thiefwithhonor | (no subject)

Robin had known something was amiss the moment he awoke. Still, his grogginess made him brush it off for the moment, and he sleepily moved to sit up in bed, careful not to jostle Regina beside him, as it was clear she was still asleep. He was about to rub his eyes when he stopped short, noticing the color of his skin.

He had not been living outside since he came to this place, but there was no reason he ought to be so deathly pale. He looked at his other arm and found it to be the same color. He stood almost immediately, thinking he would go to the mirror to see if his face was pale as well, only to stop short when he dropped his hands to his sides and found the small movement caused a rush of something to burst forth from him. It took him a moment to realize he had just managed to somehow cover his wall with something that looked very much like -

"Ice?" he exhaled, stunned, as he stared at the patch on the wall that he had apparently just made out of thin air. He had no idea what he had just done or how he had done it, but he immediately stopped moving, feeling his heartbeat quickening. Whatever he had done, he was worried moving would cause it to happen again.

"Regina?" he called out as loud as he could muster without feeling as though he would wake Roland. He hoped she would stir at his voice - he certainly was not going to attempt to shake her with what he had just seen happen. His voice edging with something akin to panic, he tried again. "Please, wake up."

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She couldn't help it; she was smiling triumphantly and turned it toward him. "See? You can control it. I knew you could." Pressing a soft kiss to his cheek in encouragement, she let go of his wrist this time. "See if you can do it again."

For Regina, as she'd learned there'd been no 'positive' reinforcement. She was stupid, slow, or useless as she'd been learning from the Dark One. True, she'd not been the most patient of teachers with Emma, but then, she didn't care as deeply for the Savior.

"You can do it," Regina said softly as she stepped back, folding her arms across her chest.

Though the loss of her complete guidance made Robin a little more wary, he forced himself to keep remembering the fact that he could, if he concentrated enough, do what he had just witnessed. That had all been him, and that hadn't been dangerous in itself. Even if he was not sure if he would feel okay around Roland with whatever was happening, the idea that he could at least not be constantly worried he was about to harm anyone around him immediately was a step in the right direction.

He took a deep, calming breath.

"When Elsa showed Roland her power, she did a gesture," he said, mostly to himself. If there were any way to prove that this...ability was somehow connected to the woman he had met, it would be him being able to do what she had done for them.

It was worth a try, at least.

Holding his palm up, he thought of how happy the snow had made his son, the bright smile that had appeared on his face. She had done a gesture, one that he tried to recreate by memory, the soft movement of her hand. He was surprised to find a bit of snow appearing where none had been before the moment he did it and tried to will it into being. It certainly wasn't anywhere near the volume she had created, but it had a similar effect of cascading down gently when he tossed it up. As he watched the snowflakes fall between he and Regina, it was hard to deny the possibility.

"...It is as she showed us," he said, his eyebrows furrowing. He refused to believe such a thing was on purpose, not with how she had been with them that day. Still, if she could help him further - being okay enough to try to look for her seemed a goal he needed to focus on now.

Regina was left frowning deeply. If what Elsa had done matched this exactly, then why? What reason would she have had to do this to him? He'd said nothing about her antagonizing him or Roland, no mention of ill intent. "Maybe she...transferred power to you and didn't know it, didn't mean to." She'd heard of rare instances like that, and it wasn't out of the realm of possibility.

Sighing softly, she watched the rest of the snow fall, then looked up at him. "I really don't want to leave until I know you'll be okay. What if you do something to yourself?"

"I cannot imagine any scenario but an accident," he said with a shake of his head, firm. He would not jump to conclusions. He usually was able to read people well, and she had not come off as someone would would seek to harm anyone on purpose. "And even if it was, why now? I have not seen her since I came here."

Surely it would have happened sooner even if it had been intentional. It didn't make sense at all to him. Regina even seemed unsure, which made it feel like it was even less likely. But if not that, what was happening?

"I think as long as I stay calm, I'll be alright," he assured, shaking his head. He understood her concern and admittedly was worried himself, but something had to be done. He would simply have to continue what was already working. "Take Roland to get some breakfast. Perhaps you can ask around, see if anyone knows her or has heard anything about what's happening."

He had a bit of a sad smile as he continued, "I only wish I could accompany you both, but I don't quite think I make good company at the moment."

She didn't hesitate then and leaned in to kiss him softly, a tender press of her lips to his. "There has to be a list of names somewhere, of who lives in which buildings. I'll find her." With another kiss, Regina pulled away from him reluctantly. "Can I bring anything else for you? Do you need anything?"

It was stalling, she knew, but she couldn't help it, that tug of fear that everything good would always be destroyed somehow. She really didn't want to let him out of her sight.

Robin cupped her cheek lightly with his palm when she pulled away, hoping it would bring some comfort to her.

"I'm fine," he promised, not only to her question of if he needed something, but in general. It was a bit of a lie, as it was hard to be fine with any of this, but it felt like it needed to be said regardless. Like saying so would make it true. "I'll be here when you both return."

"Two hours and we'll be back," Regina promised before opening the door. With one more look back at him, she closed it behind her, thinking it would be harder for Roland to see him on their way out if she left it open. Fielding questions from the boy, she answered them as gently as she could, and settled on Robin simply not feeling very well. Which was technically true; he wasn't well. Yet. But if they could figure out a way for him to control it better if it was magic to be lived with, then everything would be fine.

It was what she was telling herself as they finally left, hand in hand.