A/N: Suicidal thoughts and talk, be warned.

All of which was at least already written before I watched this one part of this one interview with Zac. (I was just there for the Zac.) Again, suicidal thoughts and talk in there, too.


Suitors of Rapunzel

Ch14 Day 1

playlist on Youtube as SoR - Ch14: Day 1


Eugene knelt back from scrubbing and wiped his brow with his forearm, sweeping his bangs away, but smearing sweat and blood across it in the process. He looked down at his work.

"I am never gettin' this outta here…"

Water, soap, the brush, and elbow grease had loosened up much of the old dried blood, but the porous grout and even the stone tiles had already soaked up too much from too long ago now. The grout was forever dyed; the tiles stained.

Even in the dark, he had already cleaned up the hair and mirror glass, but not unscathed. As he had wound it up in his arms, there was always some tiny shard he had missed, to cut him yet again. The hair he set aside for now. The chains and knife he tossed in the downstairs bedroom, with a shudder. He closed the door again quick.

He had had to poke around to find a bucket and scrub brush. Then the spout at the sink had taken so many pumps he was not sure if it would even work, and had contemplated just going downstairs to scoop a bucket's worth out of the stream. But a certain type of stubbornness was running extra high in him. Finally, he had felt the pressure returning something, and the spout had glugged out a few cups of water.

But as he had paid attention to it, he sighed in a different frustration. One of the valves is loose… Figures. Who knows how old this place actually is, and it's not like Blondie could exactly get the right tools or parts to fix freakin' plumbing. How long was she struggling doing chores with the pump only half working? Still, he had managed to get the bucket filled; it just took twice as long.

He then had spent most of the past few hours on his hands and knees, scrubbing.

As he looked the area over, the scene replayed out in his mind over and over. It had been an endless loop all night.

But then one time, a real sunbeam appeared.

What the…?

He turned around to look out the window.

The sun was up.

Wow… Really stayed up all night doing this… –wait-

He looked at the clock.

"Oh shit!"


Rapunzel spent most of the night awake in bed right how she was, staring out her balcony door.

Once the sun began rising, and color and light returned, she finally fell asleep. Her body's own depressed response: to flee and hide from the brightness, from hope. The hope that he would return at any point in the night - after her mother left, after midnight, after the rain stopped - had all proven painfully fruitless. Sleep had the chance to be painless, or at least less painful than the awareness of reality: a reality where he was not present.

Even the fleeting, dreams that would come with sleep, were preferable. A false image in her mind of his face was a million times better than his side of the bed gone cold.


Eugene grimaced worse and worse, but with only compounding determination, as his horse tore through the forest.

She's INSANE. She was born with the power of the fucking sun in her. A whole legend just because she was kidnapped, let alone the magic. Can charm the Devil into Church.

She's this mythical force. Larger than life. The most powerful woman I know of.

Being thrown to wolves! Pearls before swine!

BUT I KNOW WHAT SHE IS!

She is wild. She is kindness incarnate. But she is chaos. She is impossible for most people to ever truly understand.

So if she doesn't want me, to be her destined partner myself – then that does not change my privileged perspective, my overflowing heart, my honor, sworn on that love, for the promises I made.

I will always love you. I will always protect you.

This may involve tearing this heart out and shutting it back up like it was, but I will NEVER abandon you, Blondie!


Eugene could hear that the meeting room was already occupied as he hurried down the hall. Familiar muttering and chatting, throats clearing, papers shuffling, things landing and being moved about the table, and chairs squeaking across the floor.

Sleep deprivation at least dulled his nerves. He did not hesitate as he opened the door, but then froze there as all other movement in the room came to a halt.

All eyes shot up at him, and pinned themselves there.

He glanced around blankly as he gasped to catch his breath. Normal day. It's just a normal day. His eyes found the King's surprised ones. Right?

Tom jumped up from his seat and hurried to him, stopping only once they were pressed chest to chest, his hands gripping his upper arms tight.

Eugene kept his tired eyes locked with the King over Tom's shoulder.

"Fitz," he whispered low to him, "Whot are you doing here?"

He looked at Tom's worried face. "Meeting, right? For the…"

"Yes, but…" Tom licked his lips. "But are you going to be alright?"

"I'm fine," he insisted too much. "And I'm still-" He switched back to the King. "You said I could stay on the committee. Last night, you said-"

"Yes," the King nodded, "Yes I did."

"Well, then…?" Eugene squeaked, worried, on the verge of embarrassment more than any kind of disobedience. If I'm really not allowed- I didn't mean to crash it- but he said-!

"Well," the King smirked, "You're late." He pointed to the grandfather clock against the wall.

Eugene and Tom both glanced at the time.

6:11. Eugene sighed, still gasping. After depositing the horse back in the stables, he had dodged Max again and run all the way here. "My apologies, Sir. I had a lot farther to go this morning than I expected."

"Where were y-" Tom began to whisper, but Eugene was already shaking his head at him.

"That's perfectly fine," the King waved him in.

Eugene nodded, bringing a hand up to take Tom's wrist.

The King continued, "We were about to give up waiting on you," he nodded, "But I'm glad you made it." With that, he busied himself again with the papers in front of him.

Tom still worried at him. "Yor shor yor alright?"

Eugene lowered his eyes and pouted, but nodded. "Yeah," he croaked, "Yeah, I'll be okay."

Tom raised his brow. "Not going to be a loose cannon now?"

Eugene tried to crack a smile. "Feel more like a glass cannon, actually." He blew out a long sigh. "Man, I'm spent. But I'm okay," he nodded again, "I'm here to work."

Tom smiled painfully, and rubbed his arms as he stepped back. He looked him up and down, but then did a double take as his eyes and mouth flew wide at his state. "Is that blood? Is that- and whose-?!" His gritted teeth cringed, fearful of the answer.

"Huh?" Sleepy besides all the other reasons he was tired to his core, Eugene looked at him, then followed his eyes back to his own chest and arms. Each sleeve cuff was rolled up, and where the loosened blood had not washed back off, it still stained his forearms, with some re-dried flakes stuck in his arm hair. The same bright red marks appeared on his chest, where he had touched from either an itch or discomfort from sweat. Around and under his nails, red to brown gunk was still lodged.

"Oh. Uh, yeah..." His eyes narrowed, seemingly confused by his own answer, shaking his head out for how strange this truth was. "Yeah, it's blood but, it's just mine. I'm f-f…" He had to take a deep breath and hold his side. "I'm fine now..."

"Eugene?" the King called as well, showing he was following their private conversation with just as much concern.

Eugene smiled politely and held his hand up to wave their worries away. "It's fine. Nothing new. I was, uh, just cleaning something up…"

The King looked him up and down, both still worried and suspicious. "You look like you've been in a fight."

Eugene shook his head. "Only with myself. You should see the other guy." He faked a laugh as he plopped down in the nearest open chair, sitting opposite the Queen, though conspicuously avoiding her stare.

Tom watched him, then returned to his own seat beside his, opposite the King.

Eugene continued, "Just… trust me, please." Even his innocent conscience raised his glassy eyes to lock with the Queen's. "Everything is fine. You have nothing to worry about from me."

The Queen broke the stare this time, and with a deep breath, nodded.

More wandering, confused and suspicious eyes passing looks all around persisted. But eventually, the King's and Queen's advisors proceeded with resuming their managerial babble, sorting things out and reading through lists.

The King blinked a lot as he tried to focus on starting the core of the meeting at hand. "Alright, well then, first candidate up is-"

"Excuse me," Eugene flopped forward on the table, outstretched toward the King. He was simply too exhausted for anything in the way of proper manners. "Before we start, Your Majesty?"

"Uh, yes, Eugene? What is it?"

His face cringed. "Do I still have veto power?"

"Ah," he double blinked and nodded, "Yes, sir. Of course."

"Greeeat," Eugene groaned, and leaned far over to grab the whole stack of portfolios.

