Robin & Marian

[Marian Cooper]

Marian looked up at him while he explained how his life was going to end; was that really what he thought? ...What a dismal way to live, thinking he was just going to die in some horrible way. She supposed that since he was a bandit, it made sense, but Marian couldn't believe he was such a fatalist; why bother with revenge if you thought you were going to have to die to get it? Was this some male pride thing? "Is that really what you think? That you're going to get your vengeance, and then die? ...Robin, that's kind of sad." More like pathetic. Didn't he have anything worth living for?

Then he got to the part where he was protecting her, and Marian's eyes narrowed. So he was pushing her away in some stupid attempt to protect her?! She blinked, her jaw dropping and a scowl coming to her face as he dared to pull her closer to kiss her...on the forehead. Oh, he was just asking for it. She pursed her lips when he tried to send her away; did he really think that she was going to listen to him? Even Robin wasn't that thick. "Who the hell asked you to protect me?" She growled, closing the distance between them when he back away, and grabbing him by the neck of his shirt and pulling him down to kiss him roughly.

After a moment, she pulled back, and then moved her hands to shove his shoulders back against the wall. This was different. Usually she was the one pushed up against the wall. She liked the reversal. "You have so many things to die for, Robin...," She stood up on her toes to kiss him again, softer this time, sweeter. And then she stepped back. "If you're so eager to protect me, fine. Stay away from me." She offered, clasping her hands behind her back and backing away slowly. "But...if you'd rather let me give you something worth living for...you should come to my room tonight." She was going to give him the choice, because he'd let her choose last week, and by now, she had. She wanted him. Besides...if some chivalrous need to protect her was all that was driving him...she had a feeling his desire would win out.

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[Robin Of The Woods]

Did she really just call his life's purpose sad? What did she know!? Robert didn't want to die; and nor was it a plan to give his life to the cause but he wasn't a fool! He knew that should Richard see England again he would not seek him out and tell him that he was pardoned. He would be running til the day he died; because of his actions! He had a plan to get out of England and disappear but he could--WOULD NOT--do so while the sheriff went unpunished for his crimes! Not only the ones done to him but to everyone. It started off a war between two men; and most day that all Robert let it be; but he could not tuck tail and run knowing he'd only made it worse for others.

He would have told her off had she not grabbed him to kiss him. Anger made him return in kind; but she didn't seem to mind the roughness. He knew he had hit a mark when he called her a coward but he wasn't sure what mark he hit this time. Whatever it was; it did more then his single word had done. Right when the kiss had turned good she pulled away and pushed him ageist the wall; earning her a deeply amused chuckle. It amused him to know he'd taught her some bad habits.

"If you're so eager to protect me, fine. Stay away from me." "You followed me." He muttered under his breath. "But...if you'd rather let me give you something worth living for...you should come to my room tonight." The hell that was happening! " Did you miss my plan about staying away from me? Inviting me to your bed is not going with the plan!" Though the offer would replay in his head for the rest of the month; if not longer! She was dangerous; and if he did not walk away now he never would. "Don't look for me." He told her as he turned and started making his exit. Many women had invited him into their beds; first when he was a knight and they were ladies and then when he was an outlaw and there were common. In his younger days; he had been bold but still turned most away with only a quick kiss; and since being outlawed there had been none. Marian was the first however; he had hated him self for saying no too. And he hated him self even more because the longer her words played in his mind the more he was having trouble telling him self that he should not go.

[Marian Cooper]

Marian ignored what he said about her following him, because really, did he honestly believe he was going to get away with taunting her like he had? He had been trying to get her attention, whether he admitted it or not...hell, he might not even realize it. She laughed out loud when he spoke about his 'plan'. "Your plan's terrible, it's never going to work out and you know it." She pointed out, she definitely didn't like his plan, and if his little stunt today was any indication, eventually he'd find her again.

She shrugged when he told her not to look for him. "I won't," she promised, Marian didn't believe she'd have to. The only way he'd see her was if he made the effort to come and see her. "After all, it's not very ladylike to go around chasing after men." She added in a mock-haughty tone...as if she knew even the first thing about being a lady. She watched him turn away, then followed suit and turned back towards the castle. Maybe he'd be able to control himself tonight, and then maybe the next night...maybe he'd go a whole week. But Marian had a feeling it wouldn't be too much longer before he'd find his way up the tower again.

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[Robin Of The Woods]

Robert made it the first night! Only because he had to break his former man out of the prison and keeping his hands busy meant his mind was not on her. The next night however; he had nothing to distract him. That night he found himself moving closer to the castle as the darkness fell. Even before the darkness had fully set he was walking the shadows left from the high castle walls. DAMN HER!

