robin's fingers caught him around the wrist, holding him in place.

Robin managed a shaky "yes," that would’ve been lost if they hadn't been so close together. She forced another breath before adding,

"And now... now you know me a little better. So... please," Robin whispered out as she slid her hand back over his, and slowly guided him down the rest of the way.

His fingers moved down, agonizingly slow and carefully, almost like she was made of glass. Her skin felt so thin, and her blood burned so close to the surface Robin almost thought that was true.

It didn't keep her hips from twitching in frustration, though. A whimper tried to build up in her throat, only to get suffocated from how tight and dry her mouth was. She couldn't even manage words to urge Chrom on, much as she wanted to-

One of his fingers reached the edge of her folds, teasing right at where she needed him most. He paused for just a moment, his other hand resting against her chest and feeling her heart pound.

"Robin," Chrom murmured in her ear; his voice was soft, but with a shy, almost nervous edge to it. A reminder this was unfamiliar for him, too. "This is what you want?"

"Y-yes-" her throat choked out all her noises. So instead Robin leaned her head against his and nodded, making sure their cheeks brushed together as she did so.

His hand slid all the way down and buried itself between her lips, and Robin let her breath out in a long and contented sigh. Pleasure spiked from where he touched her, winding up through her back and curling down into her toes. She rocked her hips up against his hand, and he answered by spreading her folds apart. His fingers quickly went slick, easily skimming over her. One of them brushed at her clit, and a gasp tore itself out of her throat. His hand repeated the motion, and her breath panted out.

Maybe he couldn't coax sounds from her, apart from a rush of air moving through her lips. But the rest of her was determined to make up for the meekness of her voice. Her body refused to be still, sides fluttering where they met his, her breathing pitching up faster and faster.

Her back arched up against his chest, desperately seeking more of him out. The cloth pressed into both of their skins, adding an extra layer of warmth and a touch of silk. Behind her she felt Chrom rocking his own hips in time to her, pressing himself against the cleft of her ass and trying to find relief where he could. She snapped her hips back to meet him and heard a low growl build in the back of his mouth.

Robin craned her head up, exposing more of her throat and pressing her lips to Chrom’s jaw line. The heat of his skin almost burned her mouth, and Robin knew she was just as red in the face.

She wondered if his thoughts were going as hazy as hers. If they were, he still felt her lips on his face, and turned his head to meet the kiss.

She opened her mouth a little more, and his tongue slid in. It touched the roof of her mouth right as his fingers touched the right spot, and Robin collapsed against him. He yanked his other hand up to hold her steady, as her legs clamped shut around his hand and she rode out the last of the waves.

"Ch-Chrom." She finally managed one word, laced with satisfaction.

Awareness slowly trickled back into her. And with it, Robin realized that Chrom was still hard against her and shifting his hips. She shifted a little in his grip, bringing her hands down and drawing them around his cock.

She managed a few touches, one of them sent her finger skimming up against his head. Her only warning was a grunt from him, the sudden contact sending a hard shudder through his own body. Warmth coated her hand, and it was a small miracle they didn't both collapse on the ground.

Robin stared up at him, and he looked just as bewildered that it had happened that fast. Chrom swallowed, licked his lips... but still couldn't find any words. And she was too breathless to manage any.

Instead, Chrom slowly drew her down and into the bed. He even had the presence of mind to tug one of the sheets over her, giving her a little more modesty. Even though she was sated, spent, something about the gesture pushed a few more sparks into her chest and warmed her from within. She didn’t have strength or energy to make love again… but she could at least wrap Chrom up in her arms as he lay down next to her.

"I know this makes for an unusual wedding night." Robin murmured, burying her nose into his throat.

"But hardly a bad one." Chrom corrected her, his voice rumbling against her face.

They both sank into sleep like that, wrapped up against one another; unable to see the other, but able to feel their presence and listen to their heartbeat.

