Chapter 6: Eugene Fitzherbert

A/N: Hey everyone! Hope you're all doing good and enjoying the story. The story should start picking up from here or next chapter instead of being mainly fluff. Expect some drama and sadness ): Anyways, leave a review, follow, and favorite (if you want to!)

I do not own Tangled

"Okay Blondie, you've been in there long enough. Come on out, it doesn't take that long," Flynn was sitting on a bench, bored out of his mind.

"But Flynn… I look weird! And I'm not blonde anymore!" Rapunzel called back to him.

"Nicknames stick I guess," Flynn shrugged and slouched on the bench.

"Fine… just promise you won't laugh."

"I promise Blondie. I would never laugh at you, no matter how weird you are," he snickered.

"Flynn!" She shouted and peeked her head out of the dressing room. Flynn raised an eyebrow, causing her to sigh. She stepped out of the dressing room in a pair of mustard tie-waist pants. Alongside the pants, she wore a white off-the-shoulder top. Flynn was stunned by her. She made something plain so captivating. He stared at her, causing her to blush. He was just looking at her for minutes. It felt like hours for Rapunzel however.

"So… what do you think?" Rapunzel said, playing with her hair.

"You're beautiful Blondie," he stood up and got closer to her.

"R-Really?" She looked down shyly. Flynn lifted her chin up and their eyes locked.

"I promise Blondie, I promise." Rapuinzel's legs became weak and her heart fluttered. She felt like jelly.

"O-Okay…" Rapunzel smiled slightly, but was actually jumping in joy in her mind.

"I think you should get some more clothes," Flynn suggested, stepping away from her.

"But weren't you getting tired of waiting?" Rapunzel asked.

"If this is my reward for waiting, I'd wait forever," Flynn grinned. Rapunzel playfully punched his shoulder and changed back to her original clothes. She handed the other outfit to Flynn and went off to look for more clothes . Flynn stayed back in the dressing room and sat back down on the bench. He let her choose her clothing herself so she could develop her sense of fashion and so she could feel a little independent. He didn't want her to just rely on him for everything. As he sat there, a young woman with long, curly black hair walked in. She was quite tall and had flawless skin. Flynn looked at her and felt a chill run down his spine. Who is this lady?

"Hello, young man," the woman said.

"Hello ma'am," Flynn responded back, not wanting to be rude.

"I was told that my daughter had been spotted here around this area. I last saw her a couple days ago. She hasn't returned from school… Apparently she went out with some man," the woman asked, and then muttered something under her breath. "Anyways, she has long, blonde hair and green eyes. Have you seen her?" The woman asked, looking at him.

Who the hell is this lady? She lost her own daughter? Flynn thought, not thinking much of it at first. He sat there, looking at the lady. After a bit, it clicked. Lost daughter? Not coming back from school? Long blonde hair? That's Rapunzel! Flynn thought, panic rising in him. This was her mother? Her mother looked so kind and young. So this is the woman who kept Rapunzel away from the world… He glared at her, but she didn't seem to notice.

"No, I haven't," Flynn said flatly.

"Alright then, thanks for nothing," she said and turned around. Flynn rolled his eyes at her and watched her walk out. She was the person who robbed Rapunzel of her childhood. He would never forgive her, nor let her see Rapunzel ever again. Flynn sat there, thinking. He was deep in thought, thinking of his next move.

"Flynn, Flynn, Flynn!" Rapunzel called out three times, tapping his shoulder. Flynn shook out of his daze and looked up to Rapunzel. She was wearing violet-glow Adidas shorts and an oversized sweater of the same color. Her hands were hidden underneath the large sleeves. She was just so cute.

"Hey Rapunzel," He said as he dropped his head. He was a little out of it.

"What's wrong?" Rapunzel was worried. She cupped a hand around his cheek. He lifted his gaze to hers, and stared into her eyes.

"It's nothing honey. Just… thinking," he said.

"Are you sure?" Rapunzel asked sweetly.

"Yes. Sorry for worrying you," he apologized and opened his arms up. Rapunzel smiled and accepted, embracing him. Flynn felt his worries melting away as he hugged her. She was everything he needed. He would protect her from anything.

"So… what do you think of this outfit?" She asked, still hugging him.

"You look stunning in anything," Flynn said softly, causing her to blush.

"You're just saying that," She said. She was still not confident in herself after years of being degraded by Gothel. That had left a wound, and wounds took a while to heal. Even after the wound, there will still be a scar. She had a long way to go.

"No, Blondie, I'm not," he comforted her, running his hand through her hair.

"Do you like my hair?" She asked.

