I don't own the characters or places!

When they got closer to the camp, Clint slowed down his steps and began to listen to the sounds surrounding him. At first, he didn't notice anything out of the ordinary. Leaves moving in the wind, birds singing and once or twice a breaking branch, most probably because some animal stepped onto it. But then he started to hear small sounds that broke the natural rhythm of the forest. Rustling of branches here and there. Old, dry leaves crunching under heavy feet. Some birds stopped singing.

He glanced at Phil next to him and from the way the knight titled his head slightly, Clint knew that he heard the sounds as well. They were indicators that they weren't alone anymore. Placing a finger on his lips as a sign to remain quiet, he nodded to the left. The knight followed him without hesitation when Clint changed the direction in which they were walking.

Knowing that Phil could move just as quietly as himself, Clint led them back in a big circle, determined to surprise their silent pursuer. He knew that it was one of his people, but he could never leave out the opportunity to show them that they were still too clumsy while moving around in the woods. Unlike the man next to him. During their mostly silent walk, Clint had watched Phil from the corner of his eyes and he moved silently and with a precision that was impressive. He would have to ask him about it later. Moving like that was only possible with lots of practice and most knights he'd met before couldn't achieve that. So where did Phil learn it?

It only took them a few calculated turns and a man appeared in front of them, moving with his head bowed. Clint grinned and crept closer. When they'd nearly reached the person, he talked, not trying to remain quiet anymore. "If we were the enemy, you'd be dead now." He watched in satisfaction as the man whirled around in shock, drawing his weapon. But then he recognised that it was only Clint, lowering it. Only to grip it tightly when his eyes fell on Phil right behind him.

"Why did you bring him here?!" Will demanded to know, staring at Clint with fury on his face. "Are you out of your mind?"

"You've been following us around for quite some time now, so you must have surely realized that he isn't going to hurt me. Or anyone else, for the matter." Clint said sternly. "He's on our side."

Will frowned unhappily. "As if I'd believe that." He narrowed his eyes at Phil. "You're one of the Sheriff's people."

"Who saved my life last night." Clint reminded him. "And he kept our secret."

"To make us trust him."

"Because we can trust him."

"Now that he knows the location of our camp, we can't just send him away again." Will's eyes were hard when he examined Phil again, probably already trying to figure out if the two of them could take him down together.

He stepped in front of the knight. "No one will hurt him." Clint declared. "He's here because he wants to help us. If you don't believe him, it's fine. But I do. So stop complaining, Will. I'm sure the others will do that enough anyway." He glanced at Phil behind him. "Meet Will Scarlet, my second in command."

"Pleasure." Phil said politely, though he was watching Will attentively. Surely to see if the other man was a threat.

"Just because he trusts you, it doesn't mean that I do." Will began to stalk in the direction of the camp. "Let's hear your story."

Clint exchanged a look with Phil. "That could have turned out worse."

"Define worse." Phil whispered when they followed Will more slowly.

"When I first brought Allan, he tried to kill him." His lips twitched at the memory.

Phil looked surprised. "He wasn't always with you?"

"Joined about one and a half years ago. He was a merchant's son, but had enough of that life of wealth while others were starving. Will thought he would never last in the forest for more than a month. Now he even wears the mask sometimes." When Phil only looked at him silently, he smiled. "They will get over it and trust you once they see that you don't have any ill intentions."

"I assume first there will be lots of shouting?"

"And cursing." He confirmed with a nod. "But I'm sure you're already used to that from spending so much time with Gisborne and the Sheriff."

The knight still looked tense, but he chuckled quietly. "Indeed."

There was indeed lots of shouting and cursing. Once Clint and Phil entered the camp, the other outlaws had gathered around them, demanding to hear their story. And an explanation as to why Clint brought one of the Sheriff's people to their hiding place. Apparently, Will had already prepared them for the arrival of their guest.

By now, Clint was so done with all the prejudices concerning Phil that he couldn't help it. He shouted back at his people angrily, something that made them stare at him in surprise. Yes, he got angry from time to time or also a little loud, but Clint never shouted. Not like this.

"If you could finally stop complaining and behave like normal people, we'll tell you the whole story!" He shouted into the silence that followed his first outburst. "But for that, you have to remain quiet, do you understand?! I won't have you saying all this nonsense about Phil any longer. He's on our side, if you believe it or not!"

