Disclaimer: I don't own Fire Emblem

"Do you really need to do that?" Robin whined.

Chrom grunted as he pushed her down the hill. "Why? I thought you were having fun."

Robin sighed. "Stop the wheelchair."

Chrom skidded to a halt while Robin clung onto the armrests, trying not to fall off. He crossed his arms as he fixed her with a pouty look. "Why do you complain? I try and do all these things for you, and you just rebuff everything I do."

Robin sighed once more as she looked away. "I don't have time for games, Chrom. I have my academics to attend to."

"But you-"

"Stop!" Robin glared at him. "I have to get into college. Unlike you getting in on a sports scholarship, I actually have to get in based on my grades." She struggled to keep the tears out of her eyes as she continued. "I'll never be able to get a sports scholarship. Hell, I'll never even be able to play sports at all."

Chrom lowered his gaze and tried not to look too pitying. He knew that Robin hated it when anyone pitied her. But he still cared about his best friend, even though she was an utter, complete basket case. But such a thing didn't bother him. He knew that she had the ability to get over it and be a great person.

Robin exhaled softly and looked at him. "I want to go home, Chrom."

He nodded solemnly. "All right. Just...don't leave for school tomorrow without me, okay?"

She nodded, her eyes riveted miserably on the ground. "Sure…" Her tone was troubled, not even attempting to hide her misery.

Chrom led her home and went to his house. To his surprise, he found Gaius lounging around. "Yo," Gaius said.

"Hey. Why are you here?"

"I came to head with you to the sub shop." His gaze turned wistful as he stared out the window. "Takin' the lady home, right? Saw you guys through the window across the street."

"Yeah," Chrom admitted. "So?"

"You know, you gotta stop running after her. You're gonna waste the rest of your life chasing after someone unreachable. You'll never reach her. She's too far gone into her own little tragedy."

Chrom slammed his hand on the table. "You're wrong! She's my best friend, Gaius… I've known her longer than I've known that wheelchair. I can help her. I know I can."

Gaius' eyes lingered around Chrom, but never directly focused on him. "Are you in love with the tragedy, or her? Because you seemed to develop a much greater romantic interest in her after the accident."

"She's my best friend, Gaius," he repeated. "Of course I care about her."

Gaius' gaze turned bitter for a sharp moment. "Really? I bet it's because you lost your parents and your sister in an accident very similar to hers. Caring for her is your way of atonement for letting them die, isn't it? You just delusion yourself with the idea that you're in love with her."

"... Get out."

Gaius looked up. "What?"

"I said, get out!" Chrom took a step forward. "You have no place to go to my house and make a mockery of me! My little sister is here!" His eyes were a blazing, icy cold. "Now, get out."

Gaius got up off the couch. "Look, sorry to rain on your parade. Just...don't do something you'll regret later."

"…"

With a final creak, the front door shut, signaling that Gaius had left. Chrom sighed and sat on the couch. He carelessly swept a hand through his hair. Still, he couldn't help but ponder Gaius' words. I love her, right? No, I'm sure of it. I definitely love her. She's… unreachable, the word seemed to echo throughout the back of his mind. He pushed it away and decided to sleep on the couch.

Robin felt her eyelids drooping as Cordelia's endless droning went on and on. She struggled back a yawn, but failed. The steady stream of words abruptly stopped and she felt the brush going through her hair stop.

"Oh. Bored, are we?"

Robin felt the blush burn on her cheeks as she struggled upright. "Oh, no, Cordelia! It's just…getting late. Yeah…"

"Yeah…" she agreed with a role of the eyes. For a moment, all was silent. Then, Cordelia perked up. "Hey, when was the last time you saw Chrom?"

"Earlier today," Robin replied indifferently. "He was bothering me. Trying to play with me while I struggle to focus on my studies… Ridiculous."

Cordelia frowned. "You should be grateful to have such a nice guy bend over your every whim. Not everybody's as lucky as you are."

