Title: Over Christmas Songs and Cookies
Rating: K+
Warnings: None except for maybe two swear words.
Spoilers: None. AU story
Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by the Disney. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended
Author Notes: This story came about because of a Tumblr prompt; We're two months away from Christmas and I can hear you playing non-stop Christmas music even though we live a whole floor apart in our apartment building. I go up to tell you to 'chill, dude' but, uh, you're cute and you offer me cookies and eggnog.
I tweaked it a bit but I had a lot of fun writing this
"Jingle Bell, Jingle Bell, Jingle Bell Rock! Jingle Bell swing and Jingle Bell ring!.."
Rapunzel groaned and wrapped her pillow around her head in an attempt to block out the infernal racket. Her upstairs neighbour was at it again! Ever since the first of November, her neighbour had been playing non-stop Christmas music and it was driving her up the wall! Now Rapunzel liked the Christmas season and liked Christmas music (in moderation), but this was beyond rationality. Being forced to listen to this crap at work every day was bad enough, but to have to do the same at home just made it worse.
"I swear I'm going to shove those CDs or records or whatever-the-hell they're playing right up where the sun don't shine." Rapunzel muttered darkly to herself. She rolled over and buried her head under two more pillows.
When she had moved into her apartment at the beginning of the summer, she hadn't taken any thought as to the acoustics of the place. All she had cared about was that it was near enough to work and school. And all through the summer and autumn she'd had no problems. It was only now that she was learning that somehow, due to some horrible curse she was sure, that damned music was funnelled through the vents right into her place.
It could be worse. Her conscience told her. At least it's Christmas music. You could be listening to people having sex.
Rapunzel told her conscience to take a long walk off a short pier. At this point she'd welcome the sounds of the worst porno ever over having to listen to 'Baby It's Cold Outside' or 'All I Want For Christmas Is You' one more time.
Normally Rapunzel wouldn't let it get to her this badly. She would ignore it or even sing along sometimes. It was just that she had been having a bad week. She had three projects due for her Art History class plus another two papers for English and Sociology, not to mention all the overtime she was pulling at work, getting ready for the Black Friday sales. On top of all that, she had just found out that her boss, Gothel (Awful Gothel as the other cashiers had nicknamed the woman), had put her on the midnight shift for Black Friday so she wasn't even going to be able to enjoy Thanksgiving dinner with her parents. Not unless she wanted to have absolutely NO sleep before working an eight hour shift.
Needless to say she had been running on little to no sleep all week, burning the candle at both ends as it were, just to keep up. At least she had a couple of days off from classes now. Rapunzel had planned on trying to catch up on all that lost sleep.
"That's the Jingle Bell… That's the Jingle Bell… That's the Jingle Bell ROOOOOOOOCK!"
That was until The Person Upstairs started in on That Cursed Music!
In the five second pause between songs Rapunzel wondered if it was worth it to take one of her knitting needles and stab out her eardrums. Granted, then she would be deaf for the rest of her life, but she wouldn't have to listen to That Music anymore.
Oh now you're just being dramatic. Said her conscience. Look on the bright side, they haven't played that stupid 'Christmas Shoes' song…
"It was almost Christmas time. There I stood in another line…" came right on cue.
…yet.
With a cry of disgust, Rapunzel threw back the covers of her bed and stormed out of her apartment, snatching up her frying pan without thinking as she went pass the kitchen. She took the steps two at a time and then followed her ears to the offending door. Once located, she pounded on it with the handle of the frying pan.
That certainly got the attention of the person inside.
The door opened to reveal a rather handsome young man, a few years older than Rapunzel, with brown hair, brown eyes, and a tidy little scruff on his chin. He had, strangely enough, a frilly white apron on over a dusty blue dress shirt and tan slacks. In his free hand was a baking sheet with what was, by the smell, freshly-baked gingerbread cookies on it.
Rapunzel paid no attention either to the man's attractiveness or the smile he gave her as she glared up at him.
"Oh. Hello there." He said in a friendly tone. "What can I do for you?"
Instead of answering, Rapunzel just stalked by the man and into his apartment. She didn't have to even search for the source of her ire. The man's apartment had the same basic lay-out as hers. The kitchen and living area were only separated by a bar counter and the two doors along one wall were for the bedroom and tiny bathroom.
And sitting on a shelf above the TV was a set of speakers with an iPod attached, blaring the WORST, most DEPRESSING Christmas song she had ever had the misfortune of hearing. Rapunzel stomped over and yanked the wretched thing out of the dock before spinning around to face the one responsible.
"Do you have ANY idea how ANNOYING it is to listen to this crap day in and day out almost TWO months before Christmas?! SERIOUSLY!" She told him, waving her arms about and just barely able to keep her voice below the level of screeching harpy. "Do you have any sense of decency? For your information there are people who are trying to sleep and those of us who are just trying to survive the retail holiday season without going bonkers and your BLOODY music isn't helping!"
The man just stood staring at her with wide eyes, wisely choosing to not say anything.
Fortunately now that she had 'taken care' of the 'problem', Rapunzel ran out of steam. "If I have to listen to one more carol about decking the halls, I will deck you. I promise you that. And I never ever break my promises." She closed in on him and jabbed at his chest with the frying pan to emphasize her point.
He had his empty hand up much like a crook held up both hands in surrender as he nodded. Satisfied that she had made her point, Rapunzel started to leave.
Suddenly the man said, "Hey! Hold on a second, Blondie."
"It's Rapunzel." She snapped back over her shoulder.
"Gesundheit. Can I have my iPod back, please?" he asked, holding out his hand. "I promise I won't listen to it anymore without headphones." He gave her a lopsided grin.
Rapunzel blinked at him and then looked down at her hand which was still clutched around his iPod. All of a sudden she realised what she had just done. Here she was, bare-foot and in her pajamas with the chameleons printed on them, threatening a total stranger with a frying pan, in HIS apartment, and berating him about his choice in music. And she had just about stolen his property in the process!
She found herself blushing a brilliant crimson.
"Oh my god! I am so sorry!" she mumbled as she thrust out her hand for him to take back his iPod. "I didn't mean… I mean I did mean what I was saying but I… I'm so sorry." Rapunzel kept her head down, not even daring to peek through her long blonde hair at him.
There was a moment of silence. "You know… I can't help but notice," the man said with a hint of amusement in his voice, "you seem a little…stressed out."
Rapunzel blinked and slowly lifted her head. She wasn't entirely sure if he was teasing her or not. "What?"
"I'm just picking up bits and pieces here." He said nonchalantly as he set the tray of cookies on the bar-counter. "Over-tired rantings. Forbidding types of music. Sounds like you're having a rough time lately. But you know what always cheers me up?" He gave her a winsome grin which Rapunzel was surprised to find made her heart flip over strangely. To her shock he held out a small plate with two decorated gingerbread figures. "Something freshly baked. Like cookies. Which I just happen to have right here. And how about a drink? I make a pretty mean eggnog."
The way he wiggled his eyebrows at that managed to draw a small giggle from Rapunzel. "That's very kind of you… uh…"
"Flynn." He supplied. "My real name is Eugene, but I go by the nickname Flynn."
"Really? I kinda like Eugene better than Flynn." Rapunzel said with a little shrug and a smile at his slightly stunned expression. She moved away from the doorway and towards the kitchen area of Eugene's apartment. She set her frying pan and his iPod on the counter and took the little plate from his hand.
She could give Eugene this much, he was quick to get over his surprise. He smiled and turned towards the fridge. Taking out a carton of eggnog and then getting a bottle of spiced rum from a cupboard, Eugene said, "Well then, Blondie, you'd be the first. But thank you."