"Why don't you ever listen!" Kate exclaimed as she followed Robin through Sherwood Forest, back to the outlaws camp.
"I'm sick and tired of listening to you, that's why!" He growled. "I should've let Gisborne deal with you!"
Kate stopped for a moment and furrowed one of her eyebrows at Robin.
"Thanks." She smirked angrily. "That's charming."
She then began to walk past him as her emotions were beginning to get the best of her.
"Kate." He sighed, gripping her wrist.
"Let go of me." She hissed, trying to get out of his hold.
"For once in your life, will you just listen?" He pinned her up against a tree. "I didn't listen to you because I wanted to keep you safe."
"Since when have you ever wanted to do that?" She scoffed. "You're always too bothered about defeating Gisborne and saving Nottingham."
"Hey," He gently tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "Kate, you mean the world to me, sweetheart."
Her breath hitched slightly as her dark blue eyes looked up at him.
"Robin, I-" She started to talk but he pressed a finger to her lips.
She then trembled slightly as the warmth of his mouth overtook hers.
They were only soft caresses at first, him gently rubbing her hip as her hand made it's way to his chest.
However, when she gave a tiny whimper against his lips he let his tongue slowly enter into her mouth, his hand tangling in her hair.
"Robin." She breathed, her forehead against his when they parted for air. "We shouldn't do this. It might affect everything."
"I don't care." He hooked a finger under her chin and brought her gaze to his. "I want you. I want you as close to me as possible. As a lover."
"Robin," She blushed slightly, something she never did. "The guys."
"I don't care what they think, either. The only thing that matters to me in all of this is you." He admitted to her, his thumb gently stroking up and down the sharpness of her jawline.
He then slowly pressed his lips to hers once more in a gentle kiss, before backing away from her.
"Come on, Kate. The gang'll be wondering where we've got to if we don't get back." He picked his bow back up before beginning to lead the way back, her following him close behind.
"Where've you two been?" Much asked, walking up to them as they entered the camp. "Alan thought that Gisborne had captured you or something!"
"Much, that was you." He groaned, sharpening his arrows.
"Oh, yeah." He muttered.
"We're fine, aren't we Kate?" Robin sighed.
"Yeah," She said softly. "Just- fine."
"You don't look too good." Much rested a hand on her forehead. "How're you feeling?"
"Leave me alone Much, yeah?" She moved away from him as tears brimmed in her eyes. "I just need to think!"
She then grabbed her bow and arrows before walking off .
"What was that about?" He scoffed.
"Just give her some time." Robin advised, patting his shoulder. "Come on. We need to go over the plan for getting rid of Gisborne."
Half an hour later, Robin found Kate as she was firing arrows at a dead tree.
"Hey." He spoke up, startling her so she released at a strange angle.
"You owe me an arrow." She sighed, placing another one into place and drawing it.
"Stop." He placed his hands over hers, restricting her movement and pointing it down at the ground so the arrow fell off.
"What do you want, Robin?" She tried to sound harsh but couldn't.
"You." He breathed against her neck. "No, I need you." His hands travelled to her hips and brought her back to his chest. "Do you know how many times I've thought about kissing your neck, running my hands over your breasts? Do you know how much I've been wanting to make out with you at every opportunity?"
"Please Robin, I can't go through this again." She hissed, moving away from him and walking over to the tree before sliding her back down it, landing on the floor.
"Go through what again?" He joined her before looking at her.
"Don't tell the guys this." She told him. "If you do I may have to flog you."
"I swear." He held his hands up in mock defence.
"A few days before I met you, before I ran away and you saved me, I was courting a boy from Locksley. He told me exactly what you're telling me now. That he loved me, that he wanted to touch and kiss me whenever he felt like it. He made me feel special for once in my life, and I was just a girl then. I had no ambition and no strength whatsoever. I trusted him with everything." She looked down to realise her fingers were now laced with Robin's, as he stroked his thumb comfortingly over the back of her hand.
