"Hey Rapunzel." Astrid breathed, "Or I mean-uh- Rae. Hello Rae. Great to see you. What brings you here, Rae?"
Jack felt as if he'd been punched in the jest. Color left his face and swirled in his vision. A quick jab from Hiccup brought the world back into focus.
"Hide." he hissed.
Rapunzel furrowed her brows at the noise.
"What was that?" she asked taking a step into the apartment.
"Nothing!" Astrid yelped, grabbing her by the shoulders and turning her in the direction opposite the kitchen, "The air conditioning is on the fritz. Been making crazy noises all day."
Rapunzel raised an eyebrow, "It's the middle of the winter."
"Yes well-"
Seeing how quickly the blonde's attempts at a distraction were fleeting, Hiccup thought fast. He gave a squeeze too Jack's arm.
'Get down' he mouthed.
Jack nodded, falling to his knees like a silent jungle cat and army crawling into the living room. Hiccup grabbed the thin green blanket off the couch and draped it over the coffee table just as Jack shimmied underneath. He was totally concealed, shrouded in dark green wool. The scene almost brought the Haddock to a chuckle. A very similar situation took place the time Jack had turned down Ruffnut at Stoick's 4th of July barbecue. Hiccup kept her attention while Jack crawled under one of the crowded picnic tables where he would be forced to remain all evening or else risk being be ripped to shreds.
"Hiccup?" Rapunzel materialized behind him, making him jump.
"Hey Rae," his voice cracked, "how are you?"
She stared at him with a flat expression. Astrid stood beside her with a nervous smile.
"Well I'm going to let you guys chat." she sighed maneuvering toward her fiancé.
"Bye babe," Hiccup murmured, not taking his eyes off the brunette.
"Bye hun," she kissed the side of his cheek, her lips grazing his ear lobe, "good luck."
Avoiding any further eye contact, she sped towards the door and shut it with a loud 'bang'. Silence filled the small apartment like a thick, heavy toxin. Hiccup cleared his throat.
"So," he tried to small talk, "can I get you a drink or anything? I can take your coat."
Rapunzel stepped backward, pulling her arms around herself.
"That's alright, Hic. I won't be staying long."
He ran a hand through his hair. For the first time since she came in, Rapunzel looked him dead in the eye.
"Jack." she said so quietly he almost missed it.
Shrouded by the makeshift table cloth Jack drew a quick breath. He felt as though his lungs were made of leather.
Hiccup sighed, "Rae I really am so sorry about this morning. I didn't want to tell you without warning but Merida insisted that we do it as soon as possible and you weren't answering you cell and-"
"Hic," she interrupted, "I'm not here to yell at you. I just got off the phone with Mer and had the chance to vent. My madness is spent."
He gave her a questioning look which quickly filled with concern. Sighing again and taking her hand Hiccup fell backward onto the couch. The pair slowly sank into the cushions, shoulders touching. By habit, he turned his shoulders so he faced the brunette and began weaving a small braid into her hair. Rapunzel let herself relax for a moment. Everything about the scene felt right, familiar, like home.
One night during the summer before junior year, Rapunzel had snuck over to Hiccup's apartment after an explosive fight with the mother from hell. He hadn't asked any questions. He knew she wouldn't be able to answer. He just opened his window when she knocked and let her curl up on his worn out sofa. The boy's steady heart beat and Toothless' quiet panting became her regular lullaby.
"So," Hiccup breathed, "if you're not mad- er, as mad as you were, why are you here?"
She was silent again for a moment, eyes boring into the dark void of the TV screen.
"I don't know what to do, Hic. I never thought-" she bit her lip, "I didn't think I'd ever seen him again."
Jack squirmed uncomfortably, a fowl taste filling his mouth. Hiccup cocked an eyebrow.
"C'mon, that's not true."
Haddock knew he was treading in dangerous waters, but he also knew his friend better than almost anyone. Even though she didn't want to admit it, Rapunzel knew he was right.
"It was more of a stupid hope than a knowing." she muttered, "I've played the scenario over a million times in my head but it's been five years, Hiccup. I'd given up. And now he's here and I'm completely lost."
Hiccup glanced down at the coffee table as if he could reach Jack telepathically.
"Just take it slow." he said in a soft voice, "When you're ready, you and he can talk things out. And I mean everything."
Fear gripped her heart with cold, thin fingers. She bolted upright, stopping Hiccup mid-braid.
"No!" she gasped moving backward, "I can't tell him! He can't know! Not now, not ev-"
The blanket bunched around her ankle, causing her to stumble and fall, pulling the cloth with her. The next instant seemed to tick by in slow motion. Her green eyes met his icy blue ones and for a moment, it was as if he'd never left. It was as if the love was still there, untainted by the hurt and the anger of the last five years. But time returned to normal and brought reality with it. All the fantasies of this moment came unwelcome to her mind, fantasies of long embraces and tearful apologizes, but she pushed them aside. Her situation was no fantasy, just some sick joke. But she refused to be the punch line.
Tearing he gaze from Jack's, Rapunzel stood up slowly. Her movements were cautious, as if any wrong turn would cause the floor beneath them to collapse. Blue eyes searched her from some sign, a hidden message that would tell him what to say. It was useless. Her face was unreadable.
"Hello Jack." she said robotically, "It's been awhile."
The young man, who had by now shimmied out from under the coffee table, just stared up at her in disbelief. He'd been mentally preparing himself since they'd left the dance studio for an eruption of anger, a tsunami of tears, something cathartic. But this statue of a woman was completely throwing him off. Hiccup, who had been watching the skit play out in silence, cleared his throat in a shaky rasp. Jack rose to a standing position so he now looked down on the petite brunette, her eyes boring into him like knives.
"Rapunzel I-" he began.
Words died in his throat. What was there he could say? Finally, her face changed. Instead of a blank slate a small twinge of disgust spread across her features.
"Please don't call me that." she said a little louder than intended, "I don't go by that name anymore."
Jack looked at her with furrowed brows, glancing over his shoulder at Hiccup. Hiccup pressed his lips together in a hard line and raised his shoulders, a classic Haddock expression that said 'think you idiot'. Running over the past scene in his mind, the light-bulb finally went off in his head.
"I'm sorry, Rae." the name rolled off his tongue awkwardly, like a foreign language.
She visibly relaxed and the entire atmosphere of the apartment seamed to mellow.
"So I guess we should talk about, well," she searched for words, "us."
Jack couldn't speak; he could barely breath. He managed a small, eager nod. The corners of her lips twitched. Looking over his shoulders, her eyes eyes met Hiccups and narrowed.
"My apartment," she said, "we can talk there. I have to get back to the studio but here-"
She pulled out a pen from her coat pocket and held out her hand. Unconsciously, Jack extended his arm. Taking his wrist, she began scribbling something on his palm. He tried to keep a straight face as the ink tickled his skin. She pulled away and he could read the script.
604 Hidden Tower Apartments, 3rd Avenue
"Hey," he noticed, "this isn't that far from the Duckling."
Rapunzel nodded.
"You can stop by tonight. Seven o'clock. Don't be late"
Without another word, she turned on her heel and headed toward the door.
"Punz-" Jack started, "-er I mean, Rae, wait!"
She stopped as her fingers ghosted across the door handle. She didn't turn to look at him.
"Thank you," he said softly, "for the chance."
Still with her back to him, she sighed.
"Just don't be late." she turned the handle and sped down the hallway.