Chapter Text
There was no doubt—this was the best moment of Rapunzel’s life.
Moments ago, she had held him as he slipped away—her heart breaking, her world collapsing—but now, against all reason, against all pain, he was here. Alive. Warm. Breathing.
Flynn. Eugene. Her Eugene.
Her tears had brought him back. Somehow, the last trace of magic within her had refused to let him go.
Now he was in her arms again, and their lips met—tentatively at first, then desperately, as though both were terrified this miracle might vanish if they let go.
He’s here. He’s alive. He’s mine.
Her body trembled, every breath she took catching on his name. She slid her arms around his neck, fingers curling into his hair. His hands tangled in her short brown locks—new and unfamiliar, yet beautiful in their freedom.
But even as she kissed him, something deep within her ached.
Why isn’t this enough? she wondered. Why do I crave more? Why does it feel like my heart will burst if there’s anything between us—even air, even clothes?
Her hand brushed the edge of his vest. The warmth of his skin beneath her fingertips sent shivers racing through her.
But then—
Flynn froze. Panic flickered in his eyes.
What is she doing? he thought, startled. How does she even know…? She doesn’t understand. Not yet. Not like this.
He broke the kiss gently but firmly, catching her hands in his. “Whoa, Rapunzel, I—I mean—ugh, hang on.”
The look on her face nearly undid him—confusion, hurt, longing.
“Why are we stopping?” she asked softly, her voice fragile as spun glass.
He swallowed. “I just… we need a second. Okay? You—you just brought me back to life, and I’m still trying to believe that.”
Her frown melted into a radiant smile. “Eugene, you’re alive. You’re alive.”
He laughed, breathless and in awe. “Yeah… somehow. How did you even do that?”
“Oh, there was still magic in my tears,” she said simply, as though that explained everything.
He shook his head, wonder in his eyes. “Your tears? Thank goodness your mother didn’t know about that.”
Her eyes softened. “You were really willing to die for me?”
“I…” His throat tightened. He had to say it now. “I love you, Rapunzel.”
Her breath caught. For a heartbeat, the world went still.
He loves me. The words echoed like bells in her heart. He loves me. I knew it.
“Oh, Eugene,” she whispered, tears glittering in her eyes, “I love you too.”
He stared at her, stunned. She loves me? She really loves me? No one’s ever said that before. Not to me. His chest felt too small to hold the feeling bursting inside him.
She smiled through tears and kissed him again.
Flynn lost himself in the kiss.
For a moment, the world ceased to exist—no tower, no kingdom, no past mistakes. Only her. Her warmth. Her breath. The trembling, desperate beat of her heart against his chest.
Her hands, soft and unsure, slid beneath his shirt, fingertips brushing his skin. The touch burned and soothed all at once, and his breath hitched sharply.
Then she tugged him closer—closer still—until they both sank to the ground in a tangle of limbs and whispered breaths. Her legs wrapped around his waist as though her body feared he might vanish again if she didn’t hold him tight enough.
She didn’t understand what she was doing—only that she couldn’t stand the distance between them.
I want all of him, she thought, her pulse pounding in her ears. I want to feel him, know he’s real, that he’s mine. I don’t know why, but I want to be as close as humanly possible.
Flynn shuddered. Every part of him screamed to give in—to lose himself in the warmth of her love and the miracle of her touch. He’d never wanted anything more.
Gods, she has no idea what she’s doing to me. His heart raced, torn between longing and restraint. I want her—so much it hurts—but not like this. Not yet. Not before I make it right.
With every ounce of will he had, he pulled back, panting, his hands trembling as he caught hers. “Rapunzel… please.” His voice came out hoarse, almost pleading. “We need to slow down.”
Her eyes widened, hurt flickering across her face. “What? Did I do something wrong?”
He shook his head quickly. “No. Never. You didn’t do anything wrong.” He cupped her cheek, brushing his thumb along her skin as if to steady himself. “It’s just… you don’t really know what this means. What could happen if we keep going.”
Confusion crossed her features, innocent and heartbreakingly pure. “I just know I want you completely,” she whispered. “I don’t want anything between us. Not air, not clothes. I don’t even know why, I just… I need you close.”
He groaned softly, torn between laughter and despair. “Rapunzel…” He let out a shaky breath, eyes searching hers. “You were never taught about these things, were you?”
She shook her head.
He smiled faintly, though his chest ached with the effort. “Let’s just say, when two people love each other this much, being too close too soon can… have consequences.”
Her brow furrowed. “Consequences?”
“Yes.” He hesitated, then gently took her hands again, holding them between his. “If we went too far, I could make you pregnant—give you a child—before we were married. And then you’d be shamed and scandalized. And I swore I’d never let that happen. Not to you. Not before I can give you everything you deserve.”
Her eyes softened. “Married? What’s that?”
He smiled, the word almost sacred on his lips. “It’s a promise, Rapunzel. Between two people who love each other. A vow to stay together forever, to protect and care for one another through everything. It means I’m bound to you, and you to me—and that if there’s ever a child, I’ll be there. Always.”
She blinked at him, her eyes shimmering with tears. “A promise forever…”
“Yes.” His heart swelled as he looked at her—the girl who had changed everything, who had loved him back to life. “And I want that with you. More than anything.”
Her breath caught. The air between them seemed to glow.
Then, with trembling fingers, he brushed her hair behind her ear and smiled—a smile so tender it nearly undid her. “Rapunzel,” he whispered, voice thick with emotion, “will you make me the happiest man alive—and be my wife?”
For a moment, she could only stare at him, her eyes wide with wonder. Then she nodded, her smile radiant through tears. “Yes. Of course. I want forever with you.”
Relief and joy rushed through him like sunlight after a storm. He let out a laugh—half sob, half prayer—and kissed her softly, reverently, as though sealing their promise.
“Then it’s settled,” he murmured against her lips. “I’ll take you away from this place, somewhere we can start fresh, somewhere I’m not wanted. I’ll find honest work, build us a home, and marry you properly. And then… then, I’ll give you everything you’ve been longing for.”
She smiled, her heart soaring. “That sounds wonderful. But…”
He looked at her curiously. “But what?”
Her joy faltered just a little.
He has to know. He deserves to know the truth.
“Eugene,” she whispered, her voice trembling. “There’s something I have to tell you. I’m the lost princess.”
Flynn’s face drained of all color. For a moment, he just stared at her — wide-eyed, breathless — as if the ground had vanished beneath him.
“What?” he whispered, the word breaking in his throat.
“Yes,” Rapunzel said softly, her voice trembling. “I just found out… the woman I thought was my mother—she wasn’t. She kidnapped me as a baby, to use my hair. And my real parents are the king and queen. That’s why the lanterns were released on my birthday every year.”
The words hung between them like smoke.
Flynn stumbled back until his chained wrist jerked him against the stairs. His chest heaved. He pressed his palms over his face.
No. No, it can’t be. But it makes sense… every piece fits.
Her age. Her eyes. Her birthday. The way she looks exactly like the queen.
She’s the lost princess.
He swallowed hard. And I’m…
A thief. A liar. A man who spent half his life running from guards.
A man her parents tried to hang an hour ago.
The thought hollowed him out. She’ll be taken from me. Locked behind palace walls. Dressed in gold and silk while I rot in memory. She’ll marry a prince, because that’s how the world works. And I’ll lose her.
His heart broke before he could breathe again.
“Eugene?” Rapunzel’s voice was small, frightened. “What is it?”
He turned back to her, and she saw the tears glistening in his eyes.
“Then I’ll take you home,” he said quietly. “And… then we’ll have to say goodbye.”
Her face fell. “What?”
“They’ll never let us be together, Rapunzel.” His voice cracked on her name. “A princess must marry a prince. That’s the way of the world. I’m just a thief—worse, a criminal your parents sentenced to die. They’ll never let us marry. They’ll never let us build a life. Our love…” He swallowed the word like poison. “Our love is over.”