Sunlight coaxed his eyes back open. Chrom found himself looking at Robin, curled up next to him and using his chest as a pillow. Somehow she'd kept his cape on her the entire night, using it as a blanket as she slept on top of him.

The morning light was making her slowly stir as well, blinking at him with a touch of sleepiness.

"Morning." He said before kissing her on the forehead.

"Good morning, love." She whispered back to him. Chrom kissed her again on the cheek, feeling the last of his drowsiness fall away. Her own eyes were still heavy lidded, and her eyelashes brushed at his neck as she leaned against him.

But even with a new morning for them, Robin kept the cape drawn around her. He saw how she looked down at where her breasts peeked out, and her lips twisted into a frown.

"Robin I... I wish I could tell you," Chrom found himself speaking. Or at least trying to speak. "Why you're... you're nice. Beautiful, I mean! But..."

He bit back a growl and managed a frustrated, "...words. They have a hard time coming to me when I need them the most."

His fingers were ready to pick up the slack, though. He threaded them through her hair. Memories came to him of how much she cared for it, so he brushed it out for her. When she bent her head to the motion, Chrom kissed her on the back of the neck, then gave her ear a soft nibble.

He noted in the back of his head that her hands were back up around her; he didn't move them, instead freeing up one hand to trace a line along her jaw as she shivered against him.

He was ready to spend the entire morning like this. But Robin had other plans, with how she stilled underneath him. She ducked her head out from under his hands, and scooted away from him.

"Chrom," Her voice came out low, and she kept her head ducked as well.

"I love how this feels but... I want to know if I can make YOU feel good too." Her eyes stayed averted, but a determined note settled in her voice. "Will you... maybe you can watch me, as I do that?"

She may have been shy and exposed, but she still clearly had a plan on how to feel confident. Chrom finally found just enough words to stammer out a yes. Robin nodded to that, her shoulders settling in with determination.

Although just then, she looked more prepared to march into battle than make love. Chrom kept his mouth shut on that thought, as Robin settled down between his legs.

Her fingers skimmed down over his stomach while her arms brushed against the inside of his thighs. Her touch was light, a little hesitant, but it still made his blood pound.

When her hands settled on his cock, his feet twitched out from the sudden contact and a sharp hiss worked its way out between his teeth. Robin paused at his reaction and looked back at him, almost like she was waiting for something.

What, Chrom couldn't latch onto. He couldn't form words, and even his thoughts felt hazy thanks to her hands. The sensations threatened to drown him, and he was half worried this would be a repeat of last night.

When she bent down to kiss him, and gave his head a quick flick with her tongue, Chrom shuddered and felt control slip away.

'Ah gods, slow down!' He wanted to say, but his tongue had gone clumsy again. He couldn't process all of this, and he was sure he was going to lose whatever control he had.

His fingers reached out, desperate for some sort of contact. They found Robin’s hair and tried to twine into it. Tension made his grip hard, and his fingers clutched at her head with more pressure than he meant, or wanted.

Robin froze under the contact for one second, and through the tips of his fingers Chrom felt how tense she was. All of her muscles were coiled up, nervous; like she was waiting for some sort of signal she never received.

‘Oh hells.’ Even that curse couldn’t make it onto his tongue, with how dry his mouth was. Before he could manage any words, even a sound to let her know things were alright, Robin flinched away and out from under his grip.

“Ah- on second thoughts, this wasn’t my best idea,” the words rushed out of Robin’s mouth. “So it’s fine if we just… maybe don’t bother with it. Don’t over think it or anything-“

'But that’s exactly what you’re doing, isn’t it?' Frustration seeped into his mind, most of it directed at himself. Chrom swallowed, and finally found his voice.

"Robin, don't." He wanted to reach out to her, but kept his hands at his sides, digging his fingers into the bed sheets. “Love, you don’t need to… look, this wasn’t your fault-“

Something about that phrase made her go shock still, the whites of her eyes showing.

It lasted for just a heartbeat, before fading out as she slumped forward, rubbing at her head. Some half memory teasing at her mind, Chrom knew.

