I wonder if I really AM forgiven.

Puck reaches down a hand. I take it and pull myself up as gracefully as I can, brushing off my skirt.

"So..." I say after a moment of awkward silence.

"So, what?" Puck asks.

"I- I apologize for what happened earlier... am I, you know, forgiven?" I blush and duck my head, somewhat ashamed. He has to be incredibly nice, and probably pities me, if he forgives me now.

"Of course." I jerk my head up, startled.

"Hey, if I didn't forgive you, who else would I tease?" he jabs my ribs playfully and smirks.

"Hey, no poking! And how nice to know you care, Peter Pan. Besides, you make fun of everyone. "

"Oh, but of course. Sharing is caring, honey!" he says, pulling a ridiculous face.

"How classy of you, quoting My Little Pony."

"All the cool humans are doing it!" He protests.

"And it doesn't sound gay at ALL."

"Aw, you're no fun! Besides," He drawls, casually slinging an arm around my shoulders, "You were the one who knew what I was quoting."

"That's because I watched it as a child," I counter, trying to slide from under his arm. He grips a bit tighter, pinning me against his side.

"Ah- ah- ah! Not so fast, curly!" He pulls me around at arm's length to face him.

"What?"

"You, my dearie, said you wanted to kiss me!"

I'm fairly certain I stopped breathing.

"I wh- what? No, I-"

"Nuh- uh. The way I remember it, you got all red like a little tomato when I asked if you were about to kiss me."

"Hey now, you weren't exactly Mr. Cool either. I saw that nervous fidgeting!"

"Meh. Least I didn't turn pink."

"Pf. Old news. So, what are you trying to accomplish by asking this?"

"Ah, right. I was merely curious if you still wanted a kiss."

"I- well, do you want to kiss me?"

"Uh- uh! Don't change the subject, missy! I need an answer!" He trills. I sigh, heart pumping like a scared rabbit's.

"Well, to be perfectly honest..." I hesitate. A million rejection scenarios play through my brain. I decide that the only way to get this done is the truth, with no stipulations, but I still feel scared. Rejection is definitely not something I need to go through again.

"I... yeah. Yeah, I do want to kiss you."I duck my head, embarrassed. In the moment of silence that follows, I feel more vulnerable than I've ever felt in my life. Like I just handed him a piece of my heart on a plate, and he's deciding whether to take good care of it or crush the absolute shit out of it and/ or give it back.

He tilts my head up with a finger, forcing me to look at him.

"Believe me, Red, there's no one I'd rather kiss right now."

My eyes go ridiculously wide. He's smirking, but not so much teasingly now. He leans in, and I think I might just have a heart attack.

Our faces are mere centimeters apart. My eyes start to flutter closed when-

"GOODFELLOW!" I jump away for the second time that day, and before I can think, I facepalm. Fate absolutely fucking hates me today. Actually, wait- today, Fate wants to completely destroy all my chances with Robin.

Fate's a bitch either way.

I look towards the source of the noise and see a seriously peeved looking satyr. As he stomps- can you stomp with hooves?- towards us, I have a feeling I'm not going to like what happens next, mainly because I know him.

This satyr in particular's name is Jeremy. He knows me, and while I consider us acquaintances, he considers us a couple. I never had the heart to tell him though, because he was so nice... ah, who am I kidding? I like him 'cause he kept bringing me chocolate.

Anyways, he looks royally pissed, and I think today is the day I finally have to tell him to fuck off. Sigh.

"Hi, Jeremy." I sigh, rolling my eyes.

"Wait, you know this guy?" Robin asks me. I sigh and whisper my predicament to him.

"HEY! What are you two clowns whispering about?!" Jeremy shouts, causing me to jump again.

"Jesus, Jeremy! Calm down!" I say sharply, causing him to immediately shut up and start glaring at me.

"Anyways, Jeremy... I think it's time we had a little talk." I say, grabbing his shoulder and steering him through the trees. I motion to Robin to give us about five minutes before wheeling Jeremy through a copse of trees into a clearing.

"Jeremy, I hate to tell you this, but-"

"But what?! You've been kissing another man? That I'm just something on the side?!" He practically screams at me. In case you couldn't tell, he's a bit melodramatic.

"No, Jeremy. We haven't actually kissed yet, seeing as you barged in on us!" I yell, starting to lose my patience.

"PLEASE stop referring to us as though we're a couple! Because, if you hadn't noticed, I haven't kissed you, either! And, in case you needed clarification, that means I DON"T FUCKING LIKE YOU! I am NOT your 'girl', and I probably never will be! So for the love of God, LEAVE ME ALONE!"

He stands there shocked for a minute. I stand as well, hands on hips, fuming. It feels FAR too good to have finally said what I really feel to him.

"I- I just- ah..." Jeremy stutters, looking crushed. I start to feel a little bad.

"Look, Jeremy, I may not like you like that, but we can be friends, right? And I really mean that."

He looks at me hopefully. "But don't you DARE get any ideas, mister." A few minutes pass in silence.

"Okay. I'll take what I can get, I suppose." He says, a tiny grin on his face. I smile and hug him. As I pull away, he gives a shell- shocked grin. I chuckle.

"You can still bring me chocolate, by the way." I mutter to him, and he grins wider.

As we step out of the clearing and towards where I left Robin, I wonder if I was loud enough for him to hear me. That might be an issue...

When we reach the edge of the other clearing, I say goodbye to Jeremy. He trots off, and I adjust my hair and skirt nervously before stepping back into the clearing towards Robin. He's standing exactly where I left him, looking amused.

"Well then, Red. You certainly gave him a talking- to." He smirks.

"Shit. You heard?" I say, blushing a bit. He smirks wider and steps toward me.

"Darling, you'd have to be deaf to have not heard you. You sent flocks of birds flying for the hills!"

"Bullshit." I grin.

"No, really! You sent innocent children running for their mothers and caused the sprites to go deaf."

"Oh, quit it. Like you're so polite and quiet all the time."

"Well, of course not! It's called an outside voice for a reason, Cupcake!" He steps marginally closer.

Fuck it, I decide in my brain. He said outright he wanted to kiss me. Why not? I step closer and grab his shirt collar, pulling myself up to peck him on the cheek. As I pull away, I notice his face has turned a vibrant shade of pink.

"I figured that was probably the best way to get you to shut up," I say, grinning widely. He just touches his cheek and grins dazedly. As I smile, satisfied if somewhat flustered, I notice the sky starting to darken. We've been out all day.

"Crap, it's getting late. We should head back to court." Robin recovers somewhat, seeming to shake the dazed look off his face and replacing it with a smirk.

"Well, in that case," Robin says, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively, "Your place or mine?"

"ROBIN!" I squeal, punching his arm. He laughs, and runs off toward court.

"Race you, Red!"He yells over his shoulder. I yelp indignantly before chasing him, the setting summer sun painting the sky gold as I race toward the Seelie court.

!~ #%&*+*&%# ~!

Whoof! Another chapter done! And, about the almost kiss scene- I know you guys want a smooch! Please don't throw things at me! Plus, I know its been far too long since I last updated, but school and writers block and art classes are all bitches when you're trying to write a story! (ducks to avoid thrown objects). I'm so sorry!

For all my fabulous reviewers- I love you ALL! I think I shall start calling you my galletitas. It means 'little cookies' in Spanish, and I thought it was cute, so you guys are my galletitas. THANK YOU for reviewing- I won't reply to them individually anymore, I'm sorry, but it's time consuming and, like I said, academics and writers block are bitches and I need time to write the actual story. Super sorry! I shall try to update faster, I promise. Ciao!

Kisses! :*

~the doodle queen