#⊰ ˙ ˖ ✧ — ricken ┊ support

[xiaoface]

been replaying awakening and i forgot how much i love this guy.... nyaha ^_^

[sieglinde-freud]

really dont like any of nowi’s vanilla game supports what if i just married her to anna

[fore-seer]

i have so many awakening playthroughs i want to do but my newest idea is the chrom’s besties run where i can only use chrom and the characters that either have supports with him or can talk to him in summer scramble

[lannisterdaddyissues]

trying some new pairings in my current awakening playthrough and every single one of them is canon in my mind now

[jayt23]

Doing the completionist's thing of getting all the S-supports in fire emblem awakening right now and..

Why would Nintendo do this cuz now I just regret everything

[pissfaggit]

Thinking about Innie Mark vs Outie Mark. How Innie Mark finds the courage to give a shit about things and Outie Mark doesn't. How Innie Mark can express his feelings and Outie Mark can't. How Innie Mark can fall in love again and commits to a woman who isn't Gemma. How Innie Mark gives himself away to Cobel at the party even before he calls her the wrong name. Because she confronts him about acting weird and in response he does what Innie Mark does to come off as normal: he straightens up, he laughs, and cracks an uncomfortably large smile. Something that would work at the office but comes off as almost downright bizarre at a social event. How each of them cared about Petey. How Innie Mark read Ricken's book and Outie Mark didn't

[almoststedytimetravel]

T4T Maribelle/Ricken is real to me.

[meattruck]

Y is it written like this happens in the game it literally doesn't 😭 he doesn't even have a support w him and goes off to the nether of being a fe side character

[real-fire-emblem-takes]

I think a lot of people miss that Nowi isn't a child, she's a teenager like Ricken and Donnel. She's just heavily traumatized because she was kidnapped after birth, bandied around, managed to escape long enough to befriend BANTU, and then recaptured and sold into slavery while being trained like a circus animal. She's emotionally stunted, not a literal child! It's okay to pair her with the younger Shepherds because she's a younger teen! She's explicitly doing what she does to keep morale up, and she says as much to Nah.

Nah: Mother, you need to take this more seriously! We're in the midst of a war! Nowi: I KNOW, silly. But thinking about it all the time isn't going to help me! The tougher things get, the more I laugh, and that makes everyone laugh, too. I think that's kind of my job here. To keep everyone smiling.

Please, read the supports with Nah. Nowi has some GENUINELY mature moments in it where her real self leaks through, including her worrying Nah is TOO YOUNG to use her Dragonstone.

Nah: I don't want to have fun. I want to get stronger. If I don't, I'll never help win this war or earn my place in this army. Nowi: Er... Nah: If I'm not helping people, then what's the point of even having me around? No real human wants to be friends with a half person who can't look after herself. Nowi: Is that what you're worried about? But I'm here—and I'm a manakete! You don't have to prove something to the humans to be here with us. Manakete, taguel, human—everyone in this army is equal and in it together! Nah: You truly believe that? Nowi: I do. And more importantly, you're still very young for a manakete. You can't overuse the dragonstone. It's far too powerful for one of your age. Nah: It's true that after a day of training I tend to feel terribly weak... Nowi: I'm going to give it back to you, but I don't want to see you hurting yourself. You must promise me to only use it during actual battle. Do you hear me? Nah: All right, Mother. I swear to use it more responsibly from now on.

She even outright says her "playing" is how she trains and that she's not very good at thinking and such so she leaves tactics to Chrom and Robin, but she IS good at fighting so she just does what they tell her to. Honestly, I'd argue she's actually much more mature than Ricken can be, she just hides it because she knows she looks young. Hell, she calls herself an adult woman to Henry's face. She's emotionally stunted, sure, and can't always read a room (she scares a bunch of kids off by transforming without warning because she wanted to give them a ride on her back), and she CAN be childish but like. When you actually READ her Supports, you can see she's got some genuine moments where her real personality shines through! THEY JUST NEEDED TO FIX HER PHYSICAL DESIGN!!!!

.

[unofficialgayawakening]

Version 7 Release

Expanded Support Options (v7) Changelog

New romantic support options for Lissa/Donnel/Ricken

New platonic cross-gen support options (no conversations yet)

Completely redone support availability to remedy support gain issues and add new options

Separate download that hosts the prior version with UV's restrictions (recommended for existing save files, as the new options will mess up any supports you currently have)

Gender neutral UI for EU English

New Supports: Chrom/Virion, Frederick/Libra, Vaike/Kellam, Stahl/Gregor, Cordelia/Maribelle, Gregor/Yen'fay, M!Morgan/Inigo, F!Morgan/Cynthia, Emmeryn/Aversa, Lucina&Virion PC

Lissa/Tharja S support from previous update is now available

COMPATIBILITY NOTE - Both versions of UGGLR only work with the old support options. They will be updated at a later date.

