Rapunzel stared sadly into the mirror, pulling and tugging profusely at the small strands of brunette hair that fell into her eyes. She examined her eyes then, her big green and blazing round balls that stared back at her in the mirror. She was almost disgusted, but refused to let that thought show as her mother came up behind her, hugging her shortly and then returning to the ball that was taking place under the celebration of the return of the Lost Princess. And even though she was found… Rapunzel still felt lost. She didn't know how to communicate with these people… She loved being social, she slowly realized, but when it came to making friendly conversations with strangers, she struggled in that area.
Again, she went back to stare at her hair, almost wishing it to be long again. Perhaps not to hold the magical qualities it had before, but just be more feminine than what it was now.
"The party is out here, unless there is some secret party going on back here in the darkness." Eugene had startled Rapunzel to the point where she jumped with a gasp that followed. "You okay?" He asked then after seeing the expression she wore.
"Of course I am. I'm just so happy to be home, you know? It's kind of a shock for me…sort of. I mean…" Rapunzel walked away, pacing back and forth, to and fro from the mirror. "I went from spending 18 long years inside a tower and now…and now I'm surrounded by people I don't even know. I don't even know my own parents that well."
"You have me." Eugene gently reminded her.
"Yes, I have you. But to be a princess, and someday…a queen…" She choked out the last part. "I have to be able to know how to communicate with the entire palace."
"Listen to me," Eugene strode over to where his lovely Rapunzel stood shaking and vulnerable. "You are putting way too much pressure on yourself. You're the princess for crying out loud! Have some fun! Tell you what, how about you dance with me? And we'll dance until the whole room is empty and then you won't have to worry about socializing anymore, alright?"
Without letting her answer, Eugene took her hand and pulled on it in his gesture of persuasion. Rapunzel shyly looked down as they approached the loud music and the people surrounding her. It seemed so different than what it was on her birthday, where she danced in the street with strangers and celebrated the lanterns that would soon be let go. But now, she felt as she was the princess, people were watching her, expecting her to be perfect. This scared her.
Eugene pulled her into his large arms, almost engulfing her completely as her form was small. "Are they looking at us?" Rapunzel asked him quietly as they began to sway to the music softly, Eugene taking lead and obviously having a hand at dancing before meeting his Rapunzel.
Eugene looked around at the staring faces surrounding both of them. "Nope, no one's watching."
"Liar." Rapunzel teased him and suddenly felt more at ease and safe inside his arms.
She watched as a slight blush fell into his cheeks and his lips quirked up in a smile that he saved specifically for her. That smirk-y smile, she liked to call it affectionately. "You know me well."
"Yes, and you are a good man, Eugene."
"I wish I could believe you." And it was this kind of a moment, that Rapunzel regretted most. Eugene's vulnerable and weak side; the side of his life that told him he wasn't good enough. The side of his life that reminded him that Flynn Rider was still inside there somewhere, and that Flynn would always be a part of Eugene, now and forever. That same side that reminded him, that he was an orphan for a reason…that his parents even thought he was undeserving of them. That side of him that whispered to him constantly that Rapunzel deserved a far better and more decent man than he.
"I wouldn't be dancing with you if you were Flynn Rider." And then she fluttered her large eyes at him, biting her lip. "In fact, I wouldn't be dancing at all if it weren't for you. I wish I could say that you shouldn't doubt yourself like this, but that would make me a hypocrite, wouldn't it?"
"Yes, it would." He agreed in a very tense voice.
"I want you to tell me something about you." She continued, ignoring the stares from those around her, and forgetting completely of her fears. "Tell me something you haven't told me."
"Why?" He replied dreamily in that same honey soft voice she loved when he used.
"Because I want to know you, Eugene." She whispered to him in no more than a breath.
They were both caught up in each other's gaze, syncing in each of the other's features before being interrupted by a large, rounded man with an obtuse nose and pointing fingers that suggested he worked at some sort of sewing job. "May I still yer' lady?" He said this with an Irish twang to which Rapunzel was sure was one of her father's many friends.
But Eugene and Rapunzel soon had to break their union and intense conversation. Eugene accepted the man's proposal easily and rushed off as the princess and the balding man twirled around the room not so gracefully.
Every so often, Rapunzel would glance over at Eugene, leaning against the wall. His tall form and muscular arms crossed ever so tightly as he watched Rapunzel laugh with the man, and be introduced to more. All were so perfect, her mother explained to her. Her parents approved of Eugene's efforts in returning her, but her mother disagreed with Rapunzel on someday marrying him and making him a king in the future. And so while her mother was playing match-maker, the princess couldn't help but look away from the perfect men and prince's that would make a suitable husband for anyone, and only to let her eyes fall onto her less than perfect former thief that still remained at his spot against the wall; no one taking notice to his presence.
She walked over to him slowly, approaching a man that she did not recognize, but still loved unconditionally. "Please marry me." He begged quietly.
"Of course I will." She said, as they had talked of this before and it was no surprise that the subject be brought up again.
"But I want to officially. I want your parents to accept me as they accept these other men."
Rapunzel scoffed. "I don't want these other men, I want you. And they know that. My mother just likes to play match-maker."
That same insecure side of Eugene came out again, and Rapunzel tried to comfort it with the palm of her hand to his cheek. "What happened to the playful Eugene that talked me into dancing?"
"You want playful, do you?"
"Yes," Rapunzel laughed and jumped away as Eugene made an attempt to grab her. He crookedly grinned at her and approached her slowly, to which she retreated slowly.
The queen and king took notice of their playful exchange and smiled themselves. Rapunzel squealed as Eugene lunged for her but missed. She ran through the crowd of people, Eugene a step behind her.
Always chasing her, he thought happily before she ran outside and he followed suit; into the garden and into the forest they ran and ran… and just kept chasing her in his fits of laughter.