Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

It was some ungodly hour of the night. Cassandra had lost track of things like hours, days, weeks… maybe even months. Definitely months. She'd been away from Corona for a long time, she knew. And despite giving it her best effort, she'd never fully been able to tap into the power of the Moonstone.

It had felt so easy, that first day. Well, the first few minutes, anyway. When she triumphantly confronted Rapunzel and more or less told her she didn't need her anymore. It was a lie, and the longer she was away, the more her heart ached for her princess. And ever since then, it had gotten harder. Harder to summon the black rocks. Impossible to make them go away. Like she didn't actually have control at all.

Nothing had worked out like she'd hoped. Now, she found herself sneaking into the castle, hoping to find an unoccupied room that she could hole up in. She figured her own wouldn't be in use, although she highly doubted any of her things would be there. After all, for all anyone knew, she was never coming back- and besides, even if she did, no one would forgive her. So she assumed her previous designated space would be repurposed as another guest room. It was in a prime ground floor location. It would be sensible to allow others to use it in her absence. 

She was tired- nay, exhausted- and had nowhere else to go. She was fed up with sleeping outside in the elements, drained from 'roughing it', and as far from being a hero as she could possibly get. And sure, when someone inevitably found her, she'd probably be thrown in prison, but for now, she just wanted to rest.

Her room looked… perfect. Almost like she'd never left. The air didn't even feel musty or stale. Cass had a strange feeling that she wasn't alone, and waited for a guard or servant who had glimpsed her to come barging into the room, seeking an intruder. But when it became clear she hadn't been followed, she pushed the eerie feeling aside. It was probably just the strangeness of being home, but still being like… this.

She really didn't have the capacity to worry about what her future in Corona would be like, or how much trouble she was going to be in once she was found. She practically fell onto the bed, fwumping on top of her pillows and blankets and something unusually hard and not at all like the soft mattress she was expecting. Cassandra couldn't even begin to process what happened next, as the covers slowly peeled back to reveal the woman beneath her.

"Cass?!"

She didn't have the energy to consider what Rapunzel might be doing in her bed in the middle of the night. Rapunzel had her own room. A very nice, fancy, big room. And instead of being in that nice, fancy, big room, she was here. Under her.

At least she hadn't immediately called for the guard to come take her away. She wasn't freaking out. In fact, Cass should be the one having the freak out. She really wasn't prepared to deal with Rapunzel right now. She wanted time to think and sleep, before even considering her next move.

"What are you-" she murmured, unable to form a complete sentence. Then she collapsed, burying her face in Rapunzel's shoulder. So relieved to be back, too exhausted to try to fight this. She took a deep breath and sighed, resigned to whatever was going to happen next. Even sleeping on top of Rapunzel was comfier than holing up in some cave or laying under the stars.

Rapunzel stared at the mess of turquoise hair next to her. She leaned her head into it, feeling the- well, she had expected softness, but instead, she was met with tangles and leaves and probably a fair amount of dirt. Had Cass been caring for herself at all? She smelled… Very earthy. Almost a bit too much. Cass definitely needed a bath. Later.

Right now, Rapunzel was a bundle of energy. Adrenaline was coursing through her veins as it set in that Cass was home! But Cass was very, very tired, and Rapunzel couldn't disturb her with the dozens of questions filling her mind, or rambles about how much she'd missed her, or stories of what had been going on while she was away.

She managed to wriggle her arms free, pausing with them above her head. Cass seemed to already be fast asleep, but Rapunzel couldn't help herself. She wrapped her arms around her best friend, squeezing as lightly as she could manage in all her happiness. There was no response other than the light sound of shallow breathing in the dark, so she lingered.

Rapunzel stayed, holding onto Cass, afraid that she was dreaming. Afraid if she tried to let go, she'd wake up with her arms empty. It had happened before. It had happened so many times, and yet, every time, she held onto the dream as long as she could. Held on to the illusion that Cass was back and safe, and they were together again.

Eventually, she squirmed out from under Cass. Cass felt… lighter than Rapunzel remembered. It was concerning how easily she was able to slip away. How easy it was to readjust Cass into a more comfortable sleeping position. What had she had to eat, out in the wilderness? Whatever she'd been foraging for, it didn't feel like it had been enough. Food would definitely have to take precedent over the bath.

The whole time, Cass stayed, dark against the blankets, but still there whenever Rapunzel placed a hand upon her just to check. She managed to pry the quilt out from beneath her friend and drape it over her. Then, she climbed in next to her, sliding an arm under the pillow so she could cradle Cass against her. The bed wasn't exactly built for two, but Rapunzel did not mind keeping her close.

"Cass?" she ventured, once she was settled in. She figured she probably wouldn't sleep much the rest of the night, but she was more than content to watch over her closest friend.

"Hm?" she said, eyes still closed. Rapunzel's fussing seemed to have roused her, but she was still on the very edge of being asleep.

"I missed you."

"I love you too."

Rapunzel smiled, wider than she'd smiled in weeks, and had to shove down a squeal of excitement. None of this felt real, and yet, this Cass looked and smelled and sounded more real than any dreams she'd had previously. And she was very different too. Different than how Rapunzel had imagined. More subdued, and frail. She didn't feel like the Cass Rapunzel had known, and yet, that just helped to solidify that she was really here.

"I knew you'd come back," she hesitated, before laying a gentle hand against her cheek.

Cassandra's eyes fluttered open, taking in the albeit blurry essence of the golden haired princess. She stared as long as she could manage, drinking in her image, before her eyelids became too heavy. She didn't know why Rapunzel was being so kind and gentle, but she wasn't about to try to explain why she should actually be furious. Rapunzel was almost too nice, sometimes. Much nicer than she deserved, after everything that happened. But she was so, so tired, so she finally gave in.

"That makes one of us," she said, almost inaudible as she buried her face in Rapunzel's shoulder. She felt Rapunzel's arms curl around her, and melted into her warmth. She'd missed her more than she could express with words. Under normal circumstances, she would have protested such close contact. But literally nothing about this circumstance was normal, so, why not indulge Rapunzel for once?

Cass had hit rock bottom, and come crawling back to Corona half-dead and with nothing to show for it. She'd squandered any chance she had at being a royal guard. Destroyed her reputation with the citizens of Corona. Betrayed her dearest friend. It was a literal miracle that Rapunzel was even willing to look at or be in the same room with her. Cass didn't have the strength to ask why.

So, screw it all. Let Rapunzel hold and comfort her for one night. It couldn't possibly make things any worse.

Chapter Text

Sunlight peeked through the shutters on the windows in Cassandra's bedroom. She awoke, reaching for the warm body next to her, but found the space empty. She slowly opened her eyes, noticing that Rapunzel was absent. She recalled, vaguely, her startled expression the night before, probably mirrored by her own. She'd barely been able to enjoy the image of the princess before sleep overtook her.

Or maybe she'd never been there at all. Maybe she'd hallucinated the whole thing. That seemed more likely. After all, what would Rapunzel have been doing in her bed? The notion was ridiculous. The interaction had been so brief, it was most likely a dream. On the bright side, she had time to figure out whether she was going to confront Rapunzel or not, or just hide out for a few weeks before going on the road again. She certainly couldn't stay here.

Her stomach growled. Now that she wasn't distracted by a lack of sleep or the outdoor weather, it was time for her body to complain about other things.

Too bad there was no way she was sneaking into the kitchen in broad daylight. Trying to leave to go foraging was also out of the question, especially if she wanted to have another night in her own bed. She could probably make it out of town even if she was discovered, but it would make getting back in again near impossible.

