Chapter Seven: Lights

Jack leaned against Hiccup's desk as he tried to look over his best friend's shoulder. "What're you doing, Hic?" he asked, catching the corner of the paper in his fingers.

"Hey!" The scrawny boy shouted, jumping up. "There is this thing called 'privacy'- "

"Dear Merida," Jack read out, walking around the small length of the room, holding Hiccup at a distance with a firm hand on his friend's chest. He then paused and raised an eyebrow at Hiccup's flushed face. "Isn't Merida that princess we performed for a while back?"

"N-no!" Hiccup flustered, making a grab for the paper. Jack jumped out of the way and skipped down to the third paragraph of writing.

"Toothless misses you, and it's pretty boring without you around-" Jack gave Hiccup an accusing look, "Hic, did you fall in love with a princess?"

Hiccup turned a bright shade of red. "No! Merida and I are just very good friends who happen to write letters-"

"I'm sorry that your mom is trying to make you get married. It's really unfair… " Jack trailed off and looked back to Hiccup, who was trying to mask a pained look that twisted at his face. Jack let his arm fall and handed the paper back to Hiccup, who snatched it up quickly and tucked it in his pocket. "Look man…" Jack started, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. "I'm sorry about that."

"No, no it's fine." Hiccup said, sticking his hands in his pockets.

Jack sighed, "that's gotta be rough."

Hiccup shrugged into a nod and sighed before bitterly replying with a soft chuckle,"Yeah. It is."

TTT

Toothiana let her head rest on Pitch's bare chest, enjoying the feeling of his fingers running through her hair.

"How long do you have before the theatre needs you?" She asked, looking up to meet his eyes. He took a breath and pulled her closer to him.

"I think that they can keep the place from falling apart for a little while longer." He rubbed his thumb in circles on her arm, pausing for a moment. "I'm sorry that I haven't been home, love. It's been hectic trying to get the new act polished."

Toothiana sat up, brushing a dark stray hair back out of his face. "How is that going?" She asked. He smiled, showing a sliver of his white teeth.

"Much better, I think we may be able to have our first show next Friday-"

"Really?" Toothiana chirped happily, taking his hand. "That's wonderful!" His hand slipped to her waist as he sat up next to her. She gave him a sly smile. "We should celebrate."

Pitch sighed, "I actually wanted to talk to you about that."

Toothiana tilted her head to the side and slipped her fingers in his. "What do you mean?"

"North said something about having a party a few nightsbefore the show… to celebrate everyone's hard work."

Toothiana nodded. "That seems like a good idea." She said.

"That is what I told him." Pitch replied. "But I don't want it to seem as though we are flaunting our wealth-"

Tooth rolled her eyes and poked him in the chest playfully. "So… you want me to buy new clothes for one party so we don't flaunt our wealth?"

Pitch looked at her exasperatedly, "You know that's not what I meant."

Tooth giggled and took his hand, pressing a kiss to it. "I know, I know." She smiled slyly. "I was just playing with you."

He smirked at her and placed a hand on her cheek, pulling her lips to his. "Maybe I should take some time and play with you."

TTT

"One, two, three!" A chorus of men chanted as -all in perfect synchronization- they pulled on the thick ropes attached to the thick cloth of the circus tent. With a creak and a shutter, the bright red and yellow figure rose up and filled out, taking the shape of a large tent.

Aster grunted, gritting his teeth as he wound the rope around his hand, trying to gain a better grip as his boots slid through the dirt. Sweat ran down his dust stained face as he regained his balance, stepping back and pulling back on the rope hard, despite his burning muscles.

"Alright lads," A voice from the opposite side of the tent shouted, "Tie'em down."

Bunny fell to one knee, knotting his rope around the iron stake that had been hammered into the ground just before they had raised the main tent. When he finished, he gave the rope a quick tug, assuring that it would not come undone.

He sighed happily, getting to his feet despite the creaking in his knees. A broad hand clapped him on the back. "Oof!" Bunny grunted, stumbling forward as he hadn't yet caught his breath.

