Long ago, when a long and golden haired Rapunzel hadn't ventured out of captivity - which she claimed to be her first time outdoors - she had actually visited a place far, far more different than quaint ol' Corona.
Not many people know this - so keep it just between you and me - but sultry, slim Mother Gothel was actually the product of two hearty, heavy set Vikings that resided on the unhygienic island of Berk. Though, by the time Rapunzel and her mother actually visited, Gothel's family had passed away hundreds of years ago - seeing as none of them managed to retain the eternal youthfulness that she was gifted with. Because of this, Gothel never saw any reason to visit the same island that she had spent most of her youth trying to escape. Berk was a horrible place, which even the citizens couldn't deny, and offered nothing remotely entertaining - unless you consider the sight of various dragons, who usually appeared as fleeting shadows in the night, stealing away sheep to be a rousing show.
So the thing that caused Gothel to visit was not for any nostalgic, sympathetic, or even moral reasons. It was for love - no. Scratch that. It was for money. Over the past years, since her daughter was but a golden blossom, Gothel was exchanging letters with the surprisingly poetic, eloquent, and incredibly handsome (at least, according to his own self description) Stoic: leader of Berk's tribe of Vikings. Frankly, the only reason their exchanging of letters even began was because Gothel was so surprised that the annoying nag who was up for rule when Gothel lived there had actually stepped down from her position. That plump, braid wearing, teacher's pet was possibly the most annoying, and pretentious girl of the tribe - something that Gothel was not ashamed to point out. Hilda was the brat's name, and all throughout their shared childhood, Gothel was devising new methods to torment and humiliate her. From a dead snake in her boot, or producing farting noises from her mouth while Hilda went on one of her long speeches to all the other classmates - Gothel did it all. And now she was retiring, hopefully going to slither off into some rickety hut and decay quietly.
But, anyway, Gothel had been forming something of a romance with Stoic, through the sending of steamy letters. Though Stoic's way of being romantic was often done by comparing Gothel to a dead fish or, even worse, a disembowled dragon, she was extremely flattered when he asked - no, begged - for a visit from her, she couldn't refused. He wanted to wed her, writing that someone as smart, sharp tongued, and clever as Gothel would make a fine Viking wife. And while this was all true, Gothel wanted to at least visit Berk once before turning down his engagement. Just to make sure that the island was still as crappy and rundown as she last recalled it. So, when Rapunzel, forming more of a "rebellious" voice now that she was turning fifteen, asked Gothel to take her anywhere that was outside, Gothel knew just the place to go.
The entire trip, up until they reached the boat, Rapunzel spent in a potato sack. Gothel claimed that she had to conceal herself from the various thieves and muggers that would want to violently chop of her hair - most likely growing impatient with all the fine strands, and instead just beheading her on the spot. Inside the bag, the air would become humid and suffocating, causing Rapunzel to go red in the face and, on occasion, even pass out due to how difficult it was to breath. Most of the time she was incredibly bored, and would rely on her dreams to provide some sort of entertainment. In them, she was often galavanting around with husky, muscular, helmet wearing Vikings - that would gut dragon bellies, yet still hold the door open for her when she walked into a room. But when her dreams went rancid, and all Rapunzel could see was a dozen of ill groomed, immoral, and smirking thieves huddled around her so tightly that she could barely breath. They called her ugly and pinched her arms - just like Mother would when Rapunzel was bad - before finally raising a daunting looking axe - one that glinted in a ray of moonlight - and swinging it down on her exposed neck. Such dreams would cause the blonde to whimper in the night, and her Mother, huddled over due to the sickening sway of the ship they rode on, would curl up with the bag - not caring who judged about the woman that was spoonig a sack of quivering potatoes.
One morning, Rapunzel awoke to, not the sight of canvas, but to a hardwood ceiling! One with wooden beams and rays of sunlight stretching across it. Instantaneously, she heard the tweeting of birds and could feel a fresh, unconfined air flow through her lungs. Not even fearful about her first steps on an unfamiliar floor, she jumped up and danced around the spacious room - desperate to stretch out the legs that had been curled up for so long. Her joyful skipping stopping only once the searing intrusion of a splinter occurred in her big toe, and she was wincing and hissing, while hopping about on one foot in an effort to see the damage done to its twin. Gothel entered the room to find her daughter, in something of a figure four stance, squinting at her big toe. As soon as she noticed her mother's presence, Rapunzel immediately straightened up - standing tall with squared soldiers, as if in salute.
Gothel had the energetic blonde sit down on the bed, where, just as she used her near talon like nails to pull out the wooden splinter, she finally admitted that there was no chance Rapunzel was leaving the room she was in now. The painful scream that escaped her daughters mouth was for both the splinter, and the latest restriction. Tears welled up in the blonde's eyes, as she went on about how desperate she was to feel grass between her toes, to stomp in a puddle, to scrap her knee on actual dirt! But Gothel wouldn't have any of it, instead pinching Rapunzel's arms once her quiet sniveling turned into all out, agonized cries. She left her there, to wail her muffled sobs into a pillow - far more focused on returning to her romantic Viking king than dealing with her daughter's "temper tantrum". But, unknown to the both of them, there was a third partner listening in on their frightful conversation. A scrawny, freckled covered boy, known by the rather pathetic name of "Hiccup", tinkered away at various devices beneath the guest bedrooms thin floorboards, heard every last word of their argument. And as the strange girl's sobs tapered off, an ache in the boy's own rib cage began to form. One of pity, remorse, and, most of all, sympathy - as the boy was, in a way just as trapped as his father's strange guest.

