[Perched on a swing at the playground, Rapunzel is about as forlorn as a girl can get. She has spent the day trying not to think of her mother
( Read more... )
And by the look on her face ... well, he can guess what's on her mind.
With a sigh, he heads over, only stopping when he can lean back against the swing set's frame. He folds his arms over his chest, and casts a look at her over his shoulder. ]
... so ... not to interrupt or anything, but you seem kind of down.
[She tries OH SO HARD to cover up some of that misery, gently toeing her swing into motion.
But even the SWING seems sad.]
I'm not---it's just that I was thinking of getting a new dress today, Flynn. But then I thought, "Oh, Mother got me the material for this dress. She worked all winter to save up for it for my seventeenth birthday." And she likes pink. She thinks pink is a nice, sweet color. But then I went in the store and saw a blue one I liked. And then I saw some...some...
Pants. I saw some pants that I liked.
[Her head drops into her hands as a sob wracks her thin frame.]
[ He sighs. When this had happened back home, he hadn't cared. All he'd wanted was to get his satchel and leave. But now ... now he cares, except he doesn't think he'll be any better at comforting her. He unfolds his arms and moves, coming to stand in front of her instead. For a minute he's at a loss, awkward -- then gently reaches a hand out to touch her shoulder. ]
Hey, come on. Pants aren't so bad! You should try 'em, really comfy. I mean... [ GAH. DAMMIT, FITZHERBERT, YOU SUCK AT THIS. Eugene takes a deep breath and tries again. ] Rapunzel. [ He hopes the way he says her name -- a little differently, a little lower -- will get her to look up at him, and the hand he's holding out to her. ] Why don't we try looking together? I really don't think your mother would mind you getting some new pants. [ Or ... maybe she would. But Eugene doesn't care about that. He cares about seeing Rapunzel happy. ]
[That hand on her shoulder is appreciated--or at least it will be later on, when she has a chance to think all of this over--but for now, Rapunzel is so wrapped up in these anxieties that she can't fully drink in the comfort in that, or in the way he has just said her name.]
Flynn? Do you think she's...missing me? Do you think she's searching for me, worried? I know we're supposed to go back at the same moment we leave, but what if she notices I'm gone and--and gets frightened that I'm lost or sick or hurt? And I can't tell her I'm fine and just...trapped, here.
[ ... he sighs, heavily, the hand he's offered falling. For a moment he stands with his arms at his sides ... then, gently, brings them up to rest his hands on the chains supporting the swing, above her head. ]
... I think that what matters while we're here is you, Rapunzel. It's your life, right? You should be living it for you. So ... even if she's missing you ... at least she's safe at home. Right now, you've got your life here to worry about living. So ... live it.
But I can't live it if the dress isn't right. She told me. The color needs to be right, Flynn. Otherwise I get "sallow." I don't want to be sallow in Luceti. They already stare at my hair...
[She trails off and looks up at him. Flynn knows so much more about living than she does. She's not sure HOW to go about doing what he is suggesting.]
[ ... getting these glimpses into how messed up her relationship with her mother really was keep making him wince, internally.
He just looks down at her, sincerely at a loss. He wants to help her, wants to ... he wants to see her smile. But he doesn't know how to make that happen. ]
You're not sallow. Whatever that means. You could never-- [ A single, quiet laugh escapes him. After a moment's thought, he crouches down, so he's looking up at her instead of looming down. ]
You know what living life really means? It means chasing your dreams, and doing whatever it takes to be happy. [ ... well ... maybe not whatever it takes. He thought he was doing that, but ... he was wrong. ] So ... if a new dress or a pair of pants would make you happy, then I say go for it. Who cares if it makes you sallow? You're happy. That's what'll shine through the most.
I don't know about happy, but...it WOULD be nice to have clothes on that don't have holes in them.
[But now he's face to face with her like that and Rapunzel finds she's not thinking about clothing or mother or other things at all, and she realizes that her cheeks are feeling warm. Hurriedly she mentally stumbles for an excuse.]
The lanterns! Seeing them--I think that would make me happy, Flynn.
[ ... for a second, he just looks at her, eyes searching her face.
Hm. How to avoid giving away the fact he already had designs on making that happen...?
He grins, and stands again. ] That ... could maybe be arranged. [ His grin widens. ] But come on. Let's get you to the clothing store and find some pants, huh?
why don't I have Flynn's YAY! face. I need it. ;;gasconadeadAugust 17 2011, 03:24:03 UTC
[ Okay, he has to cover up a real, genuine, perhaps overfond smile when she says that, passing a hand over his mouth. Once he recovers, he ... jazz hands. ] And they'll be the greatest pants ever! [ He tilts his head in the other direction. Away from the Swings of Sadness. Let's go. ]
ALAS. let's pretend that was the YAY face.gasconadeadAugust 17 2011, 03:31:51 UTC
That's the spirit! [ He can't keep the sincerity out of his grin. ] And that new dress. You'll be the talk of the town in no time. In a good way, mind you.