Robin's eyes flashed. "… Lucky? I'm lucky?! I'm the one who's stuck in this damn wheelchair for the rest of my life cuz of some stupid car crash!"

Cordelia lowered her head. "Sorry… I just think you should be grateful for what you have."

Robin sat silent for a moment, her eyes remaining fixated on the floral pattern on her bed. "I just…can't see what I have. I can't walk; I can't run; I can't play sports; I can't go up and down stairs anymore… I'm just this."

"You have us, Robin," Cordelia chided. "You have Chrom, and me, and Gaius. You have all our other friends at school. You should be glad you have that."

Robin didn't reply, instead preferring to study her covers intently. As she lightly ran a nail down one of the petals, she sighed.

"Come on; I'll do your nails," Cordelia offered. Robin said nothing as Cordelia grabbed a bottle and scooted over towards her. She fixed her eyes on the bottle as Cordelia set it down next to her. "Summer Smile," it said in a delicate font. The myriad of colors glittered so intensely she averted her eyes.

"Done!" Cordelia announced.

Robin looked down to find her nails a bright, shimmery rainbow. It glittered from the light of a thousand miniature flowers. "Thanks," she muttered.

"No problem," Cordelia replied.

For a little while, neither spoke. A wall had been erected between them, preventing feelings or communication from entering. Robin seemed sulky and refused to speak. Cordelia seemed almost embarrassed. Neither was willing to look the other in the eye.

Robin lay down on her side, her eyes glimmering from the light of the lamp. "I'm tired; let's go to bed."

Cordelia nodded, her eyes troubled, and lay down on the floor.

"What's your first class?"

"Math," Robin yawned as Chrom pushed her up the hill. She could feel the slight increase in his breathing and the slight decrease in how fast he was pushing her up the hill to deduce that he was getting tired. She sighed and rested her head against her palm.

"Can we stop for now?"

"But we're going to be late," she protested.

"I'm not going to be late, whether or not we stop since my class is closer. However, you're gonna be late if I stop."

Robin bit her lip for a second, her eyes expressing doubt. "I can't afford to be late; you know that."

She felt the chair stop. "You know, I wonder if Gaius is right. Maybe I'm just doing this all out of pity. You're throwing your friends away, Robin. All because you're too obsessed with your own self-pity." She saw Chrom walking away towards the school. "You can push your own damn chair. Enough is enough. I'm not indulging you any longer…"

For a few moments, she just sat there, not believing what she was seeing. Then, she felt a flare of outrage. How dare he?! She was the one who couldn't walk! She was the one who had to push herself to school every day!

….

She was the one who was acting like a self-pitying bitch.

Robin panted as she pushed herself towards the entrance to the building, some 15 minutes later. Hurriedly, she wheeled herself off to class and apologized for being late. Pitying looks were shot at her. No, she told herself. I will not give in and baby myself. I've been a selfish bitch.

After math, she picked up her stuff and hurried toward her locker. Chrom was standing right next to her, a slightly worried look on his features.

Robin snuck up behind him. "Do you feel guilty?"

Chrom jumped slightly and turned to face her. "Not at all. You're pushing us away, Robin. It's like you're unreachable, or something."

She smiled. "I'm sorry. I know I've been a real bitch to everyone. Can…you give me a second chance?"

He smiled. "Perhaps."

"Maybe I'll see you tomorrow."

"Maybe."

"Hope you push my chair."

"I hope to."

"And Chrom…" she smiled, "I'm always reachable."

Fin

Man, sometimes you have to take the hard way. I guess Robin had to find this out. Originally, it was the typical Chrom is lovesick all over Robin, while Robin copes with some kind of disorder or handicap. Then, I thought, what if Chrom was just pitying Robin unconsciously because he secretly thought of it as atonement for his parent's deaths? It turned a lot more interesting after that. Anyway, hope you enjoyed~