She closed her eyes, curling into herself and trying to think. Okay, she'd made it into Corona. She'd made it into the castle. She'd even made it as far as her own room. Wow, the Corona guard was really oblivious sometimes. That aside, she hoped she could fall back asleep until it was dark again.

The sound of her door opening sent a shot of adrenaline through Cassandra. She lay still, hoping whoever it was wouldn't notice her. Perhaps it was Crowley coming to dust or something. She held her breath, listening as the footsteps on the wooden floorboards drew closer. Her ears perked up as she listened for any sign that she'd been discovered: a gasp, the halting of footfalls, the door opening and closely quickly.

"Cass?"

There was only one person that ever called her that.

"Rapunzel?" she looked up at the soft and smiling face of the princess.

"Oh good, you are awake! I brought you some breakfast."

Cassandra sat up, watching as Rapunzel dragged a bench over from the foot of her bed, grabbing the blankets on top and setting them on a table by the door. She swapped them for a tray piled high with what appeared to be fruit and pastries and other assorted breakfast goodies.

Rapunzel settled herself on the bed, sitting near the end, before reaching down to grab a bowl of grapes. She leaned over, wordlessly offering them to Cass. She was being far nicer than Cassandra deserved, and frankly, the only reason she wasn't protesting her niceness was because she was still too drained to even fully register the idea of Rapunzel actively trying to help her.

She took the grapes, tentatively popping one into her mouth. Her stomach growled at the promise of food, revealing her hunger. So Cass gave in to her body's need, holding the bowl in one hand and shoveling fruit into her mouth with the other.

"Whoa, Cass. Slow down, okay? I don't want you to be sick."

She paused and swallowed, both annoyed by and appreciative for Rapunzel's good sense. Despite her stomach feeling like an empty void she wasn't sure she'd ever be able to fill again, she set the bowl aside, allowing herself time to process the snack as she eyed the tray.

Rapunzel picked something out, offering it to Cassandra on a cloth napkin. "Blackberry bun?"

Cassandra took it gratefully, biting into the sticky baked good. "I hate eating in bed. You know that, right?" she said, around a mouthful of dough. "I'll be finding crumbs for weeks."

"So you're going to stay?"

"I-" Cass quickly shoved the rest of the pastry into her mouth while she considered her response. Being back home in this familiar space, with this familiar person, she'd forgotten for the briefest of moments what she'd done. What would she even do if she stayed here? Hide away forever while Rapunzel snuck her scraps, like some forbidden pet she wasn't supposed to have? Then again, where else did she have to go?

"You don't have to," Rapunzel backtracked. "I would like it if you did. But I want you to be happy, even if the place where you'll be happy isn't in Corona."

"I'm sure as soon as someone who's not you finds me, I'll be turned over to the guard."

"Why?"

Why? WHY?! What did she mean, "why?" Because for all anyone knew, she was an enemy of Corona. A threat to the royal family. A powerful force the likes of which could only be matched by the Sundrop's power. Well, it would be, if she had ever figured out how to control it. But no one else knew that.

"Because I threatened you?"

"Cass… I've thought a lot about what you said the last time we saw each other," she visibly swallowed back a lump in her throat, "and you were right. I made some pretty serious mistakes. I should have listened to you, instead of asking- no, demanding- that you to listen to me. I'm sorry for not being a good friend. Corona misses its fiercest warrior. And you can still call this place home."

Cassandra returned to the grapes while she thought about Rapunzel's words. She could really stay? Corona didn't have some deathwish against her? Rapunzel hadn't branded her as a menace and spread tales of her betrayal throughout the city? Her being free to return to Corona, to her home, was certainly unexpected.

"But I've changed so much. How do I know people are going to like me… like this?"

"You're still Cass, even with a new outfit. New hair," she handed Cassandra another bun.

Cassandra proceeded to devour it, along with a few dozen strawberries, several handfuls of blueberries, three pieces of toast, and Rapunzel had even offered to go back to the kitchen to retrieve an omelette and some fried potatoes for her.

Finally satisfied, she leaned against the headboard, sighing with contentment. It felt good to be back in her own bed again. In a place that she could surprisingly still call home. Even with as comfortable as he found herself, she didn't quite feel like napping. But she wasn't ready to face the rest of Corona, either, so there wasn't much else for her to do.

Rapunzel, however, did have an idea, and offered up a suggestion. "So, Cass, I know you just got back from a long journey. Now that you're rested and you've had something to eat, how about a bath?"

Chapter Text

For having a castle full of guards who were supposed to keep out intruders and keep the royal family safe, avoiding them was a little too easy. Cassandra followed close behind Rapunzel, as they snuck off to her room.

Unlike the princess, Cassandra didn't have bathing facilities attached to her bedroom. And using any other room in the castle ran the risk of her being discovered. Somehow, Rapunzel had convinced her to use hers, despite her reluctance to one, leave her room, and two, go anywhere near Rapunzel's private bathroom in her disheveled state. But she didn't really have a lot of options, and she really didn't want to leave, and Rapunzel started describing how nice it would feel to bathe, and now here they were.

Cass stood, somewhat awkwardly, outside the bathroom while Rapunzel drew the bath. With a good night's sleep, food in her belly, and the promise of cleanliness, she found herself feeling more, well, like herself.

She'd been in this room dozens of times when she was helping Rapunzel adjust to her life as a princess. And she even spent a significant amount of her time here when she was off-duty, too. She noticed, as she looked around, memories flooding back, a pile of canvases in the corner. Sure, Rapunzel always had art supplies lying around, but she could tell these were newer.

She could hear Rapunzel humming to herself, probably adding in bubbles and other floral nonsense to the bath. Cassandra stepped over to the pile, which was leaning against the wall, jutting out too far and undoubtedly constantly in the way. It was stacked haphazardly, too, with all the shapes and sizes making it a precarious tower just waiting to fall.

Cassandra sighed, carefully pulling out what appeared to be the largest, setting it down as a base. She glanced at the painting, just long enough to register that it was of her. She was clad in guard armor, standing proud. She didn't recall ever seeing this one, but, Rapunzel did paint a lot. Must have been stashed away somewhere prior to their journey.

She grabbed the next biggest one, intending to focus back on her task. She was surprised to see an image of herself again, this time with glowing blue hair and dark attire. Okay, now that was definitely new. She clutched another, which also depicted her new form, but she was… smiling? Laughing, perhaps.

She continued to neatly stack the rest of the artworks, quickly realizing that they were all of her, actually. They'd seemingly been created after Rapunzel returned to Corona without her, not before as she'd initially thought. It was strange to consider that Rapunzel thought about her as much as she'd thought about Rapunzel, if the sheer number of paintings was anything to go by.

When she'd finished, she heard Rapunzel calling for her. Cass made her way to the princess, getting hit with several different floral scents as she entered the bathroom. And, as expected, there were indeed bubbles.

Rapunzel sat invitingly next to the expansive tub. Tentatively, Cass stepped closer, a sense of caution still surrounding her. Or maybe it was just her typical diversion to being vulnerable. It was difficult to separate her natural anxiety from her more recent fears. Truth be told, things were going better than she could have ever imagined. The rejection she had expected from Rapunzel never came. She wasn't about to question why she was being so nice. Not yet, anyway.

They'd been through a lot in the past year. Cass decided, in her still fatigued state, that she could afford to indulge herself for once in her life. It was like she'd told herself before: it couldn't make things any worse.