In the end, it was Little John who spoke first. "So you really saved his life." He said, the words directed at Phil.

The knight nodded seriously. Ever since arriving at camp, he was tense and Clint wished that he could place a hand on Phil's back to reassure him somehow. But he knew that the knight wouldn't want that. It would only make him look weak. "I know it seems hard to believe, but I did it because it was the right thing to do. Not because I only want the glory for catching Robin Hood all to myself."

So he told them the story again. About how he'd arrived at Nottingham and slowly found out that Clint was Robin Hood. Phil also mentioned that he genuinely liked Clint. It was not as emotional as what he told him in private, but secretly, Clint was glad that the knight kept those things to himself. I saved you because my heart couldn't bear the thought of losing you. He had to figure out what that meant on his own first.

When Phil was finished, Clint added his own version of the story. Some parts, the others knew already, but he also told them about Phil's visits in his workshop from his own perspective. In the end, when they'd finished their tale, the outlaws looked at them both thoughtfully.

"I still don't like it." Will muttered. "You could be fooling us all."

Phil raised his eyebrows. "Would I have come here, then? Told you all those things?"

"You could use the location of our camp for your own purposes." Will's eyes were cold. "Maybe you'll lead Gisborne here as soon as we let you out of sight."

"He won't do that." Clint threw in, glaring at Will. "He'll return to the Sheriff and Gisborne, that's true. But secretly, he'll work for us."

"A spy in the Sheriff's household?" Allan sounded impressed and turned to Phil. "You would betray them like this?"

"When I first became I knight, I swore to myself that I'd always do what's right, not what's easy." Phil said thoughtfully. "Very often, that didn't make me any friends. It's also why I left London. I've done something that turned out to be a good thing morally, but in the end, the king had to send me away for it, even if he secretly approved of my actions." Clint thought that there was sadness in his eyes. "I came here to Nottingham, thinking that I would have to catch an outlaw who stole to spite the wealthy people. Someone who simply did it because he could, not because there was a bigger reason behind his actions. That's what they say about Robin Hood in the higher social circles. But then I heard the stories the people in Nottingham and the surrounding villages kept telling. That Robin Hood helped the poor. That he was always there for those who needed him." His eyes wandered to Clint. "I soon realized that everything I'd heard so far was wrong. It were the lies the Sheriff and Gisborne told to justify their actions. What you're doing isn't simply stealing. It's far more than that."

The knight looked around, his eyes finding the ones of all the outlaws present. "Yes, I would betray the Sheriff. I will be your spy. If you think that you can trust me with this. Because if you don't, then it will all be doomed before we even begin."

"I trust you." Clint smiled at Phil. He wanted to say more, but remained quiet, well aware that the others were watching them.

"You might say that it's stupid, but I trust you too." Allan spoke suddenly. "I believe your story."

One by one, the other outlaws also exclaimed that they believed that Phil wouldn't betray them.

In the end, only Little John and Will Scarlet remained quiet. It was John who spoke first. "If you hadn't saved Clint's life, I wouldn't believe a word you just said. But he trusts you and I trust his judgement. But if you give me one single reason to believe that you have fooled us, it won't have such a happy ending, understood?"

Phil nodded seriously. "Of course."

Then all eyes turned to Will, who still eyes Phil darkly. "Just don't make us regret trusting you." He said in the end and stalked away, vanishing in the small tent he shared with John.

"I think that means you're one of us now." Clint grinned at the knight. "Congratulations!"

They agreed that for now, it was best to lay low for a while and wait until the Sheriff and Gisborne had somewhat calmed down from Robin Hood's escape. Phil would watch the situation in Nottingham and keep them updated on all the plans concerning the outlaws. If possible, he would also try to lay some false tracks. For that, he had to promise Clint that he'd be careful and not let himself get caught.

For a few weeks, everything remained calm. Phil and Clint met in town regularly to exchange information and whenever possible, Phil accompanied him into the forest. The outlaws got used to Phil's presence quickly and once they got over the fact that he was a knight, they included him in their group like everyone else. Even John and Will seemed to warm up to him slowly.