[emblemxeno]

This ask is going to be kind of long, but your platform is really the only platform where I feel comfortable having this conversation. You don’t have to post this if you don’t want to, I won’t feel any sort of ways about it, but I’ve got to get this feeling out of my system. The way the fandom treats Fates compared to the other games in the franchise, makes them completely unbearable. I don’t think I can forgive the fandom for it even if they did somehow start giving Fates its overdue credit. Treating its fans like shit for almost a decade is unacceptable. I don’t know how so many people can justify their behavior in regards to this game. The fans of this game have literally done nothing to the fandom other than love it unapologetically, and we still get condescended to about it. You dare offer your opinion about a take in the series and it’s like, “You’re a Corrin fan, you have no right to talk about anything.” I have never seen a group of fans that have to literally HIDE the fact that they cherish a game in order to appease its larger community, it’s so disgusting. I don’t care if I’m being harsh with this ask because I have witnessed and dealt with this condescension for years. I don’t care to spare any feelings at this point, and I think the fandom certainly doesn’t deserve any of our grace either. Calling out the elitism, cliquish behavior, and hypocrisy is the right thing to do no matter how much some people soften/normalize these issues.

Hope you don't mind me posting this anon.

It's certainly an unfortunate situation. While Fates has its problems--I say this as a diehard fan--I agree in that it's in a singular situation where it's just met with derision initially and only given praise in backhanded manners. Think "Fates sucks but it does have great X and Y" and including an obligatory compliment towards Conquest. Which, don't get me wrong, Conquest is fucking amazing in the gameplay department, but half the time I'm just like... all right, I think you're just pretending to like anything of Fates just because you feel obligated to like one of the most acclaimed gameplay centered entries in the series.

There was just the perfect storm of controversy and unmet expectations that people had towards the game: the woefully inaccurate conversion therapy accusations, the romance options, the sales model of having multiple versions, the story not being liked, Corrin not being liked, the cast being seen as tropey, the fanservice hatred, etc. Its reputation from pre-release to nearly a decade after release is just a swamp of negativity.

And, in risk of sounding defensive and deflective, Awakening did most of this first. Awakening used being gay as a constant punchline especially in DLC (but people are reclaiming that now as something to be praised cuz of course), Awakening had problematic romance options (Nowi, any of the children but especially Nah, Donnel, Ricken, and Lissa are still underage, Aversa is technically your sister and she's written in the M!Robin support to tease that aspect, Tharja in her entirety), Awakening's cast was the de facto tropey cast before Fates, its story was criticized for the same things Fates was (poorly explained lore and world, pacing issues, convenient plot devices, pandering to a previous game, and had its exclusive issue of being inconsistent with Archanea's lore), Robin was criticized for being an all loved player insert with too many powers/importance, it started the oddly designed armor designs for fanservice reasons, and while it didn't have multiple versions, it was the first game with a ton of paid DLC.

Don't get me wrong, I love Awakening to pieces. But that game started pretty much everything Fates gets shit for. Yet it gets retrospective love or at the very least a pass cuz... Fates does it worse/more and because it was gonna be the last game in the series? Wouldn't it be fair then, to give slack to Fates for following in the footsteps of the most well received and successful game in the series by replicating it while trying to improve on what some felt were lacking? But I guess at that point, people think it utterly failed in improving on the story and characters so :/

I think you have a point regarding Fates fans as well. We're pretty much the only FE fans that get unironic negative labels, at least by casual aduiences. Apparetnly we're "coomer, porn brain freaks who don't know what good games are." Though, that's about it in terms of the elitism thing, otherwise I think it's just fans of older games being out off by the direction newer games have gone, and most make no distinction and criticize all of Awakening, Fates, 3H, and Engage. Still, Fates fans are the ones getting the most accepted flak.

To end this off, let's be honest: If Fates is the example most people give of the worst game in the series, FE fans have it pretty fucking good lmao.

[boundlesschaos]

TOA Anniversary Munday

Celebrating TOA and the people who contribute to make our group what it is. Repost, don't reblog. Only fill in what you feel comfortable sharing! Happy anniversary, TOA! Here's to many more years spent together. [Original by Neffi can be found here!]

Name: Ruru

Pronouns: any/all

Birthday (no year): 6/14

Where are you from? What is your time zone? Grew up in the East Coast, currently back living there. EST timezone.

How long is your roleplay experience? Easily 15+ years. I did RP on DeviantArt of all things (and even became a mod of said rp); moved to tumblr RP when it got popular, but then took a break for a few years when tabletop games took interest proper; returned to RP when Cecil and I found TOA.

How were you introduced to roleplaying as a whole? Outside of DeviantArt, I grew up playing a lot of make believe games with friends, which eventually moved to text. But really, dA was the big one that hooked me to RP proper....wild...

How were you introduced to TOA? Cecil was the one who found it? But I was wishing for more tumblr RPs around the time, since discord ones felt too intimidating.

Do you have any pets? Viola! Cute lil cat daughter

What is your favorite time of year and why? (Season, holiday, general period) I like the part of fall where the leaves change colours. Seeing flora change in general is fun for me.

What is your IRL occupation? IT Support; I also do game dev (mainly TTRPG) on the side when I can

Some interests and things you like/enjoy? I like running TTRPG games, drawing, designing and coding spreadsheets. Making improv games on the fly, rules and all. I also like exploring new places, especially when they're local. Picnics on the beach or park are great.