[In a much better mood, now, she reaches out to take his arm, dramatically coiling her hair with the other.]
I'm...sort of happy NOT being the talk of the town either way? And we have to pick one that I think mother would like! [That last was a caution: they couldn't go TOO far out in their choice of styles or colors.]
[ ... did he do something right? Did he ... cheer Rapunzel up?
AND THE CROWD GOES WILD AS FLYNN RIDER SCORES! Er, scores in -- doing something right -- yeah. ]
Right, right, I got it. No problem! Try on dresses to your little heart's content and I will give you my very honest opinion. [ A beat. ] You're going to have to tell me what your mother likes, though. Not exactly an expert in motherly tastes. [ He'll set them, arm in arm, on a course for the village plaza and the clothes shop. ]
And by the look on her face ... well, he can guess what's on her mind.
With a sigh, he heads over, only stopping when he can lean back against the swing set's frame. He folds his arms over his chest, and casts a look at her over his shoulder. ]
... so ... not to interrupt or anything, but you seem kind of down.
Reply
But even the SWING seems sad.]
I'm not---it's just that I was thinking of getting a new dress today, Flynn. But then I thought, "Oh, Mother got me the material for this dress. She worked all winter to save up for it for my seventeenth birthday." And she likes pink. She thinks pink is a nice, sweet color. But then I went in the store and saw a blue one I liked. And then I saw some...some...
Pants. I saw some pants that I liked.
[Her head drops into her hands as a sob wracks her thin frame.]
Reply
[ He sighs. When this had happened back home, he hadn't cared. All he'd wanted was to get his satchel and leave. But now ... now he cares, except he doesn't think he'll be any better at comforting her. He unfolds his arms and moves, coming to stand in front of her instead. For a minute he's at a loss, awkward -- then gently reaches a hand out to touch her shoulder. ]
Hey, come on. Pants aren't so bad! You should try 'em, really comfy. I mean... [ GAH. DAMMIT, FITZHERBERT, YOU SUCK AT THIS. Eugene takes a deep breath and tries again. ] Rapunzel. [ He hopes the way he says her name -- a little differently, a little lower -- will get her to look up at him, and the hand he's holding out to her. ] Why don't we try looking together? I really don't think your mother would mind you getting some new pants. [ Or ... maybe she would. But Eugene doesn't care about that. He cares about seeing Rapunzel happy. ]
Reply
Flynn? Do you think she's...missing me? Do you think she's searching for me, worried? I know we're supposed to go back at the same moment we leave, but what if she notices I'm gone and--and gets frightened that I'm lost or sick or hurt? And I can't tell her I'm fine and just...trapped, here.
Reply
... I think that what matters while we're here is you, Rapunzel. It's your life, right? You should be living it for you. So ... even if she's missing you ... at least she's safe at home. Right now, you've got your life here to worry about living. So ... live it.
Reply
[She trails off and looks up at him. Flynn knows so much more about living than she does. She's not sure HOW to go about doing what he is suggesting.]
Reply
He just looks down at her, sincerely at a loss. He wants to help her, wants to ... he wants to see her smile. But he doesn't know how to make that happen. ]
You're not sallow. Whatever that means. You could never-- [ A single, quiet laugh escapes him. After a moment's thought, he crouches down, so he's looking up at her instead of looming down. ]
You know what living life really means? It means chasing your dreams, and doing whatever it takes to be happy. [ ... well ... maybe not whatever it takes. He thought he was doing that, but ... he was wrong. ] So ... if a new dress or a pair of pants would make you happy, then I say go for it. Who cares if it makes you sallow? You're happy. That's what'll shine through the most.
Reply
[But now he's face to face with her like that and Rapunzel finds she's not thinking about clothing or mother or other things at all, and she realizes that her cheeks are feeling warm. Hurriedly she mentally stumbles for an excuse.]
The lanterns! Seeing them--I think that would make me happy, Flynn.
Reply
Hm. How to avoid giving away the fact he already had designs on making that happen...?
He grins, and stands again. ] That ... could maybe be arranged. [ His grin widens. ] But come on. Let's get you to the clothing store and find some pants, huh?
Reply
Y-yes! Pants! We're gonna get pants together, Flynn!
Reply
Reply
Reply
Reply
I'm...sort of happy NOT being the talk of the town either way? And we have to pick one that I think mother would like! [That last was a caution: they couldn't go TOO far out in their choice of styles or colors.]
Reply
AND THE CROWD GOES WILD AS FLYNN RIDER SCORES! Er, scores in -- doing something right -- yeah. ]
Right, right, I got it. No problem! Try on dresses to your little heart's content and I will give you my very honest opinion. [ A beat. ] You're going to have to tell me what your mother likes, though. Not exactly an expert in motherly tastes. [ He'll set them, arm in arm, on a course for the village plaza and the clothes shop. ]
Reply
[Shoes make it too easy to escape. Their lack, though, has meant that her bare feet have grown rather tough over the years. Still, though. Shoes.]
Reply
Leave a comment