When Phil was in the Sherwood Forest, he spent most of his time with Clint, though. After the secret about Robin Hood wasn't standing between them anymore, the two of them got close very fast. So close, in fact, that it sometimes scared Clint. After their initial conversation in the forest, in which Phil had admitted that he could never hurt Clint, they didn't talk about their feelings again. But they also didn't have to. Sometimes, Clint would catch Phil looking at him with such a soft expression that it made his heart race. Or he would watch the knight training with his sword and suddenly, Phil would just turn to him and their eyes met. In those moments, Clint was sure that Phil could see right through him and knew that it wasn't just friendship he felt.

Those feelings weren't exactly new to him. Even if it was nothing that could be talked about openly, Clint had been with men before. In fact, he even preferred men to women. He knew that it was something he should be ashamed of, but he couldn't let himself feel that way. He'd accepted this side of him a long time ago.

Unfortunately, he didn't know if Phil felt the same. When he said that he couldn't let Clint die, he also could have meant simply because he liked him as a friend. Even those soft looks they shared at times didn't have to mean anything. Phil could simply be such a nice person. On the other hand, Clint had never caught the knight looking at someone else the way he looked at him. And there were other signs, he kept telling himself. Like the first time they saw each other, when Phil hadn't been able to look away from him. The way he always recognised Clint's eyes, even if they weren't special at all. All the casual, soft touches when they were planning together, or simply walking through the forest.

Sometimes, it was driving him mad that he didn't know for sure if Phil even liked men. He didn't even know if he had a family back in London! It was something they rarely talked about. Their pasts were there, but so far, it was an unspoken agreement not to mention them if not necessary.

More than one month after their escape from the Sheriff's castle, the news that a group of merchants was on their way to Nottingham reached the outlaws. The decision that this would be the perfect opportunity for Robin Hood to show up again was easily made. Until now, they'd tried to keep quiet for some time. Unfortunately, that resulted in not having much to give to the poor. They'd all agreed that it had been necessary, but the mood at camp was getting worse anyway.

Phil was at camp when the news about the merchants reached them. "You could join us. Look at everything from afar." Clint suggested while he began to put on his armour in the small tree house he inhabited when he was at camp. Phil had stayed with him here a few times, but mostly, he tried not to leave Nottingham for more than a few hours. Otherwise, Gisborne might get suspicious.

"Someone might recognise me." Phil threw in quietly. "I'm not sure if it's a wise decision."

"No one will come after us today." He'd just taken off his shirt and was about to put on a new one, but at Phil's words, Clint stepped around the corner where he'd moved to be out of sight when he undressed. He wasn't sure if it wouldn't make Phil feel uncomfortable if be began to take off his clothes in front of him. But when he stood bare chested in front of the knight now and Phil's eyes darkened when he took in Clint's body, he wasn't so sure about that anymore. "We'll make our move far away from town. Some of us will watch the roads to Nottingham and if Gisborne and his people show up, they'll cause some trouble. Or warn us in time." He smiled slightly. "You've never seen us in action before."

"I have." The knight argued, his eyes now on Clint's face. However, it looked like it took some effort to keep them there.

"You've seen us run away." He corrected him firmly and continued putting on clothes. "That's not the same. You can have one of my cloaks. Then no one will see your face."

"But I'll stay out of sight." Phil said in the end. "We shouldn't take unnecessary risks."

Clint grinned at him. "Amazing. Then let's go."

Stopping the carriage in which the merchants travelled was easy. One carefully placed arrow from Clint and the horses stopped, moving uneasily when they sensed that they weren't alone in the forest anymore. To their surprise, the merchants only had two guards for their carriage and the outlaws moved to take them down quickly.

In the meantime, Clint made his way to the carriage and jumped on the front seat, which was unoccupied since the boy who'd sat there moments ago had apparently decided that it was better to run away than face an ambush. The carriage was open on top, so everyone around could see the three men looking up at Clint with wide eyes.

Normally, he didn't care much about making a spectacle out of their thefts. But today Phil was watching and maybe, Clint wanted to impress the other man. So he smiled widely and bowed his head in an exaggerated gesture.

"Good day, sirs." He greeted them cheerily. "What a lovely time it is to travel through the Sherwood Forest."

"What do you want from us?" One of the men asked in a shaky voice.

"That's Robin Hood!" Another hissed. "He wants to steal our gold!"

