[ oneshot ] The Start of Every Story [ Eugene/Rapunzel, Tangled ]
Title: The Start of Every Story
Author: frostberryjam
Rated: G.
Pairing: Eugene/Rapunzel (Tangled)
Word Count: 1,200
Warnings: None, unless you haven’t seen the movie.
Summary: Eugene knows about happily ever after, but he hasn’t realized yet that he can be part of other once upon a times as well.
Author Notes: Written for my Hero, kitrinathegreat. Happy birthday!
Eugene Fitzherbert never held a child until his own was placed in his arms.
It was a wiggly warm bundle swathed in thick blankets. Outside was the longest night of the year, and snow flurries had come and gone all day. In spite of that, Eugene was sweating, and though his arm was solid and his hands were trained to never, ever tremble in the slightest way -- not a good trait for a thief -- his fingers were noticeably shaky as he pried away the wool to see his son’s face.
“Would you like to hold your daughter as well?”
Eugene stopped. “What?”
The midwife, somehow, inexplicably, had another identical bundle for him. Eugene had no idea what to say for a long moment and then, “We have twins?”
The midwife gave him a knowing smile. “You have twins. The Queen wished to let you know you could name the boy Flynn before she fell asleep, as long as she got to name the girl Star.”
She could name both of them whatever she wanted. She could give them five names if she wanted to, not because she was Queen but because she was their mother, and Eugene had never felt so humbled by anything in his life. Even when she’d accepted his proposal.
With careful maneuvering and unasked-for but welcome practical advice from the stout midwife, Eugene managed to get one precious child in each arm. They were tiny and from what he knew of babies, surprisingly compliant. They cooed and gurgled but seemed more interested in going to sleep than taking a good look around their brand new world.
Eugene slipped into their bedchamber. Earlier it had been full of people, and lit with torches, and even though all had gone to schedule -- aside from the surprise of twins -- there had been tension in the air, a frantic anxiety that accompanied every instance of childbirth.
Now it was quiet, and comparatively dark save with only the roaring fireplace and single lit lamp by Rapunzel’s bedside. Eugene creeped along, well-aware that she was exhausted and resting. Still, he wanted them to be all together for the first time. Rapunzel, Flynn, Star -- and him, Eugene Fitzherbert, orphan from an orphanage in the middle of nowhere.
Somehow he managed to, with his feet and some ingenuity, pull a chair to the bedside without the legs scrapping too hard. Yet when he sat down, Rapunzel was awake, watching him with a hazy smile.
Eugene felt his heart grow bigger with love in that moment. Corny, but he’d started to accept that corny things were true. Corny things like princesses in towers and noble steeds, and happily ever afters. “Two, huh?”
She nodded slightly, head resting on a deep purple pillow that dipped slightly under the weight. “Uh-huh. You think you were taken off guard? Imagine my surprise.” her voice was low and dreamy but her gaze was attentive, awake. His Rapunzel had sweated and cried but now she was complacently serene.
He sat down, careful not to jostle the twins. And trying to remember which was which. Thank God they were of different genders, he was already seeing problems down the road as it was. But he was fairly sure Flynn was at the left, and Star on the right.
“I haven’t even seen their faces.” He’d gotten distracted. All he saw were soft fleshy chins and parts of their cheeks. But now his hands were well and truly occupied.
Rapunzel, weary as she was, giggled at him. Then patted the wide expanse of bed on the other side. “Come on. Let’s meet our babies.”
Eugene didn’t argue. He kicked off his boots and crawled on his knees and settled beside Rapunzel. She was the one to tug the wool away from their faces, and the silence that descended wasn’t one of familiar warmth.
Both the King and Queen stared incredulously. The twins had unnaturally long and thick hair for newborns, a shade lighter than that of straw, but it gleamed like gold under firelight.
They were silent for a distressingly long time, exchanging looks.
Eventually Rapunzel laid gentle fingertips on the crown of Flynn’s head and sang, softly, “Flower gleam and glow, let your power shine. Make the clock reverse, bring what was once was mine…” Her voice was jaybird sweet and slow, a lullaby that Eugene hadn’t heard for nearly ten years. In under different circumstances. He held his breath, for she continued to sing to the end with nothing happening.
