You could say she was nervous.

Which was fine.

Understandable.

Totally okay.

She was nervous, so what?

Pacing back and forth on one slice of the forest and sweeping away all the foliage with the kick of your boots for what must have been half an hour was a perfectly normal thing to do.

She was just nervous.

...

Scratch that! She was jittery! A messy bundle of nerves walking around in tights and an admittedly cool, awesome leather cape, lending her her name.

Robin Hood, yeah, right. She wondered if her father had ever been as nervous as she was before asking out a girl he liked. Only that he probably had not liked them but fancied them and did not just ask out girls but courted them; wooed them with poetry or some noble, Romeo and Juliet stuff out of the "Shakespearean Guide on How to Pay One's Addresses" or whatever.

The cape with the hood was the only cool thing about her at the moment and Robin hated it.

She stopped pacing stomping her feet onto the ground. Taking a deep breath she closed her eyes, holding it in for one more second before releasing it.

'Okay, just be cool and don't bow out like last time,' she told herself and gulped. 'Or the time before that.'

What had happened to Miss Popular of Storybrooke High? She was not used to be like this.

She did not use to be like this. She had been asked out herself tons of times by the boys in school and had not blinked with an eye while shrugging them off. Now, she was the opposite of her usual or rather old self.

Seemed like hopping into Fairy Tale world and gaining yourself some mastery skills in archery as well as thievery did not translate to gain confidence in asking out girls.

Though it was not any girl. It was the one girl. The only one girl that had ever been interesting enough to really listen to, to watch closely to memorize all her adorable antics and funny, little quirks and to simply want to be close to: Alice.

The one and only and so beautifully unique Alice.

Turning on her heels Robin faced the direction in which Alice's hut lay, just behind the by now familiar slope. It would come soon into her sight, if she crossed the last few feet. Which was why she put down roots here in the beginning, going all queasy all of a sudden.

She was sure, Alice was already waiting for her outside, like she always seemed to do. It was neither fair to Alice nor Nook to keep them waiting. After all that was the prime reason why she was here, to help Alice get into contact with her father.

It just so happened that Robin developed feelings for the other girl.

Deep feelings.

Upon meeting she had been fascinated with the girl whose hair was a bright warm gold but in the course of one single day Robin's heart had jumped, had ached and had fluttered for her. By now, only a few meetings later, her whole being reacted to Alice as if she was under a spell and when Alice wasn't close all Robin could do was think about her.

And yet, despite the yearning Robin felt, she had not been able to devise a master plan on how to address her feelings towards Alice. Where could she even begin to explain she was feeling something beyond friendly emotions when the other girl likely had no idea this was possible.

'Move. At least bring her the letter. That's why you came here.'

Huffing one last time Robin began to march towards her destination, her goal solidified on her mind and carrying her feet in certain strides.

She was here to deliver the letters between Alice and her father. That was her task. Alice never asked for her to come for another reason. Never asked Robin for something else. She was always polite and nice but there was no sign that she felt the same thing about Robin. She did give Robin the clock that ran backwards in exchange for the bracelet but that might have been meant friendly.

They were friends after all.

Robin had to respect that. Setting her mind on this thought she walked purposefully closer to the little hut in one of the larger clearings west of the team's camp.

However, when Alice came into sight, sitting on one of her rocking chairs on her porch sewing something together with furrowed brows and lips tightly pressed together in concentration, Robin's mind blurred and the purpose in her steps faltered to a soft gait.

God help her.

"Alice," she hushed breathlessly and couldn't help but smile as the energetic girl's head wiped around giving the rocking chair a forceful push with a dazzling broad smile spreading on her face when their gazes met.

"Robin!"

Jumping onto her feet and throwing her work onto the chair without a second glance, Alice met her halfway on the porch, stopping a few feet in front of her.

They smiled at each other and Robin's stomach became overflowed with butterflies as she took in the sight of the pretty blonde. Her eyes shone like moonlight dropping onto the ocean. Her hair as bright as her smile pleaded to be touched. She wore her blue, thick coat with the charming, satin bow in the same color as her eyes were when she was laughing.

Robin swallowed down her trance when she noticed how they just stood and stared.

"I –, " Snatching the letter from the pouch within her coat, she held it out for Alice. "I've got another letter from your father."