Clint grinned. "Gold, silver, it doesn't matter. We take everything valuable you have with you. It won't go to waste, don't worry. Many people will be grateful for the things you have to give."

"You're a thief!" The third man shouted. "A dirty thief! We won't give you anything!"

Clint crossed his arms. "If I see it correctly, you're outnumbered. Your guards are currently on the ground, their hands bound. The driver of your carriage has fled. Will you fight us all on your own?" He knew that at least one of them was hiding a dagger in the folds of his coat. Maybe the others would also try to attack him.

It wouldn't be of any use, of course. They had archers in the forest who could shoot as soon as there was any immediate danger to Clint or one of the others. But so far, their action had never been necessary, at most for a distraction. He shifted on his feet a little so he could grab his bow faster.

"You won't get through with this!" The man who'd last spoken grumbled. "The Sheriff will have your head!"

Clint laughed at this and all around, the outlaws did the same. "He definitely tried! But alas, I think the Sheriff won't help you with this! For that, he would have to catch us first." This earned more laughter.

"You may think you're invincible, but you're definitely not, Robin Hood!" The man with the knife said. "Now the people might remember your name, but what if you're gone? No one will care about the outlaw in the forest anymore."

"The story will live on." Clint argued. "Because of people like you. But really, can't we stay with the death threads first and not talk about my legacy? You're taking things a little too fast."

"No, I'm not!" Then the man jumped to his feet. There wasn't such a large distance between them, but Clint was faster. He reacher for his bow, pulled an arrow from his quiver and shot. Only moments after he stood up, the coat of the man was nailed to his seat by an arrow with black feathers.

When the two others also began to move, Clint aimed at them. "If I were you, I wouldn't move now." He jumped over the seats, landing directly in between the three people. The first thing he did was to take the knife from his attacker. Then he quickly searched the two others for hidden weapons. There weren't any.

"Normally, this is the moment when I say thank you for the nice conversation. But I think we can skip that today." With a move of his head, John and Will jumped onto the carriage and began to collect the gold and other valuable objects.

"Please tell people about this. Especially the Sheriff. And everyone else you know." Clint grinned when he jumped onto the ground. "A good story needs people to tell it, after all." With a bow of his head, he began to run into the forest, the others close at his heels.

He caught up with Phil only a few moments later and the knight fell into step next to him. "Is Robin Hood always this impudent?" He asked quietly, but there was a smile on his lips. And a look in his eyes that made Clint swallow.

"Only on Tuesdays." He replied with a slight smile.

When Phil laughed, he thought that it was the most beautiful sound he'd ever heard.

As they arrived back at camp, the sun was already setting. They'd given the gold to people in several villages, always careful not to attract too much attention. To Clint's surprise, Phil had stayed with them the entire time.

However, he only decided to mention it once they were back in the late afternoon. "You need to go back to the city."

Phil sighed. "I'm sure Gisborne is furious because I wasn't with them today."

"What's your excuse?" Clint wanted to know.

Phil's lips twitched. "I might have mentioned a pretty maid I've met in a town close to Nottingham once or twice."

He stared at him. "Gisborne can't possibly believe that. I mean, you're far too dutiful for something like that!"

"Am I?" When Phil raised his eyebrows and looked at Clint meaningfully, he swallowed.

"Yes. You're the most honourable man I've ever met." He replied anyway.

To his surprise, Phil looked doubtful. "In your place, I wouldn't be so sure about that."

Before Clint had time to ask more about that, however, Allan shouted both their names and they joined the others around the fire. There was lots of food and also a few drinks, but Clint didn't feel like getting drunk. Not on that day. His conversation with Phil was still freshly on his mind and he tried to decipher the meaning behind his words. But no matter how long he thought about it, he still couldn't understand the meaning.

In the end, he only remained sitting at the fire for about an hour before he stood up and excused himself. He'd already climbed the tree to his hut again when someone called his name. It was Phil.

"You left quite early." The knight said quietly and joined Clint in the small tree house. "Are you alright?"

"Just a little tired." Clint shrugged. "Why don't you join the others a little longer? It's always fun when they're in such a good mood."

Phil's lips twitched. "I noticed. John tried to convince me to have a drink at least a dozen times. When I kept refusing, he accused me of being boring and searched for his next victim."

He raised his eyebrows. "Why wouldn't you drink anything?"