"Uhhh…" The King watched him, dumbfounded.

Eugene dropped them back down in front of himself, spun the pile around, and flipped open the first leather-bound portfolio.

His eyes widened with recognition right away. "OHHH, I remember this scumbag. Remember him, Tom? First day of the Homecoming Celebration. Making rape jokes right before he tried to dance with her." He cleared his throat, ending in a strange laugh. "Tried to."

Beside him, Tom nodded slightly, watching him tentatively.

He flipped the portfolio closed, slid it aside, and opened the next one.

"Let's see- Oh, them. 13th son- pfft, yeah, okay. Marrying's the only way he's gettin' anywhere. And his father's whole empire is totally not vicious at all." He tilted his head at the portrait. "Unfortunate sideburns anyway. He's just… Yulghck." Willing to bet we got the same taste… But all the cute ones I know of are taken… Anyway-

He flipped the portfolio closed, slid it aside, and opened the next one.

"Ah- oh, hah! Well, sorry to break the story, but this one's currently sleeping with a different princess. Don't think any other royalty knew about that one, but, well," he shrugged, "Now ya do." He clicked his cheek to the side and hissed as he inhaled. "Buuut you didn't hear it from me. Adultery aside, doubt you wanna risk a war."

He flipped the portfolio closed, slid it aside, and opened the next one.

His brow furrowed and he held the page up. "Are they serious?" He squinted back at the writing. "Even in ten years, he'd be too young. But like she even could-" He shook his head. "Cute, but- sorry. Like, why even…"

He flipped the portfolio closed, slid it aside, and opened the next one.

"Heh," he laughed humorlessly, "Have you ever heard this one speak? Dumb as a pile of bricks. Bad at cards. Ah, look, he managed to scratch out a sample: 'What else is there?'" He popped his brow at the paper with sardonic disdain. "Charming."

He flipped the portfolio closed, slid it aside, and opened the very last one.

"Oh, variety! Of course he's trying to lock in somewhere. This one's only in danger of actually being stripped of his own title 'cause he's been accused of-..." Eugene growled as he gritted his teeth. Then he slapped that last portfolio closed. He stood up, holding it, shaking it at the King, but trying to contain himself.

The old man looked up at him, blankly taking it all in.

He held himself back only a couple more seconds before breaking loose and yelling. "Y'all call this THING a PRINCE?! J'y crois pas- Doesn't anyone else at least screen these as they come in?! I know we're doing this to not waste time," he raised his voice loud and harsh, "But don't waste my fuckin' time, either!" He slapped it down as hard as he could on the table, then turned on his heel.

Everyone watched in shock, too stunned to even say anything.

Eugene stomped back over to the door, threw it open, and let it bounce off the wall as he marched out.


He went straight to his room, locked the door, and fell to the bed on his face. The pillow muffled him well, but it was soon very wet, and getting hard to breathe.

why doesn't SHE even want me?! The King – I get it, it's just the stupid status – probably my record, too, despite the pardon – but HER?! HER! Who I thought was the best thing to ever happen to me – but she DIDN'T really love me…

Same shit, different year. Living in the castle, working directly with the King, financially secure for life – And STILL no one ACTUALLY wants me!

After a hard bout of hiccuping crying, trying to catch his breath, he laid back down, still fully clothed with even his boots still on, and finally fell into a deep chaotic sleep.


"So much for not being a loose cannon." Tom leaned back against the wall in Eugene's bedroom.

The afternoon light through his one window was spilling in sideways, glaringly orange.

"Ohhh, shut up…" he tiredly sighed. Sitting at the edge of his bed, with bed hair sticking up and his clothes all disheveled, he leaned over with his elbows on his knees, staring into space. "I don't care."

Tom raised a single brow, not believing a word. "You do care. I know how much you care."

"No," Eugene cringed, both annoyed at the reminder of that care, and somewhat embarrassed for the straight-edged square move he was about to confess. "I mean I don't care… that they saw me like that. That's just, me. That's why he asked me to come onboard with this. And I don't care 'cause…" He sighed long and hard, hand-waving it away. "They know everything."

That made Tom quake in his boots. "'Everything?' Wot do you mean, 'EVERYTHING?!'"

Eugene was already holding his hand out to soothe him. "Not about you, don't worry. Just about me and her. And- well, the King, at least, wasn't mad about it."

Tom thumbed at his chin and studied him hard. "How did he find out?" he asked, looking worried.

Eugene's lip quivered, so he bit it. "'Cause I told him... Ya know how he wanted to see me last night?"

"Yeah?"

"I went to see him right after I left her- and I only left so quick 'cause her mother was coming in, but she-" He choked, taking a minute to sniffle it all back again. "She was screaming for me."

Tom's concern scrunched up his face, as he rubbed Eugene's shoulder and back, desperately trying to keep a careful watch on his face.

"Her mom came in and was hugging her, and she was still crying for me…"

"Why would she be crying like that if she didn't want you?"

Eugene shook his head. "She's a really dedicated friend. I've been her big hero. As much as she's wanted her life to change, she needs that stability- that dependability. Besides Pascal, I've been her one constant from before, during, and after… But she's not in love with me. And I-..." He choked up again. "Maybe we could've tried to be 'just friends' if the love was mutual, or lack thereof. But it's NOT." He tried to collect his voice, just barely succeeding. "And I can't stand there, and look at her, and know that she felt nothing."

Tom frowned but nodded, with no choice but to concede to what he was presented with.

Eugene paced about, changing clothes as he continued. A few more pointed dabs with a washcloth in the mirror took away the last of the bloodstains.

"So the Queen already knew I'd been there. Then I outright confessed to the King. I figured, she might tell him anyway, and that just felt like… Like, I'm not a kid. I knew I was caught. Didn't need to be tattled on by mom to dad. Didn't want to leave her with that decision at all, of whether to tell him or not. Maybe worrying about what if I'd done something to her, or if the King would punish me anyway, should she tell him? Neh- I couldn't leave the Queen worrying like that. So I just told him. Obviously begging him to believe me that I've never gone against her wishes, never hurt her, never even pushed her. Never went all the way."

"Well, I don't know if you, 'did the right thing,' but, at least they weren't upset."

"No, he's not upset at least. I mean, I'm assuming they probably talked at some point. But I'm just so tired… Without her, without any of that anymore, finally seeing it for all it really was? I just… wanted it off my shoulders. If I'm not sneaking around anymore, I don't wanna still worry about somebody 'finding' anything out. So, now they know. And I don't have to hide anymore. At least, not from them…"

"What? Who-"

"I don't wanna see her," he blurted. "Not yet again anyway. I don't know when. But I know, if we see each other again now…" He shook his head, as it scrunched and puffed up, tears well on their way to returning. "She'll just try to smooth everything over, drag it out, but for what? And I… I'll just take her back. Even if it's one sided. I know I will. Even if it's empty, or a lie. Part of me doesn't care- part of me is so desperate for what it does at least feel like Iget from her, sometimes. She does at least seem to-" He scoffed. "-'want' part of me in a certain way." He sobbed out again. "But the other part knows how to protect myself."

Tom snapped to. "You don't mean…"

Eugene looked up to him, his eyes red and bloodshot. "What?"

"Eugene," he said formally, "You con't go back."

Eugene shook his head, confused. "Back where?Her room? Yeah, I know-"

"No, I mean," Tom sighed, "Flynn Rider. You con't go back to-"

"Oh," Eugene threw his head back, "No… No- what? Why would I-?"

"Oh, well, when you said 'protect yorself.'"

Eugene kept shaking his head, lips bit, tense. "No… I can't… I can't do that anymore, either. Known that for a while. Feels like I'm 'free' of that, too." His mouth contorted wide open to what looked like a hysterical smile, as he indeed realized that walled off path; that, despite everything, there was no reason to tear down. "I got my job here… I got…" He squeezed his mouth and eyes up tight again. "'at's all I got…"

Tom tried to smile. "Well what am I? Chopped liver?"

