A/N: I didn't mean to take such a long break from updating this story, oops. But I am back with a new chapter and I hope you all enjoy it! Although my life has been crazy busy lately, I'm going to do my best to update more frequently than I have been. Prepare for some angst :)

Without further ado, here you go! :)

Chapter 6

Lance's POV

The dim glow of the candlelight cast dark shadows across Lance's large form as he placed his forearms on the table, staring Flynn down. His partner had come back from another long day out of many outings with the duchess' daughter, and in Lance's opinion, the charade had gone too far. It seemed as though Flynn had begun to forget the true objective of befriending the young girl, or perhaps, he did not care any longer. As the weeks passed, the reports Flynn gave were vague at best, and if Lance tried to press for details, the man did not feel obliged to provide more. Their newfound plan of swindling the girl and finally catching the fastest ship out of the country before she could send out a warrant for their arrest had become less certain, and Lance found he did not like this turn of events.

He pinned Flynn with a hard gaze, his mouth pressed into a thin line. "What's going on with you?"

"I'm not sure what you mean." Flynn crossed his arms and looked evenly back at his comrade. Though Lance knew he desired to appear confident, the nervous twitch of his fingers betrayed him.

"Stop playing dumb, Flynn. I can tell when you're hiding something from me." Lance sighed tiredly, falling back against his chair and dragging a hand down his face. "We cannot afford distractions of any kind, not now. You know how long we've been saving the money, biding our time so we can finally leave this wretched city and you've become sidetracked by some girl."

Flynn stayed silent, his jaw flexing as he sought to provide an excuse that would temporarily satiate Lance's curiosity. Alas, the silence stretched on and he found nothing to say, and instead he chose to fixate on the warped floorboards beneath his feet. It was a rare occasion in which he was caught unawares, for he was usually quick to respond with a well timed quip or convincing lie.

Lance maintained his unreadable expression, and he could sense that it did nothing to ease Flynn's discomfort. He expected his next words would force a long overdue confession out of his friend.

"Have you fallen in love with her?"

Flynn flinched visibly at the question. He couldn't answer such a weighty inquiry, not without his voice betraying him. Emotions warred on Flynn's face, and it was as though Lance could see the battle raging in his head. He recognized that Flynn likely wanted to deny it, to tell Lance that it was foolhardy thinking to believe that the deceitful charmer Flynn Rider had been infected by notions of romance, and that his thoughts never entertained images of this mystery woman.

Quirking an eyebrow, Lance waited patiently for his friend to cave. Finally, Flynn lifted his gaze and averted it to the window as if he could garner wisdom from the endless depths of the evening skies.

"Honestly? I don't know." Flynn's voice carried a heaviness Lance hadn't heard in a long time.

Lance frowned deeply, concern etched in every line of his face. "I just don't want to see you become distracted by something that can never be. You're both from two vastly different worlds, Flynn. You'd do well to remember that."

"I know that you're right...and yet, I'm utterly intoxicated by her."

"Flynn―"

"Trust me, I hate myself for it. She embodies everything good and pure in this world, and I…." Flynn squeezed his eyes shut as if the words physically pained him. "I can never be the man that she deserves."

Lance folded his arms across his broad chest, shaking his head at Flynn's predicament. It was a strange thing to see his oldest friend abandon all that they'd worked for, and to boot, it had been love that led to Flynn's undoing. As Lance saw it, love was a vicious monster that would sooner tear apart your insides than grant you kindness. Giving yourself to someone meant being exposed to weakness, and they could not afford to lose themselves to such nonsense.

There was only one solution to the problem, and that meant Lance's involvement. He needed to see this young maiden for himself and intervene in whatever form it took. And if that meant Flynn grappling with a broken heart for him to see this love for what it really was―an unattainable fantasy―then Lance would not hesitate.

"I'm coming with you tomorrow."

Flynn's eyes snapped back to Lance. "What?"