She let the dark armor slowly pull back, seeming to start from her toes, but when Rapunzel looked up, Cassandra's fingers were also showing. It slid across her skin, absorbing back into the stone. But even as the black slipped away, obvious traces of the blue remained. Etched into her skin, like she'd been branded, shimmering like water under the moonlight. And her good hand, still scarred from the incident on their journey.

Rapunzel reached forward, then remembered how much Cass valued her personal space. Instead, she opted for, "does it hurt?"

"Hm?" Cass turned, seeing Rapunzel's hand wavering close to her side, and the blue line that resided there. "No," but she could sense she wanted to know more. "It doesn't feel like anything," she placed her left hand on it, just to check. "Can't feel a thing."

"Huh," Rapunzel replied, thoughtfully.

When it felt like that was all she had to say, Cassandra dipped one foot into the bath to test the water. A shiver ran through her at the contact with the heat. It would feel good to be clean again. The rest of her body followed, and she sunk down into the basin, soaking up to her head. She kept the upper part of her face above the water, letting out a long sigh as her eyes closed.

"Cass?" she heard Rapunzel call. She sounded far away and fuzzy. Had she fallen asleep?

Cassandra opened her eyes, looking up to see Rapunzel. She blinked the tiredness away, slowly, as a wave of relief came over her. Rapunzel had comforted and fed her and let her rest, and even now, she was graciously allowing her the chance to bathe.

"We need to wash your hair," she grinned, like she was actually happy to see her, even in such a state. Even in spite of everything that had happened between them. "You looked so comfortable, but the water's going to get cold."

She took in a breath through her nose before sinking under the water. She scrubbed at her hair, feeling loose dirt and rocks and leaves and who knew what else, slip from the wavy confines of her mane. She stayed under as long as she was able, letting the water ebb and flow around her as she lay encased in it.

Cassandra finally surfaced, pushing hair out of her eyes and reaching for the shampoo bottle.

Rapunzel beat her to it.

"Raps, what are you-"

"Tilt your head back."

"I can do it myself," Cassandra reached behind her head, grasping for the bottle as Rapunzel held it out of reach.

"But I want to. Will you let me, please?"

"It's gross, Raps."

"I don't mind, Cass. I want you to feel special and pampered," she paused, long enough for Cassandra to drop her arms back into the water. "But maybe I should ask what you want," she set the container back down next to her friend.

It felt odd, to be given a choice. The Rapunzel she was familiar with would have argued in favor of getting her way, because she insisted on being helpful. Now, she seemed to be actively working towards being more receptive to her offers of aid being rejected.

Cassandra yawned, as a sudden wave of drowsiness overcame her. Perhaps she hadn't gotten enough rest the night before after all. Perhaps her sleepiness caused her normally solid emotional armor to collapse, breaking under the weight of offered intimacy.

"I want," she hesitated. Rapunzel had certainly gotten better at listening. Now it was her turn to improve on speaking about her own desires and feelings. "What you want."

"For me to wash your hair?" Rapunzel questioned, just to be certain.

"Yes."

Cassandra felt delicate hands working through her knotted and grimy hair, fingers scrubbing at her scalp to clean all the way down to her roots. She breathed a sigh of relief, feeling whole and relaxed for the first time in months. The time on the road had taken its own toll, combined with her own lonely trek home, and now, she was more than ready to allow herself to give in and let herself be cared for.

Her life was in ruins. Even if Rapunzel didn't consider her an enemy, she had to have told the rest of Corona something. Something about why she hadn't come home with everyone else. Something that probably damned her chances of ever becoming a guard or ever making her father proud. She likely couldn't return to her job as a lady-in-waiting, not that she had ever wanted it to be a permanent career anyway.

So what did it matter if she showed some weakness around Rapunzel? She didn't have anything more to lose. And she couldn't deny how much she actually enjoyed being coddled, for once. How satisfying it was to be on the receiving end of affection.

The silly thing was that Rapunzel had always encouraged her to be more open about her feelings. She never cared if Cassandra appeared weak or vulnerable. In fact, she often went out of her way to try to do nice things for her. And the majority of the time, she'd pushed those niceties away, deemed herself unworthy of the devotion of the princess. After all, what was she but a servant to the royal family? Even as a guard, her duty would have been to serve her kingdom and country.

She had been so used to looking after herself, and too busy training to have time to make friends. She preferred the company of a strong blade over a sentimental homosapien. It was why she favored the company of Fidella when she was growing up. A horse never expected her to keep up a conversation, or to be cheery when she didn't feel like it.

But Rapunzel changed all that. Rapunzel had given her something to fight for. Someone to defend. Someone to follow to the ends of the Earth. It didn't matter as much that she was struggling to be accepted as a guard. Rapunzel made her feel like all her training had been worth it. She made her feel like her skills as a fighter meant something. She made her feel, sometimes, like she was worth more than a servant.

She made her feel.

For awhile, anyway.

Before the journey, before all the fights and animosity and change. Before Rapunzel started acting more like a princess, and less like the friend she thought she was. How did things get so complicated?

Oh right. She tried to be friends with her boss.

Cassandra pulled away suddenly, feeling a tug on her scalp as Rapunzel's entangled hands were forcibly separated from her hair.

"Cass?"

"Time to rinse."

She took a deep breath, ducking under, using the time away from Rapunzel to collect her thoughts.

Assuming she was fired from her lady-in-waiting gig (a blessing, really), she was still a citizen and Rapunzel was still a royal. A royal who was down to Earth, not afraid to get her hands dirty, and unopposed to quite literally serving her people. Really, not much like a princess at all.

Which made her actions on the journey, and the commanding nature she had adopted, all the more confusing and frustrating.

Still, she was different now than she had been on the journey. Different, even, from the person she had been before they set out. More… mature, perhaps? She seemed to be keeping her overly helpful nature in check. And she wasn't bombarding her with a million questions or trying to actually get her to open up.

Cassandra knew she was certainly different so… maybe she should give Rapunzel a chance. Rapunzel had given her one when it was more than she deserved.

She brought her head above the water, letting some of the strands of her sopping wet hair hang in front of her face, excess liquid dripping down over her skin.

"Round 2?" Rapunzel asked.

"Hm?"

"I want to be certain we've gotten all the gunk out of your hair. Do you want me to shampoo it again?"

It was a sensible suggestion. It wouldn't do her much good to only scrub down halfway.

"Alright."

She sat still while Rapunzel carefully drew the hair out of her eyes, pulling it up with the rest and giving it a good lather.

"Okay, rinse, and then I'm going to condition the heck out of your hair," she declared.

Cassandra did as she was bade, finishing up washing herself as silence persisted between them. She wondered, briefly, what Rapunzel was thinking. Why she was so uncharacteristically quiet. It didn't feel as if she was giving her the silent treatment - after all, she had spoken to her since her return and she certainly wasn't ignoring her. But it made her glad, too, that she was able to collect her thoughts and contemplate where her life was going to go from here.

While the water was draining, Rapunzel spoke again. "Should I- Do you want me to bring you some pajamas?"

"Yeah," Cassandra mumbled back as she toweled off. She wanted to argue about how she could do it herself, but, if Rapunzel wanted to, why not let her? She felt more awake than she had been while in the admittedly relaxing bath, but her mind still felt far off and hazy.

Rapunzel returned with a frilly nightgown in hand, no doubt pulled from her own wardrobe. "I know it's not your usual style-"

"It's perfect," Cassandra had barely glanced at the item of clothing but, whatever it was, it would beat sleeping on the ground in armor.

"Come to my bed and I'll brush out your hair. If that's okay."