Eugene sobbed out a chuckle. "And you, I guess… And…" He lifted his eyes to all of the trinkets and mementos that had grown over his vanity. He sniffled, but knew the pain had to escape somehow. The longer it stewed inside, the more the resentment would turn to anger.

He jumped up, grabbed his satchel, and chucked each and every such item into it. Then he turned to head out the door.

"Wh- Hey," Tom exclaimed, startled and confused, "Where are you going?"

"Lock the door," Eugene called behind him.

Tom locked the door as requested and hurried after him.


Rapunzel's heart thudded harder and harder, making her head light and dizzy, as she made her way down to the servants' quarters, and silently approached his door. She had slept all day, and thus had not eaten anything. She was not sure she could even stomach food right now. She stopped there, staring at the number.

50. 50… 50…

With the biggest breath she could manage, she knocked.

From that moment, every second added more and more rocks atop her stomach.

…and a lot of seconds went by…

She knocked again.

And again.

The dead silence began to feel not like buzzing anxiety, but eerily empty instead. It crept up like slow realization.

No… She refused to give up hope.

She tried the knob; locked.

And still no other sound in response to the mechanical jiggling.

She dropped to the floor and tried to peek under the door; what little she could see, was merely the bottom of the furniture and empty floor.

She stood back up, this time crossing her arms across herself as she stared.

"Eugene?" she cried out, her voice cracking and desperate. "Eugene, please! If you're there just- Just let me know, at least! At least give me that!" Like I have any right to ask him for anything, after what I couldn't do for him… "Please just let me know that you're there and that you're okay…!"

Still hanging onto the doorknob, she sunk down to the floor, curled up in the door frame. "Euge-e-e-ne…"

In quiet gasping breaths, she carried on. "Don't leave me… You promised you'd never leave me… Don't leave me like this… You didn't even say goodbye!

"You've changed- I swear I know you've changed. You've been so good! And I still believe in you. I know how kind, and understanding you are! You've understood so much about me! And you- you- I know you're… better than this! You're not a jerk. You're the best person I've ever met, which- I know isn't a lot of people, but that means so much to me… You know… You're the only one who knows."


Standing at the shoreline, Eugene's strangled crying poured wide open, giving way to more coughing, whining, grunting, and plain screaming...

Into the ocean, from his satchel, he flung collected rock after shiny rock, after seashell, after dried flower, after crumpled origami sculpture... The half-charm of the little girl glinted, flying into the sun, got lost against the sky, but then sparkled again as it plinked into the water far out. The delicate ceramic unicorn whipped out of his fingers, twirling around before meeting its own final demise into the waves with a small splash.

Once the satchel was empty, he collapsed in the hard wet sand. Laid out but twisted on his side, one arm held him up, while the other leaned on the inside of his thigh. His head hung down, defeated.

Tom witnessed his freakout from a distance, then eventually sauntered up to him. "Defying the stars?" he asked with a snark, again attempting to use Eugene's own coping humor against him.

Eugene, however, snarled at the ground, offended by both the ill-timing as well as the very existence of the whole cruel and uncaring world moving on around them. "WHY?!" He slammed a fist down into the sand. "WHY DOESN'T SHE LOVE ME?!"

Tom watched him, even more disgruntled.

Eugene's dirtied hand covered his face, smearing wet sand in with his stubble. Sniveling, he sobbed yet again. "...why… WHYYYYY!"

Tom frowned, contemplating the mess of a man before him. He shrugged. "'Cause yor-"

"I KNOW WHAT I AM!" A criminal… thief… lowlife… orphan… forbidden from sullying that 'royal blood.'

Tom crossed his arms. "At least yor NOT: fired."

Eugene coughed and shook his head. "What's it matter."

"Ohhh, come on." He jerked his head aside and motioned, "Get up."

"No," he mumbled.

"Get up."

"Why."

Tom sighed, looking out over the water.

"Maybe if you guys had..." He rubbed his throat. "Finished me off, then…"

Tom was taken aback, but ultimately shrugged. "Well, if we had finished the job, the Princess might not have made it here. So, there's... that."

Eugene scoffed. "You ever see her fight? She would've been fine. She knew the direction of the city. She's the one who figured out she's the princess. I just… followed her… Even- when I raced back to go 'save' her, all I really did was get in the way."

Tom looked at him sarcastically. "So yor saying you did nothing?"

Half a smile crept across his face, but just ended up uncertain.

"Pretty shor it was a traumatized, short-haired brunette princess YOUU escorted back, not one with a blonde braid."

Eugene winced. Is she mad I cut it? Does she resent me now that some people don't like it? I took that choice from her - but it's the only one I would EVER take from her: to be a soul-crushed, spirit-broken slave? No.

Tom tried to emphasize his grin, but when he realized it was not working, fell back to a grimace. "Why do you keep torturing yorself? Look, I know you've got more ambition than just sitting here crying." He smirked, and threw a hand down on Eugene's shoulder.

He chuckled morosely, which quickly devolved back to a sob. "Pteh 'ambition.' Naw… But…"

The tears returned. He coughed to clear his throat. "I love her. You're the one who- I have no idea why you care. About either of us."

He stared blankly. "It's been nice to have you two as friends."

Altruism is the last thing I'd ever believe. But anyway… "Well I don't know how much I'll be around or where anymore. I'm off her guard detail."

"Yes, ah, I know that one. And you were supposed to choose yor replacement there this morning, but you stormed out so quickly."

"You pick him."

"Me?"

"I don't know anyone here well enough yet. Besides you. I see how serious you take all this. I see you care about her. I trust you. I trust whoever you think'd be best."

Tom swallowed a prideful smile down, containing it just enough, and nodded. "Yes, Sir."

Pteh, 'Sir.' "And I gotta pick these guys better. No one's seeing her again til they show me someone at least decent."

Tom nodded.

"You watch her." He looked back and up at him to make sure he took that as his most serious command.

He merely nodded again. "That's what my job is."

"No," Eugene snarled again, "You hear me?!" He leapt to his feet and grabbed his shirt. He shook him and viciously yelled in his face. "I am ordering you, to WATCH her! Every second, of every minute, of every day! I don't care WHAT you have to do! I don't care HOW you do it- you WILL keep her SAFE!"

Tom watched in shock as he was jostled. "Alright, alright-"

Eugene released him, but continued ranting, emphatically pointing. "All the time! Twenty-four seven! I want to always know where she is, what she is doing, and who she is with. I want every single goddamned worker around here - down to the dishwashers - to keep tabs on her, and report back to us. To ME."

Tom nodded along, eyes wide at the magnitude of this new regimen.

"I can't be by her side, but I am still the one person on this Earth who can best protect her. I promised I would, and I will - I truly want nothing more than for her to be SAFE and sound. And I will enlist every single soul in this kingdom to protect her if I have to. Whatever it takes. Eyes and ears everywhere. Following her."

Tom began to cringe. "Isn't that- I mean, I know I don't know everything about it, but don't you think that's… a little like… her?"

Eugene smirked, but the pain and lack of sleep on his tear-strained face made it look dark. "Not if she still has free rein." He dictated further, "She is not to be impeded from anything she wants to do, or anywhere she wants to go. Because I, am also here to be the bastion of her freedom."

Tom carefully nodded.

"I can't-" Eugene broke, "I can't let her get hurt. I can't let her be threatened like that again. Never again. If she doesn't want me, then I am still gonna make sure she gets the best. Someone she'll be happy with… I- Ifound her. Ibrought her back, I handed her over into this world of royalty – I can't let her get hurt or end up unhappy because of that!"

"She won't," Tom assured him. "I do promise you, she won't get hurt or be unhappy." He studied him another moment. "Eugene… You still love her, don't you?"

His face contorted worse than ever. "With all my heart. But she-..." At that, though, he pushed away from him and crumpled again, on his knees, with arms hanging, splayed out at his sides.