She shook her head furiously. “No.”
“Yes, Rapunzel,” he said, tears streaking down his face. “That’s how the world works. They don’t care about love, only power, alliances, appearances, titles, traditions. A princess and a thief? That would be the greatest scandal the kingdom has ever seen.”
“NO!” she cried, her voice breaking.
“Yes,” he whispered. “They’ll choose a nobleman for you. Someone pure, clean, untouched by the dirt I carry.”
Her whole body trembled. “I won’t let them.”
“You won’t be able to stop them.”
“Then I simply won’t return to them!”
“Rapunzel, no.” His voice was hoarse, desperate. “I can’t let you give up a life of safety, of luxury, of everything you deserve, for someone like me.”
She moved closer, her eyes fierce through tears. “I don’t want that life. I want you.”
He froze, heart pounding so hard it hurt.
Oh, what have I done? he thought. She’s willing to throw away her crown for me—a man who’s done nothing to deserve her.
Rapunzel’s hands caught his shirt, pulling him down to her. Her lips crashed against his in a kiss that was all fire and anguish. Her tears brushed his skin, and he felt the raw, pure ache of it—the desperate need to hold onto something real before the world ripped it away.
Her fingers fumbled at his vest, sliding it open, palms pressed against his chest where his heart raced under her touch.
For a moment, he almost gave in.
This is love, he thought wildly. This is everything I ever wanted and everything I can’t have.
But he broke away, trembling, breathing hard. “Rapunzel, no. You have to go back.”
Her eyes shone, fierce and wet. “I won’t return if they force us apart. And they must be awful people—didn’t they try to hang you?”
He hesitated, shame flooding his chest. “Yes, but—”
“Then that’s all I need to know,” she said, voice low and burning. “I will not return.”
And she looked at him then as if she were willing to burn the entire world down just to keep him.
Flynn’s throat tightened until he could barely breathe.
“Rapunzel, listen to me,” he said softly, forcing steadiness he didn’t feel. “You belong to the world now. You’re their hope. Their light. You can’t throw that away for me.”
She shook her head, tears trembling on her lashes. “I don’t care about any of that. I care about you.”
He tried to smile, but it broke halfway. “You say that now, but one day you’ll look back and see what you gave up. You’ll hate me for letting you do it.”
“I could never hate you.”
Those eyes—wide, trusting, filled with unshakable faith—hit him like a blade. She means it, he realized. She’d walk away from everything—her family, her crown, her kingdom—just to stay with me.
He turned away, jaw locked tight against the flood of feeling. “Rapunzel, I can’t let you do that.”
Her fingers brushed his arm, desperate and shaking. “Then don’t make me go.”
He turned back to her. She sat barefoot on the cold stone, tears running freely down her cheeks. His heart ached with how beautiful she was—how impossibly good. Every part of him screamed to give in, to take her hand, to run.
We could disappear, he thought. Find a cottage by the sea, live by her laughter, forget the world that never wanted either of us.
“Rapunzel…” he said, his voice barely a whisper. “You don’t understand. I have nothing. No home, no money, no job. I can’t give you the life you deserve. But your parents can.”
She shook her head, her tears falling like rain. “I don’t want that life. It means nothing if I’m not with you. If they force me to marry someone else—someone I don’t love—that isn’t a life at all.”
The sound of her voice—raw, trembling, so full of truth—broke him. Before he could speak, she reached for him, her small hands cupping his face, her eyes pleading and bright.
Then she kissed him.
All the walls he’d built—the guilt, the fear, the belief that he didn’t deserve her—crumbled in an instant. His heart, starved for her, finally stopped pretending it could live without her.
He pulled her close, holding her as if she might vanish if he let go. The world outside the tower ceased to exist. Every heartbeat, every breath, every unspoken word between them poured into that kiss.
God, she’s my entire world, he thought. How could I ever ask her to give this up?
Her hands slipped beneath his shirt again, desperate, certain. This is where I belong, she thought. With him. Always him.
She pressed closer, and the intensity of her closeness made every rational thought dissolve. Her hands clutched at him, searching, trembling, desperate. I want him. I need him. I can’t breathe without him, she thought, and every heartbeat of hers pressed that truth against his chest.
Her hands explored him in tiny, frantic gestures—touching, seeking, clinging. Every inch of her closeness burned with desire, and he felt it in his own chest, in the way his heart thumped against hers. He kissed her again, deeper, as if memorizing the feel of her lips, the warmth of her, the pull of her body against his.
She’s mine. She’s always been mine, he thought, even as fear whispered that the world would never let them stay together.
Their lips met again, feverishly, almost recklessly, and the closeness—skin against skin, breath mingling, hearts racing—was overwhelming. Every instinct screamed to give in completely, to let the world vanish and hold her forever in this perfect moment.
And then… he pulled back.
He broke from her lips, resting his forehead against hers, breath shaking. “Rapunzel…” His voice was rough with longing. “If I don’t stop now, I won’t be able to.”
“Then don’t,” she whispered. “Don’t stop. Please.”
Her plea undid him. He held her tighter, his hand pressed against the small of her back, feeling the warmth of her through the thin fabric of her dress. He wanted nothing more than to lose himself in her, to give her everything she asked for.
But the echo of an old promise burned in his mind—the one he’d made long ago to a frightened boy who lost his mother too soon.
He drew in a trembling breath and pulled back, his eyes full of pain. “I can’t,” he said hoarsely. “I made a promise—to myself. My father left my mother with a child before they were married. He walked away, and she was left alone. I swore I would never do that to someone I loved. Not ever. I won’t take a piece of you before I can give you everything. Before I can marry you.”
Her lips trembled, her tears soaking his hand as it cupped her cheek. “Then marry me,” she whispered. “Right now. Just say the words, and we’ll run. We’ll leave, together.”
He closed his eyes, imagining it—the two of them, vanishing into the sunrise, free, laughing, trembling in each other’s arms. Her warmth pressed to his, the pull between them so strong it made his chest ache.
This is what I want… he thought, to be with her, fully, without fear or walls. But the world will never allow it. I can’t let her pay the price for my desire.
“They’ll never let us, after they met you,” he said hoarsely. “Not while they hold your crown. They’d tear the kingdom apart to bring you back.”
“Then I can’t go back,” she whispered.
Her words struck him like a blade—vow and wound all at once. He cupped her face again, pressing a gentle, lingering kiss to her forehead. Their tears mingled, warm and shining in the fading light.
“I love you,” he said, voice breaking. “More than I ever thought I could love anyone. But loving you… means keeping you safe—even if it breaks me.”
She pressed her forehead to his, lips brushing against his softly. “Then you’ll have to fight me,” she whispered. “Because I’m not leaving you.”
For one fragile heartbeat, they stayed like that—so close, so desperate, so raw with longing it felt like the world itself had disappeared. Two souls colliding, yearning, almost losing themselves to the love they had restrained for so long, held back only by honor, fear, and promises they had made.
“Rapunzel, listen,” Flynn said softly, forcing calm into a voice that wanted to break. “At least meet your parents. Give them a chance.”
She shook her head, eyes glistening. “No. They tried to kill you. They’re horrible.”
He exhaled shakily. “But, Rapunzel… I stole. I’ve done things I’m not proud of.”
“It doesn’t matter what you stole,” she whispered fiercely, tears spilling down her cheeks. “You didn’t deserve death for that. Nobody does. My parents must be awful—cold and cruel, just like her. Why would I ever want to return to them?”
Her voice cracked, and it felt like the air between them splintered with it.
“At least meet them,” he said gently. “Please. Just once.”
She shook her head again, her voice trembling. “No. I want to go with you. To marry you. To love you completely.” She hesitated, blushing through her tears. “And… to love you in that other sense I don’t quite understand yet. Skin to skin. I need it. I need you.”
Her confession hit him like a spark to dry tinder. Every part of him screamed to pull her close, to give in to everything they both felt, to stop pretending restraint could hold back love this strong.