"Oh, sorry about that, Bunnymund." A familiar voice said, chuckling good-naturedly. Aster turned around, pushing back his short strands of blue-gray hair as his green eyes met the lumbering figure of Ralph. He was a large fellow with massive hands made for lifting. He wore bright orange overalls with a red shirt underneath. He gave Bunny a gap-toothed grin. "I didn't mean to knock you 'round to hard."

Aster nodded, the sudden thought of how much Tooth would've fawned over the little gap flashing in his mind before he quickly stifled it. "Ah it wasn't too bad, mate." Bunny righted himself as he walked across the field to help set up a much smaller tent. This one was meant for the workers and performers to sleep in so they wouldn't have to travel from the ship to the circus grounds everyday for performances.

That tent was nowhere near as difficult, as it's size and the weight of the tarp was nowhere near as extreme as that of the Big Top's.

He helped the others set up a few more, a tent for food, a tent for the animals, and a tent for all the props that the performers used.

After that, he moved in-between the ship and the circus grounds, helping transport the various animals to their cages in the animal tent. When he finally stopped and took a minute to rest, he walked towards the food tent, which had an ample supply of cool water already waiting.

He took a swig of it, enjoying the cool feeling of the water sliding down his throat. Aster then tossed the metal cup in the dirty dishes bin when a small figure ran straight into his knees.

"Bun-Bun!" A small voice cried out gleefully. Aster chuckled, reaching down and swinging Sophie up onto his shoulder despite its soreness from the day's work.

"Hey there, Soph." He said as she giggled, hanging onto his head for balance as they tromped through the tent outside, where the sun was nearly setting, causing the grounds to turn a bright golden-orange.

"Where's pretty lady?" She asked, turning her head from side to side, searching for something.

"Pretty lady?" Bunny asked as Sophie began to gently tug on his, rather large, ears.

"Mhmm." She hummed. "She wore pretty dresses and smiled like this." Bunny took a moment to glance up at Sophie, who had spread her lips in a bright smile.

Aster raised an eyebrow. "Soph…" He paused. "Are you talking about Toothiana?"

The small girl nodded excitedly, her shaggy blonde hair flopping against her forehead. "I like that lady." She smiled.

Bunny shifted his shoulders uncomfortably before he quickly changed the subject. "I thought you were sick, Soph."

The little girl giggled. "I am." She said. "I threw up." She said, proudly crossing her arms.

"Soph!" Bunny chided, lifting her off his shoulder and giving her a look of, 'why didn't you tell me, little sheila?'.

She just giggled and pressed her tiny hands to his cheeks, pushing up so that the skin around his eyes bulged out. "Alright, ya little ankle-biter." Aster said as he pushed back the flap of the tent, walking to the bed that Jamie and Sophie shared. "Off to bed with you."

He tucked her in, pulling the covers all the way up to her chin as her eyes already began to close. He sat by her side, patting her leg gently as he eased her to sleep. Suddenly, she softly asked, "How come I don't have a mommy?"

Aster felt his heart pang and he looked down at the small girl, whose green eyes peered at him with youthful innocence. He sighed, running his fingers through his hair as he tried to think of what to say, but how do you tell a little girl her parents are dead? How do you explain that to someone you love?

Just as he opened her mouth to speak, Sophie suddenly interrupted him. "I really like Miss Toothiana." Aster smiled at her.

"Me too, sheila."

Sophie's little eyebrows crinkled as she fisted the covers tightly in her pudgy little hands. "Do you think she'd be my mommy?"

Bunny felt his heart twist in pain. Sophie was too young for this. She didn't deserve it… to live a life where you can't become attached because, no matter how much one may deny it, you must always leave them behind. Onto the next act, the next town…

Never to see them again.

Aster cleared his throat before he stood up, once again pulling the blankets up to her chin. "Sleep tight, Soph." He said, giving her a quick kiss on the forehead.