"I want to meet this 'Rapunzel' girl myself. To see the person behind your…" Lance gestured to Flynn's head, searching for the right word. "...Fixation."

A tense silence filled the room as the two men stared each other down. From the way Flynn sat a little straighter in his chair to the steely glint in his eye, Lance sensed his partner did not approve of his idea.

Finally, Flynn broke his gaze and slumped in his seat. He looked resigned, as though knowing he could not prevent his partner from joining him. "It's a deal."

"Good. We leave first thing in the morning."

Flynn's POV

Life was a willow and it bent right to your wind (oh)

Head on the pillow, I could feel you sneaking in

As if you were a mythical thing

Like you were a trophy or a champion ring

And there was one prize I'd cheat to win

~Willow~

The scent of damp soil and wisteria blossoms wafted to Flynn's nose while he stood beneath Rapunzel's window, his fist clenched by his side. A folded note lay hidden in the flowerbeds for the girl to find once she'd awoken. It contained a location for them to meet, and his scrawled initials written at the bottom. Leaving notes was how they communicated with each other and allowed for some secrecy. It wouldn't do for her mother to discover who the girl corresponded with, and so it had been Rapunzel's idea to hide their notes in the cover of her garden.

The last evening's discussion with Lance had left Flynn off kilter, and the pit in his stomach only worsened. He knew once Lance set his sights on something, there was no talking him out of it, and this knowledge scared him. It felt wrong to have agreed for Lance to come along, for if his suspicions were correct, his partner would rob the girl with or without Flynn's consent. And frankly, Flynn couldn't blame him for doing so. The two men had been dirt poor and on the run since the day they ditched the orphanage with plans to create a name for themselves. They'd made a reputation built on lies, deceit, taking money from the rich―and when the opportunity to flee to a different land and finally start anew presented itself, it was only natural that Lance did not want this chance to be compromised.

There were many things that described Flynn Rider, but feeling conflicted was not one of them. He had always been sure of himself, comfortable in the thieving persona. He'd become so immersed in the facade that he'd forgotten what it was like to be Eugene Fitzherbert, the orphan boy who lost his parents to the deadly grip of smallpox. Memories of Eugene―the boy who cried himself to sleep in the days following his parents' death and only found solace within the pages of his favorite novel, The Tales of Flynnigan Rider―were best buried within the past.

Shaking his head from his temporary reverie, Flynn turned to walk away when a shrill voice pierced his ears.

"Flynn, you're here!"

Before he could react or form a sentence, a pair of slim arms wrapped themselves tightly around his neck and overwhelmed him with flowery perfume.

"Rapunzel, what are you doing awake? It's barely 7:15 am."

She pulled away from him and giggled, her fingers resting on his upper arms. Her emerald green eyes were alight with joy, and he could hardly fathom why she gazed upon him like he was her entire world. He didn't deserve such boundless love, but oh God, he'd grown to adore her more each day.

"Well," she began, her pink lips stretching into a smile. "I'm always up early for chores."

His brow furrowed at her reply. "Chores? Isn't that the job of your servants?"

"Yes, but I enjoy it. I have time to talk with Cass, make new friends, you know?"

"Only you can make friends with everyone." Flynn stared at her for a beat too long, lost in the deep green of her eyes and how her long lashes framed them. "So, uh, where is Cassandra?"

"She has a fencing lesson and chores that will last the entire day, meaning she won't be joining us."

Flynn's heart jumped into his throat at the idea of being alone with Rapunzel, before remembering Lance would be with them and could likely hear their whole exchange from his nearby vantage point.

Flynn awkwardly cleared his throat, stepping around Rapunzel and walking towards the tall oak tree. "Speaking of friends―there's someone I'd like you to meet."

He pulled Lance by the arm, elbowing him in the ribs and silently prompted him to make a good impression, all through a moment of eye contact.