She has no idea what she’s doing to me, he thought, heart racing. God, I want her. I want her in every way—but not like this, not yet. She deserves better than stolen moments and regret.
She reached for him, fingers trembling as she tugged at his vest, desperate to close the distance between them. He caught her hands gently, holding them against his chest, feeling her heartbeat through his palms.
“Rapunzel,” he whispered, “please. Just try. Meet them, tell them about us, about our love. And if they’re cruel… if they truly don’t care for you and reject our love and if you don’t like the life they are offering—then I promise, I’ll marry you, take you away, and love you in every way there is to love someone.”
Her breath hitched, eyes searching his face for any sign of doubt. He really means it, she thought. He would risk everything just to make sure I never regret choosing him.
“But one meeting could ruin everything,” she whispered. “They could arrest you, kill you—I will not risk it.”
He cupped her face, brushing away her tears with his thumb. “They won’t. You can tell them, explain who I am, what we are. Maybe they aren’t as heartless as you think.”
“I don’t believe that,” she said, shaking her head, her voice trembling between fear and longing. “I don’t care what they are. I just want you. Completely.”
She kissed him then—fiercely, desperately—her fingers curling in his shirt, tugging him closer, as though she could make the whole world disappear if she just held him tightly enough.
He almost gave in. For one breathless moment, he wanted to lose himself in her, to let every promise and law fade away beneath the sheer, aching pull between them.
She’s everything I never thought I’d deserve, he thought. But if I give in now, I’ll break the one promise I’ve kept my whole life.
He pulled back, his voice hoarse and shaking. “I can’t, Rapunzel. I won’t take you before marriage.”
Her eyes filled again, pleading. “Then we marry. Tonight. Now.”
He almost smiled, brokenly. “There’s a law against that,” he said softly.
“I don’t care,” she breathed. “I don’t care about any law that keeps me from you.”
He brushed his thumb over her cheek again, his chest tightening painfully. “At least meet them,” he whispered. “Just once. If they’re cruel, if they can’t accept our love and you don’t like it there—then we’ll leave. But we won’t know unless we try.”
Her lips parted, trembling, torn between love and fear. He’s asking me to walk toward the people who almost took him from me, she thought, but I can see in his eyes—he only wants to protect me. Even from myself.
She nodded slowly, her voice barely a whisper. “If I do this… promise you won’t let them take me from you.”
He pulled her close again, his forehead resting against hers. “Never,” he whispered. “Not while I breathe.”
After Flynn had picked the lock from his wrist, the shackle clattered to the floor — and with it, something in him seemed to break. He gathered her trembling body into his arms as if she were made of light, something fragile that the world had no right to touch. She clung to him, small hands fisting his shirt, her face pressed against his chest. Each shaky breath she took seemed to echo in his bones.
“Come on, Sunshine,” he murmured, pressing a kiss into her short, tangled hair. “You need rest. Let me take care of you tonight. Tomorrow, we’ll go.”
She didn’t answer — just buried herself deeper against him, as though she could disappear into the warmth of him, the scent of earth and wind and safety. Please don’t take him from me, she thought, clutching tighter. He’s all I have left.
He lifted her easily, carrying her upstairs to her room. She fit against him perfectly, her heartbeat fluttering against his neck, her tears dampening his collar. When he laid her gently on the bed and slipped beside her, she immediately curled against him, her body molding to his like it had always belonged there.
Flynn wrapped his arm around her, fingers tracing small circles along her back. “Just try to sleep a little,” he whispered, though he knew neither of them could. His heart was still pounding too fast, his soul still raw from everything they’d survived.
She tilted her face up, eyes wide and luminous in the moonlight. “Kiss me again,” she breathed.
He didn’t even think — he just obeyed.
The kiss wasn’t frantic this time. It was slow, searching, the kind that burned quietly but deep. Her lips trembled against his, and he tasted tears — hers, maybe his too. If I could live in this one moment, he thought, I’d never ask for anything again.
Her hands slid up to his chest, fingers tracing the lines of muscle beneath his shirt, the soft rise and fall of his breath. She shifted, climbing onto him, and his world tilted. The warmth of her weight against him, the whisper of her hair brushing his skin — it was almost too much.
He kissed her back with everything he couldn’t say, his hands threading through her hair, down the curve of her back. She’s everything I’ve ever wanted. How do I walk away from this?
She tugged at his vest, then his shirt, fumbling with shaking hands until she’d pulled it off him completely and tossed it aside. But when her fingers brushed against the long, pale scar across his abdomen, she froze.
Her breath caught. “Oh, Eugene…” Her voice broke on his name.
He caught her hand, pressing a kiss to her trembling fingers. “It’s not your fault,” he murmured. “It’s hers. And I’d do it again. Every wound, every scar — I’d take it all if it meant you were safe.”
Her chest ached with how much she loved him — a love so fierce it hurt to contain. She leaned down and kissed him again, deeper this time, her hands on his face, his shoulders, his back, as if she could memorize him with touch alone.
He groaned softly against her lips, his hands finding her waist, the warmth of her skin beneath his palms. Every heartbeat screamed for him to give in. I want her. God help me, I want her.
Her dress slipped lower on her shoulders, baring smooth, glowing skin in the candlelight. She whispered, voice trembling but sure, “Eugene… we don’t need permission. Let’s declare ourselves married — here, now.”
For a heartbeat, he almost said yes. He saw it so clearly — the two of them in some quiet corner of the world, sunlight on her hair, laughter where there used to be pain. I could make her happy. I could make her mine.
But then reason cut through the haze of wanting.
He caught her wrists gently, stilling her. His voice was rough when he spoke. “No. Not like this. Not when I can’t give you anything more than this room and a promise.”
She shook her head, tears spilling again. “I don’t care about promises or crowns or laws. I just want you.”
Flynn’s heart twisted so hard it hurt. She means it, he thought. She’d give up the whole world for me. And that’s exactly why I can’t let her.
“Rapunzel,” he whispered, cupping her face in both hands. “You deserve more than a thief who stole his way into your story. You deserve everything. But if they can’t accept us — if, after you’ve seen them and the palace and you still choose me — then I swear, I’ll marry you. I’ll make you mine forever.”
Her tears fell silently, splashing against his skin. “You promise?”
“I promise,” he said, and meant it with everything he was.
She buried her face against his neck, crying quietly until the sobs faded to soft breaths. He held her close, one hand in her hair, the other resting at the small of her back, anchoring her to him as though the world might try to take her again.
Even when her breathing slowed and she finally drifted to sleep, he didn’t move. He stared into the darkness, his thumb tracing gentle patterns on her shoulder.
One meeting, he thought. Maybe they’ll see the light in her, the girl who saved me. And if they don’t…
He pressed a kiss to her hair. Then I’ll take her away. I’ll give her the life she dreams of, even if it costs me everything.
He stayed awake for hours, planning, hoping, fearing — until exhaustion finally claimed him. And even then, he didn’t let go.
Rapunzel woke to warmth. For a long, hazy moment, she didn’t know where she was — only that something steady and strong was holding her, the rise and fall of breath beneath her cheek, the soft thump of a heartbeat beneath her ear. Then memory settled over her like sunlight breaking through clouds.
Flynn.
He was still asleep, one arm curved around her shoulders, the other resting lightly at her waist. His shirt was gone; her fingers brushed against bare skin and muscle, warm beneath her touch. She watched him quietly, tracing the faint stubble on his jaw, the scar near his ribs, the calm lines of his face when he wasn’t fighting to be brave for her.
He looks so peaceful, she thought. So human. So mine.
But the thought that followed made her throat tighten. Could I really face them? The king and queen — my parents — the same ones who ordered him to hang?
Her stomach twisted. They’ll look at him and see a criminal, not the man who risked everything for me. They’ll never understand what he means to me. And if they try to take him from me…
The idea hurt so much she could barely breathe. If they make me choose between a crown and him, I’ll choose him. Every time.