On their first meeting, Hiccup had received a black eye. Granted, entering Rapunzel's room, unannounced and in the middle of the night, was rather stupid - and he thoroughly regretted the decision when, after entering the room and causing the floorboards to squeak, he was immediately met with the intruding, blunt blow of an object to his left eye. When he finally came to, he found, after some confused struggling, that his wrists had been tightly tied to his ankles by...hair?

"Uh, what is this?" He asked, once noticing the crouched over silhouette of someone staring at him.

"You wanted my hair? Well now you're all tied up in it." Squeaked a small voice, that would've almost succeeded in sounding fearless - if not for the shakiness of her speech.

"Wha - I - do you know who I am?"

"I don't care if you're some great, powerful king of thieves! You're not getting my hair!"

"Oh no, I didn't mean it like that. I - just - I'm not a...a...hair thief, if that's what you think. I'm Stoic's son."

"You mean the leader of Berk?" She asked, her voice noticeably perking up.

"Yeah."

"You're a bit, uh, scrawny to be a Viking prince or whatever."

"Yes. Thank you for noticing." He seethed.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to offend you." She said, now stepping out from the shadows and into the moonlight - where her long veil of golden locks was illuminated in the moonlight. Hiccup had to practically shake himself out of the trance that her immense beauty put him in. The glow of her skin. The life in her eyes. The shimmer of her hair. Was she for real? Or just a mirage bought on from the heavy blow brought to his head?

Smiling slightly, she then broke the boy's stunned silence by saying "My name's Rapunzel. What's yours?"

"Uh...Hiccup. I came here to, uh...make sure you were okay- you look nothing like your mother, you know that right?"

"How so?"

"Well, no offense to yer mom or anything, but you don't look like you were just reanimated from the dead."

Surprisingly, the girl let out a laugh, now scooching closer to the boy. A slight redness turned in Hiccup's cheeks once he realized that she appeared even prettier up close.

"Why were you trying to make sure I was okay, Hiccup?"

"I - well, uh - please don't be embarrassed, but I heard your mom and you fighting. And I felt really bad."

"Why though?"

"I dunno. You're trapped up here. I mean, Berk isn't exactly all that pretty of a place - but it's way better than the 'wonderful' view of this small room."

"This is small to you?! This whole room is the size of my house! With both the upstairs and downstairs combined!"

"What kind of house do you live in?"

"A tower." She answered, casually.

"A tower? A literal tower? Never heard of that before."

"Why? I'm sure other people live in towers."

"No. Not really…why? Do people where you come fro live in a lot of towers?"

"Uh...maybe?"

"Don't you know?"

"Would you believe me if I told you this was my first time outside? Well, outside of my house?"

"Um, if I hadn't heard your rather…intense reaction to being told not to leave this room, than 'no'."

"Oh. Wow. You really did hear all of that."

"Yep. But I promise I won't tell. Trust me, I have plenty of experience with...humiliation…"

"Why's that? Are your parents embarrassing?"

"Well, yes. Extremely. But also, I'm kind of the, uh, 'island dweeb' around here."

"Oh." She said, sounding rather disappointed.

"What?"