He heard her sigh as she rolled over. He turned down the light, low enough so that she could sleep, but high enough so that if she woke up the shadows wouldn't frighten her.

Bunny pushed back the tent flap and walked outside, pretending that the burning in his eyes was not because of tears. He didn't cry. He never cried. He was too tough for that.

He sighed, thoughts of Toothiana crashing against him. Her smile, her laugh… the way flour smeared on her cheeks. Aster ran his fingers through his hair. It was impossible to fall in love after a few days, wasn't it?

TTT

Jack stood with his feet planted just outside the back exit of Gothel's tower, his arm outstretched towards the blonde girl in front of him, whose hair had been piled into one thick braid that stopped at her ankles. Her green eyes were wide with anxiety and second thoughts as she stared at the invisible line between the wooden floors of the storage room and the dirty cobblestone street of the alleyway.

"Don't worry." He assured, holding out his hand as he smiled at her.

He watched her pause and turn back to the darkness of the room behind her… of the tower. When she looked back at him, she giggled nervously before slipping her hand into his. "I wont." She answered.

Jack smiled pulling her against his side, across the invisible line. "Come on." He took off down the street, Rapunzel following after him, laughing gleefully as the sun danced off her golden hair.

He led her through a few alleyways, cutting across little streets so that no one would see that they were leaving from the back door of Gothel's restaurant.

Jack slowed when they broke into one of the main streets, which looked as though it had been blocked off for some kind of festival, allowing the townspeople to mill through the streets freely with bags of… well, Jack didn't know. Clothes, maybe?

He turned and smirked at Rapunzel, whose eyes were wide as she looked from the little shops that lined the streets to the music performers that played their violins with more fervor that Jack had ever seen.

Just as he opened his mouth to suggest that they go to a shop or something, Rapunzel yanked him to the side, causing him to choke on his own words as she plowed through the crowd.

"Look at that!" She exclaimed, bouncing on the balls of her feet as she pointed at something in a shop window. Jack leaned over her shoulder to see what it was that she was so excited about.

A little cupcake sat on a shiny silver tray, decorated with swirly pink frosting and golden sprinkles. Jack chuckled as Rapunzel pressed her nose against the glass.

"I've only seen frosting done like that in my cookbooks!" She gushed, squeezing his hand. "I always wanted to do it, but I'd never been able to figure it out." She looked at the small cake with wide eyes before she backed away from the window. She gently tugged on Jack's arm. "Alright, we can-"

"Wait here." Jack instructed, handing his staff over to Rapunzel who looked at it curiously for a moment before returning her gaze to Jack, opening her mouth to speak right as he pushed open the bakery's door.

Jack slipped his pale hand into his pocket, fingering the two bills he had, along with several coins.

It was his measly amount of money that he earned for performing as a tightrope artist at the circus. He'd asked North for his monthly wage two weeks ahead of time, and when Jack had explained why, North had given him a little extra.

It had been generous, but Jack had never intended on spending the money on himself.

He pointed at the cupcake in the window to the pastry chef, who held out a large hand expectantly. Jack coughed up a few coins and the man slipped him the cupcake.

The snowy-haired boy held it carefully in his hands as he pushed open the door with his free hand. As soon as he stepped outside, Rapunzel hurried towards him, holding his staff in her hands.

He offered the cupcake to her, watching as happily as her face broke out in a bright smile. "You didn't have to do that!" She exclaimed as Jack traded the cupcake for his staff.

Jack just shook his head, smiling as he said, "It was nothing."

Rapunzel smiled, looking up at him shyly.

"Go ahead." Jack said, gesturing towards the cupcake in her hand. Rapunzel paused and lifted the cake to her lips, hesitating and looking at him before she took a bite.

"Mmm," she hummed, closing her eyes as she tilted her head back before smiling and nodding at Jack. "It's good." She said before offering it to him.

"No, that's yours-" Jack tried before Rapunzel just pushed the sweet into his face.