She leaned closer, brushing her lips against his shoulder, then up his neck until he stirred beneath her touch. His lashes fluttered, and he blinked awake — those warm brown eyes finding hers almost instantly.
“Morning, Sunshine,” he murmured, voice rough with sleep. He smiled faintly, but there was still weariness in it, the shadow of all they’d endured.
“Morning,” she whispered. She hesitated, then pressed a soft kiss to his lips. What started gentle deepened almost at once; she poured every fear, every promise, every piece of her heart into that kiss.
He answered her with the same aching tenderness — his hand sliding to the small of her back, drawing her closer — until the air around them seemed to hum with wanting.
She broke away just long enough to whisper, “Eugene… let me love you. Please.”
For a heartbeat he almost did. Every part of him screamed yes. The feel of her against him, the look in her eyes — open, trusting, full of love — it tore at every wall he’d ever built. God, I could lose myself in her forever.
But then the memory of his mother, the promise he’d made to himself as a boy, struck like a cold wind.
He caught her hands gently, pressing them to his chest. “Rapunzel,” he said softly, “not yet. I meant what I said. I won’t take that step until we’re married.”
Her brow furrowed. “Then marry me now. Here. Say the words and it’s done.”
He smiled — a small, heart-wrenching smile. “I wish I could. But we have to see your parents first. Just once. If they can accept us, we’ll have their blessing. And if they can’t…” He exhaled slowly, brushing a strand of hair from her face. “Then I’ll keep my promise. We’ll leave, find a place where no one can reach us. I’ll marry you there, under open skies.”
She searched his eyes, tears threatening again. He means it, she realized. He’d give up everything for me — even if it breaks him.
“But what if they hurt you?” she whispered. “What if they still see you as a thief and not the man I love?”
“Then I’ll face it,” he said simply. “I’d face anything if it means giving you a chance to know them. But I promise, you won’t lose me. I’ll fight to stay by your side and take you away if you don’t like it there.”
Her heart warred with itself — fear against love, duty against desire. She wanted to scream no, to cling to him and never let go. But the quiet steadiness in his gaze calmed her. He was right. He was always right, even when it hurt.
Finally, she nodded, though her voice trembled. “I’ll meet them once. But Eugene…”
“Yes?”
“If they don’t accept us — if they try to take me away from you — I won’t return. Ever.”
He closed his eyes, swallowing hard, then pressed his forehead to hers. “Then I’ll be waiting,” he murmured. “Wherever you choose to go, I’ll be there.”
For a while they stayed like that, wrapped in each other and in silence, as sunlight crept across the room.
Rapunzel listened to his heartbeat and tried to memorize it — steady, reassuring, impossibly real. Soon, they would face the world. But for now, in this fragile morning, they had each other. And that was enough.
Rapunzel’s heart wouldn’t stop pounding. Every step toward the castle felt heavier than the last. All she could think about was the man beside her. They nearly hanged him yesterday. I can’t lose him again. I won’t survive it a second time.
Flynn walked quietly beside her, holding her hand, head bowed, the weight of the palace pressing down on him like stone. What am I doing here? I don’t belong in halls like these. Not next to her.
Maximus had done what he could — trotting ahead, ensuring the guards didn’t reach for their weapons the moment they saw the infamous Flynn Rider. For once, even the horse seemed to understand the gravity of what they were walking into.
When the great doors opened, the world seemed to hold its breath.
Her parents were there — the King and Queen — their eyes wide, their faces frozen between disbelief and hope. Then, joy broke over them like sunlight through clouds. They ran to her.
“Cordelia,” the Queen whispered, tears streaming as she pulled her daughter out of Flynn’s arms and into her own.
“Rapunzel,” she corrected.
The King’s voice shook as he spoke her name, hands trembling as he hugged her, as if afraid she might vanish again.
When she broke free from their embrace and told them how Flynn had found and freed her, for a moment, everything blurred. There was only warmth, tears, laughter from her parents — them thanking Flynn, embracing him, granting him a pardon for bringing their daughter home. For a fleeting heartbeat, Rapunzel thought maybe, just maybe, everything would be all right.
But then she hugged Flynn, he wrapped his arms around her, and she said the words that changed everything.
“I love him.”
The silence that followed was suffocating. The King’s smile froze, the Queen’s hand fell from Rapunzel’s shoulder, and the air turned cold.
The King’s voice, when it came, was hard as marble. “A princess does not marry a thief. It’s impossible.”
Rapunzel flinched as though struck. Flynn’s breath caught, shame burning in his chest. There it is. I knew it. Why did I ever hope for more? She’s a princess. And I’m still the thief they almost hanged.
But before he could speak, Rapunzel straightened her spine and crossed her arms. “I knew you would react this way. So, I’ll give you an ultimatum. Either you accept our love and let us get married — or I won’t return to you. I’ll run away with him and never speak to you again.”
The King’s face darkened. “You can’t be serious. You really want to put a criminal above a kingdom?”
Her voice didn’t tremble. “I love him. And he’s not a criminal. He was a poor, orphaned boy who only stole to survive — and to become like his favorite book character. He isn’t evil. He saved me. He died for me. And he loves me truly. I will not give him up, no matter what you say. I don’t need a kingdom or royalty. I’d rather live in poverty with him than in luxury without him.”
Flynn’s chest tightened until he could barely breathe. She shouldn’t have to fight for me. She shouldn’t have to give up everything for someone like me.
The King’s hands clenched at his sides. “You will ruin our kingdom. How do you think the people will react if you marry a thief? Everyone will laugh at us — this kingdom, the neighboring kingdoms, all of them.”
Rapunzel’s chin lifted defiantly. “Then I will leave. I don’t need them.”
Flynn closed his eyes briefly. She’s throwing her whole world away for me. How is that fair?
The King sighed, exasperated. “You have completely lost your mind. You can’t—”
“Then I will run away forever,” Rapunzel interrupted, her voice breaking but her resolve steel.
Another long, heavy silence. Then the King’s shoulders sagged, his tone shifting from fury to weary resignation. “Since you apparently won’t come to your senses… it appears, I have no choice.”
Rapunzel’s eyes widened. “You’ll let us get married? Perfect. So can we do it tomorrow?”
The King actually laughed — a sharp, bitter sound. “No way. Bad enough that we have to do it at all, but the kingdom would be even more offended if they didn’t see it. A wedding takes time to prepare. The least I can offer is a month — and that will also give you time to come to your senses and change your mind.”
“I won’t,” Rapunzel said immediately, her tone steady as stone.
“I hope you will,” the King replied coldly. “And until then, Rider can’t stay here.”
Rapunzel’s heart dropped. “But I thought we could live together—”
“No way,” the King snapped. “He would just disgrace you and put a bastard child inside you before the wedding. He will have to sleep in an inn until the ceremony. And I hope you’ll change your mind before then.”
Flynn’s stomach turned. The words cut deep — not just the insult, but the truth behind it. He’s not wrong to think it’s possible. God knows I want her that way. But he doesn’t see how hard I’m trying not to be the man he thinks I am.
Rapunzel lifted her chin, fighting back tears. “I won’t. But… thank you for finally giving in.”
Flynn glanced at her — proud, furious, radiant — and felt something twist painfully in his chest. She’s too good for all of this. For them. For me.
As the guards began escorting them out, Rapunzel’s hand slipped into his. He squeezed it once, silently.
Whatever happens, he thought, I’ll keep my promise. If they won’t let us be together, I’ll take her away from all of this. I’ll make her happy. Somehow.
And beside him, Rapunzel’s heart whispered a vow of her own: They can lock the gates, threaten him, call it impossible — but I will not lose him again. Never.
The heavy castle doors closed behind them, leaving only the hush of the courtyard and the distant sound of the fountain. Rapunzel’s fingers tightened around Flynn’s hand as though she could keep him there by sheer will.
“So… they really won’t let you stay here,” she said quietly, her voice trembling.