When it was dark enough he started his way inward. He was going to tell her to go to London. he was going to be cold and threaten to send word to her sister; or tell the sheriff that he was going to kidnap her again; or write John and pretend to be the sheriff and demand they escort her back where she is safe! Something to get her out of here! He was NOT going to touch her! No matter what she said. Or how she taughted. A quick mental flash of her naked nearly made him fall off the wall but the thought of killing her was the only thing that got him up there.

He got to her window and sat on it with out pulling his legs in as he rested for a moment. Climbing was not easy on his best day and tonight wasn't his best day ever. He had not dared look into the room yet; but he slowly put on leg in and then the other before looking around.

[Marian Cooper]

Marian didn't really expect him that first night; he had more self control than that, she figured, and then the next day when she learned how the man who was to be hanged had escaped, and they were crediting it to Robin Hood. She believed that; who else was stupid enough to break into the castle? She kept her word, and didn't go out looking for him, instead spending the day trying to get the guards to teach her how to wield a sword; they just laughed and tried to send her off to do more girlish things.

She told herself he might not come, she knew it was a possibility. She sat on the window ledge and watched the sun go down, wondering if tonight would be any different from the last, and if he'd actually accept her offer. There was always the possibility he'd decide protecting her was more important than his own libido, and that he wouldn't be back...but somehow, Marian got the feeling his protective instincts weren't quite that strong.

Once it was dark, she left the window sill to light some of the candles, not ready to sit around in the dark just yet. When she was finished, she turned around, and was surprised to see Robin's back in the window. She set down her candle, waiting for him to turn around, unable to help the smug smile on her face. She thought he'd last at least a week. "I knew you wouldn't keep me waiting."

[Robin Of The Woods]

Cocky little brat wasn't she! Robert stood to his full height and folded his arms over his chest. "I came to say good bye." Because he was sending her back to England; and getting her out of his head. "So you can wipe that smirk from your pretty little lips." She was going to get him killed if he didn't get her out of his head. He almost fell off a wall; and he just realized that he was not looking over his shoulder as much as he should have been. What if he'd been caught?

Robert looked around the room before coming to look back at her. He knew that he would missed her; but she could not know that. "Your going back to London if I have to bid you and have you dragged there." Let her enjoy her time there! Or somewhere that was not right here! Somewhere safer for her; and safer for him. Hell; even the sheriff got distracted by her! He was more fun when he was just a bitter old man with nothing! She complicated things!

Robert watched her face as he said his peace; knowing that he could have just avoided her if he really wanted to. Sought her out in the market if that was all he wanted to say; but he had come here. He still wasn't sure why but he knew that if she stayed then they'd both do something stupid. He didn't want her blood on his hands. Especially now as he was starting to embrace the Robin part of him; and trying to let go of his life as a noble. Be the villain rather the the hero he was trained to be.

[Marian Cooper]

Marian rolled her eyes when he told her he'd come to say goodbye; he actually believed that was why he was here, didn't he? If he didn't want to see her again, then all he had to do was stay away, like she'd told him to. Yet here he was, defying his own imperative to keep her out of harm's way. No, she knew why he was here, and it had nothing to do with any noble intentions he might have convinced himself of. When he told her what she could do with her pretty little lips, she just smiled sweetly.

When he paused to look around the room, Marian closed the distance between them, until she was standing directly in front of him, close enough to touch, although she kept her extremities to herself as he told her how she was going back to London. Was she, now? She didn't have any plans to do any such things; was this his grand scheme to keep his mind off her? Out of sight, out of mind. He couldn't actually believe that would work. Marian didn't; if he weren't around, she'd just spend her days wondering what he was doing...and who he was doing it with.

But she didn't say any of this, because reason wasn't going to work. In his mind, he knew what he wanted...she just had to get him to stop thinking so damn much. She nodded up at him noncommittally and gave him a look of compliance, but her hands had already busied themselves with unfastening his belt, and there was mischief in her oh-so-sweet smile, as she batted her eyelashes at him innocently.

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[Robin Of The Woods]

She came closer but he didn't react to her; forcing him self to show the indifference that he promised he would give her. Being cold would break whatever she saw in him; and she would want to go away. That seemed to be working on his part til she reached over for his belt. Robert's hand flew to her's and wrapped them selves around her much smaller wrists in order to keep her from doing more damage. "Sometimes sweetheart, I think you don't even hear the words I tell you."

