If I had a flabber it would be ghasted because of the amount of pure joy and fulfilment and gut-wrenching pain I endured during this episode. 10/10. Would happy and sad cry to again.
[Image Description: Two screenshots from Fate/Grand Order, showing in order, (1) The Bond Level Up screen for Archer Robin Hood, where his Bond Level has gone up from 10 to 11 and the game's reward of 30 Saint Quartz; and (2) the Bond Level Limit Released screen for Robin Hood, showing his Bond Level Limit having increased from 11 to 12. End Description.]
Well. Back in May, Big Robin reached Bond 10. And now in my birthday month of September, he's officially my first Bond 11 Servant. And the only Servant out of my Grailed Big Five to have gotten this far as of this posting (9/6/2021). Wow.
To think the event that gave me the giant Goldie jerk ended up being the inevitable catalyst that let me bond with Big Robin more.
My gosh. ｡ﾟ(TヮT)ﾟ｡ I love Robin. I love this man so much. My gosh.
So. HERE'S ANOTHER SHORT STORY FOR Y'ALL FOR CELEBRATORY REASONS! I think I might've cried a little inside when writing it. I DON'T REGRET IT!
Here's the OST I listened to when writing this.
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Compared to the first time they stood in the Enhancement Center together, years ago, Robin looked more put together. More like an old friend than a disoriented Heroic Spirit, unsure of where to go way back when. "You really were serious," Robin chuckled, rubbing the side of his nose with his thumb. "Even after all this time, huh."
"Why wouldn't I be—"
Still, Vy felt herself freeze with the Bond Chalice falling limp in her hands once Robin took out a large satchel from behind his back.
"Big...Robin?"
"Just a sec." Robin winked at her, placing a finger to his lips while lowering the satchel to the ground of the Enhancement Center. Once the bag touched the tile floor, the knot keeping the bag closed loosened with Robin letting it go, revealing a large pile of familiar seven-pointed rainbow-colored jewels inside. With a soft whistle, Robin left the bag on the floor, tilting his head at Vy once she was staring up at him and away from the treasure. "I couldn't just let my little sparrow use up all her materials on me without giving something back now, right?"
"Saint... Quartz?" Vy felt herself inhale sharply, glancing between the bag and Robin before blurting, "Robin..."
These are expensive, where did you find these, when did you—
The next thing Vy knew, Robin was in front of her, mere centimeters away as his hands cupped hers, the Bond Chalice's rainbow flame illuminating the affection in his visible green eye as he smiled. "Hey," he whispered, "what's the starry-eyed look for, little sparrow?"
It took a single tear sliding down Vy's cheek to realize what he meant. "I-I..." Vy's throat closed without her meaning it, causing her to duck her head to try catching her breath. A hand still rose towards her, a calloused thumb proceeding to rest at her cheekbone to wipe the next tear away with that signature softness that Vy knew belonged to her most trusted Archer, and she choked. "Wh-What did I do to deserve you, Big Robin? Getting me Saint Quartz wh-when I just wanted to be with you, nothing else..." The Bond Chalice itself was looking foggy as her glasses grew blurry. "Just... wh-what... Wh-What did I do to have you in my life?"
You don't have to do anything, little sparrow, tickled Vy's mind, and that was all the warning she had before the Bond Chalice was being taken out of her hands and a strong hand was pulling her in. Even past her blurry glasses, she could see nothing but green as her body fell limp against Robin's supportive one, her head left to do nothing but rest in his shoulder.
"R-Robin..." came out in a choked sob before Vy could stop it.
"I don't just do this for anyone, little sparrow," brushed the top of her hair as an arm wound around her waist, squeezing reassuringly. Fingers were brushing through her hair. "I wanted to do this because it's for you."
"Uuu..." Vy's nose seized up as more tears proceeded to bubble up in her eyes, dotting her glasses. Somehow, strength proceeded to surge through her arms, enough for her to reach up and hug Robin back, clutching the No Face May King like a lifeline in the process. Thank you, thank you, I love you, I love you, echoed so much in her head. "I-If..." Vy sniffled instead, closing her eyes and burying her face into Robin's shoulder to hide the fear, "If I said...I wanted my eventual first time to be with you, Big Robin, would it — would it be okay?"
Could I still be with you? Even when I'm like this?
This time it was Robin's turn to freeze, and Vy could feel the shock reverberate through their bond before he was gently pushing her back, his forehead gently bumping hers. "...If you said that, little sparrow," Robin said in a quiet voice, his visible eye fluttering open to stare at her and her alone, "then of course it'd be okay. As long as you're okay with me as your eventual first." An unintentional giggle left Vy's lips once the tip of Robin's nose rubbed hers, and blinking her eyes revealed her own reflection shining in Robin's green eye as he smiled. "Then again," he hummed against her lips, breath warm all the while, "I've been your first for a lot of things, haven't I?"
"I-I don't regret it. Being with you has been one of the greatest things that could've ever happened to me..." Vy took one hand up to cup his cheek and brush the fringe of hair away from his face, revealing his other green eye to her as she did her best to smile through the tears. "I-I love you, Robin Hood."
Robin simply blinked at her, a shaky breath brushing her lips as he answered, "And I love you, Vy Duong."
It didn't even take Vy standing on her tiptoes to meet Robin in a kiss this time.