What non-Fire Emblem games do you play? A lot, but the game I just beat is Xenoblade Chronicles. I'm the sole remaining World Flipper fan- I mean, I like JRPGs a lot, so games like LiveALive and Chrono Cross come to mind as well.

Favorite Pokemon type & Pokemon: Bug type. Snom, Grubbin, Pinurchin, Trapinch, pokemon that have the shape (tm) are my favorites. I've always had a soft spot for the Lati duo as well.

Tell us some funfacts and trivia about yourself! I've lived in Japan for a fair bit, and became N5 proficient through that. I'm trying to study for N4. I will also never stop talking about TTRPG - namely that I make games and one of them is Fire Emblem based.

How did you get into Fire Emblem? NO JOKE BUT I first learned of Fire Emblem through some promotional pamphlet that came with Pokemon Sapphire I think??? And then saw them in Smash. Cecil definitely helped me get into it proper.

What Fire Emblem games have you played? Easier to say what I haven't, which is FE1 and FE3 (or their remakes). Only played Echoes, not FE2. The only games I started and never beat are Warriors, Three Hopes, and FE5.

First & Favorite Fire Emblem games: First exposure was one of the GBA, but Awakening was the first I beat proper, I think. My favorite FE games are 4 and 6.

List your 5 favorite Fire Emblem characters across the series! Niamh, Joshua, Hugh, Idunn, Lethe? Those are the first to come to mind that I consistently like.

Who was the first character ever to make you go “ooh I like this one in particular” and why? Can be any context and reason! This would have been so long ago...I liked characters like Chad, Lugh, Ricken, etc because they were the 'small boy who might not be taken seriously' type. Which, given I was a lot younger back then, also treated younger than i was by my family, and starting to realize I don't define my gender neatly, they were important characters to sympathize with.

Any Fire Emblem crushes? 😳 All my crushes are in Tellius LMAO but like. Titania. Nailah. Powerful Women....

If you’ve played (or are familiar with) the following games, who was your first S support? Who would you S support nowadays? - Awakening: Sully; might pick someone like Miriel? - Fates: Tsubaki; idk tbh....maybe him again - Three Houses: Shamir; probably Yuri? - Engage: Yunaka; maybe Kagetsu? [THIS WHOLE THING IS REMINDING ME that im not very attached to S supporting with the protag I GUESS]

Favorite Fire Emblem class? I like the ones where you can fly. Kinshi Knight is one of my favorites for the design and unique combination of flyer and bow.

If you were a Fire Emblem character, what would be your class and stats? Would you be playable? Probably a flier or a strategist type. My luck stat is either way too good or awful, no inbetween. Probably also a furry of some variety.

If you were a Three Houses character, what would be your affiliation? I'm your generic NPC civilian.

If you were an Officers Academy student, what would be your boons, banes and potential budding talent? - Boons - Faith, Riding (me remembering I rode horses as a kid) - Banes - Axes - Budding - Flying, Bows

If you were an Engage character, which nation would you originate from? Probably Firene for being very flowery?

How do you pronounce TOA? 🤔(separate letters, to-ah, other?) I pronounce it toe (the body part) + a (the letter). toe-a.

Current TOA muses: Niamh, Hugh

Past TOA muses? N/A

Who was your first TOA muse? If you no longer have them, can you see yourself picking them up again? Niamh

Do you believe you have a type of character you gravitate towards writing? I like writing characters who appear composed, put together, etc, but are actually definitely not. Their ability to empathize is either super good or they struggle dearly (but are aware of that shortcoming). the more unconventional their gender, identity, etc is, the better.

Do you have characters or types of characters you don’t think you can handle writing, but wish you could? Honestly any character with a sizeable amount of lore. I'd just spend way too much time worrying I interpreted one of their support conversations wrong or don't do the character 'the right way'.

What kind of scenes, situations etc do you believe you enjoy writing the most? I like writing situations where the characters learn a new facet about themselves, or discover a place beyond their wildest dreams.

Do you have any scenario in mind for your muse(s) that gets you thinking “man I hope I get to write this one day”? Maybe something that lets me explore Hugh's past or defines Niamh pre-meeting Cipher crew?

Favorite TOA-related memories? Candy game was fun. I also liked the teamwork and memery I had in BOEL this year.

Present or past tense? I think I write in present so that?

Normal size text, small text, no preference? Normal Text with no trimming because most of my replies are through my phone lmao...

Got any potential muse delusions to share? 😉 Sommie :) Both joking and genuinely serious. I love a small Frienb and i think it would be interesting to dive into the fact that Sommie has been around for a very long time, but realistically I'd probably only play him for a few months. Aside from Sommie, there are a couple of FE6 characters (Lugh, Raigh, Idunn) who could be fun but I like sticking to one muse per game. Constance I think about off and on but she hits my 'has too many supports' and therefore I'd worry about playing right. I still rotate the Three Hopes supports I read though. Maybe someday

[the-priestess-of-dawn]

Actually though now I AM getting the urge to essaypost about the sacrifice ending because... it occurs to me that perhaps "For once, I'm glad you and I are the same." might be a more significant line than I ever realized... If the Chrom ending represents Robin fundamentally changing as a person, then the sacrifice ending represents them NOT changing... but Chrom is insistent in both endings that Robin will always belong with him and the Shepherds. In the sacrifice ending, Robin comes back from death because of the strength of their bonds... but what does that mean?