"Well, I dunno. I always imagined that if a boy were to sneak into my room, he'd either be a criminal or…"

"-Prince Charming? Sorry to crush your dreams, but I ain't either of those things. But what I am is extremely uncomfortable, so if you could free me from your, uh, hair - that would be great."

"Oh yeah, sure!" She squeaked, her hands flying to the knots that bound him. But then she froze and looked him, with an almost playful quizzicalness, and said "So you're not going to try and steal my hair, or chop my head off, or anything like that?"

"I mean, maybe when I'm not so tired...I dunno…" Hiccup joked, internally surprised by his own immediate sarcasm with this stranger - which was something that he only really showed to friends. So, basically, just Gobber. Meanwhile, Rapunzel, chuckling at the boy's humor, happily released him. Once free, Hiccup rubbed at his sore wrists before noticing the girl's gaze on him. One that trailed on every inch of him - as of trying to burn the image of his shape into her mind.

"What? What are you looking at?" He asked, light heartdly.

"It's just...I mean, I've never seen a male before. And Mother always described your kind to be far more…"

"-heavy set?"

"-Uglier."

"Oh. Well, thank you...I guess."

The two chuckled, nervously, and the raising of Rapunzel's shoulders, done out of uncomfortableness, suggested that Hiccup say something fast.

"So, uh, why haven't you seen a male before? Didn't you get the memo? We're all the rage this season!"

"Isn't it obvious? My moms trying to protect me!" She said, mentioning to her hair as she ran it through her fingers.

"From what? Overly eager hair stylists?"

"No. It's very, uh, precious."

"Really? I mean, it's very pretty - don't get me wrong. It just looks kinda like normal hair to me."

"Ha! Well, that's where you're wrong! My hair is all the rage - at least, back in Corona it is." She said, with a comedic haughtiness.

"Why? Are blondes particularly rare in Corona! Oh god - don't tell me! Does everyone look like your mom there?"

"No. My hair is, uh, well…." Rapunzel trailed off, biting nervously at her lip, before letting out a sigh and saying. "I have to show you for you to understand."

"Uh, ok. Go for it."

Nervous, at first, she awkwardly lifted a collection of her hair up to Hiccup's face - causing him to flinch out of confusion. But, relaxing slightly, she pressed her golden strands against Hiccup's black eye - which was pulsating with pain - before beginning to, well, sing - strangely enough.

As her melodic voice continued, a strange golden shimmer - one that was inhuman, and clearly not possible - began to form on the strands, until becoming an all out bonfire of light, one that radiated the warmth of sun rays felt while napping in tranquil wheat fields, onto Hiccup's face. And, as her sweet voice began to dissipate, so did the overwhelming warmth he felt. Once the room was once more enveloped in its usual darkness, Hiccup noticed that the previous dull, aching pain in his left eye was completely gone - instead having a far cleaner, fresher feel to it.

"Uh…." He sputtered.

Hiccup's late night visits became a daily occurrence, one that Rapunzel highly anticipated for. Sometimes, she wouldn't even sleep, far too preoccupied with coming up with all the things that she and Hiccup would do once the clock struck midnight - which, sadly, wasn't much, seeing as everyone else was fast asleep, and Rapunzel couldn't do anything so crazy that it would wake the whole island. Typically, their nights would be spent wandering the forest - an area that both thought would be extremely creepy at such a late hour, but ended up becoming a safe haven - only in each others company though.

"So I'm the only person, besides your mom, that you've talked to?" Hiccup asked, stepping over a stray log before helping Rapunzel climb over it as well.

"Yep! No one else! Well, unless you count my stuffed animals. Or drawings. Or even myself."

"You talk to your drawings."

"Yeah. I even made, like, friends...is that weird?"

"No. I mean, in any other circumstance - than, good God, yes. That'd be extremely strange, you total psycho who I should not be alone with. But in this case. No. So what friends have you made up?"

"Well, my bestie is Anastasia."

"Anastasia." Hiccup repeated, theatrically so with his hushed voice and jazz hands.

"Yep. She was - well - is, I guess, a princess. From Russia. With ginger hair and this ornate, turquoise robe. And she's very fiery and sassy, but really protective of me. Whenever I gave my mom any lip, it wasn't me - just my friend Anastasia, defending me. And if I ate the cookies when I wasn't suppose to, it wasn't me who did it. Just Anastasia."