Flynn looked down at her, trying to smile, but his eyes were full of exhaustion and sadness. “I can’t blame them. It’s not appropriate until the wedding — and honestly, it would push me to my limits to be near you and not… take you immediately. So, it’s for the best. And at least they said yes. I never thought they would.”
Her throat tightened. He sounds calm, but I can see it in his eyes — he hates leaving me. I can feel it. The space between us already hurts.
“Well, I made them,” Rapunzel said stubbornly, chin lifting. “I wouldn’t have returned if they hadn’t agreed. And I already dislike them. They were so mean to you.”
Flynn’s gaze softened, but the guilt in it was unmistakable. “I can’t blame them for that either, I’m—”
“Don’t talk bad about yourself,” she cut in sharply, her eyes flashing.
He hesitated, then sighed, brushing his thumb over her hand. “But they’re actually very generous and incredible for allowing us to get married. I never believed they would. That’s… wonderful, isn’t it?”
“Yes, well, we would have gotten married anyway no matter what they said.” Her voice trembled slightly. “But like this, we can stay here and get to know them — if that’s what you want.”
Flynn smiled faintly. “I want you to get to know them. And you’ll have time for that this month.”
Her brow furrowed. A whole month. Without him beside me. How am I supposed to endure that?
“But I want to spend it with you all the time,” she whispered.
“They surely won’t let us,” he said gently, “so that… well, no scandal happens.”
“It won’t,” she insisted, stubborn as ever. “And even if they don’t let us meet or be together, we can still see each other in secret. You could come to my window at night. I may not have the long hair anymore, but I could let down a rope for you to climb in, and then we can meet and—”
“And do what?” he asked, alarm flickering in his voice even as a reluctant smile touched his lips.
“This.” Before he could reply, she leaned in and kissed him — deep, fervent, full of the ache she’d been holding in. Flynn’s heart lurched. He tasted her tears, her warmth, the love she poured into that single desperate act.
God, I can’t breathe when she does that. Every time I touch her, I forget where I end and she begins.
Her fingers fumbled for his vest, already unfastening the first button before he caught her hands in his.
“Rapunzel, no,” he murmured against her lips. “I told you — no physical love until marriage.”
“But we are getting married now,” she whispered, eyes wide, pleading.
“Then you’ll have to be patient until then,” he said softly, though his own voice trembled with the effort to stay calm. If I don’t stop now, I never will. And she deserves the world, not a moment stolen in shadow.
She pouted, lower lip trembling, and he couldn’t help it — he kissed her again. Slower this time, lingering, memorizing her. Careful not to let it go too far, though his body screamed for her.
She’s my undoing, he thought, pressing his forehead to hers. But she’s also the only reason I want to be better.
“Maybe we’ll see each other in the town sometime,” he murmured. “Goodbye, my darling. I love you.”
Her hands still rested against his chest, feeling the steady thrum of his heart beneath her palms. “I love you more,” she whispered.
He smiled faintly, voice low. “Then I love you the most.”
“And I you too,” she breathed.
Then she kissed him again — fierce, unrestrained, the kiss of someone terrified to let go. Her fingers slipped under the hem of his shirt before he gently pulled back, his hands trembling.
“Rapunzel,” he whispered, voice rough, “don’t make this harder than it already is.”
“I just don’t want to let you go,” she whispered.
“I know,” he said, brushing his fingers down her cheek. “But I’ll come back for you. Always.”
He kissed her forehead one last time, then stepped away before his resolve could break completely.
Rapunzel watched him go — every step tearing at her heart — until the guards led her back inside.
One month, she thought, clutching the spot on her chest where his heartbeat had matched hers. One month, and then no one will keep us apart again. Not even a kingdom.
And as Flynn disappeared down the stone steps, his own thoughts echoed hers:
One month. Then I make her mine forever — no matter the cost.
The next two weeks that followed were pure torture. Every sunrise brought another round of lessons — etiquette, royal conduct, history, posture, diction. Every evening brought her parents’ expectant eyes, their endless questions. “Have you changed your mind yet, Rapunzel? Do you want to cancel the wedding?” And every night, the same ache hollowed her chest.
She missed Flynn more than words could touch. His laugh, his warmth, the way he always said her name like it meant something sacred. Without him, the castle felt like a tomb lined with gold.
Every morning she woke with the ghost of his warmth still clinging to her skin. Every night she fell asleep aching for his arms. The palace, once a dream, had become another gilded prison — the guards her bars, her crown her chains.
She tried to remind herself that the wedding preparations were proof — proof that one day soon, he would be hers again, completely. Sometimes she’d sneak down to the grand hall just to watch the servants hang garlands, or to touch the fabric that would become her gown. Soon, she’d tell herself. Soon I’ll see him, touch him, breathe him.
But soon never came fast enough.
The day they had been spotted together at the town’s celebration — the way she’d pulled him into her arms, the kiss that had drawn cheers and gasps alike — it had sealed their fate. Her parents had ordered him away from her. She hadn’t seen him since.
Now, she filled the silence with books.
Hidden in a corner of the castle library, she’d found them — the old, secret volumes no one ever mentioned. Books that spoke not of politics or lineage, but of love. Real love. The kind that burned through skin and breath. She read them with trembling fingers, her cheeks warm with recognition.
So that’s what I feel, she realized. That’s why I can’t sleep, why I ache, why I can still feel the shape of his hands when I close my eyes.
For the first time, she understood why her pulse raced whenever she thought of his touch, why her body seemed to hum at the memory of his hands tracing her arms. She wanted him. Deeply, completely. Not just the way her heart wanted him — but the way her whole being did. It wasn’t just affection. It was something far deeper — a longing of body and soul, a craving to belong to him in every possible way.
And now, she understood why they kept him away.
They’re afraid of me, she thought bitterly. Afraid I’ll give in to what I feel. Afraid I’ll love him the way a woman loves a man, not just with her heart but with her whole being. They’re afraid I’ll be pregnant before the wedding. That’s why they keep him from me.
The whispers in the castle were the worst.
The servants spoke of him in hushed, cruel tones — a filthy rat, a common thief, unfit for a princess. Every word was a blade.
Every time she heard it, her blood boiled. “Stop talking about him like that,” she snapped again and again.
Her father’s voice always followed, weary but firm. “The servants may speak as they please. Really, Rapunzel. Why can’t you come to your senses? He is a criminal, and you are a princess. We will be the laughingstock of the entire realm. Can’t you change your mind and be reasonable?”
Her answer was always the same. “No! I love him!”
But every time she said it, she could see the disappointment settle in their eyes like a storm cloud.
How can they all be so cruel? she thought later that night, sitting alone at her window. Just because of titles. Just because of names. He is more noble than any prince alive. He’s the reason I’m still breathing. And they want me to pretend I’m still the baby they lost — the perfect little princess, untouched by pain or love or choice.
She pressed a hand against her heart. But I’m not that girl anymore. I’m a woman who knows what it means to lose everything… and find it again in one man.
The days dragged. She went through the motions of royal training, her body present but her mind always elsewhere — with him.
Sometimes she couldn’t bear it. She would hide in her room for hours, huddled beneath the blankets, feeling hollow and wrong without him beside her. Other times, she tried to escape — slipping past guards, dreaming of reaching whatever inn he was staying in — but she never made it beyond the gates.
Even here, surrounded by gold and silk, she felt caged. Another tower. Just with gilded walls.
At night, she tossed in her bed, restless and warm with thoughts she barely dared to name. Her body felt strange — alive in ways it had never been before. Her heart seemed to live somewhere between her ribs and her skin. This is love, she told herself. This ache. This hunger. This need.
And when the moon rose high above the castle, she would sit by the window and sing softly into the dusk. Songs of longing, of promises whispered through memory. She poured every bit of her heart into them, hoping somehow, he’d hear her — wherever he was.
Eugene, please come back to me, she prayed to the stars. I can’t breathe without you.