You know, if you look at Medeus's death quotes in Shadow Dragon and New Mystery...

“Nngh… Defeated again… by humans! Know this, Altean prince… That light which surrounds you is only a temporary respite. So long as the darkness in your hearts continues to sustain me… I cannot be… destroyed…… Rrraaahhh!!!”

“GWAH…! WHY……? WHY… HAVE I… BEEN DEFEATED… SO EASILY…? IS THIS… THE POWER… …OF NAGA'S… Binding Shield…? KNOW THIS, HUMANS… THIS LIGHT IS ONLY A BRIEF RESPITE… SO LONG AS EVIL LURKS WITHIN THE HEARTS OF MAN… SHOULD THIS ACCURSED SHIELD BE LOST, WE SHALL RISE FROM THE DEPTHS OF HELL… DO NOT… EVER FORGET…”

It seems to me that Medeus is saying that human hearts have the power to bring him back. I mean, yes, it could very easily be a metaphor. In fact, I think it largely IS figurative, but... The point is that this shit keeps happening because humans want it to happen, right? Like, Medeus was resurrected by GHARNEF; he basically just seized the opportunity this human gave him. Why wouldn't he expect it to happen again someday?

And Grima, of course, was revived by the Grimleal. We've got no word on whether Grima wanted their followers to do this after their original defeat (in fact, technically we do not not even know whether Grima consented to giving any humans their blood. It COULD be that they bestowed it on their followers as a show of favor. I also absolutely would not put it past the Grimleal to have collected Grima's spilled blood after the final battle with the First Exalt and used it for their own purposes... Especially because I do think that's most likely what Forneus did with Naga's blood to create Grima in the first place.). Regardless, Grima answered their followers' call and did exactly what they were asked to do.

And then we have Robin coming back. I think most of us presume that there was no specific revival ritual, but... still, fundamentally, isn't the same principle at play? The Shepherds called and they were answered. And Robin came back as Robin, Brandless and free from the power of the fell dragon, because that is who their loved ones asked for, and that is who Robin wanted to be, and I think in a world where magic exists then it makes perfect sense that a strong enough wish could literally manifest as a spell. (Tharja says in her supports with Ricken that "Curses are a kind of magic that gives life to dreams." so I'm inclined to think that this is very much how magic is intended to work.)

So the sacrifice ending becomes a twist on the cycle. Because the thing is, Robin chose destruction. Robin chose to use their power as Grima to bring about a final end—only in this world their conclusion is not that the world is unable to change and therefore must be destroyed, but that THEY are what cannot change and must be destroyed. "For once, I'm glad you and I are the same." They are embracing it. They are the fell dragon and they can't change but they can do the one thing they always do and destroy. This OUGHT to be a tragic ending where we're all left with the bitter feeling that nothing the hero OR the villain did ever truly mattered at all.

But we're challenging fate, right?

And the thing that Robin has that their future self did not is, of course, all the Shepherds reaching out for them. The original timeline Shepherds thought that Robin betrayed Chrom and then... presumably ran off to serve Grima or whatever (since nobody knows that Robin BECAME Grima). And so there was no one to beg Grima to come back and be with them. No shared wish strong enough to create a miracle. The tragedy played out straightforwardly.

But it was never inevitable. The tragedy didn't happen because there is something inherently wrong with Grima's being. Of course it didn't. They were not alone because they were unlovable but because Validar and the Grimleal had everything set up to ensure that Grima could not do anything but turn to them. ("These followers of Naga will spurn you now that they've learned what you are. Kill me, and you incur the wrath of the Grimleal as well… Would you truly choose to be so utterly alone?" Validar knew exactly what he was doing.)

So with the sacrifice ending... perhaps we're really saying that Robin never needed to change. That even if they never give up this perspective of theirs—that they're a no-good and repulsive being, that they're powerless to change anything, that all they can do is destroy—they're loved anyway, and there is room for them in the world no matter what.

[inktho]

Back when I was in highschool around after fe awakening come out, I immediately like Ricken because of his support with Robin. During that time, i wanted to find fanarts of him but then i realize that there weren't as many fanart of him and robin or himself. A few years later i came across your fanarts of ricken and i made me happy that there's someone that loves him and it inspired to do the same thing. Also what was your first Ricken fanart?

wow! i'm glad my art was able to provide a little for you! TuT so little ricken/robin content

and oh god fskdlfjs my first ricken fanart... *face in hands* here u go

and these are some of my first of ricken and royun together ;u;♥

i swear i dont think any of my fanart of him was decent until late 2016 LOL... post-art school life... i was freed

[outerspacebun]

DSJFLKSDF okay since one person liked my post, which is enough for me, I am going to write a long list of who I ship/who I pair with in Awakening, Fates, and Three Houses/Hopes. It's going to be long, will include rarepairs, and oc x canon because I can't help myself.