"I died for her," he resumed crying. "I brought her here for the best day of her life. I took her out on the water to watch the lanterns, and, it was… Perfect. She was so beautiful, everything around us was so beautiful, and… the way she was looking at me..." He sniffled. "I gave up the crown, that whole life, everything I'd made of myself– I changed, so much, because of her..."

"Did you really though?" Tom asked, honestly questioning the truth in his declaration.

Eugene shook his head, but to refute his doubt. "I stopped trying to be someone else," he clarified. "She let me be who I used to be when I was little- she let me be me, and I thought she loved me... I let go because I thought she loved me, I thought I was, ironically, safe for once..." He picked his head up toward the direction of her tower.

"'Let go?'"

"When I died..." His mouth pulled back, distorting his cheeks below red puffy dead-inside eyes, as he tried to speak through a sob. His neck gave way to droop his head once more. Quietly, he trailed on, "She offered her freedom for my life..."

Tom looked to him, still with disdain at his tantrum, but intrigued.

"She was gonna do it –heal me– if I didn't stop her. Then she cried for me... I saw her crying over me..." He sniffed back excess tears trying to escape his nose, gulped and hiccuped a few times. He tried looking around, part of him trying to regain grounding of where he was and what was going on around him: the wind, the tide, the seabirds, the wet sand all over his boots, pants, and hands.

Tom watched as Eugene sunk his fingers into the sand, clawing into it.

His sneer returned. Showed me to see the beauty in things again-?! And then crushed me! He brought a handful of sand up in his fist, then flung it away to the ocean.

Facing the ground again, he confessed again. "She said I was her new dream..."

"Her what?"

"New dream," he repeated monotonely. "Her new, goal in life. Me."

"She said that...?"

"Right before I felt myself falling... And when I came back, she kissed me. Like, hard," he chuckled what little he could. "It was perfect... For that moment..."

"But then?"

"Then she told me she was the mertherfercken PRINCESS!" he growled and shouted again, sobbing and sputtering. He slammed a fist down on the sand. "GOD. DAMN. IT! Sometimes I think I might still be dead, and this is just hell, just my eternal punishment for everything I've ever done. But she said, 'No, you'll see, everything will be fine.' I didn't think she'd actually get me off Scot free, but she did. Then he was throwin' money and status at me. But all I reeeally wanted? was... for her to want me... No matter whatever else was going on, that she's gotta marry some prince, that we gotta hide- I just, I thought she'd still love me. That she'd care something about me..."

"But she said she didn't love you."

"She didn't say anything!" he whined.

Behind him, Tom saddened.

"She didn't say anything," he gasped again. "Just stood there looking at me, going 'No,' as if I was the most pitiful thing in the world. Like, like she felt bad for me, after I'd just spilled my heart out to her- again... She said nothing. Just, 'I'm sorry.' I love her and she's 'sorry.'" He fell face down. "What is so wrong with me?"

"Ah," Tom held his hand out, but paused, unsure what else to point out.

Eugene made no signs of ever intending to move again, merely there to forever help salt and water the sand into mud.

Tom gave a long sigh. "Come on." He grabbed Eugene under one, then both of his arms, and yanked him up. "Urghhh-p ya go!" He stayed practically limp dead weight, but Tom managed to prop him up to his feet. "There."

Eugene lolled his head back, as he hung on in his arms, and locked his bloodshot, teary, tired eyes with Tom's. "I'll always love her..." he whimpered.

Tom smirked sadly and looked him over with growing sympathy.

Eugene crumpled in on himself again, held onto Tom's upper arms, and leaned his forehead onto his chest. "What's wrong with me…?"

Tom returned what he could; a good, strong hug. "I hear ya, buddy. I don't think there's anything wrong with you. You did good. But you can't control any of it."

After a few moments, he felt him calm down with a deep breath.

He slapped his back a couple times, jostling him in his arms in a chummy way. "Come on, Fitz," he said gently. "Let's go get you drunk. Eh? What do you say?"

He wandered his eyes around, trying to find an excuse not to. Finally, he bowed his head and nodded in compliance.

"Come on then." Tom led him back to the road, rubbing his back, and with Eugene's arm draped over his neck, holding him up. "Let me go change. And I'll get someone sent after her right away."

"Thank you," he mumbled.


Rapunzel fell into more sobs, til there was one singular thought left, taking over everything. Louder, she cried through terrible tears, as she spit it out, "You promised you wouldn't leave me all alone!"

Another voice stepped out from the crossing hallway. "Your Royal Highness?" Smooth and sure; deep, rich, kind. But unfamiliar.

Rapunzel gasped, panicking from feeling caught. Frantically she swiped at her eyes, sniffled everything back, coughing and hiccuping as she collected herself. "Uh- um, I'm sorry- yes?"

The older, bearded guard bowed at the waist. His face showed he understood exactly what he had walked up on, but graciously did not react to her state. "I'm here to escort you to dinner."

Escort me? Dinner already? She stared back, dumbfounded.

He stepped up closer and leaned down for her hand. "Are you alright, Sweetheart?" he whispered.

Closer now, she saw what was clearly the face of a father himself. -one who actually has known his kids, I'm sure. Unlike mine… She settled down as she studied him, and so, with a shaky sigh, she took his hand.

He helped her up, then continued holding her steady as they started walking. One arm across her shoulders, the other on her elbow, where she walked right against him.

"Um," part of Rapunzel was still unnerved by the odd occurrence. "I- Weh- Thank you, but, I usually don't have an escort like this- especially just for Dinner? I mean, I guess I didn't realize what time it was, but…" She began panicking again, not trusting anything about this situation. Oh no… And now I'm just going with him-?! Oh, EUGENE IF YOU WERE ONLY HERE! And this time I REALLY doubt you're just hiding somewhere watching me… She looked around anyway.

"It's alright, Your Highness. Tomaeus sent me."

A new wave of confusion washed over the suspicious worry. "What?" she dazedly gasped. "Why would he-?"

"Part of a new security protocol for you."

She still felt confused. "On Tom's orders?"

"No, higher up. Tom has the same orders, but he's out for the rest of the day, so he asked me to."

Gee, I wonder why, she sarcastically pouted to herself.


The Crown Jewel was the pub nearest the castle, a huge establishment where the castle workers would regularly head to at the end of the day. It was already crowded for the dinner rush.

At the bar, Tom was working on a pint and eyeing Eugene, trying to figure him out more than ever.

Meanwhile, Eugene stared through his thick glass mug of amber liquid, distorting his reflection of his head slumped down in his crossed arms over the bar.

"Not to be crass again, but you twooo…?"

"No."

"Never?"

"Nope."

"Huh," he finally accepted.

Eugene took a deep breath, shrugging and shaking his head. I just want her to have a good life… Even if it's not with me.

"And you say you love her."

"You know I love her."

"Alright, you think you love her."

"Wha- whose side are you fuckin' on here?!"

Tom held his hands up in surrender. "Best way to get over someone is to convince yorself yor not in love with them. That you weren't in love with them." Tom paused, but when Eugene did not respond immediately, he turned concerned. "Come on, shorly you must know that?"

"I know," he said flatly. Just… never been in love like this before.

"Well then! Let me put it this way for youu: Yor just obsessing over a crush."

"Excuse me?" he raised an eyebrow at him, almost bothering to look in his direction.

"Come onnn," Tom urged, clasping his arm around Eugene's sullen shoulders. "She's a princess. Every guy would love to be with her. But look around!" He spun them both around on their stools, waving his arm out to the whole pub. "There's a million other girls out there! And shorly plenty of whom would be rightly intrigued by the ex-Flynn Rider turned hero." He nudged him as he wove his conspiracy. "The hero who found the long-lost princess! And saved her! Gaining the King's special favor! That's still worth something, I'm tellin' you! You'll see, you've made yorself into quite the catch!"