The stars seemed to hold their breath, as though listening.
And somewhere, though she couldn’t see it, Flynn lay awake in his rented room, staring at the same sky — his chest tight with the same ache.
Just two more weeks, he thought. Two more weeks, and she’ll be mine forever.
Flynn had always thought he knew what loneliness was. He’d grown up with it — in the orphanage, in the streets, under roofs that weren’t his. But the days without Rapunzel were something else entirely. They hollowed him out. He missed her laughter most of all. The way she said his name — not “Flynn,” but Eugene, soft and sure, as if that name alone could save him.
Ever since that day in the square — the kiss that had stopped his heart and started a thousand whispers — he’d been cut off from her. The castle walls might as well have been miles thick. Every night he fell asleep imagining her behind those walls, and every morning he woke with his hand reaching for her, finding nothing but cold sheets. He could still feel her trembling fingers on his vest, the warmth of her breath against his lips, the way she’d looked at him like he was something good, something worth loving.
He threw himself into work, trying to keep his hands busy, his thoughts dull. He wanted to earn something, a wedding gift for her. She might have every luxury now, but he wanted her to have something from him. Something that cost him sweat, not gold.
But the world wasn’t kind to former thieves.
“Not hiring,” they’d say, or, “We don’t trust your kind.”
He’d hear the whispers even as he walked away.
“That’s him. The filthy thief who bewitched the princess.”
“What kind of future will the kingdom have with someone like him as consort?”
“Should’ve hanged that insect when they had the chance.”
Flynn forced a smile he didn’t feel. Let them talk. Let them sneer. I’ve heard worse. I grew up with worse. I can take it.
What mattered was her. Her smile, her touch, her voice when she said his real name — Eugene.
She wants me. And I’ll be damned before I let gossip make me walk away.
But when the words turned to her — that was different.
It happened on a gray afternoon, barely a week before the wedding. He was hauling crates for a merchant who’d taken pity on him — or maybe just needed cheap labor — when the sound of laughter caught his ear. Not the warm, free kind he loved, but cruel and sharp.
“That princess is mad,” one man scoffed. “Falling for a filthy thief like him. She doesn’t deserve the crown.”
And one of them — drunk, loud — threw a tomato square at the picture — her face smiling beneath bold golden letters announcing the royal wedding. “A disgrace to the throne,” he sneered. “She should be ashamed.”
Something inside Flynn snapped.
Before he could think, he was on the man, fury blazing through him. “Don’t you dare talk about her like that!” he shouted, slamming the man into the dirt. The crowd gasped as fists flew — not for honor, not for pride, but because he couldn’t bear to hear her name defiled.
It took three guards to pull him off.
“Well, Rider,” the captain said coldly, wiping his gloves. “Not surprised to find you causing trouble again.”
“They were talking about her,” Flynn panted, still trembling with rage. “They said—”
“Who can blame them?” the captain replied dryly. “The princess has lost her senses over you. You can’t expect people to stay silent about such a scandal.”
“Don’t talk about her like that!” Flynn lunged again, but the guards held him back.
The captain stepped closer, his eyes hard. “Oh, Rider. If she won’t come to her senses, why can’t you? Why can’t you face reality? This will happen every day for the rest of your life. The people will mock her, whisper behind her back. They’ll call her foolish, unfit. Do you want that for her? To be pitied and disrespected because she chose you?”
Flynn’s breath caught.
“And your children, if you can’t keep your hands off her and I know men like you can’t—” the captain sneered. “They’ll carry your name, your blood. The bastard sons of a thief. You think they’ll ever be accepted? You’ll ruin her life before it’s even begun. Be a man, Rider. Walk away before she loses everything for you.”
The guards moved away, leaving him alone in the dust.
He crouched, picked up the edge of the paper. Her painted smile looked back at him — bright, hopeful, untouched by all this ugliness.
Say what you want about me, he thought, staring at her face. But not her. Never her.
And yet the captain’s words wouldn’t stop echoing.
They’ll treat her differently. They’ll mock her forever. They’ll hate her. They’ll hurt her. Her children will bear my name, my shadow.
He pressed a hand over his eyes, his throat tight.
What if he’s right? What if she’ll suffer because of me? Because she loves me?
The thought clawed at him, cruel and relentless. He could picture it — the gossip, the stares, the laughter behind her back at every royal gathering. The pain in her eyes when her people turned cold. The way her joy would fade little by little.
And their children…
But then another voice — softer, stubborn — whispered through his mind: She chose you. She loves you. She’d give up everything for you.
He clenched his fists. But should she have to? She deserves better than the world will ever let her have with me. But I can’t leave her. I can’t break her heart. I’d rather face the gallows again than see her cry because of me.
He sat there until the sun sank low, the last light spilling across the cobblestones like spilled gold.
By the time he stood, his knuckles ached and his heart felt heavier than it had in years.
I promised her forever, he thought. But maybe forever’s the cruelest promise I could make. If loving me destroys her…, what kind of man would I be to let it?
That evening, the castle was quiet, asleep under moonlight — but Rapunzel’s heart thundered. She had been pacing the halls, her mind spinning with thoughts of Flynn, when a low voice from behind a half-closed door stopped her cold.
“He attacked a man in town because people are unhappy about this scandal, Your Majesty,” came the captain’s voice. “You must stop this before it ruins us.”
The king’s answer was calm, measured — and deadly. “Don’t worry. There’s no way I’ll let it continue. You will ensure an accident happens to him after the wedding.”
Rapunzel’s breath caught. No. No, no, not him. Not Eugene. I won’t lose him again. I can’t. Never. Over my dead body. No!
“After?” the captain asked.
“I want my daughter to trust me,” said her father. “She’ll think I’ve forgiven him and accepted their foolish love. But before they can leave for their honeymoon, you’ll make sure the accident happens. Quietly. Then she is free of him, and we can plan her proper marriage — to a prince.”
Tears blurred her vision as she pressed a hand to her mouth to keep from crying out. Her father’s words echoed in her mind like poison. He wants to kill him. Just like Gothel — pretending it’s love while plotting murder.
Her hands trembled as she fled down the corridor, her bare feet silent on the marble. She burst into her room, heart hammering, and began to throw things into a small bag. We have to leave. Tonight. This castle is just another tower. I won’t let them cage me again. I won’t let them take him from me again.
And then — a voice outside her window. Familiar, warm, beloved.
“Rapunzel? I’d say let down your hair, but, well… that doesn’t quite work anymore, does it? Got a rope, maybe?”
Her breath hitched. “Eugene?” She rushed to the window, and there he was — grinning up at her in the moonlight, eyes full of that same roguish gentleness she’d fallen in love with.
Tears welled again. “You came.”
She tossed the rope down, and he climbed swiftly. I have to tell her how cruel those people are. How they will treat her for loving me. She has to know what our love costs even if she—
But he couldn’t spiral further because as soon as his boots hit the floor, she flew into his arms. Her sobs broke against his chest, and his hands came up, cradling her as though he could shield her from the whole world.
“Oh, my darling,” he whispered, his voice rough. “I’ve missed you.”
“And I you,” she breathed, clutching him tighter, kissing him again and again as if to convince herself he was real.
He pulled back slightly, brushing a tear from her cheek. “Are you all right, Rapunzel?”
“Yes,” she said, her voice trembling, “now that you’re here.” She kissed him again — slower this time, deeper. Don’t leave me. Don’t ever leave me again.
He answered her wordlessly, his lips pressing against hers, his arms drawing her close until she could feel his heartbeat against her chest.
She melted into him. Weeks of loneliness and fear poured out in that kiss — desperate, hungry, alive. Her fingers slid into his hair, then down his neck, to his chest. The feel of him beneath her palms sent a shiver through her. This is what I’ve dreamed of. To feel him, to know him, to never have a space between us again.
“Rapunzel,” he murmured against her lips, but it came out like a plea.