For Awakening:

Chrom/M!Robin

Chrom/Sumia

M!Robin/Tiki

F!Robin/Virion

Lissa/Lon'qu

Frederick/Cordelia

Sully/Vaike

Stahl/Cherche

Miriel/Kellam

Donnel/Nowi

Lon'qu/Gaius

Ricken/Maribelle

Panne/Olivia

Panne/Libra

Gaius/Olivia

Gaius/Chrom

Tharja/Henry

Basilio/Flavia (we were robbed of an A Support from them)

Gerome/Lucina

Lucina/Laurent

Lucina/Gerome/Laurent

Owain/Inigo

Cynthia/Severa

Gerome/Laurent

Morgan/Nah (doesn't matter the gender for Morgan)

For Fates:

F!Corrin/Flora

F!Corrin/Charlotte

Azura/Tsubaki

Felicia/Jakob

Felicia/Xander

Silas/Hinoka

Kaze/Rinkah

Mozu/Hayato

Mozu/Effie

Takumi/Setsuna

Sakura/Xander

Saizo/Kagero

Kagero/Rinkah

Azama/Beruka

Hinata/Hana

Orochi/Lazlow

Oboro/Kaden

Tsubaki/Niles

Tsubaki/Nyx

Rinkah/Charlotte

Camilla/Keaton

Leo/Nyx

Elise/Odin

Lazlow/Odin

Lazlow/Nyx

Peri/Niles

Effie/Arthur

Charlotte/Benny

Midori/Kiragi

Mitama/Rajhat

Asugi/Nina

Caeldori/Nina

Caeldori/Seigbert

For Three Houses/Hopes:

M!Byleth/Claude

M!Byleth/Shamir

F!Byleth/Sylvain

Byleth/Dedue (I like either with them. Dedue is so precious)

Edelgard/Dorothea

Edelgard/Monica

Edelgard/Dorothea/Monica

Hubert/Ferdinand

Ferdinand/Flayn

Linhardt/Dorothea

Bernadetta/Dorothea

Bernadetta/Petra

Dorothea/Monica

Petra/Ignatz

Dimitri/Mercedes

Dimitri/Felix

Dimitri/Yuri

Dedue/Ashe

Felix/Annette

Sylvain/Yuri

Annette/Hilda

Rodiruge/Amelia

Lambert/Aisla

Matthias/Raven

Glenn/Elena

Ingrid/Yuri

Lorenz/Leonie

Raphael/Marianne

Ignatz/Marianne

Lysithea/Cyril

Marianne/Leonie

Seteth/Manuela

Hapi/Constance

[fe-fictions]

Do you have any stories left for the Archest of Archers? I need more Virion/Robin in my life

(How about the Kissed By Another prompt...but in reverse!!!! This is such a good story, I can't believe I had posted it sooner!)

It was always whispered behind your backs, but you and Virion knew that people kept talking.

He was still flirtatious, and he would let a pick-up line slip here and there, but you didn’t mind it. Virion promised he wasn’t going anywhere. He would always rein his behavior in when you expressed concern.

But you knew his personality. You would feel terrible if he changed things about himself just to please you. It wouldn’t be healthy or fair.

So you trusted him, and you ignored what others said. You weren’t worried, and you weren’t offended. However, that all came to a stop one fateful day.

“Do you think that everything will truly go back to normal once this war ends?” virion asked you, the two of you working away in the armory and polishing the various blades and lances that Frederick had assigned you both.

You tilted your head, curious what was running through Virion’s mind.

“I would assume so, yes.”

“Well, the problem for me is that…my normal would be returning home to Rosanne. It is across the sea, amour. Would be comfortable leaving your friends behind?”

“Hmm.” You paused your work, “I don’t know. That’s a hard question.”

“I worry you would be anxious having to live in a new place. You would not have much support, and that would be uncomfortable, non?”

“It wouldn’t be ideal, but you know that you’re all I need, right?” You responded with a soft smile, “Where you go, I go. I can write letters and visit everyone else. Chrom will be the least happy about it, but he’ll get over it. He’s a tough kid.”

“I am so happy to hear you say so, mon ange.” Virion beamed at you, “You are so brave, and so beautiful, and so very perfect in every possible way…ah, but I have been so blessed by the gods with such a wonderful woman.”

“You can just say ‘I’m glad to hear it’.” You giggled.

Virion laughed. “Ah, but where would the fun in that be?”

He grinned at you, leaning forward to steal a quick kiss. You broke apart just as the tent flap opened, and Virion was called by Ricken for some important task.

“I’ll be back soon, amour. Leave some polishing for me, hm?”

“I will.” You beamed at him, watching him leave with his usual flourish. You shook your head when he bowed dramatically to you. You had married quite the theater man, which you realized fairly early into your marriage.

You reflected happily on your relationship, humming while the polishing continued. You finished two more lances before the tent opened again.

“Welcome back-”

“Thank you, Tactician.” 

