This is a mixture of the Day 1 and Day 2 prompts from Dark OQ week.
This isn't betaed so probably full of mistakes so my apologies.
I hope you enjoy (:
Regina didn't believe in love at first sight, this was a concept her mother branded as foolish and infantile in her mind long ago. She hears mothers voice saying those exact words in her head now as she attempts to rationalise the way this man is affecting her. Love at first sight was never the case with herself and Robin... in any realm. In fact she seems to remember it being quite the opposite, with arrows flying in place of sparks, but there was always something there something connecting them in a way she's never felt with anyone else. Perhaps it was an understanding, of what it feels like to never truly belong anywhere.
All she knew is that she was uncontrollably drawn to him like a moth to a flame, or as her thief would put it like an arrow to its target. They fit, both as imperfectly flawed as the other, one a thief without honour, the other an evil queen with a kill list as long as his bow4789. At first she tried to fight the connection she felt, too afraid of feeling the pain that losing another soul mate would bring, but then she remembered a promise she made to her 'better half' back in Storybrooke; 'don't waste a single minute' words that stuck with her and gave her the courage to put one foot in front of the other and finally walk through those fated tavern doors, to her true soul mate.
After arriving in the wish realm she felt a new level of peace, she had finally let go of her hatred and was learning to love this new lighter version of herself, one that had been granted a second chance. What made it even better is that thanks to Emma's wish and the realm it created she had a version of her soul mate back, one who accepted her flaws and is much better suited to her than she could ever imagine. Unfortunately what her double neglected to tell her was that this version of their son was out to get her head on a plate. Weeks on the run moving from camp to camp and suddenly her days of playing bandit with her outlaw began to take its toll on her. She missed her home, and even the uncomfortable but regal attire she had become accustomed to. Although it had been a welcome distraction from the pain of seeing the look of hatred in her son's eyes, she couldn't stay a second longer knowing she would be in the same realm as Henry and not have her love for him reciprocated. Most of all she could not watch any version of her son follow the same path of self destruction as she did, and even though rationally she knew this version of him wasn't real she loved him too much to see him hurt. She had to leave.
Rumple really should be more careful with his possessions in this realm, as it was far too easy getting what she needed from him. A magic bean, the same thing that was supposed to carry Storybrooke Regina and Emma from this realm will be her ticket out of here. She waits for night fall when Robin is sound asleep to make her getaway leaving nothing but an 'I'm Sorry' scrawled on a piece of parchment for him to find when he wakes. It kills her to leave him, to leave behind yet another chance of happiness with the man she was fated to be with. She can't expect him to leave his home and everything he knows, she won't be another reason why he feels like he doesn't belong.
It doesn't take long before Robin stirs from his sleep finds the note and sets off to find her. Things have changed since she came into his life, for the better every day more adventurous and exciting; he was even beginning to feel less alone. He was damned if he was about to let her go. He knows exactly where she'll be, the place where it all began for her, the beach. "Where next then milady?" His voice startled her.
"Robin, you almost gave me a heart attack," she mutters with an almost adolescent and defeated look in her eyes, much too tired for to put up a fight.
"Forgive me that was never my intention, but you don't for a second think I'd let you leave without even so much as a goodbye do you?" knowing full well that he had no intention of letting this be the end of their adventure together"
"I've never been very good at goodbyes," she says choking back the tears that threatened to tumble down her face. "I thought it was best this way, I'm sorry but I can't say in this world knowing my son hates every little part of me."
He sidles up beside her and laces his hand in hers. "Well then I think it's high time for a new adventure wouldn't you say? That is if you don't mind a rather dashing, highly skilled thief tagging along for company."
For a moment she is dumbstruck, stood with her mouth wide open staring into those crystal clear blue eyes. A moment passes and she finally finds her voice "you would really leave your home for...for me?"
"This isn't my home anymore, hasn't been for a long time now. All that changed when a certain raven haired beauty stumbled onto bandit turf, my bandit turf to be precise. And quite frankly my world has been turned upside down ever since."
This comment has a grin much too wide splitting across her face. "And to whom is this raven haired beauty you speak of? She seems interesting, do tell me more." Falling into this pattern of flirtation is far too easy with him.