The relief was short lived. On the final verse, Flynn’s feathery tuft of hair began to pulse with an inner glow.
Eugene didn’t have to, or want to wait for Rapunzel to check Star for the same effect. He made to reach for the scissors kept in his bedside drawer immediately.
“Wait, Eugene.” Rapunzel gripped his elbow with astonishing firmness. Eugene had to concede that with two newborns in arm, getting the scissors would be tricky.
“We’re cutting their hair,” he said firmly, and then got a good look at Rapunzel’s face. Was it his imagination that she appeared younger? There was no mistaking the vivacity that kept her chin up. She had enough strength to make her hold felt on his elbow.
“No, Eugene.” She gave him sympathetic, understanding smile. “We’re not.”
Eugene felt like giving her a shake. “How can we not? This will ruin their lives--”
“Like it ruined mine?”
“… yes.”
“There’s no Gothel to be afraid of.” Rapunzel said quietly.
“There’s always a Gothel out there, Princess.” Always someone who would kill or invade a kingdom, if that was necessary, if they learned of the secrets behind magic hair. Rapunzel nodded, acknowledging his point.
“I don’t think I ever told you, but I don’t hate Gothel. If she hadn’t taken me away, I would have never met you. My hair was the start of my story, a story I wouldn’t trade for anything in the world. Even if the start of it was pretty rough.” Rapunzel could sit up now, with only a mild grimace of discomfort. She stroked Flynn’s head and then Star’s, and both opened their eyes for the first time, squinting.
They weren’t very attractive creatures, all red and sour-faced like that, Eugene had to admit. But they were his sour-faced babies with a magical treasure worth starting wars over on their tiny heads. He didn’t have to say it, his expression said it all while he struggled with his fears.
Rapunzel laid her head on his shoulder. “It’ll be alright. They have their own stories to live through. When they’re old enough, they’ll choose whether they want to cut it or not. No one will know what they can do but us.”
“I don’t like it.”
“Welcome to parenthood, King Eugene.” Rapunzel sighed contentedly, tucking the soft wool back into place. “By the way… which one’s Flynn and which one’s Star?”
Author: frostberryjam
Rated: G.
Pairing: Eugene/Rapunzel (Tangled)
Word Count: 1,200
Warnings: None, unless you haven’t seen the movie.
Summary: Eugene knows about happily ever after, but he hasn’t realized yet that he can be part of other once upon a times as well.
Author Notes: Written for my Hero, kitrinathegreat. Happy birthday!
Eugene Fitzherbert never held a child until his own was placed in his arms.
It was a wiggly warm bundle swathed in thick blankets. Outside was the longest night of the year, and snow flurries had come and gone all day. In spite of that, Eugene was sweating, and though his arm was solid and his hands were trained to never, ever tremble in the slightest way -- not a good trait for a thief -- his fingers were noticeably shaky as he pried away the wool to see his son’s face.
“Would you like to hold your daughter as well?”
Eugene stopped. “What?”
The midwife, somehow, inexplicably, had another identical bundle for him. Eugene had no idea what to say for a long moment and then, “We have twins?”
The midwife gave him a knowing smile. “You have twins. The Queen wished to let you know you could name the boy Flynn before she fell asleep, as long as she got to name the girl Star.”
She could name both of them whatever she wanted. She could give them five names if she wanted to, not because she was Queen but because she was their mother, and Eugene had never felt so humbled by anything in his life. Even when she’d accepted his proposal.
With careful maneuvering and unasked-for but welcome practical advice from the stout midwife, Eugene managed to get one precious child in each arm. They were tiny and from what he knew of babies, surprisingly compliant. They cooed and gurgled but seemed more interested in going to sleep than taking a good look around their brand new world.
Eugene slipped into their bedchamber. Earlier it had been full of people, and lit with torches, and even though all had gone to schedule -- aside from the surprise of twins -- there had been tension in the air, a frantic anxiety that accompanied every instance of childbirth.
Now it was quiet, and comparatively dark save with only the roaring fireplace and single lit lamp by Rapunzel’s bedside. Eugene creeped along, well-aware that she was exhausted and resting. Still, he wanted them to be all together for the first time. Rapunzel, Flynn, Star -- and him, Eugene Fitzherbert, orphan from an orphanage in the middle of nowhere.