You started when a voice that wasn’t your husband’s hit your ears, and you looked up to find a soldier, a Myrmidon, entering the armory.

“Oh, forgive me- I mistook you for my husband.” You told the man with an embarrassed chuckle.

“No matter. I was actually looking for you, hoping I could have an audience alone with you.”

“Is there something I can help you with? Is there a problem with your formation or your partner? I’d be happy to reassign you if that were the case.”

“None of that. It’s nothing to do with battle. Rather, this is something a bit personal.”

“All right…” You didn’t like how strange his request was. You had no idea what to do with this- Frederick had mentioned something about chain of command before. This man had to be breaking some sort of rule.

“I’ve learned something about your husband, ma’am. It could damage his reputation, and yours…which in turn would cause harm to Lord Chrom.”

“What sort of information do you have on Virion, of all people? I know him pretty well. He’s never done anything to make me suspect otherwise.”

“Even with his excessive romantic behavior?”

“If that’s the sort of information you have, then no, I’m not worried at all.” You said with a deep frown, “If this is some sort of sick joke, I’m not laughing.”

“It’s not like that. It’s serious.” He held out a piece of paper that had all sorts of scribblings on it, but you chiefly recognized Virion’s name, and the Valmese Kingdom among the lines of text. 

“Virion is from Rosanne- it’s close to Valm. Why is this important?”

“You don’t know enough about Valm to understand how serious this is, ma’am. The Valmese aren’t our friends. They’re allied with Plegia. Supplying weapons and funding them so they can win the war.”

That didn’t sound good. Virion’s name attached to it sounded worse.

“What does that have to do with Virion?”

“He’s helping facilitate the transactions through his connections in Rosanne; an ally of Valm.”

The blood turned to ice in your veins. 

Virion? A traitor?

“If word were to get out that there’s a traitor in our ranks, it would undermine the entire army. No one would trust anyone. You’re married to the man- you think anyone would do as you say, knowing you’re connected to a rat?”

“Virion’s no rat! He would never betray his friends, let alone Ylisse!” You protested so passionately, the strange soldier was taken aback. His surprise was soon replaced with a smirk.

“This is what I was afraid of. You’re more than willing to go to bat for him, but that’s a problem. We have to make sure this is properly investigated before anyone’s name is cleared. Your word is nothing unless there’s proof. Right now, the evidence is stacked against him.”

You bit your lip, frustrated into silence and confusion. He was right.

“So, I thought I should come to you first with this information.”

“I see. But until I can verify any of-”

“Ah-ah. Not so fast. You’re not going to be investigating any of this. You’re far too close. That, and I’m concerned you’ll try and tell someone about what’s going on. We can’t have that.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, that if you try and tell anyone about what you found out today, I can make sure that everyone knows your husband is a traitor, and you’re his right hand who’s helping him every step of the way.”

“Excuse me?”

“Breathe a word and I end the game before it starts. But if you keep quiet and do as I say, then Virion and you will be just fine.”

“You want to blackmail me?” You seethed, “What in the gods’ names is wrong with you?!”

“Nothing at all. But you have to give me what I want.”

“Which is?”

“A kiss.” 

You were pretty sure you didn’t hear that right.

“…What did you just say?”

“I want a kiss from the Chief Tactician, Ylisse’s most beautiful woman.” He said with a toothy grin, leaning closer. “You’ll do it, won’t you? You wouldn’t want your husband’s reputation destroyed. Just think of the way you’ll be outcast, treated like enemies of the state…you’d be imprisoned for treason.”

You glared daggers straight into that man’s soul. He was truly a disgusting creature.

“That’s all you want, huh? Just a kiss?”

“I couldn’t ask for more.” He assured you, leaning even closer. You wanted to vomit. “Just remember, all of this stays between us. A word of it gets out, and you’ll both regret it.”

“Fine.” You hissed. You grabbed the man’s collar without another thought, and smashed your mouths together. It was the absolute least pleasant kiss you could have ever given to anyone, and every second it lasted you felt a part of yourself die inside.

You weren’t the only one.

“Robin.”

You practically shoved the man off, gasping when Virion’s voice hit your ears. He was rooted to the spot as he stared at you.

At the man whose mouth had just been on yours. On his wife’s.

His Robin.

Though…you weren’t really his, were you?

Your mouth fell open, stumbling to explain yourself, but you stopped short. You felt the soldier’s eye on you, heard the paper with the damning evidence crinkle in his hand. 

You couldn’t say anything.

“What…what is this?”

Oh, his voice. He sounded so shocked. So hurt.

“Virion, i-it’s not…”

“Oh, it is.”

You swiveled around to look at the man whose grin was filled with pegasus dung. He was enjoying this.

“My…apologies.” Virion’s hand faltered from the canvas. He looked away.

“Virion-”

“I didn’t mean to intrude.”

He was gone.

————————-

The  following hours were a blur. You didn’t remember the Myrmidon disappearing, but you were alone and couldn’t see past your tears. 

You tried to find Virion, running all around the camp and calling for him. No one had seen him. Maribelle thought she’d seen him rush from the armory, but there was no clear indicator where he went.

