Bare feet patted lightly down the corridors, releasing a bit of cold air with each step. Of course, he couldn't feel the cold. The white haired Guardian nodded to a few guards passing through the corridor and they nodded in return. Surprise coursed through him before he remembered most — if not everyone — could see him here. Rapunzel had made a point that everyone in the Kingdom knew that Jack existed. That had been a few weeks ago, when they had returned her back to her parents. Still, it was an unusual thing to have people who weren't Rapunzel, Merida, or Hiccup know he was around.
He gripped his staff tightly in his right hand as his gaze flickered over the paintings and portraits hanging on the walls, over the tapestries with the sun emblem Rapunzel was so fond of drawing. Merida and Hiccup were down in the dining hall, as usual, discussing about this or that. He had been too busy thinking about Rapunzel to really pay attention to the conversation. Of course, as anyone else would be when finding their long lost parents, Rapunzel was ecstatic about being back home. But something was off. Jack knew, when he'd seen her lips tremble to keep a smile in place the day before when she and Merida spoke about some festivities.
Something was bugging her and that bothered him more than he'd like to admit. His feet came to a stop outside of Rapunzel's door and he raised his left arm. He gave the door three raps before Rapunzel opened it, green eyes wide and bright. Jack lowered his hand and couldn't help as his lips curved into a soft, fond smile. "Hey there, princess."
"Jack," Rapunzel said softly, a timid smile finding her lips. She opened the door a little wider and she took a step back to let him come into the room. He stepped in and looked around, as he always did. It was still weird to him, this room. Here, her floors were covered with a pastel pink colored carpet, soft under his toes, the walls a shade darker. There was twice as much room in here than in her room in the tower and three times as much light. On one wall, the doors to the balcony were open, letting in a nice warm Summer breeze into the room. Jack turned to look at Rapunzel. His lips parted with a question but it died on his lips when he saw her dress and hands spotted with paint.
"Whoa." His eyes fell on a new painting — the only one currently covering any of the walls in Rapunzel's room — and he took a step closer, looking it over.
"I started it this morning, after breakfast," Rapunzel said with a light shrug and a fond smile as she stepped up beside Jack. "What do you think?"
"It's amazing." And it was. The painting was of Rapunzel herself, Merida, Hiccup, and Jack, smiling with arms around each other. He was surprised by how well she had captured all of their likenesses. He turned to look at her, returning her fond smile, heart swelling with affection for her. "You never stop surprising me, y'know?" He said as he leaned against his staff to peer down at her.
"It's a gift," Rapunzel replied, a hand on her hip, smirking. Jack chuckled and shook his head. "So, did you come up here to sneak a peek at my not-a-surprise-anymore?" She wiped her hands down the front of her dress. Jack watched her for a moment before he shrugged nonchalantly.
"I came to check up on ya," he finally settled on. "Make sure you're adjusting okay enough." Rapunzel's gaze flickered to his before she looked away, pushing a strand of short, brown hair behind her ear, only to have it fall back where it was.
"To being the long lost princess?" A soft breath, a laugh, he thought, left her lips as she stepped over to the open doors leading to the balcony. Her slender arms crossed her chest and her shoulders rose and fell lightly. Jack followed her, looking out over the balcony to look over at the Kingdom. "I'm glad I'm finally home, but all those years… She lied to me. Everything I knew was—" Her voice caught in her throat and Jack looked at her.
"Hey, no, it's okay." He turned, arms wrapping protectively around her. She turned instantly in his arms, her own wrapping around him. She was warm against his cool figure and he pulled her closer, shivering lightly. It was like drinking up the sun.
"But I— I don't know who I am."
"I know," Jack answered softly. He raised a hand to smooth her hair down on the back of her head before he pulled back to look at her. He tucked the strand of hair behind her ear and it stayed. "You're Rapunzel, a brave, smart, caring, and loving person. Princess or not." He grinned at her and received a smile in return. Before he could stop himself, he leaned in, cool lips pressing against soft, warm ones. When he realized what he had done, he pulled back. He felt himself turn to ice, almost literally, as he stared at Rapunzel. "I-I'm… I'm so so—"
But then he's being pulled forward and the words die on his lips as they're covered by the warmth that is Rapunzel. He feels like he's drowning in her — which should be wrong for so many reasons — but it feels right. As if this is what he was made for, to be here, in her arms, kissing her. The kiss is not exactly what he had imagined it to be; he had imagined soft and kind and tender. But this, this was more. So much more.
Rapunzel had an iron grip on the front of his sweater and she was kissing him hard, but still somehow managed to keep it sweet. His hands wrapped around her waist and he pulled her flush against him. He felt her breath leave through her nose when he did that and his eyes closed again, head tilting as he deepened the kiss.
This is the kiss he should have given to her in the tower after she had saved him. And he might of, had he had the courage. And if Merida and Hiccup hadn't barged in — a tad bit late, if he might add.
He pulled back first and they both panted breathlessly. Jack opened his eyes to see Rapunzel staring at him, eyes as wide as they had ever been. A soft, timid chuckle left her lips and he released a chuckle of his own, forehead pressing against hers.
"That was really nice," she said softly as her arms wound around his neck. Jack hummed and shrugged lightly.
"It was alright," he replied. Her brows creased and the smile fell from her lips.
"Jack Frost—"
"—I'm joking, I'm joking," he quickly interjected, throwing a hand up in self defense. He leaned in to peck her lips and her cheeks colored. He smiled at that. "I've wanted to kiss you for a really long time, princess."
"What took you so long?" She asked, pulling him closer again. Their lips brushed over one another's and Jack raised a hand to cup her cheek. He looked into her eyes and took in her features. The Sun to his Moon. That's what she had always been for him. They kept each other leveled; sane. They allowed each other to dream and live and she put life into him he didn't think he'd ever have.
"I've never kissed a girl before," he responded, uncharacteristically timid. "And I wanted to make sure that it was the right time, right place."
Rapunzel's smile widened and her nose bumped against his. "Don't keep me waiting for the next one, okay?"
"Oh, I won't." Jack grinned and he leaned in, kissing her tenderly.