"Oh, of course." Alice's smile dropped for a second as she retrieved a letter of her own from beneath her coat and took her father's letter in exchange. "Thank you, Robin."

Alice smile recalled another one from Robin.

She couldn't help it. She was lost in this smile.

"Why... Why don't you come inside for a bit? I could brew some tea," Alice said, her smile becoming shy and – if possible – cuter. Her fingers fiddled with the edge of her father's letter.

A tingle ran up Robin's spine and she huffed. Her palms started to sweat under Alice's hopeful gaze while her mind screamed at her, 'Here you go. Take the bait!'

But...

"I'd like that but..."

It wasn't that she had any problems with being in love with a woman or that she had any trouble talking – talking was one of her best features. She could have majored in talking, if that was a real thing. It wasn't that she was scared to ask Alice out because of herself. No, she'd love to simply pop out the question.

It was because of Alice, she couldn't.

The girl who had been on so many magical adventures was experienced in ways Robin would likely never be but then again, she was as innocent as they come on other levels.

Did she have any idea what was going on inside of Robin? What she called forth with just a smile or a pout?

And so Robin continued with her stomach dropping, "But I have to deliver this to your father."

The light in Alice's face was gone. Sadness glazed over in her eyes for a moment befpre she caught herself. Robin didn't miss it and felt her heart clench painfully. The last thing she would ever want was to hurt Alice.

"I am certain my Papa wouldn't mind, if the letter reached him later," Alice said lowly.

Robin's eyes fell to the ground insecurely. What was the right thing to do? Robin felt like she couldn't do right. Either she'd hurt her friend or she would impose on Alice with all these feelings she could barely keep at bay. Helplessly she stuttered with a shrug, "I don't know – I... I don't want to disappoint. He probably can't wait to hear from you."

Her heart stuttered as well, when Alice grabbed her hand reassuringly and chirped, "It is fine! Last time I wrote him I asked if he minded you keeping me company for a while. I am sure his reply is a positive one. Shall I take a look?"

Robin's mind had trouble keeping up. Surprised her eyes flitted to Alice's and she asked, "You wrote your father about me?" But she already knew Alice had. She had been awfully embarrassed when Nook had inquired about Alice in front of the whole team and Robin had – like the brain-dead she was when it came to Alice – asked him what Alice wrote about her, blurting out the question like a giddy, young girl on the schoolyard, effectively trapping all eyes on her.

Even now, she felt heat creeping over her neck up to her cheeks when she remembered that knowing smile on her mother's face.

"I did. You don't mind, do you?" Alice said with half a smile, caught on the line between hope and fear.

"No, of course not."

It was time for Robin to reassure Alice, squeezing her fingers around hers and giving her a heartfelt smile which spread a grin on the blue eyed girl's face.

"Let's see then," the later exclaimed enthusiastically. Her accent poured like honey, sending a jolt up and down Robin's body.

Robin felt Alice's fingers leave hers almost reluctantly and watched her breaking the seal of the letter before opening it. Blue eyes scanned the letter for a while before Alice seemed to have found what she was looking for.

"Ah, yes, here it is," she cleared her throat and began to read, "'I am glad you found a friend, love. Of course Robin can stay as long as she wants. She is a perfectly fine –'" Alice stopped abruptly. A major blush exploded on her cheeks while she folded the letter closed with trembling fingers.

"What was that?" Robin asked, meaning both: The rest of the sentence and Alice's reaction. It couldn't be...

Or could it?

"Nothing," Alice mumbled.

Robin mustered Alice's face, the red hue painted her cheeks lovely, her eyes were fleeting anywhere, seeking to settle on anything other than on Robin. The way Alice worried her lips set a pool of tingling heat below Robin's stomach aflame and dried up her throat.

Thirstily her eyes drank in every bit and piece of Alice's reaction. There was no way –

"Do you want to come in?" Alice inquired, eyes lifting beneath her lashes, while she bobbled back and forth on the heels of her shoes.

Breaking out of her stupor, Robin watched the innocent but flirty behavior. Hope bloomed inside her and she took a big leap at the idea of taking chances.

Having her confidence somewhat returned, Robin leaned forwards and replied with a big smirk, "Love to."

A/N: If you liked this, consider to give it a vote.

Also if you want to read more about Alice and Robin make sure to check out "Seattle Love Story":

https://www.wattpad.com/story/150785209-seattle-love-story