"I had an imaginary friend like that." Hiccup said, swinging on a branch before leaping off and landing by Rapunzel's side.

"Oh? What was his name?"

"She actually."

"Oh? Was this an imaginary girlfriend you had?"

"No. She was a large elephant named 'Balka', who I always told the tough kids that she lived in my basement and would trample anyone that was mean to me. Whenever I thought there were monsters under my bed, I would scream down there that Balka was going to run under there and sit on them if they didn't leave. And, in my head, she was really snooty and bossy, but really, really loved me. Despite all her bossiness though, Balka was the one who'd always wet my bed whenever my dad found the stain."

"How sweet."

"Yeah. It was."

"'Was'? When did it stop?"

"When I realized how similar 'Balka' sounds to 'Valka' - my mom's name."

The two reached a small clearing, where a placid lake, shimmering beneath the moonlight, laid peacefully beneath a drooping tree and around several various boulders.

"What happened to your mom?" Rapunzel asked, hoping to continue the conversation.

"She died. Dragons killed her. Dad says I saw the whole thing, but I don't really remember it."

"How awful!" She said, her voice breaking slightly out of sympathy. "Do you miss her terribly?"

"I don't really remember her."

"But do you miss her?"

His own voice now becoming a murmured croak, Hiccup said "Yeah. Yeah, I guess I do". Turning around though, all thoughts of his mother quickly vanished when he realized that Rapunzel, casually so, was pulling off her dress. A hot redness filled Hiccup's entire face, and he turned away out of decency - despite the strong, irrepressible urge to sneak a peek at the blonde's exposed skin beneath blue moonlight.

"Hiccup? You okay? You've gone all quiet." Rapunzel asked the back of his head. Based on the sounds of rippling water, Hiccup figured that she had emerged into the lake.

"I - uh - yeah, I'm fine! It's just, uh, you're kinda, well, naked."

"Yeah. So?"

Duh! Hiccup though Rapunzel's lived solely with her Mom since birth. Nudity was probably totally cool when she was growing up.

"Aren't you going to join me?" She asked, causing Hiccups enter body to go red out of pure embarrassment.

"I - well - you know…" He stammered, beginning a long slew of incoherent stuttering, until he felt a soggy hand tug on his wrist.

"Come on, silly. The water's fine."

Turning his neck around at a snail's pace, Rapunzel, chest brazenly exposed to the cold air, came into full view of Hiccup's saucer sized eyes. Without even giving the mental command to do so, he squeaked out "Sure", before, trembling as he did, stripping out of his own clothes. Entering into the lake, the sudden chill of bare skin in ice cold water caused Hiccup to abruptly remember that he was supposed to be self conscience right now - seeing as he was a lanky, testosterone-less dweeb who didn't even have hair down below. And yet, Rapunzel's wide eyes, which didn't even try to hide their unabashed gaze on him, showed no signs of judgement or even any real change. Clothes or no clothes, Hiccup was still Hiccup - at least, to Rapunzel he was.

With chattering teeth, he submerged himself deeper into the water, coming closer to the smiling blonde - who seemed unaffected by the cold temperature.

"Are you alright, Hiccup? You're going blue."

"N-n-no! I-I'm re-really c-c-cold!"

"Really? I feel fine. Well, just go underwater and swim around a bit. Than it'll seem warm."

Hiccup hesitated at first, aware that submerging himself would result in him seeing all of Rapunzel. Though the thought of that certainly didn't disgust him - honestly, it kind of excited him - he was definitely fearful of the possibility that once he was such...areas...his friendship with Rapunzel would never be the same again. That, after tonight, a single touch or glance from this enchanting girl would send him into a fit of stuttering and blushing - just like with the attractive girl, Astrid, who loathes Hiccup's inability to even hold a conversation with her.

But the chill of the lake became too much, seeing as all feeling in his toes was completely lost, and Hiccup dove underwater - a rush of feeling go through him once he moved his limbs around. Down under, it was utterly pitch black - causing Hiccup to have a sigh of relief, as all of the blonde's private areas were now censored. But when he came back up for air, he found Rapunzel to be standing upright now, everything from her knees up completely exposed to the air. And, for a moment, Hiccup just gazed upon her - in utter awe of the female figure. A sudden rush headed down there, and Hiccup's immediate reaction was to cup the area with his hands out of utter shame. As he struggled with covering the area, he began to notice the intense stare Rapunzel had on him, which, eventually, grabbed his attention. Not breaking eye contact, the blonde lowered herself shoulder high with the water, and made her way - nose to nose - with the now wonderstruck boy.