"I might fall asleep," she slipped the nightgown on over her head, brushing still went curls out of her eyes. "I should just go back to my room."

"You can sleep here, if you want. I'll brush while you rest."

It was a tempting offer. Honestly, she was in no mood to try to make it back to her own room. She was warm and comfortable, and she knew how much more comfortable Rapunzel's bed was than her own. It was also larger, so they wouldn't have to scrunch so close… unless they intentionally wanted to.

"If it'll make you happy," she decided on a half-hearted answer.

"But will it make you happy?"

That gave Cassandra pause. Rapunzel had always been open to receiving her thoughts and opinions, sure. But it was much less often that she proactively asked for them. It was a bit surprising how considerate she was actually being. Yes, she frequently insisted on doing nice things for people and got frustrated when they weren't grateful. But this wasn't like that.

This was Rapunzel actually doing a conscientious thing, asking if she could help, instead of assuming that doing something nice automatically meant the other person would appreciate it.

And it made her actually want to give in to being what she considered spoiled, because she felt like she had a choice. And because maybe, after being alone for so long, after putting her life on hold to go on Rapunzel's journey, she felt like deserved it. And maybe, all things considered, it wasn't wrong to think that way.

"I think so," she smiled wanly.

With that, they made their way to the bedroom. Rapunzel slipped into a blue nightgown, while Cassandra burrowed under the covers.

She ruminated on the fact that she hardly looked like the Cassandra anyone knew, clad in a lacy pink nightgown with blue hair. How had she ended up like this? A former servant, lying in the bed of the princess. Imagine that.

Rapunzel joined her, and she sat up to give her access to her hair. She slipped her hands around her waist, tugging Cassandra closer so she could settle into her lap. She wanted to protest, because she constantly protested intimacy, but what was even the point? How would it benefit either of them?

Rapunzel started brushing, carefully working her way up from the bottom. Even so, from all the light tugging, Cassandra could tell this was going to take awhile. How'd she let it get this bad? Maybe it was good that someone was helping her to tame the mess. And it felt so nice that she wanted to stay awake to enjoy it.

She may not have been completely ready to talk about her own feelings, but she knew Rapunzel was always game for a conversation. So while she sat, basking in every gentle caress Rapunzel offered her, she picked out a question that had been nagging at her since she'd stumbled upon a surprised princess the previous night.

"What were you doing in my bed?"

Chapter Text

The brush stopped, momentarily, as Rapunzel stiffened. Then she took in a shaky breath as she continued.

"I've missed you, Cass. I tried to forget and move on. I tried throwing myself into helping the citizens of Corona with every menial task they offered me. I tried not to think about you. But every night, no matter how exhausted I was, all I could think about was how you still wouldn't be here in the morning.

"I took for granted how much I liked you being the first person I saw nearly every day. I never properly thanked you for always opening my curtains and picking my outfits and waking me gently and keeping me on schedule and always always looking out for my safety. I took you for granted, Cass. I'm so sorry."

Cassandra's eyes flicked back and forth, studying the comforter beneath them. Rapunzel was… sorry? Better late than never, she supposed. Still, it wasn't going to be that easy for her to forgive. "If you missed me so much, why didn't you come look for me?"

"I wanted to, Cass. I really did! I kept arguing with myself about going back out to try to find you, but, I thought maybe you didn't want me to. Maybe you didn't want to see me ever again. I always try to do things my way and I don't always listen to you telling me what you need. You said we were over so I tried to accept that. I never stopped hoping that you would come back, but I knew you needed to decide that for yourself. And Corona needed me, so I kept myself here. Maybe part of it was because I wasn't sure if I was ready to see you, either."

"None of that actually answers my question," she realized.

"No matter how hard I tried, I could never let you go. I wished so much that things could just go back to the way they were. Before the black rocks. Before the journey. Before we started growing apart. I wanted to be close to you again. And I didn't want to sleep in my room if you weren't going to be there to wake me. I thought it was just going to be one night. But sleeping among all your pillows and blankets that still smelled like you, reminded me of the time we spent together in the caravan. It was comforting, but, at the same time, it meant I never stopped thinking of you. Not knowing if you would ever be back, I wanted to hold on to all the good memories I had with you for as long as I could."

"You really missed me?"

"Of course I did!"

"Even after what happened?"

"Yes! You mean so much to me, Cass. I could never, ever replace you. I need you in my life the same way I need Eugene. I thought we were so close. How did we drift so far apart? Or maybe- maybe I made our friendship out to be something it never was. I want to understand, Cass. Please. Where did things go wrong?"

"I- I don't know. I thought we were friends, too. At first, I didn't want to be, because you are- were- my boss. I don't think you ever fully understood that divide between us. And because you didn't understand it, I thought I could look past it, for awhile. But then, when we were following the black rocks, it felt like, at some point, you stopped being my friend and started acting like a queen. It was what I'd been afraid of for so long. The whole reason I hesitated opening up to you and trusting you in the first place."

"I thought that was what you wanted, Cass. You asked me to take things seriously, and, before that, I thought I was. So I tried something else. I tried acting more like I felt a future ruler of Corona would. Making the decisions I believed were right for the group. Doing my best to be a good leader. But I guess a good leader would have listened more to her best friend, instead of always thinking she knows best. She would have seen the cracks in their relationship, and worked to patch them up before it was too late."

"Do you think it's too late for us?"

"No. NO! A million times no! Cass, all I want… is for you to be happy."

"Hah," Cassandra forced out. "Happy, huh? You would think it was so easy. I don't think happiness is what life has in store for me."

"Cass..." Rapunzel set down the brush, gently wrapping her arms around her friend's waist. She leaned her head between her shoulder blades, her arms squeezing lightly. She stayed quiet, giving Cass time to collect her thoughts. She was starting to realize that Cassandra needed time to open up. It was difficult to just sit in silence, ready to listen. But it was what she thought Cass needed.

"You want everyone to be happy," she started. "Not everyone is. That's just reality."

"But I can help-"

"No. No. Sometimes you can't."

Rapunzel shifted, letting her arms slip away and instead letting her hands run through Cassandra's hair. It was soft and luscious, a drastic contrast from the state it had been in earlier that day. She wanted to argue, to disagree with Cassandra's statement. She wanted to be able to solve everyone's problems. She wanted to make a difference in the world, to show that she mattered. If only there was something she could do to bring Cass happiness.

"Do you know why I took the Moonstone?"

Rapunzel balked at the question. Surely Cassandra was the only one capable of answering that? She'd tried to come up with a reasonable explanation while they were apart. But nothing had made sense. It didn't make any sense for Cassandra to betray her and their friends and Corona by taking the Sundrop's other half. She felt, deep down, that some part of her didn't believe it. That one day she was going to wake up and be back in the caravan, with the end of the journey still ahead of them.

"It was for you, Rapunzel. You told me you were scared that you might not come back from the journey. I'd never really considered it a possibility until you said it. Sure, there were dangers along the road. But I was always there to make sure nothing happened to you. Your fears, and the risk you were willing to take upon yourself to complete the mission, got me thinking. About the lengths I'd go to to protect you. I knew you had to be the one to do it, but, when Adira hinted you might not survive I-"

Cassandra's words caught in her throat, and she struggled to swallow back the lump that had formed there. She let out a sigh through her nose, taking comfort in Rapunzel's touch for a moment. It was still hard to believe they were back together again. Enjoying each other's company as if they shouldn't be enemies right now.