So you waited in your tent. Your shared tent. You sat on your cot, feeling overwhelmed with all sorts of feelings you couldn’t process. 

You wanted to know why the man wanted your kiss in exchange for Virion’s protection. Why did that matter? What was he really after?? 

Yo were so muddled up with thoughts, but the one that kept twisting up your heart was Virion. Every time his face flashed in your mind, you wanted to curl up and die. His eyes were devoid of love. They were so full of pain. 

You weren’t willing to test that man’s threat, saying that he had ways of finding out if you’ve kept quiet or not. 

It was a threat you weren’t willing to test. You had a terrible feeling that Virion was in danger. You just wanted to tell him that much.

So it was surprising when, long after the sky turned dark, that Virion stepped into the tent. It took him all of two seconds to realize you were there, and his eyes locked with yours. His hand clenched on the fabric, but he closed it just the same.

He looked away from you the quickest he could.

“You’re here.” 

“I am.” You confirmed with a weak nod. The air was so thick with tension it was suffocating.

How were you supposed to explain kissing another man in front of your husband? Let alone without being able to say the real reason?

Virion broke the silence, first With a quiet laugh. A bitter, cold laugh.

“You know, it is quite funny. Everyone always said that I would betray your trust. That I would hurt you, that you deserved better than a filthy old tramp, like me.” His words became chilled. “I never thought it would be the other way around.”

“Virion-”

“Non, Robin.” He stopped you fiercely, and you forgot how to breathe. 

He hadn’t called you by your name like that, before. So filled with anger, and hurt.

“I think we can both agree you have done more than enough.” He was falling apart. “I have always…been willing to do what you asked, Robin. If I ever hurt you, or made you worry- I told you to stop me. I would change for you in a heartbeat. A heartbeat! Yet it was not enough, was it?”

You couldn’t even respond. You were shellshocked by the words coming out of his mouth. By the betrayal in his eyes.

“Was I ever enough for you? Did you ever even- was this a marriage of convenience? All this time, hiding a secret lover, going behind my back and betraying my trust and my love for you because you never felt the same? Yet you didn’t have the courage- the love enough to tell me the truth?”

You were both crying.

Virion swallowed hard, running a hand through his hair. “Robin…I trusted you, with my whole heart. I was willing to commit to you. I do not want to know how long this has…I do not want your reasons. I only wish you told me, before. It could have saved us both the trouble of heartbreak.”

He pulled at his glove, and you feared he would discard his ring. The one that matched yours, that weighed so painfully on your finger.

“Virion…please let me say something.” 

“What can you say?” He barked out a laugh, “You honestly think I can find any explanation you had for me believable at all? I heard your words! ‘That’s all you want? Just a kiss’?”

Oh.

“‘All of this stays between us’?? Your secret romance you had the gall to sneak about in broad daylight? When you knew I was coming back?? Ha!!” 

He shook his head, his hand falling to his side.

“…Ha.”

“I…” Your hands were quaking in your lap. Your heartbeat was deafening in your ears, but you couldn’t bear it. “Can’t say much.”

Virion looked down at you, expression cold and unmoving.

“But I need you to trust me.”

His eyes widened. He couldn’t believe the words you spoke.

“Do you really think that I could do that to you?” You asked him softly, “Without reason?”

He looked away. “Does that matter? I know what I saw. This isn’t some trick or misunderstanding- that was deliberate.”

“It was.” You confirmed, standing on your feet now that your legs had stopped shaking. He looked to you again. More hurt. “But there’s more to it. I promise you, I-I just can’t…I can’t explain. So…please, trust me.”

You grabbed your knapsack from the foot of the cot. You slung it over your shoulder, brushing past your husband.

“I’m not going to force you to be here with me. I’ve got things I need to do. So please, just…don’t fall apart just yet. Don’t quit on me.”

It was all Virion could do to let you leave.

The moment he was alone, in the silence of his broken home, that he sank to the ground. He was a mess.

————————-

The days that followed were uncomfortable and strange for Virion. 

It was clear he was off, but if someone asked what was wrong he wouldn’t answer. He found out that you disappeared the next morning. You left a letter to Chrom telling him you would be back soon.

The prince sent out a search party for you when you didn’t return the next day. Two nights in a row, Virion was alone.

On the third day, Chrom called for Virion’s audience. He was in the council tent, and he had a man bound in a chair, covered in bruises.

The man you kissed.

The man Virion immediately punched.

“Hold on a second, don’t do that!” Chrom grabbed Virion’s arm. 

“I appreciate you doing this for me, but I’m perfectly capable of beating this man down, myself.” He growled, trying to push past to get another hit in.

“I didn’t do this. Neither did Frederick.” The lieutenant, who intended to hold Virion back, stepped forward.

“This man is involved in a plot to undermine the Ylissean Army. He was going to use you to do so.”

“Me?” Virion’s brow furrowed. 

“Robin found evidence this man was planning a coup. He blackmailed her with ‘evidence’ that you were working with the Valmese. Your background from Rosanne left  weakness in your credibility. In order to protect you, Robin started this investigation.”

