GLOW
**Hey! This is my first-ever Tangled one-shot, inspired by my good friend, Michaela. This one's for you! XD
Hope you all like it! Leave a review and let me know what you think!**
The sign read Lantern-light: Art Gallery & Supply Shop. It was the cutest dang shop anyone had ever seen. Little and painted softest gold, it was nestled between two stores in the middle of the sidewalk. This town was always busy and always changing. It was an ambitious idea to start a business like this one. But it was proving everyone wrong and doing well, despite the competition at both sides of it.
The sign was a bit misleading though. It should've read Lantern-light: Enter if You Dare. Because there was something nuts and crazy and hyper about that owner. Well...Eugene THOUGHT so anyway. He'd heard it from about...ehhh...roughly twenty-two people since he'd moved into this bustling little town four days ago. Normally, he tried not to judge people before he met them. But when TWENTY-TWO people say someone's loony? That someone is probably loony.
Still, he WAS working in the music store right next to Lantern-light, so he might as well meet the crazy owner sometime. Which was why he was currently standing out on the sidewalk, wearing an old, gray-and-red basketball sweatshirt from high school to ward off the early-March chill. He read the sign again, then looked at the front door; it was pure-white, with little golden lanterns painted onto it in a spiraling pattern. Cute. Freaking adorable. Praying that this person wasn't as weird as everyone thought, he walked to the door and turned the knob.
Inside, the air was pleasantly warm. He glanced around in faint awe. The walls were all white, with tiny orange flames dotting them like falling petals. The ceiling was scattered with lanterns, all of them glowing brightly. Shelves of books on drawing and painting were lined up at the back corner of the store. At the front, there was much more open space. Easels were for sale, along with pens and paintbrushes and paints. The walls were also hung with paintings and sketches, all signed with the same signature. People wandered around, chatting happily and pointing in wonder at the artist's work.
Eugene could only gape like a moron. This place was a hundred times more beautiful than Treble Cleff, the music store he worked at. He briefly considered quitting and asking for a job here. Just wait until you meet the owner, he reminded himself. Might be perfectly normal, might be an axe murderer. You never know.
Still gazing around him, he headed farther into the store. A few people passed him a glance (mostly girls, but he ignored that because he was used to it). He stopped by one of the more interesting paintings. The title stated Flame. It was a black-and-white picture of a puddle in the middle of pavement, very dull gray and not pretty. But reflected upside-down in the puddle was a brilliant maple tree, turned to fire by autumn. It was beautiful, a little pool of scarlet in a gray world. His eyes dropped to the signature. He cocked his head. Who in the world was Rapunzel and how did she get such a name?
Suddenly, someone tapped his shoulder twice and he nearly jumped out of his skin. The tap was followed by a cheery, bright voice: "Oh my god, can I paint you?"
Eugene looked down, a bit confused by the question and the voice—and then his jaw dropped. Her name tag proudly showed: Rapunzel. And she was NOT what he thought the owner would look like.
She was young, maybe younger than him. She was wearing a denim skirt and stylish, white sandals that showed off her gold-painted toes. Her white tee had Lantern-light printed across the front in flowing script. But that wasn't all he noticed about her. First of all, her eyes were like sparks of emerald. Second of all, her hair was liquid amber, and was LONG. It cascaded in rippling strands from her messy bun, framing her face like a halo.
Eugene gawked for the longest time before he realized what an idiot he must look like. He cleared his throat. "You're...Rapunzel?" he asked hesitantly.
The girl, Rapunzel, nodded vigorously. "Yup! Last time I checked! Anyway, can I paint you?"
He just looked at her. "You want to paint me?" Did that mean she wanted to paint a picture of him or she wanted to paint ON him...?
"Yeah!" she answered enthusiastically. "It would be so cool, I can already picture the title. And the pose. And the clothing. And the background." She paused. "What's your name, by the way?"