He could’ve kicked himself for continuing to stumble over his words like that, and whatever half memory they’d dredged up.

“Gods, I’m sorry.”

“I’m sorry, too.” Robin answered, shaking off the last of whatever triggered that freeze. She was in the present, although it wasn’t the best moment to be in. Her knuckles had gone white, matching the cape they dug into. Robin stared down at it with a look of disgust crossing her face. Chrom already had a guess which way her thoughts were going. And he knew that he wouldn’t be able to dig her out of them.

His throat finally gave out a sigh, one he wished would’ve happened earlier; maybe that would have told her things had been fine. That he'd been enjoying things, new and awkward as they were.

‘Damn me. But there's nothing for it now.’

“Robin? It’s ok if you need some space.” She looked up at him, shame and relief warring on her face. “Look, it’s just one moment that didn’t work. And as far as I know it’s not a marriage killer, right?”

Awkward phrasing, but it still coaxed a laugh out of her. He wondered if her eyes didn’t shimmer for a moment with relieved tears, but before he could look closer she was rubbing her hands across her face.

“R-right. I guess I do need to gather my thoughts for a moment…” she trailed off as he leaned over, giving her a quick peck on the cheek. He bumped his forehead to her temple, as an extra motion to let her know it was alright. Gods knew he wanted to linger… but he’d just told her it was ok to have some space.

So with the glow of the morning fading, he finally stood up and moved to the washroom, to give her just that.

With her clothes back on, Robin felt shielded and brave enough to face the world.

She could also deal with the first obstacle that made thinking difficult; hunger. After picking her way down to the kitchens and liberating a fruit pastry, Robin drifted out to the gardens. They were a good place with fresh air, ideal for focusing her thoughts.

‘So... why ARE you afraid?’ She asked herself, brushing a few crumbs off her sleeves as she paced through the gardens.

“I don’t know…” Robin groaned out an answer to her thoughts. It was hard to focus on just one thing, just then. The few memories she had warred with each other, pushing different images up to play in her mind. She felt a bolt of embarrassment over him barging in on her in the bath, a crawling shame following it as she looked at the other Shepherds, and found herself wanting. A nobody with a tactical mind, but not much else to offer.

On the heels of that was one more thought; an irrational fear that Chrom would eventually find her wanting as well. That she’d hurt them both in the end, because she wasn’t enough-

‘Enough of what?’ Her thoughts hounded her, and made her eyes sting. ‘Strong enough? Smart enough? All of that and more?’

She slumped against one of the walls, shaking her head. Irrational thoughts, every single one of them… yet for all of that, she couldn’t silence them. There was still a lingering dread in the back of her thoughts, and it kept trying to surface as fear or as shame.

And it all had peaked, just this morning.

“This isn’t your fault…” Robin murmured Chrom’s words. Her neck tensed up the moment they left her mouth, as something tried to stir in the back of her mind. A hazy, half forgotten memory that pushed ice into her chest. She froze for one moment… until just like before, the dread evaporated like a nightmare and retreated again to the back of her head.

And damn her, but she didn’t want to follow it.

Trying to soothe herself, Robin ran her fingers through her hair, echoing Chrom's motion from earlier. Her eyes slid shut as she thought back to it.

Her memories wound back further, into the night. She swore for a moment she could feel the ghost of his touch on her skin, on her lips, down between her legs. He hadn't hesitated last night over her; he'd trusted her to find someway to work through her awkwardness, and give them both something.

And she couldn’t wait to see him again-

Robin froze, her eyes flying back open. She wanted to see him again, even if she was nervous. But the thought of the oncoming evening didn’t make her afraid.

'This isn't your fault.' She tried the thought again... and just for the moment, it couldn't quite drown out the warmth in her chest, as hard as it tried.

She spent the rest of the afternoon wandering about and letting a loose plan settle into her head. The hardest part was not focusing on the details, knowing she'd need to wait for evening to get her head into the right place.