"I love it. It's so you. It feels so new and refreshing. Also, you're so cute in it," he added pulling back from the hug and pinching her cheeks. Rapunzel pouted. "Fine, you were always cute," he grinned at her.

"Alright, I'm going to go look for some more clothes now," Rapunzel said, heading back to the shopping area after changing back. After a while, Rapunzel came back with all kinds of colorful outfits. They matched her playful personality. Flynn liked every single one of them, mainly because it was Rapunzel, but also because they were good combinations. On their way to the cash register Rapunzel grabbed some undergarments. They arrived at the front of the store and of course Flynn paid for it all. It came out to around two hundred dollars.

"Flynn, please let me pay some," Rapunzel begged him.

"No Blondie, I got this. You don't need to pay for it. Think of it as a present!" He said

"But-"

"No but's missy," He said, swiping his card. The cashier looked at them and smiled. What a cute couple… but Blondie? Isn't she a burnette? The cashier bagged the items and handed it to them.

"Thank you for shopping with us."

"No problem," Flynn said. The two walked out the shop hand in hand, as they usually do. They sat down in Flynn's car. Suddenly, Rapunzel's stomach grumbled. She covered her stomach with both her arms and looked at Flynn.

"That wasn't me," she lied.

"Oh really now? Getting hungry there Blondie?" He smirked.

"I said that wasn't me!"

"Whatever you say princess. What do you want to eat?" Flynn started up the car.

"Anything is fine…" Rapunzel sulked in her chair.

"How about some pizza?" Flynn suggested.

"Pizza?" Rapunzel questioned.

"You're kidding, right?"

"What's a pizza?" She asked in confusion. Flynn smacked his head. He felt bad for her, never experiencing the greatness of pizza.

"Blondie, you haven't lived at all," Flynn sighed and drove off to his usual pizzeria.

"Well, obviously," Rapunzel rolled her eyes. She had been locked up in her house for years. All her mother gave her was healthy food and lean proteins. She didn't live at all.

"Well today is going to be the best day of your life," Flynn assured her.

"What is this pizza anyways?" She emphasized the pizza.

"It's cheesy, doughy, oily goodness. It's God's gift upon this world, some say," Flynn joked around while describing it.

"Sounds kind of unhealthy," Rapunzel commented, her old habits still in her.

"Well duh. That's kind of the point."

"It does sound good though."

"It is Blondie, I promise." They finally arrived at the pizzeria. A bright neon sign flashed above it. The name was "Corona's Pizzeria."

"What an original name," Rapunzel giggled.

"I know the owners, and I'm so going to tell them you said that."

"Whatever Flynn," Rapunzel rolled her eyes. They walked through the front door and the armor of cheese and dough hit them. Rapunzel's eyes widened as she saw the place bustling with activity. There were all kinds of people sitting down enjoying their circular food. Families, young and old, couples and teenageers. Kids were running around and playing with one another. There were all kinds of things going on. That smell as well. It was something that Rapunzel had never smelled before. It smelled really good.

"So, what do you think?" Flynn nudged her.

"This is… new," is all she was able to get out when someone familiar walked up to them.

"Flynn! Rapunzel!" The teenage boy greeted.

"What's up Max," Flynn greeted back.

"Max? What are you doing here?" Rapunzel looked confused.

"What? Can't help out the folk's business?" Max laughed. Rapunzel looked at Max then back at Flynn.

"His parents are the owner?"

"Yup," Flynn wore a stupid grin on his face.

"So what are you two up to?" Max said, crossing his arms. He looked at Flynn and raised an eyebrow.

"We're here to eat, duh. This little lady right here has never had pizza," He said, placing his arm over Rapunzel's shoulder and pulling her closer to him.

"Really?" Max looked shocked. "Well, I'll make sure she has the best experience ever. Follow me, kind guests," Max winked at them and went to a booth. The two sat down next to each other and Max plopped himself down on the other side.

"What are you doing? Isn't this supposed to be the best experience ever," Flynn questioned Max.

"Well, if I'm here, it is the best experience ever," Max bragged. Flynn rolled his eyes and went with it. When Max wanted to do something, he would.

"So Max, anything new happening with you?" Rapunzel started a little small talk.

"Nothing much. Just school and work," he shrugged. "How about you? You two seem oddly closer then when I last saw you… also… Why weren't you guys at school today? Suspicious," Max shot out lots of comments.

"Well Max, you'll be the first person from school to know," Flynn said. "We're dating now."

Max eyes widened. "The Flynn Rider is dating a woman? Is the world going to end soon? Is it going to start raining down meteors?" Flynn scoffed.