"I know why you look at me that way, Hiccup."

"Oh no…"

"And it's okay."

"Oh….okay…."

"Because I...I look at you that way too. Sometimes."

"But...why?" Hiccup asked, the crack in his voice breaking all tension of the scene.

"What do you mean 'why'? Because you're cute and I like you. I like you a lot."

"But I'm such a screwball. A-and you're so pretty and nice and smart. Like, actually smart. I mean, you don't deserve...me. You should get fricken' Prince Charming or whatever."

"You are my Prince Charming." She said, taking Hiccup's hands and pulling them away from a rather sensitive area. "Hiccup, can I...uh…"

"Yeah?"

"Can I….see you. Like, get a really good look. I know it's weird, it's just this might be my last time seeing, well, anyone other than Mother, and you're just so cute and-"

"-yeah. Of course."

Taking a few steps back, Hiccup then rose out of the water - a brisk chill clawing at his exposed thighs. Rapunzel's eyes stared into his for the longest, while reflecting something like deep flattery or gratitude, before trailing down his lythe figure and finally being fixated on the area just below his navel. Her hands, surprisingly warm despite the lake's coldness, then ran down his ribs, his belly, and stopped at his pelvis. Strangely, she moved in, allowing herself to hug Hiccup's waist and lay her head against his belly. His member was compressed by her presence, and the mere contact of that was already causing Hiccup's heart to race slightly. His hands began to smooth out her hair, and he looked out at the lake - desperate to distract himself from the hot, humiliating feelings he was having.

But then, looking down for only a moment, he found Rapunzel, again, to be looking straight up at him - her chin resting on his belly. For a moment, the two just stared at each other - and whatever nervousness Hiccup had in his heart slowly melted into a sweet, syrupy, pure adoration. In a barely audible whisper, Rapunzel said "kiss me". And, beneath, the beautiful moon, Hiccup cupped the girls face before leaning down and delicately pressing his lips against hers. As he moved to pull away, she gave one more, fragile command.

"Wait, one more."

He did so, leaving a soft kiss on her lips, but didn't pull away as much once finished.

"One more."

Again, he did so - this time having the kiss be a bit rougher, taking in her bottom lip.

"One more." She said, once their lips parted. "One more, one more, one more…."

The two ended up going no farther than sweet, languid kisses that night. And then they splashed around in the chilly water, as if they were innocent children who were completely oblivious to the growing ache the two had for each other, before returning home with chattering teeth and soaked. Come morning time, Gothel was highly suspicious of her daughter's exhausted appearance and constant sneezing.

The next night, Hiccup crept into the bedroom to find Rapunzel still in her pajamas and snuggled beneath the covers - despite her usually being dressed and in high anticipation of his arrival. Barely able to keep her eyes open, she sleepily asked the boy if, just for tonight, he would share the bed with her - due to her being so tired from the swimming yesterday. Due to Hiccup's own exhaustion and fear that he was going to lose hold of his proper sleep schedule, agreed - slithering under the blankets at the foot of the bed, before eventually shimming his way into Rapunzel's welcoming grasp. The two slept like babies.

The next two nights, the two repeated the same action as before - often talking in bed until both drifted off into a deep sleep. Hiccup would be sure to rush out of the room as soon as the first rays of sunlight appeared, leaving Rapunzel to wake up to a rather disappointingly empty bed. But, due to Gothel being so occupied with listening to Stoic drone on and on about his many fearless battles and collection of axes, the two ended up being able to talk during the day as well. Though they would've loved to enter the forest, it was best to stay indoors seeing as a fellow Viking could possibly catch the two swinging from branch to branch.

One night, Hiccup crawled into the bed, as he usually did, and left a single, delicate kiss on Rapunzel's collarbone. In response, she slid off her nightgown - reviewing herself to be completely bare under, and then tugged on Hiccup's own top - suggesting that he be just as exposed as her. He did so, not breaking his gaze from her dreamy, heavy lidded stare. But, except for the summer warm kisses they shared, nothing else happened in that bed. And, when morning time came, Hiccup was sure to leave long before Gothel made it up to the bedroom.