Eugene blushed, trying to smile. Well I certainly appreciate the effort in CARING about me… "'Obsessing over a crush,' though?" It was not even the alcohol -yet untouched- depressing his breathing yet, as he attempted to find a pretty face in the crowd of young men and women, but they all blurred together. None of them compare… None of them would understand… "It's more than that," he shook his head. "So much more."

Tom watched him, and decided to give an inch back. "Awlright. It was more than that. For you. For her," he shrugged, "A first-love infatuation? Who knows. But you've got to at least find a rebound. Just for tonight, even."

Eugene rolled his eyes and his head, but smirked. "You gonna cure my broken heart with a one-night-stand?"

"Well, shor!" Tom threw his hands out in confidence, laughing.

Eugene balked. He turned back around to at least start in on the ale.

"Wha-" Tom fell disheartened. "Listen here, I'll make a bet with you."

"A bet?" Eugene repeated skeptically.

"You take a girl tonight - my treat! And if, in the morning, you don't feel even slightly better, you pay me back."

"That's not a bet; that's a bribe, Mr. Law Man."

"No tisn't! More like, a gift you can exchange if you don't like it. It's a bet!"

"I won't like it. I don't like it already."

Tom balked back. "Eugene, Geney…" He rattled his shoulders more.

"Don't call me that," Eugene shook his head but could not help the friendly smirk. "I told you that one sounded stupid."

Tom smirked back. "Geney-boy."

Eugene snickered.

"You kiss a girl tonight, an' I'll stop callin' ya that!"

Eugene laughed again. "That is totally blackmail! Extortion!"

"Tell me you don't wanna kiss someone."

"I'm gonna tell the Captain that one of his men is trying to corrupt me."

Tom fell into a fit of laughter, hanging on Eugene's shoulders.

"You're really not gonna leave me alone til I do somethin'- somethin' stupid, huh?"

Tom's high cheekbones bunched even higher with his chaotically devilish grin, staring him down with discordant temptation.

"Thought you were the high-strung one." Eugene's brow remained skeptically raised, but he finally sighed. "Alright, fiiinnne…" Doesn't mean emotions have to get involved. He pushed off his seat, and casually made his way over to the edge of the dance floor, to one woman in particular who had caught his eye.


Right after dinner, Rapunzel went straight back to bed. She curled up on her side, on her bed, atop the covers. Knees pulled up to a fetal position, she hugged a pillow as she dug her face into another one. There was no end in sight to the tears. And no one to see on the other empty pillow she faced.

"Why… Just tell me why! What's wrong with me?"

"Well I know what's wrong with me," she answered herself. "But he-! I thought he understood… He's the one who saved me from all that! He was so good! But now-!

"I'm all alone again. And without him, I'll always be alone! I don't want anybody else!"


That young woman was standing leaning back against a table, munching on snacks off a small plate she held, while bobbing along in time to the music, with a huge grin on her face. Tom watched as Eugene approached and gave a half bow as he introduced himself.

"Miss? Excuse me, hi, how ya doin'?"

Her attention darted to him, startled as she took him in, but then burst into a giggle. "I'm doing fine…"

"Ah, would you like to dance?"

That wiped her smile clean off. She looked him up and down.

Ohhh, come on! Criminal yes, but also a ladies' man! Have I really lost it that badly? He sighed and nodded, annoyed. "Yes, alright? I used to be Flynn Rider. But I-"

She perked up, with a congenial smile again, and slightly less perturbed, apologetic even. "Oh, no! I know that."

He quirked at her reply. "You know who I am?"

She giggled again, just as flushed as when she had first eyed him, a month ago. "Yes, of course I know who you are, but, ah…"

He struggled to keep his smile from wobbling too much. This could be so good or so bad…

"Aren't youuu…" she lowered her voice to a gossipy whisper, "Dating the Princess?"

His eyes widened, in fear that he hoped read as shock, but he managed some charm. "Wh-wh- What?!" He force-chuckled. "Where'd you hear that?"

"I work at the castle."

"Ohhh, ya know, I thought you looked familiar, too!" Ah-hah! Yes, I HAVE seen her a few times.

"And we danced at the Homecoming Celebration."

"We did?" Eugene blurted, but then panicked. "I mean-" Fuck- I danced with like every girl there over the course of the whole week! I remember the French princess, but…?

She could not help but giggle. "Yeahhh…"

"I mean, yeah! 'Course, yeah," he continued, "I- Uh, I…" Another sigh. Changing tactics, he tried a crooked, shy smile, and confessed. "I'm sorry. I just, ahhh, hah, ya knooow, to tell you the truth? I got sooo drunk that week, I honestly don't remember most of it." At least the embarrassment was genuine.

She giggled harder at his delivery. "Okay."

"So! Would you like to dance, uh, again?"

"Uh- I'd love to!"

"And what's your name?"

"Brenna."

"Brenna. And it's not Flynn Rider anymore, it's Eugene."

"I know," she smirked, and took his hand.

He smiled nervously as he led her out to the dance floor. She's really cute. Looks like someone I'd really like to get to know. I could see it. –normally. And that's just where I'll have to keep my head.


Pascal tried petting her cheek and miming out some old comfort memories of how they used to spend their days in the tower.

Rapunzel surprised herself that she was able to smile, even chuckle.

And she thought back, to that girl she was just a month ago. That girl, who lied about love, to keep the peace, to make the days bearable, to be the perfect daughter - to a false mother, chasing acceptance that the woman simply did not have the ability, nor care, to give. That girl, truly was a strong, confident, beautiful young lady.

Right now she was a sad crying little girl.

I was strong before him. I can be strong again.

I thought that because I was able to knock him out and tie him up - first other person, first try - that meant I could handle anyone. But he never meant me any harm, so what did I really conquer there?

When it came to that prince, I left myself completely helpless…

But the guy I knocked out at the party! That one really did mean me harm AND I was able to handle it!

I CAN take care of myself. And I will!


Eugene reported back to Tom, who was still diligently watching, and shoved his shoulder. Why's he look more pissed off than ever? "There. Happy now?" he smirked.

Tom blinked, then giggled. "Yes. I'm much happier now. As are you. As is that girl."

They clinked glasses and drank.

But Tom looked newly intrigued. "What was she worried about at first? That you were some lowlife criminal?" He hunched over to tantalizingly whisper the scandal to him.

"Nah…" Eugene took no offense to any category of criminal talk, but had to try hard not to get upset by the actual issue instead. "She'd heard I was dating the Princess…" His face held out a little longer, but eventually he bit his lip and his neck twinged. He had to look away to control the liquid pooling behind his eyes and sinuses, but quickly sniffled it all back and threw his head back in triumph. "She was nice!" His voice cracked. "She, uh, works at the castle, too. Milkmaid. I thought she looked familiar… And, uh… Apparently I also danced with her during the Homecoming Celebration, but I don't remember anyone else I danced with, only…"

"Only me?" Tom laughed off, obviously trying to cheer him up.

"Shutup," the tiny, humorless croak barely made the leap out of his throat.

Tom half-frowned and thought deeply but quickly. Suddenly, he motioned for the bartender. "A round for us here." To Eugene, he gripped his shoulder. "You did good. That was a good start. Now let's get you out of that mind for the night. I'll get you home later."

Eugene drooped over the bar again, and nodded. "Thank you…"

"No problem, Buddy."

Eugene smiled sadly but brightly at him. "Really, you're a really good friend, helping me through this…"

Tom struggled to smile back. "Shor. Of course."

Eugene nodded to him and returned to his moping arms.

Worriedly, Tom stared into space, stealing glances back at the utterly broken man beside him.

The bartender returned with a tray of shot glasses and filled them all up.

"Ah, thank you," Tom snapped out of it politely. He carefully took one and held it up to Eugene. "Well, bottom's uh-"

Eugene slammed an empty shot glass on the bar, having already downed it, and was grabbing for another. "Oh sorry-" He coughed through his burning cold raw throat. "Whew!" he yelled. The next shot glass he held up to Tom. "To true love! Let it stay in the storybooks where it can't fuck ya over."