Eugene's head was spinning with all the information she was throwing at him. "Um. Eugene," he replied. "My name's Eugene. Wait, I'm sorry, WHAT? I need to POSE? I don't even want to—"
"Well, of course you need to pose!" she giggled, giving him a playful shove on the shoulder. "That's what makes it look good! That is adorable, by the way, how your name's cute and almost nerdy, but you're hot."
Eugene couldn't decide whether that was a compliment or not. Nerdy? He lifted his hands toward her in a slow-down gesture. "Wait a minute, wait a minute," he stammered. "Why in the world do you want to paint me? And why do you think I'll just...let you?"
Rapunzel shrugged, beaming at him. "Because, from a regular girl's point of view, you're hot," she began. "But from an artist's point of view, you're stunning. Also, I thought you'd let me because I'll pay you."
Get paid to stand there and let someone paint him? He had to admit, it was tempting. But still. "But I don't even know you," he said lamely, as though explaining why he couldn't go out on a date. "You don't really know me either."
She drew herself up importantly at that. "My name's Rapunzel, I own this wondrous store, I like cats and ice cream and painting, I make lanterns, I donate to charity, I love kids, I hardly cut my hair," she rattled off, counting on her fingers. "That's all you need to know. I can get to know you while I paint, yes?"
Inexplicably, he laughed. Who WAS this quirky girl? Her giddiness was contagious, and who wouldn't smile with those green eyes looking at you? He shook his head at her, a smile pulling his mouth up. "I can't believe I'm about to do this."
"Yes...?"
"But okay."
"YES! Awesome! So awesome!" She bounced up and down, teeth flashing in her grin. "I can't wait to get started!"
"Well, when do you want me?" Eugene then realized what that sounded like and actually blushed. "I mean, er, when do you want me here? As in, to paint? What day?" Oh, reeeeaaaall smooth, Eugene.
Rapunzel pointed at him, raising an eyebrow. "How's Sunday, eleven o'clock, sound? Place is closed so we'll have it all to ourselves."
"Sunday's fine. I'll be here."
"Sweet! Oh thank you!" She looked at him with those shining eyes, as though he'd given her a Christmas gift.
Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all...?
And so, Sunday found Eugene being herded into Lantern-light by a very excited Rapunzel.
She practically skipped through the door, pushing him gently ahead of her. He let her guide him to the middle of the store and then she hurried off to fetch an easel and other things. Today, she wore painting clothes: a pair of sweatpants and a plain white tee. Her sheet of hair was twisted into a long braid down her back, threaded through with a striking green ribbon.
Eugene scrubbed the back of his neck to hide his staring. Uneasily, he watched as she approached again with a suspicious plastic bag swinging from one hand. Her grin was wide as she held it out to him. "Here ya go!" she chirped. "Bathroom's right over there, so you can change while I get ready."
"Wait, change?" he echoed. "What d'you mean, change?"
"I told you I could imagine the clothes you'd be wearing, right? Clothing is very important to any picture."
"Whatever you say, I guess." He tentatively took the bag from her and peered down inside. His eyebrows flicked up. "Did you BUY this stuff for me? Because you didn't have—"
"I wanted to!" she dismissed with a wave of her hand.
He went back to examining the clothes. "I'm gonna look like I'm part of a motorcycle gang," he stated flatly.
Rapunzel snorted. "No, you won't. You'll be FINE. That leather's dark brown, by the way, to bring out your eyes."
"How did you even know my size?"
"I found some dude that looked like you and asked him what size he wore. No go change already!" She shooed him away, laughing. Her laugh was lovely and crystalline. It reminded him of bells.
Sending her a mock glare over his shoulder, he headed for the bathroom.
"Ooh, you look good," Rapunzel said when he ventured back into the room again. By now, she had her easel set up and lined with bottles of paint. In front of her, a lone table sat, waiting.