Not once did Hiccup question why Rapunzel hadn't tried anything, mostly because he figured that she didn't know how to do it - or even what it was. And there was no way, in hell, that Hiccup was going to be the one to give her that talk. Also, it meant that if she was oblivious to such an action, then what she was doing with Hiccup: kissing while undressed, held as much importance, care, and love as that of a fully educated girl who gave her virginity away. It was Rapunzel's way of showing how much she cared for a boy that she didn't really get enough time to express that to. And Hiccup didn't want to ruin that by bringing in the whole pressure if sex.

So that's how it went on for a while. Warm nights spent in each other's arms, while daytime was used for all other discussion and communication. And, honestly, it was possibly the best summer they had ever had - and would ever have. Because for two whole months, the two loneliest people in the planet actually got to have someone. And not just a random person they had to make do with. A person that they were compatible with. With Hiccup's sarcasm and Rapunzel's own upbeat personality, they could produce vivid, animated conversations that the two never got to enjoy before in their lives. When you've spent so many years locked away, finding another person to talk to was like being given the kiss of life after drowning: It was a scary, near painful, but life giving experience that had to be done.

Throughout Rapunzel's two month stay within that hut, she often presumed and fantasized that she and her mother were actually going to stay there. That Gothel was going to marry Stoic, becoming Queen of the Vikings or whatever, and would maybe even realize that her daughter, now that she had a whole clan of Vikings to watch over her, could go outside. Then who knows what would happened! Maybe Rapunzel could be honest about these feelings she had for Hiccup, and they could do whatever the hell it is that people do once they realize they're in love. Or she could get into Hiccup's life long dream of hunting dragons. Could you imagine that? A scrawny boy, alongside a girl with a river of golden locks, taking down a whole dragon. There would be bruises and scars - yes, certainly. Maybe even a little bit of blood! But Rapunzel would love them all, kissing them every night before she went to bed - a ritual she did every night, as if for good luck. And, recently, Rapunzel was beginning to believe that that tiresome ritual actually worked - as here she was, happy as could be, with her freckle covered, scrawny limbed Hiccup Haddock.

Of course these were all just fantasizes, and when the day came to leave - Rapunzel felt more repulse towards herself, for being so idealistic, than that of sadness. Not to say she wasn't sad. God, was she sad. After Gothel had burst in her room - stains of wine covering her fashionable gown, and various fish guts tangled within her messy hair she shrilly announced that she was tired of Stoic's childishness, refusing to explain why she was covered in food, and said, with a voice so high it would make Harpie's wince, that they were going home. The expression Rapunzel made, one of utter devastation and disappointment, even caused her once screaming mother to feel a touch of remorse. But it didn't matter. None of it mattered. Rapunzel could be as unhappy as she wanted to be. Gothel was not going to stay on this wretched island for another moment. Even when her daughter began to cry - to beg - on her knees, no less - that they stay, the dark haired woman only looked away, hissing quietly "I can't believe how selfish you're being right now". And then something snapped within the Rapunzel. You could even see it in her expression - it was similar to the catch that's seen when you miss a step while walking down a staircase. It was utter shock, but also a surrender to the undeniable crash down below. And that's what Rapunzel did. What she always did. She surrendered.

On Rapunzel's last night in Berk, it was Hiccup this time who woke to a stranger in his room. After seeing the ominous, figure of a blob before him, he immediately snapped up, stammering incoherently out of fear while fumbling for the knife on his bedside table, before the figure stepped into the moonlight - revealing itself to be his wide eyed, sweet smiling Rapunzel.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you." She said.

"Oh, are you kidding? Scared? Me? That, uh, scrambling, panicked display you just saw was the ol' Viking way of greeting. Didn't you know?" He joked, causing a laugh to come from her, but that slowly dissipated into….tears?

"Hey, Rapunzel, what's wrong? Are you - did I do something wrong?" Hiccup said, moving aside in his bed so that the sniveling blonde could crawl under as well. Never mind that he was, well, near nude. He just wanted to hold her, make sure she was alright.

"No, no. It's not your fault. It's just, um, Hiccup we're….my mom and I...are….are…"

"Don't say it." He murmured, his heart already beginning to raise, and his hands clenching around her. "Don't say it, don't say it, don't say it…"

"God, Hiccup - you know I don't want to! I don't want to have to say it and be sad and unhappy. I just want to stay here with you. I'd even spend the rest of my life locked away in a tower, just so I could have a few more moments with you."