Lance seemed to have understood the message, for he grinned and bowed before Rapunzel. Flynn absently thought that his partner had a talent for putting on quite the show. "My name is Lance. It is a pleasure to meet the girl Flynn has been talking about."

"He talks about me?" Rapunzel questioned, a light blush dusting her cheeks. She smiled softly at him, and Flynn's insides turned to mush. Shaking her head, she offered her hand to Lance. "You seem familiar…"

"Am I? I'm certain I would recall meeting a woman as beautiful as yourself."

Rapunzel ducked her head at his words, but swiftly recovered and placed a hand on her hip. Flynn forced himself to ignore how the spring green dress she wore hugged her curves perfectly. "I saw you a few months back. When Flynn stopped my carriage and tried stealing my ring. And from what I remember, you were running from the law as well."
"That's what I do best, sweetheart." Lance winked, striding to her side and linking his arm with hers. "Shall we take our leave?"

She rolled her eyes good-naturedly, laughing at his flirtations. "Careful, Lance. You're not acting like a gentleman."

Flynn had wanted them to get along, but not this well. He tried his best not to feel such a strong pang of jealousy at their banter, nor at Rapunzel's resulting giggles. He couldn't stand his partner attempting to lay on his charms and having an effect on Rapunzel. It was time to put an end to it, without succumbing to his pettiness.

"We should be going." Flynn interrupted in a deadpan voice, walking ahead of the pair. He knew he'd failed at trying to be indifferent, but he found he couldn't help himself. Flynn didn't think he could endure hearing any more of their conversation, but he was thankful that Cass remained absent or else he'd be suffering an earful of her cruel teasing.

The town square was packed to the brim with people, all of them clambering and shouting over one another. Intricately detailed signs illustrating men and women flying through the air or contorting their bodies in disturbing ways littered the area, as well as large banners draped across building facades reading the words:

CORONA'S CIRCUS!

FOR ONE WEEK ONLY!

AND PERFORMING FEATS YOU WOULDN'T BELIEVE!

Rapunzel pointed at the banners, looking over her shoulder at Flynn. "This looks like fun! I've never seen a circus before."

Flynn gave her a lopsided grin. "Do you want to see it?"

"I'd love to!"

Her excited squeals caused his chest to be engulfed with warmth, and the way her eyes crinkled when she smiled was unfairly adorable.

A booming voice from a few yards away cut through the noise of the crowd. It belonged to a man in his early forties, who wore a bright red coat and dark bottoms paired with a comical top hat and knee high boots. His teeth were blindingly bright, and his blue eyes shone with confidence. "Come, come and see the spectacular show from the kingdom of Corona itself! Just two shillings for entry!"

Without hesitation, Flynn withdrew the correct amount of payment for the three of them and handed it to the announcer, who gave him a strange look but promptly allowed them to pass on by.

The performance, as promised, was wonderfully executed. Each flawless landing after swinging from a trapeze or dangerous acts of breathing fire earned thunderous rounds of applause The circus performers wore costumes of exceptional beauty, with outfits inspired by the summer season.

Baby blues and rosy pinks graced the stage, and yet Flynn had become most distracted by Rapunzel's reaction to the spectacle. Her face practically glowed, and her sun-kissed cheeks bore a permanent delighted smile. She gave him a curious glance, and he quickly averted his gaze back to the stage. He suppressed the blush spreading on his face and inwardly berated himself for it. Since when did Flynn Rider blush?

To his relief, Rapunzel said nothing about his previous ogling, but to his surprise, she did draw closer to him. Her arm snaked around his, while her head rested gingerly on his shoulder. Against his will, Flynn's heart rate spiked at the touch, and shivers traveled along his spine. No matter how adamantly he wanted to deny it, he had fallen in love with her, and there was no going back. Her kind spirit and determination had snuck into his heart and rooted itself there in the couple months they'd known each other, making him feel things he hadn't known for a long time. She had seen past the thief and instead glimpsed the wandering man within, who had found belonging when she'd come into his life.

