A/N: To any WONDERFUL readers of my story, the Black Ribboned Rose . . . I am so terribly sorry. But I am suffering from a horrid writer's block on that story, so it is on HOLD. I WILL finish it, promise.

ANYWAYS, hello, and welcome to my first contribution to the Tangled fandom! My friend MaryHammiez and I exchanged three word prompts today to write oneshots/stories. I gave her chocolate, drunk, table. No telling what she'll do with THAT.

MY prompt was

Ballroom

Tree

Garden

And my thoughts were- how perfect for Tangled is that?

DISCLAIMER: I own nothing truly worth owning in this business. Oh well. I do own Tangled . . . on DVD.

This is dedicated to my prompt-giver, MaryHammieQ. I would suggest you read her stuff, but it's yaoi . . . so if you enjoy it, READ, and if you don't . . . RUN. XD

This takes place one year after the ending of Tangled.

Beautiful

Put simply, Rapunzel was the most beautiful girl in all of Corona, no, in the entire world. Not just in a literal sense, although her large, demure eyes could captivate even the toughest ruffians and her choppy brown locks enhanced her playful youth, but in every other sense as well. Her personality was beautiful. She was innocent, but not ignorant, as not even the most shadowed beggar could escape her eye. She was generous, more than willing to not just help somebody in need, but to check back later to see if they were getting on well. Her family was beautiful, her father and mother rightfully beloved by the kingdom and daughter.

Eugene chuckled softly as he watched the subject of his affectionate thoughts walk aimlessly around the palace gardens through a window, her short hair gently blowing in the summer breeze. His fond smile quirked to the side as he noticed her stop next to a tree, look at it for a moment, and then begin to climb it. He chuckled again, moving from his perch at the window to walk outside into the fresh summer air.

A wave of emotion swept over him as he walked. How had he gotten so lucky? Rapunzel was the center of his existence, his one true love. His savior, in a literal and metaphorical sense.

By the time he reached the garden where she had been, she was nowhere to be seen. And without her long yellow tresses to give her location away, she was well hidden . . . wherever she was. He wandered under a tree and crossed his arms, shaking his head fondly and smiling.

"Eugene?" He turned around, surprised. "Eugene, up here!" came the giggly voice again. Eugene glanced up, and began to laugh. There was Rapunzel sitting comfortably on a stray tree branch dangling her feet above his head. A shoe fell off of her small foot, plopping promptly onto his head and then to the ground. She squeaked and began to laugh.

"I like it better when you're barefoot," he mumbled, unaware that she had heard him, for another shoe feel from the tree, hitting his head. Rapunzel couldn't contain her laughter this time, laughing joyously at his pouty expression.

"Better?" she called down. Eugene rolled his eyes, picking up both slippers and tossing them across the garden. "Hey!" she laughed. He grnned proudly, looking up at her.

"Mind if I join you up there, Blondie?" he called. She giggled, nodding. Eugene smiled and began to climb up the tree.

"How did you learn to do that?" Rapunzel asked curiously. Eugene paused, tilting his head. "To climb, I mean," she added hastily. He smiled.

"Rapunzel, I was a thief." She blinked, not understanding.

"Yes?"

He chuckled, Poor Rapunzel was too innocent to know the "tricks of the trade". "As a thief, after stealing something, sometimes I would hide from the guards in trees." Rapunzel's eyes cleared, comprehending. She glanced away.

"Oh." Eugene finished his climb in silence, finally reaching his princess and sitting next to her on the somewhat sturdy branch.

"Enjoying the gardens?" he asked with a smile. Rapunzel nodded, her spirits returning to playfulness again.

"I love being outside! Everything's so fresh, so pretty and colorful!" Her eyes shone. "Do you?"

"I don't know," Eugene said slyly, scooting closer to her. "The flowers just seem sort of dull."

"Dull?" Rapunzel gasped.

"Compared to you," he finished smugly, leaning in and kissing her gently. She blushed and shoved him.

"It's just, after being inside of that tower for so long, I jut want to take in all of the fresh air and water and grass and flowers and-"

"I get your point," Eugene interrupted with a quiet laugh, "You want to make up for lost time." Rapunzel nodded vigorously. "You know, I like the outdoors too."

"Really?" Rapunzel asked, mildly surprised.

"Yeah." Eugene grinned. "I lived most of my life outside in caves or bushes or-"

"Trees," Rapunzel finished for him. He nodded with a smile.

"So why are you out here, anyways?" he asked her, "Don't you have a ball to get ready for tonight?" The King and Queen were holding a "Welcome Home" anniversary ball to mark the return of their not-so-lost-anymore daughter. Celebrations would be taking place throughout the kingdom, the pinnacle of all of them being at the palace, of course.

Rapunzel shrugged. "I still have two hours. How long can it take to get ready for a ball anyways?" She smiled. "I'd rather just stay here." Eugene smiled and leaned in for a kiss, but before his lips could meet hers-

"Princess Rapunzel!" came a loud screeching yell. The two lovers froze, staring wide-eyed at each other.