"I want to share it." Rapunzel clarified lifting up the cupcake up to him. Jack leaned in, a small smile playing his lips as sunk his teeth into the soft cake, enjoying the sweet taste of the frosting of his tongue.

He wiped a bit of frosting off his lip, smirking. "Thank you." He said.

Rapunzel looked up at him hopefully, "It's good?"

Jack chuckled before lifting the sweet up to her lips. "Yeah."

Rapunzel giggled shyly before taking another bite. Jack felt his cheeks flush as she took the cake from him. He smiled slightly when he saw her cheeks turn pink. Jack stepped around her, watching as she turned and walked with him down the street, looking in windows and talking about the strange little items that gazed back at them.

Rapunzel curled her fingers around his sleeve as she dragged him across the road to the street performers, who played their fiddles with a bright excitement that pulsed through the streets. Her hand rested on his wrist, light touches of her fingertips grazing over his pulse, raising little goose bumps across his spine.

He watched her eyes glow with excitement as watched the musicians, a small smile playing on her lips as she slipped her arm into the crook of his elbow. Jack felt a warm flutter in his chest as he let her lean against him.

Suddenly, a thought popped into his mind. Jack swung Rapunzel around so that she faced him. He placed a hand on her waist before pulling her into a twirl, watching as her hair swung around her ankles.

The sound of her bright tinkling laugh brought a smile to his face as he quickly lifted her into a spin, loving the feeling of her hands on his shoulders.

He set her down, still leading her through the jumbled steps of a dance he'd made up as he went.

Neither Jack nor Rapunzel noticed the townsfolk around them begin to join in, a swirl of skirts and colors that bled together. Laughter spilled through the air as hearts beat in time with the drums.

Rapunzel through her head back and laughed as Jack slipped his hands into hers, abandoning the clumsy steps for spinning in wide circles.

Jack chuckled and cheered as Rapunzel shrieked with happiness, falling against his chest as the music slowed to a stop.

"That was wonderful." She gasped, her cheeks flushed as Jack took up her hand in his. Then she turned and looked around, "Where is everyone going?" She asked when she realized the people where all congregating somewhere down the streets by the waterfront.

Jack simply smiled mischievously, pulling her out of the crowd and into a small alley that led closer to the shops near the shipping ports; this pathway, though smaller, was quicker and led directly to a small little store right above the ocean.

Jack walked around the side of the small building, a dress shop, and let down a long black ladder that led up to the roof, although the original intent for the staircase was as a fire escape.

Jack gave Rapunzel his hand, helping her up as she stepped onto the ladder and climbed up the building, stepping out onto the roof.

His heart pounding, Jack intertwined his fingers with hers. He looked away when he felt her turn towards him, trying to hide the red that quickly stained his cheeks. "So…" he said, suddenly feeling very nervous. Jack cleared his throat, gently guiding her to the edge of the building where he sat; letting his feet dangle of the edge.

He felt her sink beside him, her hip brushing against his as they stared out at the sea. The light had turned a sweet gold as the sun sank below the skyline. Jack spared a glance at the young woman next to him as the sky slowly darkened and the city's lights dimmed as the stars began to glow above them.

Rapunzel's hand tightened around his as her eyes flitted across the sky.

"Are you nervous?" Jack asked, bumping into her teasingly.

Rapunzel laughed lightly, brushing a strand of hair that had fallen from her braid out of her face. "No," She paused before looking at him guiltily. Rapunzel sighed, "Yes."

Jack leaned forward intently, wanting to hear what else she had to say.

"It's just…" She shook her head. "I've lived in that tower my whole life, not knowing anyone until now." She smiled at him and Jack felt as though he could fly right into the sky. Rapunzel looked back up towards the sky, "and it's been my only dream to see the lights." She hesitated, biting her lower lip gently. "What if they're not everything that I hoped they would be?"

Jack smiled playfully, giving her hand a comforting squeeze. "It will be more."

He watched her eyes widen as her face snapped up at his words, an almost sad smile on her face. "What will I do then?" She shrugged, "I'll have lost my dream."