"One afternoon, Guy Of Gisborne came into the village and started threatening my family and I. When he left I thought that George would comfort me but he didn't. Instead he took me to an abandoned barn and he, he made me do things."
"What things, Kate?" Robin's grip tightened on her hand.
"He made me touch him through his trousers, he made me make out with him and he forced me to have sex." She gave the first sign of weakness she'd ever shown since they'd met.
"He continuously told me that it's what I wanted, and that I was a good girl for doing what he'd commanded me to. I tried to push him off but every time I did he'd tell me it'd only add to the punishment I'd get afterwards. He continued to take me for an hour as I was crying and he seemed to benefit from the pain he forced me to go through. Anyway, when he was done with me he tied me up. He tied me up and began to hit me with the reins from one of the horses.
I told him to stop six times when he was making love to me, so I got six lashings from him. Then he let me go." She admitted.
She willed herself not to cry as Robin looked at her with a face of anger.
"Kate." He gasped softly. "Why haven't you ever told me this before?"
"Because I know that you see me as a strong person, who doesn't give a damn about anything other than myself." She replied, her voice rough.
"No." He stopped her, gently pulling her into his lap as she tried to fight against him. "Kate, stop it."
She eventually gave up trying, and let herself nuzzle against the comfort of his well sculpted chest.
"I don't see you like that." He breathed out softly, looming up at the bright stars above them. "That's how you see yourself. I see a gorgeous, strong willed woman, who's determined to make Nottingham a safer place for people to live in just like the rest of us."
"I really want to be with you Robin." She murmured sleepily as her hand rested against him. "More than anything, but I don't know if I can trust another man again."
"You can trust me." He pulled her away from him for a moment. "I swear that to you. I won't let any harm come to you by me, or anyone else for miles around. I'll make it my duty to protect you just as it's my duty to protect everyone else in the outlaw camp."
Her hand rested on the softness of his cheek as their eyes met again.
She then moved closer to him and let herself leave an open mouthed kiss against his lips.
"There," She smirked afterwards. "That's a start."
"Is it wrong of me to say you're one of the most obnoxious, yet sexiest women I've ever seen?" He asked, raking his fingers through her soft blonde tresses.
"It would be if I was a woman." She nodded. "I'm more of a man than you are." Her arm was gently around his neck as she continued to sit with him.
"I take that as offence." His mouth gaped playfully. "You have no proof."
"Oh really? If you think you're stronger than me then practise your sword skills with me and let's see who's best." She challenged.
"Alright." He smirked.
They got two sturdy branches and squared up to one another before beginning to work on their sword fighting techniques.
In the end, Kate knocked Robin's branch to the ground and pressed her branch to his throat.
"Who's the man now?" She laughed softly.
He bit the inside of his cheek for a moment before gently gripping her arms and pulling her down to the floor.
He then moved to straddle her before lightly pinning her wrists down.
"Robin." She breathed, looking up at him with what he swore was slight fear in her eyes.
"Shh, baby." He kissed her forehead lightly. "You're safe I promise. I'm only going to kiss you, and I promise you I'm not going to rush you into anything."
"I trust you." She admitted, her hand resting against his chest as the other was teasing the hair at the nape of his neck.
He dipped his head before kissing her slowly and lightly, as her eyes closed of their own accord and they lay in the leaves.
They parted after a few seconds, and smiled lovingly at one another before beginning to kiss with more passion.
Kate gave a soft moan as his tongue made its way into her eagerly waiting mouth, and her knee bent so she could feel him closer to her.
"Wow, Robin." She gasped, pulling away from him. "Does that- always happen when you're around me?"
She noticed his desire for her showing through his trousers and he stroked her cheek.
"Mostly it's at night, when I think of you like this." He admitted, holding the back of her neck to kiss her again.
"Soon." She looked into his eyes with determination. "I promise."
"You don't need to promise me anything." He reassured her. "I'd wait a lifetime for you."
She breathed a soft sigh of relief before he stood her up and held her hand tightly as they walked back to camp.