Eugene tugged sheepishly at the unfamiliar clothes. "I still feel weird," he deadpanned. He wore dark jeans and a white T-shirt, under an open leather jacket. It felt unfamiliar.
"No, trust me, you look awesome," Rapunzel assured him.
He tossed her a smirk. "Well, I mean, I always look awesome."
"Oh, shut up." She rolled her eyes at him, one side of her mouth turning up. Then she gestured at the stool. "Now sit there, okay, and I'll tell you what to do."
Eugene lifted a shoulder in a shrug and made his way over to the table. Sitting down on it, he let his hands hang in his lap and waited. The backdrop was the front of the store; the huge glass windows silhouetted him with the outside midday sunlight. He watched uncertainly as Rapunzel walked up to him and studied his position carefully. Everywhere her eyes touched felt oddly warm.
"First, I gotta do this..." Rapunzel trailed off, her slim fingers reaching up. Eugene stiffened as she ruffled his hair, then fixed the strands falling around his eyes. Her fingertips were cool on his scalp. He fought the urge to close his eyes as she played with his hair. She pulled back then, and nodded to herself. "There. And now..." She stepped back. "Just sort of lean on the table with your hands on it behind you. You know what I mean?"
"I think so." He slid off the table and leaned on it instead. Bracing his hands on the edge on either side of him, he let it support his weight. He gave her a questioning glance.
"Yeah, that's perfect." She flashed a smile, then spun away. Hurrying back to her easel, she plucked up her paintbrush and unscrewed a can of paint.
"Do you need me to smile or anything?" he asked.
"Um, not yet," she decided, flapping her paintbrush dismissively. "I'll let you know when I get there."
"All right, that works." He settled into the position, prepared to stand there for a while. At least he had a good view: the beauty of lanterns, the hanging paintings, Rapunzel's hair falling forward when she bent over her work. He watched the way her brush travelled over the paper with a shifting sound, a lullaby in the empty room.
"So," she began cheerfully, glancing up every now and then. "I've told you about me. Now tell me about you."
Eugene started. "Oh, um..."
"Here, I'll ask you something, and you can just answer." She thought for a moment. "What's your favorite color?"
He couldn't help but laugh. "THAT'S what you want to know about me?" he asked playfully.
"I can tell a lot about a person by their favorite color!" she replied defensively.
"Okay, okay," he relented. "Green." He cocked his head at her. "What's yours?"
She swept her arms around her. "Gold, obviously," she answered, smiling radiantly. Then her brush went back to moving over the paper. "Ummm, what made you decide to move here? Before we met, I don't remember ever seeing you in town."
"I just wanted a change, I guess," he replied, more serious now. "I needed a job too."
"Oh right, you work over at Treble Cleff!" she exclaimed. At his nod, she went on, "what exactly do you do over there?"
"Teach piano to kids."
"No way, really? That's so cute. I didn't know you played."
"Yeah, well. We all have talents, right? You paint, I play piano."
"You're quite smart, Eugene, if I do say so myself."
"And you're quite right, Rapunzel."
She chuckled. "Whatever." Her brow furrowed suddenly, and she drew a few quick lines with her brush. Her gaze flitted to him, then back down again.
He studied her for a second. "Why Rapunzel?" he asked curiously.
Rapunzel glanced up at him in surprise. "Huh?"
"Why did your parents name you Rapunzel? I don't mean it in a mean way; I was just wondering."
The corners of her lips curled up at that. "It's not because of the hair, if that's what you're thinking. They just...liked unusual things. Unusual places, foods, art, you name it. They used to travel all the time and shared such great stories. So they chose an unusual name for their daughter. Even if it is a little weird," she added, with a grimace.
He didn't even think. "It's not weird at all. I think it's beautiful." Then he stiffened. Did he really just say that?
She glanced up at him sharply. A new warmth filled her expression, sending a delightful shiver down his spine. "Why, thank you, Eugene," she said, nodding once. "That was very sweet of you to say."