Jack smirked and –despite the thundering in his chest and the queasiness in is stomach- placed a hand on her cheek. "You'll just find a new one."

Rapunzel's face lit up as she leaned into his touch. Jack's throat constricted as they leaned in, his palms sweating profusely as their faces came closer together.

Then, he saw a glimmer of light at the shore opposing the city. "Look." He whispered, nudging her gently.

He watched as her mouth dropped and she leapt to her feet, her braid gently whacking him in the face. He chuckled as she scurried down the length of the roof, watching the little glowing lights grow closer.

A gentle breeze lifted the glowing objects closer, crossing the water between the not-so-distant shores. Jack stood up, trying to get a better view. It looked like the lights were actually… lanterns.

He turned and saw Rapunzel standing on her tiptoes, reaching up to touch on of the lanterns with a slender finger, but it was just barely out of reach.

Jack crossed over to her, his feet quiet as he reached her, easily reaching up and pulling down the lantern so it glowed between them, a small sun embellished on the side.

Her gaze met his, and her brows furrowed, as though she were suddenly seeing him in a different light.

She reached forward, covering is hands with hers on either side of the lantern, not noticing the hundreds of others floating around their little place on the roof. She smiled softly before guiding his arms up towards the sky and releasing the lantern, watching it float away into the sea of lights.

Her hands didn't leave his as she stepped closer, until they were chest to chest. She looked up at him and Jack felt like he was going to pass out… or throw up… in fact, it would probably be both.

Rapunzel looked just as nervous and uncertain as he felt as she rose up on her toes, leaning forward. Jack slowly began to let his eyes close, feeling her hear beat crazily against his.

They were going to kiss. It was going to happen-

He felt her smooth lips on his cool cheek, pressing gently against him as her eyelashes fluttered softly.

She pulled away, her cheeks burning intensely as she looked at her feet. "Th- Thank you." She said shyly as she laughed nervously.

Jack looked down at her dumbly, not even realizing he had a wide grin on his face.

"Trust me, Punzie." He replied, " I should be the one thanking you."

TTT

Toothiana sat on the chair in her home's library, a book sitting absently on her lap as she gazed out the window at the lanterns that glowed, floating lightly through the air.

She sighed, a heavy feeling of sadness weighing on her chest. She shouldn't feel sad. Not after Pitch had come home and spent the morning with her. Despite her inward chidings, she still felt a sharp pang of sadness.

Pitch used to watch the lights with her, even if it was just from the comfort of their home.

She stood, setting the book down on the counter next to the chair as she walked to the window.

Toothiana pressed her fingers to the cool glass, seeing her reflection gazing back mixed in with the glowing softness of the lights beyond.

She was surprised at the way she looked: tired… and sad. No. She had no reason to be sad, she had everything she could ever want, and she'd finally had some time with Pitch.

She couldn't blame him for not coming back; he just had so many things to do with rehearsals and the new act. It wasn't his fault that he'd forgotten.

She should have reminded him anyways…

Toothiana tugged uncomfortably at the scarf around her neck. It covered up the red mark Pitch had given her. It hadn't been the first time Pitch had given her love bites, in fact, they used to be very common during the early days of their marriage, but this was the first time it had made her feel… uncomfortable.

Toothiana shrugged the feeling off as she turned away from the window.

It's nothing. She quickly reminded herself. You're being silly.

Yet she couldn't shake the heavy feeling that weighed down on her like a thick fog.

She shook her head before pressing her hands on either side of her temple. It's nothing. She tried again, isn't it?

Tears burned her eyes and she quickly bit down on her lip. It's nothing.

A/N: Sorry about the late update! Please review! What do you like, what don't you like, what do you think will happen, what do you hope will happen? I know this chapter was a little cheesy, but honestly, sometimes I think life needs a little cheesy, fluffy, sweetness, haha.

To answer the question about Tooth's age, yes, she's about twenty-one or twenty-two.

I really hope you enjoyed! Thank you for reading!