Title: Smile, Darling.
Disclaimer: Disney owns them.
In all his years as a lady's' man, Eugene Fitzherbert never would have guessed he'd be in front of a girl begging for her affection.
"I don't know what to do anymore." He whispers, "I did everything I can do to make you happy. Everything! And…and it's still not enough for you."
His voice was starting to sound desperate, "please." The whisper turns into a whine a fraught expression appears on his face.
She stares blankly at him with those gorgeous, green eyes and she looks so beautiful it almost breaks his heart.
"I'm begging you…" he grips her shoulder firmly but gentle as not to leave a bruise on her delicate skin.
"Please, laugh! Please laugh for daddy!"
He twists his face giving out a ridiculous expression hoping he gets at least a small giggle from her daughter.
She just stares at him with an empty expression on her face.
"Come on, Ellie! You laughed for your mom, you laughed for your grandma and grandpa, hell, you even laughed for Maximus and the frog, why won't you laugh for me?"
She doesn't give any response, instead she continues to stare at him her expression less than amused.
"Alright," he says as he rubs a hand on his face, "maybe…maybe you're too sophisticated for funny faces. Maybe you're into jokes. Yeah, that's it! Yeah, let's try a joke."
He thinks for a moment before a grin spreads across his face. "Ok, listen to this: What's black and white and red all over? A dead panda!"
Then the baby stirs. And for a brief moment he thinks he finally did it, he thinks he finally made her laugh. He leans closer, a hopeful expression on his face.
And then…
She lets out an ear piercing cry.
Eugene's expression changes into panic, "no,no,no,no,no! shhh! Shhh! Shh! Baby, don't cry! Don't cry!" he picks his daughter up and cradles her close to his chest. "No! No! Don't cry! The panda isn't dead! He's just injured! He'll be fine!"
He rocks the baby desperately, there's a huge part of him that wants to join in the crying. And he almost breaks into childish sobs but stopped as soon as he heard the amused giggle coming in from outside the bed room door.
He sees his wife clad in a navy blue night gown that hugs her figure perfectly, her brown hair has gotten longer through the years the wavy length reaching to her shoulders. Rapunzel watches the scene before her with an amused expression on her face. The little reptile resting contently on her shoulder was sleeping soundly.
"I'm so glad you find this amusing." Eugene grumpily mumbles as his wife gingerly walks towards him with a swagger the he swears she perfected just for him. She takes Ellie in her arms.
Rocking the baby in a gentle and swift motion, Rapunzel starts humming the tune she and her husband sang 5 years ago on that boat surrounded by the floating lanterns.
"This song always calms her down." She whispers grinningly at Eugene. The ex thief merely gave a half hearted smile in response.
"Eugene, what's wrong?"
He breathes a sigh and follows his wife as they both sit on their king sized bed.
"I…I don't think…I don't think our daughter likes me."
He looks up from the floor and his eyes meet with his wife's green ones. Slowly, Rapunzel expression changes from concern to amusement with a hint of affection.
"You're being too dramatic" she laughs softly careful not to wake the now sleeping child in her arms.
"Come on!" Eugene half shouts and half whispers, "You saw what happened! She doesn't like me!"
The former blonde lets out another giggle, "oh Eugene just because she's not warming up to you yet doesn't mean she doesn't like you. Ariel told me it took Melody months before she started warming up to Eric."
"Months?" He looks at his wife disbelievingly, "it might take her months before she can start warming up to me?"
Rapunzel smiles tenderly and places a comforting kiss on her husband's temple, "don't worry about it too much, ok?"
Eugene watches as Rapunzel gently places their baby on the ivory colored crib. The light brush of his wife's soft lips against his temple eased his tension.
Maybe Rapunzel's right. Maybe he's just thinking too much of it.
It's exactly 2 weeks after that whole incident and Eugene almost forgot about it. That is until two of the men he and Rapunzel met at the Snugly Duckling, Hook hand and Big nose, decided to visit their favorite princess.
They're in the palace garden.
Rapunzel sits comfortably on the soft, green grass under the shade of the oak tree. Next to Rapunzel stands her husband leaning against the tree his arms crossed against his chest.
Maximus stands next to the two thugs while Pascal sits happily on the horse's head.