Confident, smooth Eugene found himself avoiding her gaze, his face flushing a bit. "You're welcome," he mumbled. Good God, he was mumbling. She was a girl, like all the other girls who liked him or found him attractive. He shouldn't be this ruffled by her. But then again...she WASN'T like all the other girls. No, he decided, she wasn't like them at all.
Eugene's hands were nearly asleep by the time Rapunzel threw her brush down and tossed her arms up in triumph. "DONE!" she exclaimed in childlike glee. "VICTORIOUS! ANOTHER WORK OF ART, COMPLETED!"
He sighed in relief. It had been a longish wait. Pushing off the table, he came toward her. "Can I see?" he asked with a small smile.
"Yeah, yeah! Come on!" She gestured for him to come closer. The light in her face was absolutely breathtaking. She waited until he was right beside her and then spread her arms toward the painting with an air of bravado. "I call it...Glow."
Eugene took one look and his breath caught. It wasn't possible. This wasn't him, was it? Rapunzel had really brought out the light from behind him, making it shine in his mahogany shock of hair. He was sitting lazily, yet effortlessly. She'd made his eyes soulful and dark as river water, with pinpricks of gold. His mouth quirked up at one side in a smirky grin, looking out at them as though saying, what're you looking at? It was strange to see himself like this. But it was undeniably beautiful. Rapunzel was an amazing artist.
His awestruck gaze moved from the painting to her. "This is..." He gave a small sound of laughter and ran a hand through his hair. "This is amazing. I can't believe you did this."
Rapunzel fidgeted in a mix of happiness and shyness. "I'm glad you like it," she said warmly.
"People are really gonna want to buy this?" he asked. "I mean, it's just me."
"And you're gorgeous," she told him simply, like it was a fact and not her opinion. "They'll buy it for sure. It's wonderful."
He rubbed the back of his neck, bashful under her praise. "Thanks, Rapunzel," he murmured. He gave her a genuine smile then, wanting her to see his gratitude.
She stared at him for a long moment. Then she took a breath. "You know what's crazy?" she asked. Slowly, she moved closer to him, her sparkling green eyes open. "How much I wanna kiss you."
Eugene felt his eyes widen. He was not expecting this. But then again, Rapunzel was bold and confident enough to say something like that. He still felt his heartbeat rev up as he met her gaze. "I, uh, you, um," he stammered, blushing like a freaking high school boy.
Rapunzel took another step closer, and Eugene let her, not moving at all. The toes of their shoes touched. There were three precious inches between them. "You're adorable when you're nervous," she remarked, and bit her bottom lip to snag a silly grin.
Holy crap. That look, right there, sent a pleasant chill over his skin. He inhaled shakily as she leaned in. "You know what else is crazy?" he asked softly, unable to look anywhere but at her.
"What?"
"That I'm about to kiss a girl named Rapunzel."
She smiled wider. Then she brushed their lips together, a barely-there kiss. Eugene felt it in every part of him though. When she drew back, he was already growing breathless, just from being close to her. Reaching up, he cradled her face in his hands and sank his lips onto hers again.
The kiss opened softly, like a flame lighting in the dark. Eugene felt sparks racing all over his body. Rapunzel let out a tiny sound and gripped the front of his jacket, pulling him even closer. Drowning in this sweetness, he dropped his hands to wrap his arms around her waist. He'd never felt like this before. Not ever. Her arms were looped around his neck, one hand buried deep in his hair. She was kissing him so slowly, and he kissed her back in the same way.
He didn't want it to end. But when it did, and they broke apart, all he could do was look into her eyes. Her striking, emerald eyes. She smiled her lovely smile, and he grinned back crookedly. "For a guy with a somewhat-nerdy name," she murmured teasingly, "you're a pretty good kisser."
"Really?" He rubbed their noses together lightly, closing his eyes. "In that case, maybe you could kiss me again..."