He kissed her again, slower this time, gentler but no less intense. God, how can one touch undo me like this? he thought, his thumb brushing her trembling lip. I missed her so much it hurts.
She pressed closer, her body molding to his. Her fingers slipped beneath his vest, tracing the hard lines of muscle beneath his shirt. He inhaled sharply, his resolve faltering. If she only knew what she does to me. What it costs not to give in.
Her other hand fumbled with his belt, and he caught her wrists gently, his breath ragged. “Rapunzel… please.”
Her eyes shimmered in the moonlight. “I don’t care, Eugene. I’ve read about it now — I understand what we feel. I want you, all of you. I don’t care if I have a baby. It would be ours, made from our love.”
His heart twisted. She doesn’t know how she tempts me. How close I am to giving in. He leaned his forehead against hers, trembling. “Not before marriage,” he whispered, voice thick with emotion. “I swore I’d never risk you being shamed or scandalized because of me.”
Rapunzel clung to him as if he were the only real thing left in the world — and perhaps he was. Her body trembled against his, each breath shallow and quick, warm against his neck. Flynn could feel her heart hammering wildly through the thin barrier of cloth, matching the frantic rhythm of his own. He ran his hand slowly through her hair, trying to still her shaking, but she pulled back suddenly.
Her eyes were wide, shimmering with unshed tears and fear.
“Eugene,” she whispered, voice quivering like a fragile thread about to snap. “There’s something I have to tell you.”
His brow furrowed. He brushed his thumb over her cheek, tender but worried. “What is it, sweetheart?”
“I heard my father.” Her words came in fragments, barely holding together. “He was speaking to the captain. They’re planning to kill you — after the wedding. He said it should look like an accident, that it would ‘free me of you.’” Her voice broke on the last word, and she pressed her hand to her mouth. “He’s going to take you from me. Again.”
For a heartbeat, Flynn couldn’t breathe. Kill me. After the wedding. The words burned through him, cold and sharp. He had faced danger all his life, but this — hearing her speak those words, watching the horror twist her face — that was unbearable.
He pulled her into his arms again, holding her so tightly it almost hurt. He buried his face in her hair, breathing in the scent of wildflowers, the scent that meant home. “Rapunzel,” he murmured against her temple, “no one’s going to hurt me. Not while I have you.”
Her tears soaked into his shirt, warm and endless. “We can’t stay here, Eugene,” she sobbed. “Not after this. After the wedding, we have to leave. We’ll run away and never come back.”
Her words pierced through him like a blade made of love and despair. Leave everything… for me.
He closed his eyes, his arms still wrapped around her fragile frame. She was willing to give up everything — her crown, her family, her kingdom — for a man with nothing but his heart to offer her. How can she love me so completely? How can I let her?
He thought of the voices in town, the laughter, the whispers that had followed him through the streets. They’ll mock her. They’ll say she’s unfit. They’ll sneer every time they speak her name because of me. His hands unconsciously tightened around her waist, as if to keep the world itself from tearing her away. I could live with their hatred forever, but she shouldn’t have to. She deserves peace. She deserves sunlight, not the shadow I drag behind me.
“Rapunzel…” His voice came out rough, thick with the ache of love and guilt. “You don’t know what you’re asking. You’d lose everything — your title, your parents, your kingdom. But even if we stay, I will still bring you ruin. I heard what people said in town — the things they’ve always said about me. And now they say mean things about you too because you love me. They all think I’m dragging you down. That I’m filth who doesn’t deserve you. Maybe they’re right. Maybe—”
She silenced him with a touch — trembling fingers pressed to his lips, soft but sure. Her eyes glistened, fierce and unyielding. “Don’t,” she whispered. “Don’t you dare talk about yourself that way.” Her voice deepened, carrying a quiet fire. “I don’t care about crowns or thrones. I don’t care what people say about me.”
Her gaze softened, full of heartbreak. “But I do care about what they say about you. It isn’t fair, Eugene. You don’t deserve their cruelty. You saved me. You died for me. You showed me the world, taught me what love truly means — and they treat you like you’re less than human for it.”
He wanted to tell her she was wrong, that he wasn’t that noble, but her words melted through every defense he’d ever built. She believes in me. She truly believes in me.
“We’ll just leave,” she continued, the decision already burning in her eyes. “They don’t deserve us if they say such things — if they plan such cruelty. My parents are nothing like I imagined. They nearly killed you for a crown, and now they plot again because I love you. I won’t stay in another tower. Not here. Not ever. After the wedding, we’ll go — far away, somewhere no one knows us, somewhere we can love each other freely.”
He swallowed hard. Her resolve terrified him and awed him at once. “But I can’t let you give up so much for me,” he said softly.
“I don’t want this life anyway,” she breathed. “It’s another cage, gilded and silent. You freed me once, Eugene. Don’t let me be trapped again.” She looked up at him, eyes shimmering, voice breaking on a whisper. “I won’t let you die. Please — let us go.”
Her plea struck him deeper than any sword ever could. He brushed a tear from her cheek, his heart twisting at the sight of her desperation. She would run into darkness for me without hesitation. How can I not follow her into the light?
Her tears shimmered on her cheeks, but her hands were firm against his chest — desperate, trembling, alive. Flynn held her tighter, feeling her heartbeat pound against his ribs, so fast it nearly drowned out his own. Every beat of her heart felt like it was begging him not to let go, not to slip away into the nightmare she feared.
She was warmth and light and wildness, and he couldn’t tell anymore where she ended and he began. He’d spent years running, never belonging anywhere — but right here, in her arms, he felt terrifyingly, wondrously claimed.
She’s shaking because of me, he thought, guilt and love twisting together. She shouldn’t have to carry this fear. I swore I’d never let her hurt again.
“Eugene,” she whispered, her voice a breath, fragile and fierce all at once. “I can’t lose you again. Not to them. Not ever.”
He brushed her hair back, his thumb tracing her cheek with reverence, as if she might dissolve beneath his touch. She’s real. She’s here. And she chooses me. Knowing the danger… she still chooses me. How could anyone believe I don’t love her enough to burn the world down first? “You won’t,” he murmured, voice thick. “Not while I’m breathing.”
He saw the way she looked at him, like he was the only thing anchoring her to this world, and he almost broke. How can I ever be worthy of that?
When she rose onto her toes and kissed him, he didn’t think — he just felt.
Her lips were soft but urgent, trembling against his, and it wasn’t a kiss of innocence anymore. It was a plea, a desperate need, a vow whispered in the dark. Don’t fade. Don’t vanish. Don’t let them win. Don’t leave me. Don’t let them take you from me.
Flynn responded with everything he had. His hands found her waist, his fingers tracing the fabric of her dress, memorizing the shape of her beneath. He pulled her closer, closer still, until every breath she took seemed to echo inside him. If this is all I ever have, if this moment is the last— I’ll die with her heartbeat in my lungs.
God, she’s everything. Every dream he’d ever buried, every wish he’d never dared to make — they all lived in her now.
Rapunzel’s fingers slid up into his hair, her touch trembling but sure, her heart beating wildly against his. His warmth surrounded her, the scent of him filling her lungs, grounding her and undoing her all at once. If I could climb inside his heartbeat and stay there forever, I would. This is what love feels like, she realized. This ache, this heat, this impossible need to belong to someone completely. I was locked away for years, but I never really knew longing until him.
She kissed him again, deeper this time, and a quiet sound escaped him — half sigh, half surrender. His hand traveled slowly up her spine, every movement careful, reverent, until she shivered beneath his touch. Her whole body felt alive, aflame, as if she’d been waiting her entire life for this closeness. I don’t want tomorrow. I want now. I want forever in this breath.
Her hands trembled as they brushed beneath his shirt, her fingertips grazing his skin — and it was like touching fire. She felt his muscles tense, his breath catch, and for a moment, she thought he might let go. Please, don’t stop. Let me show you I’m yours — completely, willingly, utterly.
But then he caught her wrists gently, his touch steady though his hands shook.