"Who is that?" Eugene whispered.

"My dresser- Mrs. Hazel," Rapunzel mumbled. "She would KILL me if she found me in the garden the day of some party!" Eugene took her hand and flashed his smolder.

"I'll protect you." It worked, Rapunzel giggled softly, her green eyes sparkling.

"Princess Rapunzel, we simply MUST get you ready for the ball tonight, there is simply NO time!" The stout woman stopped and glanced around before stomping into the palace to continue her search. Rapunzel let out a sigh of relief, turning wistfully to Eugene.

"I probably should go," she said, "I don't want her scaring anyone." Eugene smiled and ran his hand through her hair.

"It's okay. I'll see you at the ball, okay?" Rapunzel smiled, leaning in for a quick kiss before leaping down and scampering after her dresser. "Save me a dance!" Eugene called after her, leaping off of the tree as well and staring after her for a few moments before turning around and heading off to prepare himself.

The grand ballroom was decorated in true Corona fashion. The ballroom, cleaned and polished to perfection, was lit up by warm lanterns and beautiful streamers. The food was exquisite, and was being eaten up rather quickly by the nobles too pompous to admit that they truly were pigs when it came to food.

Eugene couldn't deny the himself a few bites of food, and on any other day he would have attacked it, but truth be told, he was too nervous to eat. Too nervous to dance. Too nervous to talk to anyone.

It wasn't that he was intimidated by the . . . formality of it all, neither Flynn Ryder nor Eugene Fitzhurbert were afraid of fancy gatherings. One of his crowning achievements in his thieving career had been an elaborate heist during a masquerade ball.

No, her certainly was not intimidated by the ball.

The nerves reached a breaking point as she entered.

She descended an elaborate staircase, her choppy locks slightly curled, framing her gorgeous tiara (he would have to snatch that later) and brightening up her face, which glowed, freshly cleaned and free from heavy makeup her dressers preferred. She wore a light green ball gown with golden trim that reached below her feet. Her eyes found his and she grinned, nearly making him pass out.

After greeting the nobles and staff, she finally made her way over to him. She gave him a mischievous smile. He raised an eyebrow, forcing down his nerves.

"What did you do now?" he teased. She directed her eyes downward, and his followed suit. She lifted her dress up, exposing her bare feet. He laughed.

"I snuck the shoes off when Mrs. Hazel wasn't looking," she whispered. Eugene ruffled her hair.

"I couldn't be more proud."

He glanced around nervously. Everybody seemed distracted enough, except for a very eager King and Queen, who were aware of the source of his nerves, so that wasn't a problem. Taking a deep breath, he took Rapunzel's hands.

"You want to . . . take a walk?" She raised an eyebrow, puzzled. "Just a quick one," he amended hastily. She chuckled, and nodded.

"Sounds fun. I'd rather do that than be here, honestly." Eugene smiled. That was his Blondie.

"Follow me," he said, and let go of one of her hands, leading her to a balcony which led to a small pathway that led to Rapunzel's favorite garden. They walked together in the starlight, Rapunzel excited by the thrill of sneaking away from her own ball and Eugene at war with himself on whether to run and hide under a hole or just ask Pascal to do it for him.

He stopped and led her to the tree they had sat in just a few hours earlier. His original plan was to be in the tree when he- well, that plan was out of the question with her dress and all. Thinking on his feet, he led her to a rather large root and sat her down there. She watched him pace with wide, innocent eyes.

"So . . ." he began stupidly, racking his brain for the long and romantic but manly speech he had prepared for this moment. "Rapunzel . . . when you lo-no, when you really want to be-" He groaned, seemingly unaware that Rapunzel was sitting a few feet away from him, watching with wide eyes.

"Rapunzel, you changed me. From the moment you knocked me with that frying pan. Suddenly . . . I didn't want to be some petty thief anymore, some man who just comes into your life and turns it upside down and leaves. I wanted to be someone you could love, someone you could trust. I wanted to be someone you deserved, and you deserve so, so much. You're sweet, kind, generous, and so many other things. I love you."

"I love you too," she said softly, a small smile gracing her face. Eugene took a deep breath.

"Rapunzel, will you-"

"Of course I'll marry you."

If there had been dramatic music playing, it qould have come to a sudden and abrupt halt.

Eugene froze and stared at her, wide-eyed for several long moments. "What?" Rapunzel didn't falter, instead, her smile grew wider.

"I said, 'Of course I'll marry you.'" In that moment, Eugene though, she looked more beautiful than she ever had.

Suddenly, Eugene felt light as a feather. He ran to her and picked her up off of the root, spinning her around and kissing her tenderly.

"I love you," he murmured into her hair. His eyes widened as he looked to the ground.

Pascal nodded his head in approval.

How was it? Only one way to crush my dreams or make my day! XD