He didn't want her close to him; as he didn't want that weakness. He'd fought to keep his family as far as he could from himself and his name. It was why he had encouraged the Robin namesake rather then his own; and why he did not seek out his mother nor sister at all. He wanted the safe from being used to hurt him. Hell, he'd all but stolen from them in order to make his indifference toward them known. In truth; he hated hurting them and hated not being able to give his mother the life she should have. Not being able to protect his sister the way a brother protected a sister.

"I seemed to remember that you changed your mind half way into it last time. This is nothing but a game to you, Marian." He knew he might have caused her to back down; frightened her or gone to fast but he doubted he had the control to stop another time. He didn't want to risk it--even if he was thinking about risking it, which he wasn't because he was being cold to her. "One I do not intend to play."

Even if her hands so close to where he wanted them had caused his whole body to stiffen and heat with need; he wasn't going to steal her virginity and then kick her out to London where he could not know if she was safe or something something stupid. If he took her--if he broke--then he knew he could not send her away. He'd want her close enough that he could make sure she was safe and to where he could do it again.

[Marian Cooper]

He caught her hands and she raised an eyebrow, then rolled her eyes at his words. She pulled her hands free from his hold and took a step back, why should she listen to anything he told her? He never asked her anything, only told her to do things, only ordered her around and expected her to listen like a good little girl should. She'd think he'd have learned that she was hardly one of the good girls he was used to. "If you really came here to say goodbye, then fine. Go. I already told you, I won't go looking for you anymore. But don't think that you can chase me out of Nottingham, I'm not going anywhere."

She folded her arms over her chest, he thought she could just go back to London, and then what? She'd be welcomed with open arms? Her sister had exiled her here to keep her out of the public eye; she wouldn't be welcome in the royal court. She wasn't going back to Pembroke, because while that was home, there was no place for her there anymore, and that left her here, in Nottingham, with no other options. She wasn't here by choice, she just made the most of the country life since she was resigned to it.

"You know, I think I'm done playing games, too. Too old for that anymore. So just get out, and I'll get on with my grown up life and just marry the damn sheriff already. That's what you want, isn't it? For me to act like a lady and do what I'm supposed to? So just get out, and we can both get on with our God-forsaken lives." She answered bitterly to his comment about her and her games...she had been ready to give up the games, but not for this reason. But he was so damn infuriating! Damn him, maybe she really would just marry the Sheriff. She could add insult to injury.

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[Robin Of The Woods]

"That's what you want, isn't it?""No!" "For me to act like a lady and do what I'm supposed to? "Yes!!" "So just get out, and we can both get on with our God-forsaken lives." "Fine!" Robert knew he'd lost all control of this conversation the moment he started using one word answers; but before he could even attempt a reply she had been diving into the next round of questions--even if they were more rhetorical then ones she wanted him to answer. "I'm leave then, sweetheart; but don't expect to be staying in Nottingham long." He was angry and only half sure of what he was saying; since he was talking faster then he was thinking. "This is where we part ways. The next time an arrow just happens to miss your pretty little head know it's not my saying a little hidden hullo but a warning for you to go back home!"

He didn't know why she was here; he never bothered to ask, but whatever little trip she was on while down here was over. "So pack you bags for the trip home and stay the blood hell away from the damn sheriff!" He demand, "And while your at it learn to say a proper fucking good bye!" Not thinking wasn't a good idea for him; for as soon as the words had left his mouth--a reference him saying she did not know how to thank a man nor say good night nor kiss because she was virgin--he was pulling her back to him and kissing her deeply.

[Marian Cooper]

She scowled as Robin answered the questions she hadn't meant for him to answer; so no, he didn't want her to marry the sheriff, and yet he wanted her to act like a lady? What did ladies usually do? They married the damn influential men who wanted them! Robin didn't seem to understand that. No, he had convinced himself that she could just leave, that somewhere out there, she had another place to go. "I don't have a home to go back to!" She yelled in exasperation, where the hell did he expect her to go?

And then he tried to order her to stay away from the Sheriff, and she gave a snort of angry laughter and rolled her eyes. Of course that was what he cared about; he wanted to 'protect' her from not only himself, but from every other man, too. If he had his way, she'd remain a virgin forever! Which used to be the plan...but not so much anymore. And before she could even come up with a properly scathing retort, he was kissing her again. But now, Marian wasn't much in the mood for kissing, and his actions only served to infuriate her more; she didn't want to kiss him goodbye!

She shoved him back, then balled her hand up into a fist and swung at that chiseled jaw of his. "I'm not leaving, and I'll fuck whoever I want to fuck!" With the notable exception of him, of course. "In fact, I think the Sheriff might appreciate a midnight visit tonight!" Since he didn't want to have her, why shouldn't someone else? She spun around and headed for the door, not really thinking through what she was doing as she reached for the door handle, just very, very angry and using the best way she could come up to to make Robin as angry as she was.