“Rapunzel,” he breathed, voice rough with longing and restraint. “Please… no.”
She blinked up at him, breathless and confused, her lips still parted. Why is he pulling away? Did I do something wrong? “Why?”
He pressed his forehead to hers, his breath uneven, his heart pounding so hard she could feel it through his chest. Because if I don’t stop, I won’t be able to. And she deserves more than a moment stolen between fear and desperation. Because if I give in now, I’ll lose the very part of me that’s trying to protect you.
“Because I love you too much to lose you to this moment,” he whispered. “I want you — God, I want you — but I want it right. I want it forever. I want to stand before the world and promise it first.”
Tears welled in her eyes again, hot and stubborn. He’s not pushing me away. He’s trying to protect something sacred in us. “I don’t care about the world,” she said, voice breaking. “I just want you.”
He smiled faintly — tender, pained. She has no idea what she does to me. How every breath she takes, breaks and heals me at once. “And that’s exactly why I can’t. You deserve the kind of love that waits, Rapunzel. That doesn’t risk you being shamed because of desire.”
She swallowed hard, her heart aching. Waiting felt impossible when every breath away from him was agony. But his eyes — those warm, earnest, heartbreakingly gentle eyes — told her he wasn’t rejecting her. He was cherishing her. He’s choosing patience over desire. And that hurts and heals me all at once.
She rested her head against his chest, closing her eyes. His heartbeat thundered beneath her ear, steady and strong, the sound of safety itself. If love had a sound, it would be this. His arms came around her again, holding her as if the world outside no longer existed.
Inside her, everything was wild — fire, ache, love. And inside him, everything was breaking — desire restrained by devotion, need softened by reverence. If only forever could start now. If only forever didn’t have to hurt like this.
They stayed like that for a long time, two souls breathing the same air, holding on as if they could fuse their hearts together.
Finally, he drew in a shaky breath. “Rapunzel,” he murmured, his lips brushing her hair, “you need to know what that life will mean — the life you’re choosing with me. I barely have money. Every job I try to take, they turn me away because of what I was. I can’t give you the life you deserve.”
Say no. Please say no. Don’t throw everything away for me. You were born under stars I’ve never even touched. But even as he thought it, he dreaded the idea of her agreeing that he wasn’t enough.
She lifted her head, meeting his gaze with fierce tenderness. How can he not see it? How can he not feel that he’s the only life I want? “I don’t want luxury,” she whispered. “Money can’t buy happiness, Eugene. But love can. You can. The palace isn’t my home, you are.”
Her words hit him like light through glass — fragile and brilliant. She means it. She’d walk away from palaces and crowns for me. And I still don’t know why I deserve it.
He wanted to tell her she shouldn’t. That she was born for more. That she deserved palaces and silk, not a thief’s scraped-together existence. But she pressed on, voice trembling but sure.
“I have jewelry here,” she said. “Things I never wanted — necklaces, rings. We could sell them. It would be enough to start somewhere far away, where they can’t find us.”
He shook his head, gently cupping her face. If I let her give that up, I’m no better than the man I used to be. “No. I won’t steal again. Not even from this place. I promised myself I won’t take what isn’t freely given anymore. I’ll work. I’ll take care of you. I’ll eat less if necessary. I’ll find us a place where no one knows our names — where the kingdom can’t reach us.”
She smiled through her tears. Even now, he’d rather starve himself than compromise his word. How can a man like that ever believe he isn’t worthy of love? “Then we’ll go. Wherever you go, I’ll follow. I don’t need a crown. I just need you.”
He looked at her then — truly looked — and something inside him gave way. She doesn’t even see how radiant she is. How much she changes everything she touches. I’d tear down the world before I let it break her again.
He brushed his lips over her forehead, then her temple, his voice a whisper of devotion. “All right. After the wedding,” he promised. “We’ll leave. Just you and me. No more cages. No more fear.”
Her fingers tightened on his shirt, her tears glinting like stars in the candlelight. Please don’t let anything steal this from us. “Then promise me again,” she whispered, voice trembling.
He pulled her closer, breathing her in. If I could carve the vow into my bones, I would. “I promise,” he murmured. “And I’ll keep that promise till my last breath.”
Rapunzel’s smile bloomed like sunrise as she kissed him again, soft and full of breathless relief. Her fingers slid instinctively toward the hem of his shirt, craving his warmth, his skin—but before they could slip beneath the fabric again, his hand gently caught hers.
Not rough, not rejecting—just… stopping. Protecting.
His voice was quiet, but something trembled beneath it. “But are you really a hundred percent sure?” His thumb brushed her knuckles, almost apologetic. “I mean… what if we run away after the wedding, and one day you regret leaving a kingdom, a crown, your parents—for a man like me?”
There it is again, she thought. That doubt. That wound he carries like a shadow. Her heart ached at the way he said a man like me, as if he weren’t the very heart of her world.
“Never,” she breathed, fierce and gentle at once. She cupped his face in both hands so he had no choice but to see the truth in her eyes. “I would never regret it. I don’t need the kingdom or luxury—and my parents are horrible. They are murderers.”
He winced at the word, not for himself, but for her. “Technically,” he muttered, trying to soften what couldn’t be softened, “they only ordered to kill me. They didn’t try it themselves.”
“But they didn’t even give you a trial,” she whispered, emotion cracking through the words. “They wanted you dead over a stupid crown. They spent so much money, so much effort, hunting you—killing you—instead of searching for me.”
Her hands curled against his chest, as though anchoring herself to him. His pulse thudded beneath her palms.
“And now that they know how I feel about you,” she continued, tears brightening her eyes, “they still plan to kill you after the wedding. They want to cover it up as an accident. Tell me—are they any better than Gothel?”
The name cut through him like a chill. Rapunzel swallowed and pressed on, anger giving strength to her shaking voice.
“She at least agreed to let me heal you in exchange for my freedom. My real parents wanted to and still want to kill you without trial, behind my back.” Her voice broke. “They are just as bad as Gothel—if not worse. I can’t stay here and pretend. I can’t live with people capable of that. Please, Eugene… just take me away after the wedding. I can’t lose you a second time. And I can’t stay in another cage… another tower. Please. Take me away. I swear I will never regret it.”
Flynn’s thoughts churned, sharp and heavy. Maybe she’s right. Maybe I’ve spent so long thinking I’m the danger in her life that I forgot others could be worse. They wanted me dead the moment they heard my name—simply because of what I was. And I can’t hurt her like that again. I can’t walk away and leave her to them. Not after everything.
He lifted her hands to his lips and kissed her fingers softly. “Okay, Rapunzel.” The words felt like a vow settling into his bones. “I swear I will take you away after the wedding and build a life for you. I’ll earn honest money, take care of you—”
“And love me physically,” she whispered, breath unsteady, eyes dark with longing, “please?”
His breath caught. Desire flickered hot beneath his ribs, but what overwhelmed it was the tenderness in her voice—the trust. She wants all of me. Even the parts I’m afraid to give. God, don’t let me fail her.
“Yes,” he murmured, voice low and sure. “That too. I promise. After the ceremony, we’ll be gone. I swear it.”
He kissed her again—slow, reverent, full of promise—but pulled back before the kiss could burn past restraint. His heart fought him even as his body obeyed.
Then, with reluctance carving lines of tension across his shoulders, he stepped toward the window. “See you at the wedding, my darling.”
The word darling curled through her like fire and safety all at once. “Yes,” she whispered, her voice soft but unshaken, “I’ll see you there, my love.”
She watched him disappear into the silver hush of night, his silhouette swallowed by darkness. Her fingers pressed to the glass where he’d vanished. Only a little longer, she told herself, heart full and aching. After the vows… we’re free.
And down below, in the shadows, Flynn looked back before melting into the night. After the wedding, she won’t belong to them, he vowed silently. She’ll belong to no one’s cage but her own choosing. And I will spend the rest of my life proving she didn’t choose wrong.