As the sun drew itself down and long shadows traced through the palace, she stumbled across Chrom. He had a platter of food in hand, ready to carry it up to their room for later and almost dropped it when he saw her.

"H-hey. Are you alright?" He managed to ask while rebalancing the plate and food.

'Better than ever,' she wanted to say... but she also didn't want to fall back into promising things, only to fail on delivering them. So instead she drew satisfaction from a warm look, and a soft "Yes."

Robin let her confidence show for just a moment. She was a planner, after all. And now she had the beginnings of an idea on how to make everything work.

"Do you... will you want to be together again, tonight?" She was half afraid of what his answer would be.

But Chrom didn't hesitate at all, and she didn't miss the slightly nervous but slightly excited spark behind his eyes as he murmured "of course, love. I'll be waiting for you."

Night crept back over the palace. And as he promised, Chrom found his way back to their bedchamber. Before he had time to wonder at what Robin had planned, of find enough energy to pace around, the door creaked open and clicked shut behind him.

His eyes fell on Robin, pausing in the doorway. Her tactician's cloak was still drawn up around her, a dark blotch in the new moonlight. She padded over to him, giving Chrom a small smile.

"Robin," he stood up from the bed, reaching out to her... only to pause when he saw the rest of her smile. There was nervous, shaky edge to her lips that pulled at his attention. Something had her keyed up again.

"Robin, we don't need to do anything tonight if you don't want to-" Before he could finish, she reached out and took his hand in her own. Her fingers gently gripped at his, and with a soft pull she drew him closer and rested his hand on the clasps of her cloak. She guided his fingers to the buttons, giving a nod as he slowly undid them.

The collar of her cloak fell open under his fingers, the cool woven texture giving way to something warmer. His fingers touched against a flash of skin, bright against the dark colors of the robe.

His mouth dropped open when he realized that it was only skin under her tactician's cloak, without a scrap of anything else.

"Is it possible for us to be a little more... balanced?" Robin filled the silence for him, resting a hand on his shirt.

He was fast to throw it off, along with his cape for the day. Chrom felt a ridiculous rush of pride over that, knowing that Robin wasn't the only one who could shuck clothing quickly.

Robin started to kneel back down, only for his hands to slide under her arms and hold her in place. Robin gave him a confused blink.

"I thought you liked this?"

"I-I do, mostly. But it's not my favorite thing when it comes to you. Or... or what I imagine doing when I'm with you." At least he managed a few words, halting as they were.

"So... what do you want instead?" She hesitantly laid a hand on his chest as she asked, pushing an extra bit of spark and heat into his skin where flesh met.

His answer was drawing his fingers through her hair, while plucking her hand from his chest and bringing it to the back of his neck. A shiver pricked at his skin and ran down his spine, as her fingers brushed against his hair.

"Robin," he whispered out. Those two syllables rolled perfectly off the tongue. Better than all the other words he'd been trying. He watched her slowly lift her head and meet his eyes. Her own were wide, a little amazed at how responsive he was to a few gentle touches.

But that slow smile he gave must have encouraged her, with how Robin started to experiment. Her cloak opened a little more and sighed against her skin as she lifted her arms, tracing her fingers up through his hair just like he'd done with hers.

When her thumb strayed along the side of his neck, he hummed in the back of his throat, pressing their mouths together so it could echo against her lips. She followed it up with more gentle touches, the pad of her thumb moving up to trace along Chrom's jaw while her fingers brushed at his cheeks. He traced his own hand down her back, mimicking the slow, gentle movement of her fingers. The cloak rippled under his touch, the fabric warming under the contact of his skin.

For all her shyness, Robin was shockingly well aware of what sort of effect her fingers had on him, and just how sensitive his throat was. She picked up on how his breath moved out pleased shudders.

He broke away from where their lips rested together and opened his mouth to beg for something else. Before he could string a sound together, she'd already ran a hand down between them. She pressed her palm against his pants, and a combination of pain and pleasure latched into him.