Tom more timidly held up his glass, "I, suppose…"

They drank.

"To big dreams! Merely a means to the end that is some smaller dream. Didn't get the girl, but hey, I'm sure there's some kid out there who always wanted to be a guard! I'm livin' it up to him!"

Tom looked down at his own uniform, frowning.

They drank.

"To gold! Good hard constant. Do your hard work, getchyer pay in gold. Eyyy…"

Tom flicked at Eugene's coin purse. "To, good pay," he chuckled.

An older part of Eugene, but still a necessarily practical part, cracked a smirk. Makin' TWICE as much as any other guard. So that's one good thing. He clinked his shot glass with Tom's.

They drank.

Tom spoke up first this time, "To the Lost Princess."

Eugene froze, slowly looking over to Tom.

Tom was raising his glass to Eugene. "Praise God she was returned home safely."

Eugene stared at him, then turned to stare at his own glass. His arm dropped back to the bar; the liquid jumping out and about it. "I shoulda…" he trailed off immediately. Shoulda stayed at the tower. Shoulda run off together.

"You did do a great deed," Tom tried to soothe.

Eugene shook if off. "Yeah, sure."

They both paused, frozen for a moment.

"Just say somethin' else, will ya," Eugene pleaded.

"What, you don't wish her well?"

She can get fucked for leadin' me on- His first and worst thought. He shook his head and tried to straighten his vision with alternating squeezing his eyes shut and popping them wide open. Well I know that's not true… Not how I really feel nor what she did. She… couldn't really have any concept of 'leadin me on,' I don't think…

"I said," Tom repeated chastisingly, "Don't you wish her well?"

"I do-" He twitched his neck, the ringing in his ears not from the alcohol but a stupid recurring daydream. "I… I did, didn't I?" he said to Tom's confused face. The familiar train of thought came out slurred, but the same sentiment nonetheless. "I wanted her to be happy even if it couldn't be with me." He stared down at his shot glass. "Only I thought I'd be dead… not… rejected." He kicked it back, then dropped it and his arm back down to the bar, and stared at the empty glass. Never too late to remedy that – And waste a whole resurrected second life?! No. Not really. But I do need my brain turned off. He reached for another.

Tom had a new one immediately. "To new, budding loves. May they be sweet."

Eugene's unhinged smirk rode out with unbridled snark.

"With the endless possibilities of hope," Tom added.

At last, the two men nodded together, and drank.

I DO have hope there! But, still… Right now wouldn't mind if… Eugene's crossed eyes stared somewhat at the next shot glass in front of him. "Ya ever read 'bout Apicius?"

Tom quirked at him, puzzled.

"How he died? Well…" Eugene lifted the shot glass right in front of his eyes to stare at.

But Tom's hand came over the top. "I have. Put it down."

Eugene shrugged. "Or I could just read Romeo and Juliet again. Cry myself to sleep… unless I get any better ideas."

Tom groaned, giving him access to the shot glass again. "Alright, well, how about you just finish that and make any of those 'better ideas' go away."

He brought it to his lips, but answered first, "Whadaya think I'm tryna do." Then he downed that one, too.

Tom looked around. "Yor new lady friend is leaving."

Eugene found the direction, and, visibly tipsy, he blushed and gave a shy wave.

Her blush lit up her whole face. This time she and all of her friends again, were giggling as they shoved each other out the door.

Eugene turned back to Tom. "Ya wanna head out to the Duckling? Where I can get proper drunk and wasted, away from normal townsfolk or other coworkers?"

He groaned as he considered, but nodded.


By candlelight, Rapunzel forcibly distracted herself from everything else, with painting.

This one was actually on a canvas, and still in her own whimsical style.

The subject, however, was still somewhat brutal despite the pastel colors and soft curves.

Pascal held the palette in his tail for her, snickering proudly himself at the image.

It was her, with a frying pan, walloping a gold, jewel-encrusted goblet right out of that prince's grip, and a few teeth from his mouth.


Eugene spotted Big Nose and Attila at a back table. They were only there to be out of the way; they did not need to hide what they were doing. Awgh, could use some of that for this.

"Can I trust you to not get into trouble," Tom begged him, "For five minutes?"

Eugene looked him squarely in the face and answered flatly, shocked he had even tried to ask. "No."

Tom just rolled his eyes at him, shaking his head with a big huff. To Big Nose, he directed, "Will you keep an eye on him?" He left for the bar.

Eugene watched until he was far enough away. Then he plopped down at the table with Big Nose and Attila, while flipping a coin up at them. "Hey guys, got any extra?"

Big Nose passed him a small tray, with a very tiny spoon.

Attila set to rolling up some loose herb in a small thin paper.

One scoop of white powder and nose twitch later, he took the rolled cigarette, which he immediately lit on a candle on the table. He savored the first good long drag on it, as he sank back into the booth seat, finally relaxing, somewhat. "God…" He shook his head. "Gotta love 'im but Tom's like a nanny sometimes."

They laughed.

Big Nose looked him over more carefully. "What're you even doin' here? The Princess ain't here to see that, is she?"

Eugene's eyes snapped to him, then closed, wincing. He took another hit of both, but this time he slouched back down worse than before. Before he could think of what he was speaking of, he spit out, "We broke up."

"What?!" Attila yelled.

Big Nose spit his drink out.

Elsewhere, they heard Hookhand drop a glass that shattered, and Vladimir drove his fist through a wall.

Eugene looked around the table, spotting a bottle that must be some sort of hard liquor. He grabbed it and took a swig. A deep breath; and another swig. As long as I can THINK, it's gonna HURT.

"Eugene!?" Big Nose exclaimed, "What happened?!"

"Yeah!" Hookhand called over. "You two were perfect! Even with the- whole, situation."

Vladimir was growling.

Eugene could feel everyone's eyes on him, their shock, disappointment, and their blame. He panicked again as he felt like their suddenly ostracized target again. "She…" He immediately ran out of energy, as his face crumpled back up, wet and red.

"She dumped you?!" Atilla exclaimed.

He choked up on the whole idea all over again, including the general failure of any man getting dumped at all wrapped up in there, let alone losing the love of his life. His first love. His only love. A princess! How could anyone lose something so undeniably special and rare?! But that princess had just decided that she was indeed astronomically out of his reach. "Basically…"

"Aw, Buddy," Big Nose's arm came down around his shoulders.

"I gave her a choice, just asked for one thing… And she couldn't even give me that. Wasn't even like- it wasn't even anyTHING that I asked for- wasn't that much or anything! Just to tell me- Just once that she-... She couldn't even just say that she loved me. Like how hard is that?"

The other men all shook their heads, wincing for him.

A few minutes later, Tom returned. He dropped off the drinks he had brought, then stood over the table, hands on his hips. "I told you not to get in any trouble."

Eugene grimaced and groaned from where he was half-slid down in the booth seat, staring out into space. But he pouted up at him. "I don't think I'm making any trouble."

Tom shook his head, and shoved at Atilla, to let him sit from the other side. "None for me. I gotta make shor he gets back home. At some point." He looked him over and tch'ed. "Alive."

Eugene merely settled in more, continuing on doing what he was doing, alternating between the white crystally powder, smoke, and now, drink.

"So," Big Nose started, "Why'd she dump you?"

Tom tried to cut him off- "I don't think that's such a good idear-"

But he went unnoticed under Eugene angrily shirking Big Nose's arm off. "'Cause she doesn't love me! Why ya think!"

"Fitz," Tom reached a hand out preemptively.

Eugene's distraught attention snapped to him. "Oh don't-! Don't." He trailed off, not knowing what he was trying to say, but not entirely welcoming all the sympathy at the moment, some of which felt like pity. But he locked eyes with his guard friend. Best friend?

Tom stared back, smiling with such concern. "Yor going to be okay."