"What do you mean? I could always stay with a girl, I just decided never to do it."

"Rapunzel, why are you dating this guy? You can do so much better," Max said, completely ignoring Flynn's comment.

"He's charming. He's also very kind to me so I can overlook his past," Rapunzel complimented him sweetly.

"Thank you Blondie."

"Wow, this is just all so crazy," Max shook his head. "Okay but why did you cut off your hair and dye it? Last time we talked you had long blonde hair."

"I just… wanted a change." That was all Rapunzel was willing to say. Max shrugged and didn't look too much into it.

"Well, lets order something shall we?" Flynn said, handing the menu to them.

"I know you don't need a menu Flynn, you already know what you're getting," Max said.

"It's for the lady, Max." Rapunzel thanked Flynn and flipped through the pages and saw all kinds of foods she never heard of. She was especially amused by the pizza. It looked so funny to her. It was kind of like the pies she baked but not as puffy and greasier.

"I don't really know anything about pizzas so I'll just have some of yours," she made up her mind. Flynn didn't mind and ordered his favorite, regular cheese pizza. It's plain, yet it's somewhat comforting to him. A waiter came over and took their orders and then went back to their conversation.

"So, why weren't you two at school?" Max asked, sipping on some apple juice.

"Didn't feel like it," Flynn shrugged, drinking his Coca-Cola.

"Rapunzel, are you sure about this guy? He seems to be affecting you already," Max looked at Rapunzel, concerned.

"I needed it too, so it's okay!" She smiled at him. "Plus, it's something new to me."

"Whatever you say then," Max gulped down the rest of his juice.

"So Max, how's the business been?" Flynn asked.

"It's been great actually," Max looked around them. The pizzeria was filled to the brim. The trio was lucky enough to find an empty seat, but it was in the far back. A slight smile appeared on Max's face as he quietly stared at everything.

Flynn leaned over to Rapunzel's ear. "Don't tell him I told you this, but his family used to be in a dire situation. They were on the verge of bankruptcy, actually."

"That's terrible!"

"Yeah, I know. Now they're in a great spot though, as you can obviously see." Max stared at them in silence.

"Hey Max…" Flynn awkwardly laughed.

"What were you two talking about?" Max raised an eyebrow. Flynn started whistling and looked around everywhere for some sort of excuse.

"Hey look, pizzas here!" Flynn blurted out. They all looked at the waiter as he placed down two large pies on the table. One normal cheese and one chicken alfredo. Flynn sighed in relief as he placed a slice onto Rapunzel's plate.

"I'm not a child!" Rapunzel complained.

"Yes, yes. Whatever you say princess," Flynn coddled her, causing her to puff her cheeks out. "You're just too cute for me not to." Rapunzel crossed her arms and looked away from him, but there was a slight smile on her face.

Max groaned as he watched the two. He wanted to throw up. They acted so cutesy with each other, and this was a side of Flynn he hasn't seen ever, and he never wanted to see it again. He reached for a piece of his pizza and began to gobble it down. While he was gobbling down his whole pizza, Rapunzel stared at the pizza. It was shiny and smelled amazing. It was something she never smelled before.

"Don't just stare at it Blondie, have a bite," Flynn noticed that she was just looking at it with wide eyes.

"Sorry, it just looks a little… different I guess?" She rubbed her chin.

"Don't think too much about it. Just enjoy what you have now," Flynn nudged her a little more, causing her to pick up the slice. She examined it closely. She felt the grease on her hand and the warmness of the dough. The cheese was melting, some stringy pieces hanging off the edges. Gulping, Rapunzel took a bite out of the triangle and let out a little squeal as the hot cheese burnt her tongue a bit. The gooeyness of the cheese and the firmness of the dough made a great combo. A smile appeared on Rapunzel's face as she continued to nibble on the pizza. It was heavenly.

"How is it Blondie?" Flynn winked at her. She nodded her head rapidly. She's so cute, just like a little animal Flynn was quite content. Max smiled at the two. They made a good couple. A bad, roguish man and a naive goody-goody woman. They were a perfect combo. Flynn continued to tease Rapunzel as she ate. She finished her first slice and let out a small burp.

"That was cute," Flynn laughed as he patted her back. Rapunzel frowned at him and reached for another slice. She was quick to devour that slice, and went on to the next.

"Wow, you sure can eat with your little body," Max commented as he finished up his first slice.

"Well what do you expect? Not only has she never had pizza before, but it is also your family's recipe. Who could resist?" Flynn knew that Max's family had made that recipe from scratch. They experimented and experimented, as he was the taste tester.