"Please," he murmured. With just a few quick motions she had his pants falling down and pooling at his feet. He stepped out of them, kicking aside and leaving him bared to her completely. His cheeks went a little red at that, but Robin herself didn't shy from it.

She kissed him on the throat as her hands moved over his cock. She added to the sensation flooding through him by nipping at his skin and letting her breath wash over his throat. Chrom threw his head back as she curled her fingers around his shaft, stretching his neck out that little bit more and shivering from the added sensations.

His hand touched her head, and let his fingers move through her hair. Skimming and touching, but not pulling this time. He let a moan build up in his throat, and he murmured her name again as he panted for breath. Robin answered both of those things by tracing her fingers along him, not shying away from him this time.

He slipped away for a moment, drowning in them as tension and electricity both coiled up in him. He could just let himself go, like before... and yet, he found himself wanting something more.

Giving something more.

"W-wait!" He finally managed. His hand left her back and closed around her wrist, slowing her. She stilled, leaving him floating for just a moment.

"You're not hurt, are you?" Robin's voice pierced his haze.

"Nothing like that. You're... you're good at this." She dipped her head at the compliment, resting her forehead on his collarbone. His hands went up to rub at her shoulders, suddenly hungry to touch her again and hold her close. Their bodies pushed together, his arms wrapping her tight against him and hugging her through the robe. Their skin was almost but not quite touching, save for the blaze of bare skin running down along Robin's front.

"But I was wondering about something more." As Chrom spoke, he leaned into that one bit of contact they had. When their chests touched, a breath of air brushed at his ear. Followed by a soft whimpering noise that almost slid into a moan, all in Robin's voice.

She wiggled in his grip, getting his hold to loosen just enough that she could step away from him. Chrom stared at her, knowing a bewildered look was stretching his eyes wide. He watched her, wondering over the strange look crossing her face-

And then staring as the cloak slid from her shoulders and fell to the ground.

Robin drew her arms from the sleeves and let the cloak fall down around her. Her hands and arms both wrapped themselves over her, and she couldn't bring herself to draw them away just yet. Not when her cheeks still burned.

She forced herself to take deep breaths, and risked a glance at Chrom; he stood frozen in place, eyes fixed on her own. Like she was walking across thin ice, Robin took a few slow, careful steps towards him. Her feet became a little more sure as he brought a hand up to her cheek, and she folded into his touch. She leaned into his chest, curling her head under his chin. Without anything between them, her skin shivered and tingled from the contact... and she found herself wanting more of it.

Chrom's hand stayed on her cheek, still unsure. Robin turned her head up, savoring the contact. She touched his lips with the tips of her fingers, a signal for him to close the space between their mouths. She clutched at his back and murmured against his tongue as their lips touched. Her throat was finally loosening up enough to let her talk, and even manage a giggle as Chrom pulled her down onto the bed.

She rolled with him, leaning over him one moment as they broke their kiss and touched foreheads instead. On the next breath she found herself on the bottom, pressed into the mattress as Chrom braced himself above her. He leaned on one elbow, while the other traced a line between her shoulder and up to her neck.

Robin interrupted the motion and wove her fingers into his, curling them in and clasping at his hand. Chrom mirrored the motion with his own fingers. Their motions stilled for a moment, before Robin drew his hand over to her side.

His eyes followed the motion, straying from their hands for a moment and darting across her body. Tension wound through Robin, pinching at her lungs and making her breath still. Chrom picked up on it, and tried to yank his eyes back up to just her face.

"N-no." Robin breathed out. "Don't be shy for me. Y-you should look at me."

She wanted to cross her hands back over her chest. Instead she clung to his hand, using it as an anchor as her eyes drifted shut.

"Robin," Chrom's word coaxed them back open.

No other words; just her own name. But the emotion welling up in Chrom's voice, all the love and tenderness... it was enough. It coaxed her fingers into relaxing, slowly releasing his hand.