"Well she's rather bold, audacious, feisty, good at keeping me on my toes...the list goes on and on." Suddenly he realises that she is no longer smiling. "What's the matter?"
"Nothing, it's just something you sad reminded me of the past life I had with the other Robin." she says this through clenched teeth hoping she hasn't upset him, she knows talking about the other version of himself is a sore subject.
"Seems he and I aren't so different, we both seem to have incredible taste in women. Now this particular woman I'm not ready to let go of just yet, not when our adventure is just beginning. So what do you say your majesty, will you do me the honour of letting me accompany you to whichever realm is next to explore?"
"I think that can be arranged, she says catching her bottom lip between her teeth, a move she well knows always draws his attention to her lips.
His attention now focused on her perfectly rouged lips, he takes a deep swallow in order to clear the lump that has now appeared in his throat in order to re iterate his previous question "Where are we going next?"
She utters a word unfamiliar to both of them, "Home. Or the closest thing to it, my version of the Enchanted Forest." With that she drops the bean to the floor and they step into the portal hand in hand.
Once they were back in the land that she called home, things between then settled into a comfortable routine of back and forth flirtation, with him teaching her how to 'properly' shoot an arrow, which of course she knew from her past life but where was the harm in playing along in order for him to step in just that little bit closer to her while demonstrating. She could feel his breath against the back of her neck it shot shivers right down the base of her spine. It was all part of getting re acquainted with one another, and if she so happens to check him out every now and then, well she is only human. She's still not sure what she likes most about him; his dimpled smile, the cheeky glint in his eyes, his perfectly toned arms or the strong v lines she imagines running her teeth along every time they are revealed from under his shirt.
Slowly and surely she is discovering all the little differences between the original Robin and her version, like the scar that resides just above his hips. She knows every inch of the old Robin, after spending all that time apart when he went away to New York she made sure she had every part of him memorised in her mind. This scar was definitely not there before. The skin was a darker pink which meant it wasn't new. At first when she brought it up to him he was defensive and withdrawn so she did not push him on the matter; however that evening when they were lying side by side under the stars he had told her the story of how it came to be a big part of who he is today. It was the result of a double crossing from the person he believed to be his best friend and partner in crime. They had been after a rare potion from another land, one that had the ability to mend a broken heart, something they would then sell on to the highest bidder or so he thought. His partner had other ideas, which led to him bleeding out on the forest floor. From that day on he would only work alone.
Something in his eyes while telling her that story made her want to remove any remnant of pain from his eyes. She was now on her side facing him with her hand out stretched to the scar slowly caressing it, studying every detail of it. It was a level of intimacy they had never reached before; he was allowing her to see his vulnerable side for the first time and in return she was slowly letting down her defences. She made the first move; it seems some things never change. It was different than she expected it to be, his kisses are more frantic full of passion, and his touch firmer something the darker side of her is rather enjoying. She could tell this Robin isn't afraid to take control and that was something she could see herself getting used to. "I hope you don't think I'll be making a habit of this, I'm a queen not some peasant who sleeps in dirt," all the while a devious grin making its way across her face. She's finding it extremely amusing to tease him; he's not afraid to bite back as much as before.
"I think you'll find your majesty that actually we are sleeping on hay, which is on dirt but there is separation...nothing but the best for my queen." He called her his queen; this shook her almost to the point where she let him win this little playful spat. She's falling for him hard and this time she doesn't want to stop herself.
"Well maybe your best just isn't good enough," she says staring him deep in his eyes never once breaking contact.
He stares back with an intensity that has her cheeks turning a darker shade of pink, "Perhaps...but I'm willing to wager you don't really mean that, no one can be kissed like that and not feel anything."
She finally breaks the eye contact and looks to the ground, her teeth catching her bottom lip. "Indeed, but even so next time we will be in the comfort of my rather expensive silk sheets."
He's getting used to the way she works now she has to feel like she's always in control; something he's sure she didn't get much of in her previous life here even though she had power over the entire kingdom. "Oh so there's going to be a next time then?" He places his hand underneath her chin and raises her face so that he could look her in the eyes. He is met with a devilish smile, one that sends shivers down to the base of his spine. She affects him more so than any other woman has previously, and he can see himself getting used to this feeling.
"I think that can be arranged." She says before capturing his lips in another intense kiss.