"It didn't really matter what I chose," she continued. "I was always destined to lose. If I lost the princess- if I didn't bring you back safe- I would never be accepted into the royal guard. Even if we completed the journey. Even if the black rocks all disappeared. If you didn't return… It would have all been for nothing. Corona already lost you once. I couldn't risk it happening again. But taking the Moonstone would mean betraying you. It would mean the end of our friendship. The end of all the hard work I put into training for the guard. So what did it matter? Either way I was getting screwed out of my dream. The best case scenario for me was doing everything I could to protect you while still managing to salvage something for myself."

The hands entangled in her hair faltered. It finally hit Rapunzel, like a ton of bricks, that Cassandra had been shoved between a rock and a hard place when they finally reached the end of the journey. Of course she couldn't come back to Corona without her and expect to receive a happy welcome home. And of course it would look bad to everyone if Rapunzel returned without Cassandra nor the Moonstone. No wonder she'd been so reluctant to return. There was nothing for her here, anymore, as far as she could tell.

Another revelation dawned on her. "I've been rooting for you to achieve your dream, but this whole time, I've actually been holding you back. Whenever you get close, I get in the way. You gave up going to Ingvarr to stay with me. I ruined the Challenge of the Brave for you. I took you away from Corona for more than a year while we followed the black rocks. How could I have been so oblivious?" her voice cracked as she fought back tears. If she started crying now, Cass would just end up comforting her. For once, she needed to be the strong one. For Cass.

"Raps, I chose to go," she countered.

"But I should have insisted you stay-"

"You know I wouldn't have."

Rapunzel finally slid her hands free from Cassandra's hair, placing them on either side of herself and leaning back slightly. She had so many things she wanted to say. She always had a lot to say, of course, but Cassandra had been gone for months. For months, Rapunzel had been without her best friend and closest confidant. Eugene was great, and supportive, but he wasn't Cass. Cass had done what she needed to, taking time away from Rapunzel to find herself. And now, when they were back together again, things still didn't feel right between them.

"Why do you care so much about me when I only make your life harder?!" Rapunzel blurted.

Cassandra shifted, pulling away from the closeness of Rapunzel's body. She turned around so she could finally look her in the eyes, as Rapunzel curled her legs up and nested her chin between her knees. Cassandra idly fidgeted with the hem of the nightgown, suddenly aware that it felt too short and too revealing for her taste. But she wanted it on, because it smelled and felt like Rapunzel, and there was no place she wanted to be more than here with her.

"I- I-" Maybe she should have stayed where she was. Under the unwavering gaze of Rapunzel, she found herself unable to utter the words balanced precariously on the tip of her tongue: I love you.

"You have to-" she caught herself, then corrected, "you don't have to do anything, Cass, but I want to know. Please. Can't we be honest with each other?"

"I- I'm tired," she seemed to suddenly decide, although it was partially true.

"Come here, then," Rapunzel opened her arms and stretched out her legs, inviting Cassandra in.

Cassandra scooted over, nudging her head into the space between Rapunzel's neck and shoulder. Rapunzel wrapped her arms protectively around her, She should have been the one holding Rapunzel tight against her chest, instead of the other way around, but screw it. Where was the harm in giving in to her weakness? There was no one else around to see. She sighed, happily, a contentedness she hadn't felt in a long time settling over her. She was tired, yes, but her mind was still racing, keeping her awake and allowing her to savor this moment.

She felt Rapunzel's hand return to her hair, lightly stroking it. It wasn't like her to act so soft, but screw it again. She didn't have any dignity to salvage after the stunt she pulled in the Dark Kingdom.

Fully relaxed, she was about to drift off to sleep, when she heard a tender voice above her utter,

"Cass?"

Chapter Text

Her heart fluttered in her chest as the one she loved uttered her name. She nuzzled further into her neck, wanting desperately to tilt her head just so, and gently plant her lips upon her skin. She felt compelled to do it, and it took all her self control not to give in to her want. She'd been so long without touch, and her time away had only made her love for Rapunzel grow stronger. A love that would never be fulfilled.

She opened her eyes, glimpsing the angelic face of the princess. Rapunzel placed a tender hand beneath Cassandra's chin, tilting it upward. Then, her own face dipped down, and Cassandra didn't have any time to think or to ask what she was doing before their lips met.

She melted into the kiss, grasping at the back of Rapunzel's head with one hand and cupping her cheek with the other. She pressed on hungrily, desperate to keep this moment alive. She'd studied those perfect lips, over and over. Wondered what it would be like to kiss her, reminded of what she couldn't have every time she watched her open her mouth to speak. But this moment was theirs, a private, passionate, moment, that Cassandra had imagined countless times over.

When Rapunzel tried to slip away, Cassandra chased her, and drew her back in. Couldn't she let this last, just a second more? It was only a dream, after all. It had to be. As soon as she opened her eyes, she'd find herself laying against Rapunzel's shoulder again. She must have dozed off, but oh, wasn't this nice anyway?

Rapunzel finally managed to pry them apart, leaving the both of them gasping for air. Cassandra blinked, then shut her eyes shut tight, wanting to preserve the memory, as she caught her breath. She steadied herself, at long last opening her eyes to find a very flushed Rapunzel right in front of her.

It hadn't been a dream.

She reeled back, pushing Rapunzel away, making for the other side of the bed so as to be as far from her as possible. She sat on the edge, trying to breathe, to collect her thoughts, to process what had just happened. She felt light-headed and ecstatic and sick all at once.

"I have to leave," she stood abruptly, rock armor shifting back into place and shredding the nightgown. She tore off what remained of the fabric, hesitating as she considered where she might actually go.

"Cass wai- Cass, please, I thought this was what you wanted."

"Not like this," she took a step towards the door, "Eugene he- he doesn't deserve this."

"Cass, he knows."

"He… knows?" she reaffirmed.

"Of course he does! Did you think-" she swallowed, squashing down the thought. "You don't have to go. Please, Cass. I want you to stay… But I won't force you to."

"What do you mean," she turned, suddenly, making air quotes with her fingers, "'he knows'?"

"Will you sit back down?"

Cassandra wavered, before fwumping onto the mattress. She made a sweeping motion with her arm, indicating for Rapunzel to go on.

"We'd been talking while you were away. About how much I missed you and love you and can't imagine a life and a future without you. I'd never thought about you in the same way I think about Eugene. I didn't think I could. After all, I'm with him, and you're-"

"A woman?"

Rapunzel nodded sheepishly. "Cass, there is still so much I don't know. So much I have to learn about the world outside the tower. Eugene helped me figure some stuff out while you were gone. Like that maybe the feelings I have for you go beyond friendship or sisterhood. Ever since we met, I've always felt drawn to you. Like I wanted to be near you and for you to think I was special and for us to be together forever. The more I talked about you like that, the more Eugene started to suspect that my feelings were stronger than I was letting on. The truth was, even I didn't realize exactly what I was feeling. We had a long talk and he helped explain some things to me. We had a thorough conversation about him, and me, and you. Turns out I love the both of you, in very similar ways. And if I want to pursue that kind of love with you, it's okay with Eugene."

"But he's still in the picture?"

"Yes, Cass."

"Well, that's unfortunate," she hoisted her legs onto the bed, then laid down. "But I suppose it's worth it."

"So you're okay with this, too?"

"I don't know. I still have… a lot going on," she gestured to her new hair and dark armor.

"We can figure it out together. If you want," Rapunzel took one of her hands, intertwining Cassandra's fingers with her own.

"I don't know, I'm- Let me sleep on it, okay?"

"Sure thing. Do you want another pair of pajamas?"

"Yes. Sorry."

"I forgive you. But shredding my clothes cannot become a habit."