"Robin." He murmured again, his fingers skimming along her neck and down to her collarbone. With his hands busy, he kissed her full on the lips, leaving a dash of wetness on them where his tongue traced over them.

Robin found herself sighing from the care, shifting her hands up and skimming her fingers along the lines of his ribs. Chrom took that as a sign to continue and bent his head further down. Robin squirmed and shut her eyes when she realized what he was using his mouth for; tracing his lips and tongue along the lines of her scars. He felt her out with his tongue, lavishing affection on all her imperfections.

"Chrom-" she didn't know whether to squirm from the attention, or curl into it. Chrom solved that problem by transferring care to her breasts, nipping at the tips of them.

A moan tore itself out of her throat, and made him lift his head. Her eyes jolted open as heat rose up in her face. She wanted to duck her head, to turn away-

But Chrom's eyes held her in place. She found herself gazing into them, shocked at how warm they looked. His lips were quirking up as well, and he almost looked pleased with himself for coaxing those sounds out of her.

Looking at that, she found herself smiling back and shifting her hips to bring their sexes close together. Robin sighed out as they pressed together, both of them going slick. For the moment all her shyness faded out, replaced by desire curling in her stomach, an ache settling between her thighs, and a longing pulling at her heart.

Chrom drew a thumb under her chin, pulling her eyes up to look at him. His eyes were expectant, eager... and a touch nervous. She could see the question behind them.

"Yes," Robin managed. "I'm ready... if you want this, too."

That got a chuckle out of him, as he nodded. His hand left her face, finding her own again while Chrom braced himself on his other arm. His fingers squeezed hard at hers, right before he slid in.

Chrom froze as a gasp tore its way out of Robin's throat. His eyes went wide, terrified that there was too much pain.

"It's fine-" Robin said, breathing out slow and feeling any discomfort flow out of her.

Her back arched up, and her hips slid forward to meet his as she took him in the rest of the way. Then it was Chrom's turn to gasp as she wrapped her legs around him, and slid her hands over his shoulders.

"Chrom-?" She managed to gasp out, and brought one hand up to his face. With another breath she managed another word, "are you okay?"

"Gods, yes..." He managed. Those words were enough, as his hips rocked forward. Her own rolled up to meet him, and a tiny moan worked its way out of Robin's throat; not much, not loud, but enough to coax them both on. Together they managed to find a rhythm, their bodies moving together and the sheets sighing underneath them.

Slowly their tempo increased, and Robin found herself growing more vocal. She wasn't the only one, as Chrom moaned each time their hips met.

Numbness dulled everything out for a moment, all other senses fading except for where they connected. It lasted for just a moment, before sparks pushed themselves back into Robin's skin. With how Chrom gave a low shudder the same must have been true for him. Tension snapped his spine straight for a breath, before he pulled her upright and tight against his chest. Robin clung back just as hard as shock and pleasure swept through her. She went dizzy from the sensation, barely able to breathe.

When she finally came back to herself, Robin realized she was whispering Chrom's name, nuzzling into his neck as the last bolts from their orgasm fired through her. His hands slowly let go of her, one finger at a time and laying her back down on the bed.

Chrom pulled out of her with one last shiver; that must have sapped the last of his strength, as his arms gave out and he flopped down next to her. His eyes were half lidded, a satisfied look crossing his face. Robin smiled at him, inching closer and reaching out to rest a hand at his side.

"Good?" She found herself asking, and he nodded his head, brushing their bangs together.

"You... know this isn't an instant cure, right?" A note of regret slid into her voice; she'd do anything just then to make it otherwise. "I... I still have a ways to go before I feel completely confident in just my skin."

Chrom traced his arm around her waist, murmuring a soft "I know."

He didn't pull at her, letting Robin take the choice on how close she wanted to be. She wrapped a hand around his shoulder and pressed herself against him.

"But I do want to keep working on this. And... if you're alright with it, maybe we can keep working on it together."

There was nothing quiet about the "YES!" Chrom gave her, and they spent the rest of the night laughing into the other's shoulders.