He was floored.

The Archest of Archers didn’t know what to think. His head was swimming, his heart was pounding, and it was all he could do to stare at Chrom. The prince gave Virion a letter that was covered in your handwriting.

His fingers quivered with every word he read.

“There is a small squadron of men who are working against the army. A Myrmidon from the 16th platoon has organized a team of soldiers, all tied to Valm in some way. I’ve discovered a hidden base of operations; a fort 11 miles west of our campsite. I will be back within a fortnite, this matter put to rest.”

“Eleven miles west…?” Virion’s brow furrowed, looking to Chrom. “S-she has gone alone? Is she engaging with these men??”

“Considering she sent this one back to us in this state…I wouldn’t doubt it.” Chrom gestured to the man Virion was contemplating punching again.

“When will she return?”

“We don’t know. Miriel is working with Tharja to pinpoint her exact location, and Cordelia is scouting the west for the fort. As soon as we get everything we need, we’re going after her. We wanted to know if you would join us.”

“Yes.”

Virion’s heart was soaring. Surging.

“Very well. We’ll send for you as soon as we’re ready to leave. Until then, we have a few more questions for this man.”

It was Chrom who eventually had to push him out of the tent to keep him from “assisting” with the interrogation. As soon as he was out, though, he was rushing back to his tent. Your tent. Your home.

He had never readied for battle so quickly. The ring on his hand burned as his blood did. He paced the tent, back and forth, ready to leave immediately.

He needed to bring you home.

He needed to apologize. Tell you he loved you. That he was so unbelievably lucky to have someone willing to risk everything, even his trust, to protect him. You did that for him.

His resolve to marry you all over again quickly dissipated when Miriel came to his tent, breathlessly informing him you returned.

You were in the infirmary.

————————-

It was mere hours after Virion had started pacing in his tent that you had come back. He sprinted across camp.

He raced past Chrom and Frederick, who had made it to the healing tent just before he did, but he wasn’t letting anyone get to you first..

“Whoa-” Chrom didn’t even realize the blue blur was Virion until Frederick put a hand on his shoulder, stopping him short of following.

“We should give them some time. He was clearly worried.” Frederick suggested. Chrom couldn’t agree more. Especially after Libra stepped out with a blush on his cheeks.

Best to give them some time.

Virion burst into the tent without hesitation. He found you, sitting up in your cot, plasters and bandages wrapped around various parts of your body.

Yet you looked calm, unmoved by the pain stinging your skin.

“Robin,” Virion gasped. You snapped up to look at him, finding the man crossing the tent to your bedside. 

“Virion…I-!” He engulfed you in his embrace before you could even apologize. He fell onto the cot, hugging you tightly, burying his face in your hair.

“Mon amour.”

Oh.

“Mon coeur, ma femme, mon Robin parfait et bien-aimé…” He squeezed you closer, his voice trembling when he felt the tears wet his tunic. “I am so very sorry.”

“Why are you apologizing?” You sounded almost jovial. It was enough to make Virion pull back to look at you, finding the tears in your eyes enough to make his spill over.

“Because I did not listen to my heart.” He grimaced, wiping at the tears that slipped down your cheeks. “I knew…I knew that you would never betray me. I trust you with my life, yet I…I should not have said any of those terrible things to you. I must have hurt you so much.”

“Virion, you watched me kiss another man.” You reminded him (somewhat bitterly). “You had every right to say those things.”

“Not to you.” He cupped your cheek, his expression twisted with regret. “Not to the woman who risked everything to protect a foolish man like me.”

“You’re not foolish.” You whispered, pressing into his palm. “You’re intelligent, and strong, and kind, and you’re the man I love. Don’t ever question that.”

“Never.” He kissed you, deeply, his hand sliding from your cheek to your neck, pulling you into him as much as he could.

This was what he wanted. Holding his wife as close as possible, lips parting only long enough to draw a breath before kissing you senseless again.

He wished to erase the bitter taste of that man’s lips. The disgusting ploy to undermine his trust in you, to destroy his marriage so Virion himself would be an easier target…

The two of you lost track of time, then, hugging each other and comforting one another for all you were worth.

You later learned the Myrmidon in question wasn’t just trying to undermine the army. He had a personal vendetta. A man from Rosanne, seeking revenge for allegedly destroying his home with his lack of leadership.

You didn’t believe a word of it; you knew there were problems in Virion’s past, but never would he actively destroy another man. He wasn’t capable of it, let alone so that a man would try to end his marriage and his army.

It only confirmed the truth you already decided upon. You were returning to Rosanne with him, to help repair the land that had fallen apart in his absence. No matter how hostile or poor the state of affairs, you weren’t leaving his side.

It just confirmed for Virion you were absolutely the one he needed.

You lost count of the kisses he drowned you in, the night you returned to your tent. He made it clear that you were trusted, loved, and he would never question that ever again. Though to be on the safe side, you promised you wouldn’t kiss anyone else, no matter how dire the circumstances. 

He promised in return to give you plenty of kisses so you’d get your fill. As if you could ever possibly get enough.