"What, the princess might run out of outfits?" she smirked, her signature snark beginning to reignite.

"Hey, I like what I have in my wardrobe, okay?" Rapunzel grinned back as she got up to fetch something fresh for her to wear.

When she returned, Cassandra once again traded her solid armor for soft threads, this time in purple. Then she slipped under the covers, stifling a yawn as she melted into one of the silky pillows. After all they'd been through, Rapunzel had still decided she was worth something. She was willing to care and comfort her, and was even making an effort to be a better listener. Much as she wasn't ready to admit it, she was internally entertaining the idea of her and Rapunzel actually becoming something… more.

The princess joined her on the bed, lying close beside her but not quite touching. "Cass, I wanted you to be near me and by my side, but… I don't think I ever asked you what you wanted. For us. Did I ever stop to think that maybe we don't want the same things? I'm sorry for being selfish, but I- I love you. I didn't think I'd be telling you so soon after you got back, but, I need you to know. Whatever you decide, whether it's staying in Corona or making a new life for yourself somewhere else, I just want you to be happy. I want-" she caught herself, "I want you to choose what's best for yourself. Not because of what I think, or your dad, or anyone else. You get to determine where your life heads now."

"What about… you know…"

Rapunzel's hand hovered over her chest, above where the faintly glowing orb could be seen through the thin fabric. "We can figure that out later. After you've had time to rest and are ready to let other people know you're back in Corona."

Cassandra nodded, rolling onto her side so that she was facing Rapunzel. She smiled, finally feeling uninhibited in her love for the princess. Rapunzel returned her affections, even if she felt like she didn't deserve it. Maybe she was wrong, this time. Maybe it was okay to accept her love.

Rapunzel beamed back, a light blush forming on her cheeks as she thought back to the intimate moment they'd shared just a few minutes ago. She was suddenly bashful, despite the two of them having been this close before, many times sharing a bed or even cuddling.

She felt newfound feelings bubbling up inside her, stronger than she'd felt towards Cassandra before. She was thrilled that she had not only been able to fully realize her feelings, but that she was able to act on them as well. From what Eugene had said, Cass felt the same way- even if she wasn't ready to admit it yet.

"Can I kiss you again?" Cassandra sounded embarrassed for requesting such a thing.

"Of course!" Rapunzel placed her hand on her cheek, grazing her thumb over her skin. "Any time you want."

Cassandra let herself lean into the touch, sighing happily. Rapunzel pulled her close, bringing their lips together. The months they'd spent apart had been painful, but necessary for them to now grow even closer. Their kiss was even more sweet and passionate than Cassandra had ever dared to dream.

She was the one to draw back first, panting and grinning as she stared into those gorgeous green eyes, emerald green pools sparkling like starlight. She never would have believed that a girl like Rapunzel would be interested in a plain girl like her, but here they were. Lying in bed together, mere inches apart, after Rapunzel had been the first of them to make her declaration of affection. Cassandra was still having trouble believing it.

"You really love me?" she breathed.

"Of course I do, Cass. I should have told you sooner, but I- I didn't know if that was okay. You're my first friend, Cass. Even if I didn't know I was in love with you, I could have still said I loved you as a friend. I always did, but I shouldn't have assumed that you always know how I feel. And maybe I should have realized sooner that you might have stronger feelings for me than just friendship. I assumed I knew how you felt, but that was wrong of me. I hope that as we move forward, you can be honest and tell me what you're feeling. I want to understand. I just need help sometimes."

"Then… I should probably tell you that I love you too."

"Oh, Cass!" she wrapped her arms around her, holding her tightly.

Cassandra flinched, an involuntary reaction, before slowly returning her embrace. A flicker of panic rose up inside her as the realization of the mutual confession of their love combined with their current closeness finally caught up to her. She buried her face in Rapunzel's shoulder while she waited for it to pass, letting out a whimper as it occurred to her that her vulnerabilities were laid bare for Rapunzel to see.

"I'm here, Cass," she whispered.

Cassandra nodded wordlessly, trying to gather up all her thoughts and emotions and shove them all back deep down inside where they belonged. She didn't like being sensitive, because in the majority of her social groups, it was seen as weakness. But Rapunzel didn't care about any of that. Cassandra should know that by now. What made her so afraid of opening up to the one person who had always been devoted and encouraging towards her pursuits? Even when they were fighting, she was supportive. Sure, they'd had their rough spots in the past year. But why had it been so difficult for her to see how much she meant to Rapunzel before? Before today, before the journey, before the mistakes. What had held her back?

"I was so afraid you could never return my feelings. After all, you seemed pretty sold on Eugene and spending the rest of your life with him," she lifted her head, cheeks damp and eyes still misty with the tears she was attempting to repress.

"But he's not you, Cass," Rapunzel brought both of her hands to her cheeks, wiping away the moisture with her thumbs. "You two are very different, individual people, and I love that about both of you. When I think about my future, I can't imagine being without either of you. I've always felt that way, ever since I met you. I just needed some time to figure out exactly why."

"What if that's not what I want?"

"Then that's okay, Cass. We'll just take things one day at a time. Go at your pace."

"Thank you," she said, suddenly growing flustered and throwing the comforter over her head to hide.

Rapunzel hmm-ed fondly, feeling a little bold and daring to wrap her arm around her waist. The other slithered under Cassandra's pillow, and she tugged on her to bring their bodies close.

Cassandra rolled over in an attempt to get away, which only made it easier for Rapunzel to entrap her in a solid hold. So she relented, pressing into her warmth. Her hand subconsciously moved to intertwine her fingers with the hand that was currently clutching her torso.

The other woman nestled her forehead against Cassandra's hair, breathing in the sweet smell of shampoo. She held on firmly, as if she was afraid she'd lose her if she were to let go. There was still a small flicker of dread deep down in the pit of her stomach, that she might wake up alone with Cass' return having all been a dream. But the body pressed against her own felt sturdy, their interactions had felt genuine, and the tickle of hair against her skin felt very real.

"I'm just so happy you're home."

"Me too, Raps."

Chapter Text

"Rapunzel. Wake up, Sunshine."

"Eugene?" she slid out from under the covers, sitting up and yawning as her eyes traveled from his smiling face down to his outstretched arm, coming to rest on the hand that was currently gripping a shoulder that was not her own. She looked up at him, wide-eyed, as he confusedly glanced down and then back up at Rapunzel, realizing that the person he had been attempting to rouse was not, in fact, his girlfriend.

He gave an experimental squeeze again, just to be sure. "That's not one of your pillows, is it?" he was still trying to process the fact that a person that was not him had seemingly spent the night in her bed.

"Shh!" Rapunzel put a finger to her lips, as if Eugene finding her in bed with someone else was completely normal and not at all a total surprise.

"Who is that?!" he hissed, both hands gesturing towards the extra lump on Rapunzel's bed.

Rapunzel slowly pulled back the covers to reveal the unmistakable blue hair, and Eugene didn't even need to see her face to know exactly who.

"Cassandra?!" he exclaimed, far too loudly.

She shushed him again, gesturing with both arms in a shoo-ing motion for him to leave.

Cassandra let out a whimper, a pale hand creeping out from the blankets to feel along the mattress for Rapunzel's form.

Rapunzel mouthed a firm "Go!" to Eugene, before laying down and scooting close enough for Cassandra's hand to find its destination.

Her fingers crawled up Rapunzel's stomach, sliding around to her back and pulling them together, her head finding a place tucked under her chin and against her neck. She sighed, still asleep, but at the very edge of it, like the slightest disturbance might wake her.