"I - Rapunzel, that might be the best thing that anyone has ever said to me."

"Well, it's true. I would." She said, looking up at him with large, tear filled eyes.

"And I - I would...I…." He trailed off, unsure of what he could possibly give this girl. There really was nothing all that important to him. Not his title of next chief in line, not his lack of friends, not his poor relationship with his father. What could he possibly do to show the endless devotion he had to this girl? "...I love you."

"I love you too." She breathed out, giving a pitiful laugh.

"No - I really love you."

"Yeah, I know."

"No, as in….I can't bare even the-the thought of you gone! Do you know how miserable everything will be once you've left? How dull my life is without you! My-my fricken' world revolves around you, Rapunzel!"

"Um...sorry...I guess…" She squeaked, unsure of how else to respond to his increasing rage.

"Yeah! I'm sorry too!" He yelled, whipping around to find her looking frightened - frightened. The girl he loved was frightened of him. With a far softer, near apologetic voice, he murmured, while looking into her eyes "I'm sorry too. Because I...I...thought grass was greener on the other side. And now that it turns out it is, I never want to go back to the way things were….even though I have to. And maybe if I had never stupidly climbed up your dumb window and really dumbly tried to be friends with you...then maybe we wouldn't be in this mess now."

By now, the tears that Hiccup was trying to hide were visible, and the growing ache in Rapunzel's gut commanded her to throw herself on the boy - squeezing tightly with all her might, and nearly suffocating when Hiccup's own returned hug was even tighter. She could feel him trying to burrow into the crook of her neck, as if trying to hide from the fate that awaited them. And when he did finally speak again, his breath tickled her collar bone.

"There is...something else we could do…"

"What's that?"

Lifting himself off her shoulder slightly, but not completely disconnecting their embrace, he said "Run away."

"What?"

"We could run away, Rapunzel. You and me! You always wanted to see the forest. Well, how would you like to live in it!" Hiccup was becoming progressively more excited, and Rapunzel raised her hands, beckoning him to lower his high spirits. "Yeah! It's perfect! We'll go to the docks and steal a ship - after packing it with loads and loads of food, and then we'll set sail for….well, wherever the hell we wanna go!"

"Hiccup, wait…"

"Aw, think about it Rapunzel! We could go to some kingdom and make a house in the woods or whatever. And I'll make swords or belts or something, and you can finally be a painter! A real painter! Or-or even better! You can be an art teacher! For little kids! The two things you love most! Kids and painting, and now you get to combine them! And I'm sure that at least some baking will be required…"

"Hiccup, hold on-"

"And when we're on the ship, you can cover it in your art! And we'll cook, and make, and talk, and finally be together-"

"Hiccup. Stop."

The boy immediately felt a catch in his throat at Rapunzel's determined expression, one that caused any hopes of his own to sink.

"Hiccup, it's a wonderful idea. And I wish, with all my heart, that we could do it. But we can't."

"Why?" He asked, his voice cracking slightly now that tears were beginning to well up once more.

"Well, first, how would two kids - who know nothing about the sea - man an entire ship? And even if we did find a new home, how would we explain ourselves to others? Two kids who just happen to have no parents and live in a house all by ourselves? We'd surely be sent to an orphanage! But most important of all, Hiccup, what would we do about our parents?"

"Our parents!? Who cares? If they couldn't manage to give us a happy home, then why bother with their feelings?"

"Because they love us, Hiccup. Maybe not in the same way we love each other, but definitely just as much - they're just not very good at showing it."

"Rapunzel, please, don't do this! Don't put these people before us - before me!"

"My mother will die without me!"

"And I'll die without you!"

A deafening silence filled the room as the two kids stared at each other, tears in their eyes and their hearts beating in sync as they both came to realize how much they absolutely needed the other.

"I'll die, Rapunzel. I will. Either I'll just become too depressed to even get up, or I'll just...I'll just…"

"Hiccup. Don't."

"Why!? Why not!? I mean, once you're gone, I'll literally have no one else! Just a dad who's so ashamed of me that we can't even make eye contact! What am I supposed to do then, Rapunzel? Huh!?"

"Hiccup, don't put this on my shoulders!"

"Put what on your shoulders? The fact that I love you?! Sorry that it's such a burden, but I-"

"-No, don't put your life on my shoulders!"