"I'd rather not forget the events of the day." Phil looked Clint in the eyes. "Seeing you as Robin Hood is quite remarkable."

"Remarkable? Me?" Clint chuckled. "You must be seeing things, Phil."

"Definitely not." The knight took a step towards him and suddenly, his expression had changed. Gone was the usual calm smile on his lips. It was replaced with something else. Something that very much looked like desire. "I've heard stories, but they didn't do you justice. The way you moved…" He shook his head with a smile. "You're always graceful, but seeing you in action is something else entirely. And the way you talked. You're always so confident, but that was more than that."

"Stop making fun of me." Slowly, he was starting to feel uncomfortable under Phil's intense stare.

"I'm completely serious." Phil replied quietly. "I was also serious when I said that you shouldn't be so sure about me being a honourable man."

Clint frowned at that. "You can't be serious. As I said -"

"If I were a honourable man, I'd have returned to Nottingham after we gave the gold to the people. I would have found some excuse for Gisborne about the woman I met and why I wasn't there for the hunt for Robin Hood today." Phil took another step towards Clint and now only a few inches separated them. "But instead, I'm here. With you." The knight breathed in deeply. "A honourable man wouldn't want you the way I do."

It felt like Clint's heart stopped beating at hearing those words. "Are you saying…?" He didn't finish the sentence. It felt like his mind had stopped working.

"You're probably disgusted now." Phil looked away quickly and took a step back. "I'm so sorry, Clint. I would understand if you want me to leave and never come back again. It's not normal for a man to want -"

He didn't get further than that. Because in the moment Clint was sure that Phil really, definitely wanted him, his body started to move on its own. He closed the space between them, grabbed Phil's shirt and pulled the other man closer for a kiss.

For a brief moment, Clint feared that Phil would push him away. The other man stiffened under his touch and Phil gasped quietly in surprise. But then, Phil's body relaxed and his arms found their way around Clint's waist, pulling him even closer. Phil kissed him back with such a passion that it made Clint feel dizzy for a brief moment.

The kiss didn't last long and it left Clint with a burning desire to get even closer to Phil. Both men didn't make any movements to pull away, so they stayed close to each other, Phil's arms around Clint's waist and his hands on the knight's chest. He could feel Phil's furiously beating heart.

"You want me?" Clint asked quietly when their eyes met.

Phil chuckled. "I've wanted you from the moment I first saw you." He whispered, voice rough. "The feeling only got stronger with time. You're the most desirable man I've ever met."

This time, it was Clint's turn to chuckle. "Normally, this would be the moment when I say that you've lost your mind. Because you are the most beautiful man I've ever seen. Not me."

"I wish you could see yourself the way I do." Phil touched Clint's cheek carefully. "Believe me, I've met many people in my life and no one compares to you, Clint."

He swallowed. "I wasn't even sure if you would like me back. If you -"

"Preferred men?" Phil quirked an eyebrow and smiled. "I do. Very much so." He shifted a little and pressed the proof of his desire against Clint. "But I wasn't sure about you. You're always so calm and collected, I couldn't be certain."

Clint laughed, but it sounded breathless. "Everyone who knows me says that I wear my heart upon my sleeve. It was much harder to read your thoughts."

"If we hadn't met under such difficult circumstances, I would have shown my interest in you straight away." Phil's lips touched his cheek and wandered towards his mouth. "I've never wanted anyone as much as you."

"That feeling is mutual." Clint whispered before their lips met and it seemed as if the time for talking was over. Their lips began a slow dance, which turned out into something more insistent and passionate very fast. Phil's hard length was still pressed against Clint's hip and he couldn't help but move and show the knight just how much he wanted him as well.

Phil let out a quiet gasp at this and began to shove Clint towards the pile of blankets and cushions where he usually slept. However, Clint doubted that either of them would get much sleep that night. He only hesitated a short moment before he began to tear at the buttons of Phil's shirt. In return, Phil pulled Clint's own over his head impatiently.

"When I saw you without a shirt earlier, it took all my willpower to stay away from you." The knight muttered as his hands found their way to Clint's bare chest, his soft touch making him shiver. "You're a sight to behold."