Eugene had a million questions, but now didn't seem like an appropriate time to ask any of them. It took all of his willpower to shove them down for later, and compel his feet to walk back out the door without so much as a good morning kiss from the love of his life.

Rapunzel breathed a sigh of relief once he was gone and they were left alone. She didn't want to send him away, but she wasn't sure Cassandra was ready for any surprise visitors, least of all Eugene. She hmm-ed happily to herself, watching her peaceful sleeping form as her chest slowly rose and fell. She ran a hand through her slightly tangled but still soft hair, gently placing a kiss against her forehead.

Cassandra groaned, pressing her face harder against Rapunzel's shoulder, fighting between going back to sleep and waking up to enjoy her company. It felt so nice to be in a real bed again, but even nicer knowing that when she awoke, she'd be met with beautiful green pools and glowing golden hair.

She blew out a puff of air, resigning herself to being awake. Cassandra pulled away, slightly, opening her eyes to see that Rapunzel was staring. Just staring like she was totally entranced.

Then she broke out in a smile, cupping Cassandra's cheek in her hand. She looked… happy. Happy to be here with her. It made Cassandra's chest swell with warmth, and the smile quickly became infectious as she felt the corners of her mouth turn up to match Rapunzel's.

"I love you," Rapunzel breathed.

"I-" the smile slowly faded, as Cassandra lost herself in thought. "I don't deserve it," she felt clearer than she had the day prior, what with good food and a lot of rest, and she felt her walls of emotional isolation springing back up again.

"Of course you do," Rapunzel was unperturbed by her reluctance.

"I haven't earned it. All of the things you've been doing for me; I don't deserve any of it."

"Why makes you think you have to earn affection?"

"Because you do. I do."

"That's not how love works, Cass."

She pondered this revelation for several moments, mouth opening and closing as she gathered a response. "That's how it's always worked for me."

"I understand," Rapunzel ran her hand down Cassandra's arm until she reached her hand, taking it gently in her own. "That's how things were with Gothel. Always working to earn what I thought was love. But it wasn't love. Not with her. It was hard, at first, for me to learn that's not how it should be. Hard to break out of the mindset you've had for 18 years that you have to keep doing things for people or they'll stop loving you. Doing things is nice, and I still like that I can show my own love that way, but it doesn't feel like a requirement anymore. And it's not as one-sided as it used to feel."

"If you're not showing it with deeds, then how do you get it?"

"Usually it's just given, freely. When you care about someone, things don't have to be even all the time. It's not always about doing equal things for one another or doing things with the intention of being rewarded. It's about meeting each other's needs, which can often change from day to day. So, it's important to always communicate how you're feeling and what you need."

"That sounds complicated. I like my way."

"But does your way make you happy?"

Cassandra frowned, sliding her hand away from the princess. "Sometimes. I mean, I think it does. But sometimes, I feel…" she trailed off.

Rapunzel waited patiently. She knew it took Cassandra awhile to muster up the courage to say anything that followed after the words "I feel." Just as patience was something that she herself needed to work on, being more emotionally available was the same for Cassandra.

"...I feel like I'm not meant to be happy."

"Why do you think that, Cass?"

She grumbled, moving onto her stomach and pushing herself up on her elbows so she could study the space where the dark traces of her scarred hand met her wrist. "I have worked so hard, as far back as I can remember, to get people to like me. I figured if I just kept pushing myself enough, that maybe I'd finally get enough praise I wouldn't feel so… empty. Then I met you," she turned back to where Rapunzel was watching her intently, "with all your hugs and hand-holding and wanting to show your love in a physical way. When I finally let you in, it felt like a piece of me I didn't even know had been missing suddenly found its place. Like I'd been missing out on this great feeling I could have had for my entire life. I didn't want to feel like I'd always been incomplete, somehow. And yet, I didn't know if I could live without the feeling you had given me anymore. It didn't help that you were so persistent and my job meant I couldn't just stop seeing you.

"I wouldn't say I'd never been loved before. But with you, it was different. You gave me the kind of love I didn't even realize I'd always been craving. Not even in a romantic sense, just, as friends. I had never let myself be as open with anyone as I was with you. It scared me because if I were to lose you, how could I ever really feel loved again? When we were on the journey, you hurt me. I know you know that now. But at the time, I was afraid I was losing you and it made me want to push you even further away. I wanted it to be my choice to end our friendship, not yours. I needed it to be what I wanted because I couldn't stand the thought of being abandoned by my first and closest friend."

"Is that what you felt like? You were being abandoned? Cass, if I had known that was how you felt-"

"It all worked as part of the plan. I could have told you right away, talked to you, trusted you. But I didn't want to patch things up between us. I needed you to start to hate me so you wouldn't be upset when I took the Moonstone. So you would be able to get over me when I left. I didn't want you to feel bad about it so when we started falling apart, I pretended everything was okay and avoided fixing it."

"I should have seen that you were hurting," Rapunzel swallowed. "You'd never lashed out at me like that before. I chalked it up to the stress and pressure of the journey, but I should have known as your best friend that it was so much deeper than that. I'd seen you aloof and closed off before, but it wasn't the same. Some part of me knew that, but I thought it was best not to push you to talk until you were ready."

"I guess since I'm here, that strategy worked out after all."

"But if I'd tried harder to reach out to you, months ago, would it have made a difference?" she slowly moved her hand towards Cassandra, seeking out hers to hold.

"I don't know," she watched Rapunzel's thumb trace idle patterns on the back of her hand, "I would have still been afraid of what the Moonstone could do to you. Even if we'd talked it out and I'd been honest about my intentions, would you have let me go through with it, knowing the risks?"

"The black rock journey was always my burden to bear. I wouldn't have put that responsibility on any of my friends, no matter what the danger was to myself."

"You would have gone on the journey alone if you had to."

"Yes."

"You have everything you want and you'd give it up to protect everyone else."

"That's what everybody says. That I have everything I could ever want. Parents and a boyfriend and dozens of citizens who love me unconditionally. The promise of a future where I'll never have to worry about food or clothing or a roof over my head. Sometimes it feels like I'm living a life I don't even deserve. I have guards and maids at my every beck-and-call. Sometimes I can forget how lucky I am. I question how I can have all this and still miss the place I grew up, even though I know it was far from perfect. And when you were gone, I felt bad knowing I had everything and somehow wasn't satisfied.

"That missing piece you talked about. I didn't know anything was missing in my life until the day I first saw you. I wanted to meet you so badly, but I wasn't sure why. Even after we became friends, it didn't feel like enough. But I already had Eugene in my life so I didn't think that what I wanted from you went so much farther beyond friendship. After Eugene was helping me sort out my feelings, I started to wonder if you'd met me first, would I have fallen for you, the same as I did for him? I got a glimpse of what that might've been like when you accidentally used the forgetting spell on me. But it still took me a very long time for it to all click into place. Now I know you were so sure of your feelings for so long, even if you couldn't talk about them. You always seem so sure of yourself. So confident and certain. How do you do it?"

Cassandra shrugged, using the opportunity to slide closer to Rapunzel so she could feel her warmth. It was still hard to believe she was home after all this time. "There's not a whole lot I want or need out of life so, when I see a goal I want to achieve I go for it. Why hesitate?"

"I wish everyone could see the Cass that I see," Rapunzel placed her hand on her cheek. "With all her hopes and dreams and flaws. The girl who likes swords and getting her hands dirty and claims she's not afraid of anything. The person who works harder than anyone I have ever met. Who's looked out for me and risked her life for her friends more times than I can count. Someone who deserves everything a lot more than I do."