Eugene bit his lips and shook his head. He looked out over the rest of the pub – but only saw the past. More and more tears gathered, making his vision watery, making those memories even dreamier, as his reddened face contorted more and more. And I was the asshole off in the corner not appreciating any of her then… Suddenly, he gasped in a desperate breath to all of them, "I can't stay here."

Tom's eyes went wide. "Wot…"

"Take me someplace else. Please. I thought here would be better, but t'snot." He choked as he shook his head. "I just see HER… Take me somewhere else. Outside of Corona."

Tom stared him down defiantly, ignoring how his and Eugene's intensity intimidated even the Pub Thugs.

"Please…" Eugene begged him. "Or I'm gonna chug something til I pass out."

"I am not helping you run away," Tom scolded, "What even is there for you outside of Corona? A life on the run again, still wanted in other kingdoms. HERE, at least, you have a job, you have a roof over yor head, you have friends-"

Eugene was shaking his head with a disgusted look, but finally had to verbally interrupt him. "I'm not talkin' 'bout running away. I mean… Just for tonight. I wanna get out. Someplace I don't know." He concluded in absolute despair, "I gotta try to get this outta me."

"And how am I supposed to get you back? You'll barely be able to ride as it is."

He threw his head back in one dark laugh. "You're worried about getting my drunk n' high ass back for work tomorrow? If you don't take me someplace to get wasted, that's not haunted, then you'll be figuring out how to haul my body back to the King." He grabbed the bottle for another long drink. "Don't see why, though. Not that my life matters to anyone."

Tom dropped all propriety and stared at him, horrified. "Well if you ask me, that sounds like the ultimate form of 'running away.'"

"Ya know what," his voice squeaked, "Why not, though? Y'ALL can watch and protect her. Nobody needs me specifically. And- and ya know what else?!" He jumped up from his seat, flailing.

"Fitz-" Tom jerked into action to follow him.

"Eugene-" Big Nose called out to him gently.

"Ya know, maybe what's wrong is I'm not even supposed ta be here! I'm supposed ta be DEAD!"

"No-"

"Why don't we just set the whole universe right again and fix that?!" He cried out, hysterical, as he frantically paced and hopped around. "Let's get it right this time!"

"Fitz, no-" Tom shimmied back and forth, trying to stay in front of him.

"Ya got strong girders here!" He pointed up at the thick tree branches and other rafter beams crossing the misshapen ceiling. "Gimme a barrel, and where's that noose?! You got one here- there!"

As soon as he took one step towards the noose hanging on the wall beside the fireplace, a heavy WOOSH skimmed his hair and lodged into the wall, slicing the rope.

Eugene ducked after the fact, spooked, and grabbing at his chest. But then he recognized the axe and whirled around. "Ya tryna gimme a heart attack?!"

"Oh," Hookhand sassed, "So you do wanna live."

Eugene merely broke down and shut down again. "So what? Doesn't even matter…"

Hookhand continued reprimanding him. "Look here, Pretty Boy, you've got it better than anyone around here. The big infamous thief, turned famous hero! All that reward money, guaranteed job – You can just waltz up to the King and ask for anything you want!"

"And what does ANY of that MATTER?!" he screeched. "Hell, I could have an island full of gold right now- but it doesn't fuckin' matter! And if I did do int? No one would care."

Everyone erupted into indignant shouts, though their message was positivity.

But Eugene squeezed his eyes shut hard and shook his head wildly. "I lost HER! I HAD her, and I LOST her! Harder than anyone's ever lost anyone! I DIED for her, and she still doesn't want me! Forget the princes, but for her love? Every man in the world has a better chance than me right now! I already tried! I tried harder than anyone ever has for anyone! And I STILL. LOST."

Tom frowned at him. "She wasn't some game to you-"

"But I thought she loved me! I know it's not 'I put so much work in and didn't GET anything,' but… I gave her so much of MYSELF, because I BELIEVED she felt the same. Actually believed I could deserve something like that!

"For the FIRST time, in my LIFE, I knew what it felt like to have somebody love me! And- maybe I did screw up, I dunno! But now I've had that ripped away. There is nothing left. And I just…" He stumbled back against the nearest barrel. "I… don't even wanna…" be alive.

Tom ran to grab him under a shoulder. "Alright, alright. We'll go. We'll go somewhere else."


Backtracking her story, Rapunzel continued her emotional speedpainting.

Next scenes included her laying Tom out flat that first night, fighting Gothel, swinging through the canyon, singing and dancing with the Pub Thugs, her first explorations outside the tower, and, finally… Her threatening negotiations with the wanted criminal, whom she blamed not for stealing her crown, but her heart.


In yet another pub, in another city, Eugene continued his desperate binging…

Til he purposely slipped away from Tom.

"Fitz?" Tom was beginning to panic, at how he had lost track of his depressed and self-destructive charge, and so went around the pub calling and asking for him as he pushed through the crowd.

"Eugene?"

"Flynn?" he even tried as well.

Finally giving up with no leads in sight, he climbed up on a chair to look around the entire place, wall to wall to wall…

There was an upstairs.

Upstairs, down a row of doors, Tom listened closely up to each one. Most of them did elicit quite illicit sounds, but one in particular sounded familiar.

"Eugene?" he tried calling through, to no avail.

So, he opened the door…

And what he found, he found as no surprise.

Eugene was sitting on the edge of the bed where his legs had given out. He leaned back on his elbows, head thrown back, eyes closed, pants around his knees.

Kneeling at his feet, was a petite 'barmaid' with short brunette hair, tits out, head bobbing back and forth. The wet slopping and sucking sounds came in time with his shameless moans.

Tom sighed, crossing his arms as he leaned against the door frame. He cleared his throat loudly. "This is what you spend a hero's reward money on?"

Eugene picked his head up, then dropped it back again. "Ugh. Killjoy."

He sneered back. "Hurry up."

"It has been over a month! Gimme a break."


"'Reward-'" Eugene spat as he rebuckled his belt. "Man, fuck you- 'Rewarded.' Money. For the ONE thing in the world I actually care about… I didn't save her for money, so if anything, that money's more dishonest than anything I've actually worked to steal, where getting money was the only intention."

The insulting contract, already dug so deeply into him, twisted around again, triggering pain and tears that lodged in his throat. "I coulda taken care of her."

But he mixed the two sources, as they came to look so similar now: The King, even after saving and returning his long-lost daughter, still did not find him as worthy as a blood-born prince. Rapunzel, after all they went through, dying for her and all that long inseparable month, if she still did not love him by now, she was never going to.

He looked straight down at his change purse.

AM I only worth… what he gave me? Even the Duke offer – I wanted to be his SON-IN-LAW! And her – I… I'm still not good enough for her. It was a rarity to find her, obviously mutually physically attracted, and I've been good to her, but that doesn't mean I was gonna be the one she wants. "She was all I wanted. Not money."

Tom merely bit his tongue and frowned, still nastily disgusted, as he waited for him to finish redressing.


After even more drinks, Eugene stumbled out the bar door, down the steps onto the sidewalk, and, with zero balance left in his head, he collided right with a hitching post. A distinct but muffled CRACK shimmered from where his torso hit it. He fell, landing across the edge of the curb and half in the cobblestone street. A groan oozed out, confused as to how he got there on the ground, and clueless as to how to pick himself up.

"Fitz!" Tom pushed his way out, rushing to follow him, and had been just in time to hear that crack. "Bloody hell…" He knelt down, grabbed Eugene's shoulders, and rolled him back over into his lap.

"Huh?" he groaned.

He held him still there, and leaned down by his head, then pulled a droopy eyelid back. "Are you awake? Can you move?"

He began pushing back against where he held him. "What…"

"Christ, was that a rib you cracked?" He gingerly pressed around his chest.

Eugene also realized something was wrong. Did that really… "Fuck." He sat up, legs splayed out in front of him, opened his jacket, and from his inside pocket, which normally rested just below his right ribs, he pulled out the pieces of his now-broken pocket mirror.

