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There was a soft, swift trace of fingertips, barely even enough to touch his skin, only briefly running over his chin, as if afraid to disturb his sleep. It was enough to make him crack his eyes open and turn his head to the girl beside him.
Rapunzel pulled her hand away, and her face turned into a warm smile. How could her smile feel so warm? How could it make him feel physically just so much more comfortable, more safe? No matter where, no matter when, he didn't need anything else than to see that smile, that genuine mark of happiness, and it was enough to pull him away from any deep dark place where he might've been in.
"Did I wake you?" She asked, a bit sorry, but still smiling, still just so happy to be able to gaze into his eyes. He smiled at her, rising his hand up to sweep his knuckles over her cheek, then to place a stray strand of hair behind her ear.
"Yeah, but this is the sight I don't mind waking up to."
She giggled. She always laughed at the things he said, but never in a mean way, never to make fun of him or mock him. She laughed because she just found the things he said so enjoyable, she laughed because she liked hearing his voice. And her laugh, it was the most amazing thing to hear, the most precious thing he could've ever been gifted with.
Sometimes... Sometimes he thought he didn't deserve her. She was the princess, the sun, the hope and comfort everyone was looking up to, the light shining up on the ones who needed it the most.
Somewhere inside he knew that he didn't really need it. He had survived years in the dark, in the mist of uncertainty, of regret and mistakes, broken promises, lost identities. He had lived without a light for nearly all of his life up until the day he met Rapunzel, he could survive just as fine without it now.
Perhaps he didn't really need her light to guide him, but he needed everything else. There was so much more in her than just the perfect, strong, happy-go-lucky and sweet princess that they all saw her as.
But he knew there was so, so much more in her. And that was what he needed. He needed her bad days and her tears, her insecurity and her fear. He needed her clumsiness and her mistakes, her crazy ideas and her silence when she was sad. He needed the real her, the person who she was, not just the light, but the shadows as well.
And sometimes he felt like maybe he didn't need the light, because he didn't really deserve it. Sometimes he thought that who was he to be by her side, the thief, the out-law, the screw up? Who was he to stand by her, when she was so much more than he could ever hope to be?
A gentle hand cupped his cheek and he was pulled out of his wandering thoughts, and he was greeted with yet another warm smile and humming small laughter.
"You know, this is what I like waking up to, too. Just you there by my side. It's more than I could've hoped for." his girlfriend cooed with a tender voice, and he couldn't help but laugh. She was reading his mind. Guess that's what happens when you're raised by a witch.
"You're more than I could've ever hoped for" he sighed and pulled her closer, pressing his forehead on hers. She closed her eyes and let out a content hum, curling her arm around him.
Maybe he was still a bit lost, still in the dark sometimes, but not when he was with her. Never when he was with her.
With her, he was home.