"What more could I need if I have you?" she grinned.

Rapunzel smiled back just as wide, and for a moment, their eyes locked. They fell silent, save for the hushed sound of their breathing. Cassandra blushed under her gaze, ducking her head sheepishly. Rapunzel brushed some of the hair out of her face, letting her hand linger among wavy curls.

Cassandra looked up again, chewing her lip as she hesitated. Then, suddenly, she pushed herself forward, her lips meeting Rapunzel's as the princess squealed in surprise.

It felt different to be kissing Cassandra first thing in the morning, instead of Eugene. Not bad, or wrong, just different. Juggling the two of them was certainly going to be difficult, but it would be more than worth it.

Rapunzel pulled away, seemingly too soon for Cassandra, who whined and slid her hand to the back of Rapunzel's head, trying to keep her in place.

"If I don't get up soon, Eugene's going to get jealous that he's barely seen me in 24 hours."

"Aw, poor thing."

"Come on, Cass. If we want this thing to work between us, we're all going to have to get along."

"I still haven't agreed to anything."

"I know. But maybe you could both try to be a little nicer. For me?"

"For you, I guess I can try. I suppose after the stunt I pulled the last time we were all together, he won't be too thrilled to see me."

"I think he'll be okay. If I'm pretty thrilled to see you, he probably missed you too. Even if he won't admit it."

"Too bad I can't just hide out in your room forever and I'll have to face everyone sooner or later."

"And much as I would love to hide out and stay in bed with you all day, I still have my princess duties to attend to. But if you want, you can come with. What do you say?"

Chapter Text

"What happened to the Rapunzel who wouldn't give a second thought to shirking her responsibilities for a day?" Cassandra grinned.

"Maybe she actually learned something when her best friend told her to take things seriously," Rapunzel propped herself up on her elbow as she smiled back.

Cassandra mirrored her position as she studied her face, haloed in morning light. "What if I'm not ready?"

Her face fell in disappointment, but she didn't let it seep into her voice. "Then… I'll have the servants bring some breakfast- I'll say it's for me- and I'll stop by to bring you lunch," Rapunzel slowly trailed her hand up Cassandra's arm, until it was resting on her shoulder. "I want to give you the time you deserve with me. I'll clear my schedule as soon as I can," she leaned forward to plant a chaste kiss against Cassandra's lips, before rolling out of bed.

Cassandra followed, taking Rapunzel's hand in her own as she came up beside her. "I don't think I'm ready to see everyone yet," she stated again, staring forward stoically. "But I don't want to be alone. So maybe I'll have to be."

Rapunzel lifted their hands to her face so she could kiss the back of Cassandra's hand. "I'll be here for you for whatever you need today. You were always there for me, even if I took your presence for granted. I'm sorry for that. I'm sorry for a lot of things-"

"Hey," Cassandra spoke up, momentarily distracting Rapunzel from what was about to turn into an emotional rant. "The past is the past. There is… a lot we can both make amends for. But let's just focus on today. The here and now."

The princess brightened, sighing with relief. She went to her closet, rifling through it to find her current favorite dress. Once she'd picked it out, Cassandra helped her into it without prompting, just like old times. They had fallen into it, naturally, hardly thinking of the task until they were in the middle of it. But despite the familiarity of their morning routine, everything was so different now to how it was a year prior.

So they broke the routine, with Rapunzel in front of her vanity brushing her hair while Cassandra stayed near. She had less need of her help without her lengthy blonde locks, but still, there had been a brief time when she helped her with the current shorter and more manageable style. Falling back into old habits would have been uncomfortably easy.

"Can I ask you something?" Cassandra was sat on a stool next to Rapunzel.

"Anything, Cass."

"Why do you have like, 100 paintings of me?"

"You found those?"

"Yeah."

"I missed you. That's really all there is to say."

"All that because you missed me?"

She nodded. "And because there was a part of me that was afraid I'd never seen you again. I never wanted to forget about you. Sometimes I liked to imagine the person you might become, if you came back. I wanted to dream up a world that still had you in it. I wanted to remember all the time we'd spent together. It was only a couple of years but, once I started trying to put everything on canvas, it felt like a lifetime. It all felt so far away. Every time I thought of you I couldn't help but wonder how we'd grown so far apart in such a short time."

"We grew close in a short time, too. I guess it's no wonder we fell apart."

"So did Eugene and I and we're still together," she paused when she saw Cassandra's expression turn annoyed at his mention. "But you're not him. You are your own person. I love you for who you are. Sweet and honest and always real with me."

"Too bad it took a horrible falling out for us to have this kind of talk."

Rapunzel took a deep breath as still fresh memories of their previous encounter raced to the forefront of her mind. "The past is the past. Remember? We've got a new day ahead."

"Then we should get going."

"In that?"

Cassandra looked down at the nightgown she was still wearing as Rapunzel stifled a giggle.

"Let me see if I have something you can wear," she stood up and started to riffle through her closet again.

Something caught Cassandra's eye as she scanned the array of dresses.

"Why do you have one of my shirts?"

Rapunzel froze like she was a kid who had been caught with her hand in the cookie jar. Her gaze landed on a piece of fabric that seemed slightly off amongst her bright purples and yellows. A burgundy shirt, formerly (and still, currently, now that she was back) belonging to Cassandra.

She pulled it down, holding it to her chest for a moment before turning and presenting it to her. "I borrowed it. I didn't know when- or if- you would be coming back. I never wanted to forget you. To pretend like you never mattered just because you may have hurt me. Even when people told me to move on, I couldn't. Some part of myself even tried to push the memories of you aside. And it helped, when I needed to put on a good face for the citizens of Corona. Pretend like I was okay even on the days when I longed for you the most. I wanted as many reminders of you- of us- around me as possible. So I would never forget my best friend. No matter what."

"Wow, Raps. That's- that's a lot." Cassandra tenderly took the article of clothing. Her eyes scanned the familiar cloth, before she handed it back. "Hang on to it for me a little longer. I think I already have something to wear today," she turned around for a moment, slipping out of her loaned pajamas and letting her dark armor slide back into place.

"This feels right," she said, looking to Rapunzel again, and seeming to notice her new outfit for the first time.

"Oh."

"What?"

"Your dress."

"Oh."

Cassandra's hand came to rest under the glowing orb in her chest, in the same spot that the emblem of Corona was stitched upon Rapunzel's outfit. Pink vines seemed to grow from the image of the sun, following a similar pattern to that of the blue streaks that extended out from the opal.

"We match."

"Yeah. We kind of do," Rapunzel tucked a stray hair behind her ear. "Even after we parted ways in the Dark Kingdom, I never stopped believing you were my friend. I never stopped hoping you'd come back home. I never gave up on you."

"Why not?" Old doubts began to creep back to Cassandra's mind.

"Cass-" she stepped forward, tentatively wrapping her arms around her. "I don't know everything that you're going through or why it's so hard to believe that people actually, genuinely care about you. But I do care about you. And I will remind you every chance that I can," she paused. "I understand today may be difficult-"

"Understatement."

"-but I'll be here," she lifted her head so she could look Cassandra in the eyes. "Right by your side. And I won't let anyone hurt you. But I- we- have to get going."

Cassandra finally reciprocated the embrace, burying her face in Rapunzel's hair. "What if everyone hates me?" she asked, muffled.

"Impossible. There's at least one person who could never hate you."

"You?"

"Me," she pulled away, taking Cassandra's hand as she led her towards the door. "Ready?"

"As I'll ever be."