Abruptly, her warmth left him as soon as it had come, and he looked over to see Lance pulling her by the arm and into the thick of the crowd.

"Rapunzel, where―"

But alas, she had disappeared.

Rapunzel's POV

Drowning. She was drowning in a sea of betrayal, of utter disbelief. His voice sounded warbled and disjointed, as though he were speaking underwater. She could not discern anything he said to her, despite the fact that he was shaking her shoulders and looking directly at her. Somehow, his last sentence pierced through the mind fog and temporarily snapped her back to reality.

"What did Lance say to you?" Flynn demanded, his tone displaying a level of panic Rapunzel had never heard before. "Rapunzel, please!"

Her brain replayed the conversation, as though wanting to be certain it had actually transpired...

One moment, Rapunzel had been swept up in the theatrics and dazzling wonder of the costumed performers onstage, and the next, she'd heard Lance's baritone voice asking her to speak with him in private. She'd hardly had time to nod before Lance's firm grip wrapped around her arm and dragged her away from Flynn, who appeared bewildered by her leaving.

They walked until they were at the edges of the pulsating group of people and into an alleyway where no one was watching them. The realization that she was alone with a man she'd only been acquainted with for a day sent anxiety coursing in her veins, but she willed her heart beat to slow. If Flynn trusted him, then so could she.

Lance released her arm and stood across from her, leaning against the brick wall. They examined each other for a tense minute, with Rapunzel nervously waiting for him to break the silence. As it continued to stretch on, she opened her mouth to say something when Lance decided to speak.

"Flynn is not the man you think he is."

Rapunzel shifted uncomfortably on her feet. "What do you mean? I thought you two were friends."

"We are." Lance shrugged, then fixed her with an intense stare. "But he's been using you from the start. We both agreed for him to gain your trust, so that when the time was right, you'd be robbed of your riches and we'd be miles away from this godforsaken city. The police wouldn't dare venture so far for criminals like us."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"With your money, we could start a new life free from fear of arrest and restless nights. I'm asking you to give us your riches willingly, but if you refuse...well, let's just say I'd strongly advise against it."

Her stomach roiled in her gut, and her heart plummeted to her toes. All this time―after months of easy conversation, heartfelt glances, and side-splitting inside jokes thanks to their tight-knit friendship―Flynn had been using her. He'd never seen her as anything more than a ticket out of the country, to live a life of luxury and solitude, a life that she apparently had no part in. She didn't know whether to cry hysterically or vomit from such bracing news.

Rapunzel swallowed down the lump in her throat, her voice wavering. "I'll do whatever it takes to never see his face again."

"How could you?"

Flynn flinched at the severity of her words. "What?"

"I gave you my trust and...and you―" Rapunzel paused, blinking away the hot tears threatening to spill. "You took advantage of me. All you ever wanted from me was my money."

"Rapunzel, I swear I―"

"NO!" She shouted, drawing attention from people walking by. "Just when I thought someone could be my friend not because of my status, but because they'd like me for who I am, I was wrong. The world is selfish and cruel, and you proved my mother right."

"But...I'm so sorry, Blondie." Flynn responded lamely, his head hung in shame. His voice shook unsteadily, and Rapunzel hated that she felt pity for him. "I didn't want to hurt you."

"And yet, here we are. Goodbye, Flynn."

The next few moments occurred in quick succession as sudden shouts of Flynn's name erupted in the square. She briefly looked over her shoulder to see policemen swarming into the area, their rifles raised and metal handcuffs at the ready. In shock, she watched Flynn and Lance be shoved roughly to their knees with their arms secured behind them. Chaos ensued within the crowd as people ran from the scene, and the circus performers followed suit.

Rapunzel briefly wondered what would become of him, but quickly erased that thought from her mind and sprinted home as fast as her legs would carry her.

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