"Did you ever look in a mirror?" Clint asked and fought the urge to close his eyes as Phil's hands wandered over his skin. "You're stunning, Phil." And in this moment, he was. His blue eyes were wide and dark, his usually so perfect hair quite disheveled. Phil's lips were red from kissing and the way he looked at Clint made him shiver again. Clint knew what a man who was about to lose control looked like. "And now touch me, Sir!"

At Clint's words, Phil froze for a short moment. And then he literally tore at the last clothes they were wearing until they were both naked. Normally, Clint wasn't someone to give up control, not even in bed. But this time, he gladly let Phil press him down onto the blankets.

"It's all I could think of." Phil whispered, staring at Clint with wide eyes when he settled between his legs. "Having you like this. On your back, all for myself. You're always so strong. So proud. I've wanted you from the moment I first saw you."

Clint swallowed thickly, meeting Phil's eyes. "Now that you have me, what do you plan to do with me, Phil?"

Phil's grin was predatory. "Everything."

Later that night, they were lying under the blankets together, arms wrapped around each other. "Sometimes, I wish we could stop all of it." Clint whispered into the silence surrounding them. "The secrecy. The hiding. Constantly worrying that the Sheriff will find us. I love being Robin Hood. I've never felt this free. But having a normal life sounds pretty tempting at times."

"But would you be happy with it?" Phil asked quietly. "You wouldn't be able to help the people anymore."

"There could be other ways." He argued. "There have to be other possibilities."

"You know that as long as the Sheriff is there, it won't be that easy."

Clint froze. "But that's what it is all about, isn't it? The Sheriff and Gisborne. Together, we could do something about it." Slowly, a smile spread on his lips. "When I said that we could make him leave Nottingham, it was only a thought. But what if we can make that come true?"

Phil quirked an eyebrow. "You want to outsmart the Sheriff?"

"We could do it. With your help, I mean. Make a plan to show the people what kind of person their Sheriff really is. Most of them know that already. But we would need to set a sign, show them that everything could be better with someone else." His thoughts were racing. "We would need someone else to rule over Nottingham, of course. And I assume it would attract lots of attention all over the country." He hesitated. "You could be in trouble because of it. After all, the king sent you here to help catching me."

"I'm more worried about you." Phil's expression was serious. "After all, the Sheriff doesn't just want to catch you. They're planning to kill you, Clint." His body tensed next to Clint's. "I won't let anyone hurt you."

"But the king -" He tried again, only to be interrupted by Phil shaking his head.

"He would forgive me." He sounded so sure that it made Clint stare at him.

"How can you be so certain about that? Didn't he send you here because you once did something no one approved of?" He'd been curious ever since Phil first mentioned it, but so far, he'd been able to hold back with his curiosity.

Phil sighed. "He sent me here because I helped one of his cousins who was in trouble. A beautiful lady who married the wrong man. He didn't treat her well. I helped her to get away from him. The higher social circles, who were all friends of her husband, weren't happy about it. They judged me for making too many independent decisions, which is something a good knight shouldn't do. Some even accused me of wanting the lady all for myself. In the end, the king was glad that I helped her, but he couldn't show his approval openly. So he sent me away from London, all the while apologising that he wished things could be different. But even as king, he's bound to some social rules. If the people don't trust him anymore, the whole kingdom would be in danger."

Clint had listened to Phil's explanation silently. Once he was finished, he pulled the other man closer. He could hear from Phil's voice that the events still pained him. "I'm so sorry that you had to endure that, Phil." He whispered.

"Don't apologise." The knight argued. "It brought me to you. In hindsight, it was the best thing that ever happened to me." At this, he placed a soft kiss on Clint's lips. "The last words of the king were that he trusted me to make the right decision concerning the outlaw. I think in some ways, he has faith in my judgement."

"I won't let anyone send you away from here." Clint muttered darkly. "If all this goes wrong, we'll run away together. Understood?"

Phil chuckled quietly. "I like this protective side of you."

"As if you're any different." Clint smiled slightly. "I won't let anyone hurt you." He repeated the words Phil had said earlier. "I never thought that I'd like it this much. Someone wanting to keep me safe."

"I also want you to be happy." Phil emphasised. "We need to make a very good plan. Otherwise, things might get wrong far too easily."

"We can make plans in the morning." He moved so he was on top of Phil. "First, we should enjoy being together some more." Without waiting for a reply, he leaned in to kiss Phil again.