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[Robin Of The Woods]

"I don't have a home to go back to!" "Then we have something in common!" He tossed back at her but then his mind slowed enough to realize what she meant. It did not take a leap of faith to connect everything with her statement and how their world--her world only now that he was outlawed--worked.

He knew she had a home and family; at least a house somewhere. But she could not go back; it meant she wasn't allowed to go back. With her behavior he could see why she was outcasted by higher nobles and even some lower ones. Nobles, especially Londoners; liked things their way. The prim and proper way; not the Marian way. Which meant that his plan to send her away was going to work; and for two reasons. The first was; he doubted that any family who'd sent her here would change their minds and bring her back just because she was acting dangerously. The other one, and the one foremost in his mind was--he wasn't going to do that to her again. He knew too well what it was like to be family one day, friends even; and the next day they pretended to not even know your name when you were around.

Robert had blocked her swing at him and ignored it almost completely; even as she started storming off claiming that she'd give the sheriff what she was offering him. "The hell you are." He jogged the few steps closer to her and got to the door the same time as she did. He put both hands, palm flat ageist the door framing her in; but he didn't touch her. He didn't say anything this time; ready to let her vent out her fury before risking opening his mouth again.

[Marian Cooper]

Marian was just pulling the door open when it slammed shut again, and she looked up to see Robin's hands on the door, holding it shut. Screwing up her face, she pulled uselessly on the handle even as she knew it was futile. He was stronger than her, and it was easier to hold it closed than to pull it open anyways. After a moment, she gave a frustrated sigh and gave up, turning around and leaning back against the door, folding her arms over her chest and glaring up at him furiously.

"So this is how it's going to be? You won't have me, but no one else can, either? You're such an unbelievable ass!" She growled, then ducked under his arm to get outside his reach, going back to her bed and sitting down on the edge. "Wasn't there some intricate plan about how you were going to be not here? You were supposed to be leaving, not hanging around to keep an eye on me." What had happened to leaving? He had said he was going to go, and yet he was still here.

It gave her a bitter sort of pleasure to know that the idea of her with the Sheriff overruled whatever idiotic notions of protecting her he had conjured up. Bitter because it meant he was still trying to control her, even though he wanted her gone. She hated it. "You can't just stick around to make sure I behave myself all the time. You're going to leave sooner or later, and then I can do whatever I want...with whoever I want." She added venomously, just to remind him that he couldn't control her.

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[Robin Of The Woods]

"You know; your much cuter when your not talking so damn much." He told her as she sat there on her bed and bitched him out. He knew that he wasn't perfect but nor was she. If he could chance anything about her it would be making her less vocal about everything. On the plus side, he always knew what was going on in her head--even if he didn't understand why it was going on.

It might not have been the best thing to say but neither of them were known for keeping the peace with their skill with words. He stood there for a few moments; letting the anger between them settle before walking over and sitting on the floor; resting his back on the bed. He didn't trust himself on the bed with her. "Yeah, there was a plan to not be here. Ever. There was a plan to ship you off to London. There was a plan to do allot of things but nothing ever works out they way it should with you, Marian."

"Your in my head all the damn time. If the sheriff ever found out--" He stopped talking and shook his head slowly not even going to put to words what might happen to her. He didn't know how crazy the sheriff would get. "It's why I stay away from my family. It's why I try to stay away from you. You want to yell at me; fine! Yell at me. But don't threaten to do things we both know you'd hate your self for doing." Sleeping with the sheriff' mainly.

[Marian Cooper]

"You say that like you'd know." To his comment about her being cuter when she was quiet; when had she ever been quiet for him to make such a claim? He'd just get bored or frustrated if she were quiet all the time, and she couldn't have that. His plan to not be here clearly hadn't worked out, and from the way he was talking, it seemed like he had changed his mind about trying to send her off to London, too. Good. It wouldn't work, anyways, so it was better if he just dropped those thoughts here and now.

Then he admitted that she was constantly in his thoughts, and that he worried about what the Sheriff would do if he found that out. She slid down off the bed to sit next to him on the floor, folding her legs under her. He had a point, she had to admit, her anger abating now that she'd had a chance to yell at him, helped along by the fact that he didn't seem to be clinging to the notion that he could just send her away because it would make his life easier. The Sheriff would be angry if he learned how Robin felt for Marian, let alone if he found out how she felt about Robin. She didn't know what he'd do.

But even so...Marian wasn't willing to hold off on what she wanted out of fear of what could happen. That was how Robin was living...and that was why she thought his life was so sad. Once he was finished, she looked over at him. "I won't tell if you won't."

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