Rapunzel stopped at the third piece and rubbed her stomach. "Finally full?" Flynn asked, rubbing her stomach as well. Rapunzel nodded in content. Flynn ate the rest of the pizza, even though he could easily finish one by himself. Not that he was complaining about sharing with his lover. They finished their meals quickly. Flynn was about to call out to the waiter when Max interrupted him.

"Hey it's all good. You don't have to pay," Max told him.

"No man, I can't do that to you or your folks. I know you guys are fine now but it just doesn't feel right," Flynn admitted.

Max sat there, shocked. Is this really the Flynn he's known for four years? He's not accepting free pizza? What happened to him? It had to have been Rapunzel. "Alright, fine. Will you at least accept a 20% discount?"

"I don't know Max… It's just…"

"Just accept it Flynn," Rapunzel shook her head. "He's just being a good friend."

"Fine…" Flynn sighed, getting out some bills for the pizzas. He was still very reluctant about it. He wanted to turn a new leaf, but since Rapunzel told him to accept it, he just had to. He placed the bills on the table, not caring about change or anything. He got out of the booth and Rapunzel followed.

"I'll see you guys at school. I got some things to attend to," Max waved the duo goodbye and disappeared into the kitchen.

"Max is such a good guy" Rapunzel nodded her head in acceptance.

"Yes he his Blondie, yes he is."

The two walked out of the pizzeria and it was already dusk. The sun was about to set. The square was bustling with people, going in and out of shops. Flynn took Rapunzel's hand and they decided to walk off the food a bit. They browsed the shop's windows, looking at all kinds of clothing and jewelry. There were scents of food rising throughout. They did their best not to give in to temptations, but they couldn't help but grab churros. Flynn decided to try the chocolate flavor, while Rapunzel opted for the strawberry one. They sat down on a nearby bench and watched as people walked by. There were couples flirting with each other all around them. Kids ran around playing with each other, and their parents followed close behind. It was a nice scene to see. It was peaceful. It was like all was right.

"So Blondie… What should we do about your mother?" Flynn rubbed his neck, hanging his head.

Rapunzel shuddered a bit. "W-What brought this on?"

"Okay, I'll be honest with you," Flynn took in a deep breath, and exhaled. "I'm pretty sure I saw your mother back while we were shopping." Rapunzel's eyes widened as she stared at Flynn. She went silent, just looking at him.

Flynn looked up at her and saw a hint of disappointment. His heart started to ache. He hurt her, even though he promised not to. "Look, Rapunzel, I-"

"No Flynn. Not right now, just… just give me a little time to think okay?" Flynn wanted to dig a hole and just hide there forever. He didn't think much of it before, but looking back at it, he should've told her earlier. She was worried and disappointed for him. She wanted everything to be fine. She wanted to be with him. I just should've told her. I fucked up bad… Flynn thought.

Rapunzel sat there in silence still. A little bit of anger rose in her body. Why wouldn't he tell me something so important? Does he not trust me? Her head was spinning with lots of questions. This was her first real relationship with another human being. Gothel was the only person she knew up until a few days ago. She still hadn't adapted to everything. She was still that naive girl that had big dreams. She took in deep breaths and exhaled. She calmed herself down, trying to think rationally about the situation.

"So Flynn, why didn't you tell me earlier?" She finally asked him something. Flynn looked up to her, regret in his eyes.

"Look, Blondie, I don't know why I didn't tell you. Maybe I was scared-"

"Scared of what?" Rapunzel whispered.

Flynn felt his heart pounding. It ached. He wanted to tear it out. "I was scared that I would lose you, Rapunzel. I was scared that she would somehow find you and force you to go back home with her. I was scared that I'd be all alone. I was scared of losing someone so precious to me. I don't want that to happen to me again." Flynn sighed, drooping his head. "I'm sorry for not telling you. If you… if you don't want to see me for a bit, I'll understand."

Rapunzel stared at the new Flynn. He seemed so unconfident. It was so different, but it pained her. "No Flynn, I wouldn't leave you over something like that, okay? I was just overreacting."

"No, Rapunzel, you have every right to feel angry right now. I didn't let you know something so important," he pounded his hand on his knee. "I failed you."

Rapunzel felt tears forming in her eyes and wrapped her arms around Flynn. "No, don't say that Flynn. Please don't. I love you still, and I always will. Everyone makes mistakes, we just have to learn from them." She buried her face into his back. Flynn felt his shirt become a little damp, realizing she was crying. There were small sniffles and hiccups.

"Blondie…" He wanted to comfort her, but she suddenly sat up. Her eyes were a little red and puffy, but she had a little smile on her face.

