Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Rapunzel lay awake in her bed, staring at the ceiling. The ceiling was a bit too bland for her taste, it needed... some... color. So that is exactly what she did. She threw her legs over the bed and stood up, looking around. There was a good bit to work with: paints, and colors. Did she mention paints? Oh yeah, and paints.

Raps grabbed the paints and started to think. What am I going to paint? After a few moments of thinking, she had a brilliant idea. She had saved the ceiling for a special occasion, she wanted to paint something close to her heart. Like an adventure, something she could paint to truly capture the moment. So that is exactly what she did...

Chapter Text

Cass woke up that morning feeling like something was just a bit off. It was right under her finger and yet she just couldn't place it... wait, why wasn't there a slightly-shorter-than-her blond headed energetic woman hounding her? Raps had a very specific thing about waking up early, just to be up in case something happened before the people of Corona got attacked in the morning, (Gods, Raps had an unhealthy love for Corona) and it never failed that Raps was the first to say good morning to her. But going to Raps would break Cass' rules. Of in which were, 1) let Raps engage. If Raps engages first, no one can say that Cass was trying for Raps. 2) if you talk first, it has to be an emergency. Only emergencies permit Cass to show concern, much less... love. 3) Don't upset Raps though... just don't. You've put her through enough already.

After throwing some clothes on, Cass walked out into the corridor, Convincing herself that it wasn't worth it. Raps is capable and she is fine, completely fine... Cass was going to walk by Rap's room, and she wasn't going to stop. For no rea- Cass took a hesitant step back. Then another. Another. Why is her room dark? If Raps was awake, (like she usually is by this time) The curtain would have been open, or at least have the light on. So... Is she okay...? Cass walked up to the door and gently knocked, her knuckled raping the door softly, audible enough, but barely. No response. Another knock. Nothing.

Is she okay?

Cass pushed the doorknob, well... it was unlocked, but this is breaking Rule 2, and Rap's privacy! Well... it is an emergency... what if she's hurt, or worse, missing? Opening the door, it was dark, very different from the bundle of sunshine that was the person who lives in this room. As Cass' eyes adjusted, she saw Raps on the floor, and she was... asleep? Loud snores erupted from Rapunzel, and drool dripped from her mouth, a paintbrush in the princess's hand. Rapunzel had her hair... everywhere. On the ceiling posts and beams, as if to form a spider web. What has she done....? Cass smiled. That smile that you get when you look at someone who causes a flutter in your heart and makes your legs feel like jelly. Cass walked to open the curtains, to hopefully wake Raps up, but stopped when the smallest sliver of light came from the window.

The ceiling... it was... beautiful. Covered wall to wall in vibrant colors, depicting the journey to the dark kingdom. Or at least the good of it. It was like a larger version of Rapunzel's journal.