Somehow he managed to, with his feet and some ingenuity, pull a chair to the bedside without the legs scrapping too hard. Yet when he sat down, Rapunzel was awake, watching him with a hazy smile.
Eugene felt his heart grow bigger with love in that moment. Corny, but he’d started to accept that corny things were true. Corny things like princesses in towers and noble steeds, and happily ever afters. “Two, huh?”
She nodded slightly, head resting on a deep purple pillow that dipped slightly under the weight. “Uh-huh. You think you were taken off guard? Imagine my surprise.” her voice was low and dreamy but her gaze was attentive, awake. His Rapunzel had sweated and cried but now she was complacently serene.
He sat down, careful not to jostle the twins. And trying to remember which was which. Thank God they were of different genders, he was already seeing problems down the road as it was. But he was fairly sure Flynn was at the left, and Star on the right.
“I haven’t even seen their faces.” He’d gotten distracted. All he saw were soft fleshy chins and parts of their cheeks. But now his hands were well and truly occupied.
Rapunzel, weary as she was, giggled at him. Then patted the wide expanse of bed on the other side. “Come on. Let’s meet our babies.”
Eugene didn’t argue. He kicked off his boots and crawled on his knees and settled beside Rapunzel. She was the one to tug the wool away from their faces, and the silence that descended wasn’t one of familiar warmth.
Both the King and Queen stared incredulously. The twins had unnaturally long and thick hair for newborns, a shade lighter than that of straw, but it gleamed like gold under firelight.
They were silent for a distressingly long time, exchanging looks.
Eventually Rapunzel laid gentle fingertips on the crown of Flynn’s head and sang, softly, “Flower gleam and glow, let your power shine. Make the clock reverse, bring what was once was mine…” Her voice was jaybird sweet and slow, a lullaby that Eugene hadn’t heard for nearly ten years. In under different circumstances. He held his breath, for she continued to sing to the end with nothing happening.
The relief was short lived. On the final verse, Flynn’s feathery tuft of hair began to pulse with an inner glow.
Eugene didn’t have to, or want to wait for Rapunzel to check Star for the same effect. He made to reach for the scissors kept in his bedside drawer immediately.
“Wait, Eugene.” Rapunzel gripped his elbow with astonishing firmness. Eugene had to concede that with two newborns in arm, getting the scissors would be tricky.
“We’re cutting their hair,” he said firmly, and then got a good look at Rapunzel’s face. Was it his imagination that she appeared younger? There was no mistaking the vivacity that kept her chin up. She had enough strength to make her hold felt on his elbow.
“No, Eugene.” She gave him sympathetic, understanding smile. “We’re not.”
Eugene felt like giving her a shake. “How can we not? This will ruin their lives--”
“Like it ruined mine?”
“… yes.”
“There’s no Gothel to be afraid of.” Rapunzel said quietly.
“There’s always a Gothel out there, Princess.” Always someone who would kill or invade a kingdom, if that was necessary, if they learned of the secrets behind magic hair. Rapunzel nodded, acknowledging his point.
“I don’t think I ever told you, but I don’t hate Gothel. If she hadn’t taken me away, I would have never met you. My hair was the start of my story, a story I wouldn’t trade for anything in the world. Even if the start of it was pretty rough.” Rapunzel could sit up now, with only a mild grimace of discomfort. She stroked Flynn’s head and then Star’s, and both opened their eyes for the first time, squinting.
They weren’t very attractive creatures, all red and sour-faced like that, Eugene had to admit. But they were his sour-faced babies with a magical treasure worth starting wars over on their tiny heads. He didn’t have to say it, his expression said it all while he struggled with his fears.
Rapunzel laid her head on his shoulder. “It’ll be alright. They have their own stories to live through. When they’re old enough, they’ll choose whether they want to cut it or not. No one will know what they can do but us.”
“I don’t like it.”
“Welcome to parenthood, King Eugene.” Rapunzel sighed contentedly, tucking the soft wool back into place. “By the way… which one’s Flynn and which one’s Star?”