"Look, Flynn. We will have our ups and down. You should know this. You are so precious to me. I would never leave you over something like this."

"I should know that. You should also know that I am truly sorry for what I did. I just, you know... I don't want to lose you…" Flynn's voice trailed off.

"Flynn, do you mind if I ask you something?"

"Go ahead Blondie. Ask me anything you want to. I'll answer to the best of my ability."

"What did you mean by 'again'?"

Flynn cringed. He let it slip out by accident, but there was no dodging this. He hurt her, so he had to pay her back somehow right? "Okay Blondie, you got me there." He let out a weak laugh. Rapunzel raised an eyebrow, and he shrugged. "Worth a shot."

"It's a sad tale. Are you sure you want to hear it?" Flynn said, getting comfortable on the bench. Rapunzel replied with a nod. "It all started when I was young. I had loving parents. They gave me everything I needed even though they weren't living the best life. I knew this too, so I tried not to be so greedy. Even though we were a little poor, life couldn't have been better."

Rapunzel tilted her head. It sounded like a happy story. "Just wait a bit Blondie. Anyways, a year passes and I'm finally turning five. I was left at home while my parents went to run some errands alongside getting me my presents. I didn't ask for much, just a new book I always wanted to read: The Tales of Flynnigan Rider." Rapunzel scratched her head a bit. That name was very similar to someone she knew.

"I waited and waited, but my parents never came home. It was already late into the night when I heard a knock on the door. I opened up the door, expecting to see mother and father, but instead was someone I never knew. He kneeled down to my height and told me something I never wanted to hear." Rapunzel's eyes widened, knowing where this was going.

Flynn let out a deep breath, "He…" tears formed in his eyes, threatening to fall out. He steadied himself and let it out. "He told me that my parents had died in a fatal crash. They were walking on the crosswalk when a speeding car ran the light and hit them. They didn't survive the hit."

Rapunzel gasped as he told this tragic scene. Her eyes were burning, tears wetting her cheeks. "Flynn… I'm so sorry," She said, hugging him.

"It's alright Blondie," he embraced back. "After that, they sent me to an orphanage. I stayed there for a bit until I got into middle school. Since then, I've been on my own. It hasn't been easy, that's for sure, but that suffering was so worth it."

"Why is that?" Rapunzel asked quietly.

"Because I met you," Flynn whispered into her ear. She felt a shock run through her body. She lifted her head to look into his beautiful, brown eyes. He stared back at her, a smile on his face. She leaned in, planting her lips on his. Flynn was a little shocked at first, but got comfortable with it real quick. Electric jolted through their bodies. They kissed and kissed, getting some attention from some people around them. They didn't care though. They just wanted to enjoy each other's company. Rapunzel was the first to break away. She looked at him and showed a small smile.

"You are quite the fiesty one missy," he said in a small voice.

"It's all because of you," Rapunzel giggled.

"There's something else I haven't told you Blondie." Rapunzel tilted her head, confused.

"And what would that be Flynn?"

"My real name…" he hesitated.

"Your real name?"

"My real name is Eugene. Eugene Fitzherbert." Flynn just went through with it. He might as well get out all his secrets. Rapunzel smiled at him.

"Eugene, huh, I like it." She nodded her head. "Eugene, Eugene, Eugene."

Eugene rolled his eyes. "Stop that Blondie. I know you don't like it."

"No, seriously, I love it. It suits you more than Flynn."

"Really?"

"Really."

They smiled at each other and just stared. They stared at each other. They felt even more connected now after that whole fiasco. They loved each other more. They just felt something there. They felt themselves growing.

"So, about your mother?" Eugene decided to go back to this. They didn't reach a conclusion yet.

"Well… do we have to do something?" Rapunzel pouted.

"We do, or else I might get charged with kidnapping," Eugene joked, causing his lover to frown. "Kidding, Blondie, kidding. But we have to confront her eventually." Rapunzel went silent, looking down at the ground.

Eugene cupped her hands in his, gripping them tightly. "We can wait till you're ready, Rapunzel. Then we'll do it together."

"That… That sounds good."

Flynn stood up, and stepped back, reaching his hand out to her. "Together?" Rapunzel smiled brightly, and reached out to take his hand.

"Together."

End of Chapter 6

A/N: Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! It's a little hard for me to write emotions without being sappy, but it is what it is. It's currently 2:20am, but I wanted to get this chapter out before I went to sleep. I honestly love writing this because it gives me freedom to think of the characters. Anyways, I'm going to head off to sleep. I would really like some feedback so leave a review if you want to! Or a follow and favorite.

Bon voyage!