Tom hesitated, watching, wary to react too much.

Eugene sat there, staring a thousand yards into the mirror shard in his left hand…

He remembered inching his fingers around another mirror shard, so stealthily, so she would not notice, as he stalled her and lured her closer with a kiss, to do the one thing he knew she was most afraid of, for her own good. Then, this pocket mirror in particular, he saw held up in front of himself as he heard her voice, scolding his own vanity.

"Fitz," Tom finally called to him.

His face cracked, and he threw it as far away as he could. He tipped over towards Tom, falling into his lap, and sobbed. "Just kill me…"

Tom quickly caught his breath and recovered from his own shock, and wrapped his arms across Eugene's shoulders as best he could.

Love… "I HAD it… I HAD it! I was happy… I was HAPPY, thinking she loved me, happy even as I let go…" He rolled his face around Tom's clothes. "Why'd she bring me back… If she didn't want me? WHY'D she bring me back… why'd she bring me BACK?!"

One of the strongmen bouncers from the bar stepped outside. "Hey," he called, still friendly but with an obvious authoritative edge, "Get him up an' outta here."

Two Coronan guards arrested in a neighboring kingdom, would certainly not be good for anyone.

"Yes, sir," Tom answered, showing he was just as concerned with moving along. "We'll be gone as soon as we can. Could someone fetch us a cab? Back to Corona- the capital- and we can pay whatever they want."

The man nodded and sent a boy out down the street with those instructions.

"Whyyy…" Eugene nestled into his lap, thoroughly wretched, unable to staunch the empty hole ripped back open in his heart. "Blondieee… Why'd she bring me back? For this?! For WHAT! …I shouldn't be here… I should be dead…"

"Fitz, shhh…" Tom collected the mess of his hair to brush back down into place.

"Make it stop… PLEASE, make it STOP!" Eugene sobbed against him. "It hurts… It HUUURRRTSSS! Why'd she bring me back…"


Eugene was vaguely able to get into the cab, but did not notice Tom took his money to pay. He passed out and remained so all the way back to the castle.


Eventually, Rapunzel wore herself out. She lay back in bed again, replaying all the scenes she had not painted: Any and every moment with Eugene, that made her broken heart throb like an inflamed wound.

Maybe I should try his door again?

But it's so late… And I'm tired, and upset - none of my thoughts will come out right.

and he probably won't even answer. I don't even know if he's still around or if he's completely left Corona! And I'm not so sure I want confirmation either way right now…


Eventually, Eugene found himself being walked down the hall to his room. His arm was slung over across Tom's shoulders, and between that wrist and his belt, he held him up.

"Herrre we go, Fitz," he groaned, holding on even more tightly as he had to release the belt to open the door, but quickly returned. "Come on, here ya go."

The pair staggered into the room, but when Tom tried to let him down gently onto the bed, Eugene held on tighter.

Tom tried to look at him. "Fitz? You alright?"

"Urrrgh what…" he groaned, fumbling around.

"Fitz," Tom whispered calmly, "Yor home. Just go to sleep." He let go, depositing him on the bed.

"Ho-? Wha?"

"Yor in yor room. We're back in the castle."

Confused pain came back to him, and he struggled to sit up, grabbing Tom's sleeves for leverage. "No- what? I don't wanna- Here?!" he cried to him.

"Fitz," Tom whined, "Where else do you expect me to leave you?"

Eugene managed to get to his feet somewhat, though he was completely hanging on Tom again. "No, don't- DON'T leave me here, please!"

"Fitz," he groaned, holding almost his full weight again.

"St-ssstay with me!" Eugene gripped his jacket, and buried his face in his shoulder, shaking his head, whimpering, repeatedly. "Don't leave me, please- PLEEEASE. Don't you leave me too…"

"Awgh," he sighed, "It's okay, you'll be okay. Come on. You'll be okay."

"No- Nooo… No I- it's not!"

"Yeah, come on, lay down-"

"No!" he retorted, then leaned back and cried out to him, "Tom! Please!" He gripped his lapels, face to face there, even as foggy and spinny as his vision was.

Tom adjusted how he held him, but let him remain for the time being. "Do… Do you really want me to stay?"

I- you-... YES. Suddenly Eugene jerked his lapels to himself, and landed a kiss right on his mouth.

Tom immediately shoved him back, and was taken aback in shock himself. "FITZ?!" He wiped his mouth on his shoulder to avoid dropping him just yet. "Ptyeh- What the bloody hell- I know yor drunk- and God knows what else-but y-"

"I just…" Eugene began to struggle to put this into words, but his stare likewise clung to him with any kind of pathetic hope. "I thought…"

Tom paled. "Oh Lord, you were serious-..."

Eugene cringed, and though his drunk sense of time usually warped things to speed up, it felt like forever to him before Tom said something again.

Tom looked him right in his red glassy eyes and ordered him definitively: "NO."

"But you-" Eugene broke again, whimpering.

"But knock it off."

Eugene cracked under his relentless staredown, and his face fell back to his chest as crying opened back up again.

Tom at least held him in a hug, rubbing his back.

"I'm sorry," Eugene cried, "But you've… I thought-? You been so good to me today! Why then?"

Tom choked a bit. "'Cause yor my friend."

Eugene only cried harder at that.

He held him tighter, then he sat them down on the bed, side by side. "I'll stay here tonight. I'd be awake now for a shift anyway." He held him around the shoulders, rubbing his upper arm.

Eugene, with his face hidden in Tom's shoulder, nodded and sniffled, "Thank you… and m'sorry…"

Tom sighed, shaking his head. "I thought you were joking all this time."

No… But Eugene only coiled himself up tighter, rather than give any real answer.

"Fitz?" Tom shook him, and took to rubbing his back methodically. "Come on," he drew out, "It's okay, it's okay. Just breathe. Come on, breathe."

On some level realizing that still being comfortable there meant he had probably not just driven away his only friend, Eugene finally managed to take a breath.

"There you go. There you go."

But the crying resumed. "After everything, she doesn't love me… and now you're gonna hate me… and I just don't wanna be alone! I'd rather die…"

"I don't hate you. Alright? That's… It's fine. It's whatever, alright? But," he chuckled and emphasized the answer with humor, "No."

Eugene tried to chuckle with him. "Alright…"

"Come on, though, get ah-" He devolved into laughter, "Get undressed, for bed. You'll feel even worse if you wake up in the same clothes."

Eugene had been laughing with him, but at the thought of changing clothes, his face broke all over again. "My pajamas are in her room…"

Tom sighed.

"I'm sorry," Eugene repeated, now completely clueless as to how or why Tom had really been putting up with him all day. "I must be so annoying with all this shit…"

"It's alright, I'm sorry- I didn't think of that. I didn't mean to… But you should still change clothes. Or sleep naked, I don't care." He laughed again, "And I mean, I really. DON'T. care!"

Eugene laughed again as well, grateful for anything. He managed to get his boots off, and Tom did help take the discarded items to neatly put aside.

Eventually, Eugene was tucked into bed, though he was immediately making his pillow damp.

Tom shut the light and settled in to sit on the floor. He left a candle lit, out of direct line of sight from Eugene, to not bother his much-needed recovery from the day. With his current novel elsewhere, he grabbed a book from Eugene's dresser to reread.

"I'm really, really sorry…" Eugene cried, about absolutely everything.

"For the last time, it's alright. Just go to sleep."

Besides the screamingly deep wound Rapunzel had just left in him, skewering all of his mind, body, heart, and soul – this present rejection seemed more worthwhile to dissect. And with a better chance at getting an answer. "Why'd you leave England and come here?"

He sighed deeply. "Good night, Fitz."

"All this time, I thought maybe… 'cause I know…" He sobbed and groaned out at the same time. "G'night…"

He turned his face down, diving into that welcomingly numb abyss of sleep. His only hope left was that he would not have to come back out of it ever again.


A/N: Don't try this at home.

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