Hook man smiles warmly as he playfully yet carefully lifts Ellie in the air. The swift movement earned the musician an eruption of giggles
Eugene watches in bemusement as his daughter giggles happily in the pianist's arms.
"Ain't she a little darling." Big nose cooed tickling the baby making the infant smile.
Rapunzel laughs cheerfully, "look Eugene! She likes them."
Eugene watches on with a grumpy and annoyed expression.
"cootchi-cootchi-coo."
A giggle.
"where's the baby? There she is! There she is!"
Another giggle.
"Your daughter is a cheerful one, isn't she your highness?" Big nose speaks right after making the baby laugh with a funny face.
"yeah," Hook man agrees, "she laughs at just about everything."
Eugene grumbles bitterly, "not everything." Shrugging off the look his wife's giving him Eugene proceeds to sulk against the tree.
A few moments passed and the two thugs had to leave.
"I have to perform at a birthday party before noon."
"Gotta buy an anniversary gift for Ana."
Rapunzel waves happily at the two thugs her other arm holding the baby.
"So," Eugene speaks leaning in close to his daughter, "you prefer ruffians and thugs over your own father, huh?"
Ellie responds by grabbing Eugene's goatee and tugging on it.
Hard.
"OW!"
Maximus laughs uncontrollably while Pascal chuckles cheekily.
"Does that answer your question?" Rapunzel laughs earning her a glare from her husband.
Later that night, Eugene stares thoughtfully at the cream colored ceiling, his arms tucked under his head. A smile creeps on his face when he feels his wife rest her head on his chest.
"Hey." She whispers cuddling close to him.
"Hey." He places a kiss on her cheekbone.
"Are you still upset about Ellie?"
Eugene sighs as he tightens his hold on his wife.
"I know it sounds ridiculous," he speaks "but, every time our daughter doesn't laugh at me I…I can't help but think that she…that she hates me."
"Eugene! You know that's not true."
"I know! I know!" he calms her down, "…I'm just scared that I might not be the kind of father she can laugh with."
"Oh, Eugene." Rapunzel sighs and gently runs her soft hand through the man's hair.
Eugene closes his eyes and revels in the soft stroke of his wife's hand. Leave it to Rapunzel to ease all his tension in just a single touch.
The intimate moment was interrupted by a small cry.
Rapunzel moves to get up but Eugene stops her.
"I got it," he says kissing his wife on the lips, "you should go to sleep."
Eugene walks towards Ellie's crib. He picks the crying baby up and holds her close.
"Hey there, giggles." He teases, "woke up at the wrong side of the crib?"
She looks at him now fully awake. Eugene grumbles he knows it'll be a while before the baby falls asleep which means it'll be a while before he himself can go to sleep. He looks over at the bed and smiles lovingly at his sleeping wife. He turns his attention back to their daughter.
"So, it's just you and me kid." He smiles sleepily walking towards the bed, "I don't suppose you'll start laughing?"
The baby stares blankly.
"I thought so" he sits on the bed careful not to wake his wife up and begins to gently rock the baby humming the tune to the song close to his heart.
He stops mid-tune to let a yawn escape from his lips. His face twitches, eyes scrunch tight, mouth agape as he lets out a loud yawn.
Then he hears a faint giggle.
Surprised he looks expectantly at the baby girl in his arms.
His heart swells in happiness when he sees his baby girl smiling happily at him.
"You did it!" he exclaims, his sleepiness completely forgotten, "You laughed! I made you laugh!" he jumps up from the bed and spins the baby in the air, "all it took was a stupid yawn to make you laugh!" he presses the baby's nose against his, "you adorable little nutcase!"
He sits back on the bed happily. Ellie rests comfortably in his left arm.
Rapunzel watches the scene before her an affectionate smile playing on her lips. Eugene turns to Rapunzel with a huge smile on his face.
Their eyes meet.
He reaches out and clasps his wife's hand their fingers entwining. Rapunzel sighs contentedly nuzzling her cheek against her husband's knuckles.
"See," Rapunzel speaks her eyes closed, "you finally made her laugh."
"I did, didn't I ?"
Eugene revels in the warmth of his wife's body and the warmth of his daughter's smile.
A small chuckle escapes from his lips.
"I could've sworn the panda joke would do it."