Hiccup took a heavy gulp, realizing just how angry Rapunzel was at his, well, selfishness.

"If you die, I'm not the one who took your life. You did, okay?! And I know that's harsh of me to do - to tell you to just...just...grit your teeth and bare it. But I can't be the person to blame for your death, when I'm just trying to save someone else's life. Because my mother...she really will die if she doesn't have me. Without my hair providing her youth, she'll...she'll...start to decay and turn to dust! And as much as I wish she didn't lock me away from the world, or be so cruel sometimes - I still love her enough to not want her dead! So please, Hiccup, don't...don't...go. Not like that. Because I can promise you, that you'll devastate so many people. And not just me."

"Like who? You're the only person who's ever...really loved me…"

"No. I'm not. I see it Hiccup. Up in my window, I see the way your father looks at you - the concern in his eyes. Maybe the fear he feels for you is, you know, insulting - but it shows that he cares about you. A lot. And Gobber - oh, poor Gobber. If you were to ever go, what would he do without you!? Have you ever heard how he talks about you? Maybe he's laughing at your, er, slip ups - but he looks back on them with fondness. With love. He needs you, Hiccup. And, honestly, I imagine all of Berk needs you."

"Because I'm going to be chief?"

"Well, yeah, actually. But also because, deep down, I think everyone here needs you. Just because you're you."

"I...I don't…" Hiccup began, looking up from his lap and into Rapunzel's eyes. Though there were still tears there, her expression now carried that of a resigned state. As if she were watching a beloved pet fly away to freedom. She was trying to let him go. To make him feel that he didn't need her. But, even if every last member of Berk worshipped him, Hiccup would always, always need Rapunzel. Because, regardless if he was popular or not, there was just a once-in-a-lifetime compatibility he found in the girl. Never before had he met someone so understanding to the heart wrenching compassion he felt for the beheaded chickens he found at the market, or even the squashed ants on the ground. There was nothing that Hiccup could do that she wouldn't be able to make sense out of, as they were just that in sync.

"I'll never forget you, Rapunzel." He finally said, with a strong, sturdy tone in his voice.

"And how could I ever forget you, Hiccup?' She responded, falling into his arms and releasing one final, breathy sob.

For a moment, Hiccup questioned interrupting her soft cries, and offering to make the night truly unforgettable - by giving themselves to each other, completely and totally. As selfish as it sounded, Hiccup wanted to...to...mark Rapunzel - and to be marked by her. By losing their virginity to each other, they really would form a defining moment that comes with growing up. You only lose it once, and losing it to Rapunzel meant that she, no matter who she ended up marrying or where she went, would always be his - no matter what. Everyone wants to be loved. But everyone also wants to be remembered.

But then Hiccup shook himself out of his foolishness, and realized how stupid it was to try and convince a girl - especially one who didn't even know what sex is - to sleep with him. Even if sleeping together would make what they had, in a way, permanent - the memory would be marred by the fact that Hiccup had to, pretty much, guide Rapunzel through all of it. As if she were, ugh, a child. And besides, with how deeply he felt for this girl, he was pretty damn sure that, with or without sex, she was going to be a lasting memory in his mind. One that would come up randomly whenever Hiccup looked to the rising sun, and would linger like a fading fragrance.

No. For now, in this blissful moment, Hiccup was going to savour what they had, by holding Rapunzel and not letting go until he absolutely had to.

And that's exactly what he did.

Hiccup eventually woke to the rising sun, which shot painful rays of light into the once dim room. He was so exhausted from last night's strenuous activities, that he could barely even move his arms to shield his eyes from the painful morning brightness. Rolling over slightly, he was taken aback by the emptiness of his bed - and he realized, after nearly forgetting entirely, that Rapunzel was gone.

Rapunzel was gone.

And she was never coming back.

As this slowly dawned on him, in his infinite tiredness, a drowning sadness began to well up in him - one that caused a physical ache in his gut, and he could barely breath just because of how heavy his chest felt.

She's gone, gone, gone, gone…..and he was back to being utterly alone. As soon as he left his bed, he was re-entering the world where he had no friends. Where every attempt to be a better person, or to even try something other than cowering earned him mockery and teasing. Where there was absolutely no escape from the identity he had been unwillingly given. And this horrible, humiliating existence was going to be lived through without the one person that Hiccup had come to depend on just to function: Rapunzel.

Hiccup stayed in bed a bit later than usual that day.